SEC Form S-3ASR filed by Wave Life Sciences Ltd.

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 12, 2024

Registration No. 333-   

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

WAVE LIFE SCIENCES LTD.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Singapore		98-1356880
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

7 Straits View #12-00, Marina One East Tower

Singapore 018936

+65 6236 3388

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

CT Corporation

155 Federal Street, Suite 700

Boston, Massachusetts 02110

(617) 757-6400

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

William C. Hicks, Esq. John T. Rudy, Esq. Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. One Financial Center Boston, MA 02111 (617) 542-6000		Linda Rockett, Esq. Senior Vice President, General Counsel Wave Life Sciences Ltd. c/o 733 Concord Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 949-2900

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 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 Securities Act. ☐

 

 

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This registration statement contains two prospectuses:

 

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a base prospectus which covers the offering, issuance and sale by us of the securities identified above from time to time in one or more offerings; and

 

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a sales agreement prospectus covering the offering, issuance and sale by us of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $250,000,000 of our ordinary shares that may be issued and sold from time to time under an Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated as of May 10, 2019, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated March 2, 2020, Amendment No. 2 to Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated March 3, 2022, and Amendment No. 3 to Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated November 12, 2024, or collectively, the Sales Agreement, entered into with Jefferies LLC.

The base prospectus immediately follows this explanatory note. The specific terms of any securities to be offered pursuant to the base prospectus will be specified in a prospectus supplement to the base prospectus. The specific terms of the securities to be issued and sold under the Sales Agreement are specified in the sales agreement prospectus that immediately follows the base prospectus.

PROSPECTUS

 

ORDINARY SHARES

DEBT SECURITIES

WARRANTS

RIGHTS

UNITS

 

 

This prospectus will allow us to issue, from time to time at prices and on terms to be determined at or prior to the time of the offering, any combination of the securities described in this prospectus, either individually or in units. We may also offer ordinary shares upon conversion of or exchange for the debt securities; or ordinary shares or debt securities upon the exercise of warrants or rights.

This prospectus describes the general terms of these securities and the general manner in which these securities will be offered. We will provide you with the specific terms of any offering in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The prospectus supplements will also describe the specific manner in which these securities will be offered and may also supplement, update or amend information contained in this document. You should read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, as well as any documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, carefully before you invest.

Our securities may be sold directly by us to you, through agents designated from time to time or to or through underwriters or dealers. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section titled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus and in the applicable prospectus supplement. If any underwriters or agents are involved in the sale of our securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters or agents and any applicable fees, commissions or discounts and over-allotment options will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of such securities and the net proceeds that we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.

Our ordinary shares are listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “WVE.” On November 8, 2024, the last reported sale price of our ordinary shares was $16.44 per share. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing, if any, on The Nasdaq Global Market or any securities market or other securities exchange of the securities covered by the prospectus supplement. Prospective purchasers of our securities are urged to obtain current information as to the market prices of our securities, where applicable.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should consider carefully the risks that we have described on page 7 of this prospectus under the caption “Risk Factors.” We may include specific risk factors in supplements to this prospectus under the caption “Risk Factors.” This prospectus may not be used to sell our securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

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

 

 

The date of this prospectus is November 12, 2024.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			1
RISK FACTORS			7
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			8
INDUSTRY AND MARKET DATA			10
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES			10
USE OF PROCEEDS			11
DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL			12
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES			23
DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS			30
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS			32
COMPARISON OF SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS			34
ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES UNDER UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAWS			51
LEGAL MATTERS			52
EXPERTS			52
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			53
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE			54

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. Under this shelf registration process, we may from time to time sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer a type or series of securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering.

This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For a more complete understanding of the offering of the securities, you should refer to the registration statement, including its exhibits. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. However, no prospectus supplement will offer a security that is not registered and described in this prospectus at the time of its effectiveness. This prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplements and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, includes all material information relating to the offering of securities under this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement, the information and documents incorporated herein by reference and the additional information under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” before making an investment decision.

You should rely only on the information we have provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representation. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. You should assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate only as of the date on the front of the document and that any information we have incorporated herein by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of a security.

We further note that the representations, warranties and covenants made by us in any agreement that is filed as an exhibit to any document that is incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties to such agreements, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty or covenant to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties or covenants were accurate only as of the date when made. Accordingly, such representations, warranties and covenants should not be relied on as accurately representing the current state of our affairs.

This prospectus is not a “prospectus” as defined in the Securities and Futures Act 2001 of Singapore, or the SFA, and accordingly, statutory liability under the SFA in relation to the content of prospectuses will not apply. This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of our securities may not be circulated or distributed, nor may our securities be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA) pursuant to Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA and (where applicable) Regulation 3 of the Securities and Futures (Classes of Investors) Regulations 2018 or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to compliance with the conditions set forth in the SFA.

 

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Where securities or securities-based derivatives contracts are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

(a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or

(b) a trustee of a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor,

securities or securities-based derivatives contracts (each as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the securities or securities-based derivatives contracts pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA, except:

 

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to an institutional investor or to a relevant person as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or (in the case of such corporation) where the transfer arises from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) of the SFA or (in the case of such trust) where the transfer arises from an offer referred to in Section 276(4)(c)(ii) of the SFA;

 

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where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;

 

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where the transfer is by operation of law;

 

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as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or

 

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as specified in Regulation 37A of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Securities and Securities-based Derivatives Contracts) Regulations 2018 of Singapore.

Any reference to the SFA is a reference to the Securities and Futures Act 2001 of Singapore and a reference to any term as defined in the SFA or any provision in the SFA is a reference to that term as modified or amended from time to time including by such of its subsidiary legislation as may be applicable at the relevant time.

By accepting this prospectus, the recipient hereof represents and warrants that such recipient is entitled to receive it in accordance with the restrictions set forth above and agrees to be bound by the limitations contained herein. Any failure to comply with these limitations may constitute a violation of law.

This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of our securities, unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement. To the extent there are inconsistencies between any prospectus supplement, this prospectus and any documents incorporated by reference, the document with the most recent date will control.

Unless the context otherwise indicates, references to “Wave,” the “company,” “we,” “our,” “us” or similar terms refer to Wave Life Sciences Ltd. and our wholly-owned subsidiaries. References in this prospectus to “S$” refer to Singapore dollars, “¥” refer to Japanese yen and “€” refer to euros.

The Wave Life Sciences Ltd. and Wave Life Sciences Pte. Ltd. names, the Wave Life Sciences mark, and the other trademarks, trade names and service marks of Wave Life Sciences Ltd. appearing in this prospectus are the property of Wave Life Sciences Ltd. Wave has applied to register certain of its trademarks in the United States. This prospectus also contains additional trade names, trademarks and service marks belonging to Wave Life Sciences Ltd. and to other companies. We do not intend our use or display of other parties’ trademarks, trade names or service marks to imply, and such use or display should not be construed to imply, a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, these other parties. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this prospectus are referred to without the ^® and ^™ symbols, but such reference should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves significant risk. The prospectus supplement applicable to each offering of our securities may contain a discussion of the risks applicable to an investment in our securities. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should carefully consider the specific factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information contained or incorporated by reference in the prospectus supplement or appearing or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You should also consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” included in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, as revised or supplemented by our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or our current reports on Form 8-K on file with the SEC, all of which are incorporated herein by reference, and which may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports we file with the SEC in the future. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our operations.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties that relate to future events or to our future operations or financial performance. In some cases, forward-looking statements are identified by the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “future,” “goals,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “ongoing,” “objective,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “strategy,” “target,” “will” and “would” or the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology intended to identify statements about the future, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Although we believe that we have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement contained in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus and the documents that we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference, such statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently known by us and our expectations of the future, about which we cannot be certain. Forward-looking statements include statements about:

 

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our ability to fund our future operations;

 

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our financial position, revenues, costs, expenses, uses of cash and capital requirements;

 

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our need for additional financing or the period for which our existing cash resources will be sufficient to meet our operating requirements;

 

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the success, progress, number, scope, cost, duration, timing or results of our research and development activities, preclinical studies and clinical trials, including the timing for initiation or completion of or availability of results from any preclinical studies and clinical trials or for submission, review or approval of any regulatory filing;

 

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the timing of, and our ability to, obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for any of our product candidates;

 

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the potential benefits that may be derived from any of our product candidates;

 

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our strategies, prospects, plans, goals, expectations, forecasts or objectives;

 

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the success of our collaborations with third parties;

 

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any payment that our collaboration partners may make to us;

 

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our ability to identify and develop new product candidates;

 

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our intellectual property position;

 

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our commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy;

 

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our expected uses of the net proceeds from any offering of our securities;

 

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our ability to develop sales and marketing capabilities;

 

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our estimates regarding future expenses and needs for additional financing;

 

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our ability to identify, recruit and retain key personnel;

 

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our financial performance;

 

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developments and projections relating to our competitors in the industry;

 

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our liquidity and working capital requirements;

 

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the expected impact of new accounting standards; and

 

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and our expectations regarding the impact of any local and global health epidemics on our business, including our research and development activities, preclinical studies and clinical trials, supply of drug product, and workforce.

You should refer to the section titled “Risk Factors” of this prospectus and in our other filings with the SEC for a discussion of important factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. As a result of these factors, we cannot assure that the forward-looking statements in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus or the documents we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference will prove to be accurate. Furthermore, if our forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, these statements should not be regarded as representations or warranties by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this prospectus, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements as predictions of future events.

You should read this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement, the documents that we have incorporated by reference herein and therein and the documents we have filed as exhibits to the registration statement, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

 

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INDUSTRY AND MARKET DATA

Certain industry data and market data included in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated herein by reference were obtained from independent third-party surveys, market research, publicly available information, reports of governmental agencies and industry publications and surveys. All of management’s estimates presented herein are based upon management’s review of independent third-party surveys and industry publications prepared by a number of sources and other publicly available information. All of the market data used in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated herein by reference involve a number of assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not to give undue weight to such estimates. We believe that the information from these industry publications and surveys is reliable. The industry in which we operate is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in the section titled “Risk Factors.” These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by the independent parties and by us.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

Any time debt securities are offered pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a table setting forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges on a historical basis in the applicable prospectus supplement, if required.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We cannot assure you that we will receive any proceeds in connection with securities which may be offered pursuant to this prospectus. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities under this prospectus for our operations and for other general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, clinical trial costs and other research and development expenses; continued investment in our drug development platform; and working capital, capital expenditures and general and administrative expenses. We have not determined the amounts we plan to spend on any of the areas listed above or the timing of these expenditures. As a result, our management will have broad discretion to allocate the net proceeds, if any, we receive in connection with securities offered pursuant to this prospectus for any purpose. Pending application of the net proceeds as described above, we may initially invest the net proceeds in short-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing securities or apply them to the reduction of short-term indebtedness.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL

General

For the purposes of this section, references to “shareholders” mean those persons whose names and number of shares are entered in our register of members. Only persons who are registered in our register of members are recognized under Singapore law as shareholders of our company with legal standing to institute shareholder actions against us or otherwise seek to enforce their rights as shareholders. Our branch register of members is maintained by our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., or Computershare.

The shares offered in any offering pursuant to this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement are expected to be held through the Depository Trust Company, or DTC. Accordingly, DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., will be the shareholder on record registered in our register of members. The holder of our shares held in book-entry through DTC or its nominee may become a registered shareholder by exchanging its interest in our shares for certificated shares and being registered in our register of members for such shares. The procedures by which a holder of book-entry interests held through DTC or its nominee may exchange such interests for certificated shares are determined by DTC and Computershare, in accordance with their internal policies and guidelines regulating the withdrawal and exchange of book-entry interests for certificated shares, and following such an exchange Computershare will perform the procedures to register the shares in the register.

Under the Companies Act 1967 of Singapore, or the Singapore Companies Act, if (a) the name of any person is without sufficient cause entered in or omitted from the register of members; or (b) default is made or there is unnecessary delay in entering in the register of members the fact of any person having ceased to be a member, the person aggrieved or any member of the public company or the company itself, may apply to the Singapore courts for rectification of the register of members. The Singapore courts may either refuse the application or order rectification of the register of members, and may direct the company to pay any damages sustained by any party to the application. The Singapore courts will not entertain any application for the rectification of a register of members in respect of an entry which was made in the register of members more than 30 years before the date of the application.

As of September 30, 2024, there were outstanding:

 

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148,392,939 ordinary shares;

 

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3,901,348 Series A preferred shares held by one shareholder of record;

 

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8,968,679 ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of pre-funded warrants outstanding as of September 30, 2024;

 

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827,240 ordinary shares issuable upon vesting of outstanding restricted share units;

 

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20,463,734 ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding share options;

 

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6,550,786 ordinary shares reserved for issuance in connection with future grants under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended; and

 

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2,314,002 ordinary shares reserved for issuance under our 2019 Employee Share Purchase Plan, as amended.

The following description of our share capital and provisions of our constitution (formerly known as our memorandum and articles of association) are summaries and are qualified by reference to the Singapore Companies Act and our constitution. A copy of our constitution has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Ordinary Shares

As of September 30, 2024, our issued and paid-up ordinary share capital consists of 148,392,939 ordinary shares. We currently have only one class of issued ordinary shares, which have identical rights in all respects and

 

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rank equally with one another. Our ordinary shares have no par value and there is no authorized share capital under Singapore law. There is a provision in our constitution which provides that we may issue shares with such preferred, deferred or other special rights or such restrictions, whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise as our board of directors may determine.

All of our shares presently issued are fully paid-up, and existing shareholders are not subject to any calls on these shares. Although Singapore law does not recognize the concept of “non-assessability” with respect to newly-issued shares, we note that any purchaser of our shares who has fully paid up all amounts due with respect to such shares will not be subject under Singapore law to any personal liability to contribute to the assets or liabilities of our company in such purchaser’s capacity solely as a holder of such shares. We believe that this interpretation is substantively consistent with the concept of “non-assessability” under most, if not all, U.S. state corporation laws. All of our shares are in registered form. We cannot, except in the circumstances permitted by the Singapore Companies Act, grant any financial assistance for the acquisition or proposed acquisition of our own shares. Except as described below under “—Takeovers,” there are no limitations imposed by the Singapore Companies Act or by our constitution on the right of shareholders not resident in Singapore to hold or vote ordinary shares.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our ordinary shares is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Nasdaq Global Market

Our ordinary shares are listed for quotation on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “WVE.”

New Shares

Under the Singapore Companies Act, new shares may be issued only with the prior approval of our shareholders in a general meeting. General approval may be sought from our shareholders in a general meeting for the issue of shares. Approval, if granted, will lapse at the earlier of:

 

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the conclusion of the next annual general meeting; or

 

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the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting is required by law to be held (i.e., within six months after the end of each financial year),

but any approval may be revoked or varied by the company in a general meeting.

Our shareholders have provided such general authority to issue new ordinary shares until the conclusion of our 2025 annual general meeting. Such approval will lapse in accordance with the preceding paragraph if our shareholders do not grant a new approval at our 2025 annual general meeting. Subject to this and the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act and our constitution, our board of directors may allot and issue or grant options over or otherwise dispose of new ordinary shares to such persons on such terms and conditions and with the rights and restrictions as they may think fit to impose.

Preferred Shares

Series A Preferred Shares

As of September 30, 2024, we have 3,901,348 Series A preferred shares outstanding. These shares are currently held by one of our largest shareholders, Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories, Ltd. The terms of the Series A preferred shares as set out in our constitution include (1) no voting rights at any general meeting other than in limited circumstances, (2) a liquidation preference equal to $0.002 per Series A preferred share, (3) no entitlement to dividends and (4) the right to convert the Series A preferred shares at any time on a one-for-one basis into ordinary shares at the discretion of the holder in accordance with the constitution.

 

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The holders of the Series A preferred shares are not entitled to vote at any general meeting. The only instances in which the holders of the Series A preferred shares are able to vote at a general meeting would be if (but only if) the matters to be discussed at the meeting relate to or there is intent to pass resolutions on (i) abrogating or changing the rights attached to the Series A preferred shares; and (ii) for the winding up of the Company. Such resolutions would require the unanimous approval of the holders of the Series A preferred shares.

Other Preferred Shares

Under the Singapore Companies Act, different classes of shares in a public company may be issued only if (a) the issue of the class or classes of shares is provided for in the constitution of the public company and (b) the constitution of the public company sets out in respect of each class of shares the rights attached to that class of shares. Our constitution provides that we may issue shares of a different class with preferred, deferred or other special rights, or such restrictions, whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise as our board of directors may determine. Under Singapore law, our preferred shareholders will have the right to attend any general meeting and in a poll at such general meeting, to have at least one vote for every preferred share held:

 

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upon any resolution concerning the voluntary winding-up of our company under Section 160 of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018;

 

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upon any resolution which varies the rights attached to such preferred shares; or

 

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in the case of preferred shares issued after August 15, 1984, but before the commencement of Section 96 of the Companies (Amendment) Act 2014, when the dividends to be paid on our preferred shares or any part thereof are more than twelve months in arrears and unpaid, for the period they remain in arrears and unpaid.

We may, subject to the Singapore Companies Act and the prior approval in a general meeting of our shareholders, issue preferred shares which are, or at our option or are to be, subject to redemption provided that such preferred shares may not be redeemed out of capital unless:

 

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all the directors have made a solvency statement in relation to such redemption; and

 

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we have lodged a copy of the statement with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore.

Further, such shares must be fully paid-up before they are redeemed.

As of the date of this prospectus, we have no preferred shares outstanding other than the Series A preferred shares described above. At present, we have no plans to issue additional preferred shares.

Pre-Funded Warrants

As of September 20, 2024, we have pre-funded warrants outstanding to purchase up to 8,968,679 ordinary shares. The pre-funded warrants are exercisable at any time after their original issuance and on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the five year anniversary of the original issuance dates, which were June 16, 2022 and September 27, 2024. The pre-funded warrants are exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice and by payment in full of the exercise price in immediately available funds for the number of ordinary shares purchased upon such exercise. As an alternative to payment in immediately available funds, the holder may elect to exercise the pre-funded warrant through a cashless exercise, in which the holder would receive upon such exercise the net number of ordinary shares determined according to the formula set forth in the pre-funded warrant. No fractional ordinary shares will be issued in connection with the exercise of a pre-funded warrant.

 

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Exercise Limitations

Under the pre-funded warrants, unless and until the Shareholder Approval (as defined below) is obtained, we may not effect the exercise of any pre-funded warrant, and a holder will not be entitled to exercise any portion of any pre-funded warrant, which, upon giving effect to such exercise, would cause (i) the aggregate number of our ordinary shares beneficially owned by the holder (together with its affiliates) to exceed 4.99% (or at the election of such holder, 9.99% or 19.99%) of the number of our ordinary shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, or (ii) the combined voting power of our securities beneficially owned by the holder (together with its affiliates) to exceed 4.99% (or at the election of such holder, 9.99% or 19.99%) of the combined voting power of all of our securities then outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of the pre-funded warrants.

Upon the written request of the holder delivered to us and subsequent to December 31, 2022 or December 31, 2024, as applicable, we shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain shareholder approval, or the Shareholder Approval, at our next regularly scheduled annual general meeting of shareholders, for the issuance of the pre-funded warrant shares upon the exercise of all or any portion of the pre-funded warrants such that such issuance of pre-funded warrant shares will comply with the Listing Rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, including, without limitation, Listing Rule 5635, and with applicable Singapore law. In the event that the holder requests the Shareholder Approval, we use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain Shareholder Approval at our next regularly scheduled annual general meeting, and Shareholder Approval is not obtained at such meeting for any reason, then the holder may again request Shareholder Approval each year pursuant to and subject to the terms of the pre-funded warrants, at each of our subsequent regularly scheduled annual general meetings that occur prior to the termination date of the pre-funded warrants. We shall not be obligated to seek the Shareholder Approval at any shareholder meeting other than our regularly scheduled annual shareholder meeting and such written request of the holder must be received by us at least 90 days in advance of such annual meeting.

Exercise Price

The exercise price per whole share of our ordinary shares purchasable upon the exercise of the pre-funded warrants is $0.0001 per ordinary share. The exercise price of the pre-funded warrants and the number of our ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants is subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of certain share dividends and distributions, share splits, share combinations, reclassifications or similar events affecting our ordinary shares.

Transferability

Subject to applicable laws, the pre-funded warrants may be offered for sale, sold, transferred or assigned without our consent.

Exchange Listing

We do not plan on applying to list the pre-funded warrants on The Nasdaq Global Market, any other national securities exchange or any other nationally recognized trading system.

Fundamental Transactions

In the event of a fundamental transaction, as described in the pre-funded warrants and generally including any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of our ordinary shares, the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of our properties or assets, our consolidation or merger with or into another person, the acquisition of more than 50% of our outstanding ordinary shares, or any person or group becoming the beneficial owner of 50% of the voting power represented by our outstanding ordinary shares, upon consummation of such a fundamental transaction, the holders of the pre-funded warrants will be entitled to

 

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receive upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property that the holders would have received had they exercised the pre-funded warrants immediately prior to such fundamental transaction without regard to any limitations on exercise contained in the pre-funded warrants.

No Rights as a Shareholder

Except by virtue of such holder’s ownership of our ordinary shares, the holder of a pre-funded warrant does not have the rights or privileges of a holder of our ordinary shares, including any voting rights, until the holder exercises the pre-funded warrant. In the event of certain distributions, including cash dividends, if any, to all holders of our ordinary shares for no consideration, the holder of a pre-funded warrant shall be entitled to participate in such distributions to the same extent as if a holder of our ordinary shares, subject to not exceeding the ownership limitations described above under “—Exercise Limitations,” in which case such distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of such holder until the earlier of such time as the ownership limitations would not be exceeded or the warrant is exercised.

Registration Rights under our Share Purchase Agreement with Pfizer

Under the terms of our Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 5, 2016, with an affiliate of Pfizer Inc., or the Pfizer Affiliate, under which the Pfizer Affiliate purchased 1,875,000 ordinary shares from us, or the Pfizer Shares, subject to certain conditions and limitations, we agreed to provide certain demand registration rights to the Pfizer Affiliate in order to register all or a portion of the Pfizer Shares purchased by the Pfizer Affiliate. We also provided the Pfizer Affiliate with certain “piggyback” registration rights, subject to certain conditions and limitations, such that when we propose to register our ordinary shares for our account, the Pfizer Affiliate will have the right to include some or all of the Pfizer Shares in such registration. The Share Purchase Agreement also contains other customary terms and conditions of the parties with respect to the registration of the Pfizer Shares.

Registration Rights under our Share Purchase Agreement with Takeda

On February 19, 2018, we entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, or Takeda, pursuant to which Takeda purchased 1,096,892 of our ordinary shares, or the Takeda Shares. In connection with the Share Purchase Agreement, Takeda and we agreed upon certain rights and restrictions as set forth in the Investor Agreement, dated as of April 2, 2018, or the Investor Agreement. Subject to certain conditions and limitations, we agreed to provide certain demand registration rights to Takeda in order to register all or a portion of the Takeda Shares purchased by Takeda. We also provided Takeda with certain “piggyback” registration rights, subject to certain conditions and limitations, such that when we propose to register our ordinary shares for our account, Takeda will have the right to include some or all of the Takeda Shares in such registration. The Investor Agreement also contains other customary terms and conditions of the parties with respect to the registration of Takeda Shares.

Registration Rights under our Share Purchase Agreement with GSK

On December 13, 2022, we entered into a Share Purchase Agreement, or the GSK Share Purchase Agreement, with Glaxo Group Limited, or GGL, an affiliate of GlaxoSmithKline Intellectual Property (No. 3), or GSK, pursuant to which we sold 10,683,761 of our ordinary shares to GGL, or the GGL Shares. In connection with the GSK Share Purchase Agreement, GGL and we agreed upon certain rights and restrictions as set forth in the Investor Agreement, dated as of January 26, 2023, or the GSK Investor Agreement. The GGL Shares are subject to a lock-up restriction, such that GGL will not, and will also cause its affiliates not to, without our prior approval, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of the GGL Shares during the 30-month period after the effective date of the GGL Investor Agreement. For a certain period following the expiration of the lock-up period, subject to certain conditions and limitations, we agreed to provide certain demand registration rights to GGL in order to register all or a portion of the GGL Shares purchased by GGL. We also provided GGL with certain “piggyback” registration rights for a certain period following the expiration of the lock-up period, subject to certain conditions

 

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and limitations, such that when we propose to register our ordinary shares for our account, GGL will have the right to include some or all of the GGL Shares in such registration. The GSK Investor Agreement also contains other customary terms and conditions of the parties with respect to the registration of GGL Shares.

Transfer of Ordinary Shares

Subject to applicable securities laws in relevant jurisdictions and our constitution, our ordinary shares are freely transferable. Our constitution provides that shares may be transferred by a duly signed instrument of transfer in any usual or common form or in a form approved by the directors and The Nasdaq Stock Market. The directors may decline to register any transfer unless, among other things, evidence of payment of any stamp duty payable with respect to the transfer is provided together with other evidence of ownership and title as the directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer. We will replace lost or destroyed certificates for shares upon notice to us and upon, among other things, the applicant furnishing evidence and indemnity as the directors may require and the payment of all applicable fees.

Election and Re-election of Directors

We may, by ordinary resolution, remove any director before the expiration of his or her period of office, notwithstanding anything in our constitution or in any agreement between us and such director. We may also, by an ordinary resolution, appoint another person in place of a director removed from office pursuant to the foregoing.

Under our constitution, subject to the Singapore Companies Act, any director shall retire at the next annual general meeting and shall then be eligible for re-election at that meeting.

Our board of directors shall have the power, at any time and from time to time, to appoint any person to be a director either to fill a casual vacancy or as an additional director so long as the total number of directors shall not at any time exceed the maximum number (if any) fixed by or in accordance with our constitution.

Shareholders’ Meetings

We are required to hold an annual general meeting each calendar year and within six months after the end of each financial year. The directors may convene an extraordinary general meeting whenever they think fit and they must do so upon the written request of shareholders holding not less than 10% of the total number of paid-up shares as of the date of deposit of the requisition carrying the right to vote at a general meeting. In addition, two or more shareholders holding not less than 10% of our total number of issued shares (excluding our treasury shares) may call a meeting of our shareholders.

