S-8

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 2, 2022

Registration No. 333-            

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Solid Biosciences Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   90-0943402

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

500 Rutherford Avenue

Charlestown, Massachusetts

  02129
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Amended and Restated 2020 Equity Incentive Plan

Inducement Stock Option Awards (December 2022)

Inducement Restricted Stock Unit Awards (December 2022)

(Full Title of the Plan)

Ilan Ganot

President and Chief Executive Officer

Solid Biosciences Inc.

500 Rutherford Avenue

Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129

(Name and Address of Agent For Service)

(617) 337-4680

(Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

 

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☒

 

 

 


PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1. Plan Information.

The information required by Item 1 is omitted from this registration statement and included in documents sent or given to participants in the plans covered by this registration statement pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.

The written statement required by Item 2 is omitted from this registration statement and included in documents sent or given to participants in the plans covered by this registration statement pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The registrant is subject to the informational and reporting requirements of Sections 13(a), 14, and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and in accordance therewith files reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”). The following documents, which are on file with the Commission, are incorporated in this registration statement by reference:

(a) The registrant’s latest annual report filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or the latest prospectus filed pursuant to Rule  424(b) under the Securities Act that contains audited financial statements for the registrant’s latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed;

(b) The registrant’s latest definitive proxy statement filed pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act that contains the audited financial statements for the registrant’s latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed;

(c) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the document referred to in (a)  above; and

(d) The description of the securities contained in the registrant’s registration statement on Form 8-A filed under the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents subsequently filed by the registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for the purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.


Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) provides, generally, that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (except actions by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation against all expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. A corporation may similarly indemnify such person for expenses actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of any action or suit by or in the right of the corporation, provided that 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 the corporation, and, in the case of claims, issues and matters as to which such person shall have been adjudged liable to the corporation, provided that a court shall have determined, upon application, that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper.

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL provides, generally, that the registrant’s certificate of incorporation may contain a provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that such provision may not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under section 174 of the DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. No such provision may eliminate or limit the liability of a director for any act or omission occurring prior to the date when such provision became effective.

The registrant’s charter and bylaws provide for the indemnification of its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted under the DGCL. As permitted by the DGCL, the registrant has also entered into and expects to continue to enter into agreements to indemnify its directors, executive officers and other employees as determined by the registrant’s board of directors. Under the terms of the registrant’s indemnification agreements, the registrant is required to indemnify each of its directors and officers, to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware, if the basis of the indemnitee’s involvement was by reason of the fact that the indemnitee is or was a director, or officer, of the registrant or any of its subsidiaries or was serving at the registrant’s request in an official capacity for another entity. The registrant must indemnify its officers and directors against (1) attorneys’ fees and (2) all other costs of any type or nature whatsoever, including any and all expenses and obligations paid or incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in, participating in (including on appeal) or preparing to defend, be a witness or participate in any completed, actual, pending or threatened action, suit, claim or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under the indemnification agreement. The indemnification agreements also set forth certain procedures that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification thereunder. These indemnification provisions and the indemnification agreements may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of the registrant’s officers and directors for liabilities, including reimbursement of expenses incurred, arising under the Securities Act.

In addition, the registrant has purchased a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures the registrant’s directors and officers against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.


Item 8. Exhibits.

The following exhibits are incorporated herein by reference:

 

Number   

Description

    4.1*    Certificate of Incorporation of the registrant, as amended
    4.2    Bylaws of the registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-222763) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 29, 2018)
    5.1*    Opinion of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, counsel to the registrant
  23.1*    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
  23.2*    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
  23.3*    Consent of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
  24.1*    Power of Attorney (included on the signature pages of this registration statement)
  99.1    Form of Nonstatutory Inducement Stock Option Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.4 to the registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-258856) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 16, 2021)
  99.2    Form of Inducement Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.5 to the registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-258856) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 16, 2021)
  99.3    Amended and Restated 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 1, 2022)
107*    Filing Fee Table

 

*

Filed herewith

Item 9. Undertakings.

 

1.

