Holders of Common Stock have the right to receive notice to participate and vote in general meetings of the Company, the right to a share in the excess of assets upon liquidation of the Company and the right to receive dividends, if declared.

 

The Common Stock is publicly traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol BCLI.

On June 6, 2018, the Company entered into a Warrant Exercise Agreement (the “Warrant Exercise Agreement”) with certain holders (the “Holders”) of warrants (the “2015 Warrants”) to purchase Company Common Stock, which 2015 Warrants were originally issued in the Company’s January 8, 2015 private placement. Pursuant to the Warrant Exercise Agreement, the Holders exercised their 2015 Warrants for a total of 2,458,201 shares of Common Stock (the “Exercised Shares”) at an amended exercise price of $5 per share. The warrant exercises generated gross cash proceeds to the Company of $12,291 ($11,994 net of issuance expenses). In addition, the Company issued new warrants to the Holders to purchase an aggregate 2,458,201 unregistered shares of Common Stock, at an exercise price of $9, with an expiration date of December 31, 2020 (the “New Warrants”). Certain Holders of New Warrants also entered into a Share Cap Agreement with the Company, whereby the Holders agreed to a 6-month delay (from the date of issuance) in exercisability of any shares at or in excess of 20% limitation on the size of the entire transaction, pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rules.

 

The New Warrants have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or state securities laws. The Exercised Shares have been registered for resale on the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-201704). The issuance of the Exercised Shares and New Warrants was exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to the exemption for transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Rule 506 of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

Since its inception the Company has raised approximately $59M, net in cash in consideration for issuances of Common Stock and warrants in private placements and public offerings as well as proceeds from warrants exercises.

As of September 30, 2018, the Company had outstanding awards for stock options under four stockholder approved plans: (i) the 2004 Global Stock Option Plan and the Israeli Appendix thereto (the “2004 Global Plan”) (ii) the 2005 U.S. Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the “2005 U.S. Plan,” and together with the 2004 Global Plan, the “Prior Plans”); (iii) the 2014 Global Share Option Plan and the Israeli Appendix thereto (which applies solely to participants who are residents of Israel) (the “2014 Global Plan”); and (iv) the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2014 U.S. Plan” and together with the 2014 Global Plan, the “2014 Plans”).

 

The 2004 Global Plan and 2005 U.S. Plan expired on November 25, 2014 and March 28, 2015, respectively. Grants that were made under the Prior Plans remain outstanding pursuant to their terms. The 2014 Plans were approved by the stockholders on August 14, 2014 (at which time the Company ceased to issue awards under each of the 2005 U.S. Plan and 2004 Global Plan) and amended on June 21, 2016. Unless otherwise stated, option grants prior to August 14, 2014 were made pursuant to the Company’s Prior Plans, and grants issued on or after August 14, 2014 were made pursuant to the Company’s 2014 Plans, and expire on the tenth anniversary of the grant date. The 2014 Plans have a shared pool of 2,200,000 shares of Common Stock available for issuance.

 

As of September 30, 2018, 379,329 shares were available for future issuances under the 2014 Plans. The exercise price of the options granted under the 2014 Plans may not be less than the nominal value of the shares into which such options are exercised. Any options under the 2014 Plans that are canceled or forfeited before expiration become available for future grants. The Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee (the “GNC Committee”) of the Board of Directors of the Company administers the Company’s stock incentive compensation and equity-based plans.

 

Pursuant to a September 28, 2015 employment agreement, as amended, Chaim Lebovits, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President (i) was granted a stock option under the 2014 Global Plan on September 28, 2015 for the purchase of up to 369,619 shares of the Company’s Common Stock at a per share exercise price of $2.45, which grant is fully vested and exercisable and shall be exercisable for a period of two years after termination of employment; (ii) received on July 26, 2017, and is entitled to receive on each anniversary thereafter (provided he remains Chief Executive Officer), a grant of restricted stock under the 2014 Global Plan (or any successor or other equity plan then maintained by the Company) comprised of a number of shares of Common Stock with a fair market value (determined based on the price of the Common Stock at the end of normal trading hours on the business day immediately preceding the effective date according to Nasdaq) equal to 30% of Mr. Lebovits’ Base Salary ( shares on each of July 26, 2017 and July 26, 2018). Each grant shall vest as to twenty-five percent (25%) of the award on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversary of the date of grant, provided Mr. Lebovits remains continuously employed by the Company from the date of grant through each applicable vesting date. Each grant shall be subject to accelerated vesting upon a Change of Control (as defined in the Lebovits employment agreement) of the Company. In the event of Mr. Lebovits’ termination of employment, any portion of a grant that is not yet vested (after taking into account any accelerated vesting) shall automatically be immediately forfeited to the Company, without the payment of any consideration to Mr. Lebovits; and (iii) was granted on July 26, 2017 a fully vested and exercisable option (the “Option”) under the 2014 Global Plan to purchase up to 41,580 shares of Common Stock, which shall remain exercisable until the 2nd anniversary of the date of grant, regardless of whether Mr. Lebovits remains employed by the Company, with an exercise price per share of $4.81.

 

The Lebovits employment agreement contains termination provisions, pursuant to which if the Company terminates the employment agreement or Mr. Lebovits’ employment without Cause (as defined in the agreement) or if Mr. Lebovits terminates the employment agreement or his employment thereunder with Good Reason (as defined in the agreement), the Company shall immediately vest such number of equity or equity based awards that would have vested during the six months following the date of termination of employment, conditional upon Mr. Lebovits executing a waiver and release in favor of the Company in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company.