The Singapore Companies Act provides that a shareholder is entitled to attend any general meeting and speak on any resolution put before the general meeting. Unless otherwise required by law or by our constitution, resolutions put forth at general meetings may be decided by ordinary resolution, requiring the affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the resolution. An ordinary resolution suffices, for example, for appointments of directors. A special resolution, requiring an affirmative vote of not less than three-fourths of the shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the resolution, is necessary for certain matters under Singapore law, such as an alteration of our constitution. A shareholder entitled to attend and vote at a meeting of the company, or at a meeting of any class of shareholders of the company, is entitled to appoint another person or persons, whether a shareholder of the company or not, as the shareholder’s proxy to attend and vote instead of the shareholder at the meeting. Under the Singapore Companies Act, a proxy appointed to attend and vote instead of the shareholder also has the same right as the shareholder to speak at the meeting, but unless the constitution of the company otherwise provides, (i) a proxy is not entitled to vote except on a poll, (ii) a shareholder is not entitled to appoint more than two proxies to attend and vote at the same meeting and (iii) where a shareholder

 

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appoints two proxies the appointments are invalid unless the shareholder specifies the proportions of the shareholder’s holdings to be represented by each proxy.

A registered shareholder having a share capital who is a relevant intermediary (as defined under the Singapore Companies Act) may appoint more than two proxies in relation to a meeting to exercise all or any of the shareholder’s rights to attend and to speak and vote at the meeting, but each proxy must be appointed to exercise the rights attached to a different share or shares held by the shareholder (which number and class of shares shall be specified), and at such meeting, the proxy has the right to vote on a show of hands.

Only registered shareholders of our company, and their proxies, will be entitled to attend, speak and vote at any meeting of shareholders. Under the Singapore Companies Act, public companies may issue non-voting shares and shares that confer special, limited or conditional voting rights, such that the holder of a share may vote on a resolution before a general meeting of the company if, in accordance with the provisions of Section 64A of the Singapore Companies Act, the share confers on the holder a right to vote on that resolution.

Voting Rights

As provided under our constitution and the Singapore Companies Act, voting at any meeting of shareholders is by show of hands unless a poll has been demanded prior to the declaration of the result of the show of hands by, among others, (i) the chairman or (ii) at least one shareholder present in person or by proxy or by attorney or, in the case of a corporation, by a representative entitled to vote thereat, in each case representing in the aggregate not less than 5% of the total voting rights of all shareholders having the right to vote at the general meeting, provided that no poll shall be demanded in respect of an election of a chairman or relating to any adjournment of such meeting. On a poll every shareholder who is present in person or by proxy or by attorney, or in the case of a corporation, by a representative, has one vote for every share held by such shareholder. Proxies need not be shareholders.

Only those shareholders who are registered in our register of members as holders of ordinary shares will be entitled to vote at any meeting of shareholders. Therefore, DTC, or its nominee, will grant an omnibus proxy to DTC participants holding our shares in book-entry form through a broker, bank, nominee, or other institution that is a direct or indirect participant in the DTC. Such shareholders will have the right to instruct their broker, bank, nominee or other institution holding these shares on how to vote such shares by completing the voting instruction form provided by the applicable broker, bank, nominee, or other institution. Whether voting is by a show of hands or by a poll, DTC’s vote will be voted by the chairman of the meeting according to the results of the DTC’s participants’ votes (which results will reflect the instructions received from shareholders that own our shares electronically in book-entry form).

Minority Rights

The rights of minority shareholders of Singapore companies are protected, among other things, under Section 216 of the Singapore Companies Act, which gives the Singapore courts a general power to make any order, upon application by any shareholder of a company, as they think fit to remedy any of the following situations:

 

•

the affairs of a company are being conducted or the powers of the board of directors are being exercised in a manner oppressive to, or in disregard of the interests of, one or more of the shareholders, including the applicant; or

 

•

a company takes an action, or threatens to take an action, or the shareholders pass a resolution, or propose to pass a resolution, which unfairly discriminates against, or is otherwise prejudicial to, one or more of the shareholders, including the applicant.

 

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Singapore courts have wide discretion as to the remedy they may grant, and the remedies listed in the Singapore Companies Act itself are not exclusive. In general, Singapore courts may, with a view to bringing to an end or remedying the matters complained of:

 

•

direct or prohibit any act or cancel or modify any transaction or resolution;

 

•

regulate the conduct of the affairs of the company in the future;

 

•

authorize civil proceedings to be brought in the name of, or on behalf of, the company by a person or persons and on such terms as the court may direct;

 

•

provide for the purchase of a minority shareholder’s shares by the other shareholders or by the company itself;

 

•

in the case of a purchase of shares by the company provide for a reduction accordingly of the company’s capital; or

 

•

provide that the company be wound up.

Dividends

Subject to any preferential rights of holders of any outstanding preferred shares, holders of our ordinary shares will be entitled to receive dividends and other distributions in cash, shares or property as may be declared by our company from time to time. We may, by ordinary resolution, declare dividends at a general meeting of shareholders, but we are restricted from paying dividends in excess of the amount recommended by our board of directors. Pursuant to Singapore law and our constitution, no dividend may be paid except out of our profits. To date, we have not declared any cash dividends on our ordinary shares and have no current plans to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

Bonus and Rights Issues

In a general meeting, our shareholders may, upon the recommendation of the directors, capitalize any reserves or profits and distribute them as bonus shares, credited as paid-up, to the shareholders in proportion to their shareholdings.

Subject to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act and our constitution, our directors may also issue rights to take up additional ordinary shares to our shareholders in proportion to their respective ownership. Such rights are subject to any condition attached to such issue and the regulations of any stock exchange on which our shares are listed, as well as U.S. federal and blue sky securities laws applicable to such issue.

Takeovers

The Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers applies to, among other things, the acquisition of voting shares of Singapore-incorporated listed public companies or unlisted public companies with more than 50 shareholders and net tangible assets of S$5 million or more. Any person acquiring, whether by a series of transactions over a period of time or not, either on its own or together with parties acting in concert with it, 30% or more of our voting shares, or, if such person holds, either on its own or together with parties acting in concert with it, between 30% and 50% (both inclusive) of our voting shares, and if such person (or parties acting in concert with it) acquires additional voting shares representing more than 1% of our voting shares in any six-month period, must, except with the consent of the Securities Industry Council in Singapore, extend a mandatory takeover offer for the remaining voting shares in accordance with the provisions of the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers. Responsibility for ensuring compliance with the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers rests with parties (including company directors) to a take-over or merger and their advisors.

“Parties acting in concert” comprise individuals or companies who, pursuant to an agreement or understanding (whether formal or informal), cooperate, through the acquisition by any of them of shares in a

 

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company, to obtain or consolidate effective control of that company. Certain persons are presumed (unless the presumption is rebutted) to be acting in concert with each other. They are as follows:

 

•

a company, its parent company, subsidiaries and fellow subsidiaries, the associated companies of any of the company and its parent company, subsidiaries and fellow subsidiaries, companies whose associated companies include any of these companies and any person who has provided financial assistance (other than a bank in the ordinary course of business) to any of the foregoing for the purchase of voting rights;

 

•

a company with any of its directors (together with their close relatives, related trusts and companies controlled by any of the directors, their close relatives and related trusts);

 

•

a company with any of its pension funds and employee share schemes;

 

•

a person with any investment company, unit trust or other fund whose investment such person manages on a discretionary basis, but only in respect of the investment account which such person manages;

 

•

a financial or other professional advisor, including a stockbroker, with its client in respect of the shareholdings of the advisor and persons controlling, controlled by or under the same control as the advisor;

 

•

directors of a company (together with their close relatives, related trusts and companies controlled by any of such directors, their close relatives and related trusts) which is subject to an offer or where the directors have reason to believe a bona fide offer for their company may be imminent;

 

•

partners; and

 

•

an individual and (i) such person’s close relatives, (ii) such person’s related trusts, (iii) any person who is accustomed to act in accordance with such person’s instructions, (iv) companies controlled by the individual, such person’s close relatives, related trusts or any person who is accustomed to act in accordance with such person’s instructions and (v) any person who has provided financial assistance (other than a bank in the ordinary course of business) to any of the foregoing for the purchase of voting rights.

Subject to certain exceptions, a mandatory offer must be in cash or be accompanied by a cash alternative at not less than the highest price paid by the offeror or parties acting in concert with the offeror during the offer period and within the six months prior to its commencement.

Under the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers, where effective control of a company is acquired or consolidated by a person, or persons acting in concert, a general offer to all other shareholders is normally required. An offeror must treat all shareholders of the same class in an offeree company equally. A fundamental requirement is that shareholders in the company subject to the takeover offer must be given sufficient information, advice and time to consider and decide on the offer. These legal requirements may impede or delay a takeover of our company by a third-party.

We may submit an application to the Securities Industry Council of Singapore for a waiver from the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers so that the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers will not apply to our company for so long as we are not listed on a securities exchange in Singapore. We will make an appropriate announcement if we submit the application and when the result of the application is known.

Liquidation or Other Return of Capital

On a winding-up or other return of capital, subject to any special rights attaching to the Series A preferred shares or to any other class of shares, holders of ordinary shares will be entitled to participate in any surplus assets in proportion to their shareholdings.

 

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Limitations of Liability and Indemnification Matters

Under Section 172 of the Singapore Companies Act, any provision exempting or indemnifying the officers of a company (including directors) against any liability that would otherwise attach to them in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company is void. However, a company is not prohibited from (a) purchasing and maintaining for any such individual insurance against liability incurred by him or her in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company, or (b) indemnifying the individual against liability incurred by him or her to a person other than the company except when the indemnity is against any liability (i) of the individual to pay a fine in criminal proceedings, (ii) of the individual to pay a penalty in respect of non-compliance with any requirements of a regulatory nature (howsoever arising), (iii) incurred by the individual in defending criminal proceedings in which he or she is convicted, (iv) incurred by the individual in defending civil proceedings brought by the company or a related company in which judgment is given against him or her, or (v) incurred by the individual in connection with an application for relief under Section 76A(13) or Section 391 of the Singapore Companies Act in which the court refuses to grant him or her relief.

Subject to the Singapore Companies Act and every other Singapore statute for the time being in force concerning companies and affecting us, our constitution provides that each of our directors and other officers and those of our subsidiaries and affiliates shall be entitled to be indemnified by us or such subsidiary against any liability incurred by him or her arising out of or in connection with any acts, omissions or conduct, actual or alleged, by such individual acting in his or her capacity as either director, officer, secretary or employee of us or the relevant subsidiary, except to such extent as would not be permitted under applicable Singapore laws or which would otherwise result in such indemnity being void in accordance with the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act.

Subject to the Singapore Companies Act and every other Singapore statute for the time being in force and affecting our company, we may indemnify our directors and officers against costs, charges, fees and other expenses that may be incurred by any of them in defending any proceedings (whether civil or criminal) relating to anything done or omitted or alleged to be done or omitted by such person acting in his or her capacity as a director, officer or employee of our company, in which judgment is given in his or her favor, or in which he or she is acquitted or in which the courts have granted relief pursuant to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act, provided that such indemnity shall not extend to any liability which by law would otherwise attach to him or her in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which he may be guilty in relation to our company, or which would otherwise result in such indemnity being voided under applicable Singapore laws.

No director or officer of our company shall be liable for any acts, omissions, neglects, defaults or other conduct of any other director or officer, and to the extent permitted by Singapore law, our company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by a director or officer in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of such director or officer, taking into consideration any other relevant equitable considerations, including acts of other directors or officers and our company, and the relative fault of such parties in respect thereof.

In addition, subject to the Singapore Companies Act and every other Singapore statute for the time being in force and affecting our company, no director, managing director or other officer shall be liable for the acts, receipts, neglects or defaults of any other director or officer, or for joining in any receipt or other act for conformity, or for any loss or expense incurred by us, through the insufficiency or deficiency of title to any property acquired by order of the directors for us or for the insufficiency or deficiency of any security upon which any of our moneys are invested or for any loss or damage arising from the bankruptcy, insolvency or tortious act of any person with whom any moneys, securities or effects are deposited, or any other loss, damage or misfortune which happens in the execution of his or her duties, unless the same happens through his or her own negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust.

 

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We have entered into deeds of indemnity with each of our directors and officers. These agreements will require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under our constitution and the Singapore Companies Act against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us as a director or officer of the company (as the case may be), and to advance expenses incurred in connection with any proceeding against them by reason of their status as a director, officer, agent or employee of the company in accordance with the terms of the deeds. These indemnification rights shall not be exclusive of any other right which an indemnified person may have or thereafter acquire under any applicable law, provision of our constitution, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

We expect to maintain standard policies of insurance that provide coverage (1) to our directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act and (2) to us with respect to indemnification payments that we may make to such directors and officers.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplements, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any future debt securities we may offer pursuant to this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we so indicate in a prospectus supplement, the terms of any debt securities offered under such prospectus supplement may differ from the terms we describe below, and to the extent the terms set forth in a prospectus supplement differ from the terms described below, the terms set forth in the prospectus supplement shall control.

We may sell from time to time, in one or more offerings under this prospectus, debt securities, which may be senior or subordinated. We will issue any such senior debt securities under a senior indenture that we will enter into with a trustee to be named in the senior indenture. We will issue any such subordinated debt securities under a subordinated indenture, which we will enter into with a trustee to be named in the subordinated indenture. We have filed forms of these documents as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part. We use the term “indentures” to refer to either the senior indenture or the subordinated indenture, as applicable. The indentures will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as in effect on the date of the indenture, or the Trust Indenture Act. We use the term “debenture trustee” to refer to either the trustee under the senior indenture or the trustee under the subordinated indenture, as applicable.

The following summaries of material provisions of the senior debt securities, the subordinated debt securities and the indentures are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities.

General

Each indenture provides that debt securities may be issued from time to time in one or more series and may be denominated and payable in foreign currencies or units based on or relating to foreign currencies. Neither indenture limits the amount of debt securities that may be issued thereunder, and each indenture provides that the specific terms of any series of debt securities shall be set forth in, or determined pursuant to, an authorizing resolution and/or a supplemental indenture, if any, relating to such series.

We will describe in each prospectus supplement the following terms relating to a series of debt securities:

 

•

the title or designation;

 

•

the aggregate principal amount and any limit on the amount that may be issued;

 

•

the currency or units based on or relating to currencies in which debt securities of such series are denominated and the currency or units in which principal or interest or both will or may be payable;

 

•

whether we will issue the series of debt securities in global form, the terms of any global securities and who the depositary will be;

 

•

the maturity date and the date or dates on which principal will be payable;

 

•

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

 

•

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

 

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

 

•

the place or places where payments will be payable;

 

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•

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

 

•

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

 

•

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

 

•

whether the indenture will restrict our ability to pay dividends or will require us to maintain any asset ratios or reserves;

 

•

whether we will be restricted from incurring any additional indebtedness;

 

•

a discussion of any material or special U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to a series of debt securities;

 

•

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

 

•

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

We may issue debt securities that provide for an amount less than their stated principal amount to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity pursuant to the terms of the indenture. We will provide you with information on the U.S. federal income tax considerations and other special considerations applicable to any of these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Conversion or Exchange Rights

We will set forth in the prospectus supplement the terms, if any, on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our ordinary shares or our other securities. We will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of ordinary shares or our other securities that the holders of the series of debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.

Consolidation, Merger or Sale; No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control or Highly Leveraged Transaction

The indentures do not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. However, any successor to or acquirer of such assets must assume all of our obligations under the indentures or the debt securities, as appropriate.

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions that may afford holders of the debt securities protection in the event we have a change of control or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction (whether or not such transaction results in a change of control), which could adversely affect holders of debt securities.

Events of Default Under the Indenture

The following are events of default under the indentures with respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:

 

•

if we fail to pay interest when due and our failure continues for 90 days and the time for payment has not been extended or deferred;

 

•

if we fail to pay the principal, or premium, if any, when due and the time for payment has not been extended or delayed;

 

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•

if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant set forth in the debt securities of such series or the applicable indentures, other than a covenant specifically relating to and for the benefit of holders of another series of debt securities, and our failure continues for 90 days after we receive written notice from the debenture trustee or holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series; and

 

•

if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur as to us.

No event of default with respect to a particular series of debt securities (except as to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) necessarily constitutes an event of default with respect to any other series of debt securities. The occurrence of an event of default may constitute an event of default under any bank credit agreements we may have in existence from time to time. In addition, the occurrence of certain events of default or an acceleration under the indenture may constitute an event of default under certain of our other indebtedness outstanding from time to time.

If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, by a notice in writing to us (and to the debenture trustee if given by the holders), declare to be due and payable immediately the principal (or, if the debt securities of that series are discount securities, that portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of and premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all debt securities of that series. Before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained with respect to debt securities of any series, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series (or, at a meeting of holders of such series at which a quorum is present, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of such series represented at such meeting) may rescind and annul the acceleration if all events of default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, with respect to debt securities of that series, have been cured or waived as provided in the applicable indenture (including payments or deposits in respect of principal, premium or interest that had become due other than as a result of such acceleration). We refer you to the prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that are discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of a portion of the principal amount of such discount securities upon the occurrence of an event of default.

Subject to the terms of the indentures, if an event of default under an indenture shall occur and be continuing, the debenture trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the applicable series of debt securities, unless such holders have offered the debenture trustee reasonable indemnity. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the debenture trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the debenture trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series, provided that:

 

•

the direction so given by the holder is not in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture; and

 

•

subject to its duties under the Trust Indenture Act, the debenture trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the holders not involved in the proceeding.

A holder of the debt securities of any series will only have the right to institute a proceeding under the indentures or to appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies if:

 

•

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

 

•

the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and such holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the debenture trustee to institute the proceeding as trustee; and

 

25

•

the debenture trustee does not institute the proceeding, and does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series (or at a meeting of holders of such series at which a quorum is present, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of such series represented at such meeting) other conflicting directions within 60 days after the notice, request and offer.

These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of debt securities if we default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities.

We will periodically file statements with the applicable debenture trustee regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the applicable indenture.

Modification of Indenture; Waiver

The debenture trustee and we may change the applicable indenture without the consent of any holders with respect to specific matters, including:

 

•

to fix any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the indenture; and

 

•

to change anything that does not materially adversely affect the interests of any holder of debt securities of any series issued pursuant to such indenture.

In addition, under the indentures, the rights of holders of a series of debt securities may be changed by us and the debenture trustee with the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series (or, at a meeting of holders of such series at which a quorum is present, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of such series represented at such meeting) that is affected. However, the debenture trustee and we may make the following changes only with the consent of each holder of any outstanding debt securities affected:

 

•

extending the fixed maturity of the series of debt securities;

 

•

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

 

•

reducing the principal amount of discount securities payable upon acceleration of maturity;

 

•

making the principal of or premium or interest on any debt security payable in currency other than that stated in the debt security; or

 

•

reducing the percentage of debt securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment or waiver.

Except for certain specified provisions, the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series (or, at a meeting of holders of such series at which a quorum is present, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of such series represented at such meeting) may on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series waive our compliance with provisions of the indenture. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all the debt securities of such series waive any past default under the indenture with respect to that series and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal of, premium or any interest on any debt security of that series or in respect of a covenant or provision, which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security of the series affected; provided, however, that the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from the acceleration.

 

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Discharge

Each indenture provides that we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities, except for obligations to:

 

•

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

 

•

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

 

•

maintain paying agencies;

 

•

hold monies for payment in trust;

 

•

compensate and indemnify the trustee; and

 

•

appoint any successor trustee.

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

Form, Exchange, and Transfer

We will issue the debt securities of each series only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The indentures provide that we may issue debt securities of a series in temporary or permanent global form and as book-entry securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC or another depositary named by us and identified in a prospectus supplement with respect to that series.

At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holder of the debt securities of any series can exchange the debt securities for other debt securities of the same series, in any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

Subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the debt securities may present the debt securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security registrar, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose. Unless otherwise provided in the debt securities that the holder presents for transfer or exchange or in the applicable indenture, we will make no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.

We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement the security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar, that we initially designate for any debt securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.

If we elect to redeem the debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:

 

•

issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any debt securities of that series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any debt securities that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing; or

 

•

register the transfer of or exchange any debt securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt securities we are redeeming in part.

 

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Information Concerning the Debenture Trustee

The debenture trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under the applicable indenture, undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in the applicable indenture. Upon an event of default under an indenture, the debenture trustee under such indenture must use the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to this provision, the debenture trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given it by the indentures at the request of any holder of debt securities unless it is offered reasonable security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur.

Payment and Paying Agents

Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make payment of the interest on any debt securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities, are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest.

We will pay principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities of a particular series at the office of the paying agents designated by us, except that unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make interest payments by check which we will mail to the holder. Unless we otherwise indicate in a prospectus supplement, we will designate the corporate trust office of the debenture trustee in the City of New York as our sole paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement any other paying agents that we initially designate for the debt securities of a particular series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.

All money we pay to a paying agent or the debenture trustee for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any debt securities which remains unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of the security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.

Governing Law

The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the Trust Indenture Act is applicable.

Subordination of Subordinated Debt Securities

Our obligations pursuant to any subordinated debt securities will be unsecured and will be subordinate and junior in priority of payment to certain of our other indebtedness to the extent described in a prospectus supplement. The subordinated indenture does not limit the amount of senior indebtedness we may incur. It also does not limit us from issuing any other secured or unsecured debt.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

General

We may issue warrants to purchase our ordinary shares and/or debt securities in one or more series together with other securities or separately, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Warrants for the purchase of ordinary shares and/or debt securities will be in registered form only. Below is a description of certain general terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer. Particular terms of the warrants will be described in the warrant agreements and the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants.

The applicable prospectus supplement will contain, where applicable, the following terms of and other information relating to the warrants:

 

•

the specific designation and aggregate number of, and the price at which we will issue, the warrants;

 

•

the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

 

•

the designation, amount and terms of the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants;

 

•

if applicable, the exercise price for our ordinary shares and the number of ordinary shares to be received upon exercise of the warrants;

 

•

if applicable, the exercise price for our debt securities, the amount of debt securities to be received upon exercise, and a description of that series of debt securities;

 

•

the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will begin and the date on which that right will expire or, if you may not continuously exercise the warrants throughout that period, the specific date or dates on which you may exercise the warrants;

 

•

whether the warrants will be issued in definitive or global form or in any combination of these forms, although, in any case, the form of a warrant included in a unit will correspond to the form of the unit and of any security included in that unit;

 

•

any applicable material U.S. federal income tax considerations;

 

•

the identity of the warrant agent for the warrants and of any other depositaries, execution or paying agents, transfer agents, registrars or other agents;

 

•

the proposed listing, if any, of the warrants or any securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants on any securities exchange;

 

•

if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and the ordinary shares and/or debt securities will be separately transferable;

 

•

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 

•

information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;

 

•

the anti-dilution provisions of the warrants, if any;

 

•

any redemption or call provisions;

 

•

whether the warrants may be sold separately or with other securities as parts of units; and

 

•

any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for any warrants will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS

General

We may issue rights to our shareholders to purchase our ordinary shares or the other securities described in this prospectus. We may offer rights separately or together with one or more additional rights, debt securities, ordinary shares or warrants, or any combination of those securities in the form of units, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each series of rights will be issued under a separate rights agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as rights agent. The rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the certificates relating to the rights of the series of certificates and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights. The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the rights to which any prospectus supplement may relate. The particular terms of the rights to which any prospectus supplement may relate and the extent, if any, to which the general provisions may apply to the rights so offered will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. To the extent that any particular terms of the rights, rights agreement or rights certificates described in a prospectus supplement differ from any of the terms described below, then the terms described below will be deemed to have been superseded by that prospectus supplement. We encourage you to read the applicable rights agreement and rights certificate for additional information before you decide whether to purchase any of our rights.

We will provide in a prospectus supplement the following terms of the rights being issued:

 

•

the date of determining the shareholders entitled to the rights distribution;

 

•

the aggregate number of our ordinary shares or other securities purchasable upon exercise of the rights;

 

•

the exercise price;

 

•

the aggregate number of rights issued;

 

•

whether the rights are transferrable and the date, if any, on and after which the rights may be separately transferred;

 

•

the date on which the right to exercise the rights will commence, and the date on which the right to exercise the rights will expire;

 

•

the method by which holders of rights will be entitled to exercise;

 

•

the conditions to the completion of the offering, if any;

 

•

the withdrawal, termination and cancellation rights, if any;

 

•

whether there are any backstop or standby purchaser or purchasers and the terms of their commitment, if any;

 

•

whether shareholders are entitled to oversubscription rights, if any;

 

•

any applicable material U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

 

•

any other terms of the rights, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the distribution, exchange and exercise of the rights, as applicable.

Each right will entitle the holder of rights to purchase for cash the principal amount of our ordinary shares or other securities at the exercise price provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. Rights may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date for the rights provided in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Holders may exercise rights as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Upon receipt of payment and the rights certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the rights agent or

 

30

any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the ordinary shares or other securities, as applicable, purchasable upon exercise of the rights. If less than all of the rights issued in any rights offering are exercised, we may offer any unsubscribed securities directly to persons other than shareholders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination of such methods, including pursuant to standby arrangements, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Rights Agent

The rights agent for any rights we offer will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

The following description, together with the additional information that we include in any applicable prospectus supplements summarizes the material terms and provisions of the units that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any units that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any series of units in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any units offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below.

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

General

We may issue units consisting of our ordinary shares, one or more debt securities, warrants, or rights for the purchase of our ordinary shares and/or debt securities in one or more series, in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each security included in the unit. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.

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

 

•

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

 

•

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

 

•

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

The provisions described in this section, as well as those set forth in any prospectus supplement or as described under “Description of Share Capital,” “Description of Debt Securities,” “Description of Warrants” and “Description of Rights” will apply to each unit, as applicable, and to any ordinary shares, debt security, warrant or right included in each unit, as applicable.

Unit Agent

The name and address of the unit agent, if any, for any units we offer will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Issuance in Series

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

Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Units

Each unit agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable unit agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any unit. A single bank or trust company may act

 

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as unit agent for more than one series of units. A unit agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable unit agreement or unit, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a unit may, without the consent of the related unit agent or the holder of any other unit, enforce by appropriate legal action its rights as holder under any security included in the unit.

 

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COMPARISON OF SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS

We are incorporated under the laws of Singapore. The following discussion summarizes material differences between the rights of holders of our ordinary shares and the rights of holders of the common stock of a typical corporation incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware which result from differences in governing documents and the laws of Singapore and Delaware.

This discussion does not purport to be a complete statement of the rights of holders of our ordinary shares under applicable law in Singapore and our constitution or the rights of holders of the common stock of a typical corporation under applicable Delaware law and a typical certificate of incorporation and bylaws.

 

Delaware		Singapore
Board of Directors
A typical certificate of incorporation and bylaws provides that the number of directors on the board of directors will be fixed from time to time by a vote of the majority of the authorized directors. Under Delaware law, a board of directors can be divided into classes and cumulative voting in the election of directors is only permitted if expressly authorized in a corporation’s certificate of incorporation.		The constitution of companies will typically state the minimum and maximum number of directors as well as provide that the number of directors may be increased or reduced by shareholders via ordinary resolution passed at a general meeting, provided that the number of directors following such increase or reduction is within the maximum (if any) and minimum number of directors provided in our constitution and the Singapore Companies Act, respectively.
Limitation on Personal Liability of Directors and Officers
A typical certificate of incorporation provides for the elimination of personal monetary liability of directors and officers for breach of fiduciary duties as directors or officers to the fullest extent permissible under the laws of Delaware, except for liability (i) for any breach of a director’s or officer’s loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (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 Delaware General Corporation Law (relating to the liability of directors or officers for unlawful payment of a dividend or an unlawful stock purchase or redemption) or (iv) for any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit. A typical certificate of incorporation also provides that if the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended so as to allow further elimination of, or limitations on, director or officer liability, then the liability of directors or officer will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law as so amended.		Pursuant to the Singapore Companies Act, any provision (whether in the constitution, a contract with the company or otherwise) exempting or indemnifying a director against any liability which by law would otherwise attach to him or her in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which such director may be guilty in relation to the company is void. However, a company is not prohibited from (a) purchasing and maintaining for any such director insurance against any such liability, or (b) indemnifying such director against any liability incurred by him or her to a person other than the company except when the indemnity is against any liability (i) of the director to pay a fine in criminal proceedings, (ii) of the director to pay a penalty in respect of non-compliance with any regulatory requirements, (iii) incurred by the director in defending criminal proceedings in which he or she is convicted, (iv) incurred by the director in defending civil proceedings brought by the company or a related company in which judgment is given against him or her, or (v) incurred by the director in connection with an application for relief under Section 76A(13) or Section 391 of the Singapore Companies Act in which the court refuses to grant

 

34

Delaware		Singapore
		him or her relief. Nevertheless, a director can be released by the shareholders of a company for breaches of duty to a company except in the case of fraud, illegality, insolvency of the company and oppression or disregard of minority interests.   Subject to the Singapore Companies Act and every other Singapore statute for the time being in force and affecting the Company, we may indemnify our directors against costs, charges, fees, and other expenses that may be incurred by any of them in defending any proceedings (whether civil or criminal) relating to anything done or omitted or alleged to be done or omitted by such person acting in his or her capacity as a director of our company, in which judgment is given in his or her favor, or in which he or she is acquitted or in which the courts have granted relief pursuant to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act, provided that such indemnity shall not extend to any liability which by law would otherwise attach to him or her in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which he may be guilty in relation to our company, or which would otherwise result in such indemnity being voided under applicable Singapore laws.
Interested Shareholders
Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law generally prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in specified corporate transactions (such as mergers, stock and asset sales, and loans) with an “interested stockholder” for three years following the time that the stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Subject to specified exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person or group that owns 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock (including any rights to acquire stock pursuant to an option, warrant, agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion or exchange rights, and stock with respect to which the person has voting rights only), or is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the voting stock at any time within the previous three years.   A Delaware corporation may elect to “opt out” of, and not be governed by, Section 203 through a provision in either its original certificate of incorporation, or an amendment to its original certificate or bylaws that was approved by majority stockholder vote. With a limited		There are no comparable provisions under the Singapore Companies Act with respect to public companies which are not listed on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited.

 

35

Delaware		Singapore
exception, this amendment would not become effective until 12 months following its adoption.
Removal of Directors
A typical certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that, subject to the rights of holders of any preferred stock, directors may be removed at any time by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority, or in some instances a supermajority, of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. A certificate of incorporation could also provide that such a right is only exercisable when a director is being removed for cause (removal of a director only for cause is the default rule in the case of a classified board).		Under the Singapore Companies Act, directors of a public company may be removed before expiration of their term of office, despite anything in its constitution or in any agreement between the public company and such directors, by ordinary resolution (i.e., a resolution which is passed by a simple majority of those shareholders present and voting in person or by proxy). Notice of the intention to move such a resolution has to be given to the company not less than 28 days before the meeting at which it is moved. The company must then give notice of such resolution to its shareholders not less than 14 days before the meeting. Where any director removed in this manner was appointed to represent the interests of any particular class of shareholders or debenture holders, the resolution to remove the director does not take effect until the director’s successor has been appointed.
Filling Vacancies on the Board of Directors
A typical certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that, subject to the rights of the holders of any preferred stock, any vacancy, whether arising through death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal, an increase in the number of directors or any other reason, may be filled by a majority vote of the remaining directors, even if such directors remaining in office constitute less than a quorum, or by the sole remaining director. Any newly elected director usually holds office for the remainder of the full term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of the class of directors to which the newly elected director has been elected expires.		The constitution of a Singapore company typically provides that the directors have the power to appoint any person to be a director, either to fill a vacancy or as an addition to the existing directors, but so that the total number of directors shall not at any time exceed the maximum number (if any) fixed by or in accordance with the constitution. Any director so appointed shall hold office until the next following annual general meeting, where such director will then be eligible for re-election. Our constitution provides that the directors may appoint any person to be a director either to fill a casual vacancy or as an additional director but so that the total number of Directors shall not at any time exceed the maximum number fixed by or in accordance with the constitution.
Amendment of Governing Documents
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, amendments to a corporation’s certificate of incorporation require the approval of stockholders holding a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment. If a class vote on the amendment is required by the Delaware General Corporation Law, a majority of the outstanding stock of the class is required, unless a greater proportion is specified in the certificate of incorporation or by other		Our constitution may be altered by special resolution (i.e., a resolution passed by at least a three-fourths majority of the shareholders entitled to vote, present in person or by proxy at a meeting for which not less than 21 days’ written notice is given). The board of directors has no right to amend the constitution.   Under the Singapore Companies Act, an entrenching provision may be included in the constitution with

 

36

Delaware		Singapore
provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, the board of directors may amend bylaws if so authorized in the charter. The stockholders of a Delaware corporation also have the power to amend bylaws.		which a company is formed and may at any time be inserted into the constitution of a company only if all the shareholders of the company agree. An entrenching provision is a provision of the constitution of a company to the effect that other specified provisions of the constitution may not be altered in the manner provided by the Singapore Companies Act or may not be so altered except (i) by a resolution passed by a specified majority greater than 75% (the minimum majority required by the Singapore Companies Act for a special resolution) or (ii) where other specified conditions are met. The Singapore Companies Act provides that such entrenching provision may be removed or altered only if all the members of the company agree.
Meetings of Shareholders
Annual and Special Meetings		Annual General Meetings
Typical bylaws provide that annual meetings of stockholders are to be held on a date and at a time fixed by the board of directors. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a special meeting of stockholders may be called by the board of directors or by any other person authorized to do so in the certificate of incorporation or the bylaws.		All companies are required to hold an annual general meeting after the end of each financial year within either 4 months (in the case of a public company that is listed on an exchange in Singapore approved by the Monetary Authority of Singapore) or 6 months (in the case of any other company).   Extraordinary General Meetings   Any general meeting other than the annual general meeting is called an “extraordinary general meeting.” Despite anything in the constitution, directors of a company must convene an extraordinary general meeting if required to do so by requisition (i.e. written notice, requiring that a meeting be called, given to the directors) by shareholder(s) holding not less than 10% of the total number of paid-up shares as at the date of the deposit of the requisition carrying the right of voting at general meetings of the company. In addition, the constitution usually also provides that general meetings may be convened in accordance with the Singapore Companies Act by the directors.
Quorum Requirements   Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws can specify the number of shares which constitute the quorum required to conduct business at a meeting, provided that in no event shall a quorum consist of less than one-third of the shares entitled to vote at a meeting.		Quorum Requirements   Our constitution provides that any two shareholders present in person or by proxy or by attorney or, in the case of a corporation, by a representative and entitled to vote thereat; in each case representing in aggregate not less than a majority of the total voting rights of all shareholders having the right to vote at a general meeting, shall constitute a quorum. In the event a quorum is not present, the meeting if not convened

 

37

Delaware		Singapore
		on the requisition of shareholders may be adjourned for one week. When reconvened, the quorum for the meeting will be the same and if at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting will be dissolved.   Shareholders’ Rights at Meetings   The Singapore Companies Act provides that every member has, despite any provision in the constitution, a right to attend any general meeting of the company and to speak on any resolution before the meeting. The company’s constitution may provide that a member shall not be entitled to vote unless all calls or other sums personally payable by the member in respect of shares in the company have been paid.   Public companies may issue non-voting shares and shares that confer special, limited and conditional voting rights, such that the holder of a share may vote on a resolution before a general meeting if, in accordance with the provisions of Section 64A of the Singapore Companies Act, the share confers on the holder a right to vote on the resolution.   Circulation of Shareholders’ Resolutions   Under the Singapore Companies Act, (a) any number of shareholders representing not less than 5% of the total voting rights of all the shareholders having at the date of requisition a right to vote at a meeting to which the requisition relates or (b) not less than 100 shareholders holding shares on which there has been paid up an average sum, per shareholder, of not less than S$500, may requisition the company to give to shareholders notice of any resolution which may properly be moved and is intended to be moved at the next annual general meeting, and circulate to shareholders any statement of not more than 1,000 words with respect to the matter referred to in any proposed resolution or the business to be dealt with at that meeting.
Indemnification of Officers, Directors and Employees
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to specified limitations in the case of derivative suits brought by a corporation’s stockholders in its name, a corporation may indemnify any person who is made a party to any third-party action, suit or proceeding on account of being a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation (or was serving at the request of the		Under Section 172 of the Singapore Companies Act, any provision exempting or indemnifying the officers of a company (including directors) against liability, which by law would otherwise attach to them in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company is void.

 

38

Delaware		Singapore
corporation in such capacity for another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) against expenses, including attorney’s fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the action, suit or proceeding through, among other things, a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the suit or proceeding, if the 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 or, in some circumstances, at least not opposed to its best interests; and   •  in a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.   Delaware corporate law permits indemnification by a corporation under similar circumstances for expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such persons in connection with the defense or settlement of a derivative action or suit, except that no indemnification may be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which the person is adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in which the action or suit was brought determines upon application that the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for the expenses which the court deems to be proper.   To the extent a director, officer, employee or agent is successful in the defense of such an action, suit or proceeding, the corporation is required by Delaware corporate law to indemnify such person for reasonable expenses incurred thereby. Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by such persons in defending any action, suit or proceeding may be paid in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of that person to repay the amount if it is ultimately determined that that person is not entitled to be so indemnified.		However, the Singapore Companies Act allows a company to:   •  purchase and maintain for any officer insurance against any liability which by law would otherwise attach to such officer in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company;   •  indemnify such officer against any liability incurred by him or her to a person other than the company except when the indemnity is against any liability (i) of the officer to pay a fine in criminal proceedings, (ii) of the officer to pay a penalty in respect of non-compliance with any regulatory requirements, (iii) incurred by the officer in defending criminal proceedings in which he or she is convicted, (iv) incurred by the officer in defending civil proceedings brought by the company or a related company in which judgment is given against him or her, or (v) incurred by the officer in connection with an application for relief under Section 76A(13) or Section 391 of the Singapore Companies Act in which the court refuses to grant him or her relief.   In cases where a director is sued by the company, the Singapore Companies Act gives the court the power to relieve directors either wholly or partially from their liability for their negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust. In order for relief to be obtained, it must be shown that (i) the director acted reasonably and honestly; and (ii) it is fair, having regard to all the circumstances of the case including those connected with such director’s appointment, to excuse the director. However, Singapore case law has indicated that such relief will not be granted to a director who has benefited as a result of his or her breach of trust.   Our constitution provides that subject to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act and every other applicable statute for the time being in force concerning companies and affecting the company, the directors and officers are entitled to be indemnified against costs, charges, fees and other expenses that may be incurred by such person in defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, which relates to anything done or omitted or alleged to be done or omitted by such person as a director, officer or employee of the company and in which judgment is given in his or her favor or in which such

 

39

Delaware		Singapore
		person is acquitted or in which the courts have granted relief pursuant to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act, provided that such indemnity shall not extend to any liability which by law would otherwise attach to him or her in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which he or she may be guilty in relation to the company, or which would otherwise result in such indemnity being voided under applicable Singapore laws.
Shareholder Approval of Issuances of Shares
Under Delaware law, the board of directors has the authority to issue, from time to time, capital stock in its sole discretion, as long the number the shares to be issued, together with those shares that are already issued and outstanding and those shares reserved to be issued, do not exceed the authorized capital for the corporation as previously approved by the stockholders and set forth in the corporation’s certificate of incorporation. Under the foregoing circumstances, no additional stockholder approval is required for the issuance of capital stock. Under Delaware law, stockholder approval is required (i) for any amendment to the corporation’s certificate of incorporation to increase the authorized capital and (ii) for the issuance of stock in a direct merger transaction where the number of shares exceeds 20% of the corporation’s shares outstanding prior to the transaction, regardless of whether there is sufficient authorized capital.		Section 161 of the Singapore Companies Act provides that despite anything in the company’s constitution, the directors must not exercise any power to issue shares without prior approval of Company’s shareholders in a general meeting. The affirmative vote of shareholders holding at least a majority of the ordinary shares held by the shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the annual general meeting and entitled to vote is required for this authorization. Once this shareholders’ approval is obtained, unless previously revoked or varied by the company in general meeting, it continues in force until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting or the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting after that date is required by law to be held, whichever is earlier; but any approval may be revoked or varied by the company in general meeting. Notwithstanding this general authorization to allot and issue our ordinary shares, Wave will be required to seek shareholder approval with respect to future issuances of ordinary shares, where required under The Nasdaq Stock Market rules, such as if we were to propose an issuance of ordinary shares that would result in a change in control of Wave or in connection with a transaction involving the issuance of ordinary shares representing 20% or more of our outstanding ordinary shares.
Shareholder Approval of Business Combinations
Generally, under the Delaware General Corporation Law, completion of a merger, consolidation, or the sale, lease or exchange of substantially all of a corporation’s assets or dissolution requires approval by the board of directors and by a majority (unless the certificate of incorporation requires a higher percentage) of outstanding stock of the corporation entitled to vote.		The Singapore Companies Act and the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 mandates that specified corporate actions require approval by the shareholders in a general meeting, notably:   •  despite anything in the company’s constitution, directors must not carry into effect any proposals for disposing of the whole or substantially the whole of the company’s

 

40

Delaware		Singapore
The Delaware General Corporation Law also requires a special vote of stockholders in connection with a business combination with an “interested stockholder” as defined in section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. See “—Interested Shareholders” above.		undertaking or property unless those proposals have been approved by shareholders in a general meeting;   •  the company may by special resolution resolve that it be wound up voluntarily;   •  subject to the constitution of each amalgamating company, an amalgamation proposal must be approved by the shareholders of each amalgamating company via special resolution at a general meeting;   •  a compromise or arrangement proposed between a company and its shareholders, or any class of them, must, among other things, be approved by a majority in number representing three-fourths in value of the shareholders or class of shareholders present and voting either in person or by proxy at the meeting ordered by the court; and   •  despite anything in the company’s constitution, the directors must not, without the prior approval of shareholders, issue shares, including shares being issued in connection with corporate actions.
Shareholder Action Without A Meeting
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless otherwise provided in a corporation’s certificate of incorporation, any action that may be taken at a meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if the holders of outstanding stock, having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize such action, consent in writing. It is not uncommon for a corporation’s certificate of incorporation to prohibit such action.		There are no equivalent provisions under the Singapore Companies Act in respect of public companies which are listed on a securities exchange, like our company.
Shareholder Suits
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a stockholder may bring a derivative action on behalf of the corporation to enforce the rights of the corporation. An individual also may commence a class action suit on behalf of himself or herself and other similarly situated stockholders where the requirements for maintaining a class action under the Delaware General Corporation Law have been met. A person may institute and maintain such a suit only if such person was a stockholder at the time of the transaction which is the subject of the suit or his or her shares thereafter devolved upon him or her by operation of law.		Standing   Only registered shareholders of our company reflected in our register of members are recognized under Singapore law as shareholders of our company. As a result, only registered shareholders have legal standing to institute shareholder actions against us or otherwise seek to enforce their rights as shareholders. Holders of book-entry interests in our shares will be required to exchange their book-entry interests for certificated shares and to be registered as shareholders in our shareholder register in order to institute or enforce any legal proceedings or claims

 

41

Delaware		Singapore
Additionally, under Delaware case law, the plaintiff generally must be a stockholder not only at the time of the transaction which is the subject of the suit, but also through the duration of the derivative suit. The Delaware General Corporation Law also requires that the derivative plaintiff make a demand on the directors of the corporation to assert the corporate claim before the suit may be prosecuted by the derivative plaintiff, unless such demand would be futile.		against us, our directors or our executive officers relating to shareholder rights. A holder of book-entry interests may become a registered shareholder of our company by exchanging its interest in our shares for certificated shares and being registered in our shareholder register.
		Personal remedies in cases of oppression or injustice   A shareholder may apply to the court for an order under Section 216 of the Singapore Companies Act to remedy situations where (i) the company’s affairs are being conducted or the powers of the company’s directors are being exercised in a manner oppressive to, or in disregard of the interests of one or more of the shareholders or holders of debentures of the company, including the applicant; or (ii) the company has done an act, or threatens to do an act, or the shareholders or holders of debentures have passed some resolution, which unfairly discriminates against, or is otherwise prejudicial to, one or more of the company’s shareholders or holders of debentures, including the applicant.   Singapore courts have wide discretion as to the relief they may grant under such application, including, inter alia, directing or prohibiting any act or cancelling or varying any transaction or resolution, providing that the company be wound up, or authorizing civil proceedings to be brought in the name of or on behalf of the company by such person or persons and on such terms as the court directs.   Derivative actions and arbitrations   The Singapore Companies Act has a provision which provides a mechanism enabling shareholders to apply to the court for leave to bring a derivative action or commence an arbitration on behalf of the company. Derivative actions are also allowed as a common law action.   Applications are generally made by shareholders of the company, but courts are given the discretion to allow such persons as they deem proper to apply (e.g., beneficial owner of shares).   It should be noted that this provision of the Singapore Companies Act is primarily used by minority shareholders to bring an action or arbitration in the name and on behalf of the company or intervene in

 

42

Delaware		Singapore
		an action or arbitration to which the company is a party for the purpose of prosecuting, defending or discontinuing the action or arbitration on behalf of the company. Prior to commencing a derivative action or arbitration, the court must be satisfied that (i) 14 days’ notice has been given to the directors of the company of the party’s intention to commence such action or arbitration if the directors of the company do not bring, diligently prosecute or defend or discontinue the action, (ii) the party is acting in good faith and (iii) it appears to be prima facie in the interests of the company that the action be brought, prosecuted, defended or discontinued.   Class actions   The concept of class action suits in the United States, which allows individual shareholders to bring an action seeking to represent the class or classes of shareholders, does not exist in the same manner in Singapore. In Singapore, it is possible as a matter of procedure for a number of shareholders who have a common interest in any proceedings, to begin proceedings as a group with one or more of such shareholders representing the group.
Distributions and Dividends; Repurchases and Redemptions
The Delaware General Corporation Law permits a corporation to declare and pay dividends out of statutory surplus or, if there is no surplus, out of net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or for the preceding fiscal year as long as the amount of capital of the corporation following the declaration and payment of the dividend is not less than the aggregate amount of the capital represented by the issued and outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets.		The Singapore Companies Act provides that no dividend is payable to the shareholders of any company except out of profits.   The Singapore Companies Act does not provide a definition on when profits are deemed to be available for the purpose of paying dividends and this is accordingly governed by case law.   Our constitution provides that no dividend can be paid otherwise than out of profits.
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, any corporation may purchase or redeem its own shares, except that generally it may not purchase or redeem these shares if the capital of the corporation is impaired at the time or would become impaired as a result of the redemption. A corporation may, however, purchase or redeem out of capital shares that are entitled upon any distribution of its assets to a preference over another class or series of its shares if the shares are to be retired and the capital reduced.		Acquisition of a company’s own shares   The Singapore Companies Act generally prohibits a company from acquiring its own shares or purporting to acquire the shares of its holding company or ultimate holding company, whether directly or indirectly, in any way, subject to certain exceptions. Any contract or transaction made or entered into in contravention of the aforementioned prohibition by which a company acquires or purports to acquire its own shares or shares in its holding company or ultimate holding company is void. However, provided that it is expressly permitted to do so by its constitution and subject to the special conditions of

 

43

Delaware		Singapore
		each permitted acquisition contained in the Singapore Companies Act, a company may:   •  redeem redeemable preferred shares on such terms and in such manner as is provided by its constitution. Preferred shares may be redeemed out of capital only if all the directors make a solvency statement in relation to such redemption in accordance with the Singapore Companies Act, and the company lodges a copy of the statement with the Registrar of Companies;   •  whether listed on an exchange in Singapore approved by the Monetary Authority of Singapore or any securities exchange outside Singapore, or not, make an off-market purchase of its own shares in accordance with an equal access scheme authorized in advance at a general meeting;   •  make a selective off-market purchase of its own shares in accordance with an agreement authorized in advance at a general meeting by a special resolution where persons whose shares are to be acquired and their associated persons have abstained from voting; and   •  whether listed on an exchange in Singapore approved by the Monetary Authority of Singapore or any securities exchange outside Singapore, or not, make an acquisition of its own shares under a contingent purchase contract which has been authorized in advance at a general meeting by a special resolution.
		•  The total number of ordinary shares, stocks in any class and non-redeemable preferred shares that may be acquired by a company in a relevant period must not exceed 20% (or such other prescribed percentage) of the total number of ordinary shares, stocks in any class or non-redeemable preferred shares (as the case may be) as of the date of the resolution to acquire the shares. Where, however, a company has reduced its share capital by a special resolution or a Singapore court made an order to such effect, the total number of ordinary shares, stocks in any class or non-redeemable preferred shares shall be taken to be the total number of ordinary shares, stocks in any class or non-redeemable preferred shares (as the case may be) as altered by the special resolution or

 

44

Delaware		Singapore
		the order of the court. Payment, including any expenses (including brokerage or commission) incurred directly in the acquisition by the company of its own shares, may be made out of the company’s profits or capital, provided that the company is solvent.   A company may also purchase its own shares by an order of a Singapore court.   Financial assistance for the acquisition of shares   A public company or a company whose holding company or ultimate holding company is a public company must not give financial assistance to any person whether directly or indirectly for the purpose of or in connection with:   •  the acquisition or proposed acquisition of shares in the company or units of such shares; or   •  the acquisition or proposed acquisition of shares in its holding company or ultimate holding company, or units of such shares.   Financial assistance may take the form of a loan, the giving of a guarantee, the provision of security, the release of an obligation, the release of a debt or otherwise.   However, it should be noted that a company may provide financial assistance for the acquisition of its shares or shares in its holding company or ultimate holding company if it complies with the requirements (including approval by special resolution) set out in the Singapore Companies Act.   Our constitution provides that subject to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act, we may purchase or otherwise acquire our own shares upon such terms and subject to such conditions as we may deem fit. We may deal with any such shares which is so purchased or acquired by us in such manner as may be permitted under the Singapore Companies Act (including, without limitation, hold such shares as treasury shares).
Transactions with Officers or Directors
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, some contracts or transactions in which one or more of a corporation’s directors has an interest are not void or voidable because of such interest provided that some conditions, such as obtaining the required approval and fulfilling the requirements of good faith and full disclosure, are met. Under the Delaware General		Under the Singapore Companies Act, directors and the chief executive officer of the company are not prohibited from dealing with the company, but where they have an interest, whether directly or indirectly, in a transaction with the company, that interest must be disclosed to the board of directors. In particular, every director or chief executive officer who is in any

 

45

Delaware		Singapore
Corporation Law, either (a) the stockholders or the board of directors of a corporation must approve in good faith any such contract or transaction after full disclosure of the material facts or (b) the contract or transaction must have been “fair” as to the corporation at the time it was approved. If board approval is sought, the contract or transaction must be approved in good faith by a majority of disinterested directors after full disclosure of material facts, even though less than a majority of a quorum.		way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a transaction or proposed transaction with the company must, as soon as is practicable after the relevant facts have come to such director’s or, as the case may be, the chief executive officer’s knowledge, declare the nature of such interest at a meeting of the directors or send a written notice to the company detailing the nature, character and extent of the interest.   In addition, a director or chief executive officer who holds any office or possesses any property which directly or indirectly might create interests in conflict with such director’s or, as the case may be, the chief executive officer’s duties as director or chief executive officer is required to declare the fact and the nature, character and extent of the conflict at a meeting of directors or send a written notice to the company detailing the nature, character and extent of the conflict.   The Singapore Companies Act extends the scope of this statutory duty of a director and chief executive officer to disclose any interests by pronouncing that an interest of a member of a director’s or, as the case may be, the chief executive officer’s family (including spouse, son, adopted son, step-son, daughter, adopted daughter and step-daughter) will be treated as an interest of the director or chief executive officer (as the case may be).   A director or chief executive officer is not deemed to be interested or to have been at any time interested in any transaction or proposed transaction where the interest of the director or chief executive officer (as the case may be) consists only of being a member or creditor of a corporation which is interested in the transaction or proposed transaction with the company if the interest may properly be regarded as immaterial. Where the transaction or the proposed transaction relates to any loan to the company, no disclosure need be made where the director or chief executive officer (as the case may be) has only guaranteed the repayment of such loan, unless the constitution provides otherwise. Further, where any transaction or proposed transaction has been or will be made with or for the benefit of or on behalf of a related corporation (i.e., the holding company, subsidiary or subsidiary of a common holding company), the director or chief executive officer is not deemed to be interested or to have been at any time interested in such transaction or proposed transaction by virtue of only being a

 

46

Delaware		Singapore
		director or chief executive officer (as the case may be) of the related corporation, unless the constitution provides otherwise.   Subject to specified exceptions, the Singapore Companies Act prohibits a company (other than an exempt private company) from, among others, (i) making a loan or a quasi-loan to its directors or to directors of a related corporation, or giving a guarantee or security in connection with such a loan or quasi-loan, (ii) entering into a credit transaction as creditor for the benefit of its directors or the directors of a related corporation, or giving a guarantee or any security in connection with such a credit transaction, (iii) arranging an assignment to or assumption by us of any rights, obligations or liabilities under a transaction which, if it had been entered into by us, would have been a restricted transaction, and (iv) taking part in an arrangement under which another person enters into a transaction which, if entered into by us, would have been a restricted transaction and such person obtains a benefit from us or our related corporation pursuant thereto. Companies are also prohibited from entering into any of these transactions with the spouse or children (whether adopted or natural or step-children) of its directors.   Subject to specified exceptions, the Singapore Companies Act prohibits a company (other than an exempt private company) from making a loan or a quasi-loan to another company or a limited liability partnership or entering into any guarantee or providing any security in connection with a loan or a quasi-loan made to another company or a limited liability partnership by a person other than the first-mentioned company, entering into a credit transaction as a creditor for the benefit of another company or a limited liability partnership, or entering into any guarantee or provide any security in connection with a credit transaction entered into by any person for the benefit of another company or a limited liability partnership if a director or directors of the first-mentioned company is or together are interested in 20% or more of the total voting power in the other company or the limited liability partnership (as the case may be).   Such prohibition also applies to a loan or quasi-loan, made by a company (other than an exempt private company), a credit transaction made by a company (other than an exempt private company) for the

 

47

Delaware		Singapore
		benefit of another company or limited liability partnership and a guarantee entered into or security provided by a company (other than an exempt private company) in connection with a loan or quasi-loan made by a person other than the first-mentioned company to another company or a limited liability partnership or with a credit transaction made for the benefit of another company or limited liability partnership entered into by a person other than the first-mentioned company, where such other company or limited liability partnership is incorporated or formed (as the case may be) outside Singapore, if a director or directors of the first-mentioned company (a) is or together are interested in 20% or more of the total voting power in the other company or limited liability partnership or (b) in a case where the other company does not have a share capital, exercises or together exercise control over the other company whether by reason of having the power to appoint directors or otherwise.   The Singapore Companies Act also provides that an interest of a member of a director’s family (including spouse, son, adopted son, step-son, daughter, adopted daughter and step-daughter) will be treated as an interest of the director.
Dissenters’ Rights
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a stockholder of a corporation participating in some types of major corporate transactions may, under varying circumstances, be entitled to appraisal rights pursuant to which the stockholder may receive cash in the amount of the fair market value of his or her shares in lieu of the consideration he or she would otherwise receive in the transaction.		There are no equivalent provisions in Singapore under the Singapore Companies Act.
Cumulative Voting
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may adopt in its bylaws that its directors shall be elected by cumulative voting. When directors are elected by cumulative voting, a stockholder has the number of votes equal to the number of shares held by such stockholder times the number of directors nominated for election. The stockholder may cast all of such votes for one director or among the directors in any proportion.		There are no equivalent provisions in Singapore under the Singapore Companies Act.

