S-3
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 2, 2014

Registration No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

BIOAMBER INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   20-1579162

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

1250 Rene Levesque West, Suite 4110

Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3B 4W8

Telephone: (514) 844-8000

 

3850 Annapolis Lane North, Suite 180

Plymouth, Minnesota 55447

Telephone: (763) 253-4480

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

Jean-François Huc

President and Chief Executive Officer

BioAmber Inc.

1250 Rene Levesque West, Suite 4110

Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3B 4W8

Telephone: (514) 844-8000

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

 

 

Copies to:

Jocelyn M. Arel, Esq.

Michael J. Minahan, Esq.

Goodwin Procter LLP

Exchange Place

Boston, Massachusetts 02109-2881

(617) 570-1000

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.

 

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

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of

Securities To Be Registered(1)

 

Proposed

Maximum
Aggregate

Offering Price(1)

 

Amount of

Registration Fee(1)

Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share

  (2)   (2)

Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share

  (2)   (2)

Warrants

  (2)   (2)

Debt Securities

  (2)   (2)

Units(3)

  (2)   (2)

Total

  $100,000,000   $12,880

 

 

(1) An indeterminate amount of the securities of each identified class is being registered as may from time to time be offered hereunder at indeterminate prices, along with an indeterminate number of securities that may be issued upon exercise, settlement, exchange or conversion of securities offered or sold hereunder. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issuable upon conversion, exercise or exchange of other securities. In addition, the proposed maximum aggregate offering price is estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(2) The proposed maximum aggregate offering price per unit will be determined from time to time by the registrant in connection with the issuance by the registrant of the securities registered hereunder and is not specified as to each class of security pursuant to General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(3) Consisting of some or all of the securities listed above, in any combination, including common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and warrants.

 

 

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 that specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


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

 

Subject to Completion, Dated June 2, 2014

PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

$100,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Units

 

 

From time to time, we may offer up to $100,000,000 of any combination of the securities described in this prospectus, either individually or in units. Each time we offer securities, we will provide the specific terms of the securities offered in one or more supplements to this prospectus. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as any documents incorporated by reference, before buying any of the securities being offered.

The securities offered by this prospectus may be sold directly by us to investors, through agents designated from time to time or to or through underwriters or dealers. We will set forth the names of any underwriters or agents and any applicable fees, commissions, discounts and over-allotments in an accompanying prospectus supplement. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus and in the applicable prospectus supplement. The price to the public of such securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “BIOA.” On June 2, 2014, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange was $9.65 per share. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing, if any, on the New York Stock Exchange or any securities market or other exchange of the securities covered by the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should review carefully the risks and uncertainties referenced under the heading “Risk Factors” on page 8 of this prospectus as well as those contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

 

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is             , 2014.


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     1   

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     1   

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

     2   

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     3   

SUMMARY

     4   

RISK FACTORS

     8   

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

     9   

USE OF PROCEEDS

     10   

DILUTION

     11   

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     12   

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     14   

DESCRIPTION OF OUR DEBT SECURITIES

     22   

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     28   

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

     30   

FORMS OF SECURITIES

     31   

LEGAL MATTERS

     33   

EXPERTS

     33   


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer shares of our common stock and preferred stock, various series of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock and debt securities, either individually or in units, in one or more offerings, up to a total dollar amount of $100,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer a type or series of securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain more specific information about the specific terms of the offering. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. Each such prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We urge you to carefully read this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, together with the information incorporated herein by reference as described under the headings “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” before buying any of the securities being offered.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information in addition to or different from that contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representation. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. You should assume that the information in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of the document and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus, or any sale of a security. Our business, financial condition, results of operating and prospects may have changed materially since those dates.

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

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We post on our public website (www.bio-amber.com) our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our website and the information contained on that site, or connected to that site, are not incorporated into and are not a part of this prospectus.

You can find, copy and inspect information we file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room, which is located at 100 F Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information about the operation of the SEC’s public reference room. You can also review our electronically filed reports and other information that we file with the SEC on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC. The registration statement contained more information than this prospectus regarding us and the securities, including exhibits and schedules. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement from the SEC at any address listed above or from the SEC’s website. You should review the information and exhibits in the registration statement for further information on us and our consolidated subsidiary and the securities we are offering. Statements in this prospectus concerning any document we filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or that we otherwise filed with the SEC are not intended to be comprehensive and are qualified by reference to these filings. You should review the complete document to evaluate these statements.

 

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents instead of having to repeat the information in this prospectus. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below that we have filed with the SEC:

 

    description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed May 1, 2013;

 

    description of our warrants contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A filed May 9, 2013 and amended on May 10, 2013;

 

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

 

    our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2014, filed on May 13, 2014; and

 

    our Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 30, 2014.

We also incorporate by reference into this prospectus all documents (other than current reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits filed on such form that are related to such items) that are filed by us with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (i) after the date of the initial filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and prior to effectiveness of the registration statement, or (ii) after the date of this prospectus until we sell all of the shares covered by this prospectus or the sale of shares by us pursuant to this prospectus is terminated.

A statement contained in a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or in any other subsequently filed document which is also incorporated in this prospectus modifies or replaces such statement. Any statements so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus or those documents.

You may request a copy of these documents, orally or in writing, which will be provided to you at no cost by contacting: BioAmber Inc., 1250 Rene Levesque West, Suite 4110, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3B 4W8, or calling (514) 844-8000.

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains statements that are not historical facts and are considered forward-looking within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. These forward-looking statements contain projections of our future results of operations or of our financial position or state other forward-looking information. In some cases you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “plan,” “projected” or the negative of such words or other similar words or phrases. We believe that it is important to communicate our future expectations to our investors. However, there may be events in the future that we are not able to accurately predict or control and that may cause our actual results to differ materially from the expectations we describe in our forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on forward-looking statements because they involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those discussed as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to:

 

    the expected funding sources of our planned Sarnia, Ontario plant and our other planned manufacturing facilities and the expected timing of the completion of construction and the start of commercial operations at each of these facilities;

 

    our joint venture with Mitsui & Co. Ltd., or Mitsui;

 

    our take-or-pay agreement with Vinmar International Ltd., or Vinmar, related to bio-based 1, 4 BDO;

 

    our take-or-pay agreement with PTT MCC Biochem Company Limited, or PTTMCC, related to bio-succinic acid from our planned Sarnia, Ontario plant;

 

    the expected applications of our products and the sizes of addressable markets;

 

    our ability to gain market acceptance for bio-succinic acid, its derivatives and other building block chemicals;

 

    the benefits of our transition from our E. coli bacteria to our yeast;

 

    our ability to commence commercial sales and execute on our commercial expansion plan, including the timing and volume of our future production and sales;

 

    the expected cost-competitiveness and relative performance attributes of our bio-succinic acid and the products derived from it;

 

    our ability to cost-effectively produce and commercialize bio-succinic acid, its derivatives and other building block chemicals;

 

    customer qualification, approval and acceptance of our products;

 

    our ability to maintain and advance strategic partnerships and collaborations and the expected benefits and accessible markets related to those partnerships and collaborations;

 

    our ability to economically obtain feedstock and other inputs;

 

    the achievement of advances in our technology platform;

 

    our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for our products and processes and not infringe on others’ rights;

 

    government regulatory and industry certification approvals for our facilities and products;

 

    government policymaking and incentives relating to bio-chemicals;

and other risks and uncertainties referenced under “Risk Factors” below and in any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus and any documents incorporated by reference herein or therein. You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which the statements were made and are not guarantees of future performance. Except as may be required by applicable law, we do not undertake or intend to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this prospectus or the respective dates of documents incorporated herein or therein that include forward-looking statements.

 

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SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information from this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and does not contain all of the information that you need to consider in making your investment decision. You should carefully read the entire prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, including the risks of investing in our securities referred to under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should also carefully read the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including our financial statements, and the exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, throughout this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, the words “BioAmber,” “we,” “us,” “our,” the “company” or similar references refer to BioAmber Inc. and its subsidiaries; and the term “securities” refers collectively to our common stock, preferred stock, warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, debt securities, or any combination of the foregoing securities.

This prospectus and the information incorporated herein by reference includes trademarks, service marks and trade names owned by us or other companies. All trademarks, service marks and trade names included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus are the property of their respective owners.

Our Company

We are an industrial biotechnology company producing sustainable chemicals. Our proprietary technology platform combines industrial biotechnology and chemical catalysis to convert renewable feedstocks into sustainable chemicals that are cost-competitive replacements for petroleum-derived chemicals, which are used in a wide variety of everyday products including plastics, resins, food additives and personal care products. We currently sell our first product, bio-succinic acid, to customers in a variety of chemical markets. We intend to produce bio-succinic acid that is cost-competitive with succinic acid produced from petroleum at our planned facility in Sarnia, Ontario. We currently produce our bio-succinic acid in a large-scale demonstration facility using a 350,000 liter fermenter in Pomacle, France, which we believe to be among the largest bio-based chemical fermenters in the world. We have produced approximately 3.39 million pounds, or 1.539 metric tons, of bio-succinic acid at this facility as of May 31, 2014.