Pursuant to his February 28, 2017 employment agreement, Dr. Ralph Kern, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Medical Officer of the Company, received on March 6, 2017, and is entitled to receive on each anniversary thereafter (provided he remains employed by the Company), a grant of restricted stock under the 2014 U.S. Plan (or any successor or other equity plan then maintained by the Company) comprised of a number of shares of Common Stock with a fair market value (determined based on the price of the Common Stock at the end of normal trading hours on the business day immediately preceding March 6, 2017 according to Nasdaq) equal to 30% of Dr. Kern’s Base Salary ( shares on each of March 6, 2017 and March 6, 2018). Each equity grant shall vest as to twenty-five percent (25%) of the award on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversary of the date of grant, provided Dr. Kern remains continuously employed by the Company from the date of grant through each applicable vesting date. Each equity grant shall be subject to accelerated vesting upon a Change of Control (as defined in the agreement) of the Company.

 

In the event of Dr. Kern’s termination of employment, any portion of an equity grant that is not yet vested (after taking into account any accelerated vesting) shall automatically be immediately forfeited to the Company, without the payment of any consideration to Dr. Kern.

 

Pursuant to the agreement, on March 6, 2017, Dr. Kern also received an option under the 2014 U.S. Plan to purchase up to 47,847 shares of Common Stock with an exercise price per share of $4.18. The option was fully vested and exercisable and shall remain exercisable until the 2nd anniversary of the date of grant, regardless of whether Dr. Kern remains employed by the Company. Uri Yablonka, the Company’s Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer and director was granted a stock option on June 6, 2014 under the Company’s Amended and Restated 2004 Global Share Option Plan (the “Global Plan”) for the purchase of 33,333 shares of the Company’s Common Stock, which was fully vested and exercisable upon grant. The exercise price for the grant is $2.70 per share. In addition, the Company agreed to grant Mr. Yablonka a stock option under the Global Plan (or the applicable successor option plan) for the purchase of up to 13,333 shares of Common Stock (subject to appropriate adjustment in the case of stock splits, reverse stock splits and the like) of the Company on the first business day after each annual meeting of stockholders (or special meeting in lieu thereof) of the Company beginning with the 2014 annual meeting, and provided that Mr. Yablonka remains an employee of the Company on each such date. The exercise price per share of the Common Stock subject to each additional option shall be equal to $0.75 (subject to appropriate adjustment in the case of stock splits, reverse stock splits and the like, or changes to the Israeli Annual Option Award under the Company’s Director Compensation Plan as amended from time to time). Each additional option vests and becomes exercisable on each monthly anniversary date as to 1/12th the number of shares subject to the option, over a period of twelve months from the date of grant, such that each additional option will be fully vested and exercisable on the first anniversary of the date of grant, provided that Mr. Yablonka remains an employee of the Company on each such vesting date. The Company also granted Mr. Yablonka 5,543 shares of restricted Common Stock on July 13, 2017.

 

On November 20, 2017, the Company granted to Eyal Rubin, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, 25,000 shares of restricted Common Stock under 2014 Global Plan, which shall vest as to 100% of the award on April 1, 2018, provided Mr. Rubin remains continuously employed by BCT from the date of grant through the vesting date. In the event of Mr. Rubin’s termination of employment prior to April 1, 2018, the restricted stock grant shall automatically be immediately forfeited in its entirety to the Company, without the payment of any consideration to Mr. Rubin. On November 20, 2017 the Company also granted to Mr. Rubin an option to purchase up to 93,686 shares of Common Stock under the 2014 Global Plan, at an exercise price per share equal to $4.30 per share. The Option shall vest and become exercisable as follows: 25% of the shares underlying the Option shall vest and become exercisable on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversary of the date of grant, until fully vested and exercisable on the fourth anniversary of the date of grant, provided Mr. Rubin remains continuously employed by BCT from the date of grant through each applicable vesting date. The Option shall have a 10 year term and shall be subject to accelerated vesting upon a Change of Control of the Company or Material Secondary Public Offering of the Company (each as defined in Mr. Rubin’s employment agreement).

 

On August 28, 2018, the Company and Arturo Araya entered into an employment agreement, pursuant to which Mr. Araya serves as Chief Commercial Officer of the Company.  In accordance with the employment agreement, Mr. Araya receives an annual base compensation of $300,000 and is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus equal to % of his base salary, subject to satisfaction of pre-established performance goals.  On August 28, 2018 he also received a one-time grant of an option to purchase 200,000 shares of Common Stock under the Company’s 2014 Stock Incentive Plan, at an exercise price of $3.98 per share.  % of the grant shall vest and become exercisable on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the grant date, so that the grant becomes fully vested and exercisable on the fourth anniversary of the grant date. The grant is subject to accelerated vesting upon a Change of Control, as defined in the agreement, and has a 10-year term.  Any unvested shares underlying the grant as of the date of the termination of his employment with the Company shall automatically terminate.  In connection with the employment agreement Mr. Araya resigned from the GNC Committee, and the restricted stock previously granted to him in connection with his service on the Board and the GNC Committee ceased vesting.

A summary of the Company's option activity related to options to employees and directors, and related information is as follows:

 

  

The aggregate intrinsic value in the table above represents the total intrinsic value (the difference between the fair market value of the Company’s shares on September 30, 2018, multiplied by the number of in-the-money options on those dates) that would have been received by the option holders had all option holders exercised their options on those dates.

Compensation expense recorded by the Company in respect of its stock-based employees and directors compensation awards in accordance with ASC 718-10 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 amounted to $598 and $398, respectively.

 

On January 2, 2018, the Company granted to its legal advisor 11,250 shares of Common Stock for 2017 legal services. The related compensation expense was recorded as general and administrative expense in 2017.

 

The total stock-based compensation expense, related to shares, options and warrants granted to employees, directors and service providers was comprised, at each period, as follows: