PROPOSAL THREE:
APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE 2022 PLAN
The discussion of the 2022 Plan, as set forth in this proxy statement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 2022 Plan, which sets forth the terms of the 2022 Plan. A copy of the 2022 Plan is filed as exhibits to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 16, 2024 and is hereby incorporated by reference into this proxy statement.
General
Our stockholders are asked to approve an amendment to the Company’s 2022 Plan (the “2022 Plan Amendment”) to increase the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the 2022 Plan from 1,482,152 shares to 3,400,000 shares and to amend the 2022 Plan’s annual evergreen increase provision to provide for annual increases beginning January 1, 2027 and ending on and including January 1, 2033, in lieu of the prior annual increase period ending on January 1, 2031. The 2022 Plan was originally adopted on November 1, 2022.
As of the record date, there were 896,028 awards have been granted under the 2022 Plan, and 62,791 shares of common stock remain available for issuance under the 2022 Plan.
The Compensation Committee recommended that the Board, because the 2017 Plan does not permit the issuance of RSUs, cancel 1,319,394 outstanding stock options previously granted under the 2017 Plan, and issue an equivalent amount of RSUs under the 2022 Plan to each affected option holder on a one-for-one basis in exchange for the cancellation of such options. In order to accommodate the issuance of RSUs in connection with this exchange and to ensure that the Corporation maintains a sufficient reserve of shares available for future equity incentive awards to attract, retain, and motivate key employees, consultants, and directors, on April 9, 2026, the Board approved the 2022 Plan Amendment, subject to stockholder approval, to increase the number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance from 1,482,152 shares to 3,400,000 shares and to amend the 2022 Plan’s annual evergreen increase provision to provide for annual increases beginning January 1, 2027 and ending on and including January 1, 2033, in lieu of the prior annual increase period ending on January 1, 2031. A copy of 2022 Plan Amendment is attached to this proxy statement as Annex A. If the stockholders approve the 2022 Plan Amendment, it will become effective on the day of the Annual Meeting.
The following summary briefly describes the principal features of the 2022 Plan and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the 2022 Plan.
Purpose of the 2022 Plan: The purposes of the 2022 Plan is to benefit the stockholders of the Company, by assisting the Company to attract, retain and provide incentives to key management employees and non-employee directors of, and non-employee consultants to, the Company and its affiliates, and to align the interests of such employees, non-employee directors and non-employee consultants with those of the Company’s stockholders.
Administration of the 2022 Plan: The 2022 Plan shall be administered by the board of directors or the committee designated by the board of directors. Among other things, the administrator has the authority to select persons who will receive awards, determine the time or times when an award shall be made, what type of award shall be granted, the term of an award, the date or dates on which an award vests (including acceleration of vesting), the form of any payment to be made pursuant to an award, the terms and conditions of an award (including the forfeiture of the award (and/or any financial gain) if the holder of the award violates any applicable restrictive covenant thereof), the restrictions under a restricted stock award and the number of common stock which may be issued under an award, all as applicable. In addition, subject to the express provisions of the 2022 Plan, the administrator is authorized to construe the 2022 Plan and the respective award agreements executed thereunder, to prescribe such rules and regulations relating to the 2022 Plan as it may deem advisable to carry out the intent of the 2022 Plan, to determine the terms, restrictions and provisions of each award, and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for administering the 2022 Plan.
Eligible Recipients: Persons eligible to receive awards under the 2022 Plan will be those officers, employees, directors, advisors, and consultants of the Company or an affiliated entity who are selected by the administrator.
Shares Available under the Plan: The maximum number of shares of our common stock that may be delivered to participants under the 2022 Plan is 1,482,152 shares, subject to adjustment for certain corporate changes affecting the shares, such as stock splits. Shares subject to an award under the 2022 Plan for which the award lapses, expires, is canceled, terminated, unexercised or ceases to be exercisable again become available for grants under the 2022 Plan.