Succinic acid can be used to manufacture a wide variety of products used every day, including plastics, food additives and personal care products, and can also be used as a building block for a number of derivative chemicals. Today, petroleum-derived succinic acid is not used in many potential applications because of its relatively high production costs and selling price. We believe that our low-cost production capability and our development of next-generation bio-succinic derived products including 1,4 BDO, which is used to produce polyesters, plastics, spandex and other products, will provide us with access to a more than $10 billion market opportunity. Combining these opportunities with other building block chemicals we are developing, such as adipic acid, which is used in the production of nylons, we believe that our total addressable market is in excess of $30 billion.

We believe we can produce bio-succinic acid that is cost-competitive with succinic acid produced from oil priced as low as $35 per barrel, based on management’s estimates of production costs at our planned facility in Sarnia, Ontario and an assumed corn price of $6.50 per bushel. While we can provide no assurance that we will be able to secure corn at $6.50 per bushel given the fluctuations in corn prices, we believe this assumption is reasonable given the historic price of corn and management’s expectations as to their ability to manage the cost of glucose from corn and other inputs for our planned facility in Sarnia, Ontario. Over the past five years, the price of corn ranged from a low of $2.68 per bushel to a high of $8.44 per bushel. As of May 31, 2014, the spot price was $4.52 per bushel and the six-month forward price was $4.58 per bushel. We estimate that a $1.00 increase or decrease in the per bushel price of corn would result in just a $0.025 per pound change in our variable cost of our bio-succinic acid. We expect the productivity of our yeast organism and on-going process improvements to further reduce our production costs. Our ability to compete on cost is not dependent on government subsidies or tariffs.

We have signed a take-or-pay supply agreement with PTT-MCC Biochem for the supply of bio-succinic acid for their subsequent production of bio-based polymers. We have entered into strategic relationships with several segment leaders, such as our partnership with LANXESS for phthalate-free plasticizers made with bio-succinic acid, our agreement with Inolex for the development and commercialization of succinic acid esters in personal care applications, and our collaboration with Stahl for the development of coatings made with our bio-succinic acid.

We have also entered into technology partnerships to lower our production costs, expand our product portfolio and enhance our biochemical production platform. For example, we entered into a technology partnership with Cargill through which we exclusively

 

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license a proprietary yeast organism for use in our fermentation process to produce our products. We refer to the yeast organism that we have licensed from Cargill as “our yeast.” We have also established other technology licenses and collaborations, including with DuPont, Evonik and Celexion.

Our business strategy is to leverage the value of our technology by building and operating production facilities around the world. However, depending on our access to capital and third-party demand for our technology, we may also enter into technology licenses on an opportunistic basis.

In order to support our growth, we plan to rapidly expand our manufacturing capacity beyond the current production at the large-scale demonstration facility we operate in Pomacle, France. We have entered into a joint venture with Mitsui to finance, build and operate a manufacturing facility in Sarnia, Ontario through our BioAmber Sarnia subsidiary in which we own a 70% equity interest and Mitsui owns the remaining 30%. The joint venture agreement, which was entered into on November 2, 2011 and amended on January 24, 2014, also establishes our non-binding intent to build and operate a BDO and/or succinic acid production facility with Mitsui, which we expect to occur by the end of 2017. As part of the amendment, Mitsui increased its maximum capital commitment to the project from $23.7 million to $45.6 million in order to maintain a 30% equity stake in the joint venture. In exchange, Mitsui obtained the right to sell us back its shares in the Sarnia joint venture under certain specific circumstances: (i) Mitsui has the right to sell its shares and we have the obligation to purchase those shares at 100% of the investment value if the cost of the Sarnia facility is greater than $140 million and we do not provide the additional funds to complete the facility, with a corresponding increase in our prorata share of the joint venture; (ii) in the event of an occurrence of a dissolution event of the joint venture until December 31, 2020, Mitsui has the right to sell its shares and we have the obligation to purchase those shares at 100% of the investment value, with the dissolution event consisting of the Sarnia plant not being operational by January 31, 2016, cumulative losses accrued from 2016 through 2020 exceeding 75% of paid-in capital, no after-tax profit earned in any three consecutive years from 2016 onwards, and any act of insolvency, bankruptcy, or similar event, and (iii) until December 31, 2018, Mitsui in its sole discretion may sell its shares and we must purchase those shares at a 50% discount to their investment value.

To date, we have entered into several supply agreements and memoranda of understanding, or MOUs, that contemplate, but do not obligate, us to supply approximately 144,000 metric tons of bio-succinic acid, and, as we continue construction of our planned facility in Sarnia, Ontario, we are actively seeking to enter into definitive supply agreements and form new relationships with potential customers. For example, on April 18, 2014, we entered into a three year supply agreement with PTT MCC Biochem Company Limited, or PTTMCC, a joint venture between PTT Public Company Limited and Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation that was established to produce and sell polybutylene succinate, or PBS, a biodegradable plastic made from succinic acid and 1,4 BDO. PTTMCC is constructing a PBS plant in Thailand that is expected to be operational in the first half of 2015 and consume approximately 14,000 tons of succinic acid per year at full capacity. This supply agreement provides that we will exclusively supply a minimum of 80% of PTTMCC’s total bio-succinic needs until the end of 2017, with approximately 50% of the total purchases under take-or-pay terms. This is one of many potential customers and applications that we are targeting for the bio-succinic acid that we plan to produce at our Sarnia facility, and we expect to enter into additional definitive supply agreements in advance of mechanical completion in late 2014 or early 2015. These supply agreements reflect our ongoing efforts to expand the succinic acid addressable market into new applications such as PBS.

We also expect to grow our revenue base by developing new value-added applications and derivative products. On January 22, 2014, we entered into a 15 year take-or-pay contract for bio-based 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) with Vinmar International Ltd., a privately held marketing, distribution, and project developed company headquartered in Houston, Texas. Under the terms of the master off-take agreement, Vinmar has committed to purchase 100% of the bio-based 1, 4 BDO produced in a 100,000 metric ton per year capacity plant that we plan to build in North America and commission in 2017. Vinmar also plans to invest in the facility alongside us. While this agreement is binding, our inability to finance and construct the BDO plant would relieve Vinmar of its obligation to purchase BDO under the terms of the take-or-pay agreement.

We are committed to managing our economic, social, environmental and ethical performance through continued sustainable business practices. We have completed a life cycle analysis for our planned facility in Sarnia that indicates that no carbon dioxide equivalent (or greenhouse gases) will be emitted per kilogram of our bio-succinic acid produced, making our process carbon neutral. This is significantly less carbon intensive than the current petrochemical process for making succinic acid, in which 7.1 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent are emitted per kilogram of succinic acid produced. This represents a 100% reduction in greenhouse gases for our bio-succinic acid process, relative to the current petrochemical process for making succinic acid. The life cycle analysis also indicates that our planned facility in Sarnia will consume 60% less energy than the current petrochemical process.

 

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We were incorporated in the State of Delaware in October 2008 as DNP Green Technology, Inc. and were established as the result of the spin-off of certain assets from Diversified Natural Products, Inc. In September 2010, we acquired the 50% interest in our joint venture BioAmber S.A.S. that we did not already own, after which, BioAmber S.A.S. became wholly owned by us. Concurrent with this acquisition, we changed our name from DNP Green Technology, Inc. to BioAmber Inc. and changed our fiscal year end from June 30 to December 31.

Our principal executive offices are located at 1250 Rene Levesque West, Suite 4110, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3B 4W8, and our principal research and development facility is located at 3850 Annapolis Lane North, Suite 180, Plymouth, Minnesota, United States of America, 55447. Our telephone number in the United States is (763) 253-4480 and our telephone number in Canada is (514) 844-8000. Our website address is www.bio-amber.com. We do not incorporate the information on or accessible through our website into this prospectus, and you should not consider any information on, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this prospectus.

The Securities We May Offer

We may offer shares of our common stock and preferred stock, various series of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock and debt securities, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt, either individually or in units, with a total value of up to $100,000,000 from time to time under this prospectus at prices and on terms to be determined at the time of any offering. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer a type or series of securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices and other important terms of the securities.

The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in documents we have incorporated by reference. However, no prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus will offer a security that is not registered and described in this prospectus at the time of the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

We may sell the securities directly to investors or to or through agents, underwriters or dealers. We, and our agents or underwriters, reserve the right to accept or reject all or part of any proposed purchase of securities. If we do offer securities to or through agents or underwriters, we will include in the applicable prospectus supplement:

 

    the names of those agents or underwriters;

 

    applicable fees, discounts and commissions to be paid to them;

 

    details regarding over-allotment options, if any; and

 

    the net proceeds to us.

Common Stock. We may issue shares of our common stock from time to time. Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by stockholders and do not have cumulative voting rights. Subject to the preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock, the holders of our outstanding shares of common stock are entitled to receive dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of legally available funds. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities, subject to the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Preferred Stock. We may issue shares of our preferred stock from time to time, in one or more series. Our board of directors will determine the rights, preferences and privileges of the shares of each wholly unissued series, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon, including dividend rights, conversion rights, preemptive rights, terms of redemption or repurchase, liquidation preferences, sinking fund terms and the number of shares constituting any series or the designation of any series. Convertible preferred stock will be convertible into our common stock or exchangeable for other securities. Conversion may be mandatory or at your option and would be at prescribed conversion rates.

