UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10‑Q

Commission file number: 001‑35403

Verastem, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(781) 292-4200

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒  No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S‑T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☒  No ☐

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

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b‑2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐  No ☒

As of August 4, 2017 there were 36,992,418 shares of Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share, outstanding.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORWARD‑LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Quarterly Report on Form 10‑Q contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements related to present facts or current conditions or historical facts, contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10‑Q, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, are forward looking statements. Such statements relate to, among other things, the development of our product candidates, including duvelisib and defactinib (VS-6063), and our PI3K and FAK programs generally, the timeline for clinical development and regulatory approval of our product candidates, the expected timing for the reporting of data from on-going trials, the structure of our planned or pending clinical trials, additional planned studies, our rights to develop or commercialize our product candidates and our ability to finance contemplated development and commercialization activities and fund operations for a specified period. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “continue” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and our actual results could differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements we make. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, our ability to raise additional capital to support our clinical development program and other operations, our ability to develop products of commercial value and to identify, discover and obtain rights to additional product candidates, our ability to protect and maintain our intellectual property and the ability of our licensors to obtain and maintain patent protection for the products that we license from them, the fact that the preclinical and clinical testing of our product candidates and preliminary data from clinical trials may not be predictive of the success of ongoing or later clinical trials, that data may not be available when we expect it to be, that enrollment of clinical trials may take longer than expected, that our product candidates may cause unexpected safety events, that we will be unable to successfully initiate or complete the clinical development of our product candidates, including duvelisib and defactinib, that development of our product candidates will take longer or cost more than planned, that we or Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Infinity) will fail to fully perform under our license agreement for duvelisib, that the transition of the duvelisib program from Infinity will not be completed, our reliance on third-parties, competitive developments, the effect of current and future legislation and regulation and regulatory actions, as well as other risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

As a result of these and other factors, we may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures or investments we may make. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

PART I—FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1.  Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited).

Verastem, Inc.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

See accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements.

Verastem, Inc.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(unaudited)

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

See accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements.

Verastem, Inc.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)

(in thousands)

See accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements.

Verastem, Inc.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

1. Nature of business

Verastem, Inc. (the Company) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing drugs to improve the survival and quality of life of cancer patients. The Company’s operations to date have been limited to organizing and staffing the Company, business planning, raising capital, identifying and acquiring potential product candidates and undertaking preclinical and clinical studies of its product candidates.

The Company is subject to a number of risks similar to other life science companies, including, but not limited to, the need to obtain adequate additional funding, possible failure of preclinical testing or clinical trials, inability to obtain marketing approval of product candidates, competitors developing new technological innovations, market acceptance of the Company’s products and protection of proprietary technology. If the Company does not successfully commercialize any of its product candidates, it will be unable to generate product revenue or achieve profitability.

As of June 30, 2017, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and investments of $57.9 million and accumulated deficit of $261.8 million. Although the Company has incurred recurring losses and expects to continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future, the Company expects its cash, cash equivalents and investments to be sufficient to fund its current operating plan for at least the next twelve months from the date of issuance of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

2. Summary of significant accounting policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP) for interim financial reporting and as required by Regulation S-X, Rule 10-01. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (including those which are normal and recurring) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the interim financial information have been included. When preparing financial statements in conformity with GAAP, the Company must make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and related disclosures at the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Additionally, operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017. For further information, refer to the financial statements and footnotes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 23, 2017.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards Updates

In May 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2017-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting.  ASU 2017-09 provides guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based award require an entity to apply modification accounting under Topic 718.  Specifically, an entity would not apply modification accounting if the fair value, vesting conditions and classification of the awards are the same immediately before and after a modification.  ASU 2017-09 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted.  The Company has not elected to early adopt this standard and is currently evaluating the impact the adoption will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash.  ASU 2016-18 requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-18 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The Company has not elected to early adopt this standard and is currently evaluating the impact the adoption will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. ASU 2016-15 adds or clarifies guidance on the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows. The standard is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The Company has not elected to early adopt this standard and is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of the standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which supersedes the guidance under FASB Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 840, Leases, resulting in the creation of FASB ASC Topic 842, Leases.   ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to recognize in the statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments and a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term for both finance and operating leases. The guidance also eliminates the current real estate-specific provisions for all entities.  ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has not elected to early adopt this standard and is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of the standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards Updates

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-03, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections (Topic 250) and Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcements at the September 22, 2016 and November 17, 2016 EITF Meetings.  ASU 2017-03 clarifies the SEC staff’s expectations about the extent of disclosures that a registrant is expected to provide regarding the impact that the adoption of ASUs 2014-09 (Revenue from Contracts with Customers), 2016-02 (Leases) and 2016-13 (Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments) will have on its financial statements.  It also conforms SEC guidance on accounting for tax benefits resulting from investments in affordable housing projects to the guidance in ASU 2014-01, Investments -Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323).  The guidance under this ASU was effective upon issuance and did not have a material impact on the Company’s disclosures. 