Item 512(a) of Regulation S-K. 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 volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent 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) and (ii) 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.


(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.

 

  2.

Item 512(b) of Regulation S-K. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes 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 Section 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 such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  3.

Item 512(h) of Regulation S-K. 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 Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


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-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Charlestown, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on this 2nd day of December, 2022.

 

SOLID BIOSCIENCES INC.
By:  

/s/ Ilan Ganot

  Ilan Ganot
  President and Chief Executive Officer


POWER OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES

We, the undersigned officers and directors of Solid Biosciences Inc., hereby severally constitute and appoint Ilan Ganot, Stephen DiPalma and Erin Powers Brennan, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full power to them, and each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below, the registration statement on Form S-8 filed herewith and any and all subsequent amendments to said registration statement, and generally to do all such things in our names and on our behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable Solid Biosciences Inc. to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or any of them, to said registration statement and any and all amendments thereto.

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/ Ilan Ganot

Ilan Ganot

  

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

   December 2, 2022

/s/ Stephen DiPalma

Stephen DiPalma

  

Interim Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

   December 2, 2022

/s/ Ian F. Smith

Ian F. Smith

   Chairman of the Board    December 2, 2022

/s/ Martin Freed

Martin Freed

   Director    December 2, 2022

/s/ Robert Huffines

Robert Huffines

   Director    December 2, 2022

/s/ Clare Kahn

Clare Kahn

   Director    December 2, 2022

/s/ Georgia Keresty

Georgia Keresty

   Director    December 2, 2022

/s/ Sukumar Nagendran

Sukumar Nagendran

   Director    December 2, 2022

/s/ Rajeev Shah

Rajeev Shah

   Director    December 2, 2022

/s/ Adam Stone

Adam Stone

   Director    December 2, 2022

/s/ Lynne Sullivan

Lynne Sullivan

   Director    December 2, 2022
EX-4.1

Exhibit 4.1

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

SOLID BIOSCIENCES INC.

The undersigned, for purposes of incorporating a corporation under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, does hereby certify as follows:

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the Corporation is: Solid Biosciences Inc. (the “Corporation”).

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801. The name of the Corporation’s registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). The Corporation is being incorporated in connection with the conversion of Solid Biosciences, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “LLC”), to the Corporation, and this Certificate of Incorporation is being filed simultaneously with the Certificate of Conversion of the LLC to the Corporation.

ARTICLE IV

CAPITAL STOCK

The aggregate number of shares that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 310,000,000 shares consisting of:

1. 300,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”); and

2. 10,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”).

 

1


Section 1.    Common Stock.

(a)    Each share of Common Stock issued and outstanding shall be identical in all respects one with the other and no dividends shall be paid on any shares of Common Stock unless the same dividend is paid on all shares of Common Stock outstanding at the time of such payment.

(b)    Except for and subject to those rights expressly granted to the holders of the Preferred Stock, or except as may be provided by the DGCL, the holders of Common Stock shall have exclusively all other rights of stockholders, including, but not by way of limitation, (i) the right to receive dividends, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of assets lawfully available therefor, and (ii) in the event of any distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation or otherwise, the right to receive ratably and equally all the assets and funds of the Corporation remaining after payment of all of the Corporation’s debts and other liabilities and payment to the holders of any then outstanding shares of Preferred Stock of the specific amounts that they are entitled to receive upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation as herein provided.

(c)    Each holder of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each share of such Common Stock held by such holder, and voting power with respect to all classes of securities of the Corporation shall be vested solely in the Common Stock, other than as specifically provided in this Certificate of Incorporation, as it may be amended, with respect to the Preferred Stock.

(d)    The Common Stock shall not be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or classes or of any other series of the same class of the Corporation’s capital stock.

(e)    No holder of Common Stock shall have any preemptive rights with respect to the Common Stock or any other securities of the Corporation or to any obligations convertible (directly or indirectly) into securities of the Corporation whether now or hereafter authorized.

Section 2.    Preferred Stock.