If we sell any series of preferred stock under this prospectus, we will fix the rights, preferences and privileges of the preferred stock of such series, as well as any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon, in the certificate of designation relating to that series. We will file as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of any certificate of designation that describes the terms of the series of preferred stock we are offering before the issuance of that series of preferred stock. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to the series of preferred stock being offered, as well as the complete certificate of designation that contains the terms of the applicable series of preferred stock.

 

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Debt Securities. We may issue debt securities, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt. In this prospectus, we have summarized certain general features of the debt securities. We urge you, however, to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to the particular series of debt securities being offered, as well as the complete indenture that contains the terms of the debt securities. We will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, the form of indenture and any supplemental agreements that describe the terms of the series of debt securities we are offering before the issuance of the related series of debt securities.

We may evidence each series of debt securities by indentures we will issue. Debt securities may be issued under an indenture that we enter into with a trustee. We will indicate the name and address of the trustee, if applicable, in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of debt securities being offered.

Warrants. We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock and/or preferred stock in one or more series. We may issue warrants independently or together with common stock and/or preferred stock and/or debt securities, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from these securities. In this prospectus, we have summarized certain general features of the warrants. We urge you, however, to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to the particular series of warrants being offered, as well as the complete warrant agreements and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the warrants. Forms of the warrant agreements and forms of warrant certificates containing the terms of the warrants being offered will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or will be incorporated by reference from reports that we file with the SEC.

We will evidence each series of warrants by warrant certificates that we will issue. Warrants may be issued under an applicable warrant agreement that we enter into with a warrant agent. We will indicate the name and address of the warrant agent, if applicable, in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of warrants being offered.

Units. We may issue, in one or more series, units consisting of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and/or warrants for the purchase of common stock and/or preferred stock in any combination. In this prospectus, we have summarized certain general features of the units. We urge you, however, to read the applicable prospectus supplement (and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) related to the series of units being offered, as well as the complete unit agreement that contains the terms of the units. We will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of unit agreement and any supplemental agreements that describe the terms of the series of units we are offering before the issuance of the related series of units.

We will evidence each series of units by unit certificates that we will issue. Units may be issued under a unit agreement that we enter into with a unit agent. We will indicate the name and address of the unit agent, if applicable, in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of units being offered.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before purchasing our securities, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, filed with the SEC on March 28, 2014, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2014, filed with SEC on May 13, 2014, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, as well as any updates thereto contained in subsequent filings with the SEC or any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations would likely suffer. In that event, the value of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. The risks and uncertainties we describe are not the only ones facing us. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations.

 

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

Our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each of the five most recently completed fiscal years and any required interim periods will each be specified in a prospectus supplement or in a document that we file with the SEC and incorporate by reference pertaining to the issuance, if any, by us of preference securities in the future.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Except as described in any prospectus supplement or in any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you, the net proceeds received by us from our sale of the securities described in this prospectus will be added to our general funds and will be used for our general corporate purposes. From time to time, we may engage in additional public or private financings of a character and amount which we may deem appropriate.

 

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DILUTION

If there is a material dilution of the purchasers’ equity interest from the sale of common equity securities offered under this prospectus, we will set forth in any prospectus supplement the following information regarding any such material dilution of the equity interests of purchasers securities in an offering under this prospectus:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

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

 

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

 

    at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

    at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or

 

    at negotiated prices.

Each time we offer and sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will set forth the terms of the offering of the securities, including:

 

    the name or names of the underwriters, if any;

 

    the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds we will receive from the sale;

 

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

 

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

 

    any public offering price;

 

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

 

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

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

We may sell securities directly or through agents we or they designate from time to time. The prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of securities and any commissions we will pay to them. Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, any agent will be acting on a best-efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

General

Our authorized capital stock consists of 250,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share. As of May 31, 2014, there were 18,586,299 shares of our common stock outstanding, warrants issued as part of the units in our initial public offering, or IPO warrants, to purchase 4,000,000 shares of our common stock and warrants issued prior to our initial public offering, or legacy warrants, to purchase 1,305,371 shares of our common stock outstanding.

The following summary description of our capital stock is based on the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws, form of IPO warrant, legacy warrants and the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law. This information is qualified entirely by reference to the applicable provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws, form of IPO warrant, legacy warrants and the Delaware General Corporation Law. For information on how to obtain copies of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, which are exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, see “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.”

Common Stock

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share of common stock held of record for the election of directors and on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. Holders of our common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends ratably, if any, as may be declared by our board of directors out of legally available funds, subject to any preferential dividend rights of any preferred stock then outstanding. Upon our dissolution, liquidation or winding up, holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in our net assets legally available after the payment of all our debts and other liabilities, subject to the preferential rights of any preferred stock then outstanding. Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. There are no sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future. Except as described under “—Antitakeover Effects of Delaware Law, Provisions of our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated By-laws and French Law Takeover Regulations” below, a majority vote of the holders of common stock is generally required to take action under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws.

IPO Warrants

The following description of our IPO warrants is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the form of IPO warrant, which filed as an exhibit to our registration statement on Form S-1 file number 333-177917. You should review a copy of the form of IPO warrant for a complete description of the terms and conditions applicable to the IPO warrants.

Term. The IPO warrants are exercisable during the period beginning on August 8, 2013 and ending at 5:30 P.M. on May 9, 2017. The term can also be extended by us at our sole discretion.

Anti-Dilution Protection. The IPO warrants contain full ratchet anti-dilution protection upon the issuance of any common stock, securities convertible into common stock or certain other issuances at a price below the then-existing exercise price of the IPO warrants, with certain exceptions.

Exercise Price. The exercise price of the IPO warrants is $11.00 per whole share of common stock. The exercise price is subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of certain stock dividends and distributions, stock splits, stock combinations, stock issuances, reclassifications or similar events affecting our common stock, as well as the anti-dilution protection described above. The exercise price can also be lowered by us at our sole discretion.

Exercisability. The IPO warrants became exercisable on August 8, 2013 and are exercisable at any time during the applicable term of the IPO warrant. The IPO warrants are exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part, by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice accompanied by payment in full for the number of shares of our common stock purchased upon such exercise.

No Fractional Shares. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of the IPO warrants. As to any fraction of a share which the holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, we shall, at our election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the exercise price of the IPO warrant or round up to the next whole share.

 

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Transferability. Subject to applicable laws and the restriction on transfer set forth in the IPO warrants, the IPO warrants may be transferred at the option of the holder upon surrender of the IPO warrants to us together with the appropriate instruments of transfer.

Authorized Shares. During the period the IPO warrants are outstanding, we will reserve from our authorized and unissued common stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of shares of common stock underlying the IPO warrants upon the exercise of the IPO warrants.

Exchange Listing. The IPO warrants are listed on NYSE under the symbol “BIOA.WS”.

Fundamental Transactions. In the event of any fundamental transaction, as described in the IPO warrants and generally including any merger with or into another entity, sale of all or substantially all of our assets, tender offer or exchange offer, or reclassification of our common stock, then upon any subsequent exercise of an IPO warrant the holder shall have the right to receive as alternative consideration, for each share of our common stock that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such fundamental transaction, the number of shares of common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of BioAmber, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration receivable upon or as a result of such transaction by a holder of the number of shares of our common stock for which the IPO warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such event. In addition, in the event of a fundamental transaction in which the amount of the alternate consideration is less than the exercise price of the warrant, then we or any successor entity shall pay at the holder’s option, exercisable at any time concurrently with or within ninety (90) days after the consummation of the fundamental transaction, an amount of cash equal to the value of the IPO warrant as determined in accordance with the Black Scholes option pricing model.

Right as a Stockholder. Except as otherwise provided in the IPO warrants or by virtue of such holder’s ownership of shares of our common stock, the holders of the IPO warrants do not have the rights or privileges of holders of our common stock, including any voting rights, until they exercise their IPO warrants.

Waivers and Amendments. Any term of the IPO warrants may be amended or waived with our written consent and the written consent of holders representing 66 2/3% of the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the IPO warrants then outstanding. The foregoing notwithstanding, we may extend the termination date and reduce the exercise price without the consent of the holders.

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

Legacy Warrants

As of May 31, 2014, legacy warrants to purchase 334,541 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $1.07, legacy warrants to purchase 610,890 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $1.43 per share, legacy warrants to purchase 264,670 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $5.74 per share, and legacy warrants to purchase 96,576 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $10.55 per share were outstanding. Some of these legacy warrants have a net exercise provision under which its holder may, in lieu of payment of the exercise price in cash, surrender the legacy warrant and receive a net amount of shares based on a the fair market value of our common stock at the time of exercise of the legacy warrant after deduction of the aggregate exercise price. Each warrant contains provisions for the adjustment of the exercise price and the number of shares issuable upon the exercise of the legacy warrant in the event of certain stock dividends, stock splits, reorganizations, reclassifications and consolidations. Certain holders of the shares issuable upon exercise of our legacy warrants are entitled to registration rights with respect to such shares as described in greater detail under the heading “—Registration Rights” below.

Preferred Stock

Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders (unless such stockholder action is required by applicable law or NYSE rules), to designate and issue up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, to fix the rights, preferences and privileges of the shares of each wholly unissued series, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon, and to increase or decrease the number of shares of any such series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding.

 

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We will fix the rights, preferences and privileges of the preferred stock of each such series, as well as any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon, in the certificate of designation relating to that series. We will file as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of any certificate of designation that describes the terms of the series of preferred stock we are offering before the issuance of that series of preferred stock. This description will include:

 

    the title and stated value;

 

    the number of shares we are offering;

 

    the liquidation preference per share;

 

    the purchase price;

 

    the dividend rate, period and payment date and method of calculation for dividends;

 

    whether dividends will be cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends will accumulate;

 

    the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any;

 

    the provisions for a sinking fund, if any;

 

    the provisions for redemption or repurchase, if applicable, and any restrictions on our ability to exercise those redemption and repurchase rights;

 

    any listing of the preferred stock on any securities exchange or market;

 

    whether the preferred stock will be exchangeable into debt securities, and, if applicable, the exchange price, or how it will be calculated, and the exchange period;

 

    voting rights, if any, of the preferred stock;

 

    preemptive rights, if any;

 

    restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any;

 

    whether interests in the preferred stock will be represented by depositary shares;

 

    a discussion of any material United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the preferred stock;

 

    the relative ranking and preferences of the preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs;

 

    any limitations on the issuance of any class or series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the series of preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs; and

 

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

The General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the state of our incorporation, provides that the holders of preferred stock will have the right to vote separately as a class (or, in some cases, as a series) on an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation if the amendment would change the par value, the number of authorized shares of the class or the powers, preferences or special rights of the class or series so as to adversely affect the class or series, as the case may be. This right is in addition to any voting rights that may be provided for in the applicable certificate of designation.

Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in our control and may adversely affect the market price of the common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of common stock. Additionally, the issuance of preferred stock may have the effect of decreasing the market price of our common stock.

 

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Stock and Warrant Issuances

On June 22, 2009, we issued 35 shares of common stock, a secured convertible promissory note and warrants to purchase 208,985 shares of common stock in a private placement to FCPR Sofinnova Capital VI for gross proceeds of $4,201,000. The note matured October 30, 2009 and was converted into 696,500 shares of common stock in connection with the October 22, 2009 transaction described below. The warrants are exercisable for 208,985 common stock at $5.74 per share and have a 10 year term.

On October 22, 2009, we issued an aggregate of 2,089,570 shares of common stock in a private placement at a per share price of $5.74 for aggregate consideration of $12 million. The transaction included the issuance of 695,500 shares of common stock upon the conversion of a promissory note issued on June 22, 2009 with an aggregate principal amount of $4 million and a conversion price of $5.74 per share. The table below sets forth the purchase price and the shares of common stock issued to our directors, executive officers, beneficial owners of more than 5% of our voting capital stock and their affiliates and other holders of registration rights described below under the caption “Registration Rights” in the transaction.

 

     Shares of
Common
Stock
     Purchase
Price
 

FCPR Sofinnova Capital VI

     1,393,035      $ 8,000,102 (1) 

MCVP Technology Fund I, LLC

     348,250         1,999,950   

Clifton Equities Inc.

     87,080         499,839   

 

(1) Includes amounts converted from promissory note issued June 22, 2009.

On November 23, 2010, we issued unsecured convertible promissory notes in a private placement for aggregate proceeds of $4 million. The promissory notes were converted into an aggregate of 379,155 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 94,745 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $10.55 with a 10 year term in connection with the April 15, 2011 transaction described below. The table below sets forth the principal amount of the promissory notes issued to our directors, executive officers, beneficial owners of more than 5% of our voting capital stock and their affiliates and other holders of registration rights described below under the caption “Registration Rights” as well as the number of shares of common stock and warrants to purchase common stock into which the promissory notes were converted.

 

     Principal Amount of
Promissory Note
     Shares of
Common Stock
     Warrants to
Purchase Common
Stock
 

FCPR Sofinnova Capital VI

   $  2,932,242         278,005         69,475   

MCVP Technology Fund I, LLC

   $  665,128         63,035         15,750   

Jean-François Huc

   $  25,000         2,345         595   

Michael Hartmann

   $  25,000         2,345         595   

 

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On April 15, 2011, we issued an aggregate of 4,266,640 shares of common stock and warrants for 94,745 shares of common stock in a private placement at a per share price of $10.55 for aggregate consideration of $45 million. The table below sets forth the purchase price and number of shares issued to our directors, executive officers and beneficial owners of more than 5% of our voting capital stock and their affiliates in and other holders of registration rights described below under the caption “Registration Rights” in the transaction.

 

     Shares of
Common Stock
Purchased
     Total
Purchase Price
 

Naxamber S.A.

     2,370,375       $ 25,000,006.50   

FCPR Sofinnova Capital VI

     932,050       $ 9,830,198.20   

Mitsui & Co., Ltd.

     758,520       $ 8,000,002.08   

MCVP Technology Fund I, LLC

     151,690       $ 1,599,852.76   

Jean-François Huc

     2,345       $ 24,732.38   

Mike Hartmann

     2,345       $ 24,732.38   

Clifton Equities Inc.

     24,570       $ 699,999.30   

On November 4, 2011, we issued an aggregate of 702,135 shares of common stock in a private placement at a per share price of $28.49 for aggregate proceeds of approximately $20 million. The table below sets forth the shares of common stock issued to and the aggregate price paid by our directors, executive officers, beneficial owners of more than 5% of our voting capital stock and their affiliates and other holders of registration rights described below under the caption “Registration Rights”.

 

     Shares of
Common Stock
Purchased
     Total
Purchase Price
 

Naxamber S.A.

     428,295       $  12,200,289   

FCPR Sofinnova Capital VI

     214,165       $ 6,100,643   

Mitsui & Co., Ltd.

     35,105       $ 999,991   

Clifton Equities Inc.

     47,425       $ 500,338   

On February 6, 2012, we issued in a private placement an aggregate of 351,050 shares of common stock at a per share cost of $28.49 to LANXESS Corporation for aggregate consideration of $10 million.

Registration Rights

The holders of an aggregate of 8,488,213 shares of our common stock, including shares of common stock described above under the caption “Stock and Warrant Issuances,” shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of our legacy warrants, and/or their permitted transferees, are entitled to rights with respect to the registration of these shares under the Securities Act for resale to the public. These shares are referred to as registrable securities. All of these rights are provided under the terms of our amended and restated shareholders’ agreement between us and the holders of these shares, and include demand registration rights, piggyback registration rights and Form S-3 registration rights, in each case as described below.

This registration statement may be used by selling stockholders who acquired shares of our common stock or securities exercisable for shares of our common stock in the transactions described above under the caption “Stock and Warrant Issuances” or upon the exercise of certain of our legacy warrants. Such selling stockholders, if any, will be identified in accordance with rules promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Demand Registration Rights

The holders of a majority of the registrable securities, or initiating holders, subject to certain limitations, have the right to demand that we file a registration statement covering the registration of at least 10% of the registrable securities then outstanding and having an aggregate price to the public of not less than $15.0 million. We will not be required to effect a registration if (1) we have effected three registrations that have been declared effective and have remained effective until the holders have completed the distribution related thereto, (2) our board of directors, in its reasonable judgment, determines that it would be detrimental to us and our stockholders for such registration statement to be effected at such time, in which case we have the right to defer such filing for up to 90 days following receipt of the demand request from the holders and (3) the initiating holders propose to dispose of registrable securities that are immediately registrable on Form S-3.

 

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Piggyback Registration Rights

Subject to certain limitations, if at any time we file a registration statement for a public offering of any of our securities, other than a registration statement relating to our employee benefit plan, a corporate reorganization or other transaction under Rule 145 of the Securities Act, the holders of registrable securities will have the right to include all or any part of their registrable securities in the registration statement. The underwriters of any underwritten offering will have the right to limit the number of shares having registration rights to be included in the registration statement to an amount not below 20% of the total number of shares included in the registration statement.

Form S-3 Registration Rights

At any time after we become eligible to file a registration statement on Form S-3, any holder or holders of registrable securities for which a Form S-3 is available may require us to file such a registration statement having an aggregate price to the public of not less than $1.0 million. We are not obligated to file more than two Form S-3 registration statements in any twelve-month period. In addition, we will not be obligated to effect a registration if (1) a Form S-3, is not available for such offering by the holder or holders, (2) our board of directors, in its reasonable judgment, determines that it would be detrimental to us and our stockholders for such registration statement to be effected at such time, in which case we have the right to defer such filing for up to 90 days following receipt of the Form S-3 demand request from the holder or holders and (3) with respect to a particular jurisdiction, we would be required to qualify to do business or to execute a general consent to service of process in effecting such registration, qualification or compliance.