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-17, Consolidation (Topic 810): Interests Held through Related Parties That Are under Common Control. ASU 2016-17 updates ASU 2015-02. Under the amendments, a single decision maker is not required to consider indirect interests held through related parties that are under common control with the single decision maker to be the equivalent of direct interests in their entirety. Instead, a single decision maker is required to include those interests on a proportionate basis consistent with indirect interests held through other related parties. ASU 2016-17 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2017.  The adoption of this ASU did not have an effect on the Company’s financial statements or disclosures.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.  ASU 2016-09 simplifies the accounting for share-based compensation arrangements, including the accounting for forfeitures, income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities and classification on the statement of cash flows.  The standard was effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016, with early adoption permitted.  The Company adopted ASU 2016-09 effective January 1, 2017.  Upon adoption, the Company elected to begin accounting for forfeitures as they occur, rather than estimating a forfeiture rate, and recorded an immaterial cumulative-effect adjustment to opening accumulated deficit.  Also upon adoption, the Company recognized all previously unrecognized tax benefits, which would have resulted in the recognition of an immaterial cumulative-effect adjustment to opening accumulated deficit; however, these unrecognized tax benefits were recorded as a deferred tax asset, which was fully offset by a valuation allowance.  Therefore, the recognition of these benefits had no net cumulative-effect on opening accumulated deficit upon adoption.

Significant accounting policies

There have been no material changes, other than those described above, to the significant accounting policies included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 as filed with the SEC on March 23, 2017.

3. Fair value of financial instruments

The Company determines the fair value of its financial instruments based upon the fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes valuation inputs based on the observable nature of those inputs. The fair value hierarchy applies only to the valuation inputs used in determining the reported fair value of the investments and is not a measure of the investment credit quality. The hierarchy defines three levels of valuation inputs:

Items Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

The following table presents information about the Company’s financial instruments that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis (in thousands):

The Company’s cash equivalents and investments are comprised of U.S. Government money market funds and corporate bonds and commercial paper of publicly traded companies. These investments have been initially valued at the transaction price and subsequently valued, at the end of each reporting period, utilizing third party pricing services or other market observable data. The pricing services utilize industry standard valuation models, including both income and market based approaches and observable market inputs to determine value. These observable market inputs include reportable trades, benchmark yields, credit spreads, broker/dealer quotes, bids, offers, current spot rates and other industry and economic events. The Company validates the prices provided by third party pricing services by reviewing their pricing methods and matrices, obtaining market values from other pricing sources, analyzing pricing data in certain instances and confirming that the relevant markets are active. After completing its validation procedures, the Company did not adjust or override any fair value measurements provided by the pricing services as of June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The fair value of the Company’s long-term debt is determined using current applicable rates for similar instruments as of the balance sheet dates and an assessment of the credit rating of the Company. The carrying value of the Company’s debt approximates fair value because the Company’s interest rate yield is near current market rates for comparable debt instruments. The fair value of the Company’s long-term debt was determined using Level 3 inputs.

4. Investments

Cash, cash equivalents and investments consist of the following (in thousands):

There were no realized gains or losses on investments for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 or 2016.  There were no investments that had been in an unrealized loss position for more than 12 months as of June 30, 2017 or December 31, 2016.  There were 8 debt securities in an unrealized loss position for less than 12 months at June 30, 2017 and there were 14 debt securities that had been in an unrealized loss position for less than 12 months at December 31, 2016. The aggregate unrealized loss on these securities as of June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 was approximately $11,000 and $24,000, respectively, and the fair value was $17.4 million and $23.6 million, respectively. The Company considered the decline in the market value for these securities to be primarily attributable to current economic conditions. As it was not more likely than not that the Company would be required to sell these securities before the recovery of their amortized cost basis, which may be at maturity, the Company did not consider these investments to be other-than-temporarily impaired as of June 30, 2017.    

5. Accrued expenses

Accrued expenses consist of the following (in thousands):

6. Long-term debt

On March 21, 2017 (Closing Date), Verastem, Inc. (Borrower) entered into a term loan facility of up to $25.0 million (Term Loan) with Hercules Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation (Hercules), the proceeds of which will be used for its ongoing research and development programs and for general corporate purposes. The Term Loan is governed by a loan and security agreement, dated March 21, 2017 (Loan Agreement), which provides for up to four separate advances subject to certain conditions of funding.  The first tranche of $2.5 million was drawn on the Closing Date. 

