As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 9, 2021.
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
______________________________________________
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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Panacea Acquisition Corp. II
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Cayman Islands | | 6770 | | 98-1578154 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | | (Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
______________________________________________
357 Tehama Street
Floor 3
San Francisco, CA 94103
Telephone: (415) 966-0807
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
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Oleg Nodelman
Chief Executive Officer
Panacea Acquisition Corp. II
357 Tehama Street
Floor 3
San Francisco, CA 94103
Telephone: (415) 966-0807
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
______________________________________________
Copies to:
Gregg A. Noel, Esq. Michael Mies, Esq. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 500 University Ave. 14th Floor Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 470-4500 | | Alan I. Annex, Esq. Jason T. Simon, Esq. Greenberg Traurig, LLP 1750 Tysons Boulevard Suite 1000 McLean, VA 22102 (703) 749-1300 |
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Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
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 check the following box: £
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 post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) 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. £
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 | | S | | Smaller reporting company | | S | | |
| | | | | | Emerging growth company | | S | | |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. £
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CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of Each Class of Security Being Registered | | Amount Being Registered | | Proposed Maximum Offering Price per Security(1) | | Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1) | | Amount of Registration Fee |
Class A ordinary shares(2)(3) | | 17,250,000 shares | | $ | 10.00 | | $ | 172,500,000 | | $ | 18,819.75 |
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS | | SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MARCH 9, 2021 |
$150,000,000
Panacea Acquisition Corp. II
15,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares
Panacea Acquisition Corp. II is a newly incorporated blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We have not selected any business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or geographical location (subject to certain limitations described in this prospectus), we intend to capitalize on our management team’s background and experience to identify innovative companies in the biotechnology sector that are domiciled in North America or Europe.
This is an initial public offering of our Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, which we refer to as our public shares, at an initial offering price of $10.00 per share. We have also granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,250,000 public shares to cover over-allotments, if any. Unlike many other special purpose acquisition company initial public offerings, or SPAC IPOs, investors in this offering will not receive warrants that would become exercisable following completion of our initial business combination.
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price described herein, payable in cash, subject to the limitations described herein. If we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months from the closing of this offering if we have executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering but have not completed the initial business combination within such 24-month period), we will redeem 100% of the public shares at a per-share price described herein, payable in cash, subject to applicable law and as further described herein.
Our sponsor, EcoR1 Panacea Holdings II, LLC (an affiliate of EcoR1 Capital, LLC), has committed to purchase an aggregate of 500,000 Class A ordinary shares (or 545,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $10.00 per share ($5,000,000 in the aggregate, or $5,450,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. These Class A ordinary shares, which we refer to as the private placement shares, are identical to the public shares, subject to certain limited exceptions as described in this prospectus.
Funds affiliated with EcoR1 Capital, LLC (“EcoR1”) will enter into a forward purchase agreement with us that will provide for the purchase by such funds of an aggregate of 2,500,000 Class A ordinary shares, for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000,000, or $10.00 per share, in a private placement to close substantially concurrently with the closing of our initial business combination. The obligations under the forward purchase agreement will not depend on whether any public shares are redeemed by our public shareholders. The Class A ordinary shares issuable pursuant to the forward purchase agreement will be identical to the public shares, subject to certain limited exceptions as described in this prospectus.
As of the date of this prospectus, our initial shareholders hold 2,300,000 Class B ordinary shares (up to 300,000 of which are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) and 3,450,000 Class F ordinary shares (up to 450,000 of which are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised). The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as provided herein. The Class F ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one hundred-to-one basis on the business day following the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination; provided that the Class F ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one-to-one basis on or prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination, subject to adjustment pursuant to certain anti-dilution rights, as described in more detail below, at the earlier of (1) our meeting certain share price performance thresholds following the completion of our initial business combination and (2) subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Prior to our initial business combination, holders of our Class B ordinary shares and holders of our Class F ordinary shares will have the right to appoint all of our directors and may remove members of our board of directors for any reason. On any other matter submitted to a vote of our shareholders, holders of our Class B ordinary shares, holders of our Class F ordinary shares and holders of our Class A ordinary shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote, except as required by applicable law or stock exchange rule.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our Class A ordinary shares. We intend to apply to list our Class A ordinary shares on The Nasdaq Capital Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “PANA” on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on Nasdaq.
We are an “emerging growth company” and “smaller reporting company” under applicable federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. Investing in our securities involves risks. Please see “Risk Factors” on page 35. Investors will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings.
| | Price to Public | | Underwriting Discounts and Commissions(1) | | Proceeds, before expenses, to us |
Per Share | | $ | 10.00 | | $ | 0.55 | | $ | 9.45 |
Total | | $ | 150,000,000 | | $ | 8,250,000 | | $ | 141,750,000 |
Of the proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement shares described in this prospectus, $150.0 million, or $172.5 million if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.00 per share in either case), will be deposited into a U.S.-based trust account at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee.
The underwriters are offering our Class A ordinary shares for sale on a firm commitment basis. Delivery of the Class A ordinary shares will be made on or about , 2021.
Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
No offer or invitation, whether directly or indirectly, may be made to the public in the Cayman Islands to subscribe for our securities.
Sole Book-Running Manager
Cowen
The date of this prospectus is , 2021
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We are responsible for the information contained in this prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the shares offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of its date.
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Trademarks
This prospectus contains references to trademarks and service marks belonging to other entities. Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ® or ™ symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that the applicable licensor will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, its rights to these trademarks and trade names. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trade names, trademarks or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.
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SUMMARY
This summary only highlights the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. As this is a summary, it does not contain all of the information that you should consider in making an investment decision. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the information under “Risk Factors” and our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before investing.
Unless otherwise stated in this prospectus or the context otherwise requires, references to:
• “alignment shares” are to our Class F ordinary shares initially purchased by our sponsor in a private placement prior to this offering and our Class A ordinary shares that will be issued upon conversion thereof as provided therein;
• “amended and restated memorandum and articles of association” are to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to be in effect upon the completion of this offering;
• “Companies Act” are to the Companies Act (2021 Revision) of the Cayman Islands as the same may be amended from time to time;
• “directors” are to our current directors and our director nominees named in this prospectus;
• “equity-linked securities” are to any debt or equity securities that are convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for our Class A ordinary shares issued in a financing transaction in connection with our initial business combination, including but not limited to a private placement of equity or debt;
• “forward purchase agreement” are to the agreement providing for the sale of 2,500,000 forward purchase shares to forward purchase investors in a private placement that will close substantially concurrently with the closing of our initial business combination;
• “forward purchase investors” are to the funds affiliated with EcoR1 Capital, LLC that are party to the forward purchase agreement;
• “forward purchase shares” are to the 2,500,000 Class A ordinary shares to be issued to the forward purchase investors pursuant to the forward purchase agreement;
• “founder shares” are to our Class B ordinary shares initially purchased by our sponsor in a private placement prior to this offering and our Class A ordinary shares that will be issued upon conversion thereof as provided therein;
• “initial shareholders” are to our sponsor and the other holders of our founder shares and/or alignment shares prior to this offering (if any);
• “management” or our “management team” are to our officers and directors;
• “ordinary shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares, our Class B ordinary shares and our Class F ordinary shares;
• “Panacea,” “we,” “us,” “our” or the “company” are to Panacea Acquisition Corp. II, a Cayman Islands exempted company;
• “private placement shares” are to the Class A ordinary shares issued to our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of this offering;
• “public shareholders” are to the holders of our public shares, including our sponsor, officers and directors to the extent our sponsor, officers or directors purchase public shares, provided that each of their status as a “public shareholder” shall only exist with respect to such public shares;
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• “public shares” are to our Class A ordinary shares sold in this offering (whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter in the open market); and
• “sponsor” are to EcoR1 Panacea Holdings II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and an affiliate of EcoR1 Capital, LLC and Oleg Nodelman.
All references in this prospectus to shares of the company being forfeited shall take effect as surrenders for no consideration of such shares as a matter of Cayman Islands law. All references to the conversion of our Class B ordinary shares or Class F ordinary shares shall take effect as a redemption of such Class B ordinary shares or Class F ordinary shares, as applicable, and issuance of the corresponding Class A ordinary shares as a matter of Cayman Islands law. Any share dividends described in this prospectus shall take effect as share capitalizations as a matter of Cayman Islands law. Unless we tell you otherwise, the information in this prospectus assumes that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option and the forfeiture by our sponsor of 300,000 founder shares and 450,000 alignment shares.
Introduction
We are a newly incorporated blank check company incorporated in January 2021 as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as our initial business combination. To date, our efforts have been limited to organizational activities as well as activities related to this offering. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target.
While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or geographical location, we intend to capitalize on our management team’s background and experience to identify innovative companies in the biotechnology sector that are domiciled in North America or Europe.
In addition, we believe our ability to complete our initial business combination will be enhanced by our having entered into the forward purchase agreement pursuant to which the forward purchase investors will agree to purchase an aggregate of 2,500,000 forward purchase shares at a purchase price of $25,000,000 in the aggregate, in a private placement to close substantially concurrently with the closing of our initial business combination.
Our Sponsor and Competitive Advantages
Our sponsor is an affiliate of EcoR1, an investment firm with over $2.7 billion in regulatory assets under management as of December 31, 2020. EcoR1 was established in March 2013 by our Chief Executive Officer, Oleg Nodelman, and is focused on therapeutic companies within the biotechnology sector.
EcoR1’s investment activity includes public and private biotechnology companies spanning all stages of research and development, including commercialization, for companies based in the U.S. as well as other developed global territories. Investments are primarily made through equity and equity-related securities.
EcoR1 has expansive knowledge of the biotechnology sector as well as a proprietary network consisting of deep relationships with clinicians, scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, bankers and other key players in the industry. This allows EcoR1 to find and identify compelling targets whose risk/reward profiles are asymmetrically skewed to the upside. EcoR1 makes a detailed assessment of the financial and scientific viability of each investment opportunity with a discerning eye. This proprietary process includes an assessment of the intrinsic value, market needs, financial stability and management team track record. EcoR1 is also experienced in providing hands-on, operational guidance as companies navigate the various challenges inherent with drug discovery and development.
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EcoR1 was established in March 2013 with $13 million in invested capital from our Chief Executive Officer, Oleg Nodelman, and fellow colleagues in the biotechnology sector. The firm has grown to over $2.7 billion in regulatory assets under management as of December 31, 2020 through partner referrals, word of mouth and organic growth. EcoR1’s current investor base includes foundations, endowments, families and reputable investors in the biotechnology sector. Mr. Nodelman and EcoR1 employees remain one of the largest group of investors in the funds, providing strong alignment with outside capital. The funds have liquidity parameters that allow the firm to partner with thoughtful, long-term investors and provide alignment between the companies they invest in and the duration of the capital. EcoR1’s flagship fund has been closed to new institutional investors since mid-2017, and to date over half of the firm’s assets have been generated through performance. As of December 31, 2020, EcoR1 generated cumulative and annualized returns of 1040% and 36%, respectively.
Since 2013, EcoR1 has spoken with and evaluated over 1,000 private companies, investing in 53 companies in various financing rounds totaling $5.0 billion. As of December 31, 2020, out of the 53 private investments, 35 companies have gone public and three companies have been acquired.
Our independent directors have extensive experience in drug discovery, preclinical research, clinical medicine, development and regulatory, operational and management leadership within the healthcare and financial industry, spanning a cumulative 100 years of experience in the biotech or pharma industry. All of our independent directors have led or been a part of leadership teams in, or invested in, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies that have together generated over $100 billion in value as of December 31, 2020 for investors through sell-side M&A, divestitures and public listings, and helped develop approximately 15 FDA approved drugs for patients. Additionally they have invested in or been instrumental to the formation of over 30 companies in the biotechnology sector across diverse indications including hematology, oncology, immunology, infectious disease, neurology and rare disease. We believe that their breadth of experience will bolster our ability to thoroughly evaluate prospective candidates and successfully execute our initial business combination. Following the completion of our initial business combination, we believe our independent directors will fortify our ongoing operations by providing sound and experienced counsel on potential future acquisitions, divestitures, corporate strategy and human resources.
We believe the experience of our team, strengthened by their industry network and our experienced board of directors, will enhance our management team’s ability to source viable prospective target businesses, capitalize them and ensure public-market readiness. We believe that our management team is equipped with the knowledge, experience, capital and human resources to pursue unique opportunities that will offer attractive risk-adjusted returns.
Our Management Team and Board of Directors
Oleg Nodelman has been our Chief Executive Officer since January 2021 and is our Chairman Nominee. Mr. Nodelman has been the Portfolio Manager of EcoR1, a biotech-focused investment advisory firm that invests in companies at all stages of research and development, since he founded it in 2013. With nearly 20 years of experience in biotech investing, Mr. Nodelman has expertise in all aspects of investment management and deep roots in the biotech and scientific communities. Before founding EcoR1, Mr. Nodelman was an analyst and portfolio manager from 2001 to 2012 at Biotechnology Value Fund. Prior to BVF, Mr. Nodelman worked in strategic consulting and organizational management at Mercer Management Consulting (now Oliver Wyman). He currently serves as a Board Member for Prothena (Nasdaq: PRTA), a clinical-stage neuroscience company focused on the discovery and development of novel therapies and was the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Panacea Acquisition Corp. Mr. Nodelman has a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service with a concentration in Science and Technology from Georgetown University.
Scott Perlen has been our Chief Financial Officer since January 2021. Mr. Perlen was the Chief Financial Officer of Panacea Acquisition Corp. and has been the Chief Financial Officer of EcoR1 since joining the firm in 2019. He oversees accounting and finance for EcoR1 and its investment funds as well as the funds’ day to day trade operations. Prior to joining EcoR1 in 2019, Mr. Perlen served
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as Chief Financial Officer for seven years at Sheffield Asset Management, LLC, a Chicago-based investment firm. Prior to Sheffield, Mr. Perlen was a Vice President at Grosvenor Capital Management, LP, a global leader in the alternative asset industry. During his seven years at Grosvenor, Mr. Perlen managed a group dedicated to providing outsourced CFO functionality to a number of investment firm managers and also assisted in performing operational due diligence reviews on underlying investment firms. Prior to joining Grosvenor in 2005, Mr. Perlen was an Assistant Vice President at Bank of America, focusing on operational risk and accounting for the bank’s derivatives business. From 1997 to 2002, Mr. Perlen managed the operations and fund accounting at Sunrise Capital Partners, LLC, a San Diego-based investment firm. Mr. Perlen received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1997.
Scott Platshon has been our Chief Operating Officer since January 2021. Mr. Platshon also served as Chief Operating Officer of Panacea Acquisition Corp. and joined EcoR1 in 2015 where he currently serves as a Partner and is responsible for due diligence and analysis of biotechnology companies for value-oriented investment opportunities. Mr. Platshon previously worked at Aquilo Partners, a boutique life sciences investment bank. Mr. Platshon holds a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering from Stanford University.
Caroline Stout has been our Chief Investment Officer since January 2021. Ms. Stout also served as Chief Investment Officer of Panacea Acquisition Corp. and joined EcoR1 in 2014 where she currently serves as a Partner. At EcoR1, she has led several of the firm’s investments in the biotechnology sector. Ms. Stout previously worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at Credit Suisse in New York. She has experience working on a range of transactions in the healthcare and biotechnology sectors, including leveraged buyouts, initial public offerings and follow-on equity raises. Ms. Stout graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, a Pre-Medical concentration, and Cognitive Science minor.
Sarah Marriott has served as our Secretary and on our board of directors since January 2021. Ms. Marriott also served as Secretary and on the board of directors of Panacea Acquisition Corp. Ms. Marriott joined EcoR1 in 2014 and is the firm’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, where she is responsible for operational, regulatory and compliance issues. Ms. Marriott has experience working across the diverse areas of civil and criminal litigation. Prior to EcoR1, she served as a Deputy District Attorney in Solano County, California. Prior to serving as a prosecutor, Ms. Marriott practiced at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in San Francisco, where she handled commercial litigation matters. Ms. Marriott previously completed a clerkship on the federal Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Ms. Marriott holds a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College.
Douglas Giordano has agreed to serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Mr. Giordano is currently Senior Vice President of Pfizer Worldwide Business Development Group (“Pfizer”). Since 2007, Mr. Giordano has been responsible for leading Pfizer’s evaluation, negotiation and execution of product licensing, partnerships and m&a transactions. Under Mr. Giordano’s leadership, Pfizer has deployed over $125 billion of capital to business development across a wide range of transaction types from venture investing, biotech licensing through large scale m&a. Mr. Giordano also led Pfizer’s initial public offering/split off of Zoetis, Pfizer’s consumer joint venture with GlaxoSmithKline plc (NYSE: GSK), and the recently closed spin/merger of Viatris. Before leading Pfizer’s Worldwide Business Development group, Mr. Giordano held positions of increasing responsibility within Pfizer’s U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group, including roles in finance, manufacturing and commercial strategy. Prior to joining Pfizer, Mr. Giordano was a consultant at Booz, Allen & Hamilton. From 2017 to 2019, Mr. Giordano served on the board of directors of ICU Medical, Inc. Mr. Giordano earned a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University and an M.B.A. from Cornell University’s Johnson School of Business. He currently serves on the board of Cerevel Therapeutics and is a member of the Duke University School of Medicine Board of Visitors.
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Nina Kjellson has agreed to serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Ms. Kjellson joined Canaan Partners (“Canaan”) in 2015 and is a General Partner, investing in health care companies that aim to transform care for patients. She focuses on therapeutics for serious and underserved conditions such as cancer, autoimmune, orphan and rare diseases and life-threatening infections. As a leader of Canaan’s Women of Venture program, Ms. Kjellson is a vocal advocate for women entrepreneurs and investors. She is a member of the advisory board for the Oliver Wyman Health Innovation Center and is a 2018 Aspen Institute Health Innovators Fellow. She serves on the boards of PACT Pharma, Tizona Therapeutics, Trishula Therapeutics, Tyra Biosciences, Vineti and WellTok. Prior to Canaan, Ms. Kjellson was a General Partner at InterWest Partners (“InterWest”) where she had invested in healthcare start-ups since 2002. Before InterWest, she was an investment manager at Bay City Capital, a life sciences merchant bank, and a research associate at Oracle Partners, a healthcare-focused hedge fund. Ms. Kjellson began her career conducting health policy and survey research with the Kaiser Family Foundation. Her previous investments include Alt12 (acquired by Honest Company), Aspreva (ASPV; acquired by Galenica), CNS Therapeutics (acquired by Covidien), Cidara (CDTX), Eiger Biopharmaceuticals (EIGR), Labrys Biologics (acquired by Teva), NovaCardia (acquired by Merck), Ocera (OCRX; acquired by Mallinckrodt), Trius Therapeutics (TSRX; acquired by Cubist), Paratek (PRTK) and Tesaro (TSRO). Ms. Kjellson was born in Scandinavia and grew-up in the Northeast. Ms. Kjellson received a B.A. in human biology from Stanford University (1997). She chairs the board of Essential Access Health and serves on the boards of Girl Effect and Life Science Cares. She has co-developed an immersive curriculum for diversity and inclusion in healthcare with Impact Experience, called Impact Experience: HealthEquity.
Praveen Tipirneni, M.D. has agreed to serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Praveen Tipirneni, M.D. is President and CEO of Morphic Therapeutic Inc. (“Morphic Therapeutic”). Before joining Morphic Therapeutic in 2015, he was Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Global Strategy at Cubist Pharmaceuticals (“Cubist”), a position in which he served from 2002 until the company’s acquisition by Merck in 2015. In his time at Cubist, he was a member of the clinical group working on the Cubicin NDA (skin and skin structure infections) and sNDA (Staph. Bacteremia and Endocarditis) teams. At Cubist, he was head of business development since January 2006. Prior to joining Cubist, Dr. Tipirneni worked at Sun Microsystems in corporate strategy, Covad Communications in Corporate Strategy, and Deltagen in business development. He also served time as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Dr. Tipirneni received a bachelor’s degree from MIT in mechanical engineering and an M.D. from McGill University. After completing his post-graduate residency in Internal Medicine at University of Illinois, Chicago, he received his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business in healthcare finance.
Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D. has agreed to serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Dr. Williams is currently the President, CEO and member of the Board of Directors of Codiak BioSciences. Before joining Codiak BioSciences in 2015, Dr. Williams was previously Biogen’s Executive Vice President, Research and Development, serving in this role from January 2011 to July 2015. He joined Biogen from ZymoGenetics, where he was most recently CEO and member of the board of directors. ZymoGenetics was purchased for $985MM by Bristol Myers Squibb during Dr. Williams’s tenure. Previously, he held leadership positions within the biotechnology industry, including Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Seattle Genetics, and Senior Vice President and Washington Site Leader at Amgen. Dr. Williams served in a series of scientific and senior leadership positions over a decade at Immunex, including Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer and as a member of the board of directors. From 2014 to 2019, Dr. Williams served on the board of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. From 2012 to 2017, Dr. Williams served on the board of Regulus Therapeutics Inc. During his more than 30 year career in the biotechnology industry, he has played a role in the development of several novel drugs including Enbrel, Tecfidera, and Spinraza. He has served on the board of numerous biotechnology companies and is currently a member of the board of directors of Ovid Pharmaceuticals, and Chairman of the board of AC Immune, and is a director for private companies Cygnal Therapeutics and Xenikos.
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Experience with Special Purpose Acquisition Vehicles
Our management team has previous experience in the execution of public acquisition vehicles. Panacea Acquisition Corp. was a special purpose acquisition company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. In October 2020, Panacea Acquisition Corp. announced it had entered into a business combination agreement to acquire Nuvation Bio, Inc. (“Nuvation Bio”) and raised over $500 million in a concurrent equity financing. On February 10, 2021, Panacea Acquisition Corp. consummated the transactions contemplated by the business combination agreement. Nuvation Bio is a biopharmaceutical company focused on revolutionizing cancer treatment by discovering, developing and delivering therapies that tackle some of the greatest needs in oncology. The common stock of Nuvation Bio remains listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the new ticker symbol “NUVB.” Mr. Nodelman, Mr. Perlen, Mr. Platshon, Ms. Stout and Ms. Marriott were the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Secretary of Panacea Acquisition Corp., respectively.
Our sponsor, directors, officers and EcoR1 and its affiliates expect in the future to become affiliated with other public special public acquisition companies that may have acquisition objectives that are similar to ours. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Management Team — Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.”
The past performance of the members of our management team or their affiliates, including Panacea Acquisition Corp. and EcoR1, is not a guarantee that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record or the performance of our management team, EcoR1 or any of their affiliates’ or managed fund’s performance as indicative of our future performance.
Industry Opportunity
Over the last decade, biotechnology companies have experienced a period of unprecedented innovation driven, in part, by a surge of novel therapeutic modalities. From EcoR1’s launch in early 2013 through December 2020, the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index has appreciated over 200%, just outpacing the strong period of growth of the S&P 500 at 147%. This continued growth has largely been driven by fundamental innovation that has advanced clinical practice and made a difference in the lives of patients. Since 2013, over 340 novel chemical entities have been approved by the FDA, some of which include the first time a treatment has been available for a particular disease or disorder. As larger pharmaceutical companies have shed their internal research and development programs, smaller biotechnology companies continue to be a key driver of innovation and new drug development for the industry. We believe the historical strength in biopharma m&a market, which totaled over $240 billion in 2020, will continue to drive attractive valuations in public markets. In 2019, the global biotechnology market represented approximately $516 billion in revenue and is estimated to grow 8% per annum to $841 billion in 2025. Disease evolves, and as such, we believe that continued innovation and the introduction of new therapies will be the underlying driver of growth for the overall biotechnology sector.
We believe that life sciences companies, at a certain stage in their development, will see material benefits from being publicly traded, including greater access to capital, more liquid securities and increased visibility. The U.S. public markets provide access to the largest global pool of institutional capital, funding innovation and ultimately new medicines for patients. In 2020, over $46 billion was raised in the U.S. public equity markets for biotechnology companies, including more than $14 billion in initial public offerings.
Despite this IPO activity, the amount raised by biotechnology companies in initial public offerings has been a fraction of the amount raised in the private market recently. Compared to the more than $46 billion raised in over 390 initial public offerings by the biotechnology sector since 2013, there has
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been more than $101 billion raised in private offerings during the same period. As of December 2020, there were over 6,500 biotechnology companies globally, only 852 of which were then publicly traded on a major U.S. stock exchange. Since 2013, over 1,590 biotechnology companies have obtained seed capital and/or Series A financing.
Our management team believes that the perceived complexity of the healthcare industry acts as a barrier to entry, requiring investors to have significant sector-specific knowledge and expertise to identify and appropriately analyze investment opportunities. Technical and scientific knowledge, an understanding of the reimbursement environment and regulatory landscape, complex valuation methodologies, specialized accounting treatments, and regulatory and political considerations may deter competition from generalist firms. We believe there is an opportunity to offer outstanding risk-adjusted returns to shareholders by building companies that possess underappreciated assets and provide growth opportunities that will benefit by capitalization and leadership from industry veterans.
EcoR1’s proprietary, process driven approach is built on a value philosophy that attempts to manage risk in the volatile biotechnology sector. Our management team will focus on finding companies with hidden value overlooked by the market and typical value-based diligence. This includes human capital in addition to deep scientific and financial analysis. EcoR1 is agnostic to stage of development for its portfolio companies and investment decisions are driven by fundamental analysis of the business and scientific merits of each opportunity.
Acquisition Strategy
Our acquisition strategy is to identify and acquire an untapped opportunity within the biotechnology sector and build a public company. We believe our management team is well positioned to identify unique opportunities in our targeted sector based on their strong networks and experience and our core investment philosophy of identifying companies that are downside protected with outsized potential upside. Our selection process will leverage the relationships of our management team with industry captains, key opinion leaders, respected peers, and our management team’s network of investment banking executives, attorneys, and accountants. We also believe that EcoR1’s reputation, experience and track record of making investments in the biotechnology space will make us a preferred partner for these potential targets.
Investment Criteria
Consistent with our strategy, we have identified the following criteria to evaluate prospective target businesses. We may however, decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet these criteria. We intend to seek to acquire one or more businesses that we believe have the following characteristics:
• Risk/reward profile that is skewed to the upside. As is core to our basic investment approach, we intend to identify businesses that have an asymmetric risk/reward profile, significant competitive advantages and underexploited expansion opportunities that can benefit from access to additional capital and provide the potential for exceptional returns for our shareholders.
• Strong management team in place. We intend to identify businesses with strong and experienced public-ready management teams, either in the form of entrepreneurs with whom we have worked in the past or seasoned industry veterans who have the experience and track record of value creation for their stockholders.
• Innovative and quality science. While science is not the first place we begin our diligence, an important element in our process is to evaluate the rigor of the underlying science and understand a business’s unique value and ability to address an unmet need in the marketplace.
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• Multiple avenues for growth opportunities. We intend to identify businesses that have multiple shots on goal. Outside of the lead asset that may hold the underwritten downside protection, we are looking for businesses that have other areas for potential growth in their pipeline that are not necessarily reflected in the value assigned to them at acquisition, but provide multiple “ways to win.”
• Potential to provide significant benefits to patients. We intend to identify businesses that are developing therapies that have the potential to significantly enhance the treatment paradigm or represent first-in-class therapeutics for patients and physicians.
• Unrecognized value or other characteristics that we believe have been misunderstood by the market. We seek to find value where others do not typically look. We will seek target businesses that are attractively valued due to being overlooked, misunderstood, or undercapitalized. Our diligence process to identify these opportunities may include, among other things, a review and analysis of the business’s capital structure, potential for future earnings, preclinical or clinical data, potential for operational improvements, corporate governance, customers, existing or potential partnerships with larger pharma companies, and the industry and trends. We intend to leverage the operational experience and disciplined investment approach of our team to identify opportunities to unlock value that our experience in complex situations allows us to pursue.
These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general criteria as well as other considerations, factors, criteria and guidelines that our management may deem relevant.
Our Acquisition Process
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information that will be made available to us.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a business that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Management Team — Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.” In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a business that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors and if our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria.
Members of our management team may directly or indirectly own our securities following this offering, and accordingly, they may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors are from time to time made aware of potential business opportunities, one or more of which we may desire to pursue, for a business combination, but we have not (nor has anyone on our behalf) contacted any prospective target business or had any substantive discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect to a business combination transaction with us.
Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties to one or more other entities, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp., pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entities. Accordingly, if any of our officers or
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directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for one or more entities to which he or she has fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp., he or she will honor these obligations and duties to present such business combination opportunity to such entities first, and only present it to us if such entities reject the opportunity and he or she determines to present the opportunity to us. For more information, see the section entitled “Management — Conflicts of Interest.”
We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other.
Initial Business Combination
Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination.We refer to this as the 80% of net assets test. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. We do not currently intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination, although there is no assurance that will be the case. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own or acquire shares will own or acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to our initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in our initial business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity securities of a target business, or issue a substantial number of new shares to third-parties in connection with financing our initial business combination. In such cases, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the issued and outstanding equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired by us is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test. If our initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses.
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Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will file a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
Emerging Growth Company Status and Other Information
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of: (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter; and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.00 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. References herein to “emerging growth company” shall have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter, and (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year or the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter.
Exempted companies are Cayman Islands companies wishing to conduct business outside the Cayman Islands and, as such, are exempted from complying with certain provisions of the Companies Act. As an exempted company, we have applied for and have received a tax exemption undertaking from the Cayman Islands Government that, in accordance with Section 6 of the Tax Concessions Act (2018 Revision) of the Cayman Islands, for a period of 20 years from the date of the undertaking, no law which is enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations shall apply to us or our operations and, in addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax shall be payable (1) on or in respect of our shares, debentures or other obligations or (2) by way of the withholding in whole or in part of a payment of dividend or other distribution of income or capital by us to our shareholders or a payment of principal or interest or other sums due under a debenture or other obligation of us.
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We are a Cayman Islands exempted company incorporated on January 14, 2021. Our executive offices are located at 357 Tehama Street, Floor 3, San Francisco, CA 94103 and our telephone number is (415) 966-0807. Upon completion of this offering, our corporate website address will be . Our website and the information contained on, or that can be accessed through, the website is not deemed to be incorporated by reference in, and is not considered part of, this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You should not rely on any such information in making your decision whether to invest in our securities.
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The Offering
In making your decision whether to invest in our securities, you should take into account not only the backgrounds of the members of our management team, but also the special risks we face as a blank check company and the fact that this offering is not being conducted in compliance with Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings. You should carefully consider these and the other risks set forth in the section below entitled “Risk Factors.”
Securities offered | | 15,000,000 Class A ordinary shares (or 17,250,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), at $10.00 per share. Unlike many other SPAC IPOs, investors in this offering will not receive warrants that would become exercisable following completion of our initial business combination. |
Proposed Nasdaq symbol | | “PANA” |
Number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding before this offering | |
5,750,000(1)(3)
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Number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding after this offering and the sale of private placement shares | |
20,500,000(2)(3)
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Forward Purchase Agreement | | Prior to this offering, we will enter into a forward purchase agreement pursuant to which the forward purchase investors will agree to subscribe for an aggregate of 2,500,000 forward purchase shares, for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000,000, or $10.00 per forward purchase share, in a private placement to close substantially concurrently with the closing of our initial business combination. The forward purchase shares will be identical to the public shares, except that the holders thereof will have certain registration rights, as described below. The forward purchase agreement and the registration rights agreement whose terms are incorporated therein also will provide that the forward purchase investors are entitled to registration rights with respect to the forward purchase shares. Please see “Description of Securities — Registration Rights” for additional information. The proceeds from the sale of the forward purchase shares may be used as part of the consideration to the sellers in our initial business combination, expenses in connection with our initial business combination or for working capital in the post-business combination company. These purchases will be required to be made regardless of whether any public shares are redeemed by our public shareholders and are intended to provide us with a minimum funding level for our initial business combination. The forward purchase shares will be issued only in connection with the closing of the initial business combination. |
Appointment and removal of directors; voting rights | | Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares will have the right to appoint directors. Holders of the Class A ordinary shares will not be entitled to appoint directors during such time. In addition, prior to our initial business combination, holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares may remove a member of our board of directors for any reason. These particular provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting, which shall include the affirmative vote of a simple majority of our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares. With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of our shareholders, including any vote in connection with our initial business combination, except as required by applicable law or stock exchange rule, holders of our Class A ordinary shares, holders of our Class F ordinary shares and holders of our Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class, with each share entitling the holder to one vote.
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Founder shares and alignment shares | | In January 2021, our sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain offering costs of the Company for an aggregate of 2,300,000 founder shares and 3,450,000 alignment shares. Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by our sponsor, we had no assets, tangible or intangible. In January 2021, our sponsor transferred 25,000 founder shares to each of our independent director nominees at their original purchase price. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the founder shares would represent 10% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the completion of this offering (not including the private placement shares). The number of alignment shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the alignment shares would represent 15% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the completion of this offering (not including the private placement shares). If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or share repurchase or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain (1) the number of founder shares at 10% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares) and (2) the number of alignment shares at 15% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares). Up to 300,000 and 450,000 founder shares and alignment shares, respectively, are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised.