Authority is hereby vested in the Board of Directors of the Corporation to provide for the issuance of Preferred Stock in one or more series and in connection therewith to fix by resolution providing for the issue of any such series, the number of shares to be included and such of the preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights and limitations of such series, including, without limitation, rights of redemption or conversion into Common Stock, to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. The authority of the Board of Directors with respect to each series of Preferred Stock shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following:

 

      

(i)    the designation of the series, which may be by distinguishing number, letter or title;

 

      

(ii)    the number of shares of the series, which number the Board of Directors may thereafter increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding);

 

2


      

(iii)    whether dividends, if any, shall be cumulative or noncumulative and the dividend rate of the series;

 

      

(iv)    dates at which dividends, if any, shall be payable;

 

      

(v)    the redemption rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series;

 

      

(vi)    the terms and amount of any sinking fund provided for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series;

 

      

(vii)    the amounts payable on, and the preferences, if any, of shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation;

 

      

(viii)    whether the shares of the series shall be convertible into shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of the Corporation or any other entity, and, if so, the specification of such other class or series of such other security, the conversion price or prices or rate or rates, any adjustments thereof, the date or dates at which such shares shall be convertible and all other terms and conditions upon which such conversion may be made;

 

      

(ix)    restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or of any other class or series;

 

      

(x)    the voting rights, if any, of the holders of shares of the series; and

 

      

(xi)    such other powers, privileges, preferences and rights, and qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, as the Board of Directors shall determine.

Section 3.    Conversion of Limited Liability Company Interests.

Upon the filing of the Certificate of Conversion of the LLC to the Corporation and this Certificate of Incorporation or, if such certificates provide that they are not to become effective until a specified later date, upon such specified later effective date (the “Effective Time”) each limited liability company unit of the LLC issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time will be deemed to be 0.8485 issued and outstanding fully paid and nonassessable share of Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, there shall be no fractional shares of Common Stock issued in connection with the conversion and, in lieu thereof, the Corporation shall pay to each former holder of limited liability company units otherwise entitled to receive any such fraction an amount equal to the fair value thereof, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors.

 

3


ARTICLE V

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1.    Number of Directors.

The number of directors that shall constitute the Board of Directors shall be fixed from time to time by resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office.

Section 2.    Classes of Directors.

The Board of Directors shall be and is divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, designated: Class I, Class II and Class III. In case of any increase or decrease, from time to time, in the number of directors, the number of directors shall be apportioned as nearly equal as possible. No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

Section 3.    Election and Term of Office.

The directors shall be elected in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Bylaws of the Corporation (the “Bylaws”), as permitted by law. Each director shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of stockholders following the annual meeting at which such director was elected; provided, that each director initially appointed to Class I shall serve for an initial term expiring at the Corporation’s first annual meeting of stockholders following the effectiveness of this provision; each director initially appointed to Class II shall serve for an initial term expiring at the Corporation’s second annual meeting of stockholders following the effectiveness of this provision; and each director initially appointed to Class III shall serve for an initial term expiring at the Corporation’s third annual meeting of stockholders following the effectiveness of this provision. The directors shall be elected and shall hold office only in this manner, except as expressly provided in Section 4 and Section 5 of this Article V. Each director shall hold office until a successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal. Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws shall so provide.

Section 4.    Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies.

Newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors or any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from expansion of the Board of Directors, death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or any other cause may be filled, so long as there is at least one remaining director, only by the Board of Directors, provided that a quorum is then in office and present, or by a majority of the directors then in office, if less than a quorum is then in office, or by the sole remaining director. Directors elected to fill vacancies shall have the same remaining term as that of his or her predecessor.

Section 5.    Removal of Directors.

Directors may be removed from office only for cause and, in addition to any vote required by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in an election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to effect such removal.

 

4


Section 6.    Rights of Holders of Preferred Stock.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article V, whenever the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately or together by series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorship shall be governed by the rights of such Preferred Stock as set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation or the certificate of designation governing such series.

ARTICLE VI

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting shall be held at such date, time and place, if any, as shall be determined solely by the resolution of the Board of Directors in its sole and absolute discretion, including, without limitation, by remote electronic communication technology.

ARTICLE VII

BYLAWS

The Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws. The affirmative vote of at least a majority of the entire Board of Directors shall be required to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws. Notwithstanding the foregoing and anything contained in this Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary, the Bylaws shall not be amended or repealed by the stockholders, and no provision inconsistent therewith shall be adopted by the stockholders, without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

ARTICLE VIII

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it now exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader director protection rights than permitted prior thereto), no director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or any of its stockholders for monetary damages arising from a breach of fiduciary duty owed to the Corporation or its stockholders. Any repeal or modification of this Article VIII by the stockholders of the Corporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such repeal or modification.

ARTICLE IX

INDEMNIFICATION

The Corporation shall indemnify its directors to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it now exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to

 

5


the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader protection rights than permitted prior thereto), and such right to indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives; provided, that, except for proceedings to enforce rights and indemnification, the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any director (or his or her heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives) in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized or consented by the Board of Directors. The right to indemnification conferred by this Article X shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding in advance of its final disposition.

The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, provide rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to officers, employees and agents of the Corporation similar to those conferred in this Article X to the Board of Directors.

The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses in this Article X shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under this Certificate of Incorporation, as amended from time to time, the Bylaws, any statute, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

Any repeal or modification of this Article X by the stockholders of the Corporation shall not adversely affect any rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses of a director or officer of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to any acts or omissions occurring prior to such repeal or modification.

ARTICLE X

PLACE OF STOCKHOLDER MEETINGS; BOOKS AND RECORDS

Meetings of stockholders may be held within or without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors or the Bylaws may provide. The books of the Corporation may be kept (subject to any provision contained in the DGCL) outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors or in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE XI

ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT; SPECIAL MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS; ADVANCE NOTICE

Section 1.    No Action by Written Consent.

Any action required or permitted to be taken by stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by written consent in lieu of a meeting.

 

6


Section 2.    Special Meetings.

Except as otherwise expressly provided by the terms of any series of Preferred Stock and to the requirements of applicable law, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by a majority of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, and the ability of the stockholders to call a special meeting is hereby specifically denied. Only such business shall be considered at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been stated in the notice for such meeting.

Section 3.    Advance Notice.

Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE XII

SEVERABILITY

If any provision or provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever, (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service to or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

ARTICLE XIII

CHOICE OF FORUM

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each case subject to said Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein.

ARTICLE XIV

AMENDMENT

The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by

 

7


statute, and all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation. In addition, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors shall be required to adopt any provision inconsistent with, to amend or repeal any provision of, or to adopt a bylaw inconsistent with Article V, Article VII, Article XI, Article XIII or this Article XIV of this Certificate of Incorporation.

ARTICLE XV

INCORPORATOR

The incorporator of the Corporation is Janice Lee, whose mailing address is c/o Proskauer Rose LLP, 11 Times Square, New York, New York 10036.

ARTICLE XVI

INITIAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The powers of the incorporator are to terminate upon the filing of this Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The names of the persons who are to serve as the initial directors of the Corporation are:

Initial Class I Directors

Mr. Robert Huffines

Dr. Adam Koppel

Mr. Rajeev Shah

Initial Class II Directors

Mr. Matthew Arnold

Mr. Adam Stone

Ms. Lynne Sullivan

Initial Class III Directors

Mr. Ilan Ganot

Mr. Gilad Hayeem

Dr. Andrey Zarur

The mailing address of each such director is: c/o Solid Biosciences Inc., 161 First Street, Third Floor, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142.

*  *  *

 

8


The undersigned incorporator hereby acknowledges that the foregoing certificate of incorporation is her act and deed on this the 25th day of January, 2018.

 

/s/ Janice Lee
Janice Lee
Incorporator

 

9


CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

TO

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

SOLID BIOSCIENCES INC.