The Term Loan will mature on December 1, 2020 (Loan Maturity Date).  Each advance accrues interest at a floating per annum rate equal to the greater of either (a) 10.5% or (b) the lesser of (i) 12.75% and (ii) the sum of (x) 10.5% plus (y) (A) the prime rate minus (B) 4.5%.  As of June 30, 2017, the interest rate was 10.5%. The Term Loan provides for interest-only payments until November 1, 2018. The interest-only period may be extended to May 1, 2019 if the Borrower obtains minimum cash proceeds of $20.0 million from a sale of equity securities or subordinated debt and/or ongoing commercial partnerships. Thereafter, amortization payments will be payable monthly in twenty-six installments (or, if the period requiring interest-only payments has been extended to May 1, 2019, in twenty installments) of principal and interest (subject to recalculation upon a change in prime rates).

The Term Loan is secured by a lien on substantially all of the assets of the Borrower, other than intellectual property, and contains customary covenants and representations.

The Company assessed all terms and features of the Loan Agreement in order to identify any potential embedded features that would require bifurcation or any beneficial conversion features. As part of this analysis, the Company assessed the economic characteristics and risks of the Loan Agreement, including put and call features. The Company determined that all features of the Loan Agreement were clearly and closely associated with a debt host and did not require bifurcation as a derivative liability, or the fair value of the feature was immaterial to the Company's financial statements. The Company reassesses the features on a quarterly basis to determine if they require separate accounting.

The future principal payments under the Loan Agreement are as follows as of June 30, 2017 (in thousands):

7. Net loss per share

Basic and diluted net loss per common share is calculated by dividing net loss applicable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period, without consideration for common stock equivalents. The Company’s potentially dilutive shares, which include outstanding stock options, are considered to be common stock equivalents and are only included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share when their effect is dilutive.

The following potentially dilutive securities were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share for the periods indicated because including them would have had an anti-dilutive effect:

8. Stock‑based compensation

Stock options

A summary of the Company’s stock option activity and related information for the six months ended June 30, 2017 is as follows:

The fair value of each stock option granted during the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 was estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model using the following weighted-average assumptions:

In June 2016, the Company granted stock options to purchase a total of 500,000 shares of common stock to certain employees that vest only upon the achievement of specified performance conditions. The grant date fair value of these options was approximately $445,000. In October 2016, the Company determined that 50% of performance conditions had been achieved and as a result 250,000 shares vested and the Company recognized stock-based compensation expense of approximately $222,000 for the year ended December 31, 2016.  The Company determined that the remaining 50% of the performance conditions were not considered probable of achievement as of June 30, 2017 and as a result, has not recognized any stock-based compensation expense related to the remaining unvested awards.

Restricted stock units

The approximate total fair value of restricted stock units (RSUs) vested during the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 was $0 and $65,000, respectively. As of June 30, 2016, all RSUs had vested and there was no remaining unrecognized stock-based compensation expense. There were no RSUs granted during or subsequent to the three and six months ended June 30, 2016.

During the first quarter of 2013, the Company amended the terms of certain RSUs related to a total of 697,060 shares of common stock to allow for tax withholdings greater than the minimum required statutory withholding amount. As a result of this change in the terms of the awards, the outstanding RSUs were considered to be liability instruments. As a result of this modification, the Company recorded a liability for the fair value of the awards as of each reporting date with the change in fair value recorded through the statement of operations. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, the Company made approximate deposits with the taxing authorities of $0 and $5,000 in respect of the tax liability for awards that settled during the period.  As of June 30, 2016, the Company had no remaining tax liability related to these awards.

9. Equity offerings

In March 2017, the Company terminated the at-the-market equity offering program established in December 2013 and established a new at-the-market equity offering program pursuant to which it is able to offer and sell up to $35.0 million of its common stock at then current market prices from time to time through Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., as sales agent. The Company has not commenced sales under this program.

10. Reduction in force

In October 2015, the Company announced a reduction of workforce by approximately 50% to 20 full time employees. All affected employees received severance pay and outplacement assistance. As a result of the reduction in force and associated costs, the Company paid one-time severance and related costs of $1.1 million.  Of these one-time severance and related costs, approximately $349,000 was paid through December 31, 2015, approximately $114,000 and approximately $635,000 was paid in the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, and approximately $78,000 was paid in the 2016 fiscal year subsequent to June 30, 2016. As of December 31, 2016, all one-time severance and related costs have been paid and no liability remains.

11. Subsequent events

The Company reviews all activity subsequent to the end of the quarter but prior to issuance of the condensed consolidated financial statements for events that could require disclosure or that could impact the carrying value of assets or liabilities as of the balance sheet date. There are no material subsequent events to the three and six months ended June 30, 2017.

Item 2.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10‑Q. The following discussion contains forward‑looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results and the timing of certain events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward‑looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those discussed below and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.  Please also refer to the sections under headings “Forward‑Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.

OVERVIEW

We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing drugs to improve the survival and quality of life of cancer patients.  Our most advanced product candidates, duvelisib and defactinib (VS-6063), utilize a multi-faceted approach to treat cancers originating either in the blood or major organ systems.  We are currently evaluating these compounds in both preclinical and clinical studies as potential therapies for certain cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, and pancreatic cancer. We believe that these compounds may be beneficial as therapeutics either as single agents or when used in combination with immuno-oncology agents or other current and emerging standard of care treatments in aggressive cancers that are poorly served by currently available therapies.