The founder shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment pursuant to certain anti-dilution rights, as described in more detail below. The alignment shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one hundred-to-one basis on the business day following the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination, subject to adjustment pursuant to certain anti-dilution rights, as described in more detail below; provided that alignment shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one-to-one basis on or prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination, subject to adjustment pursuant to certain anti-dilution rights, as described in more detail below, upon the earlier of: • the date following our initial business combination on which: • with respect to one-third of the alignment shares issued and outstanding following the consummation of this offering (following any forfeiture as a result of the underwriters’ over-allotment option not being exercised in full), the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $15.00 (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) (the “First Price Vesting”); |
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| | • with respect to another one-third of the alignment shares issued and outstanding following the consummation of this offering (following any forfeiture as a result of the underwriters’ over-allotment option not being exercised in full), the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $20.00 (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) (the “Second Price Vesting”); and • with respect to the other one-third of the alignment shares issued and outstanding following the consummation of this offering (following any forfeiture as a result of the underwriters’ over-allotment option not being exercised in full), the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $25.00 (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions); and • subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. For example, if fifteen months following the consummation of our initial business combination the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $20.00 but does not exceed $25.00, both the First Price Vesting and Second Price Vesting price performance thresholds will be met, resulting in a total of 2,000,000 alignment shares converting into 2,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, representing 1,000,000 associated with the First Price Vesting and 1,000,000 associated with the Second Price Vesting (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised and which number may be adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like). If after such conversion (but prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination) the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $25.00, then the remaining 1,000,000 Class F ordinary shares will convert into 1,000,000 Class A ordinary shares. In the alternative, if after the First Price Vesting and the Second Price Vesting the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares does not equal or exceed $25.00 prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination, the remaining 1,000,000 Class F ordinary shares will convert into 10,000 Class A ordinary shares. |
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| | Subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination and prior to its fifth anniversary, even if none of the price performance thresholds are met on or prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination, the alignment shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one-to-one basis upon completion of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property. Our initial shareholders will own 25%, unlike many other SPAC IPOs where initial shareholders own 20%, of the ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares). However, 15% of the ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of this offering (the alignment shares) will convert on a one hundred-to-one basis if certain price performance thresholds are not met prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination. If this occurs, the number of alignment shares, and thereby the total number of ordinary shares, issued and outstanding upon the consummation of this offering will decrease, and our initial shareholders will own a total of 11.9%, not 25%, of the ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of this offering. In contrast, all of the private shares owned by initial shareholders in many other SPAC IPOs convert on a one-to-one basis at the time of the initial business combination. The initial shareholders thereby maintain their interests at 20% of the ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of the offering. We have structured incentives this way to align interests from an economic perspective of our public shareholders, our initial shareholders and the target to our initial business combination. As such, we have issued the alignment shares to reward long-term performance, while also minimizing dilution to our public shareholders. We believe that this structure emphasizes our long-term investment approach and helps us stand out among special purpose acquisition companies. The founder shares and alignment shares are identical to the public shares being sold in this offering, except that: • the founder shares and alignment shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares as described above; • prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares and holders of our Class F ordinary shares, voting together as a single class, have the right to appoint directors and holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares, voting together as a single class, may remove members of our board of directors for any reason; • our initial shareholders, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive: (1) their redemption rights with |
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| | respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them, as applicable, in connection with the completion of our initial business combination; (2) their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; and (3) their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any extended time that we have to consummate a business combination beyond 24 months (or 27 months, as applicable) as a result of a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (an “Extension Period”) (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame). If we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our initial shareholders, officers and directors have agreed to vote any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares, we would need 4,750,001, or 31.7% (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised), or none (assuming only the minimum number of shares representing a quorum are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised), of the 15,000,000 Class A ordinary shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of a transaction, in order to have such initial business combination approved; • the founder shares and alignment shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below; and • the holders of the founder shares and alignment shares are entitled to registration rights. |
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Private placement shares | | Our sponsor has committed to purchase an aggregate of 500,000 private placement shares (or 545,000 private placement shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $10.00 per share ($5,000,000 in the aggregate or $5,450,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of this offering. A portion of the purchase price of the private placement shares will be added to the proceeds from this offering to be held in the trust account. If we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period, the proceeds of the sale of the private placement shares held in the trust account will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law). The private placement shares are identical to the public shares, except that the private placement shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions and the holders thereof are entitled to certain registration rights, as described herein. |
Transfer restrictions on private placement shares | | The private placement shares will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination (except as described herein under “Principal Shareholders — Transfers of Founder Shares, Alignment Shares and Private Placement Shares”). Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our initial shareholders with respect to such securities.
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Transfer restrictions on founder shares and alignment shares | | Our initial shareholders, officers and directors have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their:
• founder shares until the earlier to occur of: (1) one year after the completion of our initial business combination; and (2) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property or (y) if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination; and |
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| | • alignment shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) their conversion into Class A ordinary shares; and (B) subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, except, in each case, as described herein under “Principal Shareholders — Transfers of Founder Shares, Alignment Shares and Private Placement Shares”. Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our initial shareholders with respect to any such founder shares or alignment shares, as applicable. |
Founder shares and alignment shares conversion and anti-dilution rights | |
The Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
The Class F ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one hundred-to-one basis on the business day following the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination, subject to adjustment for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein; provided that the Class F ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one-to-one basis on or prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination at the earlier of (1) our meeting certain share price performance thresholds following the completion of our initial business combination and (2) subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, in each case subject to adjustment for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional Class A ordinary shares, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts issued in this offering and related to the closing of our initial business combination (other than with respect to the founder shares, alignment shares or forward purchase shares), (1) the ratio at which Class B ordinary shares shall convert into Class A ordinary shares will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B |
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| | ordinary shares agree to waive such anti-dilution adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Class B ordinary shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 10% of the total number of all ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon completion of this offering (not including the private placement shares) plus all Class A ordinary shares and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination (net of the number of Class A ordinary shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination), excluding the forward purchase shares, any Class A ordinary shares issued upon conversion of any founder shares, alignment shares or working capital loans, and any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in our initial business combination and (2) the ratio at which Class F ordinary shares shall convert into Class A ordinary shares will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class F ordinary shares agree to waive such anti-dilution adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Class F ordinary shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 15% of the total number of all ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon completion of this offering (not including the private placement shares) plus all Class A ordinary shares and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination (net of the number of Class A ordinary shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination), excluding the forward purchase shares, any Class A ordinary shares issued upon conversion of any founder shares, alignment shares or working capital loans, and any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in our initial business combination. |
Proceeds to be held in trust account | | Nasdaq rules provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement shares be deposited in a trust account. Of the net proceeds we will receive from this offering and the sale of the private placement shares described in this prospectus, $150.0 million ($10.00 per share), or $172.5 million ($10.00 per share) if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, will be deposited into a segregated U.S.-based trust account at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and $2.0 million will be used to pay expenses in connection with the closing of this offering and for working capital following this offering. The proceeds to be placed in the trust account include $5,250,000 (or up to $6,037,500 depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) in deferred underwriting commissions. The funds in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. Treasuries. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our taxes, if any, the funds held in the trust account will not be released from the trust account until the earliest of: (1) the completion of our initial business combination; (2) the redemption of any public |
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| | shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; and (3) the redemption of all of our public shares if we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable), subject to applicable law. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could become subject to the claims of our creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of our public shareholders. |
Anticipated expenses and funding sources | | Unless and until we complete our initial business combination, no proceeds held in the trust account will be available for our use, except the withdrawal of interest to pay taxes or to redeem our public shares in connection with an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as described above. The funds in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. Treasuries and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. Based upon current interest rates, we expect the trust account to generate approximately $105,000 of interest annually (assuming an interest rate of 0.07% per year). Unless and until we complete our initial business combination, we may pay our expenses only from:
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| | • the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares not held in the trust account, which will be approximately $1,000,000 in working capital after the payment of approximately $1,000,000 in expenses relating to this offering; and any loans or additional investments from our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their respective affiliates or other third parties, although they are under no obligation or other duty to loan funds to, or invest in, us, and provided that any such loans will not have any claim on the proceeds held in the trust account unless such proceeds are released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. If we complete our initial business combination, we expect to repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into Class A ordinary shares at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender at the time of the business combination. The shares would be identical to the private placement shares issued to our sponsor. |
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Conditions to completing our initial business combination | | There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination. Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. We do not currently intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination, although there is no assurance that will be the case. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions. We will complete our initial business combination only if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to our initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in our initial business combination transaction. If less than 100% of the issued and outstanding equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired by us is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test, provided that in the event that our initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses. |
Permitted purchases and other transactions with respect to our securities | |
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may purchase public shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation or other duty to do so. There is no limit on the number of shares such persons may purchase, or any restriction on the price that they may pay. Any such price per share may be different than the amount per share a public shareholder would receive if it elected to redeem its shares in connection with our initial
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| | business combination. Additionally, at any time at or prior to our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material nonpublic information), our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire public shares, vote their public shares in favor of our initial business combination or not redeem their public shares. However, such persons have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such purchases or other transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such purchases or other transactions. None of the funds in the trust account will be used to purchase public shares in such transactions. Such persons will be subject to restrictions in making any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Please see “Proposed Business — Permitted purchases and other transactions with respect to our securities” for a description of how such persons will determine from which shareholders to enter into transactions with. |
| | We will adopt an insider trading policy which will require insiders to: (1) refrain from purchasing securities during certain blackout periods and when they are in possession of any material non-public information; and (2) clear all trades with our legal counsel prior to execution. We cannot currently determine whether our insiders will make such purchases pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan, as it will be dependent upon several factors, including but not limited to, the timing and size of such purchases. Depending on such circumstances, our insiders may either make such purchases pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan or determine that such a plan is not necessary. |
| | We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will be required to comply with such rules. Our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates will be restricted from making purchases if such purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. |
| | We expect that any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. The purpose of any such transaction could be to (1) vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the initial business combination or (2) satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. Any such transactions may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A ordinary |
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| | shares may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our Class A ordinary shares may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our Class A ordinary shares on a national securities exchange. |
Redemption rights for public shareholders upon completion of our initial business combination | |
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. The per share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. The redemption rights will include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination.
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Manner of conducting redemptions | | We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either: (1) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the business combination; or (2) by means of a tender offer. Except as required by applicable law or stock exchange rules, the decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction. Asset acquisitions and share purchases would not typically require shareholder approval while direct mergers with our company where we do not survive and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares or seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association would typically require shareholder approval. We intend to conduct redemptions without a shareholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC unless shareholder approval is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement or we choose to seek shareholder approval for business or other reasons. |
| | If a shareholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association: |
| | • conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers; and |
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| | • file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies. Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, if we elect to conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, we and our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase our Class A ordinary shares in the open market, in order to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act. In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public shareholders not tendering more than a specified number of public shares, which number will be based on the requirement that we may not redeem public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions, or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. If public shareholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete such initial business combination, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination (including, potentially, with the same target). If, however, shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, we will: • conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules; and • file proxy materials with the SEC. We expect that a final proxy statement would be mailed to public shareholders at least 10 days prior to the shareholder vote. However, we expect that a draft proxy statement would be made available to such shareholders well in advance of such time, providing additional notice of redemption if we conduct redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation. Although we are not required to do so, we currently intend to comply with the substantive and procedural requirements of Regulation 14A in connection with any shareholder vote even if we are not able to maintain our Nasdaq listing or Exchange Act registration. |
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| | If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we obtain the approval of an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders who attend and vote at a general meeting of the company. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of issued and outstanding shares of the company representing a majority of the voting power of all issued and outstanding shares of the company entitled to vote at such meeting. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors will count towards this quorum and have agreed to vote any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination. We expect that at the time of any shareholder vote relating to our initial business combination, our initial shareholders and their permitted transferees will own at least 26.8% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares entitled to vote thereon. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares, we would need 4,750,001, or 31.7% (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised), or none (assuming only the minimum number of shares representing a quorum are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised), of the 15,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of a transaction, in order to have such initial business combination approved. These quorum and voting thresholds and agreements may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem its public shares without voting, and if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions. Redemptions of our public shares may also be subject to a higher net tangible asset test or cash requirement pursuant to an agreement relating to our initial business combination. For example, the proposed business combination may require: (1) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners; (2) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes; or (3) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all public shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination on such terms or redeem any shares, all ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination (including, potentially, with the same target). |
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Tendering share certificates in connection with a tender offer or redemption rights | |
We may require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents or proxy materials mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the proposal to approve our initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, rather than simply voting against the initial business combination. The tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements, which will include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares.
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Limitation on redemption rights of shareholders holding more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering if we hold shareholder vote | |
Notwithstanding the foregoing redemption rights, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering, without our prior consent. We believe the restriction described above will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to redeem their shares as a means to force us or our sponsor or its affiliates to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights against a business combination if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us or our sponsor or its affiliates at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem to no more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with a business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including all shares held by those shareholders that hold more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering) for or against our initial business combination.
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Redemption rights in connection with proposed amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association | |
Some other blank check companies have a provision in their charter which prohibits the amendment of certain charter provisions. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that any of its provisions related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances and to provide redemption rights to public shareholders as described herein) may be amended if approved by holders of at least two-thirds of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting (including, in the case of amendments relating to the appointment or removal of directors prior to our initial business combination, the approval of holders of at least a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares), and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of at least 65% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares. Prior to an initial business combination, we may not issue additional securities that can vote pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on any initial business combination or any amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Our initial shareholders, who will beneficially own approximately 26.8% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of this offering (assuming they do not purchase any public shares in this offering), may participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they may choose. Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow
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| | redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity. Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our initial shareholders with respect to any such founder shares, alignment shares or private placement shares, as applicable. |
Release of funds in trust account on closing of our initial business combination | |
On the completion of our initial business combination, all amounts held in the trust account will be disbursed directly by the trustee or released to us to pay amounts due to any public shareholders who properly exercise their redemption rights as described above under “Redemption rights for public shareholders upon completion of our initial business combination,” to pay the underwriters their deferred underwriting commissions, to pay all or a portion of the consideration payable to the target or owners of the target of our initial business combination and to pay other expenses associated with our initial business combination. If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemption of our public shares, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of post-transaction businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other businesses or for working capital.
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Redemption of public shares and distribution and liquidation if no initial business combination | |
Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed that we will have only 24 months from the closing of this offering to complete our initial business combination (or 27 months from the closing of this offering if we have executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering but have not completed the initial business combination within such 24-month period). If we have not completed our initial business combination within such 24-month period (or 27-month period, as applicable) or during any Extension Period, we will: (1) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (2) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any); and (3) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining
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| | shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period. However, if our sponsor or any of our officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates then hold any public shares, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time frame to complete our initial business combination. The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commissions held in the trust account in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the funds held in the trust account that will be available to fund the redemption of our public shares. |
| | Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares. However, we may not redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions. |
Limited payments to insiders | | There will be no finder’s fees, reimbursements or cash payments made by us to our sponsor, officers or directors or our or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered to us prior to or in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, other than the following payments, none of which will be made from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination: |
| | • repayment of an aggregate of up to $300,000 in loans made to us by our sponsor to cover offering-related and organizational expenses; |
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| | • payment to an affiliate of our sponsor of a total of $10,000 per month, for up to 24 months (or 27 months, as applicable), for office space, administrative and support services; • reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination; and |
| | • repayment of loans which may be made by our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into Class A ordinary shares at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. |
| | These payments may be funded using the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares not held in the trust account or, upon completion of the initial business combination, from any amounts remaining from the proceeds of the trust account released to us in connection therewith. |
| | Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by us to our sponsor, officers or directors or our or any of their respective affiliates. |
Audit Committee | | Prior to the effectiveness of this registration statement, we will have established and will maintain an audit committee to, among other things, monitor compliance with the terms described above and the other terms relating to this offering. If any noncompliance is identified, then the audit committee will be charged with the responsibility to promptly take all action necessary to rectify such noncompliance or otherwise to cause compliance with the terms of this offering. Please see “Management — Committees of the Board of Directors — Audit Committee” for additional information. |
Conflicts of Interest | | Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties to one or more other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entities, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for one or more entities to which he or she has fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp., he or she will honor these obligations and duties to present such business combination opportunity to such entities first, and only present it to us if such entities reject the opportunity and he or she determines to present the opportunity to us. For more information, see the section entitled “Management — Conflicts of Interest.” We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability |
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| | to complete our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other. |
Indemnity | | Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below: (1) $10.00 per public share; or (2) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. We have not independently verified whether our sponsor, which is a newly formed entity, has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company and, therefore, our sponsor may not be able to satisfy those obligations. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such obligations. |
Risks | | We are a newly incorporated company that has conducted no operations and has generated no revenues. Until we complete our initial business combination, we will have no operations and will generate no operating revenues. In making your decision whether to invest in our securities, you should take into account not only the background of our management team, but also the special risks we face as a blank check company. This offering is not being conducted in compliance with Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. Accordingly, you will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings. Please see “Proposed Business — Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419” for additional information concerning how Rule 419 blank check offerings differ from this offering. You should carefully consider these and the other risks set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus. |
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND RISK FACTOR SUMMARY
Some statements contained in this prospectus are forward-looking in nature. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following risks, uncertainties and other factors:
• our being a newly incorporated company with no operating history and no revenues;
• our ability to select an appropriate target business or businesses;
• our ability to complete our initial business combination;
• our expectations around the performance of a prospective target business or businesses;
• our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination;
• our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination;
• the proceeds of the forward purchase shares being available to us;
• our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination;
• our pool of prospective target businesses and the biotechnology sector;
• our ability to consummate an initial business combination due to the uncertainty resulting from the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic and other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases);
• the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential business combination opportunities;
• our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading;
• the lack of a market for our securities;
• the use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance;
• the trust account being subject to claims of third parties;
• our financial performance following this offering; and
• the other risk and uncertainties discussed in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus.
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Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
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RISK FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, before making a decision to invest in our Class A ordinary shares. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Relating to Our Search for, and Consummation of or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination
Our public shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such a combination.
We may not hold a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination unless the business combination would require shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements or if we decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons. For instance, Nasdaq rules currently allow us to engage in a tender offer in lieu of a general meeting but would still require us to obtain shareholder approval if we were seeking to issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares to a target business as consideration in any business combination. Therefore, if we were structuring a business combination that required us to issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, we would seek shareholder approval of such business combination. However, except as required by applicable law or stock exchange rules, the decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or will allow shareholders to sell their shares to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors, such as the timing of the transaction. Accordingly, we may consummate our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of our issued and outstanding public shares do not approve of the business combination we consummate. Please see “Proposed Business — Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination” for additional information.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote.
Our initial shareholders, officers and directors have agreed (and their permitted transferees will agree) to vote any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares, we would need 4,750,001, or 31.7% (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised), or none (assuming only the minimum number of shares representing a quorum are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised), of the 15,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of a transaction, in order to have such initial business combination approved. We expect that our initial shareholders and their permitted transferees will own at least 26.8% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares at the time of any such shareholder vote. Accordingly, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, it is more likely that the necessary shareholder approval will be received than would be the case if our initial shareholders and their permitted transferees agreed to vote their founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares in accordance with the majority of the votes cast by our public shareholders.
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Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination will be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash, unless we seek shareholder approval of such business combination.
At the time of your investment in us, you will not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of any target businesses. Additionally, since our board of directors may complete a business combination without seeking shareholder approval, public shareholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the business combination. Accordingly, if we do not seek shareholder approval, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public shareholders in which we describe our initial business combination.
The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a business combination with a target.
We may seek to enter into a business combination transaction agreement with a prospective target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the business combination. In no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions, or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination (including, potentially, with the same target). Prospective targets will be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into a business combination transaction with us.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many shareholders may exercise their redemption rights and, therefore, we will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations as to the number of shares that will be submitted for redemption. If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, we will need to reserve a portion of the cash in the trust account to meet such requirements or arrange for third-party financing. In addition, if a larger number of shares is submitted for redemption than we initially expected, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for third-party financing. Raising additional third-party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. In addition, the amount of the deferred underwriting commissions payable to the underwriters will not be adjusted for any shares that are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination. The per share amount we will distribute to shareholders who properly exercise their redemption rights will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions and after such redemptions, the amount held in trust will continue to reflect our obligation to pay the entire deferred underwriting commissions. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure.
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The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares.
If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful increases. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the trust account until we liquidate the trust account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your shares in the open market; however, at such time our shares may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with our redemption until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time we have in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets, in particular as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders.
Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable). Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the end of the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.
We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate, in which case our public shareholders may receive only $10.00 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances. Public shareholders may also be forced to wait beyond the prescribed time frame before redemption from our trust account.
Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed that we must complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months from the closing of this offering if we have executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering but have not completed the initial business combination within such 24-month period). We may not be able to find a suitable target business and complete our initial business combination within such time period. Our ability to complete our initial business combination may be negatively impacted by general market conditions, volatility in the capital and debt markets and the other risks described herein. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic continues both in the U.S. and globally and, while the extent of the impact of the pandemic on us will depend on future developments, it could limit our ability to complete our initial business combination, including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity and third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic and other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases) may negatively impact businesses we may seek to acquire.
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If we have not completed our initial business combination within such time period or during any Extension Period, we will: (1) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (2) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any); and (3) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Due to certain provisions of the Companies Act, investors may be forced to wait beyond the prescribed time frame before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. In such case, our public shareholders may receive only $10.00 per share, or less than $10.00 per share, on the redemption of their shares. Please see “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors herein.
Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the status of debt and equity markets.
In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus was reported to have surfaced, which has and is continuing to spread throughout the world, including the United States. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern.” On January 31, 2020, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency for the United States to aid the U.S. healthcare community in responding to COVID-19, and on March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization characterized the outbreak as a “pandemic”. The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected, and other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases) could adversely affect, economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination could be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination if concerns relating to COVID-19 continue to restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or the target company’s personnel, vendors and services providers are unavailable to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our search for a business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, among others. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases) continue for an extensive period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected.
In addition, our ability to consummate a transaction may be dependent on the ability to raise equity and debt financing which may be impacted by COVID-19 and other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases), including as a result of increased market volatility and decreased market liquidity and third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all.
Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section, such as those related to the market for our securities and crossborder transactions.
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If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may enter into certain transactions, including purchasing shares from the public, which may influence the outcome of our proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may purchase public shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation or other duty to do so. Such a purchase may include a contractual acknowledgement that such public shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates purchase public shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling public shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares. The price per share paid in any such transaction may be different than the amount per share a public shareholder would receive if it elected to redeem its shares in connection with our initial business combination. Additionally, at any time at or prior to our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material nonpublic information), our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire public shares, vote their public shares in favor of our initial business combination or not redeem their public shares. However, such persons have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. Please see “Proposed Business — Permitted purchases and other transactions with respect to our securities” for a description of how such persons will determine from which shareholders to enter into transactions with. The purpose of any such transaction could be to (1) vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the initial business combination or (2) satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. Any such transactions may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible.
In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares and the number of beneficial holders of our Class A ordinary shares may be reduced, possibly making it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our Class A ordinary shares on a national securities exchange.
If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed.
We will comply with the tender offer rules or proxy rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a shareholder fails to receive our tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, such shareholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, the tender offer documents or proxy materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly tender or redeem public shares. For example, we may require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer or proxy materials documents mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination in the event we
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distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically. In the event that a shareholder fails to comply with these procedures, its shares may not be redeemed. Please see “Proposed Business — Tendering share certificates in connection with a tender offer or redemption rights.”
You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies.
Since the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares are intended to be used to complete an initial business combination with a target business that has not been selected, we may be deemed to be a “blank check” company under the U.S. securities laws. However, because we will have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000 upon the successful completion of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares and will file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including an audited balance sheet of our company demonstrating this fact, we are exempt from rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors in blank check companies, such as Rule 419. Accordingly, investors will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means our shares will be immediately tradable and we will have a longer period of time to complete our initial business combination than do companies subject to Rule 419. Moreover, if this offering were subject to Rule 419, that rule would prohibit the release of any interest earned on funds held in the trust account to us unless and until the funds in the trust account were released to us in connection with our completion of our initial business combination. Please see “Proposed Business — Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419” for a more detailed comparison of our offering to offerings that comply with Rule 419.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A ordinary shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares,” without our prior consent. However, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association does not restrict our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on our redemption of their shares.
We expect to encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities, domestic and international, competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well-established and have extensive
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experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources or more local industry knowledge than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. Additionally, the number of blank check companies looking for business combination targets has increased compared to recent years and many of these blank check companies are sponsored by entities or persons that have significant experience with completing business combinations. While we believe there will be numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable will be limited by our available financial resources. Our sponsor or any of its affiliates may make additional investments in us, although, other than the forward purchase agreement, our sponsor and its affiliates have no obligation or other duty to do so. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our issued and outstanding alignment shares and the forward shares, and the dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by target businesses. Any of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating and completing an initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account. Please see “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors herein.
As the number of special purpose acquisition companies increases, there may be more competition to find an attractive target for an initial business combination. This could increase the costs associated with completing our initial business combination and may result in our inability to find a suitable target for our initial business combination.
In recent years, the number of special purpose acquisition companies that have been formed has increased substantially. Many companies have entered into business combinations with special purpose acquisition companies, and there are still many special purpose acquisition companies seeking targets for their initial business combination, as well as many additional special purpose acquisition companies currently in registration. As a result, at times, fewer attractive targets may be available, and it may require more time, effort and resources to identify a suitable target for an initial business combination.
In addition, because there are more special purpose acquisition companies seeking to enter into an initial business combination with available targets, the competition for available targets with attractive fundamentals or business models may increase, which could cause target companies to demand improved financial terms. Attractive deals could also become scarcer for other reasons, such as economic or industry sector downturns, geopolitical tensions or increases in the cost of additional capital needed to close business combinations or operate targets post-business combination. This could increase the cost of, delay or otherwise complicate or frustrate our ability to find a suitable target for and/or complete our initial business combination.
If the funds not being held in the trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate for at least the 24 months following the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable), we may be unable to complete our initial business combination.
The funds available to us outside of the trust account may not be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the 24 months following the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable), assuming that our initial business combination is not completed during that time. We expect to incur significant costs in pursuit of our acquisition plans. Management’s plans to address this need for capital through this offering and potential loans from certain of our affiliates are discussed in the section of this prospectus
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titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” However, our affiliates are not obligated to make loans to us in the future, and we may not be able to raise additional financing from unaffiliated parties necessary to fund our expenses. Any such event in the future may negatively impact the analysis regarding our ability to continue as a going concern at such time.
We believe that, upon the closing of this offering, the funds available to us outside of the trust account will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the 24 months following the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable); however, we cannot assure you that our estimate is accurate. Of the funds available to us, we could use a portion of the funds available to us to pay commitment fees for financing, fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business or as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision in letters of intent or merger agreements designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into an agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and were subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a prospective target business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account. Please see “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors herein.
If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares not being held in the trust account are insufficient, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination and we will depend on loans from our sponsor or management team to fund our search, to pay our taxes and to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to obtain such loans, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination.
Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares, only approximately $1,000,000 will be available to us initially outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $1,000,000, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $1,000,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount. If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, management team or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. Neither our sponsor, members of our management team nor any of their respective affiliates is under any obligation or other duty to loan funds to, or invest in, us in such circumstances. Any such loans may be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. If we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. In such case, our public shareholders may receive only $10.00 per share, or less in certain circumstances. Please see “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors herein.
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In evaluating a prospective target business for our initial business combination, our management will rely on the availability of all of the funds from the sale of the forward purchase shares to be used as part of the consideration to the sellers in the initial business combination. If the sale of some or all of the forward purchase shares fails to close, for any reason, we may lack sufficient funds to consummate our initial business combination.
We will enter into a forward purchase agreement pursuant to which the forward purchase investors will agree to purchase forward purchase shares for $25,000,000 in the aggregate, in a private placement to close substantially concurrently with our initial business combination. The funds from the sale of forward purchase shares may be used as part of the consideration to the sellers in our initial business combination, expenses in connection with our initial business combination or for working capital in the post-transaction company. The obligations under the forward purchase agreement will not depend on whether any public shareholders elect to redeem their shares and will provide us with a minimum funding level for the initial business combination.
If the sale of some or all of the forward purchase shares does not close for any reason, including by reason of the failure by the forward purchase investors to fund the purchase price for their forward purchase shares, we may lack sufficient funds to consummate our initial business combination. Additionally, the forward purchase investors’ obligations to purchase the forward purchase shares will be subject to termination prior to the closing of the sale of the forward purchase shares by mutual written consent of the company and the forward purchase investors. The forward purchase investors’ obligations to purchase its forward purchase shares will be subject to fulfillment of customary closing conditions. In the event of any such failure to fund by the forward purchase investors, any obligation is so terminated or any such closing condition is not satisfied and not waived by the forward purchase investors, we may lack sufficient funds to consummate our initial business combination.
Changes in the market for directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate and complete an initial business combination.
In recent months, the market for directors and officers liability insurance for special purpose acquisition companies has changed in ways adverse to us and our management team. Fewer insurance companies are offering quotes for directors and officers liability coverage, the premiums charged for such policies have generally increased and the terms of such policies have generally become less favorable. These trends may continue into the future.
The increased cost and decreased availability of directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate and complete an initial business combination. In order to obtain directors and officers liability insurance or modify its coverage as a result of becoming a public company, the post-business combination entity might need to incur greater expense and/or accept less favorable terms. Furthermore, any failure to obtain adequate directors and officers liability insurance could have an adverse impact on the post-business combination’s ability to attract and retain qualified officers and directors.
In addition, after completion of any initial business combination, our directors and officers could be subject to potential liability from claims arising from conduct alleged to have occurred prior to such initial business combination. As a result, in order to protect our directors and officers, the post-business combination entity may need to purchase additional insurance with respect to any such claims (“run-off insurance”). The need for run-off insurance would be an added expense for the post-business combination entity and could interfere with or frustrate our ability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors.
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If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
Our placing of funds in the trust account may not protect those funds from third-party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements they may not be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Making such a request of potential target businesses may make our acquisition proposal less attractive to them and, to the extent prospective target businesses refuse to execute such a waiver, it may limit the field of potential target businesses that we might pursue. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third-party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where we are unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we have not completed our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders could be less than the $10.00 per public share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such creditors.
Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below: (1) $10.00 per public share; or (2) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. We have not independently verified whether our sponsor, which is a newly formed entity, has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Our sponsor may not have sufficient funds available to satisfy those obligations. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such obligations, and therefore, no funds are currently set aside to cover any such obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the trust account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.00 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
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Our independent directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of: (1) $10.00 per public share; or (2) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so in certain instances. For example, the cost of such legal action may be deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or the independent directors may determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.00 per share.
The securities in which we invest the funds held in the trust account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
The proceeds held in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. Treasuries. While short-term U.S. government treasury obligations currently yield a positive rate of interest, they have briefly yielded negative interest rates in recent years. Central banks in Europe and Japan pursued interest rates below zero in recent years, and the Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve has not ruled out the possibility that it may in the future adopt similar policies in the United States. In the event that we are unable to complete our initial business combination or make certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, our public shareholders are entitled to receive their pro-rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses). Negative interest rates could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up or bankruptcy petition or an involuntary winding-up or bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy court may seek to recover such proceeds, and the members of our board of directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our board of directors and us to claims of punitive damages.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up or bankruptcy petition or an involuntary winding-up or bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or insolvency laws as a voidable transaction. As a result, a liquidator or bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. In addition, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages.
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If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up or bankruptcy petition or an involuntary winding-up or bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our shareholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up or bankruptcy petition or an involuntary winding-up or bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable insolvency law, and may be included in our liquidation or bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any liquidation or bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our public shareholders in connection with our liquidation would be reduced.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including:
• restrictions on the nature of our investments; and
• restrictions on the issuance of securities;
each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including:
• registration as an investment company with the SEC;
• adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and
• reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and compliance with other rules and regulations that we are currently not subject to.
In order not to be regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, unless we can qualify for an exclusion, we must ensure that we are engaged primarily in a business other than investing, reinvesting or trading of securities and that our activities do not include investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading “investment securities” constituting more than 40% of our total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Our business will be to identify and complete a business combination and thereafter to operate the post-transaction business or assets for the long term. We do not plan to buy businesses or assets with a view to resale or profit from their resale. We do not plan to buy unrelated businesses or assets or to be a passive investor.
We do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in the trust account may only be invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Pursuant to the trust agreement, the trustee is not permitted to invest in other securities or assets. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, and by having a business plan targeted at acquiring and growing businesses for the long term (rather than on buying and selling businesses in the manner of a merchant bank or private equity fund), we intend to avoid being deemed an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act. This offering is not intended for persons who are seeking a return on investments in government securities or investment securities. The trust account is intended as a holding place for funds pending the earliest to occur
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of: (i) the completion of our primary business objective, which is a business combination; (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; and (iii) absent a business combination, our return of the funds held in the trust account to our public shareholders as part of our redemption of the public shares. If we do not invest the proceeds as discussed above, we may be deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act. If we were deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to consummate our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share on the liquidation of our trust account. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.00 per share on the redemption of their shares. Please see “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors herein.
Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
We are and will be subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements, our business combination may be contingent on our ability to comply with certain laws and regulations and any post-business combination company may be subject to additional laws and regulations. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time, including as a result of changes in economic, political, social and government policies, and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
If we have not completed our initial business combination within the allotted time period, our public shareholders may be forced to wait beyond such allotted time period before redemption from our trust account.
If we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period, we will distribute the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), pro rata to our public shareholders by way of redemption and cease all operations except for the purposes of winding up of our affairs, as further described herein. Any redemption of public shareholders from the trust account shall be effected automatically by function of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior to any voluntary winding up. If we are required to windup, liquidate the trust account and distribute such amount therein, pro rata, to our public shareholders, as part of any liquidation process, such winding up, liquidation and distribution must comply with the applicable provisions of the Companies Act. In that case, investors may be forced to wait beyond the allotted time period before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to the date of our redemption or liquidation unless, prior thereto, we consummate our initial business combination or amend certain provisions of our amended and restated memorandum
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and articles of association and then only in cases where investors have properly sought to redeem their Class A ordinary shares. Only upon our redemption or any liquidation will public shareholders be entitled to distributions if we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period and do not amend certain provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association prior thereto.
Our shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.
If we are forced to enter into an insolvent liquidation, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed as an unlawful payment if it was proved that immediately following the date on which the distribution was made, we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. As a result, a liquidator could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to us or our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing themselves and our company to claims, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons. We and our directors and officers who knowingly and willfully authorized or permitted any distribution to be paid out of our share premium account while we were unable to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business would be guilty of an offence and may be liable for a fine of up to approximately $18,300 and to imprisonment for up to five years in the Cayman Islands.
We may not hold an annual general meeting of shareholders until after we consummate our initial business combination and you will not be entitled to any of the corporate protections provided by such a meeting.
In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual general meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on Nasdaq. There is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or extraordinary general meetings to appoint directors. Until we hold an annual general meeting, public shareholders may not be afforded the opportunity to discuss company affairs with management. In addition, prior to our business combination (a) as holders of our Class A ordinary shares, our public shareholders will not have the right to vote on the appointment of our directors and (b) holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares, voting together as a single class, may remove a member of our board of directors for any reason.
The grant of registration rights to our initial shareholders and their permitted transferees and the forward purchase investors may make it more difficult to complete our initial business combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our Class A ordinary shares.
Pursuant to an agreement to be entered into on or prior to the closing of this offering, at or after the time of our initial business combination, our initial shareholders and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the resale of their founder shares and alignment shares after those shares convert to our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, (1) our sponsor and its permitted transferees can demand that we register the resale of the private placement shares, (2) holders of Class A ordinary shares that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans may demand that we register the resale of such shares and (3) the forward purchase investors can demand we register the resale of the forward purchase shares. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to complete. This is because the shareholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares that is expected when the securities described above are registered for resale.
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Because we are neither limited to evaluating target businesses in a particular industry, sector or geographic area nor have we selected any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations.
We may seek to complete a business combination with an operating company in any industry, sector or geographic area. However, we will not, under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination solely with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Because we have not yet selected or approached any specific target business with respect to a business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition or prospects. To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our Class A ordinary shares will ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain a shareholder following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
We may seek acquisition opportunities in acquisition targets that may be outside of our management’s areas of expertise.
Although we expect to focus our search for a target business in the biotechnology sector, we will consider a business combination outside of our management’s areas of expertise if such business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive acquisition opportunity for our company. In the event we elect to pursue an acquisition outside of the areas of our management’s expertise, our management’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and the information contained in this prospectus regarding the areas of our management’s expertise would not be relevant to an understanding of the business that we elect to acquire. As a result, our management may not be able to adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors relevant to such acquisition. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain a shareholder following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.
Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these criteria and guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target
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business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange rules, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain shareholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account.
We may seek acquisition opportunities with an early stage company, a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenue or earnings, which could subject us to volatile revenues or earnings, intense competition and difficulties in obtaining and retaining key personnel.
To the extent we complete our initial business combination with an early stage company, a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine. These risks include investing in a business without a proven business model and with limited historical financial data, volatile revenues or earnings, intense competition and difficulties in obtaining and retaining key personnel. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.
Unless we complete our initial business combination with a business that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we are not required to obtain an opinion that the price we are paying is fair to our company from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community. Such standards used will be disclosed in our tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
We may issue additional Class A ordinary shares or preferred shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares upon the conversion of the Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions described herein. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize the issuance of up to 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, 50,000,000 Class F ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 20,000,000 undesignated preferred shares, par value $0.0001 per share. Immediately after this offering, there will be 484,500,000, 48,000,000 and 47,000,000 (assuming in each case, that the underwriters have not exercised their over-allotment option) authorized but unissued Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares available, respectively, for issuance, which amount does not take into account shares reserved for issuance upon the conversion of the Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares or issuance of any forward purchase shares. Our Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination, initially at a one-for-one ratio, subject to adjustment as set forth herein. The Class F ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one hundred-to-one basis on the business day following the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination; provided that the Class F ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one-to-one basis on or prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination, subject to adjustment as set forth herein, upon the earlier of (1) our meeting certain share price performance thresholds following the completion of our initial business combination and (2) subsequent
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to the completion of our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
We may issue a substantial number of additional Class A ordinary shares, and may issue preferred shares, in order to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A ordinary shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination, upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares or Class F ordinary shares, as a result of the anti-dilution provisions described herein.
However, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, among other things, that prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional securities that would entitle the holders thereof to (1) receive funds from the trust account or (2) vote pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on any initial business combination or any amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. The issuance of additional ordinary shares or preferred shares, including pursuant to the forward purchase agreement:
• may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the Class B ordinary shares or Class F ordinary shares resulted in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of such shares;
• may subordinate the rights of holders of ordinary shares if preferred shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our ordinary shares;
• could cause a change of control if a substantial number of our ordinary shares is issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors;
• may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; and
• may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A ordinary shares.
Our initial business combination may involve a jurisdiction that could impose taxes on shareholders.
We may, subject to requisite shareholder approval by special resolution under the Companies Act, effect a business combination with a target company in another jurisdiction, reincorporate in the jurisdiction in which the target company or business is located, or reincorporate in another jurisdiction. Such transactions may result in tax liability for a shareholder in the jurisdiction in which the shareholder is a tax resident (or in which its members are resident if it is a tax transparent entity), in which the target company is located, or in which we reincorporate. In the event of a reincorporation pursuant to our initial business combination, such tax liability may attach prior to any consummation of redemptions. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders to pay such taxes.
Resources could be wasted in researching acquisitions that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account.
We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If we
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decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account. Please see “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors herein.
We may engage in a business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our sponsor, officers and directors with other businesses, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with or competitive with our sponsor, officers and directors, and their respective affiliates. Our directors also serve as officers and/or board members for other entities, including, without limitation, those described under “Management — Conflicts of Interest.” Such entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Our sponsor, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no substantive discussions concerning a business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or targeting, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria for a business combination as set forth in “Proposed Business — Selection of a target business and structuring of our initial business combination” and such transaction was approved by a majority of our independent and disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions regarding the fairness to our company from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, if our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the business, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.
Moreover, we may, at our option, pursue an affiliated joint acquisition opportunity with our sponsor or its affiliates or with other entities to which an officer or director has a fiduciary, contractual or other obligation or duty. Any such parties may co-invest with us in the target business at the time of our initial business combination, or we could raise additional proceeds to complete the acquisition by making a future issuance of securities to any such parties, which may give rise to certain conflicts of interest.
We may engage one or more of our underwriters or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after this offering, which may include acting as financial advisor in connection with an initial business combination or as placement agent in connection with a related financing transaction. Our underwriters are entitled to receive deferred commissions that will be released from the trust only on a completion of an initial business combination. These financial incentives may cause them to have potential conflicts of interest in rendering any such additional services to us after this offering, including, for example, in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
We may engage one or more of our underwriters or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after this offering, including, for example, identifying potential targets, providing financial advisory services, acting as a placement agent in a private offering or arranging debt financing. We may pay such underwriter or its affiliate fair and reasonable fees or other compensation that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation; provided that no
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agreement will be entered into with any of the underwriters or their respective affiliates and no fees or other compensation for such services will be paid to any of the underwriters or their respective affiliates prior to the date that is 60 days from the date of this prospectus, unless such payment would not be deemed underwriters’ compensation in connection with this offering. The underwriters are also entitled to receive deferred commissions that are conditioned on the completion of an initial business combination. The underwriters’ or their respective affiliates’ financial interests tied to the consummation of a business combination transaction may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in providing any such additional services to us, including potential conflicts of interest in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
Since our initial shareholders will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed (other than with respect to any public shares they may hold), a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
In January 2021, our sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain offering costs of the Company for an aggregate of 2,300,000 founder shares (of which 300,000 founder shares are subject to forfeiture) and an aggregate of 3,450,000 alignment shares (of which 450,000 Class F ordinary shares are subject to forfeiture). In January 2021, our sponsor transferred 25,000 founder shares to each of our independent director nominees at their original purchase price. The founder shares and alignment shares will be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or share repurchase or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain (1) the number of founder shares at 10% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares) and (2) the number of alignment shares at 15% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares).
In addition, our sponsor has committed to purchase an aggregate of 500,000 (or 545,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) private placement shares for a purchase price of $5,000,000 (or $5,450,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), or $10.00 per share, that will also be worthless if we do not complete our initial business combination.
As a result, the personal and financial interests of our officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination, completing an initial business combination and influencing the operation of the business following the initial business combination. This risk may become more acute as the deadline for completing our initial business combination nears.
We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
Although we have no commitments as of the date of this prospectus to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur outstanding debt following this offering, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to the monies held in the trust account. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per-share amount available for redemption from the trust account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:
• default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations;
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• acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant;
• our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand;
• our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding;
• our inability to pay dividends on our ordinary shares;
• using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
• limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate;
• increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and
• limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt.
We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares and forward purchase shares, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or services. This lack of diversification may materially negatively impact our operations and profitability.
The net proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement shares and the sale of forward purchase shares for a purchase price of $25,000,000 will provide us with $176,000,000 assuming no redemptions (or $198,500,000 assuming no redemptions if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), that we may use to complete our initial business combination, after estimated offering expenses of $1,000,000 (and prior to the payment of $5,250,000 (or $6,037,500 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in deferred underwriting commissions being held in the trust account and any post-IPO working capital expenses).
We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously or within a short period of time. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
• solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset; or
• dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services.
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This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete our initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
We may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
In pursuing our acquisition strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. Very little public information generally exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
We are dependent upon our officers and directors and their departure could adversely affect our ability to operate.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers and directors, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or officers could have a detrimental effect on us.
We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete our initial business combination with which a substantial majority of our shareholders do not agree.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold, except that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions, or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public shareholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or any of their respective affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all public shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination or redeem any shares, all ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination (including, potentially, with the same target).
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In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and modified governing instruments. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.
In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and modified governing instruments. For example, blank check companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds and extended the time to consummate an initial business combination. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or governing instruments in order to effectuate our initial business combination. To the extent any such amendment would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of any of the securities offered through the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities.
Certain provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that relate to our pre-business combination activity may be amended with the approval of holders of at least two-thirds of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting, and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement may be amended if approved by holders of at least 65% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the trust agreement to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.
Some other blank check companies have a provision in their charter which prohibits the amendment of certain of its provisions, including those which relate to a company’s pre-business combination activity, without approval by holders of a certain percentage of the company’s shareholders. In those companies, amendment of these provisions typically requires approval by holders holding between 90% and 100% of the company’s public shares. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that any of its provisions related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances and to provide redemption rights to public shareholders as described herein) may be amended if approved by holders of at least two-thirds of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting (including, in the case of amendments relating to the appointment or removal of directors prior to our initial business combination, the approval of holders of at least a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares), and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of at least 65% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares. Our initial shareholders, who will beneficially own 26.8% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of this offering (assuming they do not purchase any public shares in this offering), may participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which will govern our pre-business combination behavior more easily than some other blank check companies, and this may increase our ability to complete our initial business combination with which you do not agree.
Certain agreements related to this offering may be amended without shareholder approval.
Certain agreements, including the letter agreement among us and our sponsor, officers and directors, the registration rights agreement among us and our initial shareholders, and the forward purchase agreement, may be amended without shareholder approval. These agreements contain various provisions, including transfer restrictions on our founder shares, alignment shares and private
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placement shares, that our public shareholders might deem to be material. While we do not expect our board of directors to approve any amendment to any of these agreements prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board of directors, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to any such agreement in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination. Any such amendments would not require approval from our shareholders, may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible, and may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities.
We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination.
Although we believe that the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares and forward purchase shares will be sufficient to allow us to complete our initial business combination, because we have not yet selected any target business we cannot ascertain the capital requirements for any particular transaction. If the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares and forward purchase shares prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of our initial business combination, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to redeem for cash a significant number of shares from shareholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination, we may be required to seek additional financing or to abandon the proposed business combination. We cannot assure you that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. Neither our sponsor nor its affiliates are obligated to provide, or seek, any such financing or, except as expressly set forth herein, to provide any other services to us. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to complete our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. Other than in connection with the forward purchase agreement, none of our officers, directors or shareholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only approximately $10.00 per share, or less in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account.
Our initial shareholders will control the appointment of our board of directors until consummation of our initial business combination and will hold a substantial interest in us. As a result, they will appoint all of our directors prior to our initial business combination and may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Upon the closing of this offering, our initial shareholders will own 26.8% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares (assuming they do not purchase any public shares in this offering). In addition, prior to our initial business combination, holders of our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares, voting together as a single class, will have the right to appoint all of our directors and may remove members of our board of directors for any reason. Holders of our public shares will have no right to appoint directors during such time. These provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by holders of at least two-thirds of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting, including holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares. As a result, you will not have any influence over the appointment of directors prior to our initial business combination.
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Neither our initial shareholders nor, to our knowledge, any of our officers or directors, have any current intention to purchase additional securities, other than as disclosed in this prospectus. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, as a result of their substantial ownership in our company, our initial shareholders may exert a substantial influence on other actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approval of major corporate transactions. If our initial shareholders purchase any additional ordinary shares in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their influence over these actions. Accordingly, our initial shareholders will exert significant influence over actions requiring a shareholder vote. The forward purchase shares will not be issued until completion of our initial business combination and, accordingly, will not be included in any shareholder vote until such time. Please see “Proposed Business — Permitted purchases and other transactions with respect to our securities.”
Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an acquisition.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2022. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target business with which we seek to complete our initial business combination may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls.
The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.
If our management team pursues a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we may face additional burdens in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing such combination, and if we effect such initial business combination, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If our management team pursues a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we would be subject to risks associated with cross-border business combinations, including in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing our initial business combination, conducting due diligence in a foreign market, having such transaction approved by any local governments, regulators or agencies and changes in the purchase price based on fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
If we effect our initial business combination with such a company, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in an international setting (including how relevant governments respond to such factors), including any of the following:
• costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations and complying with commercial and legal requirements of overseas markets;
• rules and regulations regarding currency redemption;
��� complex corporate withholding taxes on individuals;
• laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected;
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• tariffs and trade barriers;
• regulations related to customs and import/export matters;
• longer payment cycles;
• changes in local regulations as part of a response to the COVID-19 pandemic;
• tax consequences , such as tax law changes, including termination or reduction of tax and other incentives that the applicable government provides to domestic companies, and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States;
• currency fluctuations and exchange controls, including devaluations and other exchange rate movements;
• rates of inflation, price instability and interest rate fluctuations;
• liquidity of domestic capital and lending markets;
• challenges in collecting accounts receivable;
• cultural and language differences;
• employment regulations;
• energy shortages;
• crime, strikes, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, wars and other forms of social instability;
• deterioration of political relations with the United States;
• obligatory military service by personnel; and
• government appropriation of assets.
We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, we may be unable to complete such combination or, if we complete such combination, our operations might suffer, either of which may adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
Risks Relating to the Post-Business Combination Company
Subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to subsequently take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and the price of our securities, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine, we cannot assure you that this diligence will identify all material issues that may be present with a particular target business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of
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our obtaining post-combination debt financing. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain a shareholder following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.
We may structure our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own or acquire shares will own less than 100% of the issued and outstanding equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to our initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in our initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new ordinary shares in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity securities of a target business, or issue a substantial number of new shares to third-parties in connection with financing our initial business combination. In such cases, we would acquire a 100% interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new ordinary shares, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority shareholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the company’s shares than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not be able to maintain our control of the target business.
We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company.
When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’s management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain a shareholder following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
The officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The departure of a business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business. The role of an acquisition candidate’s key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an acquisition candidate’s management team will remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place. As a result, we may need to reconstitute the management team of the post-transaction company in connection with our initial business combination, which may adversely impact our ability to complete an acquisition in a timely manner or at all.
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After our initial business combination, it is possible that a majority of our directors and officers will live outside the United States and all or substantially all of our assets will be located outside the United States; therefore investors may not be able to enforce federal securities laws or their other legal rights.
It is possible that after our initial business combination, a majority of our directors and officers will reside outside of the United States and all or substantially all of our assets will be located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult, or in some cases not possible, for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon all of our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties on our directors and officers under United States laws.
If our management following our initial business combination is unfamiliar with U.S. securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws, which could lead to various regulatory issues.
Following our initial business combination, any or all of our management could resign from their positions as officers of the post-business combination company, and the management of the target business at the time of the business combination could remain in place. Management of the target business may not be familiar with U.S. securities laws. If new management is unfamiliar with U.S. securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws. This could be expensive and time-consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues which may adversely affect our operations.
Risks Relating to Our Management Team
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. The role of our key personnel in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, we do not currently expect that any of them will do so. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after our initial business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements.
In addition, the officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The departure of a business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business. The role of an acquisition candidate’s key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an acquisition candidate’s management team will remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
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Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination, and a particular business combination may be conditioned on the retention or resignation of such key personnel. These agreements may cause our key personnel to have conflicts of interest in determining whether to proceed with a particular business combination. However, we do not expect that any of our key personnel will remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination.
Our key personnel may be able to remain with our company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the completion of the business combination. Such negotiations also could make such key personnel’s retention or resignation a condition to any such agreement. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business. However, we believe the ability of such individuals to remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination, as we do not expect that any of our key personnel will remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with us will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other responsibilities. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our business combination. Each of our officers and directors is engaged in several other business endeavors, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp., for which he or she may be entitled to substantial compensation and our officers and directors are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. Our independent directors also serve as officers and/or board members for other entities. If our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination. Please see “Management — Directors, Director Nominees and Executive Officers” for a discussion of our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs.
Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity or other transaction should be presented.
Following the completion of this offering and until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Our sponsor and officers and directors are, or may in the future become, affiliated with entities (such as operating companies or investment vehicles) that are engaged in a similar business, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp. For example, Mr. Nodelman, Mr. Perlen, Mr. Platshon, Ms. Stout and Ms. Marriott are the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Investment Officer and the Secretary and a director of Panacea Acquisition Corp., respectively, a blank check company incorporated for the purpose of effecting its own business
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combination, and each of the foregoing owe fiduciary duties under Delaware law to Panacea Acquisition Corp. We do not have employment contracts or other agreements with our officers and directors that will limit their ability to work at other businesses.
As described in “Management — Conflicts of Interest,” each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties to one or more other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entities, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for one or more entities to which he or she has fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp., he or she will honor these obligations and duties to present such business combination opportunity to such entities first, and only present it to us if such entities reject the opportunity and he or she determines to present the opportunity to us. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide will that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other.
Please see “Management — Directors, Director Nominees and Executive Officers,” “Management — Conflicts of Interest” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” for a discussion of our officers’ and directors’ business affiliations and potential conflicts of interest.
Our officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.
We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, directors or officers. We do not have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours. Additionally, the forward purchase investors are affiliates of our sponsor.
Risks Relating to Our Securities
You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. To liquidate your investment, therefore, you may be forced to sell your public shares, potentially at a loss.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earliest to occur of: (1) the completion of our initial business combination, and then only in connection with those public shares that such shareholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein; (2) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; and (3) the redemption of all of our public shares if we have not completed our initial business
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combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable), subject to applicable law and as further described herein. In no other circumstances will a public shareholder have any right or interest of any kind in or to the trust account. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares, potentially at a loss.
Nasdaq may delist our Class A ordinary shares from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our Class A ordinary shares and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
We intend to apply to have our Class A ordinary shares listed on Nasdaq on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. Although after giving effect to this offering we expect to meet, on a pro forma basis, the minimum initial listing standards set forth in Nasdaq listing standards, we cannot assure you that our Class A ordinary shares will be, or will continue to be, listed on Nasdaq prior to our initial business combination. In order to continue listing our securities on Nasdaq prior to our initial business combination, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and share price levels. Additionally, in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to demonstrate compliance with Nasdaq’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on Nasdaq. For instance, our share price would generally be required to be at least $4.00 per share and we would be required to have a minimum of 300 round-lot holders (with at least 50% of such round lot holders holding securities with a market value of at least $2,500). We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time.
If Nasdaq delists our Class A ordinary shares from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our Class A ordinary shares on another national securities exchange, we expect our Class A ordinary shares could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
• a limited availability of market quotations for our Class A ordinary shares;
• reduced liquidity for our Class A ordinary shares;
• a determination that our Class A ordinary shares are “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities;
• a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and
• a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because we expect that our Class A ordinary shares will be listed on Nasdaq, our Class A ordinary shares will qualify as covered securities under such statute. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of covered securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by blank check companies, other than the State of Idaho, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on Nasdaq, our shares would not qualify as covered securities under such statute and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our shares.
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Our sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain offering costs of the Company for the Company’s founder shares and alignment shares, or approximately $0.004 per share, and, accordingly, you will experience immediate and substantial dilution from the purchase of our Class A ordinary shares.
The difference between the public offering price per share and the pro forma net tangible book value per Class A ordinary share after this offering constitutes the dilution to you and the other investors in this offering. Our sponsor acquired the founder shares and alignment shares at a nominal price, significantly contributing to this dilution. Upon the closing of this offering, you and the other public shareholders will incur an immediate and substantial dilution of approximately 92.2% (or $9.22 per share, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option), the difference between the pro forma net tangible book value per share of $0.78 and the initial offering price of $10.00 per share. This dilution would increase to the extent that the anti-dilution provisions of the Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares result in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares or the Class F ordinary shares. This dilution would become exacerbated to the extent that public shareholders seek redemptions from the trust. In addition, because of the anti-dilution protection in the founder shares and alignment shares, any equity or equity-linked securities issued in connection with our initial business combination would be disproportionately dilutive to our Class A ordinary shares.
Our initial shareholders, including our sponsor will own, in the aggregate, 26.8% of the ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of this offering, which includes the Class F ordinary shares which are subject to share performance vesting conditions.
Most blank check companies issue founder shares representing 20% of the ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of such blank check company’s initial public offering. We have issued 2,300,000 Class B ordinary shares (up to 300,000 Class B ordinary shares of which are subject to forfeiture), which will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as set forth herein. The Class B ordinary shares will represent 10% of the ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares). We have also issued 3,450,000 Class F ordinary shares (up to 450,000 Class F ordinary shares of which are subject to forfeiture), which will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one hundred-to-one basis on the business day following the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination; provided that the Class F ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one-to-one basis on or prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination upon the earlier of (1) our meeting certain share price performance thresholds following the completion of our initial business combination and (2) subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, in each case subject to adjustment as set forth herein. The Class B ordinary shares plus the Class F ordinary shares will represent 25% of the ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares). If all of our Class F ordinary shares vest, the issuance of Class A ordinary shares upon conversion of all of our Class F ordinary shares would dilute the interest of our shareholders relative to shareholders of other blank check companies.
Because, unlike many other SPAC IPOs, investors in this offering will not receive warrants that would become exercisable following completion of our initial business combination, our offered may be worth less the securities offered by in other SPAC IPOs.
This is an initial public offering of our Class A ordinary shares. Unlike many other SPAC IPOs, investors in this offering will not receive warrants that would become exercisable following completion of our
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initial business combination. We are not offering warrants in order to remove the dilutive effect of warrants upon completion of a business combination, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive business combination partner for target businesses. Nevertheless, this offering structure may cause our offered securities to be worth less than if we were also offering a whole or fractional warrant to purchase shares.
The determination of the offering price of our public shares and the size and terms of this offering is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities and size and terms of an offering of an operating company in a particular industry. You may have less assurance, therefore, that the offering price of our public shares properly reflects the value of such shares than you would have in a typical offering of an operating company.
Prior to this offering there has been no public market for any of our Class A ordinary shares. The public offering price of the public shares was negotiated between us and the underwriters. In determining the size and terms of this offering, management held customary organizational meetings with representatives of the underwriters with respect to the state of capital markets, generally, and the amount the underwriters believed they reasonably could raise on our behalf. Factors considered in determining the size and terms of this offering, include:
• the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies;
• prior offerings of those companies;
• our prospects for acquiring an operating business at attractive values;
• a review of debt to equity ratios in leveraged transactions;
• our capital structure;
• an assessment of our management and their experience in identifying suitable business combination opportunities;
• general conditions of the securities markets at the time of this offering; and
• other factors as were deemed relevant.
Although these factors were considered, the determination of our offering price is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities of an operating company in a particular industry since we have no historical operations or financial results.
There is currently no market for our securities and a market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
There is currently no market for our securities. Shareholders therefore have no access to information about prior market history on which to base their investment decision. Following this offering, the price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases). Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.
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Because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. Federal courts may be limited.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon our directors or officers, or enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our directors or officers.
Our corporate affairs will be governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are different from what they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and certain states, such as Delaware, may have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholders derivative action in a Federal court of the United States.
We have been advised by Maples and Calder, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (1) to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state; and (2) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a United States company.
Provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our Class A ordinary shares and could entrench management.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that shareholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include staggered board of directors, the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preferred shares, and the fact that prior to the completion of our initial business combination only holders of our Class B ordinary shares and holders of our Class F
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ordinary shares, in each case, which are held by our initial shareholders, are entitled to appoint directors, which may make more difficult the removal of management and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
Since only holders of our founder shares and alignment shares will have the right to appoint directors prior to our initial business combination, Nasdaq may consider us to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of Nasdaq’s rules and, as a result, we may qualify for exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that would otherwise provide protection to shareholders of other companies.
After completion of this offering, only holders of our founder shares and alignment shares will have the right to appoint directors. As a result, Nasdaq may consider us to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of Nasdaq’s corporate governance standards. Under Nasdaq corporate governance standards, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power for the election of directors is held by an individual, a group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that:
• we have a board that includes a majority of “independent directors,” as defined under Nasdaq rules;
• we have a compensation committee of our board that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and
• we have independent director oversight of our director nominations.
We do not intend to utilize these exemptions and intend to comply with the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq, subject to applicable phase-in rules. However, if we determine in the future to utilize some or all of these exemptions, you will not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of Nasdaq’s corporate governance requirements.
General Risk Factors
We are a newly incorporated company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a newly incorporated company with no operating results, and we will not commence operations until obtaining funding through this offering. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination with one or more target businesses. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning a business combination and may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.
Past performance by members of our management team and their respective affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.
Information regarding performance by, or businesses associated with, members of our management team and their respective affiliates, including EcoR1 and Panacea Acquisition Corp., is presented for informational purposes only. Any past experience and performance, including related to acquisitions, of members of our management team and their respective affiliates, including EcoR1 and Panacea Acquisition Corp., is not a guarantee either: (1) that we will be able to successfully identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination; or (2) of any results with respect to any initial business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record of our management team’s or their affiliates’ performance, including that of EcoR1 and Panacea Acquisition Corp., as indicative of the future performance of an investment in us or the returns we will, or are likely to, generate going forward. An investment in us is not an investment in EcoR1 or any of its funds.
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We may be a passive foreign investment company, or “PFIC,” which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors.
If we are a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder (as defined in the section of this prospectus captioned “Income Tax Considerations �� U.S. Federal Income Taxation — U.S. Holders”) of our ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences and may be subject to additional reporting requirements. Our PFIC status for our current and subsequent taxable years may depend upon the status of an acquired company pursuant to a business combination and whether we qualify for the PFIC start-up exception (see the section of this prospectus captioned “Income Tax Considerations — U.S. Federal Income Taxation — U.S. Holders — Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules”). Depending on the particular circumstances, the application of the start-up exception may be subject to uncertainty, and there cannot be any assurance that we will qualify for the start-up exception. Accordingly, there can be no assurances with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any subsequent taxable year. Our actual PFIC status for any taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. Moreover, if we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. Holder such information as the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) may require, including a PFIC Annual Information Statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a “qualified electing fund” election, but there can be no assurance that we will timely provide such required information. We urge U.S. Holders to consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible application of the PFIC rules to holders of our ordinary shares. For a more detailed explanation of the tax consequences of PFIC classification to U.S. Holders, see “Income Tax Considerations — U.S. Federal Income Taxation — U.S. Holders — Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules.”
We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies or smaller reporting companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.
We are an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, our shareholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of any second quarter of a fiscal year, in which case we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the end of such fiscal year. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but
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any such election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter, and (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year or the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may also make comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible.
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USE OF PROCEEDS
We are offering 15,000,000 Class A ordinary shares at an offering price of $10.00 per share. We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering together with the funds we will receive from the sale of the private placement shares will be used as set forth in the following table.
| | Without Over-Allotment Option | | Over-Allotment Option Exercised in Full |
Gross proceeds | | | | | | | | |
Gross proceeds from Class A ordinary shares offered to public(1) | | $ | 150,000,000 | | | $ | 172,500,000 | |
Gross proceeds from private placement shares offered in the private placement | | | 5,000,000 | | | | 5,450,000 | |
Total gross proceeds | | $ | 155,000,000 | | | $ | 177,950,000 | |
Estimated offering expenses(2) | | | | | | | | |
Underwriting commissions(3) | | $ | 3,000,000 | | | $ | 3,450,000 | |
Legal fees and expenses | | | 250,000 | | | | 250,000 | |
Printing and engraving expenses | | | 30,000 | | | | 30,000 | |
Accounting fees and expenses | | | 50,000 | | | | 50,000 | |
SEC/FINRA Expenses | | | 45,195 | | | | 45,195 | |
Travel and road show | | | 5,000 | | | | 5,000 | |
Directors and officers insurance premiums(4) | | | 450,000 | | | | 450,000 | |
Nasdaq listing and filing fees | | | 75,000 | | | | 75,000 | |
Miscellaneous expenses(5) | | | 94,805 | | | | 94,805 | |
Total estimated offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions) | | | 1,000,000 | | | | 1,000,000 | |
Proceeds after estimated offering expenses | | $ | 151,000,000 | | | $ | 173,500,000 | |
Held in trust account(6) | | $ | 150,000,000 | | | $ | 172,500,000 | |
% of public offering size | | | 100 | % | | | 100 | % |
Not held in trust account | | $ | 1,000,000 | | | $ | 1,000,000 | |
The following table shows the use of the approximately $1,000,000 of estimated net proceeds not held in the trust account.(7)
| | Amount | | % of Total |
Legal, accounting, due diligence, travel and other expenses in connection with any business combination(8) | | $ | 360,000 | | 36.0 | % |
Legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting obligations | | | 125,000 | | 12.5 | |
Payment for office space, administrative and support services | | | 240,000 | | 24.0 | |
Nasdaq continued listing fees | | | 58,000 | | 5.8 | |
Working capital to cover miscellaneous expenses (including franchise taxes net of anticipated interest income) | | | 217,000 | | 21.7 | |
Total | | $ | 1,000,000 | | 100.0 | % |
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Nasdaq listing rules provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement shares be deposited in a trust account. Of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares, $150,000,000 (or $172,500,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), including $5,250,000 (or up to $6,037,500 depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised) of deferred underwriting commissions, will, upon the consummation of this offering, be placed in a U.S. based trust account at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee. The funds in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. Treasuries and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. Based on current interest rates, we estimate that the interest earned on the trust account will be approximately $105,000 per year, assuming an interest rate of 0.07% per year. We will not be permitted to withdraw any of the principal or interest held in the trust account, except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our taxes, if any, the funds held in the trust account will not be released from the trust account until the earliest of: (1) the completion of our initial business combination; (2) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; and (3) the redemption of all of our public shares if we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable), subject to applicable law. Based on current interest rates, we expect that interest earned on the trust account will be sufficient to pay taxes.
The net proceeds held in the trust account may be used as consideration to pay the sellers of a target business with which we ultimately complete our initial business combination. If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemption of our public shares, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of post-transaction businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other businesses or for working capital. There is no limitation on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination.
We believe that amounts not held in trust will be sufficient to pay the costs and expenses to which such proceeds are allocated. This belief is based on the fact that while we may begin preliminary due diligence of a target business in connection with an indication of interest, we intend to undertake in-depth due diligence, depending on the circumstances of the relevant prospective acquisition, only after we have negotiated and signed a letter of intent or other preliminary agreement that addresses the terms of a business combination. However, if our estimate of the costs of undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a business combination is less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may be required to raise additional capital, the amount, availability and cost of which is currently unascertainable. If we are required to seek additional capital, we could seek such additional capital through loans or additional investments from our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their respective affiliates, but such persons are not under any obligation or other duty to loan funds to, or invest in, us.
We will enter into an Administrative Services Agreement pursuant to which we will pay an affiliate of our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, administrative and support services. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
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Prior to the commencement of this offering, our sponsor agreed to loan us up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of January 15, 2021, there were no amounts outstanding under such promissory note. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of December 31, 2021 and the closing of this offering. These loans will be repaid upon completion of this offering out of the $1,000,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated for the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions) not held in the trust account.
In addition, in order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into Class A ordinary shares at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. The shares would be identical to the private placement shares issued to our sponsor. The terms of such loans by our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors, if any, as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
Prior to this offering, we will enter into a forward purchase agreement pursuant to which the forward purchase investors will agree to subscribe for an aggregate of 2,500,000 forward purchase shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000,000, or $10.00 per forward purchase share, in a private placement to close substantially concurrently with the closing of our initial business combination. The forward purchase shares will be identical to the public shares except that the holders thereof will have certain registration rights, as described below.
The forward purchase agreement and the registration rights agreement whose terms are incorporated therein also will provide that the forward purchase investors are entitled to registration rights with respect to the forward purchase shares. Please see “Description of Securities — Registration Rights” for additional information.
The proceeds from the sale of the forward purchase shares may be used as part of the consideration to the sellers in our initial business combination, expenses in connection with our initial business combination or for working capital in the post-transaction company. These purchases will be required to be made regardless of whether any Class A ordinary shares are redeemed by our public shareholders and are intended to provide us with minimum funding level for our initial business combination. The forward purchase shares will be issued only in connection with the closing of the initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may also purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. Please see “Proposed Business — Permitted purchases and other transactions with respect to our securities” for a description of how such persons will determine from which shareholders to seek to acquire shares. The price per share paid in any such transaction may be different than the amount per share a public shareholder would receive if it elected to redeem its shares in connection with our initial business combination. However, such persons have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. If such persons engage in such transactions, they will be subject to restrictions in making any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not
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currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will be required to comply with such rules.
We may not redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions and the agreement for our initial business combination may require as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights so that we cannot satisfy the net tangible asset requirement or any net worth or cash requirements, we would not proceed with the redemption of our public shares or the business combination, and instead may search for an alternate business combination (including, potentially, with the same target).
A public shareholder will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earliest to occur of: (1) the completion of our initial business combination and then, only in connection with those public shares that such shareholder has properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described in this prospectus; (2) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; and (3) the redemption of all of our public shares if we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable), subject to applicable law. In no other circumstances will a public shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account.
Our initial shareholders, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive (1) their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement share and public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and (2) their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity. In addition, our initial shareholders, officers and directors have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. However, if our sponsor or any of our officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates then hold any public shares, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time frame to complete our initial business combination.
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DIVIDEND POLICY
We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. In addition, our board of directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any share dividends in the foreseeable future, except if we increase the size of this offering, in which case we will effect a share capitalization or other appropriate mechanism with respect to our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain (1) the number of founder shares at 10% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares) and (2) the number of alignment shares at 15% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares). Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
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DILUTION
The difference between the public offering price per Class A ordinary share we are offering pursuant to this prospectus, and the pro forma net tangible book value per Class A ordinary share after this offering constitutes the dilution to investors in this offering. Net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing our net tangible book value, which is our total tangible assets less total liabilities (including the value of Class A ordinary shares which may be redeemed for cash), by the number of issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares.
At January 15, 2021, our net tangible book value deficit was $234,087, or approximately $(0.04) per ordinary share. After giving effect to the sale of 15,000,000 Class A ordinary shares we are offering by this prospectus, the sale of the private placement shares and the deduction of underwriting commissions and estimated expenses of this offering, our pro forma net tangible book value at January 15, 2021 would have been $5,000,010 or $0.78 per share, representing an immediate increase in net tangible book value (as decreased by the value of the approximately 14,076,999 Class A ordinary shares that may be redeemed for cash in connection with our initial business combination and assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) of $0.82 per share to our initial shareholders as of the date of this prospectus and an immediate dilution of $9.22 per share or 92.2% to our public shareholders not exercising their redemption rights. The dilution to new investors if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full would be an immediate dilution of $9.31 per share or 9.31%.
The following table illustrates the dilution to the public shareholders on a per share basis:
Public offering price | | | | | | $ | 10.00 | |
Net tangible book value before this offering | | $ | (0.04 | ) | | | | |
Increase attributable to public shareholders | | | 0.82 | | | | | |
Pro forma net tangible book value after this offering and the sale of the private placement shares | | | | | | | 0.78 | |
Dilution to public shareholders | | | | | | | 9.22 | |
Percentage of dilution to new investors | | | | | | | 92.2 | % |
For purposes of presentation, we have reduced our pro forma net tangible book value after this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) by $140,769,990 because holders of up to approximately 93.8% of our public shares may redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account at a per-share redemption price equal to the amount in the trust account, calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of Class A ordinary shares sold in this offering.