 

48

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may offer securities under this prospectus from time to time pursuant to underwritten public offerings, negotiated transactions, block trades or a combination of these methods. We may sell the securities (1) through underwriters or dealers, (2) through agents or (3) directly to one or more purchasers, or through a combination of such methods. We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at:

 

•

a fixed price or prices, which may be changed from time to time;

 

•

market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

•

prices related to the prevailing market prices; or

 

•

negotiated prices.

We may directly solicit offers to purchase the securities being offered by this prospectus and may also engage in “at the market” offerings as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act. We may also designate agents to solicit offers to purchase the securities from time to time. We will name in a prospectus supplement any underwriter or agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities.

If we utilize a dealer in the sale of the securities being offered by this prospectus, we will sell the securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale.

If we utilize an underwriter in the sale of the securities being offered by this prospectus, we will execute an underwriting agreement with the underwriter at the time of sale, and we will provide the name of any underwriter in the prospectus supplement which the underwriter will use to make resales of the securities to the public. In connection with the sale of the securities, we, or the purchasers of the securities for whom the underwriter may act as agent, may compensate the underwriter in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions. The underwriter may sell the securities to or through dealers, and the underwriter may compensate those dealers in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions.

With respect to underwritten public offerings, negotiated transactions and block trades, we will provide in the applicable prospectus supplement information regarding any compensation we pay to underwriters, dealers or agents in connection with the offering of the securities, and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers. Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions. We may enter into agreements to indemnify underwriters, dealers and agents against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments they may be required to make in respect thereof.

If so, indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase securities from us pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on the date stated in the prospectus supplement. Each contract will be for an amount not less than, and the aggregate amount of securities sold pursuant to such contracts shall not be less nor more than, the respective amounts stated in the prospectus supplement. Institutions with whom the contracts, when authorized, may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and other institutions, but shall in all cases be subject to our approval. Delayed delivery contracts will not be subject to any conditions except that:

 

•

the purchase by an institution of the securities covered under that contract shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which that institution is subject; and

 

49

•

if the securities are also being sold to underwriters acting as principals for their own account, the underwriters shall have purchased such securities not sold for delayed delivery. The underwriters and other persons acting as our agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of delayed delivery contracts.

Our ordinary shares sold pursuant to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part will be authorized for quotation and trading on The Nasdaq Global Market. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing, if any, on The Nasdaq Global Market or any securities market or other securities exchange of the securities covered by the prospectus supplement. We can make no assurance as to the liquidity of or the existence of trading markets for any of the securities.

In order to facilitate the offering of the securities, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities. This may include over-allotments or short sales of the securities, which involve the sale by persons participating in the offering of more securities than we sold to them. In these circumstances, these persons would cover such over-allotments or short positions by making purchases in the open market or by exercising their over-allotment option. In addition, these persons may stabilize or maintain the price of the securities by bidding for or purchasing the applicable security in the open market or by imposing penalty bids, whereby selling concessions allowed to dealers participating in the offering may be reclaimed if the securities sold by them are repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.

In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, the maximum consideration or discount to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker dealer may not exceed 8% of the aggregate amount of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.

The underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in other transactions with us, or perform other services for us, in the ordinary course of their business.

 

50

ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES UNDER UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAWS

We are incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Singapore, and certain of our officers and directors are residents outside the United States. Moreover, a majority of our consolidated assets are located outside the United States. Although we are incorporated outside the United States, we have agreed to accept service of process in the United States through our agent designated for that purpose. Nevertheless, since a majority of the consolidated assets owned by us are located outside the United States any judgment obtained in the United States against us may not be enforceable within the United States. There is no treaty between the United States and Singapore providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters and a final judgment for the payment of money rendered by any federal or state court in the United States based on civil liability, whether or not predicated solely upon the federal securities laws, would, therefore, not be automatically enforceable in Singapore.

There is uncertainty as to whether judgments of courts in the United States based upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States would be recognized or enforceable in Singapore. In making a determination as to enforceability of a judgment of the courts of the United States, and subject to the Singapore courts having jurisdiction over the judgment debtor, the Singapore courts would have regard to whether the judgment was final and conclusive and on the merits of the case, given by a court of law of competent jurisdiction, and was expressed to be for a fixed sum of money. In general, an in personam foreign judgment that is final and conclusive (that is, in general, a judgment that makes a final determination of rights between the parties and cannot be re-opened or altered by the court that delivered it, or be overridden by another body not being an appellate or supervisory body, although it may be subject to an appeal), given by a competent court of law having jurisdiction over the parties subject to such judgment, and for a fixed and ascertainable sum of money, may be enforceable as a debt in the Singapore courts under common law unless procured by fraud, or the proceedings in which such judgments were obtained were not conducted in accordance with principles of natural justice, or the enforcement thereof would be contrary to fundamental public policy, or if the judgment would conflict with earlier judgment(s) from Singapore or earlier foreign judgment(s) recognized in Singapore, or if the judgment would amount to the direct or indirect enforcement of foreign penal, revenue or other public laws (save where any such component of the judgment can be duly severed from the rest of the judgment sought to be enforced). Civil liability provisions of the federal and state securities law of the United States permit the award of punitive damages against us, our directors and officers. Singapore courts would not recognize or enforce judgments against us, our directors and officers to the extent that doing so would amount to the direct or indirect enforcement of foreign penal, revenue or other public laws. It is uncertain as to whether a judgment of the courts of the United States under civil liability provisions of the federal securities law of the United States would be regarded by the Singapore courts as being pursuant to foreign, penal, revenue or other public laws. Such a determination has yet to be made by a Singapore court in a reported decision.

In addition, holders of book-entry interests in our shares will be required to exchange such interests for certificated shares and to be registered as shareholders in our shareholder register in order to have standing to bring a shareholder suit and, if successful, to enforce a foreign judgment against us, our directors or our executive officers in the Singapore courts.

A holder of book-entry interests in our shares may become a registered shareholder of our company by exchanging such holder’s interest in our shares for certificated shares and being registered in our shareholder register. The administrative process of becoming a registered shareholder could result in delays prejudicial to any legal proceeding or enforcement action.

 

51

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and certain other matters of Singapore law will be passed upon for us by WongPartnership LLP. Selected legal matters as to U.S. law in connection with the offering of the debt securities offered pursuant to this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., Boston, Massachusetts. Additional legal matters may be passed upon for us, or any underwriters, dealers or agents by counsel that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Wave Life Sciences Ltd. as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 for the years then ended have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

52

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. SEC filings are available at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

This prospectus is only part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we have filed with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and therefore omits certain information contained in the registration statement. We have also filed exhibits and schedules with the registration statement that are excluded from this prospectus, and you should refer to the applicable exhibit or schedule for a complete description of any statement referring to any contract or other document. You may obtain a copy of the registration statement, including the exhibits and schedules, from the SEC’s website.

We also maintain a website at http://www.wavelifesciences.com, through which you can access our SEC filings. The information set forth on our website is not part of this prospectus.

 

53

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, and subsequent information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We filed a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with the SEC with respect to the securities we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. This prospectus omits certain information contained in the registration statement, as permitted by the SEC. You should refer to the registration statement, including the exhibits, for further information about us and the securities we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. Statements in this prospectus regarding the provisions of certain documents filed with, or incorporated by reference in, the registration statement are not necessarily complete and each statement is qualified in all respects by that reference. Copies of all or any part of the registration statement, including the documents incorporated by reference or the exhibits, may be obtained from the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The documents we are incorporating by reference are:

 

•

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 that we filed with the SEC on March 6, 2024, as amended by Amendment No.  1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A that we filed with the SEC on April 29, 2024;

 

•

the portions of our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A that we filed with the SEC on June 21, 2024 that are deemed “filed” with the Commission under the Exchange Act;

 

•

our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2024, June 30, 2024, and September 30, 2024 that we filed with the SEC on May 10, 2024, August 8, 2024, and November 12, 2024, respectively;

 

•

our Current Reports on Form 8-K that we filed with the SEC on January 4 2024, June  25, 2024, August  12, 2024, September  24, 2024, September  26, 2024, October  16, 2024, and October 30, 2024 (in each case, except for information contained therein which is furnished rather than filed);

 

•

the description of our ordinary shares contained in our Registration Statement on that we filed with the SEC on November 9, 2015, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description; and

 

•

all reports and other documents subsequently filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination or completion of the offering of securities under this prospectus shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus and to be a part hereof from the date of filing such reports and other documents.

The SEC file number for each of the documents listed above is 001-37627.

Any statement contained in this prospectus or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or any other subsequently filed document that is deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus modifies or supersedes the statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

You may request, orally or in writing, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated herein by reference. These documents will be provided to you at no cost, by contacting:

Wave Life Sciences Ltd.

c/o 733 Concord Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

ATTN: Investor Relations

 

54

You may also access these documents on our website, http://www.wavelifesciences.com. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

You should rely only on information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We are not making offers to sell the securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.

 

55

 

 

 

Ordinary Shares

Debt Securities

Warrants

Rights

Units

 

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

 

November 12, 2024

 

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

 

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

Up to $250,000,000 of Ordinary Shares

 

 

We have entered into an Open Market Sale Agreement^SM, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Open Market Sale Agreement^SM, dated March 2, 2020, Amendment No. 2 to Open Market Sale Agreement^SM, dated March 3, 2022, and Amendment No. 3 to Open Market Sale Agreement^SM, dated November 12, 2024, or collectively, the Sales Agreement, with Jefferies LLC, or Jefferies, relating to our ordinary shares, no par value, offered by this prospectus. In accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement, we may offer and sell our ordinary shares having an aggregate offering price of up to $250,000,000 from time to time through Jefferies, acting as sales agent. Sales of the ordinary shares, if any, may be made on The Nasdaq Global Market at market prices and such other sales as agreed upon by us and Jefferies, as the case may be.

Our ordinary shares are listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “WVE.” On November 8, 2024, the last reported sale price of our ordinary shares on The Nasdaq Global Market was $16.44 per share.

Sales of our ordinary shares, if any, under this prospectus may be made in sales deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. Jefferies is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of securities, but will act as sales agent on a best efforts basis and use commercially reasonable efforts to sell on our behalf all of the ordinary shares requested to be sold by us, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices, on mutually agreed terms between us and Jefferies. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

Jefferies will be entitled to compensation at a commission rate of up to 3.0% of the gross sales price per ordinary share sold under the Sales Agreement. See “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page S-53 for additional information regarding the compensation to be paid to Jefferies. In connection with the sale of our ordinary shares on our behalf, Jefferies will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of Jefferies will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have also agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to Jefferies with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.

 

 

Investing in our ordinary shares involves a high degree of risk. See the information contained under “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-9 of this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein.

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

 

 

Jefferies

The date of this prospectus is November 12, 2024.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			S-1
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY			S-4
THE OFFERING			S-7
RISK FACTORS			S-9
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			S-12
USE OF PROCEEDS			S-14
DIVIDEND POLICY			S-15
DILUTION			S-16
CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX AND SINGAPORE TAX CONSIDERATIONS			S-18
DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL			S-27
COMPARISON OF SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS			S-38
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			S-53
ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES UNDER UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAWS			S-55
LEGAL MATTERS			S-56
EXPERTS			S-56
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			S-57
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE			S-58

We are responsible for the information contained and incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any related free writing prospectus we prepare or authorize. We have not authorized anyone to give you any other information, and we take no responsibility for any other information that others may give you. If you are in a jurisdiction where offers to sell, or solicitations of offers to purchase, the securities offered by this documentation are unlawful, or if you are a person to whom it is unlawful to direct these types of activities, then the offer presented in this document does not extend to you. The information contained in this document speaks only as of the date of this document, unless the information specifically indicates that another date applies. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

S-i

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. Under the shelf registration process, we may offer our ordinary shares having an aggregate offering price of up to $250,000,000 from time to time under this prospectus at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of the offering.

If the information contained in this prospectus differs or varies from the information contained in any document incorporated by reference herein that was filed with the SEC before the date of this prospectus, you should rely on the information set forth in this prospectus. If any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date (for example, a subsequently filed document deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus), the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not, and the sales agent has not, authorized anyone to provide you with information that is in addition to or different from that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or contained in any permitted free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with this offering. We and the sales agent take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may provide.

The information contained in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein is accurate only as of their respective dates, regardless of the time of delivery of any such document or the time of any sale of our ordinary shares. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. It is important for you to read and consider all information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus in making your investment decision. You should read this prospectus, as well as the documents incorporated by reference herein, the additional information described under the section titled “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference” in this prospectus and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, before investing in our ordinary shares.

We further note that the representations, warranties and covenants made by us in any agreement that is filed as an exhibit to any document that is incorporated by reference in this prospectus were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties to such agreements, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty or covenant to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties or covenants were accurate only as of the date when made. Accordingly, such representations, warranties and covenants should not be relied on as accurately representing the current state of our affairs.

This prospectus is not a “prospectus” as defined in the Securities and Futures Act 2001 of Singapore, or the SFA, and accordingly, statutory liability under the SFA in relation to the content of prospectuses will not apply. This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of our ordinary shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may our ordinary shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA) pursuant to Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA and (where applicable) Regulation 3 of the Securities and Futures (Classes of Investors) Regulations 2018 or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to compliance with the conditions set forth in the SFA.

 

S-1

Where our ordinary shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

 

(a)

a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or

 

(b)

a trustee of a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor,

securities or securities-based derivatives contracts (each as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the ordinary shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA, except:

 

•

to an institutional investor or to a relevant person as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or (in the case of such corporation) where the transfer arises from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) of the SFA or (in the case of such trust) where the transfer arises from an offer referred to in Section 276(4)(c)(ii) of the SFA;

 

•

where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;

 

•

where the transfer is by operation of law;

 

•

as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or

 

•

as specified in Regulation 37A of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Securities and Securities-based Derivatives Contracts) Regulations 2018 of Singapore.

Any reference to the SFA is a reference to the Securities and Futures Act 2001 of Singapore and a reference to any term as defined in the SFA or any provision in the SFA is a reference to that term as modified or amended from time to time including by such of its subsidiary legislation as may be applicable at the relevant time.

Section 309B(1) Notification: In connection with Section 309B of the SFA and the Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) Regulations 2018, or the CMP Regulations 2018, the Company has determined, and hereby notifies all persons (including relevant persons (as defined in Section 309A(1) of the SFA)) that the ordinary shares are prescribed capital markets products (as defined in the CMP Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in the MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).

By accepting this prospectus, the recipient hereof and thereof represents and warrants that such recipient is entitled to receive it in accordance with the restrictions set forth above and agrees to be bound by the limitations contained herein. Any failure to comply with these limitations may constitute a violation of law.

We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, our ordinary shares only in jurisdictions where such offers and sales are permitted. The distribution of this prospectus and the offering of our ordinary shares in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of our ordinary shares and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States. This prospectus does not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities offered by this prospectus by any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such an offer or solicitation.

Unless the context otherwise indicates, references to “Wave,” the “company,” “we,” “our,” “us” or similar terms refer to Wave Life Sciences Ltd. and our wholly-owned subsidiaries. References in this prospectus to “S$” refer to Singapore dollars, “¥” refer to Japanese yen and “€” refer to euros.

 

S-2

The Wave Life Sciences Ltd. and Wave Life Sciences Pte. Ltd. names, the Wave Life Sciences mark, and the other trademarks, trade names and service marks of Wave Life Sciences Ltd. appearing in this prospectus are the property of Wave Life Sciences Ltd. Wave has applied to register certain of its trademarks in the United States. This prospectus also contains additional trade names, trademarks and service marks belonging to Wave Life Sciences Ltd. and to other companies. We do not intend our use or display of other parties’ trademarks, trade names or service marks to imply, and such use or display should not be construed to imply, a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, these other parties. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this prospectus are referred to without the ^® and ^™ symbols, but such reference should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto.

 

S-3

 

S-4

 

S-5

 

S-6

 

S-7

 

S-8

RISK FACTORS

Investing in our ordinary shares involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described below and in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as any amendments thereto reflected in subsequent filings with the SEC, each of which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and all of the other information in this prospectus, including our financial statements and related notes incorporated by reference herein. If any of these risks is realized, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our ordinary shares could decline and you could lose part or all of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties that are not yet identified or that we currently believe to be immaterial may also materially harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects and could result in a complete loss of your investment.

Risks Related to This Offering and Our Ordinary Shares

If you purchase ordinary shares in this offering, you will suffer immediate dilution of your investment.

The public offering price of our ordinary shares is substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our ordinary shares. Therefore, if you purchase our ordinary shares in this offering, you will pay a price per share that substantially exceeds our net tangible book value per share after giving effect to this offering. If you purchase ordinary shares in this offering, you will incur an immediate and substantial dilution in net tangible book value of $14.04 per share. For a further description of the dilution that you will experience immediately after this offering, see the section titled “Dilution.” In addition, in the past, we have issued options to acquire ordinary shares at prices significantly below the offering price, have issued pre-funded warrants with an exercise price of $0.0001 per share, have granted restricted share units, and have issued shares under our ESPP at a discount to market prices. To the extent these outstanding options or pre-funded warrants are ultimately exercised, these restricted share units vest or we otherwise issue shares under the 2021 Plan or ESPP, you will incur additional dilution

Our management will have broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from this offering, and you may not agree with how we use the proceeds and the proceeds may not be invested successfully.

Our management will have broad discretion as to the use of the net proceeds from this offering and could use them for purposes other than those contemplated at the time of this offering. Accordingly, you are relying on the judgment of our management with regard to the use of these net proceeds, and you will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds will be used appropriately. It is possible that the proceeds will be invested in a way that does not yield a favorable, or any, return for Wave.

Because we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our ordinary shares in the foreseeable future, capital appreciation, if any, will be your sole source of gain.

We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our ordinary shares. We anticipate that we will retain our earnings, if any, for future growth and therefore do not anticipate paying cash dividends in the future. As a result, only appreciation of the price of our ordinary shares will provide a return to shareholders.

Sales of a significant number of our ordinary shares in the public markets, or the perception that such sales could occur, could depress the market price of our ordinary shares.

Sales of a substantial number of our ordinary shares in the public markets could depress the market price of our ordinary shares and impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. In addition, certain of our shareholders have the right to require us to register the sales of their shares under the

 

S-9

Securities Act under agreements between us and such shareholders. See the section titled “Description of Share Capital” for a more detailed description of these rights. We have also registered for resale on a registration statement on Form S-3 up to approximately 7.1 million ordinary shares held by certain executive officers, directors and their affiliates. We cannot predict the effect that future sales of our ordinary shares would have on the market price of our ordinary shares.

The public market for our ordinary shares may not be liquid enough for our shareholders to sell their ordinary shares quickly or at market price, or at all.

Prior to the completion of our initial public offering, there was no public market for our ordinary shares. An active trading market for our shares may not develop or be maintained and our shareholders may not be able to sell their ordinary shares quickly or at the market price, or at all. Our executive officers, our directors and their respective affiliates, and our other significant shareholders beneficially own a significant portion of our outstanding ordinary shares, and therefore, liquidity in our ordinary shares is limited. Due to the limited liquidity in our ordinary shares, relatively small orders can have a disproportionate impact on the trading price of our shares. Further, the limited liquidity in our ordinary shares may also impair our ability to raise capital by conducting offerings of our ordinary shares and may impair our ability to enter into strategic partnerships or acquire companies or products by using our ordinary shares as consideration.

The market price of our ordinary shares is likely to be highly volatile, and our shareholders may lose some or all of their investment.

The market price of our ordinary shares is likely to be highly volatile, including in response to factors that are beyond our control. The stock market in general experiences extreme price and volume fluctuations. In particular, the market prices of securities of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are extremely volatile, and experience fluctuations that are often unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of these companies. These broad and sector-specific market fluctuations can result in extreme fluctuations in the price of our ordinary shares, regardless of our operating performance, and can cause our shareholders to lose some or all of their investment in the Company.

Our principal shareholders and management own a significant percentage of our ordinary shares and will be able to exert significant control over matters subject to shareholder approval.

Based on information publicly available to us as of September 30, 2024, our executive officers, our directors and their respective affiliates, and our other significant shareholders beneficially own a significant portion of our outstanding ordinary shares. As a result, these shareholders, if acting together, will continue to have significant influence over the outcome of corporate actions requiring shareholder approval, including the election of directors, any merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets and any other significant corporate transaction. The interests of these shareholders may not be the same as or may even conflict with the interests of our other shareholders. For example, these shareholders could delay or prevent a change of control of our company, even if such a change of control would benefit our other shareholders, which could deprive shareholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their ordinary shares as part of a sale of our company or our assets and might affect the prevailing market price of our ordinary shares. The significant concentration of share ownership may adversely affect the trading price of our ordinary shares due to investors’ perception that conflicts of interest may exist or arise.

We may incur significant costs from class action litigation due to share volatility.

Our share price has in the past and may in the future fluctuate for many reasons, including as a result of public announcements regarding the progress of our development efforts or the development efforts of our collaborators and/or competitors, the addition or departure of our key personnel, variations in our quarterly operating results and/or changes in market valuations of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Holders

 

S-10

of stock which has experienced significant price and trading volatility have occasionally brought securities class action litigation against the companies that issued the stock. If any of our shareholders were to bring a lawsuit of this type against us, even if the lawsuit is without merit, we could incur substantial costs defending the lawsuit. The lawsuit could also divert the time and attention of our management, which could harm our business.

Sales of additional ordinary shares could cause the price of our ordinary shares to decline.

Sales of substantial amounts of our ordinary shares in the public market, or the availability of such shares for sale, by us or others, including the issuance of ordinary shares upon exercise of outstanding options, or the perception that such sales could occur, could adversely affect the price of our ordinary shares. Certain of our shareholders have in the past required us, or have the right to require us, to register the sales of their shares under the Securities Act under agreements between us and such shareholders.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our share price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our ordinary shares may depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. If too few securities or industry analysts cover our company, the trading price for our ordinary shares would likely be negatively impacted. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our ordinary shares or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our share price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our ordinary shares could decrease, which might cause our share price and trading volume to decline.

 

S-11

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and the documents we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties that relate to future events or to our future operations or financial performance. In some cases, forward-looking statements are identified by the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “future,” “goals,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “ongoing,” “objective,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “strategy,” “target,” “will” and “would” or the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology intended to identify statements about the future, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Although we believe that we have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement contained in this prospectus and the documents that we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference, such statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently known by us and our expectations of the future, about which we cannot be certain. Forward-looking statements include statements about:

 

•

our ability to fund our future operations; our financial position, revenues, costs, expenses, uses of cash and capital requirements; our need for additional financing or the period for which our existing cash resources will be sufficient to meet our operating requirements;

 

•

the success, progress, number, scope, cost, duration, timing or results of our research and development activities, preclinical studies and clinical trials, including the timing for initiation or completion of or availability of results from any preclinical studies and clinical trials or for submission, review or approval of any regulatory filing;

 

•

the timing of, and our ability to, obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for any of our product candidates;

 

•

the potential benefits that may be derived from any of our product candidates;

 

•

our strategies, prospects, plans, goals, expectations, forecasts or objectives;

 

•

the success of our collaborations with third parties;

 

•

any payment that our collaboration partners may make to us;

 

•

our ability to identify and develop new product candidates;

 

•

our intellectual property position;

 

•

our commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy;

 

•

our expected uses of the net proceeds from any offering of our securities;

 

•

our ability to develop sales and marketing capabilities;

 

•

our estimates regarding future expenses and needs for additional financing;

 

•

our ability to identify, recruit and retain key personnel;

 

•

our financial performance;

 

•

developments and projections relating to our competitors in the industry;

 

•

our liquidity and working capital requirements;

 

•

the expected impact of new accounting standards; and

 

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•

and our expectations regarding the impact of any local and global health epidemics on our business, including our research and development activities, preclinical studies and clinical trials, supply of drug product, and workforce.