Registration Expenses

We are generally required to bear the expenses of all registrations, including the expense of a single special counsel to the holders of each registration not to exceed $75,000 per registration. However, we will not be required to pay for underwriting discounts and commissions or expenses in connection with the exercise of demand and piggyback registration rights if the request is subsequently withdrawn by the holders of a majority of the registrable securities, subject to limited exceptions.

Antitakeover Effects of Delaware Law, Provisions of our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated By-laws and French Law Takeover Regulations

Certain provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law and of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws could have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another party from acquiring control of us. These provisions, which are summarized below, are expected to discourage certain types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and, as a consequence, they might also inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions are also designed in part to encourage anyone seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors. These provisions might also have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests. However, we believe that the advantages gained by protecting our ability to negotiate with any unsolicited and potentially unfriendly acquirer outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging such proposals, including those priced above the then-current market value of our common stock, because, among other reasons, the negotiation of such proposals could improve their terms.

Delaware Takeover Statute

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that this stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. A “business combination” includes, among other things, a merger, asset or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or did own within three years prior to the time of determination of interested stockholder status, 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock. Under Section 203, a business combination between a corporation and an interested stockholder is prohibited unless it satisfies one of the following conditions:

 

    before the time the stockholder became interested, the board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

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    upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding, shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers, and employee stock plans, in some instances; or

 

    at or after the time the stockholder became interested, the business combination was approved by the board of directors of the corporation and authorized at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.

Provisions of Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated By-laws

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws to be in effect upon completion of this offering will include a number of provisions that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another party from acquiring control of us and encouraging persons considering unsolicited tender offers or other unilateral takeover proposals to negotiate with our board of directors rather than pursue non-negotiated takeover attempts. These provisions include the items described below.

Board composition and filling vacancies. In accordance with our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our board is divided into three classes serving staggered three-year terms, with one class being elected each year. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also provides that directors may be removed only for cause and then only by the affirmative vote of the holders of 75% or more of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors. Furthermore, any vacancy on our board of directors, however occurring, including a vacancy resulting from an increase in the size of our board, may only be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of our directors then in office even if less than a quorum.

No written consent of stockholders. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that all stockholder actions are required to be taken by a vote of the stockholders at an annual or special meeting, and that stockholders may not take any action by written consent in lieu of a meeting. This limit may lengthen the amount of time required to take stockholder actions and would prevent the amendment of our by-laws or removal of directors by our stockholder without holding a meeting of stockholders.

Meetings of stockholders. Our amended and restated by-laws provide that only a majority of the members of our board of directors then in office may call special meetings of stockholders and only those matters set forth in the notice of the special meeting may be considered or acted upon at a special meeting of stockholders. Our amended and restated by-laws limit the business that may be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders to those matters properly brought before the meeting.

Advance notice requirements. Our amended and restated by-laws establish advance notice procedures with regard to stockholder proposals relating to the nomination of candidates for election as directors or new business to be brought before meetings of our stockholders. These procedures provide that notice of stockholder proposals must be timely given in writing to our corporate secretary prior to the meeting at which the action is to be taken. Generally, to be timely, notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days or more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the annual meeting for the preceding year. The notice must contain certain information specified in our amended and restated by-laws.

Adjournment of stockholders meetings. Our amended and restated by-laws give the presiding officer at the stockholders’ meeting the authority to reschedule or adjourn such meeting if: no quorum is present for the transaction of business; the board determines that an adjournment is necessary or appropriate to enable the stockholders to consider fully information which the board determines has not been made sufficiently or timely available to stockholders; or the board determines that adjournment is otherwise in the best interests of the company. This limit may lengthen the amount of time required to take stockholder actions.

Amendment to certificate of incorporation and by-laws. As required by the Delaware General Corporation Law, any amendment of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation must first be approved by a majority of our board of directors, and if required by law or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, must thereafter be approved by a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, and a majority of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class, except that the amendment of the provisions relating to stockholder action, directors, limitation of liability, the exclusive jurisdiction of Delaware courts and the amendment of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated by-laws must be approved by not less than 75% of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, and not less than 75% of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class. Our amended and restated by-laws may be amended by the affirmative vote of a majority vote of the directors then in office, subject to any limitations set forth in the by-laws; and may also be amended by the affirmative vote of at least 75% of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, or, if the board of directors recommends that the stockholders approve the amendment, by the affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, in each case voting together as a single class.

 

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Undesignated preferred stock. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides for authorized shares of preferred stock. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock may enable our board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. For example, if in the due exercise of its fiduciary obligations, our board of directors were to determine that a takeover proposal is not in the best interests of us or our stockholders, our board of directors could cause shares of preferred stock to be issued without stockholder approval in one or more private offerings or other transactions that might dilute the voting or other rights of the proposed acquirer or insurgent stockholder or stockholder group. In this regard, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation grants our board of directors broad power to establish the rights and preferences of authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock. The issuance of shares of preferred stock could decrease the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to holders of shares of common stock. The issuance may also adversely affect the rights and powers, including voting rights, of these holders and may have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in control of us.

Squeeze-Out Provisions

Section 253 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes the board of directors of a Delaware corporation that owns 90% or more of each of the outstanding classes of stock of a subsidiary that are entitled to vote on a merger to merge the subsidiary into itself without any requirement for action to be taken by the board of directors or the stockholders of the subsidiary.

Exclusive Jurisdiction of Delaware Courts

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of our company, (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of our company to the company or the company’s stockholders, (3) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated by-laws, or (4) any action asserting a claim against our company or any of our directors or officers governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. However, the enforceability of similar forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that a court could find these types of provisions to be unenforceable.

French Law Takeover Regulations

Our shares of common stock are also listed on NYSE Euronext Paris, as a result we expect to be subject to certain takeover regulations of the Autorité des marchés financiers, or the AMF, which is the securities regulatory authority in France. Pursuant to Article 231-1 of the AMF General Regulation, the AMF may apply its takeover rules, except for those governing standing market offers, buyout offers with squeeze-outs, and squeeze-outs, to takeovers for securities issued by companies such as ours whose registered offices are not in the European Economic Area.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock and IPO warrants is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Paying Agent

The paying agent, for purposes of any shares that trade on NYSE Euronext Paris, is BNP Paribas Securities Services.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the symbol “BIOA.” Our common stock is also listed on the Professional Segment of NYSE Euronext Paris, or NYSE Euronext Paris, under the symbol “BIOA.” Our common stock trades simultaneously in U.S. dollars on NYSE and in Euros on NYSE Euronext Paris. NYSE and NYSE Euronext Paris are part of the NYSE Euronext group. The dual listing of our common stock reflects our global focus and is intended to promote additional liquidity for our investors and provide greater access to our common stock among fund managers in Europe who may be required to invest in Euro-zone markets or currencies only.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR DEBT SECURITIES

The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplements or free writing prospectuses that we may authorize to be distributed to purchasers, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. We may issue debt securities, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt. We refer to the senior and subordinated debt and senior and subordinated convertible debt collectively as debt securities. While the terms we have summarized below will generally apply to any future debt securities we may offer under this prospectus, a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus will describe the particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. The terms of any debt securities we offer under a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may differ from the general terms we describe below.

We may issue senior debt securities from time to time, in one or more series, under a senior indenture to be entered into between us and a senior trustee to be named in a prospectus supplement, which we refer to as the senior trustee. We may issue subordinated debt securities from time to time, in one or more series, under a subordinated indenture to be entered into between us and a subordinated trustee to be named in a prospectus supplement, which we refer to as the subordinated trustee. The forms of senior indenture and subordinated indenture are filed as exhibits to this registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Together, the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are referred to as the indentures and, together, the senior trustee and the subordinated trustee are referred to as the trustees. This prospectus briefly outlines some of the provisions of the indentures.

None of the indentures will limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue. The applicable indenture will provide that debt securities may be issued up to an aggregate principal amount authorized from time to time by us and may be payable in any currency or currency unit designated by us or in amounts determined by reference to an index.

The following summaries of material provisions of the senior debt securities, the subordinated debt securities and the indentures are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus and any related free writing prospectuses related to the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as the complete applicable indenture that contains the terms of the debt securities.