Duvelisib targets the Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and defactinib targets the Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) signaling pathways. The PI3K signaling pathway plays a central role in cancer proliferation and survival. Duvelisib is an investigational oral therapy designed to attack both malignant B-cells and T-cells and disrupt the tumor microenvironment to help thwart their growth and proliferation for patients with lymphatic cancers through the dual inhibition of PI3K delta and gamma.  FAK is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that is involved in cellular adhesion and, in cancer, metastatic capability.  Defactinib is a targeted inhibitor of FAK. Similar to duvelisib, defactinib is also orally available and designed to be a potential therapy for patients to take at home under the advice of their physician.

Duvelisib is currently being studied in the DUO™ study, which is a Phase 3, randomized, open-label, two-arm trial of duvelisib versus treatment with ofatumumab. This study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of duvelisib as compared to ofatumumab in approximately 300 patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).

Duvelisib has successfully completed the Phase 2 DYNAMO™ study which is an open-label, single-arm trial of duvelisib that evaluated the safety and efficacy of duvelisib in 129 patients with refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL). This study met its primary endpoint of overall response rate and the majority of reported side effects were expected, reversible and clinically manageable.

Defactinib is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1b study in combination with Merck & Co.’s PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab and gemcitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, a Phase 1/2 clinical collaboration with Pfizer Inc. (Pfizer) and Merck KGaA to evaluate defactinib in combination with avelumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody, in patients with ovarian cancer, and a Phase 1/2 study in collaboration with Cancer Research UK and Merck & Co. for the combination of defactinib with pembrolizumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), mesothelioma or pancreatic cancer.

  Our operations to date have been organizing and staffing our company, business planning, raising capital, identifying and acquiring potential product candidates and undertaking preclinical studies and clinical trials for our product candidates. To date, we have not generated any revenues. We have financed our operations to date through private placements of preferred stock, our initial public offering in February 2012, our follow-on offerings in July 2013 and January 2015, our loan and security agreement executed with Hercules Capital, Inc. (Hercules) in March 2017, and sales of common stock under our at-the market equity offering program.

As of June 30, 2017, we had an accumulated deficit of $261.8 million. Our net loss was $13.4 million, $26.4 million, $8.6 million and $16.9 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. We expect to incur significant expenses and increasing operating losses for the foreseeable future. We expect our expenses to increase in connection with our ongoing activities, particularly as we continue the research and development and clinical trials of, and seek marketing approval for, our product candidates. In addition, if we obtain marketing approval for any of our product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to product sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution. Accordingly, we will need to obtain substantial additional funding in connection with our continuing operations. Adequate additional financing may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. If we are unable to raise capital when needed or on attractive terms, we would be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate our research and development programs or any future commercialization efforts. We will need to generate significant revenues to achieve profitability, and we may never do so.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND SIGNIFICANT JUDGMENTS AND ESTIMATES

We believe that several accounting policies are important to understanding our historical and future performance. We refer to these policies as “critical” because these specific areas generally require us to make judgments and estimates about matters that are uncertain at the time we make the estimate, and different estimates—which also would have been reasonable—could have been used, which would have resulted in different financial results.

The critical accounting policies we identified in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 related to accrued research and development expenses and stock-based compensation. There were no material changes to these critical accounting policies in the three and six months ended June 30, 2017. It is important that the discussion of our operating results that follows be read in conjunction with the critical accounting policies disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 23, 2017.

The Company has elected to follow the extended transition period guidance provided for in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for complying with new or revised accounting standards. The Company will disclose the date on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies and the date on which the Company will adopt the recently issued accounting standards.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Comparison of the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016

Research and development expense.  Research and development expense for the three months ended June 30, 2017 (2017 Quarter) was $9.0 million compared to $4.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2016 (2016 Quarter). The $4.5 million increase from the 2016 Quarter to the 2017 Quarter was primarily related to an increase of $3.6 million in contract research organization (CRO) expense for outsourced biology, development and clinical services, which includes our clinical trial costs, an increase of approximately $894,000 in consulting fees, and an increase in personnel related costs of approximately $244,000. These increases were offset by a decrease in stock-based compensation and other expenses of approximately $176,000.

We allocate the expenses related to external research and development services, such as CROs, clinical sites, manufacturing organizations and consultants by project.  The table below summarizes our allocation of research and development expenses to our clinical programs, including duvelisib and defactinib, for the 2017 Quarter and the 2016 Quarter. We use our employee and infrastructure resources across multiple research and development projects.  Our project costing methodology does not allocate personnel and other indirect costs to specific clinical programs. These unallocated research and development expenses are summarized in the table below and include approximate personnel related costs of $1.1 million and $869,000 for the 2017 Quarter and the 2016 Quarter, respectively.