You should refer to the section titled “Risk Factors” of this prospectus and in our other filings with the SEC for a discussion of important factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. As a result of these factors, we cannot assure that the forward-looking statements in this prospectus or the documents we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference will prove to be accurate. Furthermore, if our forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, these statements should not be regarded as representations or warranties by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this prospectus, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements as predictions of future events.

You should read this prospectus, the documents that we have incorporated by reference herein and the documents we have filed as exhibits to the registration statement, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We may issue and sell our ordinary shares having aggregate sales proceeds of up to $250,000,000 from time to time. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time. There can be no assurance that we will sell any shares under or fully utilize our Sales Agreement with Jefferies as a source of financing.

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for our operations and for other general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, clinical trial costs and other research and development expenses; continued investment in our drug development platform; and working capital, capital expenditures and general and administrative expenses.

Our expected use of the net proceeds from this offering represents our current intentions based upon our present plans and business conditions. The amounts and timing of our actual use of net proceeds will vary depending on numerous factors, including the relative success and cost of our research, preclinical and clinical development programs, whether we are able to enter into future collaborations, and any unforeseen delays or cash needs. As a result, our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds, and investors will be relying on our judgment regarding the application of the net proceeds of this offering. In addition, we might decide to postpone or not pursue these planned trials and activities or other development activities if the net proceeds from this offering and the other sources of cash are less than, or do not last as long as, expected.

Pending their use, we plan to invest the net proceeds from this offering in short- and intermediate-term, interest- bearing obligations, investment-grade instruments, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We have never declared or paid any dividends on our ordinary shares. We currently anticipate that we will retain any future earnings for the operation and expansion of our business. Accordingly, we do not currently anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends on our ordinary shares for the foreseeable future. Any future determination relating to our dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on then existing conditions, including our financial condition, results of operations, contractual restrictions (including in the agreements governing our credit facilities), capital requirements, business prospects and other factors our board of directors may deem relevant. We may, by ordinary resolution, declare dividends, but (without prejudice to the powers of the Company to pay interest on share capital as provided in our constitution) no dividend is payable (i) except out of the profits of the Company or (ii) in excess of the amount recommended by our directors.

 

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DILUTION

If you invest in our ordinary shares in this offering, your ownership interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per ordinary share in this offering and the as adjusted net tangible book value per ordinary share immediately after this offering. The net tangible book value of our ordinary shares as of September 30, 2024 was approximately $149.7 million, or approximately $1.01 per ordinary share based upon 148,392,939 ordinary shares outstanding as of September 30, 2024. Net tangible book value per share is equal to our total tangible assets, less our total liabilities and Series A preferred shares, divided by the total number of ordinary shares outstanding as of September 30, 2024.

Net tangible book value dilution per share to investors participating in this offering represents the difference between the amount per share paid by purchasers of ordinary shares in this offering and the as adjusted net tangible book value per ordinary share immediately after this offering. After giving effect to the sale of 15,206,812 ordinary shares in this offering at an assumed public offering price of $16.44 per share, the last reported sale price of our ordinary shares on The Nasdaq Global Market on November 8, 2024, and after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of September 30, 2024 would have been approximately $391.9 million, or approximately $2.40 per ordinary share. This represents an immediate increase in as adjusted net tangible book value of $1.39 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $14.04 per share to investors participating in this offering at the public offering price.

Dilution per share to new investors is determined by subtracting as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the assumed public offering price per share paid by new investors. The following table illustrates this per share dilution to new investors:

 

Assumed public offering price per share						$	16.44
Historical net tangible book value per share as of September 30, 2024		$	1.01
Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to the offering			1.39
As adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to this offering							2.40
Dilution in net tangible book value per share to investors participating in this offering						$	14.04

The table above assumes for illustrative purposes that an aggregate of $250 million in ordinary shares are sold at a price of $16.44 per share, the last reported sale price of our ordinary shares on The Nasdaq Global Market on November 8, 2024. The shares sold in this offering, if any, will be sold from time to time at various prices. An increase of $1.00 per share in the price at which the shares are sold from the assumed offering price of $16.44 per share shown in the table above, assuming all of our ordinary shares in the aggregate amount of $250 million is sold at that price, would increase our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after the offering by $0.01 per share and would increase the dilution in net tangible book value per share to investors participating in this offering by $0.99 per share, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us. A decrease of $1.00 per share in the price at which the shares are sold from the assumed offering price of $16.44 per share shown in the table above, assuming all of our ordinary shares in the aggregate amount of $250 million is sold at that price, would decrease our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after the offering by $0.02 per share and would decrease the dilution in net tangible book value per share to investors participating in this offering by $0.98 per share, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us.

The information discussed above is illustrative only and will adjust based on the actual public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.

 

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The table and discussion above does not include:

 

•

3,901,348 ordinary shares issuable upon the conversion of our Series A preferred shares outstanding as of September 30, 2024;

 

•

8,968,679 ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of pre-funded warrants outstanding as of September 30, 2024;

 

•

3,750,000 ordinary shares issued subsequent to September 30, 2024 pursuant to the exercise of the option to purchase additional ordinary shares under the underwriting agreement entered into by us on September 25, 2024 in connection with our underwritten public offering;

 

•

20,463,734 ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of share options outstanding as of September 30, 2024, at a weighted average exercise price of $5.63 per share, of which 9,089,818 ordinary shares were exercisable as of such date;

 

•

827,240 RSUs outstanding as of September 30, 2024;

 

•

6,550,786 ordinary shares reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Plan, as of September 30, 2024; and

 

•

2,314,002 ordinary shares reserved for future issuance under our ESPP as of September 30, 2024.

To the extent that outstanding options are exercised or outstanding RSUs vest or shares are sold pursuant to our ESPP, you will experience further dilution. In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. To the extent that additional capital is raised through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities may result in further dilution to our shareholders.

 

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CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX AND SINGAPORE TAX CONSIDERATIONS

Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for U.S. Holders

This discussion sets forth a summary of material U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. Holders (as defined below) of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the ordinary shares. The discussion is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, its legislative history, final, temporary and proposed regulations thereunder, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect and all subject to change at any time, possibly with retroactive effect. We cannot assure you that a change in law will not alter significantly the tax considerations described in this summary. We have not sought and do not expect to seek any rulings from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, regarding the matters discussed below. There can be no assurance that the IRS will not take positions concerning the tax consequences of the purchase, ownership or disposition of our ordinary shares that differ from those discussed below.

This discussion addresses only material U.S. federal income tax considerations to U.S. Holders that acquire their ordinary shares in this offering and that hold those ordinary shares as capital assets (generally, property held for investment) and does not purport to be a comprehensive description of all tax considerations that may be relevant to a particular person’s decision to acquire the ordinary shares. In addition, this discussion does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences to any special class of U.S. Holders, including without limitation, holders of (directly, indirectly or constructively) 10% or more of the total voting power or value of our ordinary shares, dealers in securities or currencies, banks, tax-exempt organizations, qualified retirement plans, individual retirement accounts and other tax-deferred accounts, life insurance companies, financial institutions, broker-dealers, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, traders in securities that elect the mark-to-market method of accounting for their securities holdings, persons that hold securities that are a hedge or that are hedged against currency or interest rate risks or that are part of a straddle, conversion or “integrated” transaction, persons that are not U.S. Holders (as defined below), persons who acquired our ordinary shares pursuant to the exercise of an employee share option or otherwise as compensation, partnerships or other entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and U.S. Holders (as defined below) whose functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar. This discussion does not address the effect of the U.S. federal alternative minimum tax, or U.S. federal gift, estate or generation-skipping transfer tax, or any state, local or foreign tax laws on a holder of ordinary shares.

For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner of ordinary shares that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

•

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

•

a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

•

an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

•

a trust (i) if a court within the U.S. can exercise primary supervision over its administration, and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all of the substantial decisions of that trust, or (ii) that was in existence on August 20, 1996, and validly elected under applicable Treasury Regulations to continue to be treated as a domestic trust.

If a partnership or an entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our ordinary shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partnerships that hold our ordinary shares and partners in such partnerships should consult their own tax advisors regarding the particular U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of owning and disposing of ordinary shares.

If you are considering the purchase of our ordinary shares, you should consult your own tax advisors concerning the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of the purchase, ownership and

 

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disposition of our ordinary shares, as well as the consequences to you arising under other U.S. federal tax laws and the laws of any applicable state, local, non-U.S. or other taxing jurisdiction and any applicable tax treaty in light of your particular circumstances.

Dividends and Other Distributions

We do not currently anticipate declaring or paying cash dividends to holders of our ordinary shares in the foreseeable future. However, subject to the discussion below of the passive foreign investment company rules, if we do make distributions of cash or other property in respect of our ordinary shares, other than certain pro rata distributions of ordinary shares, the U.S. dollar amount of the gross amount of any such distribution will be taxable as a dividend, to the extent paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). Such income will be includable in your gross income on the day actually or constructively received by you. The amount of any distribution of property other than cash will be the fair market value of that property on the date of distribution. To the extent the amount of the distribution exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles), such excess amount will be treated first as a tax-free return of your tax basis in your ordinary shares, and then, to the extent such excess amount exceeds your tax basis in your ordinary shares, as capital gain. We, however, may not calculate earnings and profits in accordance with U.S. federal tax principles. In that case, we intend to treat the full amount of any distribution by us to U.S. Holders as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The amount of the dividend will generally be treated as foreign-source dividend income to U.S. Holders. U.S. Holders of the ordinary shares that are corporations generally will not be entitled to claim a “dividends received deduction” with respect to dividends paid on the ordinary shares.

Dividends received by a non-corporate U.S. Holder, including an individual, may qualify for the lower rates of tax applicable to “qualified dividend income,” provided that (i) we are not a passive foreign investment company (as defined below) for our taxable year in which the dividend is paid or in the preceding taxable year, (ii) certain holding period and other requirements are met and (iii) our ordinary shares are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States.

You should consult your own tax advisors regarding the availability of the lower tax rates applicable to qualified dividend income for any dividends that we pay with respect to the ordinary shares, as well as the effect of any change in applicable law.

A U.S. Holder who pays (whether directly or through withholding) Singapore income tax with respect to dividends paid on our ordinary shares generally will be entitled, at the election of such U.S. Holder, to receive either a deduction or credit for such Singapore income tax paid. The rules relating to the determination of the foreign tax credit are complex and you should consult your own tax advisors regarding the availability of a foreign tax credit in your particular circumstances.

Disposition of the Ordinary Shares

You will recognize gain or loss on a sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our ordinary shares in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized (in U.S. dollars) on the sale, exchange or taxable disposition and your tax basis (in U.S. dollars) in the ordinary shares. Subject to the passive foreign investment company rules discussed below, such gain or loss generally will be capital gain or loss. If you are a non-corporate U.S. Holder, including an individual, that has held the ordinary shares for more than one year, you may be eligible for reduced tax rates. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

Any gain or loss that you recognize on a disposition of our ordinary shares generally will be treated as U.S.-source income or loss for foreign tax credit limitation purposes. You should consult your own tax advisors regarding the proper treatment of gain or loss, as well as the availability of a foreign tax credit, in your particular circumstances.

 

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Passive Foreign Investment Company

Because the value of our assets for purposes of determining PFIC status will depend in part on the market price of our ordinary shares, which may fluctuate significantly, there can be no assurance that we will not be considered a PFIC for our current taxable year ending December 31, 2024 or for any future taxable year. The determination of PFIC status is based on an annual determination that cannot be made until the close of a taxable year, involves extensive factual investigation, including ascertaining the fair market value of all of our assets on a quarterly basis and the character of each item of income that we earn, and is subject to uncertainty in several respects. Moreover, our ability to earn specific types of income that we currently treat as non-passive for purposes of the PFIC rules is uncertain with respect to future years.

Accordingly, we cannot assure you that we will not be treated as a PFIC for our current taxable year ending December 31, 2024, or for any future taxable year or that the IRS will not take a contrary position. Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., our U.S. tax counsel, therefore expresses no opinion with respect to our PFIC status for any taxable year or our expectations relating to such status set forth in this paragraph.

A non-U.S. corporation will be treated as a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year if, applying applicable look-through rules, either:

 

•

at least 75% of its gross income for such year is passive income; or

 

•

at least 50% of the value of its assets (determined based on a quarterly average) during such year is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income.

For these purposes, we will be treated as owning a proportionate share of the assets and earning a proportionate share of the income of any other corporation in which we own, directly or indirectly, at least 25% by value of the stock or shares. Subject to various exceptions, passive income generally includes dividends, interest, capital gains, royalties and rents (other than certain royalties and rents derived in the active conduct of a trade or business and not derived from a related person).

We must make a separate determination each year as to whether we are a PFIC. As a result, our PFIC status may change. Because PFIC status must be determined annually based on tests which are factual in nature, our PFIC status in future years will depend on our income, assets and activities in those years. Furthermore, because the value of our gross assets is likely to be determined in large part by reference to our market capitalization and the value of our goodwill, a decline in the value of our shares could affect the determination of whether we are a PFIC. There can be no assurance that we will not be considered a PFIC for any taxable year. If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which you hold ordinary shares, we generally will continue to be treated as a PFIC for all succeeding years during which you hold the ordinary shares. However, if we cease to be a PFIC, you may avoid some of the adverse effects of the PFIC regime by making a “deemed sale” election with respect to the ordinary shares.

If we are or become a PFIC in a taxable year in which we pay a dividend or the prior taxable year, the preferential tax rates discussed above with respect to dividends paid to non-corporate U.S. Holders would not apply. In addition, if we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which you hold ordinary shares, in the absence of a “qualifying electing fund” election (which, as noted below, will not be available to you), you will be subject to special tax rules with respect to any “excess distribution” that you receive and any gain you realize from a sale or other disposition (including, under certain circumstances, a pledge) of the ordinary shares, unless you make a “mark-to-market” election as discussed below. Distributions you receive in a taxable year that are greater than 125% of the average annual distributions you received during the shorter of the three preceding taxable years or your holding period for the ordinary shares will be treated as an excess distribution. Under these special tax rules:

 

•

the excess distribution or gain will be allocated ratably over your holding period for the ordinary shares;

 

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•

the amount allocated to the current taxable year, and any taxable year prior to the first taxable year in which we became a PFIC, will be treated as ordinary income; and

 

•

the amount allocated to each other year will be subject to the highest tax rate in effect for individuals or corporations, as appropriate, for that year and the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed on the resulting tax attributable to each such year.

The tax liability for amounts allocated to years prior to the year of disposition or “excess distribution” cannot be offset by any net operating losses for such years, and gains (but not losses) realized on the sale of the ordinary shares cannot be treated as capital, even if you hold the ordinary shares as capital assets.

If we are treated as a PFIC with respect to you for any taxable year, to the extent any of our subsidiaries are also PFICs, you will be deemed to own shares in such lower-tier PFICs that are directly or indirectly owned by us in the proportion that the value of the ordinary shares you own bears to the value of all of our ordinary shares, and you may be subject to the rules described in the preceding paragraphs with respect to the shares of such lower-tier PFICs you are deemed to own. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding the application of the PFIC rules to any of our subsidiaries.

In certain circumstances, a U.S. Holder of shares in a PFIC may avoid the adverse tax consequences described above by making a “qualified electing fund” election to include in income its pro rata share of the corporation’s income on a current basis. However, you may make a qualified electing fund election with respect to your ordinary shares only if we agree to furnish you annually with a PFIC annual information statement as specified in the applicable Treasury regulations.

Alternatively, a U.S. Holder of “marketable stock” (as defined below) in a PFIC may make a mark-to-market election with respect to such stock to elect out of the tax treatment discussed above. If you make a valid mark-to-market election for the ordinary shares you will include in income each year an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the ordinary shares as of the close of your taxable year over your adjusted basis in such ordinary shares. You are allowed a deduction for the excess, if any, of the adjusted basis of the ordinary shares over their fair market value as of the close of the taxable year. However, deductions are allowable only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains on the ordinary shares included in your income for prior taxable years. Amounts included in your income under a mark-to-market election, as well as gain on the actual sale or other disposition of the ordinary shares, are treated as ordinary income. Ordinary loss treatment also applies to the deductible portion of any mark-to-market loss on the ordinary shares, as well as to any loss realized on the actual sale or disposition of the ordinary shares, to the extent that the amount of such loss does not exceed the net mark-to-market gains previously included for such ordinary shares. Your basis in the ordinary shares will be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss amounts. If you make such an election, the tax rules that apply to distributions by corporations that are not PFICs would apply to distributions by us, except that the preferential tax rate discussed above under “—Dividends and Other Distributions” would not apply. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the availability and advisability of making a mark-to-market election in their particular circumstances.

The mark-to-market election is available only for “marketable stock,” which is stock that is traded in other than de minimis quantities on at least 15 days during each calendar quarter “regularly traded” on a qualified exchange or other market, as defined in applicable U.S. Treasury regulations. The Nasdaq Global Market is a qualified exchange. We anticipate that our ordinary shares will continue to be regularly traded on The Nasdaq Global Market, and therefore, in 2024 and any subsequent year in which our ordinary shares continue to be regularly traded, the mark-to-market election would be available to a holder of our ordinary shares if we become a PFIC. If any of our subsidiaries are or become PFICs, the mark-to-market election will not be available with respect to the shares of such subsidiaries that are treated as owned by you. Consequently, you could be subject to the PFIC rules with respect to income of the lower-tier PFICs the value of which already had been taken into account indirectly via mark-to-market adjustments.

 

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If you hold ordinary shares in any year in which we are a PFIC, you will also be subject to annual information reporting requirements.

The PFIC rules are complex, and you should consult your own tax advisors regarding the application of the PFIC rules to your investment in our ordinary shares and the availability, application and consequences of the elections discussed above.

Disposition of Foreign Currency

U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of receiving, converting or disposing of any non-U.S. currency received as dividends on our ordinary shares (if any) or on the sale or other disposition of our ordinary shares.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Unless an exception applies, information reporting to the IRS generally will be required with respect to payments on the ordinary shares and proceeds of the sale of the ordinary shares paid to U.S. Holders, other than corporations and other exempt recipients. Backup withholding, currently at the rate of 24%, may apply to those payments if such a holder fails to provide a taxpayer identification number to the paying agent and to certify that no loss of exemption from backup withholding has occurred. The amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules are not an additional tax and may be refunded, or credited against the holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.

In addition, certain U.S. Holders who are individuals that hold certain foreign financial assets (which may include the ordinary shares), or who have a beneficial interest in or signatory authority over certain foreign financial accounts, are required to report information relating to such assets or accounts, subject to certain exceptions.

You should consult your own tax advisor regarding the application of the information reporting and backup withholding requirements to your particular situation.

Medicare Tax

Certain U.S. Holders that are individuals, estates or trusts are required to pay up to an additional 3.8% tax on, among other things, interest, dividends and gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets. Special rules apply and certain elections are available for certain U.S. Holders that are subject to the 3.8% tax on net investment income and hold shares in a PFIC. Each U.S. Holder that is an individual, estate or trust should consult its own tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this tax provision on their ownership and disposition of ordinary shares.

Information with Respect to Foreign Financial Assets

Certain U.S. Holders may be required to report information relating to an interest in our ordinary shares, subject to certain exceptions (including an exception for ordinary shares held in accounts maintained by certain U.S. financial institutions). U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this requirement on their ownership and disposition of the ordinary shares.

Transfer Reporting Requirements

A U.S. Holder (including a U.S. tax-exempt entity) that acquires equity of a non-U.S. corporation may be required to file a Form 926 or a similar form with the IRS under certain circumstances. Penalties may be imposed upon a U.S. Holder that fails to comply with the reporting requirements. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the applicability of this requirement to the acquisition or disposition of the ordinary shares.

 

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Disclosure of Reportable Transactions

If a U.S. Holder sells or disposes of the ordinary shares at a loss or otherwise incurs certain losses that meet certain thresholds, such U.S. Holder may be required to file a disclosure statement with the IRS. Failure to comply with these and other reporting requirements could result in the imposition of significant penalties.

POTENTIAL PURCHASERS OF OUR ORDINARY SHARES ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS TO DETERMINE THE U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND NON-U.S. INCOME, GIFT, ESTATE OR GENERATION-SKIPPING TRANSFER, AND OTHER TAX AND TAX TREATY CONSIDERATIONS OF PURCHASING, OWNING AND DISPOSING OF OUR ORDINARY SHARES.

Certain Singapore Tax Considerations

The following discussion is a summary of material Singapore income tax, stamp duty and estate duty considerations relevant to the purchase, ownership and disposition of our ordinary shares by an investor who is not tax resident or domiciled in Singapore and who does not carry on business or otherwise have a presence in Singapore. The statements made herein regarding taxation are based on certain aspects of the tax laws of Singapore and administrative guidelines issued by the relevant authorities in force as of the date of this prospectus and are subject to any changes in such laws or administrative guidelines, or in the interpretation of those laws or guidelines, occurring after such date, which changes could be made on a retroactive basis. The statements made herein do not describe all of the tax considerations that may be relevant to all our shareholders, some of which (such as dealers in securities) may be subject to different rules. The statements are not intended to be and do not constitute legal or tax advice and no assurance can be given that courts or fiscal authorities responsible for the administration of such laws will agree with the interpretation adopted therein. Each prospective investor should consult an independent tax advisor regarding all Singapore income and other tax consequences applicable to them from owning or disposing of our ordinary shares in light of the investor’s particular circumstances.

Income Taxation Under Singapore Law

Dividend Distributions with Respect to Ordinary Shares

On the basis that our company is not tax resident in Singapore for Singapore tax purposes, dividends paid by our company should generally be considered as sourced outside Singapore (unless our ordinary shares are held as part of a trade or business carried on in Singapore in which event the holders of such shares may be taxed on the dividends as they are derived).

Foreign-sourced dividends received or deemed received in Singapore by an individual not resident in Singapore would be exempt from Singapore income tax. This exemption will also apply in the case of a Singapore tax resident individual who receives such foreign-sourced income in Singapore (except where such income is received through a partnership in Singapore).

Foreign-sourced dividends received or deemed received by corporate investors in Singapore will be liable for Singapore tax. However, if the conditions for the exemption of specified foreign-sourced income are met, foreign-sourced dividends received by corporate investors resident in Singapore would be exempt from Singapore tax.

Foreign-sourced dividends received or deemed received in Singapore on or after June 1, 2003 by a Singapore resident corporate taxpayer is exempt from tax, provided certain prescribed conditions are met, including the following:

 

(a)

such income is subject to tax of a similar character to income tax under the law of the jurisdiction from which such income is received;

 

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(b)

at the time the income is received in Singapore, the highest rate of tax of a similar character to income tax (by whatever name called) levied under the law of the territory from which the income is received on any gains or profits from any trade or business carried on by any company in that territory at that time is not less than 15%; and

 

(c)

the Comptroller of Income Tax is satisfied that the tax exemption would be beneficial to the person resident in Singapore.

In the case of dividends paid by a company resident in a territory from which the dividends are received, the “subject to tax condition” in (a) above is considered met where tax is paid in that territory by such company in respect of its income out of which such dividends are paid or tax is paid on such dividends in that territory from which such dividends are received. Certain concessions and clarifications have also been announced by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, or IRAS, with respect to the above conditions.

Capital Gains upon Disposition of Ordinary Shares

Under current Singapore tax law, there is no tax on capital gains. As such, any profits from the disposal of our ordinary shares would not ordinarily be taxable in Singapore. However, there are no specific laws or regulations which deal with the characterization of whether a gain is income or capital in nature. If the gains from the disposal of ordinary shares are construed to be of an income nature (which could be the case if, for instance, the gains arise from activities which the IRAS regards as carrying on a trade or business in Singapore), the disposal profits would be taxable as income rather than capital gains. As the precise status of each prospective investor will vary from one another, each prospective investor should consult an independent tax advisor on the Singapore income tax and other tax consequences that will apply to their individual circumstances.

Subject to certain conditions being satisfied, gains derived by a company from the disposal of our ordinary shares between the period of June 1, 2012 and December 31, 2027 (inclusive of both dates) will not be subject to Singapore income tax, if the divesting company holds a minimum shareholding of 20% of our ordinary shares and these shares have been held for a continuous minimum period of 24 months. This exemption would not apply to the disposal (on or after June 1, 2022) of unlisted shares in a company that is in the business of trading, holding or developing immovable properties in Singapore or abroad.

In addition, shareholders who apply, or who are required to apply, the Singapore Financial Reporting Standard 39, or FRS 39, Financial Reporting Standard 109, or FRS 109, or Singapore Financial Reporting Standard (International) 9 (Financial Instruments), or SFRS(I) 9, (as the case may be), for the purposes of Singapore income tax may be required to recognize gains or losses (not being gains or losses in the nature of capital) in accordance with the provisions of FRS 39, FRS 109 or SFRS(I) 9 (as modified by the applicable provisions of Singapore income tax law) even though no sale or disposal of our ordinary shares is made. Singapore corporate shareholders who may be subject to such tax treatment should consult their own accounting and tax advisors regarding the Singapore income tax consequences of their acquisition, holding and disposal of our ordinary shares.

Stamp Duty

There is no Singapore stamp duty payable in respect of the issuance or holding of our ordinary shares. Singapore stamp duty will be payable if there is an instrument of transfer of our ordinary shares executed in Singapore or if there is an instrument of transfer executed outside of Singapore which is received in Singapore. Under Singapore law, stamp duty is not applicable to electronic transfers of our shares effected on a book entry basis outside Singapore. We therefore expect that no Singapore stamp duty will be payable in respect of ordinary shares purchased by U.S. holders in this offering assuming that they are acquired solely in book entry form through the facility outside Singapore established by our transfer agent and registrar outside Singapore.