Pursuant to Section 242 of the

General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

Solid Biosciences Inc. (hereinafter called the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, does hereby certify as follows:

FIRST: A resolution was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation pursuant to Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware setting forth an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation and declaring said amendment to be advisable. The stockholders of the Corporation duly approved and adopted said proposed amendment at an annual meeting of stockholders in accordance with Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. The resolution setting forth the amendment is as follows:

 

RESOLVED:    That the first sentence of Article IV of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation be and hereby is deleted in its entirety and the following three paragraphs are inserted in lieu thereof:
   “That, effective upon the effective time of this Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation (this “Certificate of Amendment”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Effective Time”), a one-for-15 reverse stock split of the Corporation’s common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), shall become effective, pursuant to which each 15 shares of Common Stock outstanding and held of record by each stockholder of the Corporation (including treasury shares) immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be reclassified and combined into one validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable share of Common Stock automatically and without any action by the holder thereof upon the Effective Time and shall represent one share of Common Stock from and after the Effective Time (such reclassification and combination of shares, the “Reverse Stock Split”). The par value of the Common Stock following the Reverse Stock Split shall remain at $0.001 per share. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued as a result of the Reverse Stock Split and, in lieu thereof, upon surrender after the Effective Time of a certificate or book entry position which formerly represented shares of Common Stock that were issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, any person who would otherwise be entitled to


   a fractional share of Common Stock as a result of the Reverse Stock Split, following the Effective Time, shall be entitled to receive a cash payment equal to the fraction of a share of Common Stock to which such holder would otherwise be entitled multiplied by the closing price per share of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market at the close of business on the date of the Effective Time.
   Each stock certificate or book entry position that, immediately prior to the Effective Time, represented shares of Common Stock that were issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, from and after the Effective Time, automatically and without the necessity of presenting the same for exchange, represent that number of whole shares of Common Stock after the Effective Time into which the shares formerly represented by such certificate or book entry position have been reclassified (as well as the right to receive cash in lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock after the Effective Time); provided, however, that each person of record holding a certificate or book entry position that represented shares of Common Stock that were issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall receive, upon surrender of such certificate or book entry position, a new certificate or book entry position evidencing and representing the number of whole shares of Common Stock after the Effective Time into which the shares of Common Stock formerly represented by such certificate or book entry position shall have been reclassified.
   The aggregate number of shares that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 70,000,000 shares consisting of:
  

1. 60,000,000 shares of Common Stock; and

  

2. 10,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”).”

SECOND: This Certificate of Amendment shall be effective at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on October 27, 2022.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused its corporate seal to be affixed hereto and this Certificate of Amendment to be signed by its President and Chief Executive Officer this 27th day of October, 2022.

 

SOLID BIOSCIENCES INC.
By:  

/s/ Ilan Ganot

  Ilan Ganot
  President and Chief Executive Officer

 

- 11 -

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

 

December 2, 2022

 

  

 

+1 617 526 6000 (t)

+1 617 526 5000 (f)

wilmerhale.com

Solid Biosciences Inc.

500 Rutherford Avenue

Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129

  

 

Re:

Amended and Restated 2020 Equity Incentive Plan

Inducement Stock Option Awards (December 2022)

Inducement Restricted Stock Unit Awards (December 2022)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have assisted in the preparation of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to (i) an aggregate of 866,666 shares (the “Plan Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Solid Biosciences Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), issuable under the Company’s Amended and Restated 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”); (ii) an aggregate of 774,052 shares (the “Option Shares”) of common stock, pursuant to inducement stock option agreements providing for employee inducement stock option grants between the Company and various employees, which were or will be entered into in connection with the entry into such employees’ employment with the Company pursuant to Nasdaq Stock Market Rule 5635(c)(4) (collectively, the “Inducement Option Agreements”); and (iii) 376,127 shares of common stock (the “RSU Shares” and collectively with the Plan Shares and the Option Shares, the “Shares”) pursuant to inducement restricted stock unit agreements providing for employee inducement restricted stock unit grants between the Company and various employees, which were or will be entered into in connection with the entry into such employees’ employment with the Company pursuant to Nasdaq Stock Market Rule 5635(c)(4) (collectively, the “Inducement RSU Agreements”).