General and administrative expense.  General and administrative expense for the 2017 Quarter was $4.4 million compared to $4.2 million for the 2016 Quarter. The increase of approximately $208,000 from the 2016 Quarter to the 2017 Quarter primarily resulted from an increase in consulting and professional fees of approximately $870,000, partially offset by decreases in stock-based compensation expense of approximately $534,000 and personnel costs of approximately $152,000.

Interest income.  Interest income remained flat from the 2016 Quarter to the 2017 Quarter primarily as a result of higher interest rates on investments in the 2017 Quarter, offset by a lower investment cost basis.

Interest expense.  Interest expense for the 2017 Quarter was approximately $109,000 related to our loan and security agreement executed with Hercules in March 2017.  We did not incur any interest expense in the 2016 Quarter.

Comparison of the six months ended June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016

Research and development expense.  Research and development expense for the six months ended June 30, 2017 (2017 Period) was $17.4 million compared to $8.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016 (2016 Period). The $8.7 million increase from the 2016 Period to the 2017 Period was primarily related to an increase of $6.4 million in CRO expense for outsourced biology, development and clinical services, which includes our clinical trial costs, an increase of $1.4 million in consulting fees, and an increase in personnel related costs of $1.2 million. These increases were offset by a decrease in stock-based compensation and other expenses of approximately $263,000.

We allocate the expenses related to external research and development services, such as CROs, clinical sites, manufacturing organizations and consultants by project.  The table below summarizes our allocation of research and development expenses to our clinical programs, including duvelisib and defactinib, for the 2017 Period and the 2016 Period. We use our employee and infrastructure resources across multiple research and development projects.  Our project costing methodology does not allocate personnel and other indirect costs to specific clinical programs. These unallocated research and development expenses are summarized in the table below and include approximate personnel related costs of $2.7 million and $1.5 million for the 2017 Period and the 2016 Period, respectively.

General and administrative expense.  General and administrative expense for the 2017 Period was $9.2 million compared to $8.5 million for the 2016 Period. The increase of approximately $716,000 from the 2016 Period to the 2017 Period primarily resulted from an increase in consulting and professional fees of $1.8 million, partially offset by decreases in stock-based compensation expense of approximately $931,000 and personnel costs of approximately $117,000.

Interest income.  Interest income increased to approximately $295,000 for the 2017 Period from approximately $280,000 for the 2016 Period. This increase was primarily due to higher interest rates on investments, offset by a lower investment cost basis.

Interest expense.  Interest expense for the 2017 Period was approximately $121,000 related to our loan and security agreement executed with Hercules in March 2017.  We did not incur any interest expense in the 2016 Period.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Sources of liquidity

To date, we have not generated any revenues. We have financed our operations to date through private placements of preferred stock, our initial public offering in February 2012, our follow-on offerings in July 2013 and January 2015, our loan and security agreement executed with Hercules in March 2017, and sales of common stock under our former at-the market equity offering program.

As of June 30, 2017, we had $57.9 million in cash, cash equivalents and investments. We primarily invest our cash, cash equivalents and investments in a U.S. Government money market fund and corporate bonds and commercial paper of publicly traded companies.

Cash flows

The following table sets forth the primary sources and uses of cash for the 2017 Period and the 2016 Period (in thousands):

Operating activities.  The use of cash in both periods resulted primarily from our net losses adjusted for non-cash charges and changes in the components of working capital, including payments of one-time severance and related costs of approximately $635,000 in the 2016 Period.

Investing activities.  The cash provided by investing activities for the 2017 Period reflects the net maturities of investments of $18.1 million. The cash provided in investing activities for the 2016 Period reflects the net maturities of investments of $32.2 million.

Financing activities.  The cash provided by financing activities for the 2017 Period represents $2.4 million in net proceeds received from a loan and security agreement executed with Hercules, offset by approximately $138,000 of deferred financing costs. The cash used in financing activities for the 2016 Period represents approximately $5,000 used to satisfy the tax withholding obligations on certain restricted stock units that were net settled by employees.

On March 21, 2017 (Closing Date), Verastem, Inc. (Borrower) entered into a term loan facility of up to $25.0 million (Term Loan) with Hercules, the proceeds of which will be used for our ongoing research and development programs and for general corporate purposes. The Term Loan is governed by a loan and security agreement, dated March 21, 2017 (Loan Agreement), which provides for up to four separate advances subject to certain conditions of funding.  The first tranche of $2.5 million was drawn on the Closing Date. 

The Term Loan will mature on December 1, 2020 (Loan Maturity Date).  Each advance accrues interest at a floating per annum rate equal to the greater of either (a) 10.5% or (b) the lesser of (i) 12.75% and (ii) the sum of (x) 10.5% plus (y) (A) the prime rate minus (B) 4.5%.  The Term Loan provides for interest-only payments until November 1, 2018. The interest-only period may be extended to May 1, 2019 if the Borrower obtains minimum cash proceeds of $20.0 million from a sale of equity securities or subordinated debt and/or ongoing commercial partnerships. Thereafter, amortization payments will be payable monthly in twenty-six installments (or, if the period requiring interest-only payments has been extended to May 1, 2019, in twenty installments) of principal and interest (subject to recalculation upon a change in prime rates). 