General

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus the terms of the series of debt securities being offered, including:

 

    the title;

 

    the principal amount being offered, and if a series, the total amount authorized and the total amount outstanding;

 

    any limit on the amount that may be issued;

 

    whether or not we will issue the series of debt securities in global form, and, if so, the terms and who the depository will be;

 

    the maturity date;

 

    whether and under what circumstances, if any, we will pay additional amounts on any debt securities held by a person who is not a United States person for tax purposes, and whether we can redeem the debt securities if we have to pay such additional amounts;

 

    the annual interest rate, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates;

 

    whether or not the debt securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt;

 

    the terms of the subordination of any series of subordinated debt;

 

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    the place where payments will be payable;

 

    restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any;

 

    our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period;

 

    the date, if any, after which, the conditions upon which, and the price at which, we may, at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions and the terms of those redemption provisions;

 

    the date, if any, on which, and the price at which we are obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund or analogous fund provisions or otherwise, to redeem, or at the holder’s option, to purchase, the series of debt securities and the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities are payable;

 

    whether the indenture will restrict our ability or the ability of our subsidiaries to:

 

    incur additional indebtedness;

 

    issue additional securities;

 

    create liens;

 

    pay dividends or make distributions in respect of our capital stock or the capital stock of our subsidiaries;

 

    redeem capital stock;

 

    place restrictions on our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends, make distributions or transfer assets;

 

    make investments or other restricted payments;

 

    sell or otherwise dispose of assets;

 

    enter into sale-leaseback transactions;

 

    engage in transactions with stockholders or affiliates;

 

    issue or sell stock of our subsidiaries; or

 

    effect a consolidation or merger;

 

    whether the indenture will require us to maintain any interest coverage, fixed charge, cash flow-based, asset-based or other financial ratios;

 

    a discussion of certain material or special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the debt securities;

 

    information describing any book-entry features;

 

    provisions for a sinking fund purchase or other analogous fund, if any;

 

    the applicability of the provisions in the indenture on discharge;

 

    whether the debt securities are to be offered at a price such that they will be deemed to be offered at an “original issue discount” as defined in paragraph (a) of Section 1273 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;

 

    the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

 

    the currency of payment of debt securities if other than U.S. dollars and the manner of determining the equivalent amount in U.S. dollars; and

 

    any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities, including any additional events of default or covenants provided with respect to the debt securities, and any terms that may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of the debt securities.

We may, from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the holders of any series of debt securities, create and issue further debt securities of any such series ranking equally with the debt securities of such series in all respects (or in all respects other than (a) the payment of interest accruing prior to the issue date of such further debt securities or (b) the first payment of interest following the issue date of such further debt securities). Such further debt securities may be consolidated and form a single series with the debt securities of such series and have the same terms as to status, redemption or otherwise as the debt securities of such series.

 

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Certain Terms of the Senior Debt Securities

Conversion or Exchange Rights. We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus the terms on which a series of senior debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock, our preferred stock or other securities (including securities of a third-party). We will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of shares of our common stock, our preferred stock or other securities (including securities of a third-party) that the holders of the series of senior debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.

Consolidation, Merger or Sale. Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of senior debt securities, the senior debt securities will not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. However, any successor to or acquirer of such assets must assume all of our obligations under the senior indentures or the senior debt securities, as appropriate. If the senior debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities of ours or securities of other entities, the person with whom we consolidate or merge or to whom we sell all of our property must make provisions for the conversion of the senior debt securities into securities that the holders of the senior debt securities would have received if they had converted the senior debt securities before the consolidation, merger or sale.

No Protection in the Event of a Change in Control. Unless we indicate otherwise in a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of senior debt securities, the senior debt securities will not contain any provisions that may afford holders of the senior debt securities protection in the event we have a change in control or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction (whether or not such transaction results in a change in control).

Events of Default. Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of senior debt securities, the following are events of default under the senior indentures with respect to any series of senior debt securities that we may issue:

 

    if we fail to pay interest when due and payable and our failure continues for 90 days (or such other period as may be specified for such series) and the time for payment has not been extended;

 

    if we fail to pay the principal, premium or sinking fund payment, if any, when due and payable at maturity, upon redemption or repurchase or otherwise (and, if specified for such series, the continuance of such failure for a specified period), and the time for payment has not been extended;

 

    if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant contained in the senior debt securities or the senior indentures, other than a covenant that is specifically dealt with elsewhere in the senior indenture, and our failure continues for 90 days after we receive notice from the trustee or holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of the applicable series; and

 

    if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur.

We will describe in each applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus any additional events of default relating to the relevant series of senior debt securities.

If an event of default with respect to senior debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, other than an event of default specified in the last bullet point above, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of that series, by notice to us in writing, and to the trustee if notice is given by such holders, may declare the unpaid principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest, if any, due and payable immediately. If an event of default specified in the last bullet point above occurs with respect to us, the unpaid principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest, if any, of each issue of senior debt securities then outstanding shall be due and payable without any notice or other action on the part of the trustee or any holder.

Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of senior debt securities originally issued at a discount, the amount due upon acceleration shall include only the original issue price of the senior debt securities, the amount of original issue discount accrued to the date of acceleration and accrued interest, if any.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of an affected series may waive any default or event of default with respect to the series and its consequences, except defaults or events of default regarding payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, unless we have cured the default or event of default in accordance with the senior indenture. Any waiver shall cure the default or event of default.

Upon certain conditions, declarations of acceleration may be rescinded and annulled and past defaults may be waived by the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of all the senior debt securities of such series affected by the default. Furthermore, prior to a declaration of acceleration and subject to various provisions in the senior indenture, the holders of a majority in aggregate

 

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principal amount of a series of senior debt securities, by notice to the trustee, may waive an existing default or event of default with respect to such senior debt securities and its consequences, except a default in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, on or interest on such senior debt securities. Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any event of default with respect to such senior debt securities shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of the senior indenture, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or event of default or impair any right consequent thereto.

The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of a series of senior debt securities will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to such senior debt securities. However, the trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or the senior indenture that may involve the trustee in personal liability or that the trustee determines in good faith may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of holders of such series of senior debt securities not joining in the giving of such direction and may take any other action it deems proper that is not inconsistent with any such direction received from holders of such series of senior debt securities. A holder of the senior debt securities of any series will have the right to institute a proceeding under the senior indentures or to appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies if:

 

    the holder has given written notice to the trustee of a continuing event of default with respect to that series;

 

    the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of that series have made written request, and such holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the trustee or security satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense or to be incurred in compliance with instituting the proceeding as trustee; and

 

    the trustee does not institute the proceeding, and does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of that series other conflicting directions within 90 days after the notice, request and offer.

These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of senior debt securities if we default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest on, the senior debt securities, or other defaults that may be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.

Modification and Waiver. We and the trustee may amend, supplement or modify a senior indenture or the senior debt securities without the consent of any holders with respect to the following specific matters:

 

    to fix any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the senior indenture or to conform the senior indenture or the senior debt securities to the description of senior debt securities of such series set forth in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement or any free writing supplement;

 

    to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge any assets as security for the senior debt securities of one or more series;

 

    to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations, and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms, or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of senior debt securities;

 

    to evidence the succession of another corporation, and the assumption by such successor corporation of our covenants, agreements and obligations under the senior indenture;

 

    to provide for or add guarantors with respect to the senior debt securities of any series;

 

    to establish the form of any certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of the senior indenture or any series of senior debt securities, or to add to the rights of the holders of any series of senior debt securities;

 

    to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor trustee or to make such changes as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts in the senior indenture by more than one trustee;

 

    to make any change to the senior debt securities of any series, so long as no senior debt securities of such series are outstanding

 

    to provide for uncertificated senior debt securities and to make all appropriate changes for such purpose;

 

    to add to our covenants such new covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the benefit of the holders, to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and the continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an event of default or to surrender any right or power conferred to us in the senior indenture; or

 

    to change anything that does not materially adversely affect the interests of any holder of senior debt securities of any series.

 

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Other amendments and modifications of the senior indenture or the senior debt securities issued may be made, and our compliance with any provision of the senior indenture with respect to any series of senior debt securities may be waived, with the consent of the holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of all series affected by the amendment or modification (voting together as a single class); provided, however, that each affected holder must consent to any modification, amendment or waiver that:

 

    extends the stated maturity of any senior debt securities;

 

    reduces the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or reducing any premium payable upon the redemption or repurchase of any senior debt securities;

 

    reduces the rate or extends the time of payment of interest on any senior debt securities; or

 

    reduces the percentage of senior debt securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver.

Satisfaction and Discharge. We can elect satisfy and discharge our obligations with respect to one or more series of senior debt securities, except for specified obligations, including obligations to:

 

    register the transfer or exchange of debt securities of the series;

 

    replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities of the series;

 

    maintain paying agencies;

 

    hold monies for payment in trust;

 

    recover excess money held by the trustee;

 

    compensate and indemnify the trustee; and

 

    appoint any successor trustee.

In order to exercise our rights to be discharged, we must deposit with the trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all the principal of, any premium and interest on, the senior debt securities of the series on the dates payments are due.

Under current U.S. federal income tax law, the deposit and our legal release from the senior debt securities would be treated as though we took back a holder’s senior debt securities and gave such holder his or her share of the cash and debt securities or bonds deposited in trust. In that event, such holder could recognize gain or loss on the senior debt securities such holder gives back to us. Holders of the senior debt securities should consult their own advisers with respect to the tax consequences to them of such deposit and discharge, including the applicability and effect of tax laws other than the U.S. federal income tax law.

Information Concerning the Trustee. The trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under a senior indenture, undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in the applicable senior indenture. Upon an event of default under a senior indenture, the trustee must use the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

Subject to this provision, the trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given it by the senior indentures at the request of any holder of senior debt securities unless it is offered reasonable security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur.