The following table sets forth information with respect to our initial shareholders, who hold our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares and will hold our private placement shares, and the public shareholders:
| | Shares Purchased | | Total Consideration | | Average Price per Share |
| | Number | | Percentage | | Amount | | Percentage | |
Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares(1)(2) | | 5,000,000 | | 24.39 | % | | $ | 25,000 | | 0.02 | % | | $ | 0.005 |
Private Placement Shares | | 500,000 | | 2.44 | % | | | 5,000,000 | | 3.23 | % | | $ | 10.00 |
Public shareholders | | 15,000,000 | | 73.17 | % | | | 150,000,000 | | 96.76 | % | | $ | 10.00 |
| | 20,500,000 | | 100.0 | % | | $ | 155,025,000 | | 100.0 | % | | | |
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The pro forma net tangible book value per share as of January 15, 2021 giving effect to the offering is calculated as follows:
Numerator: | | | | |
Net tangible book value before this offering | | $ | (234,087 | ) |
Proceeds from this offering and sale of the private placement shares, net of expenses | | | 151,000,000 | |
Offering costs accrued for and paid in advance, excluded from net tangible book value before this offering | | | 254,087 | |
Less: deferred underwriting commissions | | | (5,250,000 | ) |
Less: amount of Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption to maintain net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 | | | (140,769,990 | ) |
| | $ | 5,000,010 | |
Denominator: | | | | |
Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares issued and outstanding prior to this offering | | | 5,750,000 | |
Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares forfeited if over-allotment option is not exercised | | | (750,000 | ) |
Class A ordinary shares offered | | | 15,000,000 | |
Class A ordinary shares included in the private placement | | | 500,000 | |
Less: shares subject to redemption to maintain net tangible assets of $5,000,001 | | | (14,076,999 | ) |
| | | 6,423,001 | |
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CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our capitalization at January 15, 2021 and as adjusted to give effect to the sale of our 15,000,000 Class A ordinary shares in this offering for $150,000,000 (or $10.00 per share) and the sale of 500,000 private placement shares for $5,000,000 (or $10.00 per share) and the application of the estimated net proceeds derived from the sale of such securities (and excludes gross proceeds from the sale of forward purchase shares that may close substantially simultaneously with the closing of our initial business combination):
| | January 15, 2021 |
| | Actual | | As Adjusted(2) |
Note payable to related party(1) | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
Deferred underwriting commissions | | | — | | | | 5,250,000 | |
Class A ordinary shares, subject to redemption(3) | | | — | | | | 140,769,990 | |
Shareholders’ equity (deficit): | | | | | | | | |
Preferred shares, $0.0001 par value, 20,000,000 shares authorized (actual and as adjusted); no shares issued or outstanding (actual and as adjusted) | | | — | | | | — | |
Ordinary shares | | | | | | | | |
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized (actual and as adjusted); no shares issued or outstanding (actual); 1,423,001 shares issued and outstanding (excluding 14,076,999 shares subject to redemption) (as adjusted) | | | — | | | | 142 | |
Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized (actual and as adjusted); 2,300,000(4) shares issued and outstanding (actual); 2,000,000 shares issued and outstanding (as adjusted) | | | 230 | | | | 200 | |
Class F ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized (actual and as adjusted); 3,450,000(4) shares issued and outstanding (actual); 3,000,000 shares issued and outstanding (as adjusted) | | | 345 | | | | 300 | |
Additional paid-in capital(5) | | | 24,425 | | | | 5,004,368 | |
Accumulated deficit | | | (5,000 | ) | | | (5,000 | ) |
Total shareholders’ equity | | | 20,000 | | | | 5,000,010 | |
Total capitalization | | $ | 20,000 | | | $ | 151,020,000 | |
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We have not selected any business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares and the forward purchase shares, our shares, debt or a combination of cash, shares and debt.
The issuance of additional shares in a business combination, including pursuant to the forward purchase agreement:
• may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in this offering, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the Class B ordinary shares or Class F ordinary shares resulted in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares or Class F ordinary shares;
• may subordinate the rights of holders of ordinary shares if preferred shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our ordinary shares;
• could cause a change of control if a substantial number of our ordinary shares is issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors;
• may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; and
• may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A ordinary shares.
Similarly, if we issue debt securities or otherwise incur significant indebtedness, it could result in:
• default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations;
• acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant;
• our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand;
• our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding;
• our inability to pay dividends on our ordinary shares;
• using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
• limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate;
• increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and
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• limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt.
As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, as of January 15, 2021, we had no cash and working capital deficit of $234,087. Further, we expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to complete our initial business combination will be successful.
Results of Operations and Known Trends or Future Events
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities since inception have been organizational activities and those necessary to prepare for this offering. Following this offering, we will not generate any operating revenues until after completion of our initial business combination. We will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents in the form of specified U.S. government treasury bills or specified money market funds after this offering. There has been no significant change in our financial or trading position and no material adverse change has occurred since the date of our audited financial statements. After this offering, we expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses. We expect our expenses to increase substantially after the closing of this offering.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our liquidity needs have been satisfied prior to the completion of this offering through $25,000 paid by our sponsor to cover certain offering costs of the Company in exchange for the issuance of the founder shares and alignment shares and up to $300,000 in loans from our sponsor under an unsecured promissory note. We estimate that the net proceeds from: (1) the sale of the Class A ordinary shares in this offering, after deducting offering expenses of approximately $1,000,000 and underwriting commissions of $3,000,000 ($3,450,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) (excluding deferred underwriting commissions of $5,250,000, or $6,037,500 depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised); and (2) the sale of the private placement shares for a purchase price of $5,000,000 (or $5,450,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), will be $151,000,000 (or $173,500,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). Of this amount, $150,000,000 (or $172,500,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be deposited into the trust account, which includes the deferred underwriting commissions described above. The funds in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. Treasuries. The remaining $1,000,000 will not be held in the trust account. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $1,000,000, we may fund such excess with funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $1,000,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.
We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and excluding deferred underwriting commissions) and the proceeds from the sale of the forward purchase shares, to complete our initial business combination. We may withdraw interest to pay taxes. Our annual income tax obligations will depend on the amount of interest and other income earned on the amounts held in the trust account. We expect the only taxes payable by us out of the funds in the trust account will be income and franchise taxes, if any. We expect the interest earned on the amount in the trust account will be sufficient to pay our taxes. To the extent that our shares or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.
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Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we will have available to us an estimated $1,000,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account. We will use these funds primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, structure, negotiate and complete a business combination, and to pay taxes to the extent the interest earned on the trust account is not sufficient to pay our taxes.
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into Class A ordinary shares at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. The shares would be identical to the private placement shares issued to our sponsor. The terms of such loans by our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors, if any, as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
We expect our primary liquidity requirements during that period to include approximately $360,000 for legal, accounting, due diligence, travel and other expenses in connection with any business combinations; $125,000 for legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting requirements; $58,000 for Nasdaq continued listing fees; $240,000 for office space, administrative and support services; and approximately $217,000 for working capital to cover miscellaneous expenses (including franchise taxes net of anticipated interest income).
These amounts are estimates and may differ materially from our actual expenses. In addition, we could use a portion of the funds not being placed in trust to pay commitment fees for financing, fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business or as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision in letters of intent or merger agreements designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into an agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business, the amount that would be used as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision would be determined based on the terms of the specific business combination and the amount of our available funds at the time. Our forfeiture of such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise) could result in our not having sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conducting due diligence with respect to, prospective target businesses.
We do not believe we will need to raise additional funds following this offering in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business. However, if our estimates of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating an initial business combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our initial business combination. Moreover, we may need to obtain additional financing either to complete our initial business combination or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of our initial business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination.
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Controls and Procedures
We are not currently required to maintain an effective system of internal controls as defined by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We will be required to comply with the internal control reporting requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022. Only in the event that we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company, we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement.
Prior to the closing of this offering, we have not completed an assessment, nor has our independent registered public accounting firm tested our systems of internal controls. We expect to assess the internal controls of our target business or businesses prior to the completion of our initial business combination and we may work with the target to implement and test additional controls as we may determine are necessary in order to state that we maintain an effective system of internal controls. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding the adequacy of internal controls. Many small and mid-sized target businesses we may consider for our initial business combination may have internal controls that need improvement in areas such as:
• staffing for financial, accounting and external reporting areas, including segregation of duties;
• reconciliation of accounts;
• proper recording of expenses and liabilities in the period to which they relate;
• evidence of internal review and approval of accounting transactions;
• documentation of processes, assumptions and conclusions underlying significant estimates; and
• documentation of accounting policies and procedures.
Because it will take time, management involvement and perhaps outside resources to determine what internal control improvements are necessary for us to meet regulatory requirements and market expectations for our operation of a target business, we may incur significant expenses in meeting our public reporting responsibilities, particularly in the areas of designing, enhancing, or remediating internal and disclosure controls. Doing so effectively may also take longer than we expect, thus increasing our exposure to financial fraud or erroneous financing reporting.
Once our management’s report on internal controls is complete, we will retain an independent registered public accounting firm to audit and render an opinion on such report when required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The independent registered public accounting firm may identify additional issues concerning a target business’s internal controls while performing their audit of internal control over financial reporting.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
The net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares held in the trust account will be invested in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. Treasuries and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.
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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements; Commitments and Contractual Obligations; Quarterly Review
As of January 15, 2021, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K and did not have any commitments or contractual obligations. No unaudited quarterly operating data is included in this prospectus as we have not conducted any operations to date.
Related Party Transactions
On January 14, 2021, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 2,300,000 founder shares and 3,450,000 alignment shares for $25,000, which was remitted at the Company’s direction for offering costs. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the founder shares would represent 10% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the completion of this offering (not including the private placement shares). The number of alignment shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the alignment shares would represent 15% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the completion of this offering (not including the private placement shares). On January 15, 2021, our sponsor transferred 25,000 founder shares to each of our independent director nominees at their original purchase price. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or share repurchase or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain (1) the number of founder shares at 10% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares) and (2) the number of alignment shares at 15% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares). Up to 300,000 founder shares and 450,000 alignment shares are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised. Our sponsor does not intend to purchase any public shares in this offering.
We will enter into an Administrative Services Agreement pursuant to which we will also pay an affiliate of our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, administrative and support services. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
Our sponsor, officers and directors or any of their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by us to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or any of their respective affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.
Prior to the commencement of this offering, our sponsor agreed to loan us up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of January 15, 2021, there were no amounts outstanding under such promissory note. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of December 31, 2021 and the closing of this offering. These loans will be repaid upon completion of this offering out of the $1,000,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated for the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions) not held in the trust account.
In addition, in order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion
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of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into Class A ordinary shares at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. The shares would be identical to the private placement shares issued to our sponsor. The terms of such loans by our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors, if any, as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
Our sponsor has committed to purchase an aggregate of 500,000 (or 545,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) private placement shares at a price of $10.00 per share ($5,000,000 in the aggregate or $5,450,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of this offering. The private placement shares are identical to the public shares sold in this offering except that, so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees, the private placement shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions (as described in more detail under “Principal Shareholders — Transfers of Founder Shares, Alignment Shares and Private Placement Shares”) and the holders thereof are entitled to certain registration rights (as described in more detail under “Principal Shareholders — Registration Rights”).
Prior to this offering, we will enter into a forward purchase agreement pursuant to which the forward purchase investors, which are funds affiliated with our sponsor, will agree to subscribe for an aggregate of 2,500,000 forward purchase shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000,000, or $10.00 per forward purchase share, in a private placement to close substantially concurrently with the closing of our initial business combination. If the sale of the forward purchase shares fails to close, for any reason, we may lack sufficient funds to consummate our initial business combination. The forward purchase shares will be identical to the public shares except that the holders thereof will have certain registration rights, as described below.
Pursuant to a registration rights agreement that we will enter into with our initial shareholders and forward purchase investors on or prior to the closing of this offering, we may be required to register certain securities for sale under the Securities Act. Our initial shareholders, forward purchase investors and holders of Class A ordinary shares issued upon conversion of working capital loans, if any, are entitled under the registration rights agreement to make up to three demands that we register certain of our securities held by them for sale under the Securities Act and to have the securities covered thereby registered for resale pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. In addition, these holders have the right to include their securities in other registration statements filed by us. We will bear the costs and expenses of filing any such registration statements of which this prospectus forms a part and may not exercise its demand rights on more than one occasion. Please see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”
JOBS Act
On April 5, 2012, the JOBS Act was signed into law. The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We will qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act will be allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
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Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company”, we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among other things: (1) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; (2) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; (3) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis); and (4) disclose certain executive compensation-related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the CEO’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of this offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.
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PROPOSED BUSINESS
We are a newly incorporated blank check company incorporated in January 2021 as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as our initial business combination. To date, our efforts have been limited to organizational activities as well as activities related to this offering. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target.
While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or geographical location, we intend to capitalize on our management team’s background and experience to identify innovative companies in the biotechnology sector that are domiciled in North America or Europe.
In addition, we believe our ability to complete our initial business combination will be enhanced by our having entered into the forward purchase agreement pursuant to which the forward purchase investors will agree to purchase an aggregate of 2,500,000 forward purchase shares at a purchase price of $25,000,000 in the aggregate, in a private placement to close substantially concurrently with the closing of our initial business combination.
Our Sponsor and Competitive Advantages
Our sponsor is an affiliate of EcoR1, an investment firm with over $2.7 billion in regulatory assets under management as of December 31, 2020. EcoR1 was established in March 2013 by our Chief Executive Officer, Oleg Nodelman, and is focused on therapeutic companies within the biotechnology sector.
EcoR1’s investment activity includes public and private biotechnology companies spanning all stages of research and development, including commercialization, for companies based in the U.S. as well as other developed global territories. Investments are primarily made through equity and equity-related securities.
EcoR1 has expansive knowledge of the biotechnology sector as well as a proprietary network consisting of deep relationships with clinicians, scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, bankers and other key players in the industry. This allows EcoR1 to find and identify compelling targets whose risk/reward profiles are asymmetrically skewed to the upside. EcoR1 makes a detailed assessment of the financial and scientific viability of each investment opportunity with a discerning eye. This proprietary process includes an assessment of the intrinsic value, market needs, financial stability and management team track record. EcoR1 is also experienced in providing hands-on, operational guidance as companies navigate the various challenges inherent with drug discovery and development.
EcoR1 was established in March 2013 with $13 million in invested capital from our Chief Executive Officer, Oleg Nodelman, and fellow colleagues in the biotechnology sector. The firm has grown to over $2.7 billion in regulatory assets under management as of December 31, 2020 through partner referrals, word of mouth and organic growth. EcoR1’s current investor base includes foundations, endowments, families and reputable investors in the biotechnology sector. Mr. Nodelman and EcoR1 employees remain one of the largest group of investors in the funds, providing strong alignment with outside capital. The funds have liquidity parameters that allow the firm to partner with thoughtful, long-term investors and provide alignment between the companies they invest in and the duration of the capital. EcoR1’s flagship fund has been closed to new institutional investors since mid-2017, and to date over half of the firm’s assets have been generated through performance. As of December 31, 2020, EcoR1 generated cumulative and annualized returns of 1040% and 36%, respectively.
Since 2013, EcoR1 has spoken with and evaluated over 1,000 private companies, investing in 53 companies in various financing rounds totaling $5.0 billion. As of December 31, 2020, out of the 53 private investments, 35 companies have gone public and three companies have been acquired.
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Our independent directors have extensive experience in drug discovery, preclinical research, clinical medicine, development and regulatory, operational and management leadership within the healthcare and financial industry, spanning a cumulative 100 years of experience in the biotech or pharma industry. All of our independent directors have led or been a part of leadership teams in, or invested in, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies that have together generated over $100 billion in value as of December 31, 2020 for investors through sell-side M&A, divestitures and public listings, and helped develop approximately 15 FDA approved drugs for patients. Additionally they have invested in or been instrumental to the formation of over 30 companies in the biotechnology sector across diverse indications including hematology, oncology, immunology, infectious disease, neurology and rare disease. We believe that their breadth of experience will bolster our ability to thoroughly evaluate prospective candidates and successfully execute our initial business combination. Following the completion of our initial business combination, we believe our independent directors will fortify our ongoing operations by providing sound and experienced counsel on potential future acquisitions, divestitures, corporate strategy and human resources.
We believe the experience of our team, strengthened by their industry network and our experienced board of directors, will enhance our management team’s ability to source viable prospective target businesses, capitalize them and ensure public-market readiness. We believe that our management team is equipped with the knowledge, experience, capital and human resources to pursue unique opportunities that will offer attractive risk-adjusted returns.
Our Management Team and Board of Directors
Oleg Nodelman has been our Chief Executive Officer since January 2021 and is our Chairman Nominee. Mr. Nodelman has been the Portfolio Manager of EcoR1, a biotech-focused investment advisory firm that invests in companies at all stages of research and development, since he founded it in 2013. With nearly 20 years of experience in biotech investing, Mr. Nodelman has expertise in all aspects of investment management and deep roots in the biotech and scientific communities. Before founding EcoR1, Mr. Nodelman was an analyst and portfolio manager from 2001 to 2012 at Biotechnology Value Fund. Prior to BVF, Mr. Nodelman worked in strategic consulting and organizational management at Mercer Management Consulting (now Oliver Wyman). He currently serves as a Board Member for Prothena (Nasdaq: PRTA), a clinical-stage neuroscience company focused on the discovery and development of novel therapies and was the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Panacea Acquisition Corp. Mr. Nodelman has a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service with a concentration in Science and Technology from Georgetown University.
Scott Perlen has been our Chief Financial Officer since January 2021. Mr. Perlen was the Chief Financial Officer of Panacea Acquisition Corp. and has been the Chief Financial Officer of EcoR1 since joining the firm in 2019. He oversees accounting and finance for EcoR1 and its investment funds as well as the funds’ day to day trade operations. Prior to joining EcoR1 in 2019, Mr. Perlen served as Chief Financial Officer for seven years at Sheffield Asset Management, LLC, a Chicago-based investment firm. Prior to Sheffield, Mr. Perlen was a Vice President at Grosvenor Capital Management, LP, a global leader in the alternative asset industry. During his seven years at Grosvenor, Mr. Perlen managed a group dedicated to providing outsourced CFO functionality to a number of investment firm managers and also assisted in performing operational due diligence reviews on underlying investment firms. Prior to joining Grosvenor in 2005, Mr. Perlen was an Assistant Vice President at Bank of America, focusing on operational risk and accounting for the bank’s derivatives business. From 1997 to 2002, Mr. Perlen managed the operations and fund accounting at Sunrise Capital Partners, LLC, a San Diego-based investment firm. Mr. Perlen received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1997.
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Scott Platshon has been our Chief Operating Officer since January 2021. Mr. Platshon also served as Chief Operating Officer of Panacea Acquisition Corp. and joined EcoR1 in 2015 where he currently serves as a Partner and is responsible for due diligence and analysis of biotechnology companies for value-oriented investment opportunities. Mr. Platshon previously worked at Aquilo Partners, a boutique life sciences investment bank. Mr. Platshon holds a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering from Stanford University.
Caroline Stout has been our Chief Investment Officer since January 2021. Ms. Stout also served as Chief Investment Officer of Panacea Acquisition Corp. and joined EcoR1 in 2014 where she currently serves as a Partner. At EcoR1, she has led several of the firm’s investments in the biotechnology sector. Ms. Stout previously worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at Credit Suisse in New York. She has experience working on a range of transactions in the healthcare and biotechnology sectors, including leveraged buyouts, initial public offerings and follow-on equity raises. Ms. Stout graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, a Pre-Medical concentration, and Cognitive Science minor.
Sarah Marriott has served as our Secretary and on our board of directors since January 2021. Ms. Marriott also served as Secretary and on the board of directors of Panacea Acquisition Corp. Ms. Marriott joined EcoR1 in 2014 and is the firm’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, where she is responsible for operational, regulatory and compliance issues. Ms. Marriott has experience working across the diverse areas of civil and criminal litigation. Prior to EcoR1, she served as a Deputy District Attorney in Solano County, California. Prior to serving as a prosecutor, Ms. Marriott practiced at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in San Francisco, where she handled commercial litigation matters. Ms. Marriott previously completed a clerkship on the federal Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Ms. Marriott holds a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College.
Douglas Giordano has agreed to serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Mr. Giordano is currently Senior Vice President of Pfizer Worldwide Business Development Group (“Pfizer”). Since 2007, Mr. Giordano has been responsible for leading Pfizer’s evaluation, negotiation and execution of product licensing, partnerships and m&a transactions. Under Mr. Giordano’s leadership, Pfizer has deployed over $125 billion of capital to business development across a wide range of transaction types from venture investing, biotech licensing through large scale m&a. Mr. Giordano also led Pfizer’s initial public offering/split off of Zoetis, Pfizer’s consumer joint venture with GlaxoSmithKline plc (NYSE: GSK), and the recently closed spin/merger of Viatris. Before leading Pfizer’s Worldwide Business Development group, Mr. Giordano held positions of increasing responsibility within Pfizer’s U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group, including roles in finance, manufacturing and commercial strategy. Prior to joining Pfizer, Mr. Giordano was a consultant at Booz, Allen & Hamilton. From 2017 to 2019, Mr. Giordano served on the board of directors of ICU Medical, Inc. Mr. Giordano earned a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University and an M.B.A. from Cornell University’s Johnson School of Business. He currently serves on the board of Cerevel Therapeutics and is a member of the Duke University School of Medicine Board of Visitors.
Nina Kjellson has agreed to serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Ms. Kjellson joined Canaan Partners (“Canaan”) in 2015 and is a General Partner, investing in health care companies that aim to transform care for patients. She focuses on therapeutics for serious and underserved conditions such as cancer, autoimmune, orphan and rare diseases and life-threatening infections. As a leader of Canaan’s Women of Venture program, Ms. Kjellson is a vocal advocate for women entrepreneurs and investors. She is a member of the advisory board for the Oliver Wyman Health Innovation Center and is a 2018 Aspen Institute Health Innovators Fellow. She serves on the boards of PACT Pharma, Tizona Therapeutics, Trishula Therapeutics, Tyra Biosciences, Vineti and WellTok. Prior to Canaan, Ms. Kjellson was a General Partner at InterWest Partners (“InterWest”) where she had invested in healthcare start-ups since 2002. Before InterWest, she was an investment manager at Bay City Capital, a life sciences merchant bank, and a research associate at Oracle Partners, a healthcare-focused hedge fund. Ms. Kjellson began her career conducting health policy and survey research with the Kaiser Family Foundation. Her previous investments include
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Alt12 (acquired by Honest Company), Aspreva (ASPV; acquired by Galenica), CNS Therapeutics (acquired by Covidien), Cidara (CDTX), Eiger Biopharmaceuticals (EIGR), Labrys Biologics (acquired by Teva), NovaCardia (acquired by Merck), Ocera (OCRX; acquired by Mallinckrodt), Trius Therapeutics (TSRX; acquired by Cubist), Paratek (PRTK) and Tesaro (TSRO). Ms. Kjellson was born in Scandinavia and grew-up in the Northeast. Ms. Kjellson received a B.A. in human biology from Stanford University (1997). She chairs the board of Essential Access Health and serves on the boards of Girl Effect and Life Science Cares. She has co-developed an immersive curriculum for diversity and inclusion in healthcare with Impact Experience, called Impact Experience: HealthEquity.
Praveen Tipirneni, M.D. has agreed to serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Praveen Tipirneni, M.D. is President and CEO of Morphic Therapeutic Inc. (“Morphic Therapeutic”). Before joining Morphic Therapeutic in 2015, he was Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Global Strategy at Cubist Pharmaceuticals (“Cubist”), a position in which he served from 2002 until the company’s acquisition by Merck in 2015. In his time at Cubist, he was a member of the clinical group working on the Cubicin NDA (skin and skin structure infections) and sNDA (Staph. Bacteremia and Endocarditis) teams. At Cubist, he was head of business development since January 2006. Prior to joining Cubist, Dr. Tipirneni worked at Sun Microsystems in corporate strategy, Covad Communications in Corporate Strategy, and Deltagen in business development. He also served time as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Dr. Tipirneni received a bachelor’s degree from MIT in mechanical engineering and an M.D. from McGill University. After completing his post-graduate residency in Internal Medicine at University of Illinois, Chicago, he received his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business in healthcare finance.
Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D. has agreed to serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Dr. Williams is currently the President, CEO and member of the Board of Directors of Codiak BioSciences. Before joining Codiak BioSciences in 2015, Dr. Williams was previously Biogen’s Executive Vice President, Research and Development, serving in this role from January 2011 to July 2015. He joined Biogen from ZymoGenetics, where he was most recently CEO and member of the board of directors. ZymoGenetics was purchased for $985MM by Bristol Myers Squibb during Dr. Williams’s tenure. Previously, he held leadership positions within the biotechnology industry, including Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Seattle Genetics, and Senior Vice President and Washington Site Leader at Amgen. Dr. Williams served in a series of scientific and senior leadership positions over a decade at Immunex, including Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer and as a member of the board of directors. From 2014 to 2019, Dr. Williams served on the board of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. From 2012 to 2017, Dr. Williams served on the board of Regulus Therapeutics Inc. During his more than 30 year career in the biotechnology industry, he has played a role in the development of several novel drugs including Enbrel, Tecfidera, and Spinraza. He has served on the board of numerous biotechnology companies and is currently a member of the board of directors of Ovid Pharmaceuticals, and Chairman of the board of AC Immune, and is a director for private companies Cygnal Therapeutics and Xenikos.
Experience with Special Purpose Acquisition Vehicles
Our management team has previous experience in the execution of public acquisition vehicles. Panacea Acquisition Corp. was a special purpose acquisition company formed for substantially similar purposes as our company. In October 2020, Panacea Acquisition Corp. announced it had entered into a business combination agreement to acquire Nuvation Bio, Inc. (“Nuvation Bio”) and raised over $500 million in a concurrent equity financing. On February 10, 2021, Panacea Acquisition Corp. consummated the transactions contemplated by the business combination agreement. Nuvation Bio is a biopharmaceutical company focused on revolutionizing cancer treatment by discovering, developing and delivering therapies that tackle some of the greatest needs in oncology. The common stock of Nuvation Bio remains listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the new ticker symbol “NUVB.” Mr. Nodelman, Mr. Perlen, Mr. Platshon, Ms. Stout and Ms. Marriott were the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Secretary of Panacea Acquisition Corp., respectively.
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Our sponsor, directors, officers and EcoR1 and its affiliates expect in the future to become affiliated with other public special public acquisition companies that may have acquisition objectives that are similar to ours. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Management Team — Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.”
The past performance of the members of our management team or their affiliates, including Panacea Acquisition Corp. and EcoR1, is not a guarantee that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record or the performance of our management team, EcoR1 or any of their affiliates’ or managed fund’s performance as indicative of our future performance.
Industry Opportunity
Over the last decade, biotechnology companies have experienced a period of unprecedented innovation driven, in part, by a surge of novel therapeutic modalities. From EcoR1’s launch in early 2013 through December 2020, the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index has appreciated over 200%, just outpacing the strong period of growth of the S&P 500 at 147%. This continued growth has largely been driven by fundamental innovation that has advanced clinical practice and made a difference in the lives of patients. Since 2013, over 340 novel chemical entities have been approved by the FDA, some of which include the first time a treatment has been available for a particular disease or disorder. As larger pharmaceutical companies have shed their internal research and development programs, smaller biotechnology companies continue to be a key driver of innovation and new drug development for the industry. We believe the historical strength in biopharma m&a market, which totaled over $240 billion in 2020, will continue to drive attractive valuations in public markets. In 2019, the global biotechnology market represented approximately $516 billion in revenue and is estimated to grow 8% per annum to $841 billion in 2025. Disease evolves, and as such, we believe that continued innovation and the introduction of new therapies will be the underlying driver of growth for the overall biotechnology sector.
We believe that life sciences companies, at a certain stage in their development, will see material benefits from being publicly traded, including greater access to capital, more liquid securities and increased visibility. The U.S. public markets provide access to the largest global pool of institutional capital, funding innovation and ultimately new medicines for patients. In 2020, over $46 billion was raised in the U.S. public equity markets for biotechnology companies, including more than $14 billion in initial public offerings.
Despite this IPO activity, the amount raised by biotechnology companies in initial public offerings has been a fraction of the amount raised in the private market recently. Compared to the more than $46 billion raised in over 390 initial public offerings by the biotechnology sector since 2013, there has been more than $101 billion raised in private offerings during the same period. As of December 2020, there were over 6,500 biotechnology companies globally, only 852 of which were then publicly traded on a major U.S. stock exchange. Since 2013, over 1,590 biotechnology companies have obtained seed capital and/or Series A financing.
Our management team believes that the perceived complexity of the healthcare industry acts as a barrier to entry, requiring investors to have significant sector-specific knowledge and expertise to identify and appropriately analyze investment opportunities. Technical and scientific knowledge, an understanding of the reimbursement environment and regulatory landscape, complex valuation methodologies, specialized accounting treatments, and regulatory and political considerations may deter competition from generalist firms. We believe there is an opportunity to offer outstanding risk-adjusted returns to shareholders by building companies that possess underappreciated assets and provide growth opportunities that will benefit by capitalization and leadership from industry veterans.
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EcoR1’s proprietary, process driven approach is built on a value philosophy that attempts to manage risk in the volatile biotechnology sector. Our management team will focus on finding companies with hidden value overlooked by the market and typical value-based diligence. This includes human capital in addition to deep scientific and financial analysis. EcoR1 is agnostic to stage of development for its portfolio companies and investment decisions are driven by fundamental analysis of the business and scientific merits of each opportunity.
Acquisition Strategy
Our acquisition strategy is to identify and acquire an untapped opportunity within the biotechnology sector and build a public company. We believe our management team is well positioned to identify unique opportunities in our targeted sector based on their strong networks and experience and our core investment philosophy of identifying companies that are downside protected with outsized potential upside. Our selection process will leverage the relationships of our management team with industry captains, key opinion leaders, respected peers, and our management team’s network of investment banking executives, attorneys, and accountants. We also believe that EcoR1’s reputation, experience and track record of making investments in the biotechnology space will make us a preferred partner for these potential targets.
Investment Criteria
Consistent with our strategy, we have identified the following criteria to evaluate prospective target businesses. We may however, decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet these criteria. We intend to seek to acquire one or more businesses that we believe have the following characteristics:
• Risk/reward profile that is skewed to the upside. As is core to our basic investment approach, we intend to identify businesses that have an asymmetric risk/reward profile, significant competitive advantages and underexploited expansion opportunities that can benefit from access to additional capital and provide the potential for exceptional returns for our shareholders.
• Strong management team in place. We intend to identify businesses with strong and experienced public-ready management teams, either in the form of entrepreneurs with whom we have worked in the past or seasoned industry veterans who have the experience and track record of value creation for their stockholders.
• Innovative and quality science. While science is not the first place we begin our diligence, an important element in our process is to evaluate the rigor of the underlying science and understand a business’s unique value and ability to address an unmet need in the marketplace.
• Multiple avenues for growth opportunities. We intend to identify businesses that have multiple shots on goal. Outside of the lead asset that may hold the underwritten downside protection, we are looking for businesses that have other areas for potential growth in their pipeline that are not necessarily reflected in the value assigned to them at acquisition, but provide multiple “ways to win.”
• Potential to provide significant benefits to patients. We intend to identify businesses that are developing therapies that have the potential to significantly enhance the treatment paradigm or represent first-in-class therapeutics for patients and physicians.
• Unrecognized value or other characteristics that we believe have been misunderstood by the market. We seek to find value where others do not typically look. We will seek target businesses that are attractively valued due to being overlooked, misunderstood, or undercapitalized. Our diligence process to identify these opportunities may include, among other things, a review and analysis of the business’s capital structure, potential for future earnings, preclinical or clinical data, potential for operational improvements, corporate governance, customers, existing or potential partnerships with larger pharma companies, and the industry and trends. We intend to leverage the operational experience and disciplined investment approach of our team to identify opportunities to unlock value that our experience in complex situations allows us to pursue.
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These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general criteria as well as other considerations, factors, criteria and guidelines that our management may deem relevant.
Our Acquisition Process
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information that will be made available to us.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a business that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Management Team — Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.” In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a business that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors and if our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria.
Members of our management team may directly or indirectly own our securities following this offering, and accordingly, they may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors are from time to time made aware of potential business opportunities, one or more of which we may desire to pursue, for a business combination, but we have not (nor has anyone on our behalf) contacted any prospective target business or had any substantive discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect to a business combination transaction with us.
Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties to one or more other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entities, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for one or more entities to which he or she has fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp., he or she will honor these obligations and duties to present such business combination opportunity to such entities first, and only present it to us if such entities reject the opportunity and he or she determines to present the opportunity to us. For more information, see the section entitled “Management — Conflicts of Interest.”
We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other.
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Initial Business Combination
Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. We refer to this as the 80% of net assets test. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. We do not currently intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination, although there is no assurance that will be the case. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own or acquire shares will own or acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to our initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in our initial business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding capital stock, shares or other equity securities of a target business, or issue a substantial number of new shares to third-parties in connection with financing our initial business combination. In such cases, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the issued and outstanding equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired by us is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test. If our initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses.
Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will file a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
Status as a Public Company
We believe our structure will make us an attractive business combination partner to target businesses. As an existing public company, we offer target businesses an alternative to the traditional initial public offering through a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination. In this situation, the owners of the target business would exchange their equity securities in the target business for our shares or for a combination of shares and cash, allowing us to tailor the consideration to the specific needs of the sellers. Although there are various costs and
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obligations associated with being a public company, we believe target businesses will find this method a more certain and cost effective method to becoming a public company than the typical initial public offering. In a typical initial public offering, there are additional expenses incurred in marketing, road show and public reporting efforts that may not be present to the same extent in connection with a business combination with us.
Furthermore, once a proposed business combination is completed, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriters’ ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions, which could delay or prevent the offering from occurring. Once public, we believe the target business would then have greater access to capital and an additional means of providing management incentives consistent with shareholders’ interests. It can offer further benefits by augmenting a company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of: (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter; and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.00 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
Additionally, we will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter, and (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year or the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter.
Financial Position
With funds available for a business combination initially in the amount of $176,000,000 (which includes the amount that may be received pursuant to the forward purchase agreement) assuming no redemptions (or $198,500,000 (which includes the amount that may be received pursuant to the forward purchase agreement) assuming no redemptions if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), in each case, after estimated offering expenses of $1,000,000 (and prior to the payment of $5,250,000 (or $6,037,500 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in deferred underwriting commissions being held in the trust account and any post-IPO working capital expenses), we offer a target business a variety of options such as creating a liquidity event for its owners, providing capital for the potential growth and expansion of its operations or strengthening its balance sheet by reducing its debt ratio. Because we are able to complete our initial business combination using our cash, debt or equity securities, or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use the most efficient combination that will allow us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to fit its needs and desires. However, we have not taken any steps to secure third-party financing and there can be no assurance it will be available to us.
Effecting our Initial Business Combination
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time following this offering. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares and the forward purchase shares, our shares, debt or a combination of these as the consideration to be paid in our initial business combination. We may seek to complete our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses.
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If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemption of our public shares, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of post-transaction businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other businesses or for working capital.
Our officers and directors are from time to time made aware of potential business opportunities, one or more of which we may desire to pursue, for a business combination, but we have not (nor has anyone on our behalf) contacted any prospective target business or had any substantive discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect to a business combination transaction with us.