The Term Loan is secured by a lien on substantially all of the assets of the Borrower, other than intellectual property and contains customary covenants and representations.

In March 2017, we terminated the at-the-market equity offering program established in December 2013 and established a new at-the-market equity offering program pursuant to which we are able to offer and sell up to $35.0 million of our common stock at then current market prices from time to time through Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., as sales agent. We have not commenced sales under this program.

Funding requirements

We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future. We anticipate that our expenses and operating losses will increase substantially if and as we:

We expect our existing cash, cash equivalents and investments will be sufficient to fund our current operating plan for at least the next twelve months from the date of filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we currently expect. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with the development and commercialization of our product candidates, and the extent to which we may enter into collaborations with third parties for development and commercialization of our product candidates, we are unable to estimate the amounts of increased capital outlays and operating expenses associated with completing the development of our current product candidates. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including:

Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial product revenues, we expect to finance our cash needs through a combination of equity offerings, debt financings, collaborations, strategic alliances and licensing arrangements. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interest of our existing stockholders will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of our existing stockholders. Debt financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. If we raise additional funds through collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. If we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.

OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

We did not have during the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined under SEC rules.

Item 3.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

We are exposed to market risk related to changes in interest rates. We had cash, cash equivalents and investments of $57.9 million and $80.9 million as of June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively, consisting of cash, U.S. Government money market funds and corporate bonds and commercial paper of publicly traded companies.  Our primary exposure to market risk is interest rate sensitivity, which is affected by changes in the general level of U.S. interest rates, particularly because most of our investments are interest bearing. Our available for sale securities are subject to interest rate risk and will fall in value if market interest rates increase. Due to the short-term duration of most of our investment portfolio and the low risk profile of our investments, an immediate 100 basis point change in interest rates would not have a material effect on the fair market value of our portfolio.

We have contracts with CROs and contract manufacturers globally, which may be denominated in foreign currencies. We may be subject to fluctuations in foreign currency rates in connection with these agreements. Transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency are recorded based on exchange rates at the time such transactions arise. As of June 30, 2017, an immaterial amount of our total liabilities was denominated in currencies other than the functional currency.

On March 21, 2017, we entered into a term loan facility of up to $25.0 million with Hercules Capital, Inc. (Term Loan).  An initial term loan was made on March 21, 2017 in an aggregate principal amount equal to $2.5 million. The Term Loan bears interest per annum equal to the greater of either (a) 10.5% or (b) the lesser of (i) 12.75% and (ii) the sum of (x) 10.5% plus (y) (A) the prime rate minus (B) 4.5%.  Changes in interest rates can cause interest charges to fluctuate under the Term Loan. As of June 30, 2017, principal payable under the Term Loan was $2.5 million.  A 10%

increase in current interest rates would have resulted in an immaterial increase in the amount of cash interest expense paid for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017.

Item 4.  Controls and Procedures.

Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures

Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of June 30, 2017. The term “disclosure controls and procedures,” as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act), means controls and other procedures of a company that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives and management necessarily applies its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures. Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of June 30, 2017, our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.

Changes in internal control over financial reporting

There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II—OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1.  Legal Proceedings.

None.

Item 1A.  Risk Factors.

You should carefully review and consider the information regarding certain factors that could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results set forth under Item 1A. (Risk Factors) in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 as filed with the SEC on March 23, 2017.  There have been no material changes from the factors disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, although we may disclose changes to such factors or disclose additional factors from time to time in our future filings with the SEC.

Item 2.  Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES

None.

PURCHASE OF EQUITY SECURITIES

We did not purchase any of our equity securities during the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Item 3.  Defaults Upon Senior Securities.

None.

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures.

None.

Item 5.  Other Information.

The following disclosure is provided in accordance with and in satisfaction of the requirements of Item 2.02 “Results of Operations and Financial Condition” of Form 8-K:

On August 8, 2017, Verastem, Inc. announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 and commented on certain corporate accomplishments and plans. The full text of the press release issued in connection with the announcement is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

The information furnished in Item 5 (including Exhibit 99.1) shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

Item 6.  Exhibits.

The exhibits filed as part of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are set forth on the Exhibit Index, which Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by reference.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

EXHIBIT INDEX

*Filed herewith.

Exhibit 10.1

VERASTEM, INC.
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of [_______] [_], 2017, between Verastem, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and [______] (“Indemnitee”).