We may have normal banking relationships with the trustee in the ordinary course of business.

Certain Terms of the Subordinated Debt Securities

Other than the terms of the subordinated indenture and subordinated debt securities relating to subordination or otherwise as described in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus relating to a particular series of subordinated debt securities, the terms of the subordinated indenture and subordinated debt securities are identical in all material respects to the terms of the senior indenture and senior debt securities.

Additional or different subordination terms may be specified in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series.

Subordination. The indebtedness evidenced by the subordinated debt securities is subordinate to the prior payment in full of all of our senior indebtedness, as defined in the subordinated indenture. During the continuance beyond any applicable grace period of any default in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other payment due on any of our senior indebtedness, we may not make any payment of principal of, or premium, if any, on or interest on the subordinated debt securities (except for certain sinking fund payments). In addition, upon any payment or distribution of our assets upon any dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization,

 

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the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, on and interest on the subordinated debt securities will be subordinated to the extent provided in the subordinated indenture in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all our senior indebtedness. Because of this subordination, if we dissolve or otherwise liquidate, holders of our subordinated debt securities may receive less, ratably, than holders of our senior indebtedness. The subordination provisions do not prevent the occurrence of an event of default under the subordinated indenture.

Governing Law

The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

Ranking of Debt Securities

The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment to all our other senior unsecured debt. The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in priority of payment to certain of our other indebtedness (including senior debt securities) to the extent described in a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplements or free writing prospectuses that we may authorize to be distributed to purchasers, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus. Warrants may be offered independently or together with common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, and may be attached to or separate from those securities. While the terms we have summarized below will generally apply to any future warrants we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any warrants that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. The terms of any warrants we offer under a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may differ from the general terms we describe below.

We will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of warrant agreement, including a form of warrant certificate, that describes the terms of the particular series of warrants we are offering before the issuance of the related series of warrants. The following summaries of material provisions of the warrants and the warrant agreements are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the warrant agreement and warrant certificate applicable to the particular series of warrants that we may offer under this prospectus. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements related to the particular series of warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as any related free writing prospectuses, and the complete warrant agreements and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the warrants.

General

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of warrants being offered. If warrants for the purchase of debt securities are offered, the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus will describe the following terms, to the extent applicable:

 

    the offering price and the aggregate number of warrants offered;

 

    the currencies in which the warrants are being offered;

 

    the designation, aggregate principal amount, currencies, denominations and terms of the series of debt securities that can be purchased if a holder exercises a warrant;

 

    the designation and terms of any series of debt securities with which the warrants are being offered and the number of warrants offered with each such debt security;

 

    the date on and after which the holder of the warrants can transfer them separately from the related series of debt securities;

 

    the principal amount of the series of debt securities that can be purchased if a holder exercises a warrant and the price at which and currencies in which such principal amount may be purchased upon exercise;

 

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

 

    the date on which the right to exercise the warrants begins and the date on which such right expires;

 

    federal income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants; and

 

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

Warrants for the purchase of debt securities will be in registered form only.

If warrants for the purchase of common stock or preferred stock are offered, the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus will describe the following terms, to the extent applicable:

 

    the offering price and aggregate number of warrants offered;

 

    the currency for which the warrants may be purchased;

 

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

 

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

 

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    the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock, as the case may be, purchasable upon the exercise of one warrant and the price at which these shares may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

Exercise of Warrants

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

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

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

Governing Law

Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the warrants and warrant agreements will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants

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

 

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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

The following description, together with the additional information that we include in any applicable prospectus supplements or free writing prospectuses that we may authorize to be distributed to purchasers, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the units that we may offer under this prospectus. We may issue, in one more series, units consisting of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and/or warrants for the purchase of common stock and/or preferred stock in any combination. While the terms we have summarized below will generally apply to any future series of units we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any series of units that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. The terms of any series of units we offer under a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may differ from the general of terms we described below.

We will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of unit agreement that describes the terms of the series of units we are offering, and any supplemental agreements, before the issuance of the related series of units. The following summaries of material terms and provisions of the units are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the unit agreement and any supplemental agreements applicable to a particular series of units. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements related to the particular series of units that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as any related free writing prospectuses and the complete unit agreement and any supplemental agreements that contain the terms of the units.

General

Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of units being offered, including:

 

    the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;

 

    any provisions of the governing unit agreement that differ from those described below in this section; and

 

    any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units.

The provisions described in this section, as well as those described under “Description of Capital Stock” and “Description of Warrants” will apply to each unit and to any common stock, preferred stock or warrant included in each unit, respectively.

Issuance in Series

We may issue units in such amounts and in such numerous distinct series as we determine.

Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Units

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

Title

We, and any unit agent and any of their agents, may treat the registered holder of any unit certificate as an absolute owner of the units evidenced by that certificate for any purpose and as the person entitled to exercise the rights attaching to the units so requested, despite any notice to the contrary.

 

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FORMS OF SECURITIES

General

Each debt security, unit and warrant will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular purchaser or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of securities. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, certificated securities in definitive form and global securities will be issued in registered form. Definitive securities name you or your nominee as the owner of the security, and in order to transfer or exchange these securities or to receive payments other than interest or other interim payments, you or your nominee must physically deliver the securities to the trustee, registrar, paying agent or other agent, as applicable. Global securities name a depositary or its nominee as the owner of the debt securities, units or warrants represented by these global securities. The depositary maintains a computerized system that will reflect each purchaser’s beneficial ownership of the securities through an account maintained by the purchaser with its broker/dealer, bank, trust company or other representative, as we explain more fully below.

Registered Global Securities

We may issue the registered debt securities, units and warrants in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and registered in the name of that depositary or nominee. In those cases, one or more registered global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of the securities to be represented by registered global securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole for securities in definitive registered form, a registered global security may not be transferred except as a whole by and among the depositary for the registered global security, the nominees of the depositary or any successors of the depositary or those nominees.

If not described below, any specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any securities to be represented by a registered global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those securities. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be limited to persons, called participants, that have accounts with the depositary or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a registered global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities beneficially owned by the participants. Any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the securities will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary, with respect to interests of participants, and on the records of participants, with respect to interests of persons holding through participants. The laws of some states may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of these securities in definitive form. These laws may impair such purchasers’ abilities to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in registered global securities.

So long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a registered global security, that depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by the registered global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture, unit agreement or warrant agreement. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by the registered global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the securities under the applicable indenture, unit agreement or warrant agreement. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a registered global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary for that registered global security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the applicable indenture, unit agreement or warrant agreement. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a beneficial interest in a registered global security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the applicable indenture, unit agreement or warrant agreement, the depositary for the registered global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through them to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.

Principal, premium, if any, on and interest payments on debt securities, and any payments to holders with respect to warrants, or units, represented by a registered global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to the depositary

 

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or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the registered global security. None of us, the trustees, the warrant agents, the unit agents or any other agent of ours, agent of the trustees or agent of the warrant agents or unit agents will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the registered global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial ownership interests.

We expect that the depositary for any of the securities represented by a registered global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest or other distribution of underlying securities or other property to holders on that registered global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in that registered global security as shown on the records of the depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security held through participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.

If the depositary for any of the securities represented by a registered global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or Exchange Act, and a successor depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue securities in definitive form in exchange for the registered global security that had been held by the depositary. Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a registered global security will be registered in the name or names that the depositary gives to the relevant trustee, warrant agent, unit agent or other relevant agent of ours or theirs. It is expected that the depositary’s instructions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the registered global security that had been held by the depositary.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities being offered by this prospectus will be passed upon by Goodwin Procter LLP, Boston, Massachusetts.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of BioAmber Inc. and subsidiaries (a development stage company) as at December 31, 2013 and 2012, and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2013, and the period from October 15, 2008 (date of inception) to December 31, 2013, incorporated by reference in this Prospectus have been audited by Deloitte LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is incorporated herein by reference from the Annual Report on Form 10-K (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph relating to the company’s development stage status). Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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LOGO

$100,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Units

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

            , 2014

We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson or other person to give any information or represent anything not contained in this prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus does not offer to sell any shares in any jurisdiction where it is unlawful. Neither the delivery of this prospectus, nor any sale made hereunder, shall create any implication that the information in this prospectus is correct after the date hereof.

 

 

 


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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table sets forth the estimated costs and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by the registrant in connection with the offering of the securities being registered. All the amounts shown are estimates, except for the SEC registration fee.

 

SEC registration fee

   $ 12,880   

NYSE listing fee

         

Accounting fees and expenses

         

Legal fees and expenses

         

Transfer Agent fees and expenses

         

Printing and miscellaneous expenses

         

Total

   $     
  

 

 

 

 

* The amount of securities and number of offerings are indeterminable and the expenses cannot be estimated at this time.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

In accordance with Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, Article VII of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that no director of BioAmber shall be personally liable to BioAmber or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to BioAmber or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) in respect of unlawful dividend payments or stock redemptions or repurchases, or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that if the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended to authorize the further elimination or limitation of the liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as so amended.