In addition to the forward purchase agreement, we may seek to raise additional funds in connection with the completion of our initial business combination through a private offering of equity securities or debt securities or loans, and we may effectuate our initial business combination using the proceeds of such offerings or loans rather than using the amounts held in the trust account.
In the case of an initial business combination funded with assets other than the trust account assets, our tender offer documents or proxy materials disclosing the business combination would disclose the terms of the financing and, only if required by applicable law or we decide to do so for business or other reasons, we would seek shareholder approval of such financing. There are no prohibitions on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination. At this time, other than the forward purchase agreement, we are not a party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising any additional funds through the sale of securities or otherwise.
Selection of a target business and structuring of our initial business combination
Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. The fair market value of the target or targets will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community, such as discounted cash flow valuation or value of comparable businesses. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. We do not currently intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination, although there is no assurance that will be the case. Subject to this requirement, our management will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting one or more prospective target businesses, although we will not be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination solely with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations.
In any case, we will only complete an initial business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. If less than 100% of the issued and outstanding equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired by us is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test. There is no basis for investors in this offering to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial business combination.
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To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors.
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial, operational, legal and other information that will be made available to us.
The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination.
Lack of business diversification
For an indefinite period of time after the completion of our initial business combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business.
By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
• solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset; or
• dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services.
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
Limited ability to evaluate the target’s management team
Although we intend to closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with that business, our assessment of the target business’s management may not prove to be correct. In addition, the future management may not have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of members of our management team, if any, in the target business cannot presently be stated with any certainty. While it is possible that one or more of our directors will remain associated in some capacity with us following our initial business combination, it is highly unlikely that any of them will devote their full efforts to our affairs subsequent to our initial business combination. Moreover, we cannot assure you that members of our management team will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with the post-business combination company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
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Following our initial business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that additional managers will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Shareholders may not have the ability to approve our initial business combination
We may conduct redemptions without a shareholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC. However, we will seek shareholder approval if it is required by applicable law or stock exchange rule, or we may decide to seek shareholder approval for business or other reasons.
Under Nasdaq’s listing rules, shareholder approval would typically be required for our initial business combination if, for example:
• we issue (other than in a public offering for cash) ordinary shares, or securities that may be convertible or exercisable into ordinary shares, that will either (a) be equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of ordinary shares then issued and outstanding or (b) have voting power equal to or in excess of 20% of the voting power then issued and outstanding;
• any of our directors, officers or Substantial Shareholders (as defined by Nasdaq rules) has a 5% or greater interest (or such persons collectively have a 10% or greater interest), directly or indirectly, in our company or assets to be acquired or in the consideration to be paid in the transaction or series of related transactions and if the number of ordinary shares to be issued, or if the number of ordinary shares into which the securities may be convertible or exercisable, could result in an increase in issued and outstanding ordinary shares or voting power of 5% or more; or
• the issuance or potential issuance will result in our undergoing a change of control.
The Companies Act and Cayman Islands law do not currently require, and we are not aware of any other applicable law that will require, shareholder approval of our initial business combination.
The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination in those instances in which shareholder approval is not required by applicable law or stock exchange rule will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on business and other reasons, which include a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:
• the timing of the transaction, including in the event we determine shareholder approval would require additional time and there is either not enough time to seek shareholder approval or doing so would place the company at a disadvantage in the transaction or result in other additional burdens on the company;
• the expected cost of holding a shareholder vote;
• the risk that the shareholders would fail to approve the proposed business combination;
• other time and budget constraints of the company; and
• additional legal complexities of a proposed business combination that would be time-consuming and burdensome to present to shareholders.
Permitted purchases and other transactions with respect to our securities
In the event we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may purchase public shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of securities such persons may purchase. Additionally, at any time at or prior to our initial business combination, subject to applicable securities laws (including with respect to material nonpublic information), our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors
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or any of their respective affiliates may enter into transactions with investors and others to provide them with incentives to acquire public shares, vote their public shares in favor of our initial business combination or not redeem their public shares. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such purchases or other transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such purchases or other transactions. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase public shares in such transactions. Such persons will be subject to restrictions in making any such purchases when they are in possession of any material non-public information or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Such a purchase may include a contractual acknowledgement that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares, is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. We will adopt an insider trading policy which will require insiders to (1) refrain from purchasing securities during certain blackout periods and when they are in possession of any material non-public information and (2) clear all trades with our legal counsel prior to execution. We cannot currently determine whether our insiders will make such purchases pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan, as it will be dependent upon several factors, including but not limited to, the timing and size of such purchases. Depending on such circumstances, our insiders may either make such purchases pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan or determine that such a plan is not necessary.
In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates purchase public shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights or submitted a proxy to vote against our initial business combination, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares and any proxy to vote against our initial business combination. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will be required to comply with such rules.
The purpose of any such transaction could be to (1) vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the initial business combination or (2) satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. Any such transactions may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible.
In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A ordinary shares may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our Class A ordinary shares may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our Class A ordinary shares on a national securities exchange.
Our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors and/or any of their respective affiliates anticipate that they may identify the shareholders with whom our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may pursue privately negotiated transactions by either the shareholders contacting us directly or by our receipt of redemption requests submitted by shareholders (in the case of public shares) following our mailing of proxy materials in connection with our initial business combination. To the extent that our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or any of their respective affiliates enter into a private transaction, they would identify and contact only potential selling or redeeming shareholders who have expressed their election to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the trust account or vote against our initial business combination. Such persons would select the shareholders from whom to acquire shares based on the number of shares available, the negotiated price per share and such other factors as any such person may deem relevant at the time of purchase. The price per share paid in any such transaction may be different than the amount per share a public shareholder would receive if it elected to redeem its shares in connection with our initial business combination. Our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or any of their respective affiliates will be restricted from purchasing shares if such purchases do not comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws.
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Any purchases by our sponsor, officers, directors and/or any of their respective affiliates who are affiliated purchasers under Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act will be restricted unless such purchases are made in compliance with Rule 10b-18, which is a safe harbor from liability for manipulation under Section 9(a)(2) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Rule 10b-18 has certain technical requirements that must be complied with in order for the safe harbor to be available to the purchaser. Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or any of their respective affiliates will be restricted from making purchases of ordinary shares if such purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act.
Redemption rights for public shareholders upon completion of our initial business combination
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. At completion of the business combination, we will be required to purchase any public shares properly delivered for redemption and not withdrawn. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. The per share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. The redemption rights will include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination.
Manner of conducting redemptions
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either: (1) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the business combination; or (2) by means of a tender offer. Except as required by applicable law or stock exchange rules, the decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction. Asset acquisitions and share purchases would not typically require shareholder approval while direct mergers with our company where we do not survive and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares or seek to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association would typically require shareholder approval. If we structure a business combination transaction with a target company in a manner that requires shareholder approval, we will not have discretion as to whether to seek a shareholder vote to approve the proposed business combination. We intend to conduct redemptions without a shareholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC unless shareholder approval is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement or we choose to seek shareholder approval for business or other reasons.
If a shareholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association:
• conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers; and
• file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies.
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Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, we and our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase our Class��A ordinary shares in the open market if we elect to redeem our public shares through a tender offer, to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act.
In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public shareholders not tendering more than a specified number of public shares, which number will be based on the requirement that we may not redeem public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. If public shareholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete such initial business combination, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination (including, potentially, with the same target).
If, however, shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association:
• conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules; and
• file proxy materials with the SEC.
We expect that a final proxy statement would be mailed to public shareholders at least 10 days prior to the shareholder vote. However, we expect that a draft proxy statement would be made available to such shareholders well in advance of such time, providing additional notice of redemption if we conduct redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation. Although we are not required to do so, we currently intend to comply with the substantive and procedural requirements of Regulation 14A in connection with any shareholder vote even if we are not able to maintain our Nasdaq listing or Exchange Act registration.
In the event that we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon completion of the initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we obtain the approval of an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders who attend and vote at a general meeting of the company. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of issued and outstanding shares of the company representing a majority of the voting power of all issued and outstanding shares of the company entitled to vote at such meeting. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors will count towards this quorum and have agreed to vote any founder shares, alignment shares private placement shares and public shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination. These quorum and voting thresholds and agreements, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem its public shares without voting, and if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. In addition, our initial shareholders have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in connection with the completion of a business combination.
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Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions. Redemptions of our public shares may also be subject to a higher net tangible asset test or cash requirement pursuant to an agreement relating to our initial business combination. For example, the proposed business combination may require: (1) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners; (2) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes; or (3) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all public shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination or redeem any shares, all ordinary shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination (including, potentially, with the same target).
Limitation on redemption upon completion of our initial business combination if we seek shareholder approval
Notwithstanding the foregoing redemption rights, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares,” without our prior consent. We believe the restriction described above will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to redeem their shares as a means to force us or our sponsor or its affiliates to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights against a business combination if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us or our sponsor or its affiliates at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem to no more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with a business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination.
Tendering share certificates in connection with a tender offer or redemption rights
We may require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents or proxy materials mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, rather than simply voting against the initial business combination at the holder’s option. The tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements, which will include the requirement that a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period,
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or up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the business combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. Pursuant to the tender offer rules, the tender offer period will be not less than 20 business days and, in the case of a shareholder vote, a final proxy statement would be mailed to public shareholders at least 10 days prior to the shareholder vote. However, we expect that a draft proxy statement would be made available to such shareholders well in advance of such time, providing additional notice of redemption if we conduct redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation. Given the relatively short exercise period, it is advisable for shareholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.
There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker a fee of approximately $80 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
The foregoing is different from the procedures used by many blank check companies. In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, many blank check companies would distribute proxy materials for the shareholders’ vote on an initial business combination, and a holder could simply vote against a proposed business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holder was seeking to exercise his or her redemption rights. After the business combination was approved, the company would contact such shareholder to arrange for him or her to deliver his or her certificate to verify ownership. As a result, the shareholder then had an “option window” after the completion of the business combination during which he or she could monitor the price of the company’s shares in the market. If the price rose above the redemption price, he or she could sell his or her shares in the open market before actually delivering his or her shares to the company for cancellation. As a result, the redemption rights, to which shareholders were aware they needed to commit before the general meeting, would become “option” rights surviving past the completion of the business combination until the redeeming holder delivered its certificate. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to the meeting ensures that a redeeming holder’s election to redeem is irrevocable once the business combination is approved.
Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to the date set forth in the tender offer materials or two business days prior to the scheduled date of the general meeting set forth in our proxy materials, as applicable (unless we elect to allow additional withdrawal rights). Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our public shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our initial business combination.
If our initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public shareholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.
If our initial proposed business combination is not completed, we may continue to try to complete a business combination until 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period.
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Redemption of public shares and liquidation if no initial business combination
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provides that we will have only 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) to complete our initial business combination. If we have not completed our initial business combination within such period or during any Extension Period, we will: (1) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (2) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any); and (3) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
Our initial shareholders, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time period. However, if our sponsor or any of our officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates then hold any public shares, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time frame to complete our initial business combination.
Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares. However, we may not redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions.
We expect that all costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, as well as payments to any creditors, will be funded from amounts remaining out of the estimated $1,000,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account, although we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose. However, if those funds are not sufficient to cover the costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, to the extent that there is any interest accrued in the trust account not required to pay taxes, we may request the trustee to release to us an additional amount of up to $100,000 of such accrued interest to pay those costs and expenses.
If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account and any tax payments or expenses for the dissolution of the trust, the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders upon our dissolution would be $10.00. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our public shareholders. We cannot assure you that the actual per-share redemption amount received by shareholders will not be substantially less than $10.00. Please see “Risk Factors — If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust
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account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors described above. While we intend to pay such amounts, if any, we cannot assure you that we will have funds sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors’ claims.
Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account including but not limited to fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third-party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where we are unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. In order to protect the amounts held in the trust account, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below (1) $10.00 per public share; or (2) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. We have not independently verified whether our sponsor, which is a newly formed entity, has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company and, therefore, our sponsor may not be able to satisfy those obligations. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such obligations. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the trust account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.00 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below: (1) $10.00 per public share; or (2) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its indemnification obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its
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indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so in certain instances. For example, the cost of such legal action may be deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or the independent directors may determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the per-share redemption price will not be substantially less than $10.00 per public share. Please see “Risk Factors — If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share” and other risk factors described above.
We will seek to reduce the possibility that our sponsor will have to indemnify the trust account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (other than our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account. Our sponsor will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We will have access to up to an estimated $1,000,000 from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares with which to pay any such potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $100,000). In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, shareholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors. In the event that our offering expenses exceed our estimate of $1,000,000, we may fund such excess with funds from the funds not to be held in the trust account. In such case, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would decrease by a corresponding amount. Conversely, in the event that the offering expenses are less than our estimate of $1,000,000, the amount of funds we intend to be held outside the trust account would increase by a corresponding amount.
If we file a winding-up or bankruptcy petition or an involuntary winding-up or bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable insolvency law, and may be included in our liquidation or bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any liquidation or bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return $10.00 per share to our public shareholders. Additionally, if we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or insolvency laws as a voidable transaction. As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons. Please see “Risk Factors — If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a winding-up or bankruptcy petition or an involuntary winding-up or bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy court may seek to recover such proceeds, and the members of our board of directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our board of directors and us to claims of punitive damages.”
A public shareholder will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earliest to occur of: (1) the completion of our initial business combination and then, only in connection with those public shares that such shareholder has properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described in this prospectus; (2) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial
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business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; and (3) the redemption of all of our public shares if we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable), subject to applicable law. In no other circumstances will a public shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. In the event we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, a shareholder’s voting in connection with our initial business combination alone will not result in a shareholder’s redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the trust account. Such shareholder must have also exercised its redemption rights described above.
Amended and restated memorandum and articles of association
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will contain certain requirements and restrictions relating to this offering that will apply to us until the consummation of our initial business combination. If we seek to amend any provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, we will provide public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares in connection with any such vote. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors have agreed to waive any redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in connection with any such amendment. Specifically, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, among other things, that:
• prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, we shall either: (1) seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination at a meeting called for such purpose, in connection with which, shareholders may seek to redeem their shares without voting, and if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, calculated as of two business days prior to the completion of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable); or (2) provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to tender their shares to us by means of a tender offer (and thereby avoid the need for a shareholder vote) for an amount equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, calculated as of two business days prior to the completion of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), in each case subject to the limitations described herein;
• we will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation;
• if we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we obtain the approval of an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders who attend and vote at a general meeting of the company;
• if we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable), we will: (1) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (2) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public
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shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any); and (3) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law; and
• prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional securities that would entitle the holders thereof to (1) receive funds from the trust account or (2) vote pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on any initial business combination or any amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
These provisions cannot be amended without the approval of holders of at least two-thirds of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares who attend and vote in a general meeting.
Additionally, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares, voting together as a single class, will have the right to appoint directors and that holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares may remove a member of the board of directors for any reason. These particular provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting, which shall include the affirmative vote of a simple majority of our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares.
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Comparison of redemption or purchase prices in connection with our initial business combination and if we fail to complete our initial business combination
The following table compares the redemptions and other permitted purchases of public shares that may take place in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and if we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period.
| | Redemptions in Connection with our Initial Business Combination | | Other Permitted Purchases of Public Shares by our Affiliates | | Redemptions if we fail to Complete an Initial Business Combination |
Calculation of redemption or purchase price | | Redemptions at the time of our initial business combination may be made pursuant to a tender offer or in connection with a shareholder vote. The redemption price will be the same whether we conduct redemptions pursuant to a tender offer or in connection with a shareholder vote. In either case, our public shareholders may redeem their public shares for cash equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination (which is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share), including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitation that no redemptions will take place if all of the redemptions would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions, and any limitations (including but not limited to cash requirements) agreed to in connection with the negotiation of terms of a proposed business combination. | | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or any of their respective affiliates may purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. Such purchases will be restricted except to the extent such purchases are able to be made in compliance with Rule 10b-18, which is a safe harbor from liability for manipulation under Section 9(a)(2) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. None of the funds in the trust account will be used to purchase shares in such transactions. | | If we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period, we will redeem all public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (which is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share), including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares. |
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| | Redemptions in Connection with our Initial Business Combination | | Other Permitted Purchases of Public Shares by our Affiliates | | Redemptions if we fail to Complete an Initial Business Combination |
Impact to remaining shareholders | | The redemptions in connection with our initial business combination will reduce the book value per share for our remaining shareholders, who will bear the burden of the deferred underwriting commissions and interest withdrawn in order to pay our taxes (to the extent not paid from amounts accrued as interest on the funds held in the trust account). | | If the permitted purchases described above are made, there will be no impact to our remaining shareholders because the purchase price would not be paid by us. | | The redemption of our public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination will reduce the book value per share for the shares held by our initial shareholders, who will be our only remaining shareholders after such redemptions. |
Comparison of This Offering to Those of Blank Check Companies Subject to Rule 419
The following table compares the terms of this offering to the terms of an offering by a blank check company subject to the provisions of Rule 419. This comparison assumes that the gross proceeds, underwriting commissions and underwriting expenses of our offering would be identical to those of an offering undertaken by a company subject to Rule 419, and that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option. None of the provisions of Rule 419 apply to our offering.
| | Terms of Our Offering | | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering |
Escrow of offering proceeds | | Nasdaq rules provide that at least 90% of the gross proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private placement shares be deposited in a trust account. $150,000,000 of the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares will be deposited into a U.S.-based trust account at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee. | | Approximately $127,575,000 of the offering proceeds, representing the gross proceeds of this offering less allowable underwriting commissions, expenses and company deductions under Rule 419, would be required to be deposited into either an escrow account with an insured depositary institution or in a separate bank account established by a broker-dealer in which the broker-dealer acts as trustee for persons having the beneficial interests in the account. |
Investment of net proceeds | | $150,000,000 of the net offering proceeds and the sale of the private placement shares held in trust will be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. Treasuries and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. | | Proceeds could be invested only in specified securities such as a money market fund meeting conditions of the Investment Company Act or in securities that are direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal or interest by, the United States. |
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| | Terms of Our Offering | | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering |
Receipt of interest on escrowed funds | | Interest on proceeds from the trust account to be paid to shareholders is reduced by: (1) any taxes paid or payable; and (2) in the event of our liquidation for failure to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time, up to $100,000 of net interest that may be released to us should we have no or insufficient working capital to fund the costs and expenses of our dissolution and liquidation. | | Interest on funds in escrow account would be held for the sole benefit of investors, unless and only after the funds held in escrow were released to us in connection with our completion of a business combination. |
Limitation on fair value or net assets of target business | | Our initial business combination must be with one or more operating businesses or assets that together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of our assets held in the trust account (excluding deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of signing the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. | | The fair value or net assets of a target business must represent at least 80% of the maximum offering proceeds. |
Trading of securities issued | | The public shares will begin trading on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. | | No trading of the ordinary shares would be permitted until the completion of a business combination. During this period, the securities would be held in the escrow or trust account. |
Election to remain an investor | | We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest, which interest shall be net of taxes payable, upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein. We may not be required by applicable law or stock exchange rules to hold a shareholder vote. If we are not required by applicable law or stock exchange rules and do not otherwise decide to hold a shareholder vote, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC and file tender offer documents with the SEC which will contain substantially the same | | A prospectus containing information pertaining to the business combination required by the SEC would be sent to each investor. Each investor would be given the opportunity to notify the company in writing, within a period of no less than 20 business days and no more than 45 business days from the effective date of a post-effective amendment to the company’s registration statement, to decide if he, she or it elects to remain a shareholder of the company or require the return of his, her or its investment. If the company has not received the notification by the end of the 45th business day, funds and interest or dividends, if any, held in the trust or escrow account are automatically returned to the shareholder. Unless a sufficient number of investors elect to remain investors, all funds on deposit in the escrow account must be returned to all of the investors and none of the securities are issued. |
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| | Terms of Our Offering | | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering |
| | financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. If, however, we hold a shareholder vote, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. Pursuant to the tender offer rules, the tender offer period will be not less than 20 business days and, in the case of a shareholder vote, a final proxy statement would be mailed to public shareholders at least 10 days prior to the shareholder vote. However, we expect that a draft proxy statement would be made available to such shareholders well in advance of such time, providing additional notice of redemption if we conduct redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if we obtain the approval of an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law, which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders who attend and vote at a general meeting of the company. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of issued and outstanding shares of the company representing a majority of the voting power of all issued and outstanding shares of the company entitled to vote at such meeting. Additionally, each public shareholder may elect to redeem its public shares without voting and, if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. | | |
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| | Terms of Our Offering | | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering |
Business combination deadline | | If we have not completed an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period, we will: (1) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (2) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any); and (3) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. | | If an acquisition has not been completed within 18 months after the effective date of the company’s registration statement, funds held in the trust or escrow account are returned to investors. |
Release of funds | | Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our taxes, if any, the funds held in the trust account will not be released from the trust account until the earliest of: (1) the completion of our initial business combination; (2) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete | | The proceeds held in the escrow account are not released until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and the failure to effect a business combination within the allotted time. |
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| | Terms of Our Offering | | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering |
| | our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; and (3) the redemption of all of our public shares if we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable), subject to applicable law. | | |
Limitation on redemption rights of shareholders holding more than 15% of the shares sold in this offering if we hold a shareholder vote | | If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect Excess Shares (more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering), without our prior consent. Our public shareholders’ inability to redeem Excess Shares will reduce their influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and they could suffer a material loss on their investment in us if they sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. | | Most blank check companies provide no restrictions on the ability of shareholders to redeem shares based on the number of shares held by such shareholders in connection with an initial business combination. |
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| | Terms of Our Offering | | Terms Under a Rule 419 Offering |
Tendering share certificates in connection with a tender offer or redemption rights | | We may require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents or proxy materials mailed to such holders or up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the proposal to approve the business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option. The tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public shareholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, or up to two business days prior to the scheduled vote on the business combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. | | In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, holders could vote against a proposed business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holders were seeking to exercise their redemption rights. After the business combination was approved, the company would contact such shareholders to arrange for them to deliver their certificate to verify ownership. |
Competition
We expect to encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities, domestic and international, competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire.
Many of these individuals and entities are well-established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources or more local industry knowledge than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. Additionally, the number of blank check companies looking for business combination targets has increased compared to recent years and many of these blank check companies are sponsored by entities or persons that have significant experience with completing business combinations. While we believe there will be numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire with the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable will be limited by our available financial resources. Our sponsor or any of its affiliates may make
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additional investments in us, although, other than the forward purchase agreement, our sponsor and its affiliates has no obligation or other duty to do so. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our issued and outstanding alignment shares and the forward shares, and the dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by target businesses. Any of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating and completing an initial business combination.
Facilities
We currently maintain our executive offices at 357 Tehama Street, Floor 3, San Francisco, CA 94103. The cost for this space is included in the $10,000 per month fee that we will pay an affiliate of our sponsor for office space, administrative and support services. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
Employees
We currently have five officers and do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Members of our management team are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they intend to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time that any such person will devote in any time period to our company will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the current stage of the business combination process.
Periodic Reporting and Financial Information
We will register our Class A ordinary shares under the Exchange Act and have reporting obligations, including the requirement that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, our annual reports will contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public accounting firm.
We will provide shareholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials sent to shareholders to assist them in assessing the target business. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, GAAP or IFRS, depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with PCAOB standards. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such financial statements in time for us to disclose such financial statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. While this may limit the pool of potential business combination candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
We will be required to evaluate our internal control procedures for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022 as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements on our internal control over financial reporting. A target business may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.
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Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will file a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of: (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter; and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.00 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. References herein to “emerging growth company” shall have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter, and (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year or the market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter.
Legal Proceedings
There is no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding currently pending against us or any members of our management team in their capacity as such, and we and the members of our management team have not been subject to any such proceeding in the 12 months preceding the date of this prospectus.
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MANAGEMENT
Directors, Director Nominees and Executive Officers
Our directors, director nominees and officers are as follows:
Name | | Age | | Title |
Oleg Nodelman | | 44 | | Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Nominee |
Scott Perlen | | 46 | | Chief Financial Officer |
Scott Platshon | | 30 | | Chief Operating Officer |
Caroline Stout | | 30 | | Chief Investment Officer |
Sarah Marriott | | 44 | | Secretary and Director |
Douglas Giordano | | 59 | | Director Nominee |
Nina Kjellson | | 47 | | Director Nominee |
Praveen Tipirneni, M.D. | | 53 | | Director Nominee |
Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D. | | 63 | | Director Nominee |
Oleg Nodelman has been our Chief Executive Officer since January 2021 and is our Chairman Nominee. Mr. Nodelman has been the Portfolio Manager of EcoR1, a biotech-focused investment advisory firm that invests in companies at all stages of research and development, since he founded it in 2013. With nearly 20 years of experience in biotech investing, Mr. Nodelman has expertise in all aspects of investment management and deep roots in the biotech and scientific communities. Before founding EcoR1, Mr. Nodelman was an analyst and portfolio manager from 2001 to 2012 at Biotechnology Value Fund. Prior to BVF, Mr. Nodelman worked in strategic consulting and organizational management at Mercer Management Consulting (now Oliver Wyman). He currently serves as a Board Member for Prothena (Nasdaq: PRTA), a clinical-stage neuroscience company focused on the discovery and development of novel therapies and was the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Panacea Acquisition Corp. Mr. Nodelman has a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service with a concentration in Science and Technology from Georgetown University. Mr. Nodelman is well qualified to serve as the Chairperson of our board of directors because of his experience serving on the boards of directors of public and private companies in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology sector, as well as his role as Founder and Portfolio Manager of EcoR1.
Scott Perlen has been our Chief Financial Officer since January 2021. Mr. Perlen was the Chief Financial Officer of Panacea Acquisition Corp. and has been the Chief Financial Officer of EcoR1 since joining the firm in 2019. He oversees accounting and finance for EcoR1 and its investment funds as well as the funds’ day to day trade operations. Prior to joining EcoR1 in 2019, Mr. Perlen served as Chief Financial Officer for seven years at Sheffield Asset Management, LLC, a Chicago-based investment firm. Prior to Sheffield, Mr. Perlen was a Vice President at Grosvenor Capital Management, LP, a global leader in the alternative asset industry. During his seven years at Grosvenor, Mr. Perlen managed a group dedicated to providing outsourced CFO functionality to a number of investment firm managers and also assisted in performing operational due diligence reviews on underlying investment firms. Prior to joining Grosvenor in 2005, Mr. Perlen was an Assistant Vice President at Bank of America, focusing on operational risk and accounting for the bank’s derivatives business. From 1997 to 2002, Mr. Perlen managed the operations and fund accounting at Sunrise Capital Partners, LLC, a San Diego-based investment firm. Mr. Perlen received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1997.
Scott Platshon has been our Chief Operating Officer since January 2021. Mr. Platshon also served as Chief Operating Officer of Panacea Acquisition Corp. and joined EcoR1 in 2015 where he currently serves as a Partner and is responsible for due diligence and analysis of biotechnology companies for value-oriented investment opportunities. Mr. Platshon previously worked at Aquilo Partners, a boutique life sciences investment bank. Mr. Platshon holds a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering from Stanford University.
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Caroline Stout has been our Chief Investment Officer since January 2021. Ms. Stout also served as Chief Investment Officer of Panacea Acquisition Corp. and joined EcoR1 in 2014 where she currently serves as a Partner. At EcoR1, she has led several of the firm’s investments in the biotechnology sector. Ms. Stout previously worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at Credit Suisse in New York. She has experience working on a range of transactions in the healthcare and biotechnology sectors, including leveraged buyouts, initial public offerings and follow-on equity raises. Ms. Stout graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, a Pre-Medical concentration, and Cognitive Science minor.
Sarah Marriott has served as our Secretary and on our board of directors since January 2021. Ms. Marriott also served as Secretary and on the board of directors of Panacea Acquisition Corp. Ms. Marriott joined EcoR1 in 2014 and is the firm’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, where she is responsible for operational, regulatory and compliance issues. Ms. Marriott has experience working across the diverse areas of civil and criminal litigation. Prior to EcoR1, she served as a Deputy District Attorney in Solano County, California. Prior to serving as a prosecutor, Ms. Marriott practiced at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in San Francisco, where she handled commercial litigation matters. Ms. Marriott previously completed a clerkship on the federal Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Ms. Marriott holds a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College.
Douglas Giordano has agreed to serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Mr. Giordano is currently Senior Vice President of Pfizer Worldwide Business Development Group (“Pfizer”). Since 2007, Mr. Giordano has been responsible for leading Pfizer’s evaluation, negotiation and execution of product licensing, partnerships and m&a transactions. Under Mr. Giordano’s leadership, Pfizer has deployed over $125 billion of capital to business development across a wide range of transaction types from venture investing, biotech licensing through large scale m&a. Mr. Giordano also led Pfizer’s initial public offering/split off of Zoetis, Pfizer’s consumer joint venture with GlaxoSmithKline plc (NYSE: GSK), and the recently closed spin/merger of Viatris. Before leading Pfizer’s Worldwide Business Development group, Mr. Giordano held positions of increasing responsibility within Pfizer’s U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group, including roles in finance, manufacturing and commercial strategy. Prior to joining Pfizer, Mr. Giordano was a consultant at Booz, Allen & Hamilton. From 2017 to 2019, Mr. Giordano served on the board of directors of ICU Medical, Inc. Mr. Giordano earned a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University and an M.B.A. from Cornell University’s Johnson School of Business. He currently serves on the board of Cerevel Therapeutics and is a member of the Duke University School of Medicine Board of Visitors. Mr. Giordano is well qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his deep knowledge of the biotechnology industry as well as his experience serving on the boards of directors of companies in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology sector.
Nina Kjellson has agreed to serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Ms. Kjellson joined Canaan Partners (“Canaan”) in 2015 and is a General Partner, investing in health care companies that aim to transform care for patients. She focuses on therapeutics for serious and underserved conditions such as cancer, autoimmune, orphan and rare diseases and life-threatening infections. As a leader of Canaan’s Women of Venture program, Ms. Kjellson is a vocal advocate for women entrepreneurs and investors. She is a member of the advisory board for the Oliver Wyman Health Innovation Center and is a 2018 Aspen Institute Health Innovators Fellow. She serves on the boards of PACT Pharma, Tizona Therapeutics, Trishula Therapeutics, Tyra Biosciences, Vineti and WellTok. Prior to Canaan, Ms. Kjellson was a General Partner at InterWest Partners (“InterWest”) where she had invested in healthcare start-ups since 2002. Before InterWest, she was an investment manager at Bay City Capital, a life sciences merchant bank, and a research associate at Oracle Partners, a healthcare-focused hedge fund. Ms. Kjellson began her career conducting health policy and survey research with the Kaiser Family Foundation. Her previous investments include Alt12 (acquired by Honest Company), Aspreva (ASPV; acquired by Galenica), CNS Therapeutics (acquired by Covidien), Cidara (CDTX), Eiger Biopharmaceuticals (EIGR), Labrys Biologics (acquired by Teva), NovaCardia (acquired by Merck), Ocera (OCRX; acquired by Mallinckrodt), Trius
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Therapeutics (TSRX; acquired by Cubist), Paratek (PRTK) and Tesaro (TSRO). Ms. Kjellson was born in Scandinavia and grew-up in the Northeast. Ms. Kjellson received a B.A. in human biology from Stanford University (1997). She chairs the board of Essential Access Health and serves on the boards of Girl Effect and Life Science Cares. She has co-developed an immersive curriculum for diversity and inclusion in healthcare with Impact Experience, called Impact Experience: HealthEquity. Ms. Kjellson is well qualified to serve on our board of directors because of her deep knowledge of the biotechnology industry as well as her experience serving on the boards of directors of companies in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology sector.
Praveen Tipirneni, M.D. has agreed to serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Praveen Tipirneni, M.D. is President and CEO of Morphic Therapeutic Inc. (“Morphic Therapeutic”). Before joining Morphic Therapeutic in 2015, he was Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Global Strategy at Cubist Pharmaceuticals (“Cubist”), a position in which he served from 2002 until the company’s acquisition by Merck in 2015. In his time at Cubist, he was a member of the clinical group working on the Cubicin NDA (skin and skin structure infections) and sNDA (Staph. Bacteremia and Endocarditis) teams. At Cubist, he was head of business development since January 2006. Prior to joining Cubist, Dr. Tipirneni worked at Sun Microsystems in corporate strategy, Covad Communications in Corporate Strategy, and Deltagen in business development. He also served time as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Dr. Tipirneni received a bachelor’s degree from MIT in mechanical engineering and an M.D. from McGill University. After completing his post-graduate residency in Internal Medicine at University of Illinois, Chicago, he received his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business in healthcare finance. Dr. Tipirneni is well qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his deep knowledge of the pharmaceutical/biotechnology sector.
Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D. has agreed to serve on our board of directors following the completion of this offering. Dr. Williams is currently the President, CEO and member of the Board of Directors of Codiak BioSciences. Before joining Codiak BioSciences in 2015, Dr. Williams was previously Biogen’s Executive Vice President, Research and Development, serving in this role from January 2011 to July 2015. He joined Biogen from ZymoGenetics, where he was most recently CEO and member of the board of directors. ZymoGenetics was purchased for $985MM by Bristol Myers Squibb during Dr. Williams’s tenure. Previously, he held leadership positions within the biotechnology industry, including Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Seattle Genetics, and Senior Vice President and Washington Site Leader at Amgen. Dr. Williams served in a series of scientific and senior leadership positions over a decade at Immunex, including Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer and as a member of the board of directors. From 2014 to 2019, Dr. Williams served on the board of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. From 2012 to 2017, Dr. Williams served on the board of Regulus Therapeutics Inc. During his more than 30 year career in the biotechnology industry, he has played a role in the development of several novel drugs including Enbrel, Tecfidera, and Spinraza. He has served on the board of numerous biotechnology companies and is currently a member of the board of directors of Ovid Pharmaceuticals, and Chairman of the board of AC Immune, and is a director for private companies Cygnal Therapeutics and Xenikos. Dr. Williams is well qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his deep knowledge of the pharmaceutical/biotechnology sector.
Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors
Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we expect that our board of directors will consist of six members. Our board of directors is divided into three classes, with only one class of directors being elected in each year, and with each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of shareholders) serving a three-year term. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Nina Kjellson and Douglas E. Williams, will expire at our first annual meeting of shareholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Douglas Giordano and Praveen Tipirneni, will expire at our second annual meeting of shareholders. The term of office of the third class of directors, consisting of Oleg Nodelman and Sarah Marriott, will expire at our third annual meeting of shareholders.
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Prior to consummation of our initial business combination, holders of our Class B ordinary shares and holders of our Class F ordinary shares, voting together as a single class, will have the right to appoint all of our directors and remove members of our board of directors for any reason. Holders of our public shares will not have the right to appoint directors during such time. These particular provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting, which shall include the affirmative vote of a simple majority of our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares. Approval of our initial business combination will require the affirmative vote of a majority of our board directors, which must include a majority of our independent directors. Subject to any other special rights applicable to the shareholders, prior to our initial business combination, any vacancies on our board of directors may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present and voting at the meeting of our board of directors or by holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares, voting together as a single class.