We have examined the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company, each as amended and restated to date, and originals, or copies certified to our satisfaction, of all pertinent records of the meetings of the directors and stockholders of the Company, the Registration Statement and such other documents relating to the Company as we have deemed material for the purposes of this opinion.

In our examination of the foregoing documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, photostatic or other copies, the authenticity of the originals of any such documents and the legal competence of all signatories to such documents.

We assume that the appropriate action will be taken, prior to the offer and sale of the Shares in accordance with the Plan, the Inducement Option Agreements or the Inducement RSU Agreements, as applicable, to register and qualify the Shares for sale under all applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws.

 

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109

Beijing     Berlin     Boston     Brussels     Denver     Frankfurt     London     Los Angeles     New York     Palo Alto     San Francisco     Washington


LOGO

December 2, 2022

Page 2

 

We express no opinion herein as to the laws of any state or jurisdiction other than the state laws of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the federal laws of the United States of America.

It is understood that this opinion is to be used only in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares while the Registration Statement is in effect.

Please note that we are opining only as to the matters expressly set forth herein, and no opinion should be inferred as to any other matters.

Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and, when the Shares are issued and paid for in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Inducement Option Agreements and the Inducement RSU Agreements, as applicable, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission in connection with the Registration Statement in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act. In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP

WILMER CUTLER PICKERING HALE AND DORR LLP

 

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109

Beijing     Berlin     Boston     Brussels     Denver     Frankfurt     London     Los Angeles     New York     Palo Alto     San Francisco     Washington

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of Solid Biosciences Inc. of our report dated March 14, 2022, except for the effects of the reverse stock split discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, as to which the date is October 28, 2022, relating to the financial statements, which appears in Solid Biosciences Inc.’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed on November 7, 2022.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Boston, Massachusetts

December 2, 2022

EX-23.2

Exhibit 23.2

Consent of Independent Auditors

We consent to the use of our report dated August 4, 2022 (except for Notes 3, 12 and 14, as to which the date is October 28, 2022), with respect to the financial statements of AavantiBio, Inc. incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) of Solid Biosciences Inc.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Boston, Massachusetts

December 2, 2022

EX-FILING FEES

Exhibit 107

Calculation of Filing Fee Tables

Form S-8

(Form Type)

Solid Biosciences Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Table 1—Newly Registered Securities

 

               
Security Type   

Security

Class

Title

  

Fee

Calculation

Rule

  

Amount

Registered

(1)

 

Proposed

Maximum

Offering

Price Per

Unit

 

Maximum

Aggregate

Offering

Price

 

Fee

Rate

  

Amount of

Registration

Fee

               
Equity    Common Stock $0.001 par value per share    Other    866,666
(2)
  $6.59 (3)   $5,711,328.94
(3)
  $110.20

per

$1,000,000

   $629.39
               
Equity    Common Stock $0.001 par value per share    Other    774,052 (4)   $6.59 (3)   $5,101,002.68
(3)
  $110.20

per

$1,000,000

   $562.14
               
Equity    Common Stock $0.001 par value per share    Other    376,127 (5)   $6.59 (3)   $2,478,676.93
(3)
  $110.20

per

$1,000,000

   $273.16
         
Total Offering Amounts     $13,291,008.55      $1,464.69
         
Total Fee Offsets         
         
Net Fee Due                $1,464.69

 

(1)

In accordance with Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this registration statement shall be deemed to cover any additional securities that may from time to time be offered or issued to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.

(2)

Reflects 866,666 shares added to the Amended and Restated 2020 Equity Incentive Plan as of December 1, 2022.

(3)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and 457(h) of the Securities Act and based upon the average of the high and low prices of the registrant’s Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on November 30, 2022.

(4)

Consists of shares issuable under new hire inducement stock option awards to be granted on December 2, 2022 to certain employees of the registrant as an inducement material to entry into employment with the registrant in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

(5)

Consists of shares issuable under new hire inducement restricted stock unit awards to be granted on December 2, 2022 to certain employees of the registrant as an inducement material to entry into employment with the registrant in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).