Article V of our amended and restated by-laws provides for indemnification by BioAmber of its officers and certain non-officer employees under certain circumstances against expenses, including attorneys fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of any threatened, pending or completed legal proceeding in which any such person is involved by reason of the fact that such person is or was an officer or employee of the registrant if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of BioAmber, and, with respect to criminal actions or proceedings, if such person had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors. The indemnification agreements require, among other matters, that we indemnify our directors to the fullest extent permitted by law and advance to the director’s all related expenses, subject to reimbursement if it is subsequently determined that indemnification is not permitted. Under these agreements, we must also indemnify and advance all expenses incurred by directors seeking to enforce their rights under the indemnification agreements and may cover directors under directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.

 

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Item 16. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Description of the Document

  

Form or
Schedule

  

SEC File No.

  

Filing

Date

  

Exhibit
Number in
Original
Filing

  1.1(1)   Form of Underwriting Agreement            
  3.1   Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation    S-1    333-177917    4/11/2013    3.1
  3.2   Amended and Restated By-Laws    S-1    333-177917    4/11/2013    3.2
  4.1   Form of Common Stock certificate of the Registrant    S-1    333-177917    4/11/2013    4.1
  4.2   Form of IPO Common Stock Purchase Warrant    S-1    333-177917    5/9/2013    4.6
  4.3(1)   Form of Common Stock Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate            
  4.4(1)   Form of Preferred Stock Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate            
  4.5(1)   Form of Unit Agreement            
  4.5   Form of Indenture for Senior Debt Securities            
  4.6   Form of Indentures for Subordinated Debt Securities            
  5.1   Opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP            
10.1   Legacy Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 17, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Dilum Dunuwila (Certificate No. LW-41)    S-1    1333-177917    12/22/2011    10.4
10.2   Legacy Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 17, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Dilum Dunuwila (Certificate No. LW-42)    S-1    1333-177917    12/22/2011    10.5
10.3   Legacy Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 17, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Jean-François Huc (Certificate No. LW-16)    S-1    1333-177917    12/22/2011    10.6
10.4   Legacy Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 17, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Jean-François Huc (Certificate No. LW-17)    S-1    1333-177917    12/22/2011    10.7
10.5   Legacy Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 17, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Roger Laurent Bernier (Certificate No. LW-38)    S-1    1333-177917    12/22/2011    10.8
10.6   Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated February 6, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Jean- François Huc    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.10
10.7   Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated February 6, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Dilum Dunuwila    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.12
10.8   Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated February 6, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Kurt Briner    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.14
10.9   Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated February 6, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Michael Hartmann    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.16
10.10   Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated February 6, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Roger Laurent Bernier    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.18
10.11   Common Stock Purchase Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated June 22, 2009 issued by the Registrant to FCPR Sofinnova Capital VI    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.20
10.12   Shares of Common Stock Purchase Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 15, 2011 issued by the Registrant to FCPR Sofinnova Capital VI.    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.25

 

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Exhibit
Number

 

Description of the Document

  

Form or
Schedule

  

SEC File No.

  

Filing

Date

  

Exhibit
Number in
Original
Filing

10.13   Shares of Common Stock Purchase Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 15, 2011 issued by the Registrant to MCVP Technology Fund I, LLC    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.26
10.14   Shares of Common Stock Purchase Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 15, 2011 issued by the Registrant to Jean-François Huc    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.27
10.15   Shares of Common Stock Purchase Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 15, 2011 issued by the Registrant to Michael Hartmann    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.28
10.16   Shares of Common Stock Purchase Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 15, 2011 issued by the Registrant to Roger Laurent Bernier    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.29
12.1(1)   Statement of Computation of Earnings to Fixed Charges            
23.1   Consent of Deloitte LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm            
23.2   Consent of Goodwin Procter LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)            
24.1   Power of Attorney (included on signature page)            
25.1(2)   Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for Senior Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939            
25.2(2)   Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for Subordinated Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939            

 

(1) To be filed, if necessary, subsequent to the effectiveness of this registration by an amendment to this registration statement or incorporation by reference pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K in connection with an offering of securities.
(2) To be filed pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

Item 17. Undertakings.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

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

 

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

 

  (ii)

To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be

 

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  reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the Commission, pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  (7) That, 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.

 

  (8) That, 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.

 

  (9) To file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under 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 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada, on the 2nd day of June, 2014.

 

BIOAMBER INC.
By:  

/s/ Jean-François Huc

  Jean-François Huc
  President and Chief Executive Officer
  and Director

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby severally constitutes and appoints Jean-François Huc and Andrew P. Ashworth, and each of them, as such person’s true and lawful attorneys in fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in such persons’s name, place, and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post effective amendments, exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith) to this registration statement and any subsequent registration statement filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which relates to this registration statement, 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, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys in fact and agents, or any of them, or their 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, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

  

Date

/s/    Jean-François Huc        

   President, Chief Executive Officer and Director    June 2, 2014
Jean-François Huc   

(Principal Executive Officer)

  

/s/    Andrew P. Ashworth        

  

Chief Financial Officer

   June 2, 2014
Andrew P. Ashworth   

(Principal Financial Officer)

  

/s/    Raymond Land        

  

Chairman of the Board of Directors

   June 2, 2014
Raymond Land      

/s/    Kurt Briner        

  

Director

   June 2, 2014
Kurt Briner      

/s/    Henry Linsert, Jr.        

  

Director

   June 2, 2014
Henry Linsert, Jr.      

 

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/s/    Denis Lucquin        

   Director    June 2, 2014
Denis Lucquin      

/s/    Heinz Haller        

   Director    June 2, 2014
Heinz Haller      

/s/    Ellen B. Richstone        

   Director    June 2, 2014
Ellen B. Richstone      

/s/    Kenneth W. Wall        

   Director    June 2, 2014
Kenneth W. Wall      

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Description of the Document

  

Form or
Schedule

  

SEC File No.

  

Filing

Date

  

Exhibit
Number in
Original
Filing

  1.1(1)   Form of Underwriting Agreement            
  3.1   Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation    S-1    333-177917    4/11/2013    3.1
  3.2   Amended and Restated By-Laws    S-1    333-177917    4/11/2013    3.2
  4.1   Form of Common Stock certificate of the Registrant    S-1    333-177917    4/11/2013    4.1
  4.2   Form of IPO Common Stock Purchase Warrant    S-1    333-177917    5/9/2013    4.6
  4.3(1)   Form of Common Stock Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate            
  4.4(1)   Form of Preferred Stock Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate            
  4.5(1)   Form of Unit Agreement            
  4.5   Form of Indenture for Senior Debt Securities            
  4.6   Form of Indenture for Subordinated Debt Securities            
  5.1   Opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP            
10.1   Legacy Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 17, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Dilum Dunuwila (Certificate No. LW-41)    S-1    1333-177917    12/22/2011    10.4
10.2   Legacy Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 17, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Dilum Dunuwila (Certificate No. LW-42)    S-1    1333-177917    12/22/2011    10.5
10.3   Legacy Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 17, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Jean-François Huc (Certificate No. LW-16)    S-1    1333-177917    12/22/2011    10.6
10.4   Legacy Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 17, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Jean-François Huc (Certificate No. LW-17)    S-1    1333-177917    12/22/2011    10.7
10.5   Legacy Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 17, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Roger Laurent Bernier (Certificate No. LW-38)    S-1    1333-177917    12/22/2011    10.8
10.6   Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated February 6, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Jean- François Huc    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.10
10.7   Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated February 6, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Dilum Dunuwila    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.12
10.8   Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated February 6, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Kurt Briner    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.14
10.9   Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated February 6, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Michael Hartmann    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.16
10.10   Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated February 6, 2009 issued by the Registrant to Roger Laurent Bernier    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.18
10.11   Common Stock Purchase Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated June 22, 2009 issued by the Registrant to FCPR Sofinnova Capital VI    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.20
10.12   Shares of Common Stock Purchase Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 15, 2011 issued by the Registrant to FCPR Sofinnova Capital VI.    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.25


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Exhibit
Number

 

Description of the Document

  

Form or
Schedule

  

SEC File No.

  

Filing

Date

  

Exhibit
Number in
Original
Filing

10.13   Shares of Common Stock Purchase Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 15, 2011 issued by the Registrant to MCVP Technology Fund I, LLC    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.26
10.14   Shares of Common Stock Purchase Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 15, 2011 issued by the Registrant to Jean-François Huc    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.27
10.15   Shares of Common Stock Purchase Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 15, 2011 issued by the Registrant to Michael Hartmann    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.28
10.16   Shares of Common Stock Purchase Warrant to purchase shares of common stock dated April 15, 2011 issued by the Registrant to Roger Laurent Bernier    S-1    333-177917    12/22/2011    10.29
12.1(1)   Statement of Computation of Earnings to Fixed Charges            
23.1   Consent of Deloitte LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm            
23.2   Consent of Goodwin Procter LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)            
24.1   Power of Attorney (included on signature page)            
25.1(2)   Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for Senior Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939            
25.2(2)   Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for Subordinated Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939            

 

(1) To be filed, if necessary, subsequent to the effectiveness of this registration by an amendment to this registration statement or incorporation by reference pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K in connection with an offering of securities.
(2) To be filed pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.