Our officers are appointed by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our board of directors is authorized to appoint persons to the offices set forth in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association as it deems appropriate. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that our officers may consist of a Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Financial Officer, a Secretary and such other officers (including without limitation, a President, Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries, and a Treasurer) as our board of directors from time to time may determine.
Director Independence
Nasdaq listing standards require that a majority of our board of directors be independent. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship with the company which in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, could interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. We have “independent directors” as defined in Nasdaq’s listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our board of directors has determined that each of Douglas Giordano, Nina Kjellson, Praveen Tipirneni and Douglas E. Williams is an independent director as defined in Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Executive Officer and Director Compensation
None of our officers or directors have received any compensation for services rendered to us. Our sponsor, officers, directors and their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by us to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or any of their respective affiliates. In January 2021, our sponsor transferred 25,000 founder shares to each of our independent director nominees at their original purchase price.
After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other compensation from the combined company. All compensation will be fully disclosed to shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials furnished to our shareholders in connection with a proposed business combination. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time such materials are distributed, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining executive officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our officers after the completion of our initial business combination will be determined by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors.
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We are not party to any agreements with our officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business, and we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination should be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our board of directors will have three standing committees: an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating committee, each of which will be composed solely of independent directors. Subject to phase-in rules, Nasdaq listing standards and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors, and Nasdaq rules require that the compensation committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors. Each committee will operate under a charter that will be approved by our board of directors and will have the composition and responsibilities described below. The charter of each committee will be available on our website following the closing of this offering.
Audit Committee
Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will establish an audit committee of the board of directors. The members of our audit committee will be Douglas Giordano, Praveen Tipirneni and Douglas E. Williams. Douglas Giordano will serve as chair of the audit committee. Each member of the audit committee meets the financial literacy requirements of Nasdaq and our board of directors has determined that Douglas Giordano qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules and has accounting or related financial management expertise.
We will adopt an audit committee charter, which will detail the purpose and principal functions of the audit committee, including:
• assisting board oversight of (1) the integrity of our financial statements, (2) our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, (3) our independent auditor’s qualifications and independence, and (4) the performance of our internal audit function and independent auditors;
• the appointment, compensation, retention, replacement, and oversight of the work of the independent auditors and any other independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us;
• pre-approving all audit and non-audit services to be provided by the independent auditors or any other registered public accounting firm engaged by us, and establishing pre-approval policies and procedures;
• reviewing and discussing with the independent auditors all relationships the auditors have with us in order to evaluate their continued independence;
• setting clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the independent auditors;
• setting clear policies for audit partner rotation in compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
• obtaining and reviewing a report, at least annually, from the independent auditors describing (1) the independent auditor’s internal quality-control procedures and (2) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the audit firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities, within the preceding five years respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm and any steps taken to deal with such issues;
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• meeting to review and discuss our annual audited financial statements and quarterly financial statements with management and the independent auditor, including reviewing our specific disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”;
• reviewing and approving any related party transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC prior to us entering into such transaction; and
• reviewing with management, the independent auditors, and our legal advisors, as appropriate, any legal, regulatory or compliance matters, including any correspondence with regulators or government agencies and any employee complaints or published reports that raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies and any significant changes in accounting standards or rules promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
Compensation Committee
Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will establish a compensation committee of the board of directors. The members of our compensation committee will be Nina Kjellson, Praveen Tipirneni and Douglas E. Williams. Nina Kjellson will serve as chair of the compensation committee.
We will adopt a compensation committee charter, which will detail the purpose and responsibilities of the compensation committee, including:
• reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, evaluating our Chief Executive Officer’s performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Chief Executive Officer based on such evaluation;
• reviewing and making recommendations to our board of directors with respect to the compensation, and any incentive-compensation and equity-based plans that are subject to board approval of all of our other officers;
• reviewing our executive compensation policies and plans;
• implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans;
• assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements;
• approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our officers and employees;
• producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and
• reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors.
The charter will also provide that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, independent legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by Nasdaq and the SEC.
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Nominating Committee
Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we will establish a nominating committee of the board of directors. The members of our nominating committee will be Nina Kjellson, Praveen Tipirneni and Douglas E. Williams. Praveen Tipirneni will serve as chair of the nominating committee.
We will adopt a nominating committee charter, which will detail the purpose and responsibilities of the nominating committee, including:
• identifying, screening and reviewing individuals qualified to serve as directors, consistent with criteria approved by the board, and recommending to the board of directors candidates for nomination for appointment at the annual general meeting or to fill vacancies on the board of directors;
• developing and recommending to the board of directors and overseeing implementation of our corporate governance guidelines;
• coordinating and overseeing the annual self-evaluation of the board of directors, its committees, individual directors and management in the governance of the company; and
• reviewing on a regular basis our overall corporate governance and recommending improvements as and when necessary.
The charter will also provide that the nominating committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of, and terminate, any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, and will be directly responsible for approving the search firm’s fees and other retention terms.
We have not formally established any specific, minimum qualifications that must be met or skills that are necessary for directors to possess. In general, in identifying and evaluating nominees for director, the board of directors considers educational background, diversity of professional experience, knowledge of our business, integrity, professional reputation, independence, wisdom, and the ability to represent the best interests of our shareholders. Prior to our initial business combination, holders of our public shares will not have the right to recommend director candidates for nomination to our board of directors.
Code of Ethics
Prior to the closing of this offering, we will adopt a code of ethics and business conduct (our “Code of Ethics”) applicable to our directors, officers and employees. We will file a copy of our form of our Code of Ethics as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You will be able to review this document by accessing our public filings at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on our website. In addition, a copy of our Code of Ethics will be provided without charge upon request from us. We intend to disclose any amendments to or waivers of certain provisions of our Code of Ethics in a Current Report on Form 8-K. Please see “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”
Conflicts of Interest
Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties to one or more other entities, including without limitation, Panacea Acquisition Corp., pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entities. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for one or more entities to which he or she has fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp., he or she will honor these obligations and duties to present such business combination opportunity to such entities first, and only present it to us if such entities reject the opportunity and he or she determines to present the opportunity to us. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us.
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We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other.
Our sponsor, officers and directors may become involved with subsequent special purpose acquisition companies similar to our company. Potential investors should also be aware of the following other potential conflicts of interest:
• None of our officers or directors is required to commit his or her full time to our affairs and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating his or her time among various business activities.
• In the course of their other business activities, our officers and directors may become aware of investment and business opportunities which may be appropriate for presentation to us as well as the other entities with which they are affiliated. Our management may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. Please see “— Directors, Director Nominees and Executive Officers” for a description of our management’s other affiliations.
• We will enter into a forward purchase agreement with the forward purchase investors, who are affiliates of our sponsor.
• Our initial shareholders, officers and directors have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination. Additionally, our initial shareholders, officers and directors have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares held by them if we fail to consummate our initial business combination within 24 months after the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period. However, if our initial shareholders or any of our officers, directors or affiliates acquire public shares in or after this offering they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to consummate our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. If we do not complete our initial business combination within such applicable time period, the proceeds of the sale of the private placement shares held in the trust account will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares, and the private placement shares will be worthless.
• With certain limited exceptions, the founder shares will not be transferable, assignable or salable by our initial shareholders until the earlier of: (1) one year after the completion of our initial business combination; and (2) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) the date on which we consummate a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property and (y) if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination.
• With certain limited exceptions, the alignment shares will not be transferable, assignable or salable until the earlier to occur of: (1) their conversion into Class A ordinary shares; and (2) subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results
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in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
• With certain limited exceptions, the private placement shares will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination.
• Since our sponsor, officers and directors may directly or indirectly own our securities following this offering, our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination.
• Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether to proceed with a particular business combination.
• Our key personnel may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such key personnel was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
The conflicts described above may not be resolved in our favor.
Accordingly, as a result of multiple business affiliations, our officers and directors have similar legal obligations and duties relating to presenting business opportunities meeting the above-listed criteria to multiple entities. Below is a table summarizing the entities to which our officers, directors and director nominees currently have fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may present a conflict of interest:
Name of Individual | | Entity Name | | Entity’s Business | | Affiliation |
Oleg Nodelman | | EcoR1 Capital, LLC(1) | | Investment Firm | | Portfolio Manager |
| | Panacea Acquisition Corp. | | Special Purpose Acquisition Company | | Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board |
| | Prothena | | Neuroscience Company | | Board Member |
Scott Perlen | | EcoR1 Capital, LLC(1) | | Investment Firm | | Chief Financial Officer |
| | Panacea Acquisition Corp. | | Special Purpose Acquisition Company | | Chief Financial Officer |
Scott Platshon | | EcoR1 Capital, LLC(1) | | Investment Firm | | Principal |
| | Panacea Acquisition Corp. | | Special Purpose Acquisition Company | | Chief Operating Officer |
Caroline Stout | | EcoR1 Capital, LLC(1) | | Investment Firm | | Principal |
| | Panacea Acquisition Corp. | | Special Purpose Acquisition Company | | Chief Investment Officer |
Sarah Marriott | | EcoR1 Capital, LLC(1) | | Investment Firm | | Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer |
| | Panacea Acquisition Corp. | | Special Purpose Acquisition Company | | Secretary and Board Member |
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Name of Individual | | Entity Name | | Entity’s Business | | Affiliation |
Douglas Giordano | | Pfizer Worldwide Business Development Group | | Biotechnology Development Group | | Senior Vice President |
| | Cerevel Therapeutics | | Biopharmaceutical Company | | Board Member |
| | Duke University School of Medicine Board of Visitors | | Medical School | | Member |
Nina Kjellson | | Canaan Partners | | Venture Capital Firm | | General Partner |
| | PACT Pharma | | Biotechnology Company | | Board Member |
| | Tizona Therapeutics | | Biotechnology Company | | Board Member |
| | Trishula Therapeutics | | Biotechnology Company | | Board Member |
| | Tyra Biosciences | | Biotechnology Company | | Board Member |
| | Vineti | | Cloud-Based Platform | | Board Member |
| | WellTok | | SaaS Company | | Board Member |
| | Essential Access Health | | Nonprofit Organization | | Chairperson of the Board |
| | Girl Effect | | Nonprofit Organization | | Board Member |
| | Life Science Cares | | Life Sciences Collective | | Board Member |
Praveen Tipirneni, M.D. | | Morphic Therapeutics, Inc. | | Biotechnology Company | | Chief Executive Officer |
| | Tectonic Therapeutic, Inc. | | Biotechnology Company | | Board Member |
Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D. | | Codiak BioSciences | | Biopharmaceutical Company | | President, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member |
| | Ovid Pharmaceuticals | | Biopharmaceutical Company | | Board Member |
| | AC Immune | | Biopharmaceutical Company | | Chairman of the Board |
| | Cygnal Therapeutics | | Biopharmaceutical Company | | Board Member |
| | Xenikos | | Biopharmaceutical Company | | Board Member |
Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for one or more entities to which he or she has fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp., he or she will honor these obligations and duties to present such business combination opportunity to such entities first, and only present it to us if such entities reject the opportunity and he or she determines to present the opportunity to us. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us.
We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law: (i) no individual serving as a director or an officer shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as us; and (ii) we renounce any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for any director or officer, on the one hand, and us, on the other.
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We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a business that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Search for, and Consummation of or Inability to Consummate, a Business Combination — We may engage in a business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors which may raise potential conflicts of interest.” In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a business that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors and if our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria.
In addition, our sponsor or any of its affiliates may make additional investments in the company in connection with the initial business combination, although, other than the forward purchase agreement, our sponsor and its affiliates have no obligation or current intention to do so. If our sponsor or any of its affiliates elects to make additional investments, such proposed investments could influence our sponsor’s motivation to complete an initial business combination.
In the event that we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our initial shareholders, officers and directors have agreed to vote any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination, and our officers and directors have also agreed to vote public shares purchased by them (if any) during or after this offering in favor of our initial business combination.
Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of directors and officers, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against willful default, fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that our officers and directors will be indemnified by us to the fullest extent permitted by law, as it now exists or may in the future be amended. In addition, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that our directors will not be personally liable for monetary damages to us or our shareholders for breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted by the law.
We will enter into agreements with our officers and directors to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. We will obtain a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.
A shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
We believe that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
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PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as of the date of this prospectus, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of our ordinary shares offered by this prospectus, and assuming no purchase of public shares in this offering, by:
• each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares;
• each of our executive officers, directors and director nominees; and
• all our executive officers, directors and director nominees as a group.
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all ordinary shares beneficially owned by them.
The post-offering ownership percentage column below assumes that the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option, that our sponsor forfeits 300,000 founder shares and 450,000 alignment shares and that there are 20,500,000 ordinary shares issued and outstanding after this offering.
| | Prior to Offering Approximate | | Post-Offering Approximate |
| | Number of Shares Beneficially Owned | | Percentage of Outstanding ordinary shares | | Number of Shares Beneficially Owned | | Percentage of Outstanding ordinary shares |
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
EcoR1 Panacea Holdings II, LLC (our sponsor)(5) | | 5,650,000 | (2)(3) | | 98.3 | % | | 5,400,000 | (3)(4) | | 26.3 | % |
Oleg Nodelman(5) | | 5,650,000 | (2)(3) | | 98.3 | % | | 5,400,000 | (3)(4) | | 26.3 | % |
Scott Perlen | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | |
Scott Platshon | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | |
Caroline Stout | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | |
Sarah Marriott | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | |
Douglas Giordano | | 25,000 | | | * | | | 25,000 | | | * | |
Nina Kjellson | | 25,000 | | | * | | | 25,000 | | | * | |
Praveen Tipirneni, M.D. | | 25,000 | | | * | | | 25,000 | | | * | |
Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D. | | 25,000 | | | * | | | 25,000 | | | * | |
All directors and executive officers as a group (9 individuals) | | 5,750,000 | (2)(3) | | 100.0 | % | | 5,500,000 | (6) | | 26.8 | % |
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Upon the completion of this offering, our initial shareholders will beneficially own 26.8% of the then issued and outstanding ordinary shares (assuming our initial shareholders do not purchase any public shares in this offering). As a result of holding substantially all of the founder shares and alignment shares, our sponsor will have the right, prior to our initial business combination, to appoint all of our directors and remove any director for any reason. In addition, because of this ownership block, our initial shareholders may be able to effectively influence the outcome of all matters requiring approval by our shareholders, including amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approval of significant corporate transactions. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or share repurchase or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain (1) the number of founder shares at 10% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares) and (2) the number of alignment shares at 15% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares).
Our sponsor has committed to purchase an aggregate of 500,000 (or 545,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) private placement shares at a price of $10.00 per share ($5,000,000 in the aggregate or $5,450,000 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of this offering.
Prior to this offering, we will enter into a forward purchase agreement pursuant to which the forward purchase investors will agree to subscribe for an aggregate of 2,500,000 forward purchase shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000,000, or $10.00 per forward purchase share, in a private placement to close substantially concurrently with the closing of our initial business combination. If the sale of the forward purchase shares fails to close, for any reason, we may lack sufficient funds to consummate our initial business combination.
Our sponsor is deemed to be our “promoter” as such term is defined under the federal securities laws. Please see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” for additional information regarding our relationships with our promoters.
Transfers of Founder Shares, Alignment Shares and Private Placement Shares
The founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares are each subject to transfer restrictions pursuant to lock-up provisions in the letter agreement with us to be entered into by our initial shareholders. Those lock-up provisions provide that such securities are not transferable or salable (1) in the case of the founder shares, until the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property or (y) if the last reported sale price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, (2) in the case of the alignment shares, until the earlier of (A) their conversion into Class A ordinary shares; and (B) subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, and (3) in the case of the private placement shares, until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination, except in each case (a) to our officers or directors,
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any affiliates or family members of any of our officers or directors, any members of our sponsor, or any affiliates of our sponsor, (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family or an affiliate of such person, or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the securities were originally purchased; (f) in the event of our liquidation prior to our completion of our initial business combination; (g) in the case of an entity, by virtue of the laws of its jurisdiction or its organizational documents or operating agreement; or (h) in the event of our completion of a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (e) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other applicable restrictions contained in the letter agreement.
Registration Rights
The holders of the founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares, forward purchase shares and Class A ordinary shares that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering requiring us to register such securities for resale (in the case of the founder shares and alignment shares, only after conversion to Class A ordinary shares). The holders of these securities will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form registration demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination and rights to require us to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
On January 14, 2021, our sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain offering costs of the Company for an aggregate of 2,300,000 founder shares and 3,450,000 alignment shares. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the founder shares would represent 10% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon completion of this offering (not including the private placement shares). The number of alignment shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the alignment shares would represent 15% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the completion of this offering (not including the private placement shares). On January 15, 2021, our sponsor transferred 25,000 founder shares to each of our independent director nominees at their original purchase price. If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or share repurchase or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain (1) the number of founder shares at 10% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares) and (2) the number of alignment shares at 15% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares). Up to 300,000 founder shares and 450,000 alignment shares are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised.
Our sponsor has committed to purchase an aggregate of 500,000 (or 545,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) private placement shares for a purchase price of $10.00 per share in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of this offering. As such, our sponsor’s interest in this transaction is valued at between $5,000,000 and $5,450,000, depending on the number of private placement shares purchased.
Prior to this offering, we will enter into a forward purchase agreement pursuant to which the forward purchase investors will agree to subscribe for an aggregate of 2,500,000 forward purchase shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000,000, or $10.00 per forward purchase share, in a private placement to close substantially concurrently with the closing of our initial business combination. If the sale of the forward purchase shares fails to close, for any reason, we may lack sufficient funds to consummate our initial business combination. The forward purchase shares will be identical to the public shares except that the holders thereof will have certain registration rights, as described below.
As described in “Management — Conflicts of Interest,” if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for one or more entities to which he or she has fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties, including without limitation Panacea Acquisition Corp., he or she will honor these obligations and duties to present such business combination opportunity to such entities first, and only present it to us if such entities reject the opportunity and he or she determines to present the opportunity to us. Our officers and directors currently have other relevant fiduciary, contractual or other obligations or duties that may take priority over their duties to us.
We will enter into an Administrative Services Agreement pursuant to which we will also pay an affiliate of our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, administrative and support services. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. Accordingly, in the event the consummation of our initial business combination takes 24 months, an affiliate of our sponsor will be paid a total of $240,000 ($10,000 per month) for office space, administrative and support services and will be entitled to be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses.
Our sponsor, officers and directors or any of their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by us to our sponsor, officers,
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directors or our or any of their respective affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.
Prior to the commencement of this offering, our sponsor agreed to loan us up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of this offering. As of January 15, 2021, there were no amounts outstanding under such promissory note. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and are due at the earlier of December 31, 2021 and the closing of this offering. These loans will be repaid upon completion of this offering out of the $1,000,000 of offering proceeds that has been allocated for the payment of offering expenses (other than underwriting commissions) not held in the trust account.
In addition, in order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into Class A ordinary shares at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. The shares would be identical to the private placement shares issued to our sponsor. The terms of such loans by our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors, if any, as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us, if any, may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, furnished to our shareholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a shareholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive officer and director compensation.
We have entered into a letter agreement with our initial shareholders, officers and directors pursuant to which (x) they have agreed to waive: (1) their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them, as applicable, in connection with the completion of our initial business combination; (2) their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; and (3) their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame), and (y) the founder shares and alignment shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described under “Description of Securities — Founder Shares and Alignment Shares.”
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We have entered into a registration rights agreement with respect to the founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares, forward purchase shares and Class A ordinary shares that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans, which is described under the heading “Principal Shareholders — Registration Rights.”
Related Party Policy
We have not yet adopted a formal policy for the review, approval or ratification of related party transactions. Accordingly, the transactions discussed above were not reviewed, approved or ratified in accordance with any such policy.
Prior to the consummation of this offering, we will adopt our Code of Ethics requiring us to avoid, wherever possible, all conflicts of interests, except under guidelines or resolutions approved by our board of directors (or the appropriate committee of our board of directors) or as disclosed in our public filings with the SEC. Under our Code of Ethics, conflict of interest situations will include any financial transaction, arrangement or relationship (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) involving the company. A form of the Code of Ethics that we plan to adopt prior to the consummation of this offering will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
In addition, our audit committee, pursuant to a written charter that we will adopt prior to the consummation of this offering, will be responsible for reviewing and approving related party transactions to the extent that we enter into such transactions. An affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the audit committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present will be required in order to approve a related party transaction. A majority of the members of the entire audit committee will constitute a quorum. Without a meeting, the unanimous written consent of all of the members of the audit committee will be required to approve a related party transaction. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made by us to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or any of their affiliates.
These procedures are intended to determine whether any such related party transaction impairs the independence of a director or presents a conflict of interest on the part of a director, employee or officer.
To further minimize conflicts of interest, we have agreed not to consummate an initial business combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of our sponsor, officers or directors unless our board of directors is able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. There will be no finder’s fees, reimbursements or cash payments made by us to our sponsor, officers or directors or our or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered to us prior to or in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, other than the following payments, none of which will be made from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination:
• repayment of an aggregate of up to $300,000 in loans made to us by our sponsor to cover offering-related and organizational expenses;
• payment to an affiliate of our sponsor of a total of $10,000 per month, for up to 24 months (or 27 months, as applicable), for office space, administrative and support services;
• reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination; and
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• repayment of loans which may be made by our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, the terms of which have not been determined nor have any written agreements been executed with respect thereto. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into Class A ordinary shares at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender.
These payments may be funded using the net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private placement shares not held in the trust account or, upon completion of the initial business combination, from any amounts remaining from the proceeds of the trust account released to us in connection therewith.
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DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
We are a Cayman Islands exempted company and our affairs will be governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act and common law of the Cayman Islands. Pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, we will be authorized to issue 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, 50,000,000 Class F ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value, and 20,000,000 undesignated preferred shares, $0.0001 par value. The following description summarizes the material terms of our shares. Because it is only a summary, it may not contain all the information that is important to you.
Ordinary shares
Upon the closing of this offering, 20,500,000 ordinary shares will be issued and outstanding (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and the corresponding forfeiture of 300,000 Class B ordinary shares and 450,000 Class F ordinary shares by our sponsor), including:
• 15,000,000 Class A ordinary shares being offered in this offering;
• 500,000 Class A ordinary shares issued in a private placement;
• 2,000,000 Class B ordinary shares held by our initial shareholders; and
• 3,000,000 Class F ordinary shares held by our initial shareholders.
If we increase or decrease the size of this offering, we will effect a share capitalization or share repurchase or redemption or other appropriate mechanism, as applicable, with respect to our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain (1) the number of founder shares at 10% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares) and (2) the number of alignment shares at 15% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares).
Class A ordinary shareholders, Class B ordinary shareholders and Class F ordinary shareholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders and vote together as a single class, except as required by applicable law or stock exchange rule; provided that, prior to our initial business combination, holders of our Class B ordinary shares and holders of our Class F ordinary shares, voting together as a single class, will have the right to appoint all of our directors and remove members of our board of directors for any reason. These particular provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by special resolutions passed by not less than two-thirds of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting, which shall include the affirmative vote of a simple majority of our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares. On any other matter submitted to a vote of our shareholders, holders of our Class B ordinary shares, holders of our Class F ordinary shares and holders of our Class A ordinary shares will vote together as a single class, except as required by applicable law or stock exchange rule.
Unless specified in the Companies Act, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, or applicable stock exchange rules, the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares that are voted is required to approve any such matter voted on by our shareholders, and, prior to our initial business combination, the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares, voting together as a single class, is required to approve the appointment or removal of directors. Approval of certain actions will require a special resolution under Cayman Islands law and pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association; such actions include amending our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and approving a statutory merger or consolidation with another company. Our board of directors will be divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being appointed in
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each year. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the appointment of directors, with the result that the holders of more than 50% of the Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares, voting together as a single class, voted for the appointment of directors can appoint all of the directors. Our shareholders are entitled to receive ratable dividends when, as and if declared by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor.
Because our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize the issuance of up to 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, if we were to enter into a business combination, we may (depending on the terms of such a business combination) be required to increase the number of Class A ordinary shares which we are authorized to issue at the same time as our shareholders vote on the business combination to the extent we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination.
In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on Nasdaq. There is no requirement under the Companies Act for us to hold annual or extraordinary general meetings to appoint directors. We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders to elect new directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination.
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.00 per public share. The per share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. The redemption rights will include the requirement that a beneficial owner must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination or certain amendments to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Permitted transferees of our sponsor, officers or directors will be subject to the same obligations. Unlike many blank check companies that hold shareholder votes and conduct proxy solicitations in conjunction with their initial business combinations and provide for related redemptions of public shares for cash upon completion of such initial business combinations even when a vote is not required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, if a shareholder vote is not required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC, and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will require these tender offer documents to contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. If, however, a shareholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange rules, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other reasons, we will, like many blank check companies, offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of issued and outstanding shares of the company representing a majority of the voting power of all issued and outstanding shares of the company entitled to vote at such meeting. However, the participation of our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or any of their respective affiliates in privately-negotiated transactions (as described in this prospectus), if any, could result in the approval of our initial business combination even if a majority of
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our public shareholders vote, or indicate their intention to vote, against such business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. We intend to give not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination. These quorum and voting thresholds and agreements may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect Excess Shares (more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in this offering), without our prior consent. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Our public shareholders’ inability to redeem Excess Shares will reduce their influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and they could suffer a material loss on their investment in us if they sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, such shareholders will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete the business combination. As a result, such shareholders will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose such shares would be required to sell their shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
If we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, our initial shareholders, officers and directors have agreed (and their permitted transferees, as applicable, will agree) to vote any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares, we would need 4,750,001, or 31.7% (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised), or none (assuming only the minimum number of shares representing a quorum are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised), of the 15,000,000 public shares sold in this offering to be voted in favor of a transaction, in order to have such initial business combination approved. Additionally, each public shareholder may elect to redeem its public shares without voting, and if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction.
Pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, if we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable), we will: (1) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (2) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any); and (3) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under the applicable provisions of the Companies Act to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Our initial shareholders, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period. However, if our sponsor or any of our officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates then hold any public shares, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time frame to complete our initial business combination.
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In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the company after a business combination, our shareholders at such time will be entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining available for distribution to them after payment of liabilities and after provision is made for each class of shares, if any, having preference over the ordinary shares. Our shareholders have no preemptive or other subscription rights. There are no sinking fund provisions applicable to the ordinary shares, except that we will provide our shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described herein.
Founder Shares and Alignment Shares
The founder shares and alignment shares are identical to the Class A ordinary shares being sold in this offering, except that: (1) prior to our initial business combination, only holders of the Class B ordinary shares and holders of our Class F ordinary shares, voting together as a single class, have the right to appoint directors and holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares may remove members of our board of directors for any reason; (2) our initial shareholders, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive: (a) their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, (b) their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; and (c) their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares, alignment shares and private placement shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame); (3) the founder shares and alignment shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares as described herein; (4) the founder shares and alignment shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below; and (5) the holders of founder shares and alignment shares are entitled to registration rights. If we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our initial shareholders, officers and directors have agreed (and their permitted transferees, as applicable, will agree) to vote any founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination.
The founder shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination, or earlier at the option of the holder, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as provided herein.
The alignment shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one hundred-to-one basis on the business day following the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination, subject to adjustment as provided herein; provided that alignment shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one-to-one basis on or prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination as described in more detail below, upon the earlier of (1) the date following our initial business combination on which: (a) with respect to one-third of the alignment shares issued and outstanding following the consummation of this offering (following any forfeiture as a result of the underwriters’ over-allotment option not being exercised in full), the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $15.00 (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) (the “First
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Price Vesting”); (b) with respect to another one-third of the alignment shares issued and outstanding following the consummation of this offering (following any forfeiture as a result of the underwriters’ over-allotment option not being exercised in full), the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $20.00 (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) (the “Second Price Vesting”); and (c) with respect to the other one-third of the alignment shares issued and outstanding following the consummation of this offering (following any forfeiture as a result of the underwriters’ over-allotment option not being exercised in full), the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $25.00 (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions); and (2) subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, in each case subject to adjustment as provided herein.
For example, if fifteen months following the consummation of our initial business combination the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $20.00 but does not exceed $25.00, both the First Price Vesting and Second Price Vesting price performance thresholds will be met, resulting in a total of 2,000,000 alignment shares converting into 2,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, representing 1,000,000 associated with the First Price Vesting and 1,000,000 associated with the Second Price Vesting (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised and which number may be adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like). If after such conversion (but prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination) the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $25.00, then the remaining 1,000,000 Class F ordinary shares will convert into 1,000,000 Class A ordinary shares. In the alternative, if after the First Price Vesting and the Second Price Vesting the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares does not equal or exceed $25.00 prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination, the remaining 1,000,000 Class F ordinary shares will convert into 10,000 Class A ordinary shares.
Subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination and prior to its fifth anniversary, even if none of the price performance thresholds are met on or prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination, the alignment shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one-to-one basis upon completion of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
Our initial shareholders will own 25%, unlike many other SPAC IPOs where initial shareholders own 20%, of the ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares). However, 15% of the ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of this offering (the alignment shares) will convert on a one hundred-to-one basis if certain price performance thresholds are not met prior to the fifth anniversary of our initial business combination. If this occurs, the number of alignment shares, and thereby the total number of ordinary shares, issued and outstanding upon the consummation of this offering will decrease, and our initial shareholders will own a total of 11.9%, not 25%, of the ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of this offering. In contrast, all of the private shares owned by initial shareholders in many other SPAC IPOs convert on a one-to-one basis at the time of the initial business combination. The initial shareholders thereby maintain their interests at 20% of the ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon the consummation of the offering.
In the case that additional Class A ordinary shares, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts issued in this offering and related to the closing of our initial business combination (other than with respect to the founder shares, alignment shares or forward purchase shares), (1) the ratio at which Class B ordinary shares shall convert into Class A ordinary shares will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares
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agree to waive such anti-dilution adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Class B ordinary shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 10% of the total number of all ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon completion of this offering (not including the private placement shares) plus all Class A ordinary shares and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination (net of the number of Class A ordinary shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination), excluding the forward purchase shares, any Class A ordinary shares issued upon conversion of any founder shares, alignment shares or working capital loans, and any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in our initial business combination and (2) the ratio at which Class F ordinary shares shall convert into Class A ordinary shares will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Class F ordinary shares agree to waive such anti-dilution adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Class F ordinary shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 15% of the total number of all ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon completion of this offering (not including the private placement shares) plus all Class A ordinary shares and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination (net of the number of Class A ordinary shares redeemed in connection with our initial business combination), excluding the forward purchase shares, any Class A ordinary shares issued upon conversion of any founder shares, alignment shares or working capital loans, and any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in our initial business combination.
With certain limited exceptions, (1) the founder shares are not transferable, assignable or salable until the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination, (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property or (y) if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination and (2) the alignment shares are not transferable, assignable or salable until the earlier of (A) their conversion into Class A ordinary shares; and (B) subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
Register of Members
Under Cayman Islands law, we must keep a register of members and there shall be entered therein:
• the names and addresses of the members, a statement of the shares held by each member, and of the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid, on the shares of each member and the voting rights of the shares of each member;
• whether voting rights are attached to the share in issue;
• the date on which the name of any person was entered on the register as a member; and
• the date on which any person ceased to be a member.
Under Cayman Islands law, the register of members of our company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein (i.e., the register of members will raise a presumption of fact on the matters referred to above unless rebutted) and a member registered in the register of members shall be deemed as a matter of Cayman Islands law to have legal title to the shares as set against its name in the register of members. Upon the closing of this public offering, the register of members shall be immediately updated to reflect the issue of shares by us. Once our register of members has been
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updated, the shareholders recorded in the register of members shall be deemed to have legal title to the shares set against their name. However, there are certain limited circumstances where an application may be made to a Cayman Islands court for a determination on whether the register of members reflects the correct legal position. Further, the Cayman Islands court has the power to order that the register of members maintained by a company should be rectified where it considers that the register of members does not reflect the correct legal position. If an application for an order for rectification of the register of members were made in respect of our ordinary shares, then the validity of such shares may be subject to re-examination by a Cayman Islands court.
Preferred Shares
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will authorize 20,000,000 preferred shares and will provide that preferred shares may be issued from time to time in one or more series. Our board of directors will be authorized to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences, the relative, participating, optional or other special rights and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, applicable to the shares of each series. Our board of directors will be able to, without shareholder approval, issue preferred shares with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of the ordinary shares and could have anti-takeover effects. The ability of our board of directors to issue preferred shares without shareholder approval could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us or the removal of existing management. We have no preferred shares issued and outstanding at the date hereof. Although we do not currently intend to issue any preferred shares, we cannot assure you that we will not do so in the future. No preferred shares are being issued or registered in this offering.
Private Placement Shares
The private placement shares are identical to the public shares sold in this offering except that, so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees, the private placement shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions (as described in more detail under “Principal Shareholders — Transfers of Founder Shares, Alignment Shares and Private Placement Shares”) and the holders thereof are entitled to certain registration rights (as described in more detail under “Principal Shareholders — Registration Rights”).
In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor, an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we may repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into Class A ordinary shares at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. The shares would be identical to the private placement shares issued to our sponsor.
Forward Purchase Shares
Prior to this offering, we will enter into a forward purchase agreement pursuant to which the forward purchase investors, which are funds affiliated with our sponsor, will agree to subscribe for an aggregate of 2,500,000 forward purchase shares, for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000,000, or $10.00 per forward purchase share, in a private placement to close substantially concurrently with the closing of our initial business combination. If the sale of the forward purchase shares fails to close, for any reason, we may lack sufficient funds to consummate our initial business combination. The forward purchase shares will be identical to the public shares, except that the holders thereof will have certain registration rights, as described below.
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Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to a business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. In addition, our board of directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any share dividends in the foreseeable future, except if we increase the size of this offering, in which case we will effect a share capitalization or other appropriate mechanism with respect to our Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares immediately prior to the consummation of this offering in such amount as to maintain (1) the number of founder shares at 10% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares) and (2) the number of alignment shares at 15% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private placement shares). Further, if we incur any indebtedness, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
Our Transfer Agent
The transfer agent for our ordinary shares is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. We have agreed to indemnify Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company in its roles as transfer agent, its agents and each of its shareholders, directors, officers and employees against all liabilities, including judgments, costs and reasonable counsel fees that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of the indemnified person or entity.
Certain Differences in Corporate Law
Cayman Islands companies are governed by the Companies Act. The Companies Act is modeled on English Law but does not follow recent English Law statutory enactments, and differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the material differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements. In certain circumstances, the Companies Act allows for mergers or consolidations between two Cayman Islands companies, or between a Cayman Islands exempted company and a company incorporated in another jurisdiction (provided that is facilitated by the laws of that other jurisdiction).
Where the merger or consolidation is between two Cayman Islands companies, the directors of each company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation containing certain prescribed information. That plan of merger or consolidation must then be authorized by either (a) a special resolution (usually a majority of 662⁄3% in value who attend and vote at a general meeting) of the shareholders of each company; or (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of association. No shareholder resolution is required for a merger between a parent company (i.e., a company that owns at least 90% of the issued shares of each class in a subsidiary company) and its subsidiary company. The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest of a constituent company must be obtained, unless the court waives such requirement. If the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies is satisfied that the requirements of the Companies Act (which includes certain other formalities) have been complied with, the Registrar of Companies will register the plan of merger or consolidation.
Where the merger or consolidation involves a foreign company, the procedure is similar, save that with respect to the foreign company, the directors of the Cayman Islands exempted company are required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, they are of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (1) that the merger or consolidation is permitted
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or not prohibited by the constitutional documents of the foreign company and by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the foreign company is incorporated, and that those laws and any requirements of those constitutional documents have been or will be complied with; (2) that no petition or other similar proceeding has been filed and remains issued and outstanding or order made or resolution adopted to wind up or liquidate the foreign company in any jurisdictions; (3) that no receiver, trustee, administrator or other similar person has been appointed in any jurisdiction and is acting in respect of the foreign company, its affairs or its property or any part thereof; and (4) that no scheme, order, compromise or other similar arrangement has been entered into or made in any jurisdiction whereby the rights of creditors of the foreign company are and continue to be suspended or restricted.
Where the surviving company is the Cayman Islands exempted company, the directors of the Cayman Islands exempted company are further required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, they are of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (1) that the foreign company is able to pay its debts as they fall due and that the merger or consolidated is bona fide and not intended to defraud unsecured creditors of the foreign company; (2) that in respect of the transfer of any security interest granted by the foreign company to the surviving or consolidated company (a) consent or approval to the transfer has been obtained, released or waived; (b) the transfer is permitted by and has been approved in accordance with the constitutional documents of the foreign company; and (c) the laws of the jurisdiction of the foreign company with respect to the transfer have been or will be complied with; (3) that the foreign company will, upon the merger or consolidation becoming effective, cease to be incorporated, registered or exist under the laws of the relevant foreign jurisdiction; and (4) that there is no other reason why it would be against the public interest to permit the merger or consolidation.
Where the above procedures are adopted, the Companies Act provides for a right of dissenting shareholders to be paid a payment of the fair value of his or her shares upon their dissenting to the merger or consolidation if they follow a prescribed procedure. In essence, that procedure is as follows: (a) the shareholder must give his or her written objection to the merger or consolidation to the constituent company before the vote on the merger or consolidation, including a statement that the shareholder proposes to demand payment for his or her shares if the merger or consolidation is authorized by the vote; (b) within 20 days following the date on which the merger or consolidation is approved by the shareholders, the constituent company must give written notice to each shareholder who made a written objection; (c) a shareholder must within 20 days following receipt of such notice from the constituent company, give the constituent company a written notice of his or her intention to dissent including, among other details, a demand for payment of the fair value of his or her shares; (d) within seven days following the date of the expiration of the period set out in paragraph (b) above or seven days following the date on which the plan of merger or consolidation is filed, whichever is later, the constituent company, the surviving company or the consolidated company must make a written offer to each dissenting shareholder to purchase his or her shares at a price that the company determines is the fair value and if the company and the shareholder agrees to the price within 30 days following the date on which the offer was made, the company must pay the shareholder such amount; and (e) if the company and the shareholder fails to agree to a price within such 30-day period, within 20 days following the date on which such 30-day period expires, the company (and any dissenting shareholder) must file a petition with the Cayman Islands Grand Court to determine the fair value and such petition must be accompanied by a list of the names and addresses of the dissenting shareholders with whom agreements as to the fair value of their shares have not been reached by the company. At the hearing of that petition, the court has the power to determine the fair value of the shares together with a fair rate of interest, if any, to be paid by the company upon the amount determined to be the fair value. Any dissenting shareholder whose name appears on the list filed by the company may participate fully in all proceedings until the determination of fair value is reached. These rights of a dissenting shareholder are not to be available in certain circumstances, for example, to dissenters holding shares of any class in respect of which an open market exists on a recognized stock exchange or recognized interdealer quotation system at the relevant date or where the consideration for such shares to be contributed are shares of any company listed on a national securities exchange or shares of the surviving or consolidated company.
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Moreover, Cayman Islands law also has separate statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction or amalgamation of companies in certain circumstances, such schemes of arrangement will generally be more suited for complex mergers or other transactions involving widely held companies, commonly referred to in the Cayman Islands as a “scheme of arrangement” which may be tantamount to a merger. In the event that a merger was sought pursuant to a scheme of arrangement (the procedures of which are more rigorous and take longer to complete than the procedures typically required to consummate a merger in the United States), the arrangement in question must be approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made and who must in addition represent three-fourths in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting summoned for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the terms of the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder would have the right to express to the court the view that the transaction should not be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it is satisfied that:
• we are not proposing to act illegally or beyond the scope of our corporate authority and we have complied with the statutory provisions as to majority vote;
• the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question;
• the arrangement is such as a business-person would reasonably approve; and
• the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act or that would amount to a “fraud on the minority.”
If a scheme of arrangement or takeover offer (as described below) is approved, any dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of U.S. corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.
Squeeze-out Provisions. When a takeover offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares to whom the offer relates within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, but this is unlikely to succeed unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith, collusion or inequitable treatment of the shareholders.
Further, transactions similar to a merger, reconstruction and/or an amalgamation may in some circumstances be achieved through other means to these statutory provisions, such as a share capital exchange, asset acquisition or control, through contractual arrangements, of an operating business.
Shareholders’ Suits. Maples and Calder, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, is not aware of any reported class action having been brought in a Cayman Islands court. Derivative actions have been brought in the Cayman Islands courts, and the Cayman Islands courts have confirmed the availability of such actions. In most cases, we will be the proper plaintiff in any claim based on a breach of duty owed to us, and a claim against (for example) our directors or officers usually may not be brought by a shareholder. However, based both on Cayman Islands authorities and on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority and applied by a court in the Cayman Islands, exceptions to the foregoing principle apply in circumstances in which:
• a company is acting, or proposing to act, illegally or beyond the scope of its authority;
• the act complained of, although not beyond the scope of the authority, could be effected if duly authorized by more than the number of votes that have actually been obtained; or
• those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.”
A shareholder may have a direct right of action against us where the individual rights of that shareholder have been infringed or are about to be infringed.
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Enforcement of Civil Liabilities. The Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws as compared to the United States and provides less protection to investors. Additionally, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to sue before the federal courts of the United States.
We have been advised by Maples and Calder, our Cayman Islands legal counsel, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (1) to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state and (2) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or any state, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, and or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
Special Considerations for Exempted Companies. We are an exempted company with limited liability under the Companies Act. The Companies Act distinguishes between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted company are essentially the same as for an ordinary company except for the exemptions and privileges listed below:
• an exempted company does not have to file an annual return of its shareholders with the Registrar of Companies
• an exempted company’s register of members is not open to inspection;
• an exempted company does not have to hold an annual general meeting;
• an exempted company may issue shares with no par value;
• an exempted company may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 20 years in the first instance);
• an exempted company may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands;
• an exempted company may register as a limited duration company; and
• an exempted company may register as a segregated portfolio company.
“Limited liability” means that the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount unpaid by the shareholder on the shares of the company (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstances in which a court may be prepared to pierce or lift the corporate veil).
Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will contain certain requirements and restrictions relating to this offering that will apply to us until the completion of our initial business combination. These provisions cannot be amended without a special resolution. As a matter of
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Cayman Islands law, a resolution is deemed to be a special resolution where it has been approved by either (1) holders of at least two-thirds (or any higher threshold specified in a company’s articles of association) of a company’s ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting for which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution has been given or (2) if so authorized by a company’s articles of association, by a unanimous written resolution of all of the company’s shareholders. Other than as described above, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that special resolutions must be approved either by holders of at least two-thirds of our ordinary shares who attend and vote at a general meeting (i.e., the lowest threshold permissible under Cayman Islands law) (including, in the case of amendments relating to the appointment or removal of directors prior to our initial business combination, the approval of holders of at least a majority of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares), or by a unanimous written resolution of all of our shareholders.
Our initial shareholders, who collectively will beneficially own 26.8% of our ordinary shares upon the closing of this offering (assuming our initial shareholders do not purchase any public shares in this offering), may participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. Specifically, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide, among other things, that:
• if we have not completed our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable), we will: (1) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (2) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any); and (3) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law;
• prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional securities that would entitle the holders thereof to: (1) receive funds from the trust account; or (2) vote pursuant to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on any initial business combination;
• in the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors and if our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria;
• if a shareholder vote on our initial business combination is not required by applicable law or stock exchange rules and we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other reasons, we will offer to redeem our public shares pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, and will file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about our initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act;
• our initial business combination must be with one or more operating businesses or assets with a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the net assets held in the trust account (excluding deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account);
• if our shareholders approve an amendment to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemptions in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do
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not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon such approval at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares; and
• we will not effectuate our initial business combination solely with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations.
In addition, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that under no circumstances will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 following such redemptions.
The Companies Act permits a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands to amend its memorandum and articles of association with the approval of the holders of at least two-thirds of such company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares attending and voting at a general meeting. A company’s articles of association may specify that the approval of a higher majority is required but, provided the approval of the required majority is obtained, any Cayman Islands exempted company may amend its memorandum and articles of association regardless of whether its memorandum and articles of association provide otherwise. Accordingly, although we could amend any of the provisions relating to our proposed offering, structure and business plan which are contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, we view all of these provisions as binding obligations to our shareholders and neither we, nor our directors or officers, will take any action to amend or waive any of these provisions unless we provide dissenting public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares.
Anti-Money Laundering — Cayman Islands
If any person in the Cayman Islands knows or suspects or has reasonable grounds for knowing or suspecting that another person is engaged in criminal conduct or money laundering or is involved with terrorism or terrorist financing and property and the information for that knowledge or suspicion came to their attention in the course of business in the regulated sector, or other trade, profession, business or employment, the person will be required to report such knowledge or suspicion to (1) the Financial Reporting Authority of the Cayman Islands, pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime Act (2020 Revision) of the Cayman Islands if the disclosure relates to criminal conduct or money laundering or (2) a police officer of the rank of constable or higher, or the Financial Reporting Authority, pursuant to the Terrorism Act (2018 Revision) of the Cayman Islands, if the disclosure relates to involvement with terrorism or terrorist financing and property. Such a report shall not be treated as a breach of confidence or of any restriction upon the disclosure of information imposed by any enactment or otherwise.
Data Protection — Cayman Islands
We have certain duties under the Data Protection Act, 2017 of the Cayman Islands (the “DPA”) based on internationally accepted principles of data privacy.
In this subsection, “we”, “us,” “our” and the “Company” refers to Panacea Acquisition Corp. II or our affiliates and/or delegates, except where the context requires otherwise.
Privacy Notice
Introduction
This privacy notice puts our shareholders on notice that through your investment in the Company you will provide us with certain personal information which constitutes personal data within the meaning of the DPA (“personal data”).
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Investor Data
We will collect, use, disclose, retain and secure personal data to the extent reasonably required only and within the parameters that could be reasonably expected during the normal course of business. We will only process, disclose, transfer or retain personal data to the extent legitimately required to conduct our activities of on an ongoing basis or to comply with legal and regulatory obligations to which we are subject. We will only transfer personal data in accordance with the requirements of the DPA, and will apply appropriate technical and organizational information security measures designed to protect against unauthorized or unlawful processing of the personal data and against the accidental loss, destruction or damage to the personal data.
In our use of this personal data, we will be characterized as a “data controller” for the purposes of the DPA, while our affiliates and service providers who may receive this personal data from us in the conduct of our activities may either act as our “data processors” for the purposes of the DPA or may process personal information for their own lawful purposes in connection with services provided to us.
We may also obtain personal data from other public sources. Personal data includes, without limitation, the following information relating to a shareholder and/or any individuals connected with a shareholder as an investor: name, residential address, email address, contact details, corporate contact information, signature, nationality, place of birth, date of birth, tax identification, credit history, correspondence records, passport number, bank account details, source of funds details and details relating to the shareholder’s investment activity.
Who this Affects
If you are a natural person, this will affect you directly. If you are a corporate investor (including, for these purposes, legal arrangements such as trusts or exempted limited partnerships) that provides us with personal data on individuals connected to you for any reason in relation your investment in the Company, this will be relevant for those individuals and you should transmit the content of this Privacy Notice to such individuals or otherwise advise them of its content.
How the Company May Use a Shareholder’s Personal Data
The Company, as the data controller, may collect, store and use personal data for lawful purposes, including, in particular:
(a) where this is necessary for the performance of our rights and obligations under any purchase agreements;
(b) where this is necessary for compliance with a legal and regulatory obligation to which we are subject (such as compliance with anti-money laundering and FATCA/CRS requirements); and/or
(c) where this is necessary for the purposes of our legitimate interests and such interests are not overridden by your interests, fundamental rights or freedoms.
Should we wish to use personal data for other specific purposes (including, if applicable, any purpose that requires your consent), we will contact you.
Why We May Transfer Your Personal Data
In certain circumstances we may be legally obliged to share personal data and other information with respect to your shareholding with the relevant regulatory authorities such as the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority or the Tax Information Authority. They, in turn, may exchange this information with foreign authorities, including tax authorities.
We anticipate disclosing personal data to persons who provide services to us and their respective affiliates (which may include certain entities located outside the US, the Cayman Islands or the European Economic Area), who will process your personal data on our behalf.
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The Data Protection Measures We Take
Any transfer of personal data by us or our duly authorized affiliates and/or delegates outside of the Cayman Islands shall be in accordance with the requirements of the DPA.
We and our duly authorized affiliates and/or delegates shall apply appropriate technical and organizational information security measures designed to protect against unauthorized or unlawful processing of personal data, and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data.
We shall notify you of any personal data breach that is reasonably likely to result in a risk to your interests, fundamental rights or freedoms or those data subjects to whom the relevant personal data relates.
Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions of Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association
Our authorized but unissued ordinary shares and preferred shares are available for future issuances without shareholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved ordinary shares and preferred shares could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association will provide that prior to our initial business combination, holders of our Class B ordinary shares and holders of our Class F ordinary shares, voting together as a single class, will have the right to appoint all of our directors and may remove members of our board of directors for any reason. In addition, it will provide that our board of directors will be classified into three classes of directors. As a result, in most circumstances, a person can gain control of our board only by successfully engaging in a proxy contest at two or more annual shareholder meetings.
Securities Eligible for Future Sale
Immediately after this offering we will have 20,500,000 (or 23,545,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) ordinary shares issued and outstanding. Of these shares, the 15,000,000 Class A ordinary shares (or 17,250,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any shares purchased by one of our affiliates within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act. All of the remaining 2,000,000 (or 2,300,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) founder shares and 3,000,000 (or 3,450,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) alignment shares and 500,000 (or 545,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) private placement shares will be restricted securities under Rule 144, in that they were issued in private transactions not involving a public offering, and are subject to transfer restrictions as set forth elsewhere in this prospectus.
Upon the closing of the sale of the forward purchase shares, all forward purchase shares will be restricted securities under Rule 144. Otherwise, the forward purchase shares will not be subject to any transfer restrictions.
Rule 144
Pursuant to Rule 144, a person who has beneficially owned restricted ordinary shares for at least six months would be entitled to sell their securities provided that: (1) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale; and (2) we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least three months before the sale and have filed all required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the 12 months (or such shorter period as we were required to file reports) preceding the sale.
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Persons who have beneficially owned restricted ordinary shares for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of:
• 1% of the total number of ordinary shares then issued and outstanding, which will equal 205,000 shares immediately after this offering (or 235,450 if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full); or
• the average weekly reported trading volume of the ordinary shares during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale.
Sales by our affiliates under Rule 144 are also limited by manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.
Restrictions on the Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies
Rule 144 is not available for the resale of securities initially issued by shell companies (other than a business combination related shell companies) or issuers that have been at any time previously a shell company. However, Rule 144 also includes an important exception to this prohibition if the following conditions are met:
• the issuer of the securities that was formerly a shell company has ceased to be a shell company;
• the issuer of the securities is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act;
• the issuer of the securities has filed all Exchange Act reports and material required to be filed, as applicable, during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the issuer was required to file such reports and materials), other than Current Reports on Form 8-K; and
• at least one year has elapsed from the time that the issuer filed current Form 10 type information with the SEC reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company.
As a result, our initial shareholders will be able to sell their founder shares and alignment shares and our sponsor will be able to sell their private placement shares, pursuant to Rule 144 without registration one year after we have completed our initial business combination, subject to the transfer restricted described herein.
Registration Rights
The holders of the founder shares, alignment shares, private placement shares, forward purchase shares and Class A ordinary shares that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of this offering requiring us to register such securities for resale (in the case of the founder shares and the alignment shares, only after conversion to Class A ordinary shares). The holders of these securities will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form registration demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination and rights to require us to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Listing of Securities
We intend to apply to list our Class A ordinary shares on Nasdaq under the symbol “PANA”. We expect that our Class A ordinary shares will be listed on Nasdaq on or promptly after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on Nasdaq.
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INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following summary of Cayman Islands and U.S. federal income tax considerations relevant to an investment in our ordinary shares is based upon laws and relevant interpretations thereof in effect as of the date of this prospectus, all of which are subject to change. This summary does not deal with all possible tax consequences relating to an investment in our ordinary shares, such as the tax consequences under state, local and other tax laws.
Prospective investors should consult their professional advisors on the possible tax consequences of buying, holding or selling any securities under the laws of their country of citizenship, residence or domicile.
Cayman Islands Taxation
The following is a discussion on certain Cayman Islands income tax consequences of an investment in our securities. The discussion is a general summary of present law, which is subject to prospective and retroactive change. It is not intended as tax advice, does not consider any investor’s particular circumstances, and does not consider tax consequences other than those arising under Cayman Islands law.
Under Existing Cayman Islands Laws
Payments of dividends and capital in respect of our securities will not be subject to taxation in the Cayman Islands and no withholding will be required on the payment of a dividend or capital to any holder of the securities nor will gains derived from the disposal of the securities be subject to Cayman Islands income or corporate tax. The Cayman Islands currently has no income, corporation or capital gains tax and no estate duty, inheritance tax or gift tax.
No stamp duty is payable in respect of the issue of our securities or on an instrument of transfer in respect of our securities.
The Company has been incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability and, as such, has applied for and received an undertaking from the Financial Secretary of the Cayman Islands in the following form:
The Tax Concessions Law
(2018 Revision)
Undertaking as to Tax Concessions
In accordance with the provision of section 6 of The Tax Concessions Law (2018 Revision), the Financial Secretary undertakes with Panacea Acquisition Corp. II (“the company”):
1. that no law which is hereafter enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations shall apply to the company or its operations; and
2. in addition, that no tax to be levied on profits, income, gains or appreciations or which is in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax shall be payable:
2.1 on or in respect of the shares, debentures or other obligations of the company; OR
2.2 by way of the withholding in whole or part, of any relevant payment as defined in Section 6(3) of the Tax Concessions Law (2018 Revision).
3. these concessions shall be for a period of 20 years from the date hereof.
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U.S. Federal Income Taxation
General
The following discussion summarizes U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to the ownership and disposition of our ordinary shares that are purchased in this offering by U.S. Holders (as defined below) and Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below).
This discussion is limited to certain U.S. federal income tax considerations to beneficial owners of our securities who are initial purchasers pursuant to this offering and hold each ordinary share as a capital asset within the meaning of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). This discussion assumes that any distributions made (or deemed made) by us on our ordinary shares and any consideration received (or deemed received) by a holder in consideration for the sale or other disposition of our ordinary shares will be in U.S. dollars. This discussion is a summary only and does not consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to the ownership and disposition of ordinary shares by a prospective investor in light of its particular circumstances, including:
• financial institutions or financial services entities;
• broker-dealers;
• taxpayers that are subject to the mark-to-market accounting rules;
• tax-exempt entities;
• governments or agencies or instrumentalities thereof;
• insurance companies;
• regulated investment companies;
• real estate investment trusts;
• controlled foreign corporations;
• passive foreign investment companies;
• expatriates or former long-term residents of the United States;
• persons that actually or constructively own five percent or more of our voting shares;
• persons that acquired our securities pursuant to an exercise of employee share options, in connection with employee share incentive plans or otherwise as compensation;
• persons that hold our securities as part of a straddle, constructive sale, hedging, conversion or other integrated or similar transaction; or
• U.S. Holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar.
The discussion below is based upon the provisions of the Code, the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, all as of the date hereof, and such provisions may be repealed, revoked, modified or subject to differing interpretations, possibly on a retroactive basis, so as to result in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below. Furthermore, this discussion does not address any aspect of U.S. federal non-income tax laws, such as gift, estate or Medicare contribution tax laws, or state, local or non-U.S. tax laws.
We have not sought, and will not seek, a ruling from the IRS as to any U.S. federal income tax consequence described herein. The IRS may disagree with the discussion herein, and its determination may be upheld by a court. Moreover, there can be no assurance that future legislation, regulations, administrative rulings or court decisions will not adversely affect the accuracy of the statements in this discussion.
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As used herein, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of our ordinary shares who or that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
• an individual citizen or resident of the United States;
• a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is created or organized (or treated as created or organized) in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
• an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
• a trust if (A) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (B) it has in effect a valid election to be treated as a U.S. person.
If a beneficial owner of our securities is not described as a U.S. Holder and is not an entity treated as a partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such owner will be considered a “Non-U.S. Holder.” The U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable specifically to Non-U.S. Holders are described below under the heading “Non-U.S. Holders.”
This discussion does not consider the tax treatment of partnerships or other pass-through entities or persons who hold our securities through such entities. If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is the beneficial owner of our securities, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partnerships holding our securities and partners in such partnerships are urged to consult their own tax advisors.
THIS DISCUSSION IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES. EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR IN OUR SECURITIES IS URGED TO CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES TO SUCH INVESTOR OF THE OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES, INCLUDING THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF ANY STATE, LOCAL, AND NON-U.S. TAX LAWS, AS WELL AS U.S. FEDERAL TAX LAWS AND ANY APPLICABLE TAX TREATIES.
U.S. Holders
Taxation of Distributions
Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a U.S. Holder generally will be required to include in gross income as dividends the amount of any distribution paid on our ordinary shares. A distribution on such shares generally will be treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent the distribution is paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). Such dividends paid by us will be taxable to a corporate U.S. Holder at regular rates and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally allowed to domestic corporations in respect of dividends received from other domestic corporations.
Distributions in excess of such earnings and profits generally will be applied against and reduce the U.S. Holder’s basis in its ordinary shares (but not below zero) and, to the extent in excess of such basis, will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of such ordinary shares.
With respect to non-corporate U.S. Holders, dividends will be taxed at the lower applicable long-term capital gains rate (see “— Taxation on the Disposition of Ordinary Shares” below) only if our ordinary shares are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States (which they will be if our shares are traded on Nasdaq) and certain other requirements are met, including that we are not classified as a PFIC during the taxable year in which the dividend is paid or the preceding taxable year. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability of the lower rate for any dividends paid with respect to our ordinary shares.
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Possible Constructive Distributions
It is unclear whether under certain circumstances the conversion of alignment shares into our Class A ordinary shares could be treated as increasing a U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in our assets or earnings and profits. If so, a U.S. holder of our Class A ordinary shares could be treated as receiving a constructive distribution from us equal to the fair market value of such increased interest, without any corresponding receipt of cash. Such constructive distribution would be subject to tax as if the U.S. Holders received a cash distribution from us. Accordingly, U.S. holders of our Class A ordinary shares should consult their tax advisors regarding the possibility of constructive distributions on their Class A ordinary shares.
Taxation on the Disposition of Ordinary Shares
Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, upon a sale or other taxable disposition of our ordinary shares which, in general, would include a redemption of ordinary shares as described below, and including as a result of a dissolution and liquidation in the event we do not consummate an initial business combination within the required time period, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss. The amount of gain or loss recognized generally will be equal to the difference between (1) the sum of the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received in such disposition and (2) the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its ordinary shares so disposed of. A U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its ordinary shares will generally equal the U.S. Holder’s acquisition cost reduced by any prior distributions treated as a return of capital.
Long-term capital gains recognized by non-corporate U.S. Holders are generally subject to U.S. federal income tax at a reduced rate of tax. Capital gain or loss will constitute long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares exceeds one year. It is unclear whether the redemption rights with respect to the ordinary shares described in this prospectus may prevent a U.S. Holder from satisfying the applicable holding period requirements for this purpose. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to various limitations that are not described herein because a discussion of such limitations depends on each U.S. Holder’s particular facts and circumstances.
Redemption of Ordinary Shares
Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, if a U.S. Holder’s ordinary shares are redeemed pursuant to the exercise of a shareholder redemption right or if we purchase a U.S. Holder’s ordinary shares in an open market transaction (each of which is referred to herein as a “redemption”), such redemption will be subject to the following rules for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the redemption qualifies as a sale of the ordinary shares under Section 302 of the Code, the tax treatment of such redemption will be as described under “— Taxation on the Disposition of Ordinary Shares” above. Whether a redemption of our shares qualifies for sale treatment will depend largely on the total number of our ordinary shares treated as held by such U.S. Holder (including any shares constructively owned). The redemption of ordinary shares generally will be treated as a sale or exchange of the ordinary shares (rather than as a distribution) if the receipt of cash upon the redemption (1) is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to a U.S. Holder, (2) results in a “complete termination” of such holder’s interest in us or (3) is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to such holder. These tests are explained more fully below.
In determining whether any of the foregoing tests are satisfied, a U.S. Holder must take into account not only our ordinary shares actually owned by such holder, but also our ordinary shares that are constructively owned by such holder. A U.S. Holder may constructively own, in addition to our ordinary shares owned directly, ordinary shares owned by related individuals and entities in which such holder has an interest or that have an interest in such holder, as well as any ordinary shares such holder has a right to acquire by exercise of an option. In order to meet the substantially disproportionate test, the percentage of our issued and outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned
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by a U.S. Holder immediately following the redemption of our ordinary shares must, among other requirements, be less than 80% of the percentage of our issued and outstanding voting and ordinary shares actually and constructively owned by such holder immediately before the redemption. Prior to our initial business combination the ordinary shares may not be treated as voting shares for this purpose and, consequently, this substantially disproportionate test may not be applicable. There will be a complete termination of a U.S. Holder’s interest if either (1) all of our ordinary shares actually and constructively owned by such U.S. Holder are redeemed or (2) all of our ordinary shares actually owned by such U.S. Holder are redeemed and such holder is eligible to waive, and effectively waives, in accordance with specific rules, the attribution of shares owned by family members and such holder does not constructively own any other of our shares. The redemption of the ordinary shares will not be essentially equivalent to a dividend with respect to a U.S. Holder if such redemption results in a “meaningful reduction” of a U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in us. Whether the redemption will result in a meaningful reduction in a U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in us will depend on the particular facts and circumstances. However, the IRS has indicated in a published ruling that even a small reduction in the proportionate interest of a small minority shareholder in a publicly held corporation who exercises no control over corporate affairs may constitute such a “meaningful reduction.” U.S. Holders should consult with their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences of an exercise of the redemption right.
If none of the foregoing tests are satisfied, then the redemption may be treated as a distribution and the tax effects will be as described under “— Taxation of Distributions,” above. After the application of those rules, any remaining tax basis a U.S. Holder has in the redeemed ordinary shares will be added to the adjusted tax basis in such holder’s remaining ordinary shares. If there are no remaining ordinary shares, a U.S. Holder should consult its own tax advisors as to the allocation of any remaining basis.
Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules
A foreign (i.e., non-U.S.) corporation will be a PFIC for U.S. tax purposes if at least 75% of its gross income in a taxable year, including its pro rata share of the gross income of any corporation in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the shares by value, is passive income. Alternatively, a foreign corporation will be a PFIC if at least 50% of its assets in a taxable year of the foreign corporation, ordinarily determined based on fair market value and averaged quarterly over the year, including its pro rata share of the assets of any corporation in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the shares by value, are held for the production of, or produce, passive income. Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, rents and royalties (other than rents or royalties derived from the active conduct of a trade or business) and gains from the disposition of passive assets.
Because we are a blank check company, with no current active business, we believe that it is likely that we will meet the PFIC asset or income test for our current taxable year . However, pursuant to a start-up exception, a corporation will not be a PFIC for the first taxable year the corporation has gross income (the “start-up year”), if (1) no predecessor of the corporation was a PFIC; (2) the corporation satisfies to the IRS that it will not be a PFIC for either of the two taxable years following the start-up year; and (3) the corporation is not in fact a PFIC for either of those years. The applicability of the start-up exception to us will not be known until after the close of our current taxable year and, possibly, after the close of our two subsequent taxable years. After the acquisition of a company or assets in a business combination, we may still meet one of the PFIC tests depending on the timing of the acquisition and the amount of our passive income and assets as well as the passive income and assets of the acquired business. If the company that we acquire in a business combination is a PFIC, then we will likely not qualify for the start-up exception and will be a PFIC for our current taxable year. Our actual PFIC status for our current taxable year or any future taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. Accordingly, there can be no assurance with respect to our status as a PFIC for our current taxable year or any future taxable year.
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If we are determined to be a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder of our ordinary shares and the U.S. Holder did not make either a timely qualified electing fund (“QEF”) election or a mark-to-market election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder held (or was deemed to hold) ordinary shares, as described below, such holder generally will be subject to special rules with respect to:
• any gain recognized by the U.S. Holder on the sale or other disposition of its ordinary shares; and
• any “excess distribution” made to the U.S. Holder (generally, any distributions to such U.S. Holder during a taxable year of the U.S. Holder that are greater than 125% of the average annual distributions received by such U.S. Holder in respect of the ordinary shares during the three preceding taxable years of such U.S. Holder or, if shorter, such U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares).
Under these rules,
• the U.S. Holder’s gain or excess distribution will be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares;
• the amount allocated to the U.S. Holder’s taxable year in which the U.S. Holder recognized the gain or received the excess distribution, or to the period in the U.S. Holder’s holding period before the first day of our first taxable year in which we are a PFIC, will be taxed as ordinary income;
• the amount allocated to other taxable years (or portions thereof) of the U.S. Holder and included in its holding period will be taxed at the highest tax rate in effect for that year and applicable to the U.S. Holder; and
• the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed in respect of the tax attributable to each such other taxable year of the U.S. Holder.
In general, if we are determined to be a PFIC, a U.S. Holder may avoid the PFIC tax consequences described above with respect to our ordinary shares by making a timely QEF election (if eligible to do so) to include in income its pro rata share of our net capital gains (as long-term capital gain) and other earnings and profits (as ordinary income), on a current basis, in each case whether or not distributed, in the taxable year of the U.S. Holder in which or with which our taxable year ends.
A U.S. Holder generally may make a separate election to defer the payment of taxes on undistributed income inclusions under the QEF rules, but if deferred, any such taxes will be subject to an interest charge.
The QEF election is made on a shareholder-by-shareholder basis and, once made, can be revoked only with the consent of the IRS. A U.S. Holder generally makes a QEF election by attaching a completed IRS Form 8621 (Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment Company or Qualified Electing Fund), including the information provided in a PFIC Annual Information Statement, to a timely filed U.S. federal income tax return for the tax year to which the election relates. Retroactive QEF elections generally may be made only by filing a protective statement with such return and if certain other conditions are met or with the consent of the IRS. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a retroactive QEF election under their particular circumstances.
In order to comply with the requirements of a QEF election, a U.S. Holder must receive a PFIC Annual Information Statement from us. If we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. Holder such information as the IRS may require, including a PFIC Annual Information Statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a QEF election. However, there is no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of our status as a PFIC in the future or of the required information to be provided.
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If a U.S. Holder has made a QEF election with respect to our ordinary shares, and the special tax and interest charge rules do not apply to such shares (because of a timely QEF election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) such shares or a purge of the PFIC taint pursuant to a purging election, as described above), any gain recognized on the sale of our ordinary shares generally will be taxable as capital gain and no interest charge will be imposed under the PFIC rules. As discussed above, U.S. Holders of a QEF are currently taxed on their pro rata shares of its earnings and profits, whether or not distributed. In such case, a subsequent distribution of such earnings and profits that were previously included in income generally should not be taxable as a dividend to such U.S. Holders. The tax basis of a U.S. Holder’s shares in a QEF will be increased by amounts that are included in income, and decreased by amounts distributed but not taxed as dividends, under the above rules.
Although a determination as to our PFIC status will be made annually, an initial determination that our company is a PFIC will generally apply for subsequent years to a U.S. Holder who held ordinary shares while we were a PFIC, whether or not we meet the test for PFIC status in those subsequent years. A U.S. Holder who makes the QEF election discussed above for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) our ordinary shares, however, will not be subject to the PFIC tax and interest charge rules discussed above in respect to such shares. In addition, such U.S. Holder will not be subject to the QEF inclusion regime with respect to such shares for any taxable year of us that ends within or with a taxable year of the U.S. Holder and in which we are not a PFIC. On the other hand, if the QEF election is not effective for each of our taxable years in which we are a PFIC and the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) our ordinary shares, the PFIC rules discussed above will continue to apply to such shares unless the holder makes a purging election. One type of purging election creates a deemed sale of such shares at their fair market value. Any gain recognized on this deemed sale will be subject to the special tax and interest charge rules treating the gain as an excess distribution, as described above. As a result of this election, the U.S. Holder will generally have additional basis (to the extent of any gain recognized on the deemed sale) and, solely for purposes of the PFIC rules, a new holding period in its ordinary shares. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors as to the application of the rules governing purging elections to their particular circumstances (including a potential separate “deemed dividend” purging election that may be available if we are a controlled foreign corporation).
Alternatively, if a U.S. Holder, at the close of its taxable year, owns shares in a PFIC that are treated as marketable stock, the U.S. Holder may make a mark-to-market election with respect to such shares for such taxable year. If the U.S. Holder makes a valid mark-to-market election for the first taxable year of the U.S. Holder in which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) ordinary shares in us and for which we are determined to be a PFIC, such holder generally will not be subject to the PFIC rules described above in respect to its ordinary shares. Instead, in general, the U.S. Holder will include as ordinary income each year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of its ordinary shares at the end of its taxable year over the adjusted basis in its ordinary shares. Such a U.S. Holder also will be allowed to take an ordinary loss in respect of the excess, if any, of the adjusted basis of its ordinary shares over the fair market value of its ordinary shares at the end of its taxable year (but only to the extent of the net amount of previously included income as a result of the mark-to-market election). Such U.S. Holder’s basis in its ordinary shares will be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss amounts, and any further gain recognized on a sale or other taxable disposition of the ordinary shares will be treated as ordinary income. The mark-to-market election is available only for stock that is regularly traded on a national securities exchange that is registered with the SEC, including Nasdaq, or on a foreign exchange or market that the IRS determines has rules sufficient to ensure that the market price represents a legitimate and sound fair market value. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a mark-to-market election in respect to our ordinary shares under their particular circumstances.
If we are a PFIC and, at any time, have a foreign subsidiary that is classified as a PFIC, U.S. Holders generally would be deemed to own a portion of the shares of such lower-tier PFIC, and generally could incur liability for the deferred tax and interest charge described above if we receive a distribution
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from, or dispose of all or part of our interest in, the lower-tier PFIC or the U.S. Holders otherwise were deemed to have disposed of an interest in the lower-tier PFIC. We will endeavor to cause any lower-tier PFIC to provide to a U.S. Holder the information that may be required to make or maintain a QEF election with respect to the lower-tier PFIC. However, there is no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of the status of any such lower-tier PFIC. In addition, we may not hold a controlling interest in any such lower-tier PFIC and thus there can be no assurance we will be able to cause the lower-tier PFIC to provide the required information. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax issues raised by lower-tier PFICs.
A U.S. Holder that owns (or is deemed to own) shares in a PFIC during any taxable year of the U.S. Holder may have to file an IRS Form 8621(whether or not a QEF or mark-to-market election is made) and such other information as may be required by the U.S. Treasury Department.
The rules dealing with PFICs and with the QEF and mark-to-market elections are very complex and are affected by various factors in addition to those described above. Accordingly, U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors concerning the application of the PFIC rules to our ordinary shares under their particular circumstances.
Tax Reporting
Certain U.S. Holders may be required to file an IRS Form 926 (Return by a U.S. Transferor of Property to a Foreign Corporation) to report a transfer of property (including cash) to us. Substantial penalties may be imposed on a U.S. Holder that fails to comply with this reporting requirement. Furthermore, certain U.S. Holders who are individuals and certain entities will be required to report information with respect to such U.S. Holder’s investment in “specified foreign financial assets,” which may include an interest in us, on IRS Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets), subject to certain exceptions. Persons who are required to report specified foreign financial assets and fail to do so may be subject to substantial penalties. Potential investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the foreign financial asset and other reporting obligations and their application to an investment in our securities.
Non-U.S. Holders
Dividends (including constructive distributions, as described below) paid or deemed paid to a Non-U.S. Holder in respect to its ordinary shares generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax, unless the dividends are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains in the United States).
In addition, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain attributable to a sale or other disposition of our ordinary shares unless such gain is effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains in the United States) or the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of sale or other disposition and certain other conditions are met (in which case, such gain from United States sources generally is subject to tax at a 30% rate or a lower applicable tax treaty rate).
Dividends (including constructive distributions, as described below) and gains that are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base in the United States) generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the same regular U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to a comparable U.S. Holder and, in the case of a Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate or a lower applicable tax treaty rate.
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It is unclear whether under certain circumstances the conversion of alignment shares into Class A ordinary shares could be treated as increasing a Non-U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in our assets or earnings and profits. If so, a Non-U.S. holder of our Class A ordinary shares could be treated as receiving a constructive distribution from us equal to the fair market value of such increased interest, without any corresponding receipt of cash. Such constructive distribution would be subject to tax as if the Non-U.S. Holders received a cash distribution from us. Accordingly, Non-U.S. holders of our Class A ordinary shares should consult their tax advisors regarding the possibility of constructive distributions on their Class A ordinary shares.
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UNDERWRITING
We are offering the Class A ordinary shares described in this prospectus through the underwriters named below. Cowen and Company, LLC is the representative for the underwriters and is acting as the sole book-running manager of the offering. We have entered into an underwriting agreement with the representative. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, each of the underwriters has severally agreed to purchase from us, on a firm commitment basis, and we have agreed to sell to such underwriter, the number of Class A ordinary shares listed next to its name in the following table:
Underwriters | | Number of Shares |
Cowen and Company, LLC | | |
Total | | 15,000,000 |
The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters are obligated to purchase all of the Class A ordinary shares in the offering if any are purchased, other than those shares covered by the over-allotment option described below.
We have granted to the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase on a pro rata basis up to 2,250,000 additional Class A ordinary shares at the initial public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions. The option may be exercised only to cover any over-allotments of Class A ordinary shares.
The underwriters propose to offer the Class A ordinary shares initially at the public offering price on the cover page of this prospectus and to selling group members at that price less a selling concession of $ per share. After the initial public offering the underwriters may change the public offering price and concession and discount to broker/dealers. The offering of the shares by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.
The following table summarizes the compensation and estimated expenses we will pay:
| | Per Share(1) | | Total(1) |
| | Without Over-allotment | | With Over-allotment | | Without Over-allotment | | With Over-allotment |
Underwriting Discounts and Commissions paid by us | | $ | 0.55 | | $ | 0.55 | | $ | 8,250,000 | | $ | 9,487,500 |
If we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering (or 27 months, as applicable) or during any Extension Period, the underwriters have agreed that (i) they will forfeit any rights or claims to their deferred underwriting discounts and commissions, including any accrued interest thereon, then in the trust account and (ii) the deferred underwriting discounts and commissions will be distributed on a pro rata basis, together with any accrued interest thereon (which interest will be net of taxes payable) to the public shareholders.
We estimate that our out-of-pocket expenses for this offering will be approximately $1,000,000. We have agreed to pay for FINRA-related fees, not to exceed $25,000.
The representative has informed us that the underwriters do not intend to make sales to discretionary accounts.
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We, our sponsor and our officers and directors have agreed that we and they will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, without the prior written consent of Cowen and Company, LLC for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus, any ordinary shares or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, ordinary shares or enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any ordinary shares or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, ordinary shares owned, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise; provided, however, that we may (1) issue and sell the private placement shares; (2) issue and sell the additional Class A ordinary shares to cover our underwriters’ over-allotment option (if any); (3) issue and sell the forward purchase shares; (4) register with the SEC pursuant to an agreement to be entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in this offering, the resale of the forward purchase shares, private placement shares and Class A ordinary shares that may be issued upon conversion of the founder shares, alignment shares and working capital loans; and (5) issue securities in connection with our initial business combination. However, the foregoing shall not apply to the forfeiture of any founder shares or alignment shares pursuant to their terms or any transfer of founder shares or alignment shares to any current or future independent director of the company (as long as such current or future independent director is subject to the terms of the letter agreement, filed herewith, at the time of such transfer; and as long as, to the extent any Section 16 reporting obligation is triggered as a result of such transfer, any related Section 16 filing includes a practical explanation as to the nature of the transfer). Cowen and Company, LLC in its sole discretion may release any of the securities subject to these lock-up agreements at any time without notice.
Our initial shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their (1) founder shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) one year after the completion of our initial business combination and (B) subsequent to our initial business combination, (x) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property or (y) if the last reported sale price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, consolidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and other similar transactions) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination and (2) alignment shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) their conversion into Class A ordinary shares; and (B) subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, the date on which we complete a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of our public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, except, in each case, as described herein under “Principal Shareholders — Transfers of Founder Shares, Alignment Shares and Private Placement Shares.”. Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our initial shareholders with respect to any such founder shares or alignment shares, as applicable.
The private placement shares will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination (except with respect to permitted transferees as described in this prospectus under “Principal Shareholders — Transfers of Founder Shares, Alignment Shares and Private Placement Shares”).
We have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in that respect.
We expect our Class A ordinary shares to be listed on Nasdaq, under the symbol “PANA”.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our securities.
The determination of our per share offering price was more arbitrary than would typically be the case if we were an operating company. Among the factors considered in determining the initial public offering price were the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other
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companies, prior offerings of those companies, our management, our capital structure, and currently prevailing general conditions in equity securities markets, including current market valuations of publicly traded companies considered comparable to our company. We cannot assure you, however, that the price at which the Class A ordinary shares will sell in the public market after this offering will not be lower than the initial public offering price or that an active trading market in our Class A ordinary shares will develop and continue after this offering.
In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
• Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.
• Over-allotment involves sales by the underwriters of Class A ordinary shares in excess of the number of shares the underwriters are obligated to purchase, which creates a syndicate short position. The short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of Class A ordinary shares over-allotted by the underwriters is not greater than the number of shares that they may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of Class A ordinary shares involved is greater than the number of shares in the over-allotment option. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their over-allotment option and/or purchasing Class A ordinary shares in the open market.
• Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the Class A ordinary shares in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. In determining the source of Class A ordinary shares to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of Class A ordinary shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase Class A ordinary shares through the over-allotment option. If the underwriters sell more shares than could be covered by the over-allotment option, a naked short position, the position can only be closed out by buying Class A ordinary shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there could be downward pressure on the price of the Class A ordinary shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering.
• Penalty bids permit the representative to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the Class A ordinary shares originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions.
These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our Class A ordinary shares or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our Class A ordinary shares. As a result, the price of our Class A ordinary shares may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. These transactions may be effected on Nasdaq or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include sales and trading, commercial and investment banking, advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, market making, brokerage and other financial and non-financial activities and services. The underwriters and their affiliates have engaged in, and may in the future engage in, investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us or our affiliates. They have received, or may in the future receive, customary fees and commissions for these transactions.
In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates, officers, directors and employees may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including
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bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the web sites maintained by the underwriters, or selling group members, if any, participating in this offering and the underwriters participating in this offering may distribute prospectuses electronically. The representative may agree to allocate a number of Class A ordinary shares to underwriters and selling group members for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the underwriters and selling group members that will make internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.
The Class A ordinary shares are offered for sale in those jurisdictions in the United States, Europe, Asia and elsewhere where it is lawful to make such offers.
The underwriters have represented and agreed that it has not offered, sold or delivered and will not offer, sell or deliver any of the Class A ordinary shares directly or indirectly, or distribute this prospectus or any other offering material relating to the Class A ordinary shares, in or from any jurisdiction except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable laws and regulations thereof and that will not impose any obligations or other duties on us except as set forth in the underwriting agreement.
Affiliations
The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The underwriters and their affiliates may from time to time in the future engage with us and perform services for us or in the ordinary course of their business for which they will receive customary fees and expenses. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of us. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of these securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in these securities and instruments.
We are not under any contractual obligation to engage any of the underwriters to provide any services for us after this offering, and have no present intent to do so. However, any of the underwriters may introduce us to potential target businesses or assist us in raising additional capital in the future. If any of the underwriters provide services to us after this offering, we may pay such underwriter fair and reasonable fees that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with any of the underwriters and no fees for such services will be paid to any of the underwriters prior to the date that is 60 days from the date of this prospectus, unless such payment would not be deemed underwriter’s compensation in connection with this offering. We may pay the underwriters of this offering or any entity with which they are affiliated a finder’s fee or other compensation for services rendered to us in connection with the completion of a business combination.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the Cayman Islands
No offer or invitation, whether directly or indirectly, may be made to the public in the Cayman Islands to subscribe for our securities.
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Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada
The Class A ordinary shares may be sold in Canada only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 — Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 — Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the Class A ordinary shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.
Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.
Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 — Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom (each, a “Relevant State”) no Class A ordinary shares have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation), except that offers of Class A ordinary shares may be made to the public in that Relevant State at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:
(a) to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Regulation;
(b) to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representative for any such offer; or
(c) in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation.
provided that no such offer of shares referred to above shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.
Each purchaser of shares described in this prospectus located within a Relevant State will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that it is a “qualified investor” within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any Class A ordinary shares in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Class A ordinary shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.
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This European Economic Area selling restriction is in addition to any other selling restrictions set out below.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong
The Class A ordinary shares may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong) and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the Class A ordinary shares may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to Class A ordinary shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Israel
This document does not constitute a prospectus under the Israeli Securities Law, 5728-1968 (the “Israel Securities Law”), and has not been filed with or approved by the Israel Securities Authority. In Israel, this prospectus is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer of the Class A ordinary shares is directed only at, (i) a limited number of persons in accordance with the Israeli Securities Law and (ii) investors listed in the first addendum (the “Addendum”), to the Israeli Securities Law, consisting primarily of joint investment in trust funds, provident funds, insurance companies, banks, portfolio managers, investment advisors, members of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, underwriters, venture capital funds, entities with equity in excess of NIS 50 million and “qualified individuals,” each as defined in the Addendum (as it may be amended from time to time), collectively referred to as qualified investors (in each case, purchasing for their own account or, where permitted under the Addendum, for the accounts of their clients who are investors listed in the Addendum). Qualified investors are required to submit written confirmation that they fall within the scope of the Addendum, are aware of the meaning of same and agree to it.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan
The Class A ordinary shares have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948, as amended) and, accordingly, will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan, or for the benefit of any Japanese Person or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to any Japanese Person, except in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines promulgated by relevant Japanese governmental or regulatory authorities in effect at the relevant time. For the purposes of this paragraph, “Japanese Person” shall mean any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore
This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the Class A ordinary shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the Class A ordinary shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289
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of Singapore (the “SFA”), (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to compliance with conditions set forth in the SFA.
Where the Class A ordinary shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:
• a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or
• a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:
• to an institutional investor (for corporations, under Section 274 of the SFA) or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person pursuant to an offer that is made on terms that such shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or such rights and interest in that trust are acquired at a consideration of not less than S$200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction, whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets, and further for corporations, in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA;
• where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; or
• where the transfer is by operation of law.
Notification under Section 309B of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore: The Class A ordinary shares are prescribed capital markets products (as defined in the Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) Regulations 2018 and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom
The underwriters have represented and agreed that:
(a) they have only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the Class A ordinary shares in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the company; and
(b) they have complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Class A ordinary shares in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.
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LEGAL MATTERS
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Palo Alto, California, is acting as counsel in connection with the registration of our Class A ordinary shares under the Securities Act. Maples and Calder, Cayman Islands, will pass upon the validity of the Class A ordinary shares offered in this prospectus. Greenberg Traurig, LLP is acting as counsel to the underwriters.
EXPERTS
The financial statements of Panacea Acquisition Corp. II as of January 15, 2021 and for the period from January 14, 2021 (inception) through January 15, 2021 appearing in this prospectus have been audited by WithumSmith+Brown, PC, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities we are offering by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For further information about us and our securities, you should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed with the registration statement. Whenever we make reference in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the references are materially complete but may not include a description of all aspects of such contracts, agreements or other documents, and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contract, agreement or other document.
Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and will file annual, quarterly and current event reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of
Panacea Acquisition Corp. II
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Panacea Acquisition Corp. II (the “Company”) as of January 15, 2021, and the related statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the period from January 14, 2021 (inception) through January 15, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of January 15, 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from January 14, 2021 (inception) through January 15, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the “PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2021.
New York, New York
February 1, 2021
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
BALANCE SHEET
JANUARY 15, 2021
ASSETS | | | | |
Deferred offering costs | | $ | 254,087 | |
TOTAL ASSETS | | $ | 254,087 | |
| | | | |
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY | | | | |
Current Liabilities | | | | |
Accrued offering costs | | $ | 234,087 | |
Total Current Liabilities | | | 234,087 | |
| | | | |
Commitments and Contingencies | | | | |
| | | | |
Shareholders’ Equity | | | | |
Preference shares, $0.0001 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding | | | — | |
Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding | | | — | |
Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 2,300,000 shares issued and outstanding(1) | | | 230 | |
Class F ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 3,450,000 shares issued and outstanding(1) | | | 345 | |
Additional paid-in capital | | | 24,425 | |
Accumulated deficit | | | (5,000 | ) |
Total Shareholders’ Equity | | | 20,000 | |
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY | | $ | 254,087 | |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JANUARY 14, 2021 (INCEPTION) THROUGH JANUARY 15, 2021
Formation and operating costs | | $ | 5,000 | |
Net loss | | $ | (5,000 | ) |
| | | | |
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted(1) | | | 5,000,000 | |
| | | | |
Basic and diluted net loss per ordinary share | | $ | (0.00 | ) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JANUARY 14, 2021 (INCEPTION) THROUGH JANUARY 15, 2021
| | Class B Ordinary Shares | | Class F Ordinary Shares | | Additional Paid-in Capital | | Accumulated Deficit | | Total Shareholders’ Equity |
| | Shares | | Amount | | Share | | Amount | |
Balance – January 14, 2021 (inception) | | — | | $ | — | | — | | $ | — | | $ | — | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Issuance of Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares to Sponsor(1) | | 2,300,000 | | | 230 | | 3,450,000 | | | 345 | | | 24,425 | | | — | | | | 25,000 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net loss | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | | — | | | (5,000 | ) | | | (5,000 | ) |
Balance – January 15, 2021 | | 2,300,000 | | $ | 230 | | 3,450,000 | | $ | 345 | | $ | 24,425 | | $ | (5,000 | ) | | $ | 20,000 | |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JANUARY 14, 2021 (INCEPTION) THROUGH JANUARY 15, 2021
Cash Flows from Operating Activities: | | | | |
Net loss | | $ | (5,000 | ) |
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: | | | | |
Payment of formation costs through issuance of Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares | | | 5,000 | |
Net cash used in operating activities | | | — | |
| | | | |
Net Change in Cash | | | — | |
Cash – Beginning of period | | | — | |
Cash – End of period | | $ | — | |
| | | | |
Non-cash investing and financing activities: | | | | |
Deferred offering costs included in accrued offering costs | | $ | 234,087 | |
Deferred offering costs paid by Sponsor in exchange for the issuance of Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares | | $ | 20,000 | |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 1 — ORGANIZATION AND PLAN OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Panacea Acquisition Corp. II (the “Company”) is a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company on January 14, 2021. The Company was incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (a “Business Combination”).
The Company is not limited to a particular industry or sector for purposes of consummating a Business Combination. The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies.
As of January 15, 2021, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from January 14, 2021 (inception) through January 15, 2021 relates to the Company’s formation and the proposed initial public offering (“Proposed Public Offering”), which is described below. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of a Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Proposed Public Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
The Company’s ability to commence operations is contingent upon obtaining adequate financial resources through a Proposed Public Offering of 15,000,000 Class A ordinary shares (the “Public Shares”) at $10.00 per Public Share (or 17,250,000 Public Shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), which is discussed in Note 3, and the sale of 500,000 Class A ordinary shares (or up to 545,000 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) (the “Private Placement Shares”) at a price of $10.00 per Private Placement Share in a private placement to EcoR1 Panacea Holdings II, LLC (an affiliate of EcoR1 Capital, LLC) (the “Sponsor”) that will close simultaneously with the Proposed Public Offering.
The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Proposed Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Shares, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. The stock exchange listing rules require that the Business Combination must be with one or more operating businesses or assets with a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the assets held in the Trust Account (as defined below) (excluding deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the income earned on the Trust Account). The Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-Business Combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). There is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully effect a Business Combination. Upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering, management has agreed that $10.00 per Public Share sold in the Proposed Public Offering, including proceeds of the sale of the Private Placement Shares, will be held in a trust account (“Trust Account”) and invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less, or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund investing solely in U.S. Treasuries and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earliest of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the funds in the Trust Account to the Company’s shareholders, as described below.
The Company will provide the holders of the Public Shares (the “Public Shareholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of the Business Combination, either (i) in connection with a general meeting called to approve the Business
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 1 — ORGANIZATION AND PLAN OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS (cont.)
Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion. The Public Shareholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially anticipated to be $10.00 per Public Share, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its tax obligations). The Public Shares subject to redemption will be recorded at redemption value and classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the Proposed Public Offering in accordance with the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.”
The Company will proceed with a Business Combination only if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 and, if the Company seeks shareholder approval, it receives an ordinary resolution under Cayman Islands law approving a Business Combination, which requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders who attend and vote at a general meeting of the Company. If a shareholder vote is not required and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and file tender offer documents containing substantially the same information as would be included in a proxy statement with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If the Company seeks shareholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor has agreed to vote its Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5), alignment shares (as defined in Note 5), Private Placement Shares and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Proposed Public Offering in favor of approving a Business Combination. Additionally, each Public Shareholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares, without voting, and if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against a proposed Business Combination.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company seeks shareholder approval of the Business Combination and the Company does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, a Public Shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the Public Shares without the Company’s prior written consent.
The Sponsor has agreed (a) to waive its redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares, alignment shares, Private Placement Shares and Public Shares held by it in connection with the completion of a Business Combination and (b) not to propose an amendment to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the Company’s initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period (as defined below) or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless the Company provides the Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the Trust Account and not previously released to pay taxes, divided by the number of then issued and outstanding Public Shares.
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 1 — ORGANIZATION AND PLAN OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS (cont.)
The Company will have until 24 months from the closing of the Proposed Public Offering (or within 27 months of the Proposed Public Offering if the Company has executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle, or definitive agreement for a Business Combination within that 24-month time period but the Company has not completed a Business Combination within such 24-month time period) to consummate a Business Combination (the “Combination Period”). However, if the Company has not completed a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned and not previously released to us to pay our taxes, if any (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish the rights of the Public Shareholders as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining Public Shareholders and its Board of Directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company’s warrants, which will expire worthless if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.
The Sponsor has agreed to waive its rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to the Founder Shares, alignment shares and Private Placement Shares it will receive if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the Sponsor or any of its respective affiliates acquire Public Shares, such Public Shares will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution will be less than the Proposed Public Offering price per Public Share ($10.00).
In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party (other than the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm) for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (1) $10.00 per Public Share and (2) the actual amount per Public Share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.00 per Public Share, due to reductions in the value of trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn to pay taxes. This liability will not apply to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account and as to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriters of the Proposed Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (other than the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 2 — SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.
The Company does not have sufficient liquidity to meet its anticipated obligations over the next year from the date of issuance of these financial statements. In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” management has determined that the Company has access to funds from the Sponsor that are sufficient to fund the working capital needs of the Company until the earlier of the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering and one year from the date of issuance of these financial statements.
Emerging Growth Company
The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period.
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 2 — SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statements, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
Deferred Offering Costs
Deferred offering costs consist of legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Proposed Public Offering and that will be charged to shareholders’ equity upon the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. Should the Proposed Public Offering prove to be unsuccessful, these deferred costs, as well as additional expenses incurred, will be charged to operations.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes,” which prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company’s management determined that the Cayman Islands is the Company’s major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. As of January 15, 2021, there were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position.
The Company is considered to be an exempted Cayman Islands company with no connection to any other taxable jurisdiction and is presently not subject to income taxes or income tax filing requirements in the Cayman Islands or the United States. As such, the Company’s tax provision was zero for the period presented.
Net Loss Per Ordinary Share
Net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding during the period, excluding ordinary shares subject to forfeiture. Weighted average shares were reduced for the effect of an aggregate of 300,000 Class B ordinary shares and 450,000 Class F ordinary shares that are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised (see Notes 5). At January 15, 2021, the Company did not have any dilutive securities and other contracts that could, potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of the Company. As a result, diluted loss per ordinary share is the same as basic loss per ordinary share for the period presented.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the accompanying balance sheet, primarily due to their short-term nature.
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 2 — SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
Recent Accounting Standards
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
NOTE 3 — PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING
Pursuant to the Proposed Public Offering, the Company will offer for sale up to 15,000,000 Public Shares (or 17,250,000 Public Shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a purchase price of $10.00 per Public Shares.
NOTE 4 — PRIVATE PLACEMENT
The Sponsor has committed to purchase an aggregate of 500,000 Private Placement Shares (or 545,000 Private Placement Shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) at a price of $10.00 per Private Placement Share, for an aggregate purchase price of $5,000,000 (or $5,450,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. A portion of the proceeds from the Private Placement Shares will be added to the proceeds from the Proposed Public Offering to be held in the Trust Account. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Shares will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law) and the Private Placement Shares.
NOTE 5 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Founder Shares and Alignment Shares
On January 14, 2021, the Sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain offering costs of the Company in consideration for 2,300,000 Class B ordinary shares (the “Founder Shares”) and 3,450,000 Class F ordinary shares (the “alignment shares”). On January 15, 2021, the Sponsor transferred 25,000 Founder Shares to each of the Company’s independent director nominees at their original purchase price. Up to 300,000 Founder Shares and 450,000 alignment shares are subject to forfeiture by the Sponsor to the extent that the underwriter’s over-allotment is not exercised in full or in part so that the Founder Shares and alignment shares will represent 10% and 15%, respectively, of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares after the Proposed Public Offering (assuming the Sponsor does not purchase any Public Shares in the Proposed Public Offering and excluding the Private Placement Shares).
The Sponsor has agreed, subject to certain limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of the Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) one year after the completion of a Business Combination or (B) subsequent to a Business Combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after a Business Combination, or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
The Sponsor has agreed, subject to certain limited exceptions, not to transfer, assign or sell any of the alignment shares until the earlier of: (A) their conversion into Class A ordinary shares; and (B) subsequent to the initial Business Combination, the date on which the Company completes a
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 5 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (cont.)
merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of the Company’s public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares stock for cash, securities or other property.
Administrative Services Agreement
The Company intends to enter into an agreement, commencing on the date the securities of the Company are first listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market through the earlier of the Company’s consummation of a Business Combination and its liquidation, to pay an affiliate of the Sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, administrative and support services.
Promissory Note — Related Party
On January 14, 2021, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note (the “Promissory Note”) to the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Company may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $300,000. The Promissory Note is non-interest bearing and payable on the earlier of (i) December 31, 2021 and (ii) the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. As of January 15, 2021, there were no borrowings outstanding under the Promissory Note.
Related Party Loans
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor, an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds on a non-interest basis as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans, but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. The Working Capital Loans would be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into Class A ordinary shares at a price of $10.00 per share. As of January 15, 2021, the Company had no outstanding borrowings under the Working Capital Loans.
NOTE 6 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Risks and Uncertainties
Management continues to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations, close of the Proposed Public Offering and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 6 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (cont.)
Registration Rights
The holders of the Founder Shares, alignment shares, Private Placement Shares, forward purchase shares and Class A ordinary shares that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of the Proposed Public Offering requiring the Company to register such securities for resale (in the case of the Founder Shares and alignment shares, only after conversion to Class A ordinary shares). The holders of these securities will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form registration demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of a Business Combination and rights to require the Company to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. The registration rights agreement does not contain liquidating damages or other cash settlement provisions resulting from delays in registering the Company’s securities. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
The Company will grant the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to 2,250,000 additional Public Shares to cover over-allotments at the Proposed Public Offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions.
The underwriters will be entitled to a cash underwriting discount of $0.20 per Public Share, or $3,000,000 in the aggregate (or $3,450,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), payable upon the closing of the Proposed Public Offering. In addition, the underwriters will be entitled to a deferred fee of $0.35 per Unit, or $5,250,000 in the aggregate (or $6,037,500 in the aggregate if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that the Company completes a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
Forward Purchase Agreement
The Company intends to enter into a forward purchase agreement pursuant to which the funds affiliated with EcoR1 Capital, LLC (the “forward purchase investors”) have agreed to purchase an aggregate of up to 2,500,000 shares (the “forward purchase shares”), for a purchase price of $10.00 per share, or an aggregate of $25,000,000, in a private placement to close concurrently with the closing of a Business Combination. The obligations under the forward purchase agreements will not depend on whether any Class A ordinary shares are redeemed by the public shareholders. The forward purchase shares will be identical to the Class A ordinary shares included in the Public Shares being sold in the Proposed Public Offering, except that they will be subject to certain registration rights.
The proceeds from the sale of the forward purchase shares may be used as part of the consideration to the sellers in a Business Combination, expenses in connection with a Business Combination or for working capital. This purchase will be required to be made regardless of whether any Public Shares are redeemed by the Public Shareholders and are intended to provide the Company with a minimum funding level for a Business Combination.
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 7 — SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Preference Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 20,000,000 preference shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share, with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Company’s board of directors. At January 15, 2021, there were no preference shares issued or outstanding.
Class A Ordinary Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of Class A ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share. At January 15, 2021, there were no Class A ordinary shares issued or outstanding.
Class B Ordinary Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of the Class B ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share. At January 15, 2021, there were 2,300,000 Class B ordinary shares issued and outstanding, of which an aggregate of up to 300,000 shares are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised, so that the number of Class B ordinary shares will equal 10% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares after the Proposed Public Offering (assuming the Sponsor does not purchase any Public Shares in the Proposed Public Offering and excluding the Private Placement Shares).
Class F Ordinary Shares — The Company is authorized to issue 50,000,000 Class F ordinary shares, with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of the Class F ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share. At January 15, 2021, there were 3,450,000 Class F ordinary shares issued and outstanding, of which an aggregate of up to 450,000 shares are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised, so that the number of Class F ordinary shares will equal 15% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares after the Proposed Public Offering (assuming the Sponsor does not purchase any Public Shares in the Proposed Public Offering and excluding the Private Placement Shares).
The Class F ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares upon the earlier of (1) the date following a Business Combination on which: (a) one-third of the alignment shares issued and outstanding following the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering, the closing price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $15.00 (b) one-third of the alignment shares issued and outstanding following the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering, the closing price of the Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $20.00 and (c) one-third of the alignment shares issued and outstanding following the consummation of the Proposed Public Offering, the closing price of our Class A ordinary shares equals or exceeds $25.00 and (2) subsequent to the completion of a Business Combination, the date on which the Company completes a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in both a change of control and all of its public shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property, in each case subject to adjustment.
Holders of Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all other matters submitted to a vote of shareholders, except as required by law.
The Class B ordinary shares automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares at the time of a Business Combination, or earlier at the option of the holder, on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment. The Class F ordinary shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one hundred-to-one basis on the business day following the fifth anniversary of a Business Combination, subject to adjustment, provided that alignment shares will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares on a one-to-one basis on or prior to the fifth anniversary of a Business Combination. In the case that additional Class A ordinary shares, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts issued in the Proposed Public Offering and related to the
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PANACEA ACQUISITION CORP. II
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 7 — SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (cont.)
closing of a Business Combination (other than with respect to the Founder Shares, alignment shares or forward purchase shares), the ratio at which Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares shall convert into Class A ordinary shares will be adjusted so that the number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of all Class B ordinary shares and Class F ordinary shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 25% of the total number of all ordinary shares issued and outstanding upon completion of the Proposed Public offering (not including the Private Placement Shares) plus all Class A ordinary shares and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with a Business Combination (net of the number of Class A ordinary shares redeemed in connection with a Business Combination), excluding the forward purchase shares, any Class A ordinary shares issued upon conversion of any Founder Shares, alignment shares or Working Capital Loans, and any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in a Business Combination.
NOTE 8 — SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date up through February 1, 2021, the date that the financial statements were available to be issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.
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Panacea Acquisition Corp. II
Sole Book-Running Manager
Cowen
Until , 2021, all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to unsold allotments or subscriptions.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The estimated expenses payable by us in connection with the offering described in this registration statement (other than the underwriting discount and commissions) will be as follows:
SEC expenses | | $ | 18,820 |
FINRA expenses | | | 26,375 |
Accounting fees and expenses | | | 50,000 |
Printing and engraving expenses | | | 30,000 |
Travel and road show expenses | | | 5,000 |
Directors and officers insurance premiums(1) | | | 450,000 |
Legal fees and expenses | | | 250,000 |
Nasdaq listing and filing fees | | | 75,000 |
Miscellaneous | | | 94,805 |
Total | | $ | 1,000,000 |
Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of directors and officers, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against willful default, willful neglect, civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide for indemnification of our directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by law, including for any liability incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own actual fraud, willful default or willful neglect.
We will be party to agreements with our directors and officers that provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. We may purchase a policy of 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 and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our directors and officers.
We believe that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced directors and officers.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.
In January 2021, our sponsor paid $25,000 to cover certain offering costs of the Company for an aggregate of 2,300,000 Class B ordinary shares and 3,450,000 Class F ordinary shares. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the founder shares would represent 10% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares upon completion of this offering (not including the private placement shares). The number of alignment shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the alignment shares would represent 15% of the issued and
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outstanding ordinary shares upon the completion of this offering (not including the private placement shares). In January 2021, our sponsor transferred 25,000 founder shares to each of our independent director nominees at their original purchase price. Such securities were issued in connection with our organization pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. Each of our sponsor and independent director nominees is an accredited investor for purposes of Rule 501 of Regulation D.
In addition, our sponsor has committed to purchase from us an aggregate of 500,000 (or 545,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) private placement shares at $10.00 per share (for an aggregate purchase price of $5,000,000 or $5,450,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). This purchase will take place on a private placement basis simultaneously with the completion of our initial public offering. Any such issuances will be made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
No underwriting discounts or commissions were paid with respect to such sales.
Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
(a) Exhibits. The following exhibits are being filed herewith:
Exhibit | | Description |
1.1 | | Form of Underwriting Agreement |
3.1 | | Memorandum and Articles of Association |
3.2 | | Form of Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association |
4.1 | | Specimen Class A Ordinary Share Certificate |
5.1 | | Opinion of Maples and Calder |
10.1 | | Promissory Note, dated January 14, 2021 issued to EcoR1 Panacea Holdings II, LLC |
10.2 | | Form of Letter Agreement among the Registrant, the Registrant’s officers and directors and EcoR1 Panacea Holdings II, LLC |
10.3 | | Form of Investment Management Trust Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company and the Registrant |
10.4 | | Form of Registration Rights Agreement among the Registrant, EcoR1 Panacea Holdings II, LLC and certain security holders |
10.5 | | Securities Subscription Agreement, dated January 14, 2021, between the Registrant and EcoR1 Panacea Holdings II, LLC |
10.6 | | Form of Private Placement Share Purchase Agreement between the Registrant and EcoR1 Panacea Holdings II, LLC |
10.7 | | Form of Indemnity Agreement |
10.8 | | Form of Administrative Services Agreement, between the Registrant and EcoR1 Capital, LLC |
10.9 | | Form of Forward Purchase Agreement, among the Registrant, EcoR1 Panacea Holdings II, LLC, EcoR1 Capital Fund, L.P. and EcoR1 Capital Fund Qualified, L.P. |
14 | | Form of Code of Ethics and Business Conduct |
23.1 | | Consent of WithumSmith+Brown, PC |
23.2 | | Consent of Maples and Calder (included in Exhibit 5.1) |
24 | | Power of Attorney (included on the signature page to the initial filing of this Registration Statement) |
99.1 | | Consent of Douglas Giordano |
99.2 | | Consent of Nina Kjellson |
99.3 | | Consent of Praveen Tipirneni |
99.4 | | Consent of Douglas E. Williams |
(b) Financial Statements. See page F-1 for an index to the financial statements and schedules included in the registration statement.
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Item 17. Undertakings.
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
(b) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, 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 Securities 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) For the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser, if the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. 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 first use, 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 date of first use.
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(4) For the purpose of determining liability of a registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of an 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 an 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.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Francisco, State of California on the 9th day of March 2021.
| | Panacea Acquisition Corp. II |
| | By: | | /s/ Oleg Nodelman |
| | Name: | | Oleg Nodelman |
| | Title: | | Chief Executive Officer |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned constitutes and appoints each of Oleg Nodelman and Scott Perlen, each acting alone, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this Registration Statement on Form S-1 (including all pre-effective and post-effective amendments and registration statements filed pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act of 1933), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming that any such attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
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/ Oleg Nodelman | | Chief Executive Officer | | March 9, 2021 |
Oleg Nodelman | | (Principal Executive Officer) | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Scott Perlen | | Chief Financial Officer | | March 9, 2021 |
Scott Perlen | | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Sarah Marriott | | Secretary and Board Member | | March 9, 2021 |
Sarah Marriott | | | | |
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