WITNESSETH THAT:

WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve corporations as directors or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the corporation;

WHEREAS, the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities.  Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions.  At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself.  The Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws of the Company requires indemnification of the directors, officers and any person who at the request of the Company is or was serving as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprises, from any and all of the expenses, liabilities or other matters.  Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”).  The Certificate of Incorporation, By-laws and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification;

WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such liability insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;

WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company's stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;

WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so indemnified;

WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Certificate of

Incorporation and By-laws of the Company and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and

WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection available under the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, By-laws and insurance as adequate in the present circumstances, and may not be willing to serve as an officer or director without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity.  Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he be so indemnified; and

WHEREAS, Indemnitee has certain rights to indemnification and/or insurance provided by other entities and/or organizations which Indemnitee and such other entities and/or organizations intend to be secondary to the primary obligation of the Company to indemnify Indemnitee as provided herein, with the Company’s acknowledgement and agreement to the foregoing being a material condition to Indemnitee’s willingness to serve on the Board.  

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee’s agreement to serve as a  director from and after the date hereof, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.Indemnity of Indemnitee.  The Company hereby agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law, as such may be amended from time to time.  In furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof.

(a)Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company.  Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Section l(a) if, by reason of his Corporate Status (as hereinafter defined), the Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (as hereinafter defined) other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company.  Pursuant to this Section 1(a), Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses (as hereinafter defined), judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him, or on his behalf, in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

(b)Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company.  Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Section 1(b) if, by reason of his Corporate Status, the Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company.  Pursuant to this Section 1(b), Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the Indemnitee, or on the Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with such Proceeding if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company; provided, however, if applicable law so provides, no indemnification against such Expenses shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter in such Proceeding as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and to the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall determine that such indemnification may be made.

(c)Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a party to and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding, he shall be indemnified to the maximum extent permitted by law, as such may be amended from time to time, against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.  If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter.  For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

(d)Appointing Stockholder.  If (i) Indemnitee is or was affiliated with one or more entities that has invested in the Company (an “Appointing Stockholder”), (ii) the Appointing Stockholder is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, and (iii) the Appointing Stockholder’s involvement in the Proceeding is related to Indemnitee’s service to the Company as a director of the Company or any direct or indirect subsidiaries of the Company, then, to the extent resulting from any claim based on the Indemnitee’s service to the Company as a director or other fiduciary of the Company, the Appointing Stockholder will be entitled to indemnification hereunder for Expenses to the same extent as Indemnitee, and the terms of this Agreement as they relate to procedures for indemnification of Indemnitee and advancement of Expenses shall apply to any such indemnification of the Appointing Stockholder. 

The rights provided to the Appointing Stockholder under this Section 1(d) shall (i) be suspended during any period during which the Appointing Stockholder does not have a representative on the Company’s Board and (ii) terminate on an initial public offering of the Company’s Common Stock; provided, however, that in the event of any such suspension or termination, the Appointing Stockholder’s rights to indemnification will not be suspended or terminated with respect to any Proceeding based in whole or in part on facts and circumstances occurring at any time prior to such suspension or termination regardless of whether the Proceeding arises before or after such suspension or termination.  The Company and Indemnitee agree that the Appointing Stockholder is an express third party beneficiary of this Section 1(d). 

2.Additional Indemnity.  In addition to, and without regard to any limitations on, the indemnification provided for in Section 1 of this Agreement, the Company shall and hereby does indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee against all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf if, by reason of his Corporate Status, he is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company), including, without limitation, all liability arising out of the negligence or active or passive wrongdoing of Indemnitee.  The only limitation that shall exist upon the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement shall be that the Company shall not be obligated to make any payment to Indemnitee that is finally determined (under the procedures, and subject to the presumptions, set forth in Sections 6 and 7 hereof) to be unlawful.

3.Contribution.

(a)Whether or not the indemnification provided in Sections 1 and 2 hereof is available, in respect of any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding), the Company shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount of any judgment or settlement of such action, suit or proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have against Indemnitee.  The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any action, suit or proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.

(b)Without diminishing or impairing the obligations of the Company set forth in the preceding subparagraph, if, for any reason, Indemnitee shall elect or be required to pay all or any portion of any judgment or settlement in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding), the Company shall contribute to the amount of Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred and paid or payable by Indemnitee in proportion to the relative benefits received by the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, from the transaction or events from which such action, suit or proceeding arose; provided, however, that the proportion determined on the basis of relative benefit may, to the extent necessary to conform to law, be further adjusted by reference to the relative fault of the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, in connection with the transaction or events that resulted in such expenses, judgments, fines or settlement amounts, as well as any other equitable considerations which applicable law may require to be considered.  The relative fault of the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the degree to which their actions were motivated by intent to gain personal profit or advantage, the degree to which their liability is primary or secondary and the degree to which their conduct is active or passive.

(c)The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless from any claims of contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.

(d)To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving

cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).

4.Indemnification for Expenses of a Witness.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a witness, or is made (or asked) to respond to discovery requests, in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.

5.Advancement of Expenses.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall advance all Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status within thirty (30) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting such advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding.  Such statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by a written undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against such Expenses.  Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest free.