Where shares evidenced in certificated form are transferred and an instrument of transfer is executed (whether physically or in the form of an electronic instrument) in Singapore or outside Singapore and which is

 

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received in Singapore, Singapore stamp duty is payable on the instrument of transfer for the sale of our ordinary shares at the rate of 0.2% of the consideration for, or market value of, the transferred shares, whichever is higher. The Singapore stamp duty is borne by the purchaser unless there is an agreement to the contrary. Where the instrument of transfer is executed outside of Singapore and is received in Singapore, Singapore stamp duty must be paid within 30 days of receipt of the instrument of transfer in Singapore. Electronic instruments that are executed outside Singapore are treated as received in Singapore in any of the following scenarios: (a) it is retrieved or accessed by a person in Singapore; (b) an electronic copy of it is stored on a device (including a computer) and brought into Singapore; or (c) an electronic copy of it is stored on a computer in Singapore. Where the instrument of transfer is executed in Singapore, Singapore stamp duty must be paid within 14 days of the execution of the instrument of transfer.

Goods and Services Tax

The issue or transfer of ownership of our ordinary shares would be exempt from Singapore goods and services tax, or GST. Hence, no GST would be incurred on the subscription or subsequent transfer of our ordinary shares.

The sale of our ordinary shares by a GST-registered investor belonging in Singapore for GST purposes to another person belonging in Singapore is an exempt supply not subject to GST. Any input GST incurred by the GST-registered investor in making the exempt supply is generally not recoverable from the Singapore Comptroller of GST.

Where our ordinary shares are sold by a GST-registered investor in the course of or furtherance of a business carried on by such investor contractually to and for the direct benefit of a person belonging outside Singapore, the sale should generally, subject to satisfaction of certain conditions, be considered a taxable supply subject to GST at 0%. Subject to the normal rules for input tax claims, any input GST incurred by the GST-registered investor in making such a supply in the course of or furtherance of a business carried out by such investor may be fully recoverable from the Singapore Comptroller of GST.

Each prospective investor should consult an independent tax advisor on the recoverability of input GST incurred on expenses in connection with the purchase and sale of our ordinary shares if applicable.

Services consisting of arranging, brokering, underwriting or advising on the issue, allotment or transfer of ownership of our ordinary shares rendered by a GST-registered person to an investor belonging in Singapore for GST purposes in connection with the investor’s purchase, sale or holding of our ordinary shares will be subject to GST at the current standard rate of 9%. Similar services rendered by a GST-registered person contractually to and for the direct benefit of an investor belonging outside Singapore should generally, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, be subject to GST at 0%.

With the implementation of reverse charge from January 1, 2020, the “directly benefit” condition for zero-rating (i.e. GST at 0%) will be amended to allow the zero-rating of a supply of services to the extent that the services directly benefit a person belonging outside Singapore or a GST-registered person in Singapore. Under the reverse charge regime, a GST-registered partially exempt business that is not entitled to full input tax claims will be required to account for GST on all services that it procures from overseas suppliers (except for certain services which are specifically exempt from reverse charge) and the import of low-value goods. A non GST-registered person whose total value of imported services and low-value goods for a 12-month period exceeds S$1 million and is not entitled to full input tax claims even if such person was GST-registered may become liable for GST registration and be required to account for GST both on its taxable supplies and imported services and low-value goods subject to reverse charge.

Estate Duty

Singapore estate duty has been abolished with effect from February 15, 2008 in relation to the estate of any person whose death has occurred on or after February 15, 2008.

 

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Tax Treaties Regarding Withholding Taxes

There is currently no comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreement between the United States and Singapore which applies to withholding taxes on dividends or capital gains.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL

General

For the purposes of this section, references to “shareholders” mean those persons whose names and number of shares are entered in our register of members. Only persons who are registered in our register of members are recognized under Singapore law as shareholders of our company with legal standing to institute shareholder actions against us or otherwise seek to enforce their rights as shareholders. Our branch register of members is maintained by our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., or Computershare.

The shares offered in any offering pursuant to this prospectus are expected to be held through the Depository Trust Company, or DTC. Accordingly, DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., will be the shareholder on record registered in our register of members. The holder of our shares held in book-entry through DTC or its nominee may become a registered shareholder by exchanging its interest in our shares for certificated shares and being registered in our register of members for such shares. The procedures by which a holder of book-entry interests held through DTC or its nominee may exchange such interests for certificated shares are determined by DTC and Computershare, in accordance with their internal policies and guidelines regulating the withdrawal and exchange of book-entry interests for certificated shares, and following such an exchange Computershare will perform the procedures to register the shares in the register.

Under the Companies Act 1967 of Singapore, or the Singapore Companies Act, if (a) the name of any person is without sufficient cause entered in or omitted from the register of members; or (b) default is made or there is unnecessary delay in entering in the register of members the fact of any person having ceased to be a member, the person aggrieved or any member of the public company or the company itself, may apply to the Singapore courts for rectification of the register of members. The Singapore courts may either refuse the application or order rectification of the register of members, and may direct the company to pay any damages sustained by any party to the application. The Singapore courts will not entertain any application for the rectification of a register of members in respect of an entry which was made in the register of members more than 30 years before the date of the application.

As of September 30, 2024, there were outstanding:

 

•

148,392,939 ordinary shares;

 

•

3,901,348 Series A preferred shares held by one shareholder of record;

 

•

8,968,679 ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of pre-funded warrants outstanding as of September 30, 2024;

 

•

827,240 ordinary shares issuable upon vesting of outstanding RSUs;

 

•

20,463,734 ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding share options;

 

•

6,550,786 ordinary shares reserved for issuance in connection with future grants under our 2021 Plan; and

 

•

2,314,002 ordinary shares reserved for issuance under our ESPP.

The following description of our share capital and provisions of our constitution (formerly known as our memorandum and articles of association) are summaries and are qualified by reference to the Singapore Companies Act and our constitution. A copy of our constitution has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Ordinary Shares

As of September 30, 2024, our issued and paid-up ordinary share capital consists of 148,392,939 ordinary shares. We currently have only one class of issued ordinary shares, which have identical rights in all respects and

 

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rank equally with one another. Our ordinary shares have no par value and there is no authorized share capital under Singapore law. There is a provision in our constitution which provides that we may issue shares with such preferred, deferred or other special rights or such restrictions, whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise as our board of directors may determine.

All of our shares presently issued are fully paid-up, and existing shareholders are not subject to any calls on these shares. Although Singapore law does not recognize the concept of “non-assessability” with respect to newly-issued shares, we note that any purchaser of our shares who has fully paid up all amounts due with respect to such shares will not be subject under Singapore law to any personal liability to contribute to the assets or liabilities of our company in such purchaser’s capacity solely as a holder of such shares. We believe that this interpretation is substantively consistent with the concept of “non-assessability” under most, if not all, U.S. state corporations laws. All of our shares are in registered form. We cannot, except in the circumstances permitted by the Singapore Companies Act, grant any financial assistance for the acquisition or proposed acquisition of our own shares. Except as described below under “—Takeovers,” there are no limitations imposed by the Singapore Companies Act or by our constitution on the right of shareholders not resident in Singapore to hold or vote ordinary shares.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our ordinary shares is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Nasdaq Global Market

Our ordinary shares are listed for quotation on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “WVE.”

New Shares

Under the Singapore Companies Act, new shares may be issued only with the prior approval of our shareholders in a general meeting. General approval may be sought from our shareholders in a general meeting for the issue of shares. Approval, if granted, will lapse at the earlier of:

 

•

the conclusion of the next annual general meeting; or

 

•

the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting is required by law to be held (i.e., within six months after the end of each financial year),

but any approval may be revoked or varied by the company in a general meeting.

Our shareholders have provided such general authority to issue new ordinary shares until the conclusion of our 2025 annual general meeting. Such approval will lapse in accordance with the preceding paragraph if our shareholders do not grant a new approval at our 2025 annual general meeting. Subject to this and the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act and our constitution, our board of directors may allot and issue or grant options over or otherwise dispose of new ordinary shares to such persons on such terms and conditions and with the rights and restrictions as they may think fit to impose.

Preferred Shares

Series A Preferred Shares

As of September 30, 2024, we have 3,901,348 Series A preferred shares outstanding. These shares are currently held by one of our largest shareholders, Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories, Ltd. The terms of the Series A preferred shares as set out in our constitution include (1) no voting rights at any general meeting other than in limited circumstances, (2) a liquidation preference equal to $0.002 per Series A preferred share, (3) no entitlement to dividends and (4) the right to convert the Series A preferred shares at any time on a one-for-one basis into ordinary shares at the discretion of the holder in accordance with the constitution.

 

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The holders of the Series A preferred shares are not entitled to vote at any general meeting. The only instances in which the holders of the Series A preferred shares are able to vote at a general meeting would be if (but only if) the matters to be discussed at the meeting relate to or there is intent to pass resolutions on (i) abrogating or changing the rights attached to the Series A preferred shares; and (ii) for the winding up of the Company. Such resolutions would require the unanimous approval of the holders of the Series A preferred shares.

Other Preferred Shares

Under the Singapore Companies Act, different classes of shares in a public company may be issued only if (a) the issue of the class or classes of shares is provided for in the constitution of the public company and (b) the constitution of the public company sets out in respect of each class of shares the rights attached to that class of shares. Our constitution provides that we may issue shares of a different class with preferred, deferred or other special rights, or such restrictions, whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise as our board of directors may determine. Under Singapore law, our preferred shareholders will have the right to attend any general meeting and in a poll at such general meeting, to have at least one vote for every preferred share held:

 

•

upon any resolution concerning the voluntary winding-up of our company under Section 160 of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018;

 

•

upon any resolution which varies the rights attached to such preferred shares; or

 

•

in the case of preferred shares issued after August 15, 1984, but before the commencement of Section 96 of the Companies (Amendment) Act 2014, when the dividends to be paid on our preferred shares or any part thereof are more than twelve months in arrears and unpaid, for the period they remain in arrears and unpaid.

We may, subject to the Singapore Companies Act and the prior approval in a general meeting of our shareholders, issue preferred shares which are, or at our option or are to be, subject to redemption provided that such preferred shares may not be redeemed out of capital unless:

 

•

all the directors have made a solvency statement in relation to such redemption; and

 

•

we have lodged a copy of the statement with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore.

Further, such shares must be fully paid-up before they are redeemed.

As of the date of this prospectus, we have no preferred shares outstanding other than the Series A preferred shares described above. At present, we have no plans to issue additional preferred shares.

Pre-Funded Warrants

As of September 20, 2024, we have pre-funded warrants outstanding to purchase up to 8,968,679 ordinary shares. The pre-funded warrants are exercisable at any time after their original issuance and on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the five year anniversary of the original issuance dates, which were June 16, 2022 and September 27, 2024. The pre-funded warrants are exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice and by payment in full of the exercise price in immediately available funds for the number of ordinary shares purchased upon such exercise. As an alternative to payment in immediately available funds, the holder may elect to exercise the pre-funded warrant through a cashless exercise, in which the holder would receive upon such exercise the net number of ordinary shares determined according to the formula set forth in the pre-funded warrant. No fractional ordinary shares will be issued in connection with the exercise of a pre-funded warrant.

 

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Exercise Limitations

Under the pre-funded warrants, unless and until the Shareholder Approval (as defined below) is obtained, we may not effect the exercise of any pre-funded warrant, and a holder will not be entitled to exercise any portion of any pre-funded warrant, which, upon giving effect to such exercise, would cause (i) the aggregate number of our ordinary shares beneficially owned by the holder (together with its affiliates) to exceed 4.99% (or at the election of such holder, 9.99% or 19.99%) of the number of our ordinary shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, or (ii) the combined voting power of our securities beneficially owned by the holder (together with its affiliates) to exceed 4.99% (or at the election of such holder, 9.99% or 19.99%) of the combined voting power of all of our securities then outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of the pre-funded warrants.

Upon the written request of the holder delivered to us and subsequent to December 31, 2022 or December 31, 2024, as applicable, we shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain shareholder approval, or the Shareholder Approval, at our next regularly scheduled annual general meeting of shareholders, for the issuance of the pre-funded warrant shares upon the exercise of all or any portion of the pre-funded warrants such that such issuance of pre-funded warrant shares will comply with the Listing Rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, including, without limitation, Listing Rule 5635, and with applicable Singapore law. In the event that the holder requests the Shareholder Approval, we use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain Shareholder Approval at our next regularly scheduled annual general meeting, and Shareholder Approval is not obtained at such meeting for any reason, then the holder may again request Shareholder Approval each year pursuant to and subject to the terms of the pre-funded warrants, at each of our subsequent regularly scheduled annual general meetings that occur prior to the termination date of the pre-funded warrants. We shall not be obligated to seek the Shareholder Approval at any shareholder meeting other than our regularly scheduled annual shareholder meeting and such written request of the holder must be received by us at least 90 days in advance of such annual meeting.

Exercise Price

The exercise price per whole share of our ordinary shares purchasable upon the exercise of the pre-funded warrants is $0.0001 per ordinary share. The exercise price of the pre-funded warrants and the number of our ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants is subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of certain share dividends and distributions, share splits, share combinations, reclassifications or similar events affecting our ordinary shares.

Transferability

Subject to applicable laws, the pre-funded warrants may be offered for sale, sold, transferred or assigned without our consent.

Exchange Listing

We do not plan on applying to list the pre-funded warrants on The Nasdaq Global Market, any other national securities exchange or any other nationally recognized trading system.

Fundamental Transactions

In the event of a fundamental transaction, as described in the pre-funded warrants and generally including any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of our ordinary shares, the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of our properties or assets, our consolidation or merger with or into another person, the acquisition of more than 50% of our outstanding ordinary shares, or any person or group becoming the beneficial owner of 50% of the voting power represented by our outstanding ordinary shares, upon consummation of such a fundamental transaction, the holders of the pre-funded warrants will be entitled to

 

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receive upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property that the holders would have received had they exercised the pre-funded warrants immediately prior to such fundamental transaction without regard to any limitations on exercise contained in the pre-funded warrants.

No Rights as a Shareholder

Except by virtue of such holder’s ownership of our ordinary shares, the holder of a pre-funded warrant does not have the rights or privileges of a holder of our ordinary shares, including any voting rights, until the holder exercises the pre-funded warrant. In the event of certain distributions, including cash dividends, if any, to all holders of our ordinary shares for no consideration, the holder of a pre-funded warrant shall be entitled to participate in such distributions to the same extent as if a holder of our ordinary shares, subject to not exceeding the ownership limitations described above under “—Exercise Limitations,” in which case such distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of such holder until the earlier of such time as the ownership limitations would not be exceeded or the warrant is exercised.

Registration Rights under our Share Purchase Agreement with Pfizer

Under the terms of our Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 5, 2016, with an affiliate of Pfizer Inc., or the Pfizer Affiliate, under which the Pfizer Affiliate purchased 1,875,000 ordinary shares from us, or the Pfizer Shares, subject to certain conditions and limitations, we agreed to provide certain demand registration rights to the Pfizer Affiliate in order to register all or a portion of the Pfizer Shares purchased by the Pfizer Affiliate. We also provided the Pfizer Affiliate with certain “piggyback” registration rights, subject to certain conditions and limitations, such that when we propose to register our ordinary shares for our account, the Pfizer Affiliate will have the right to include some or all of the Pfizer Shares in such registration. The Share Purchase Agreement also contains other customary terms and conditions of the parties with respect to the registration of the Pfizer Shares.

Registration Rights under our Share Purchase Agreement with Takeda

On February 19, 2018, we entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, or Takeda, pursuant to which Takeda purchased 1,096,892 of our ordinary shares, or the Takeda Shares. In connection with the Share Purchase Agreement, Takeda and we agreed upon certain rights and restrictions as set forth in the Investor Agreement, dated as of April 2, 2018, or the Investor Agreement. Subject to certain conditions and limitations, we agreed to provide certain demand registration rights to Takeda in order to register all or a portion of the Takeda Shares purchased by Takeda. We also provided Takeda with certain “piggyback” registration rights, subject to certain conditions and limitations, such that when we propose to register our ordinary shares for our account, Takeda will have the right to include some or all of the Takeda Shares in such registration. The Investor Agreement also contains other customary terms and conditions of the parties with respect to the registration of Takeda Shares.

Registration Rights under our Share Purchase Agreement with GSK

On December 13, 2022, we entered into a Share Purchase Agreement, or the GSK Share Purchase Agreement, with Glaxo Group Limited, or GGL, an affiliate of GlaxoSmithKline Intellectual Property (No. 3), or GSK, pursuant to which we sold 10,683,761 of our ordinary shares to GGL, or the GGL Shares. In connection with the GSK Share Purchase Agreement, GGL and we agreed upon certain rights and restrictions as set forth in the Investor Agreement, dated as of January 26, 2023, or the GSK Investor Agreement. The GGL Shares are subject to a lock-up restriction, such that GGL will not, and will also cause its affiliates not to, without our prior approval, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of the GGL Shares during the 30-month period after the effective date of the GGL Investor Agreement. For a certain period following the expiration of the lock-up period, subject to certain conditions and limitations, we agreed to provide certain demand registration rights to GGL in order to register all or a portion of the GGL Shares purchased by GGL. We also provided GGL with certain “piggyback” registration rights for a certain period following the expiration of the lock-up period, subject to certain conditions

 

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and limitations, such that when we propose to register our ordinary shares for our account, GGL will have the right to include some or all of the GGL Shares in such registration. The GSK Investor Agreement also contains other customary terms and conditions of the parties with respect to the registration of GGL Shares.

Transfer of Ordinary Shares

Subject to applicable securities laws in relevant jurisdictions and our constitution, our ordinary shares are freely transferable. Our constitution provides that shares may be transferred by a duly signed instrument of transfer in any usual or common form or in a form approved by the directors and The Nasdaq Stock Market. The directors may decline to register any transfer unless, among other things, evidence of payment of any stamp duty payable with respect to the transfer is provided together with other evidence of ownership and title as the directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer. We will replace lost or destroyed certificates for shares upon notice to us and upon, among other things, the applicant furnishing evidence and indemnity as the directors may require and the payment of all applicable fees.

Election and Re-election of Directors

We may, by ordinary resolution, remove any director before the expiration of his or her period of office, notwithstanding anything in our constitution or in any agreement between us and such director. We may also, by an ordinary resolution, appoint another person in place of a director removed from office pursuant to the foregoing.

Under our constitution, subject to the Singapore Companies Act, any director shall retire at the next annual general meeting and shall then be eligible for re-election at that meeting.

Our board of directors shall have the power, at any time and from time to time, to appoint any person to be a director either to fill a casual vacancy or as an additional director so long as the total number of directors shall not at any time exceed the maximum number (if any) fixed by or in accordance with our constitution.

Shareholders’ Meetings

We are required to hold an annual general meeting each calendar year and within six months after the end of each financial year. The directors may convene an extraordinary general meeting whenever they think fit and they must do so upon the written request of shareholders holding not less than 10% of the total number of paid-up shares as of the date of deposit of the requisition carrying the right to vote at a general meeting. In addition, two or more shareholders holding not less than 10% of our total number of issued shares (excluding our treasury shares) may call a meeting of our shareholders.

The Singapore Companies Act provides that a shareholder is entitled to attend any general meeting and speak on any resolution put before the general meeting. Unless otherwise required by law or by our constitution, resolutions put forth at general meetings may be decided by ordinary resolution, requiring the affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the resolution. An ordinary resolution suffices, for example, for appointments of directors. A special resolution, requiring an affirmative vote of not less than three-fourths of the shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the resolution, is necessary for certain matters under Singapore law, such as an alteration of our constitution. A shareholder entitled to attend and vote at a meeting of the company, or at a meeting of any class of shareholders of the company, is entitled to appoint another person or persons, whether a shareholder of the company or not, as the shareholder’s proxy to attend and vote instead of the shareholder at the meeting. Under the Singapore Companies Act, a proxy appointed to attend and vote instead of the shareholder also has the same right as the shareholder to speak at the meeting, but unless the constitution of the company otherwise provides, (i) a proxy is not entitled to vote except on a poll, (ii) a shareholder is not entitled to appoint more than two proxies to attend and vote at the same meeting and (iii) where a shareholder appoints two proxies the appointments are invalid unless the shareholder specifies the proportions of the shareholder’s holdings to be represented by each proxy.

 

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A registered shareholder having a share capital who is a relevant intermediary (as defined under the Singapore Companies Act) may appoint more than two proxies in relation to a meeting to exercise all or any of the shareholder’s rights to attend and to speak and vote at the meeting, but each proxy must be appointed to exercise the rights attached to a different share or shares held by the shareholder (which number and class of shares shall be specified), and at such meeting, the proxy has the right to vote on a show of hands.

Only registered shareholders of our company, and their proxies, will be entitled to attend, speak and vote at any meeting of shareholders. Under the Singapore Companies Act, public companies may issue non-voting shares and shares that confer special, limited or conditional voting rights, such that the holder of a share may vote on a resolution before a general meeting of the company if, in accordance with the provisions of Section 64A of the Singapore Companies Act, the share confers on the holder a right to vote on that resolution.

Voting Rights

As provided under our constitution and the Singapore Companies Act, voting at any meeting of shareholders is by show of hands unless a poll has been demanded prior to the declaration of the result of the show of hands by, among others, (i) the chairman or (ii) at least one shareholder present in person or by proxy or by attorney or, in the case of a corporation, by a representative entitled to vote thereat, in each case representing in the aggregate not less than 5% of the total voting rights of all shareholders having the right to vote at the general meeting, provided that no poll shall be demanded in respect of an election of a chairman or relating to any adjournment of such meeting. On a poll every shareholder who is present in person or by proxy or by attorney, or in the case of a corporation, by a representative, has one vote for every share held by such shareholder. Proxies need not be shareholders.

Only those shareholders who are registered in our register of members as holders of ordinary shares will be entitled to vote at any meeting of shareholders. Therefore, DTC, or its nominee, will grant an omnibus proxy to DTC participants holding our shares in book-entry form through a broker, bank, nominee, or other institution that is a direct or indirect participant in the DTC. Such shareholders will have the right to instruct their broker, bank, nominee or other institution holding these shares on how to vote such shares by completing the voting instruction form provided by the applicable broker, bank, nominee, or other institution. Whether voting is by a show of hands or by a poll, DTC’s vote will be voted by the chairman of the meeting according to the results of the DTC’s participants’ votes (which results will reflect the instructions received from shareholders that own our shares electronically in book-entry form).

Minority Rights

The rights of minority shareholders of Singapore companies are protected, among other things, under Section 216 of the Singapore Companies Act, which gives the Singapore courts a general power to make any order, upon application by any shareholder of a company, as they think fit to remedy any of the following situations:

 

•

the affairs of a company are being conducted or the powers of the board of directors are being exercised in a manner oppressive to, or in disregard of the interests of, one or more of the shareholders, including the applicant; or

 

•

a company takes an action, or threatens to take an action, or the shareholders pass a resolution, or propose to pass a resolution, which unfairly discriminates against, or is otherwise prejudicial to, one or more of the shareholders, including the applicant.

Singapore courts have wide discretion as to the remedy they may grant, and the remedies listed in the Singapore Companies Act itself are not exclusive. In general, Singapore courts may, with a view to bringing to an end or remedying the matters complained of:

 

•

direct or prohibit any act or cancel or modify any transaction or resolution;

 

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regulate the conduct of the affairs of the company in the future;

 

•

authorize civil proceedings to be brought in the name of, or on behalf of, the company by a person or persons and on such terms as the court may direct;

 

•

provide for the purchase of a minority shareholder’s shares by the other shareholders or by the company itself;

 

•

in the case of a purchase of shares by the company provide for a reduction accordingly of the company’s capital; or

 

•

provide that the company be wound up.

Dividends

Subject to any preferential rights of holders of any outstanding preferred shares, holders of our ordinary shares will be entitled to receive dividends and other distributions in cash, shares or property as may be declared by our company from time to time. We may, by ordinary resolution, declare dividends at a general meeting of shareholders, but we are restricted from paying dividends in excess of the amount recommended by our board of directors. Pursuant to Singapore law and our constitution, no dividend may be paid except out of our profits. To date, we have not declared any cash dividends on our ordinary shares and have no current plans to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

Bonus and Rights Issues

In a general meeting, our shareholders may, upon the recommendation of the directors, capitalize any reserves or profits and distribute them as bonus shares, credited as paid-up, to the shareholders in proportion to their shareholdings.

Subject to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act and our constitution, our directors may also issue rights to take up additional ordinary shares to our shareholders in proportion to their respective ownership. Such rights are subject to any condition attached to such issue and the regulations of any stock exchange on which our shares are listed, as well as U.S. federal and blue sky securities laws applicable to such issue.

Takeovers

The Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers applies to, among other things, the acquisition of voting shares of Singapore-incorporated listed public companies or unlisted public companies with more than 50 shareholders and net tangible assets of S$5 million or more. Any person acquiring, whether by a series of transactions over a period of time or not, either on its own or together with parties acting in concert with it, 30% or more of our voting shares, or, if such person holds, either on its own or together with parties acting in concert with it, between 30% and 50% (both inclusive) of our voting shares, and if such person (or parties acting in concert with it) acquires additional voting shares representing more than 1% of our voting shares in any six-month period, must, except with the consent of the Securities Industry Council in Singapore, extend a mandatory takeover offer for the remaining voting shares in accordance with the provisions of the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers. Responsibility for ensuring compliance with the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers rests with parties (including company directors) to a take-over or merger and their advisors.

“Parties acting in concert” comprise individuals or companies who, pursuant to an agreement or understanding (whether formal or informal), cooperate, through the acquisition by any of them of shares in a company, to obtain or consolidate effective control of that company. Certain persons are presumed (unless the presumption is rebutted) to be acting in concert with each other. They are as follows:

 

•

a company, its parent company, subsidiaries and fellow subsidiaries, the associated companies of any of the company and its parent company, subsidiaries and fellow subsidiaries, companies whose

 

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associated companies include any of these companies and any person who has provided financial assistance (other than a bank in the ordinary course of business) to any of the foregoing for the purchase of voting rights;

 

•

a company with any of its directors (together with their close relatives, related trusts and companies controlled by any of the directors, their close relatives and related trusts);

 

•

a company with any of its pension funds and employee share schemes;

 

•

a person with any investment company, unit trust or other fund whose investment such person manages on a discretionary basis, but only in respect of the investment account which such person manages;

 

•

a financial or other professional advisor, including a stockbroker, with its client in respect of the shareholdings of the advisor and persons controlling, controlled by or under the same control as the advisor;

 

•

directors of a company (together with their close relatives, related trusts and companies controlled by any of such directors, their close relatives and related trusts) which is subject to an offer or where the directors have reason to believe a bona fide offer for their company may be imminent;

 

•

partners; and

 

•

an individual and (i) such person’s close relatives, (ii) such person’s related trusts, (iii) any person who is accustomed to act in accordance with such person’s instructions, (iv) companies controlled by the individual, such person’s close relatives, related trusts or any person who is accustomed to act in accordance with such person’s instructions and (v) any person who has provided financial assistance (other than a bank in the ordinary course of business) to any of the foregoing for the purchase of voting rights.

Subject to certain exceptions, a mandatory offer must be in cash or be accompanied by a cash alternative at not less than the highest price paid by the offeror or parties acting in concert with the offeror during the offer period and within the six months prior to its commencement.

Under the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers, where effective control of a company is acquired or consolidated by a person, or persons acting in concert, a general offer to all other shareholders is normally required. An offeror must treat all shareholders of the same class in an offeree company equally. A fundamental requirement is that shareholders in the company subject to the takeover offer must be given sufficient information, advice and time to consider and decide on the offer. These legal requirements may impede or delay a takeover of our company by a third-party.

We may submit an application to the Securities Industry Council of Singapore for a waiver from the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers so that the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers will not apply to our company for so long as we are not listed on a securities exchange in Singapore. We will make an appropriate announcement if we submit the application and when the result of the application is known.

Liquidation or Other Return of Capital

On a winding-up or other return of capital, subject to any special rights attaching to the Series A preferred shares or to any other class of shares, holders of ordinary shares will be entitled to participate in any surplus assets in proportion to their shareholdings.

Limitations of Liability and Indemnification Matters

Under Section 172 of the Singapore Companies Act, any provision exempting or indemnifying the officers of a company (including directors) against any liability that would otherwise attach to them in connection with

 

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any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company is void. However, a company is not prohibited from (a) purchasing and maintaining for any such individual insurance against liability incurred by him or her in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company, or (b) indemnifying the individual against liability incurred by him or her to a person other than the company except when the indemnity is against any liability (i) of the individual to pay a fine in criminal proceedings, (ii) of the individual to pay a penalty in respect of non-compliance with any requirements of a regulatory nature (howsoever arising), (iii) incurred by the individual in defending criminal proceedings in which he or she is convicted, (iv) incurred by the individual in defending civil proceedings brought by the company or a related company in which judgment is given against him or her, or (v) incurred by the individual in connection with an application for relief under Section 76A(13) or Section 391 of the Singapore Companies Act in which the court refuses to grant him or her relief.

Subject to the Singapore Companies Act and every other Singapore statute for the time being in force concerning companies and affecting us, our constitution provides that each of our directors and other officers and those of our subsidiaries and affiliates shall be entitled to be indemnified by us or such subsidiary against any liability incurred by him or her arising out of or in connection with any acts, omissions or conduct, actual or alleged, by such individual acting in his or her capacity as either director, officer, secretary or employee of us or the relevant subsidiary, except to such extent as would not be permitted under applicable Singapore laws or which would otherwise result in such indemnity being void in accordance with the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act.

Subject to the Singapore Companies Act and every other Singapore statute for the time being in force and affecting our company, we may indemnify our directors and officers against costs, charges, fees and other expenses that may be incurred by any of them in defending any proceedings (whether civil or criminal) relating to anything done or omitted or alleged to be done or omitted by such person acting in his or her capacity as a director, officer or employee of our company, in which judgment is given in his or her favor, or in which he or she is acquitted or in which the courts have granted relief pursuant to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act, provided that such indemnity shall not extend to any liability which by law would otherwise attach to him or her in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which he may be guilty in relation to our company, or which would otherwise result in such indemnity being voided under applicable Singapore laws.

No director or officer of our company shall be liable for any acts, omissions, neglects, defaults or other conduct of any other director or officer, and to the extent permitted by Singapore law, our company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by a director or officer in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of such director or officer, taking into consideration any other relevant equitable considerations, including acts of other directors or officers and our company, and the relative fault of such parties in respect thereof.

In addition, subject to the Singapore Companies Act and every other Singapore statute for the time being in force and affecting our company, no director, managing director or other officer shall be liable for the acts, receipts, neglects or defaults of any other director or officer, or for joining in any receipt or other act for conformity, or for any loss or expense incurred by us, through the insufficiency or deficiency of title to any property acquired by order of the directors for us or for the insufficiency or deficiency of any security upon which any of our moneys are invested or for any loss or damage arising from the bankruptcy, insolvency or tortious act of any person with whom any moneys, securities or effects are deposited, or any other loss, damage or misfortune which happens in the execution of his or her duties, unless the same happens through his or her own negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust.

We have entered into deeds of indemnity with each of our directors and officers. These agreements will require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under our constitution and the Singapore Companies Act against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us as a director or officer of the company (as the case may be), and to advance expenses incurred in connection with any proceeding against them

 

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by reason of their status as a director, officer, agent or employee of the company in accordance with the terms of the deeds. These indemnification rights shall not be exclusive of any other right which an indemnified person may have or thereafter acquire under any applicable law, provision of our constitution, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

We expect to maintain standard policies of insurance that provide coverage (1) to our directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act and (2) to us with respect to indemnification payments that we may make to such directors and officers.

 

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COMPARISON OF SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS

We are incorporated under the laws of Singapore. The following discussion summarizes material differences between the rights of holders of our ordinary shares and the rights of holders of the common stock of a typical corporation incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware which result from differences in governing documents and the laws of Singapore and Delaware.

This discussion does not purport to be a complete statement of the rights of holders of our ordinary shares under applicable law in Singapore and our constitution or the rights of holders of the common stock of a typical corporation under applicable Delaware law and a typical certificate of incorporation and bylaws.

 

Delaware		Singapore
Board of Directors
A typical certificate of incorporation and bylaws provides that the number of directors on the board of directors will be fixed from time to time by a vote of the majority of the authorized directors. Under Delaware law, a board of directors can be divided into classes and cumulative voting in the election of directors is only permitted if expressly authorized in a corporation’s certificate of incorporation.		The constitution of companies will typically state the minimum and maximum number of directors as well as provide that the number of directors may be increased or reduced by shareholders via ordinary resolution passed at a general meeting, provided that the number of directors following such increase or reduction is within the maximum (if any) and minimum number of directors provided in our constitution and the Singapore Companies Act, respectively.
Limitation on Personal Liability of Directors and Officers
A typical certificate of incorporation provides for the elimination of personal monetary liability of directors and officers for breach of fiduciary duties as directors or officers to the fullest extent permissible under the laws of Delaware, except for liability (i) for any breach of a director’s or officer’s loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (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 Delaware General Corporation Law (relating to the liability of directors or officers for unlawful payment of a dividend or an unlawful stock purchase or redemption) or (iv) for any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit. A typical certificate of incorporation also provides that if the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended so as to allow further elimination of, or limitations on, director or officer liability, then the liability of directors or officers will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law as so amended.		Pursuant to the Singapore Companies Act, any provision (whether in the constitution, a contract with the company or otherwise) exempting or indemnifying a director against any liability which by law would otherwise attach to him or her in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which such director may be guilty in relation to the company is void. However, a company is not prohibited from (a) purchasing and maintaining for any such director insurance against any such liability, or (b) indemnifying such director against any liability incurred by him or her to a person other than the company except when the indemnity is against any liability (i) of the director to pay a fine in criminal proceedings, (ii) of the director to pay a penalty in respect of non-compliance with any regulatory requirements, (iii) incurred by the director in defending criminal proceedings in which he or she is convicted, (iv) incurred by the director in defending civil proceedings brought by the company or a related company in which judgment is given against him or her, or (v) incurred by the director in connection with an application for relief under Section 76A(13) or Section 391 of the Singapore Companies Act in which the court refuses to grant

 

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Delaware		Singapore
		him or her relief. Nevertheless, a director can be released by the shareholders of a company for breaches of duty to a company except in the case of fraud, illegality, insolvency of the company and oppression or disregard of minority interests.   Subject to the Singapore Companies Act and every other Singapore statute for the time being in force and affecting the Company, we may indemnify our directors against costs, charges, fees, and other expenses that may be incurred by any of them in defending any proceedings (whether civil or criminal) relating to anything done or omitted or alleged to be done or omitted by such person acting in his or her capacity as a director of our company, in which judgment is given in his or her favor, or in which he or she is acquitted or in which the courts have granted relief pursuant to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act, provided that such indemnity shall not extend to any liability which by law would otherwise attach to him or her in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which he may be guilty in relation to our company, or which would otherwise result in such indemnity being voided under applicable Singapore laws.
Interested Shareholders
Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law generally prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in specified corporate transactions (such as mergers, stock and asset sales, and loans) with an “interested stockholder” for three years following the time that the stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Subject to specified exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person or group that owns 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock (including any rights to acquire stock pursuant to an option, warrant, agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion or exchange rights, and stock with respect to which the person has voting rights only), or is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the voting stock at any time within the previous three years.   A Delaware corporation may elect to “opt out” of, and not be governed by, Section 203 through a provision in either its original certificate of incorporation, or an amendment to its original certificate or bylaws that was approved by majority stockholder vote. With a limited exception, this amendment would not become effective until 12 months following its adoption.		There are no comparable provisions under the Singapore Companies Act with respect to public companies which are not listed on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited.

 

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Delaware		Singapore
Removal of Directors
A typical certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that, subject to the rights of holders of any preferred stock, directors may be removed at any time by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority, or in some instances a supermajority, of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. A certificate of incorporation could also provide that such a right is only exercisable when a director is being removed for cause (removal of a director only for cause is the default rule in the case of a classified board).		Under the Singapore Companies Act, directors of a public company may be removed before expiration of their term of office, despite anything in its constitution or in any agreement between the public company and such directors, by ordinary resolution (i.e., a resolution which is passed by a simple majority of those shareholders present and voting in person or by proxy). Notice of the intention to move such a resolution has to be given to the company not less than 28 days before the meeting at which it is moved. The company must then give notice of such resolution to its shareholders not less than 14 days before the meeting. Where any director removed in this manner was appointed to represent the interests of any particular class of shareholders or debenture holders, the resolution to remove the director does not take effect until the director’s successor has been appointed.
Filling Vacancies on the Board of Directors
A typical certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that, subject to the rights of the holders of any preferred stock, any vacancy, whether arising through death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal, an increase in the number of directors or any other reason, may be filled by a majority vote of the remaining directors, even if such directors remaining in office constitute less than a quorum, or by the sole remaining director. Any newly elected director usually holds office for the remainder of the full term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of the class of directors to which the newly elected director has been elected expires.		The constitution of a Singapore company typically provides that the directors have the power to appoint any person to be a director, either to fill a vacancy or as an addition to the existing directors, but so that the total number of directors shall not at any time exceed the maximum number (if any) fixed by or in accordance with the constitution. Any director so appointed shall hold office until the next following annual general meeting, where such director will then be eligible for re-election. Our constitution provides that the directors may appoint any person to be a director either to fill a casual vacancy or as an additional director but so that the total number of Directors shall not at any time exceed the maximum number fixed by or in accordance with the constitution.
Amendment of Governing Documents
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, amendments to a corporation’s certificate of incorporation require the approval of stockholders holding a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment. If a class vote on the amendment is required by the Delaware General Corporation Law, a majority of the outstanding stock of the class is required, unless a greater proportion is specified in the certificate of incorporation or by other provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law.		Our constitution may be altered by special resolution (i.e., a resolution passed by at least a three-fourths majority of the shareholders entitled to vote, present in person or by proxy at a meeting for which not less than 21 days’ written notice is given). The board of directors has no right to amend the constitution.   Under the Singapore Companies Act, an entrenching provision may be included in the constitution with which a company is formed and may at any time be inserted into the constitution of a company only if all

 

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Delaware		Singapore
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, the board of directors may amend bylaws if so authorized in the charter. The stockholders of a Delaware corporation also have the power to amend bylaws.		the shareholders of the company agree. An entrenching provision is a provision of the constitution of a company to the effect that other specified provisions of the constitution may not be altered in the manner provided by the Singapore Companies Act or may not be so altered except (i) by a resolution passed by a specified majority greater than 75% (the minimum majority required by the Singapore Companies Act for a special resolution) or (ii) where other specified conditions are met. The Singapore Companies Act provides that such entrenching provision may be removed or altered only if all the members of the company agree.
Meetings of Shareholders
Annual and Special Meetings   Typical bylaws provide that annual meetings of stockholders are to be held on a date and at a time fixed by the board of directors. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a special meeting of stockholders may be called by the board of directors or by any other person authorized to do so in the certificate of incorporation or the bylaws.		Annual General Meetings   All companies are required to hold an annual general meeting after the end of each financial year within either 4 months (in the case of a public company that is listed on an exchange in Singapore approved by the Monetary Authority of Singapore) or 6 months (in the case of any other company).   Extraordinary General Meetings   Any general meeting other than the annual general meeting is called an “extraordinary general meeting.” Despite anything in the constitution, directors of a company must convene an extraordinary general meeting if required to do so by requisition (i.e. written notice, requiring that a meeting be called, given to the directors) by shareholder(s) holding not less than 10% of the total number of paid-up shares as at the date of the deposit of the requisition carrying the right of voting at general meetings of the company. In addition, the constitution usually also provides that general meetings may be convened in accordance with the Singapore Companies Act by the directors.
Quorum Requirements   Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws can specify the number of shares which constitute the quorum required to conduct business at a meeting, provided that in no event shall a quorum consist of less than one-third of the shares entitled to vote at a meeting.		Quorum Requirements   Our constitution provides that any two shareholders present in person or by proxy or by attorney or, in the case of a corporation, by a representative and entitled to vote thereat; in each case representing in aggregate not less than a majority of the total voting rights of all shareholders having the right to vote at a general meeting, shall constitute a quorum. In the event a quorum is not present, the meeting if not convened on the requisition of shareholders may be adjourned for one week. When reconvened, the quorum for the

 

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Delaware		Singapore
		meeting will be the same and if at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting will be dissolved.   Shareholders’ Rights at Meetings   The Singapore Companies Act provides that every member has, despite any provision in the constitution, a right to attend any general meeting of the company and to speak on any resolution before the meeting. The company’s constitution may provide that a member shall not be entitled to vote unless all calls or other sums personally payable by the member in respect of shares in the company have been paid.   Public companies may issue non-voting shares and shares that confer special, limited and conditional voting rights, such that the holder of a share may vote on a resolution before a general meeting if, in accordance with the provisions of Section 64A of the Singapore Companies Act, the share confers on the holder a right to vote on the resolution.   Circulation of Shareholders’ Resolutions   Under the Singapore Companies Act, (a) any number of shareholders representing not less than 5% of the total voting rights of all the shareholders having at the date of requisition a right to vote at a meeting to which the requisition relates or (b) not less than 100 shareholders holding shares on which there has been paid up an average sum, per shareholder, of not less than S$500, may requisition the company to give to shareholders notice of any resolution which may properly be moved and is intended to be moved at the next annual general meeting, and circulate to shareholders any statement of not more than 1,000 words with respect to the matter referred to in any proposed resolution or the business to be dealt with at that meeting.
Indemnification of Officers, Directors and Employees
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to specified limitations in the case of derivative suits brought by a corporation’s stockholders in its name, a corporation may indemnify any person who is made a party to any third-party action, suit or proceeding on account of being a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation (or was serving at the request of the corporation in such capacity for another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) against expenses, including attorney’s fees, judgments,		Under Section 172 of the Singapore Companies Act, any provision exempting or indemnifying the officers of a company (including directors) against liability, which by law would otherwise attach to them in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company is void.   However, the Singapore Companies Act allows a company to:

 

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Delaware		Singapore
fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the action, suit or proceeding through, among other things, a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the suit or proceeding, if the 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 or, in some circumstances, at least not opposed to its best interests; and   •  in a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.   Delaware corporate law permits indemnification by a corporation under similar circumstances for expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such persons in connection with the defense or settlement of a derivative action or suit, except that no indemnification may be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which the person is adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in which the action or suit was brought determines upon application that the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for the expenses which the court deems to be proper.   To the extent a director, officer, employee or agent is successful in the defense of such an action, suit or proceeding, the corporation is required by Delaware corporate law to indemnify such person for reasonable expenses incurred thereby. Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by such persons in defending any action, suit or proceeding may be paid in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of that person to repay the amount if it is ultimately determined that that person is not entitled to be so indemnified.		•  purchase and maintain for any officer insurance against any liability which by law would otherwise attach to such officer in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company;   •  indemnify such officer against any liability incurred by him or her to a person other than the company except when the indemnity is against any liability (i) of the officer to pay a fine in criminal proceedings, (ii) of the officer to pay a penalty in respect of non-compliance with any regulatory requirements, (iii) incurred by the officer in defending criminal proceedings in which he or she is convicted, (iv) incurred by the officer in defending civil proceedings brought by the company or a related company in which judgment is given against him or her, or (v) incurred by the officer in connection with an application for relief under Section 76A(13) or Section 391 of the Singapore Companies Act in which the court refuses to grant him or her relief.   In cases where a director is sued by the company, the Singapore Companies Act gives the court the power to relieve directors either wholly or partially from their liability for their negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust. In order for relief to be obtained, it must be shown that (i) the director acted reasonably and honestly; and (ii) it is fair, having regard to all the circumstances of the case including those connected with such director’s appointment, to excuse the director. However, Singapore case law has indicated that such relief will not be granted to a director who has benefited as a result of his or her breach of trust.   Our constitution provides that subject to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act and every other applicable statute for the time being in force concerning companies and affecting the company, the directors and officers are entitled to be indemnified against costs, charges, fees and other expenses that may be incurred by such person in defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, which relates to anything done or omitted or alleged to be done or omitted by such person as a director, officer or employee of the company and in which judgment is given in his or her favor or in which such person is acquitted or in which the courts have granted relief pursuant to the provisions of the

 

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Delaware		Singapore
		Singapore Companies Act, provided that such indemnity shall not extend to any liability which by law would otherwise attach to him or her in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which he or she may be guilty in relation to the company, or which would otherwise result in such indemnity being voided under applicable Singapore laws.
Shareholder Approval of Issuances of Shares
Under Delaware law, the board of directors has the authority to issue, from time to time, capital stock in its sole discretion, as long the number the shares to be issued, together with those shares that are already issued and outstanding and those shares reserved to be issued, do not exceed the authorized capital for the corporation as previously approved by the stockholders and set forth in the corporation’s certificate of incorporation. Under the foregoing circumstances, no additional stockholder approval is required for the issuance of capital stock. Under Delaware law, stockholder approval is required (i) for any amendment to the corporation’s certificate of incorporation to increase the authorized capital and (ii) for the issuance of stock in a direct merger transaction where the number of shares exceeds 20% of the corporation’s shares outstanding prior to the transaction, regardless of whether there is sufficient authorized capital.		Section 161 of the Singapore Companies Act provides that despite anything in the company’s constitution, the directors must not exercise any power to issue shares without prior approval of Company’s shareholders in a general meeting. The affirmative vote of shareholders holding at least a majority of the ordinary shares held by the shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the annual general meeting and entitled to vote is required for this authorization. Once this shareholders’ approval is obtained, unless previously revoked or varied by the company in general meeting, it continues in force until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting or the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting after that date is required by law to be held, whichever is earlier; but any approval may be revoked or varied by the company in general meeting. Notwithstanding this general authorization to allot and issue our ordinary shares, Wave will be required to seek shareholder approval with respect to future issuances of ordinary shares, where required under The Nasdaq Stock Market rules, such as if we were to propose an issuance of ordinary shares that would result in a change in control of Wave or in connection with a transaction involving the issuance of ordinary shares representing 20% or more of our outstanding ordinary shares.
Shareholder Approval of Business Combinations
Generally, under the Delaware General Corporation Law, completion of a merger, consolidation, or the sale, lease or exchange of substantially all of a corporation’s assets or dissolution requires approval by the board of directors and by a majority (unless the certificate of incorporation requires a higher percentage) of outstanding stock of the corporation entitled to vote.   The Delaware General Corporation Law also requires a special vote of stockholders in connection with a business combination with an “interested stockholder”		The Singapore Companies Act and the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 mandates that specified corporate actions require approval by the shareholders in a general meeting, notably:   •  despite anything in the company’s constitution, directors must not carry into effect any proposals for disposing of the whole or substantially the whole of the company’s undertaking or property unless those proposals

 

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Delaware		Singapore
as defined in section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. See “—Interested Shareholders” above.		have been approved by shareholders in a general meeting;   •  the company may by special resolution resolve that it be wound up voluntarily;   •  subject to the constitution of each amalgamating company, an amalgamation proposal must be approved by the shareholders of each amalgamating company via special resolution at a general meeting;   •  a compromise or arrangement proposed between a company and its shareholders, or any class of them, must, among other things, be approved by a majority in number representing three-fourths in value of the shareholders or class of shareholders present and voting either in person or by proxy at the meeting ordered by the court; and   •  despite anything in the company’s constitution, the directors must not, without the prior approval of shareholders, issue shares, including shares being issued in connection with corporate actions.
Shareholder Action Without A Meeting
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless otherwise provided in a corporation’s certificate of incorporation, any action that may be taken at a meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if the holders of outstanding stock, having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize such action, consent in writing. It is not uncommon for a corporation’s certificate of incorporation to prohibit such action.		There are no equivalent provisions under the Singapore Companies Act in respect of public companies which are listed on a securities exchange, like our company.
Shareholder Suits
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a stockholder may bring a derivative action on behalf of the corporation to enforce the rights of the corporation. An individual also may commence a class action suit on behalf of himself or herself and other similarly situated stockholders where the requirements for maintaining a class action under the Delaware General Corporation Law have been met. A person may institute and maintain such a suit only if such person was a stockholder at the time of the transaction which is the subject of the suit or his or her shares thereafter devolved upon him or her by operation of law. Additionally, under Delaware case law, the plaintiff		Standing   Only registered shareholders of our company reflected in our register of members are recognized under Singapore law as shareholders of our company. As a result, only registered shareholders have legal standing to institute shareholder actions against us or otherwise seek to enforce their rights as shareholders. Holders of book-entry interests in our shares will be required to exchange their book-entry interests for certificated shares and to be registered as shareholders in our shareholder register in order to institute or enforce any legal proceedings or claims

 

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Delaware		Singapore
generally must be a stockholder not only at the time of the transaction which is the subject of the suit, but also through the duration of the derivative suit. The Delaware General Corporation Law also requires that the derivative plaintiff make a demand on the directors of the corporation to assert the corporate claim before the suit may be prosecuted by the derivative plaintiff, unless such demand would be futile.		against us, our directors or our executive officers relating to shareholder rights. A holder of book-entry interests may become a registered shareholder of our company by exchanging its interest in our shares for certificated shares and being registered in our shareholder register.   Personal remedies in cases of oppression or injustice   A shareholder may apply to the court for an order under Section 216 of the Singapore Companies Act to remedy situations where (i) the company’s affairs are being conducted or the powers of the company’s directors are being exercised in a manner oppressive to, or in disregard of the interests of one or more of the shareholders or holders of debentures of the company, including the applicant; or (ii) the company has done an act, or threatens to do an act, or the shareholders or holders of debentures have passed some resolution, which unfairly discriminates against, or is otherwise prejudicial to, one or more of the company’s shareholders or holders of debentures, including the applicant.   Singapore courts have wide discretion as to the relief they may grant under such application, including, inter alia, directing or prohibiting any act or cancelling or varying any transaction or resolution, providing that the company be wound up, or authorizing civil proceedings to be brought in the name of or on behalf of the company by such person or persons and on such terms as the court directs.   Derivative actions and arbitrations   The Singapore Companies Act has a provision which provides a mechanism enabling shareholders to apply to the court for leave to bring a derivative action or commence an arbitration on behalf of the company. Derivative actions are also allowed as a common law action.   Applications are generally made by shareholders of the company, but courts are given the discretion to allow such persons as they deem proper to apply (e.g., beneficial owner of shares).   It should be noted that this provision of the Singapore Companies Act is primarily used by minority shareholders to bring an action or arbitration in the name and on behalf of the company or intervene in an action or arbitration to which the company is a party for the purpose of prosecuting, defending or discontinuing the action or arbitration on behalf of

 

S-46

Delaware		Singapore
		the company. Prior to commencing a derivative action or arbitration, the court must be satisfied that (i) 14 days’ notice has been given to the directors of the company of the party’s intention to commence such action or arbitration if the directors of the company do not bring, diligently prosecute or defend or discontinue the action, (ii) the party is acting in good faith and (iii) it appears to be prima facie in the interests of the company that the action be brought, prosecuted, defended or discontinued.   Class actions   The concept of class action suits in the United States, which allows individual shareholders to bring an action seeking to represent the class or classes of shareholders, does not exist in the same manner in Singapore. In Singapore, it is possible as a matter of procedure for a number of shareholders who have a common interest in any proceedings, to begin proceedings as a group with one or more of such shareholders representing the group.
Distributions and Dividends; Repurchases and Redemptions
The Delaware General Corporation Law permits a corporation to declare and pay dividends out of statutory surplus or, if there is no surplus, out of net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or for the preceding fiscal year as long as the amount of capital of the corporation following the declaration and payment of the dividend is not less than the aggregate amount of the capital represented by the issued and outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets.		The Singapore Companies Act provides that no dividend is payable to the shareholders of any company except out of profits.   The Singapore Companies Act does not provide a definition on when profits are deemed to be available for the purpose of paying dividends and this is accordingly governed by case law.   Our constitution provides that no dividend can be paid otherwise than out of profits.
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, any corporation may purchase or redeem its own shares, except that generally it may not purchase or redeem these shares if the capital of the corporation is impaired at the time or would become impaired as a result of the redemption. A corporation may, however, purchase or redeem out of capital shares that are entitled upon any distribution of its assets to a preference over another class or series of its shares if the shares are to be retired and the capital reduced.		Acquisition of a company’s own shares   The Singapore Companies Act generally prohibits a company from acquiring its own shares or purporting to acquire the shares of its holding company or ultimate holding company, whether directly or indirectly, in any way, subject to certain exceptions. Any contract or transaction made or entered into in contravention of the aforementioned prohibition by which a company acquires or purports to acquire its own shares or shares in its holding company or ultimate holding company is void. However, provided that it is expressly permitted to do so by its constitution and subject to the special conditions of each permitted acquisition contained in the Singapore Companies Act, a company may:

 

S-47

Delaware		Singapore
		•  redeem redeemable preferred shares on such terms and in such manner as is provided by its constitution. Preferred shares may be redeemed out of capital only if all the directors make a solvency statement in relation to such redemption in accordance with the Singapore Companies Act, and the company lodges a copy of the statement with the Registrar of Companies;   •  whether listed on an exchange in Singapore approved by the Monetary Authority of Singapore or any securities exchange outside Singapore, or not, make an off-market purchase of its own shares in accordance with an equal access scheme authorized in advance at a general meeting;   •  make a selective off-market purchase of its own shares in accordance with an agreement authorized in advance at a general meeting by a special resolution where persons whose shares are to be acquired and their associated persons have abstained from voting; and   •  whether listed on an exchange in Singapore approved by the Monetary Authority of Singapore or any securities exchange outside Singapore, or not, make an acquisition of its own shares under a contingent purchase contract which has been authorized in advance at a general meeting by a special resolution.   •  The total number of ordinary shares, stocks in any class and non-redeemable preferred shares that may be acquired by a company in a relevant period must not exceed 20% (or such other prescribed percentage) of the total number of ordinary shares, stocks in any class or non-redeemable preferred shares (as the case may be) as of the date of the resolution to acquire the shares. Where, however, a company has reduced its share capital by a special resolution or a Singapore court made an order to such effect, the total number of ordinary shares, stocks in any class or non-redeemable preferred shares shall be taken to be the total number of ordinary shares, stocks in any class or non-redeemable preferred shares (as the case may be) as altered by the special resolution or the order of the court. Payment, including any expenses (including brokerage or commission) incurred directly in the acquisition by the

 

S-48

Delaware		Singapore
		company of its own shares, may be made out of the company’s profits or capital, provided that the company is solvent.   A company may also purchase its own shares by an order of a Singapore court.   Financial assistance for the acquisition of shares   A public company or a company whose holding company or ultimate holding company is a public company must not give financial assistance to any person whether directly or indirectly for the purpose of or in connection with:   •  the acquisition or proposed acquisition of shares in the company or units of such shares; or   •  the acquisition or proposed acquisition of shares in its holding company or ultimate holding company, or units of such shares.   Financial assistance may take the form of a loan, the giving of a guarantee, the provision of security, the release of an obligation, the release of a debt or otherwise.   However, it should be noted that a company may provide financial assistance for the acquisition of its shares or shares in its holding company or ultimate holding company if it complies with the requirements (including approval by special resolution) set out in the Singapore Companies Act.   Our constitution provides that subject to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act, we may purchase or otherwise acquire our own shares upon such terms and subject to such conditions as we may deem fit. We may deal with any such shares which is so purchased or acquired by us in such manner as may be permitted under the Singapore Companies Act (including, without limitation, hold such shares as treasury shares).
Transactions with Officers or Directors
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, some contracts or transactions in which one or more of a corporation’s directors has an interest are not void or voidable because of such interest provided that some conditions, such as obtaining the required approval and fulfilling the requirements of good faith and full disclosure, are met. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, either (a) the stockholders or the board of directors of a corporation must approve in good faith any such contract or transaction after full		Under the Singapore Companies Act, directors and the chief executive officer of the company are not prohibited from dealing with the company, but where they have an interest, whether directly or indirectly, in a transaction with the company, that interest must be disclosed to the board of directors. In particular, every director or chief executive officer who is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a transaction or proposed transaction with the company must, as soon as is practicable after the relevant facts

 

S-49

Delaware		Singapore
disclosure of the material facts or (b) the contract or transaction must have been “fair” as to the corporation at the time it was approved. If board approval is sought, the contract or transaction must be approved in good faith by a majority of disinterested directors after full disclosure of material facts, even though less than a majority of a quorum.		have come to such director’s or, as the case may be, the chief executive officer’s knowledge, declare the nature of such interest at a meeting of the directors or send a written notice to the company detailing the nature, character and extent of the interest.   In addition, a director or chief executive officer who holds any office or possesses any property which directly or indirectly might create interests in conflict with such director’s or, as the case may be, the chief executive officer’s duties as director or chief executive officer is required to declare the fact and the nature, character and extent of the conflict at a meeting of directors or send a written notice to the company detailing the nature, character and extent of the conflict.   The Singapore Companies Act extends the scope of this statutory duty of a director and chief executive officer to disclose any interests by pronouncing that an interest of a member of a director’s or, as the case may be, the chief executive officer’s family (including spouse, son, adopted son, step-son, daughter, adopted daughter and step-daughter) will be treated as an interest of the director or chief executive officer (as the case may be).   A director or chief executive officer is not deemed to be interested or to have been at any time interested in any transaction or proposed transaction where the interest of the director or chief executive officer (as the case may be) consists only of being a member or creditor of a corporation which is interested in the transaction or proposed transaction with the company if the interest may properly be regarded as immaterial. Where the transaction or the proposed transaction relates to any loan to the company, no disclosure need be made where the director or chief executive officer (as the case may be) has only guaranteed the repayment of such loan, unless the constitution provides otherwise.   Further, where any transaction or proposed transaction has been or will be made with or for the benefit of or on behalf of a related corporation (i.e., the holding company, subsidiary or subsidiary of a common holding company), the director or chief executive officer is not deemed to be interested or to have been at any time interested in such transaction or proposed transaction by virtue of only being a director or chief executive officer (as the case may be) of the related corporation, unless the constitution provides otherwise.

 

S-50

Delaware		Singapore
		Subject to specified exceptions, the Singapore Companies Act prohibits a company (other than an exempt private company) from, among others, (i) making a loan or a quasi-loan to its directors or to directors of a related corporation, or giving a guarantee or security in connection with such a loan or quasi-loan, (ii) entering into a credit transaction as creditor for the benefit of its directors or the directors of a related corporation, or giving a guarantee or any security in connection with such a credit transaction, (iii) arranging an assignment to or assumption by us of any rights, obligations or liabilities under a transaction which, if it had been entered into by us, would have been a restricted transaction, and (iv) taking part in an arrangement under which another person enters into a transaction which, if entered into by us, would have been a restricted transaction and such person obtains a benefit from us or our related corporation pursuant thereto. Companies are also prohibited from entering into any of these transactions with the spouse or children (whether adopted or natural or step-children) of its directors.   Subject to specified exceptions, the Singapore Companies Act prohibits a company (other than an exempt private company) from making a loan or a quasi-loan to another company or a limited liability partnership or entering into any guarantee or providing any security in connection with a loan or a quasi-loan made to another company or a limited liability partnership by a person other than the first-mentioned company, entering into a credit transaction as a creditor for the benefit of another company or a limited liability partnership, or entering into any guarantee or provide any security in connection with a credit transaction entered into by any person for the benefit of another company or a limited liability partnership if a director or directors of the first-mentioned company is or together are interested in 20% or more of the total voting power in the other company or the limited liability partnership (as the case may be).   Such prohibition also applies to a loan or quasi-loan, made by a company (other than an exempt private company), a credit transaction made by a company (other than an exempt private company) for the benefit of another company or limited liability partnership and a guarantee entered into or security provided by a company (other than an exempt private company) in connection with a loan or quasi-loan

 

S-51

Delaware		Singapore
		made by a person other than the first-mentioned company to another company or a limited liability partnership or with a credit transaction made for the benefit of another company or limited liability partnership entered into by a person other than the first-mentioned company, where such other company or limited liability partnership is incorporated or formed (as the case may be) outside Singapore, if a director or directors of the first-mentioned company (a) is or together are interested in 20% or more of the total voting power in the other company or limited liability partnership or (b) in a case where the other company does not have a share capital, exercises or together exercise control over the other company whether by reason of having the power to appoint directors or otherwise.   The Singapore Companies Act also provides that an interest of a member of a director’s family (including spouse, son, adopted son, step-son, daughter, adopted daughter and step-daughter) will be treated as an interest of the director.
Dissenters’ Rights
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a stockholder of a corporation participating in some types of major corporate transactions may, under varying circumstances, be entitled to appraisal rights pursuant to which the stockholder may receive cash in the amount of the fair market value of his or her shares in lieu of the consideration he or she would otherwise receive in the transaction.		There are no equivalent provisions in Singapore under the Singapore Companies Act.
Cumulative Voting
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may adopt in its bylaws that its directors shall be elected by cumulative voting. When directors are elected by cumulative voting, a stockholder has the number of votes equal to the number of shares held by such stockholder times the number of directors nominated for election. The stockholder may cast all of such votes for one director or among the directors in any proportion.		There are no equivalent provisions in Singapore under the Singapore Companies Act.

 

S-52

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We have entered into an Open Market Sale Agreement^SM with Jefferies LLC, or Jefferies, dated May 10, 2019, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Open Market Sale Agreement^SM, dated March 2, 2020, Amendment No. 2 to Open Market Sale Agreement^SM, dated March 3, 2022, and Amendment No. 3 to Open Market Sale Agreement^SM, dated November 12, 2024 , or collectively, the Sales Agreement, under which we may offer and sell ordinary shares having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $250.0 million from time to time through Jefferies, acting as agent.

Sales of the ordinary shares, if any, may be made on The Nasdaq Global Market or into any other existing trading market for our ordinary shares at market prices and such other sales as agreed upon by us and Jefferies. The Sales Agreement has been filed as an exhibit to our registration statement on Form S-3 of which this prospectus forms a part.

Upon delivery of a placement notice and subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, Jefferies may sell our ordinary shares by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) promulgated under the Securities Act.

When requested by us, Jefferies will offer the ordinary shares subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, which may be on a daily basis for periods of time, or as we may otherwise agree with Jefferies. We will designate the maximum amount of ordinary shares to be sold through Jefferies when we request Jefferies to do so. Jefferies has agreed, subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, to use its commercially reasonable efforts to execute our orders to sell, as our sales agent and on our behalf, ordinary shares submitted to Jefferies from time to time by us, consistent with its normal sales and trading practices. We may instruct Jefferies not to place ordinary shares at or below a price designated by us. In any event, the ordinary shares shall be placed by Jefferies substantially at market price. We or Jefferies may suspend the offering of ordinary shares under the Sales Agreement upon proper notice to the other party.

If we and Jefferies so agree, Jefferies may act as principal in connection with the placement of the securities offered hereby.

We will pay Jefferies a commission of up to 3.0% of the gross proceeds of any shares sold through it pursuant to this prospectus, and agreed in the Sales Agreement, as amended, to reimburse Jefferies for up to $75,000 of its expenses, including fees and disbursements to its legal counsel. The estimated offering expenses payable by us, in addition to such commission and expenses, are approximately $275,000, which includes legal, accounting and printing costs and various other fees associated with registering the ordinary shares. The remaining sale proceeds, after deducting any other transaction fees, will equal our net proceeds from the sale of such shares.

Jefferies will provide written confirmation to us before the open of trading on The Nasdaq Global Market on the day following each day on which ordinary shares are sold under the Sales Agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares sold on that day, the aggregate gross proceeds of such sales and the net proceeds to us. Settlement for sales of ordinary shares will occur, unless otherwise agreed, on the second business day following the date on which such sales were made.

In connection with the sale of our ordinary shares on our behalf, Jefferies may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of Jefferies will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to indemnify Jefferies against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We have also agreed to contribute to payments Jefferies may be required to make in respect of such liabilities.

The offering of ordinary shares pursuant to the Sales Agreement will terminate upon the termination of the Sales Agreement according to its terms by either Jefferies or us.

 

S-53

Jefferies and its affiliates may in the future provide various investment banking, commercial banking, financial advisory and other services to us and our affiliates and may in the future receive customary fees. In the course of its business, Jefferies may actively trade our securities for its own account or for the accounts of customers, and, accordingly, Jefferies may at any time hold long or short positions in such securities. To the extent required by Regulation M, Jefferies will not engage in any market making activities involving our ordinary shares while the offering is ongoing under this prospectus.

This prospectus in electronic format may be made available on a website maintained by Jefferies, and Jefferies may distribute this prospectus electronically.

 

S-54

ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES UNDER UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAWS

We are incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Singapore, and certain of our officers and directors are residents outside the United States. Moreover, a majority of our consolidated assets are located outside the United States. Although we are incorporated outside the United States, we have agreed to accept service of process in the United States through our agent designated for that purpose. Nevertheless, since a majority of the consolidated assets owned by us are located outside the United States any judgment obtained in the United States against us may not be enforceable within the United States. There is no treaty between the United States and Singapore providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters and a final judgment for the payment of money rendered by any federal or state court in the United States based on civil liability, whether or not predicated solely upon the federal securities laws, would, therefore, not be automatically enforceable in Singapore.

There is uncertainty as to whether judgments of courts in the United States based upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States would be recognized or enforceable in Singapore. In making a determination as to enforceability of a judgment of the courts of the United States, and subject to the Singapore courts having jurisdiction over the judgment debtor, the Singapore courts would have regard to whether the judgment was final and conclusive and on the merits of the case, given by a court of law of competent jurisdiction, and was expressed to be for a fixed sum of money. In general, an in personam foreign judgment that is final and conclusive (that is, in general, a judgment that makes a final determination of rights between the parties and cannot be re-opened or altered by the court that delivered it, or be overridden by another body not being an appellate or supervisory body, although it may be subject to an appeal), given by a competent court of law having jurisdiction over the parties subject to such judgment, and for a fixed and ascertainable sum of money, may be enforceable as a debt in the Singapore courts under the common law, unless procured by fraud, or the proceedings in which such judgments were obtained were not conducted in accordance with principles of natural justice, or the enforcement thereof would be contrary to fundamental public policy, or if the judgment would conflict with earlier judgment(s) from Singapore or earlier foreign judgment(s) recognized in Singapore, or if the judgment would amount to the direct or indirect enforcement of foreign penal, revenue or other public laws (save where any such component of the judgment can be duly severed from the rest of the judgment sought to be enforced). Civil liability provisions of the federal and state securities law of the United States permit the award of punitive damages against us, our directors and officers. Singapore courts would not recognize or enforce judgments against us, our directors and officers to the extent that doing so would amount to the direct or indirect enforcement of foreign penal, revenue or other public laws. It is uncertain as to whether a judgment of the courts of the United States under civil liability provisions of the federal securities law of the United States would be regarded by the Singapore courts as being pursuant to foreign, penal, revenue or other public laws. Such a determination has yet to be made by a Singapore court in a reported decision.

In addition, holders of book-entry interests in our shares will be required to exchange such interests for certificated shares and to be registered as shareholders in our shareholder register in order to have standing to bring a shareholder suit and, if successful, to enforce a foreign judgment against us, our directors or our executive officers in the Singapore courts.

A holder of book-entry interests in our shares may become a registered shareholder of our company by exchanging such holder’s interest in our shares for certificated shares and being registered in our shareholder register. The administrative process of becoming a registered shareholder could result in delays prejudicial to any legal proceeding or enforcement action.

 

S-55

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the ordinary shares offered by us in this offering and certain other matters of Singapore law will be passed upon for us by WongPartnership LLP, Singapore. Selected legal matters as to U.S. law in connection with this offering will be passed upon for us by Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., Boston, Massachusetts. Jefferies LLC is being represented by White & Case LLP, New York, New York.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Wave Life Sciences Ltd. as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 for the years then ended have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

S-56

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. SEC filings are available at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

This prospectus is only part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we have filed with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and therefore omits certain information contained in the registration statement. We have also filed exhibits and schedules with the registration statement that are excluded from this prospectus, and you should refer to the applicable exhibit or schedule for a complete description of any statement referring to any contract or other document. You may obtain a copy of the registration statement, including the exhibits and schedules, from the SEC’s website.

We also maintain a website at http://www.wavelifesciences.com, through which you can access our SEC filings. The information set forth on our website is not part of this prospectus.

 

S-57

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, and subsequent information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We filed a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with the SEC with respect to the securities we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. This prospectus omits certain information contained in the registration statement, as permitted by the SEC. You should refer to the registration statement, including the exhibits, for further information about us and the securities we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. Statements in this prospectus regarding the provisions of certain documents filed with, or incorporated by reference in, the registration statement are not necessarily complete and each statement is qualified in all respects by that reference. Copies of all or any part of the registration statement, including the documents incorporated by reference or the exhibits, may be obtained from the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The documents we are incorporating by reference are:

 

•

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 that we filed with the SEC on March 6, 2024, as amended by Amendment No.  1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A that we filed with the SEC on April 29, 2024;

 

•

the portions of our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A that we filed with the SEC on June 21, 2024 that are deemed “filed” with the Commission under the Exchange Act;

 

•

our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2024, June 30, 2024, and September 30, 2024 that we filed with the SEC on May 10, 2024, August 8, 2024, and November 12, 2024, respectively;

 

•

our Current Reports on Form 8-K that we filed with the SEC on January 4 2024, June  25, 2024, August  12, 2024, September  24, 2024, September  26, 2024, October  16, 2024, and October 30, 2024 (in each case, except for information contained therein which is furnished rather than filed);

 

•

the description of our ordinary shares contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A that we filed with the SEC on , including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description; and

 

•

all reports and other documents subsequently filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination or completion of the offering of securities under this prospectus shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus and to be a part hereof from the date of filing such reports and other documents.

The SEC file number for each of the documents listed above is 001-37627.

Any statement contained in this prospectus or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or any other subsequently filed document that is deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus modifies or supersedes the statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

You may request, orally or in writing, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated herein by reference. These documents will be provided to you at no cost, by contacting:

Wave Life Sciences Ltd.

c/o 733 Concord Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

ATTN: Investor Relations

 

S-58

You may also access these documents on our website, http://www.wavelifesciences.com. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

You should rely only on information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We are not making offers to sell the securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.

 

S-59

 

 

 

 

Up to $250,000,000 of Ordinary Shares

 

 

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

 

 

November 12, 2024

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

 

 

 

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth an itemization of the various expenses, all of which we will pay, in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered.

 

SEC Registration Fee		$	28,168.61*
Legal Fees and Expenses			**
Accounting Fees and Expenses			**
Miscellaneous			**
Total			**

 

*

In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), we are deferring payment of the registration fee for the securities offered under this registration statement other than the fees due in connection with the $250,000,000 of our ordinary shares that may be issued and sold from time to time under an Open Market Sale Agreement, as amended, with Jefferies LLC.

**	These fees and expenses depend on the securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Under Section 172 of the Singapore Companies Act, any provision exempting or indemnifying the officers of a company (including directors) against liability, which by law would otherwise attach to them in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company is void. However, the Singapore Companies Act allows a company to (a) purchase and maintain for any officer insurance against any liability which by law would otherwise attach to such officer in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company; and (b) indemnify such officer against any liability incurred by him or her to a person other than the company except when the indemnity is against any liability (i) of the officer to pay a fine in criminal proceedings, (ii) of the officer to pay a penalty in respect of non-compliance with any regulatory requirements, (iii) incurred by the officer in defending criminal proceedings in which he or she is convicted, (iv) incurred by the officer in defending civil proceedings brought by the company or a related company in which judgment is given against him or her, or (v) incurred by the officer in connection with an application for relief under Section 76A(13) or Section 391 of the Singapore Companies Act in which the court refuses to grant him or her relief.

In cases where a director is sued by the company, the Singapore Companies Act gives the court the power to relieve directors either wholly or partially from their liability for their negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust. In order for relief to be obtained, it must be shown that (i) the director acted reasonably and honestly; and (ii) it is fair, having regard to all the circumstances of the case including those connected with such director’s appointment, to excuse the director. However, Singapore case law has indicated that such relief will not be granted to a director who has benefited as a result of his or her breach of trust.

Our constitution provides that subject to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act and every other applicable statute for the time being in force concerning companies and affecting the company, the directors and officers are entitled to be indemnified against costs, charges, fees and other expenses that may be incurred by such person in defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, which relates to anything done or omitted or alleged to be done or omitted by such person as a director, officer or employee of the company and in which judgment is given in his or her favor or in which such person is acquitted or in which the courts have granted relief pursuant to the provisions of the Singapore Companies Act, provided that such indemnity shall not extend to any liability which by law would otherwise attach to him or her in respect of any negligence, default, breach of

 

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duty or breach of trust of which he or she may be guilty in relation to the company, or which would otherwise result in such indemnity being voided under applicable Singapore laws. No director or officer of our company shall be liable for any acts, omissions, neglects, defaults or other conduct of any other director or officer, and to the extent permitted by Singapore law, our company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by a director or officer in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of such director or officer, taking into consideration any other relevant equitable considerations, including acts of other directors or officers and our company, and the relative fault of such parties in respect thereof.

In addition, subject to the Singapore Companies Act and every other Singapore statute for the time being in force and affecting our company, no director, managing director or other officer shall be liable for the acts, receipts, neglects or defaults of any other director or officer, or for joining in any receipt or other act for conformity, or for any loss or expense incurred by us, through the insufficiency or deficiency of title to any property acquired by order of the directors for us or for the insufficiency or deficiency of any security upon which any of our moneys are invested or for any loss or damage arising from the bankruptcy, insolvency or tortious act of any person with whom any moneys, securities or effects are deposited, or any other loss, damage or misfortune which happens in the execution of his or her duties, unless the same happens through his or her own negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust.

We have entered into deeds of indemnity with each of our directors and officers. These agreements require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Singapore law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us, as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. These indemnification rights shall not be exclusive of any other right which an indemnified person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of our constitution, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise if such indemnified person is subsequently found to have been negligent or otherwise have breached indemnified person’s trust or fiduciary duties or to be in default thereof, or where the Singapore courts have declined to grant relief.

We expect to maintain standard policies of insurance that provide coverage (1) to our directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act and (2) to us with respect to indemnification payments that we may make to such directors and officers.

Any underwriting agreements that we may enter into will likely provide for the indemnification of us, our controlling persons, our directors and certain of our officers by the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Item 16. Exhibits

The exhibits to this registration statement are listed in the Exhibit Index to this registration statement, which Exhibit Index is hereby incorporated by reference.

Item 17. Undertakings

(a) 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 of 1933;

(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

 

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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 a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

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

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) 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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

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

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

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

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

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

 

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

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

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

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) 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.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant, 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 Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(d) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act, or the Act, in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under section 305(b)(2) of the Act.

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit Number		Description
1.1*		Form of Underwriting Agreement.
1.2(1)		Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated as of May  10, 2019, by and between the Registrant and Jefferies LLC.
1.3(2)		Amendment No. 1 to Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated as of March  2, 2020, by and between the Registrant and Jefferies LLC.
1.4(3)		Amendment No. 2 to Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated as of March  3, 2022, by and between the Registrant and Jefferies LLC.
1.5(4)		Amendment No. 3 to Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated as of November 12, 2024, by and between the Registrant and Jefferies LLC.
4.1(5)		Constitution (formerly known as Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association).
4.2(6)		Form of Specimen Ordinary Share Certificate.
4.3*		Form of Senior Debt Security.
4.4*		Form of Subordinated Debt Security.
4.5		Form of Senior Indenture.
4.6		Form of Subordinated Indenture.
4.7*		Form of Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate.
4.8*		Form of Rights Agreement and Right Certificate.
4.9*		Form of Unit Agreement and Unit.
5.1		Opinion of WongPartnership LLP with respect to the legality of the securities being registered.
5.2		Opinion of WongPartnership LLP with respect to the legality of the securities to be offered pursuant to the Sales Agreement.
5.3		Opinion of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. with respect to the legality of the debt securities being registered.
23.1		Consent of KPMG LLP.
23.2		Consent of WongPartnership LLP (included in the opinions filed as Exhibit 5.1 and Exhibit 5.2).
23.3		Consent of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. (included in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.3).
24.1		Powers of Attorney (included on the signature page to this registration statement).
25.1*		The Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of the Trustee under the Senior Indenture will be incorporated herein by reference from a subsequent filing in accordance with Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
25.2*		The Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of the Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture will be incorporated herein by reference from a subsequent filing in accordance with Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
107		Filing Fee Table.

 

*	To be subsequently filed, if applicable, by an amendment to this registration statement or as an exhibit to a report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

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(1)	Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.2 to the Automatic Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-231382) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 10, 2019.

(2)	Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.3 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Automatic Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-231382) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 2, 2020.

(3)	Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-37627), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 3, 2022.

(4)	Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024 (File No. 001-37627), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 12, 2024.

(5)	Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Amendment No. 5 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-207379), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 10, 2015.

(6)	Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Amendment No. 3 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-207379), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 6, 2015.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on November 12, 2024.

 

SIGNATURES AND POWER OF ATTORNEY

We, the undersigned directors and officers of Wave Life Sciences Ltd., hereby severally constitute and appoint Paul B. Bolno, M.D., MBA and Kyle Moran, and each of them singly (with full power to each of them to act alone), our true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power, to sign for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below, the registration statement on Form S-3 filed herewith, and any and all pre-effective and post-effective amendments to said registration statement, and any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of securities of Wave Life Sciences Ltd., and to file or cause to be filed the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as each of us might or could do in person, and hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys, or their substitute or substitutes, shall do or cause to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Form S-3 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature		Title		Date
/s/ Paul B. Bolno, M.D., MBA Paul B. Bolno, M.D., MBA		President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)		November 12, 2024
/s/ Kyle Moran Kyle Moran		Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer))		November 12, 2024
/s/ Christian Henry Christian Henry		Chairman of the Board of Directors		November 12, 2024
/s/ Gregory L. Verdine, Ph.D. Gregory L. Verdine, Ph.D.		Director		November 12, 2024
/s/ Peter Kolchinsky, Ph.D. Peter Kolchinsky, Ph.D.		Director		November 12, 2024
/s/ Aik Na Tan Aik Na Tan		Director		November 12, 2024
/s/ Adrian Rawcliffe Adrian Rawcliffe		Director		November 12, 2024

 

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Signature		Title		Date
/s/ Ken Takanashi, MBA, CPA Ken Takanashi, MBA, CPA		Director		November 12, 2024
/s/ Mark H. N. Corrigan, M.D. Mark H. N. Corrigan, M.D.		Director		November 12, 2024
/s/ Heidi L. Wagner, J.D. Heidi L. Wagner, J.D.		Director		November 12, 2024

 

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