6.Procedures and Presumptions for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification.  It is the intent of this Agreement to secure for Indemnitee rights of indemnity that are as favorable as may be permitted under the DGCL and public policy of the State of Delaware.  Accordingly, the parties agree that the following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement:

(a)To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification.  The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any failure of Indemnitee to provide such a request to the Company, or to provide such a request in a timely fashion, shall not relieve the Company of any liability that it may have to Indemnitee unless, and to the extent that, such failure actually and materially prejudices the interests of the Company.

(b)Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following four methods, which shall be at the election of the Board:  (1) by a majority vote of the disinterested directors, even though less than a quorum, (2) by a committee of disinterested directors designated by a majority vote of the disinterested directors, even though less than a quorum, (3) if there are no disinterested directors or if the disinterested directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to the Indemnitee, or (4) if so directed by the Board, by the stockholders of the Company.  For purposes hereof, disinterested directors are those members of the Board who are not parties to the action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

(c)If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 6(c).  The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board.  Indemnitee may, within 10 days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 13 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion.  Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel.  If a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit.  If, within 20 days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or other court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Indemnitee to the Company’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(b) hereof.  The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by such Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(c), regardless of the manner in which such Independent Counsel was selected or appointed.

(d)In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement.  Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.  Neither the failure of the Company (including by its directors or independent legal counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its directors or independent legal counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

(e)Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise (as hereinafter defined), including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise  in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise.  In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.  Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(e) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests

of the Company.  Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.

(f)If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 6 to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such 60-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time to obtain or evaluate documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided, further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(f) shall not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement and if (A) within fifteen (15) days after receipt by the Company of the request for such determination, the Board or the Disinterested Directors, if appropriate, resolve to submit such determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within seventy-five (75) days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (B) a special meeting of stockholders is called within fifteen (15) days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within sixty (60) days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat.

(g)Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination.  Any Independent Counsel, member of the Board or stockholder of the Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination regarding the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement.  Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.

(h)The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty.  In the event that any action, claim or proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such action, suit or proceeding.  Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.

(i)The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its

equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.

7.Remedies of Indemnitee.

(a)In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 5 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification is made pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement within ninety (90) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor or (v) payment of indemnification is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or such determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of the State of Delaware, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of Indemnitee’s entitlement to such indemnification.  Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication within one hundred eighty (180) days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 7(a).  The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication.

(b)In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of the adverse determination under Section 6(b).

(c)If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s misstatement not materially misleading in connection with the application for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.

(d)In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 7, seeks a judicial adjudication of his rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, or to recover under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, the Company shall pay on his behalf, in advance, any and all expenses (of the types described in the definition of Expenses in Section 13 of this Agreement) actually and reasonably incurred by him in such judicial adjudication, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance recovery.

(e)The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.  The Company shall indemnify

Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefore) advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, such expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advance of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors' and officers' liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement of Expenses or insurance recovery, as the case may be.

(f)Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding.

8.Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Primacy of Indemnification; Subrogation.

(a)The rights of indemnification as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, the By-laws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders, a resolution of the Board of the Company, or otherwise.  No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal.  To the extent that a change in the DGCL, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification than would be afforded currently under  the Certificate of Incorporation and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change.  No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise.  The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.

(b)To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary under such policy or policies.  If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has directors and officers liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies.  The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.

(c)The Company hereby acknowledges that Indemnitee has or may have in the future certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by other entities and/or organizations (collectively, the “Fund Indemnitors”).  The

Company hereby agrees (i) that it is the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., its obligations to Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the Fund Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by Indemnitee are secondary), (ii) that it shall be required to advance the full amount of expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall be liable for the full amount of all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement to the extent legally permitted and as required by the terms of this Agreement, the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company (or any other agreement between the Company and Indemnitee), without regard to any rights Indemnitee may have against the Fund Indemnitors, and, (iii)  that it irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the Fund Indemnitors from any and all claims against the Fund Indemnitors for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof.  The Company further agrees that no advancement or payment by the Fund Indemnitors on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and the Fund Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee against the Company.  The Company and Indemnitee agree that the Fund Indemnitors are express third party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 8(c).

(d)Except as provided in paragraph (c) above, in the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee (other than against the Fund Indemnitors), who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.

(e)Except as provided in paragraph (c) above, the Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.

(f)Except as provided in paragraph (c) above, the Company's obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise.

9.Exception to Right of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:

(a)for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, provided, that the foregoing shall not affect the rights of Indemnitee or the Fund Indemnitors set forth in Section 8(c) above;

(b)for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or 

(c)in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.

10.Duration of Agreement.  All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee is an officer or director of the Company (or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any Proceeding (or any proceeding commenced under Section 7 hereof) by reason of his Corporate Status, whether or not he is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives.

11.Security.  To the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral.  Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee.