ROCKET PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED 2014 STOCK OPTION AND INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

 

Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2014 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) will have the same defined meanings in this Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (the “Award Agreement”).

 

Participant Name:

You have been granted the right to receive an Award of Restricted Stock Units, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award Agreement, as follows:

 

Grant Number
Date of Grant
Vesting Commencement Date
Number of Restricted Stock Units

 

 

Subject to Section 3 of the Award Agreement, the Restricted Stock Units will vest in accordance with the following schedule:

 

[Insert Vesting Schedule]

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision of the Plan or the Award Agreement to the contrary, if a Sale Event (as defined in the Plan) occurs and the Participant’s status as an Employee is terminated by the Company or a Subsidiary without Cause or by the Participant for Good Reason (as defined herein) within 12 months following the Sale Event, 100% of the Restricted Stock Units shall become immediately vested (an “Acceleration of Vesting”). “Good Reason” means the occurrence, without the Participant’s express written consent, which circumstances are not remedied by the Company within thirty (30) days of its receipt of a written notice from the Participant describing the applicable circumstances (which notice must be provided by the Participant within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s knowledge of the applicable circumstances), of one or more of the following: (a) any material, adverse change in the Participant’s duties, responsibilities, authority, title or reporting structure; (b) a material reduction in the Participant’s base salary or bonus opportunity; or (c) a geographical relocation of the Participant’s principal office location by more than fifty (50) miles.

In the event Participant ceases to be an Employee for any or no reason before Participant vests in the Restricted Stock Unit, the Restricted Stock Unit and Participant’s right to acquire any Stock hereunder will terminate in accordance with Section 3 of the Award Agreement.

By Participant’s signature and the signature of the representative of Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) below, or by Participant otherwise accepting this Award, Participant and the Company agree that this Award of Restricted Stock Units is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award Agreement, including the Terms and Conditions of this Notice of Restricted Stock Unit Grant (including any country-specific addendum thereto), attached hereto as Exhibit A, all of which are made a part of this document. Participant has reviewed the Plan and this Award Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Award Agreement and fully understands all provisions of the Plan and Award Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions relating to the Plan and Award Agreement.

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT

 

1.          Grant. The Company hereby grants to the individual named in the Notice of Restricted Stock Unit Grant attached as Part I of this Award Agreement (the “Participant”) under the Plan an Award of Restricted Stock Units, subject to all of the terms and conditions in this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. Subject to Section 16 of the Plan, in the event of a conflict between the terms and conditions of the Plan and the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan will prevail.

 

2.          Company’s Obligation to Pay. Each Restricted Stock Unit represents the right to receive Stock on the date it vests. Unless and until the Restricted Stock Units will have vested in the manner set forth in Section 3, Participant will have no right to payment of any such Restricted Stock Units. Prior to actual payment of any vested Restricted Stock Units, such Restricted Stock Units will represent an unsecured obligation of the Company, payable (if at all) only from the general assets of the Company. Any Restricted Stock Units that vest in accordance with Section 3 will be paid to Participant (or in the event of Participant’s death, to his or her estate) in whole shares of Stock as set forth herein, subject to Participant satisfying any Tax-Related Items as set forth in Section 7. Subject to the provisions of Section 4, such vested Restricted Stock Units will be paid in whole shares of Stock as soon as practicable after vesting, but in each such case within the period ending no later than the date that is two and one-half (2½) months from the end of the Company’s tax year that includes the vesting date. In no event will Participant be permitted, directly or indirectly, to specify the taxable year of the payment of any Restricted Stock Units payable under this Award Agreement.

 

3.          Vesting Schedule. Subject to Section 5, the Restricted Stock Units awarded by this Award Agreement will vest in accordance with the vesting provisions set forth in the Notice of Restricted Stock Unit Grant. Restricted Stock Units scheduled to vest on a certain date or upon the occurrence of a certain condition will not vest in accordance with any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, unless Participant will have been continuously an employee of the Company, or any parent or Subsidiary of the Company (an “Employee”) from the date of grant until the date such vesting occurs. Employee status for purposes of this Award will end on the day that Participant is no longer actively providing services as an Employee and will not be extended by any notice period or “garden leave” that may be required contractually or under applicable laws. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator (or any delegate) shall have the sole and absolute discretion to determine when Participant is no longer providing active service for purposes of Employee status and participation in the Plan.

4.          Administrator Discretion. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or this Award Agreement to the contrary, if the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the Restricted Stock Units is accelerated in connection with Participant’s termination as an Employee (provided that such termination is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A, as determined by the Company), other than due to death, and if (x) Participant is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A at the time of such termination as an Employee and (y) the payment of such accelerated Restricted Stock Units will result in the imposition of additional tax under Section 409A if paid to Participant on or within the six (6) month period following Participant’s termination as an Employee, then the payment of such accelerated Restricted Stock Units will not be made until the date six (6) months and one (1) day following the date of Participant’s termination as a Employee, unless the Participant dies following his or her termination as an Employee, in which case, the Restricted Stock Units will be paid in Stock to the Participant’s estate as soon as practicable following his or her death. It is the intent of this Award Agreement that it and all payments and benefits hereunder be exempt from, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A so that none of the Restricted Stock Units provided under this Award Agreement or Stock issuable thereunder will be subject to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted to be so exempt or so comply. Each payment payable under this Award Agreement is intended to constitute a separate payment for purposes of U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2). For purposes of this Award Agreement, “Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code, and any final U.S. Treasury Regulations and U.S. Internal Revenue Service guidance thereunder, as each may be amended from time to time.

 

5.          Forfeiture upon Termination of Status as an Employee. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Award Agreement and subject to any Acceleration of Vesting, the balance of the Restricted Stock Units that have not vested as of the time Participant’s status as an Employee is terminated will cease vesting in accordance with Section 3 above and Participant’s right to acquire any Stock hereunder will immediately terminate.

6.          Death of Participant. To the extent permitted by the Company, Participant may designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries to receive any payment hereunder that is payable on or after the Participant’s death. Any such designation shall be on a form provided for that purpose by the Administrator and shall not be effective until received by the Administrator. If no beneficiary has been designated by a deceased Participant, or if the designated beneficiaries have predeceased the Participant, or if the beneficiary designation is deemed ambiguous, incomplete or invalid by the Administrator, the beneficiary shall be the Participant’s estate.

 

7.          Withholding of Taxes. Regardless of any action the Company or Participant’s employer (the “Employer”) takes with respect to any or all applicable national, local, or other tax or social contribution, withholding, required deductions, or other payments, if any, that arise upon the grant or vesting of the Restricted Stock Units or the holding or subsequent sale of Stock, and the receipt of Dividend Equivalent Rights or dividends, if any, or otherwise in connection with the Restricted Stock Units or Stock (“Tax-Related Items”), Participant acknowledges and agrees that the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items legally due by Participant is and remains Participant’s responsibility and may exceed any amount actually withheld by the Company or the Employer. Participant further acknowledges and agrees that Participant is solely responsible for filing all relevant documentation that may be required in relation to the Restricted Stock Units or any Tax-Related Items (other than filings or documentation that is the specific obligation of the Company or a parent, Subsidiary, or Employer pursuant to applicable law) such as but not limited to personal income tax returns or reporting statements in relation to the grant, vesting or settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, the holding of Stock or any bank or brokerage account, the subsequent sale of Stock, and the receipt of any Dividend Equivalent Rights or dividends, if any. Participant further acknowledges that the Company and the Employer (a) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the Restricted Stock Units, including grant or vesting, the subsequent sale of Stock acquired under the Plan, and the receipt of Dividend Equivalent Rights or dividends, if any; and (b) does not commit to and is under no obligation to structure the terms of the Restricted Stock Units or any aspect of the Restricted Stock Units to reduce or eliminate Participant’s liability for Tax- Related Items, or achieve any particular tax result. Participant also understands that applicable laws may require varying Stock or Restricted Stock Unit valuation methods for purposes of calculating Tax-Related Items, and the Company assumes no responsibility or liability in relation to any such valuation or for any calculation or reporting of income or Tax-Related Items that may be required of Participant under applicable laws. Further, if Participant has become subject to tax in more than one jurisdiction between the date of grant and the date of any relevant taxable event, Participant acknowledges that the Company and/or the Employer (or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Award Agreement, no certificate representing the Stock will be issued to Participant, unless and until satisfactory arrangements (as determined by the Administrator) will have been made by Participant with respect to the payment of any Tax-Related Items which the Company determines must be withheld with respect to such Stock.

As a condition to the grant and vesting of the Restricted Stock Units and as set forth in Section 14 of the Plan, Participant hereby agrees to make adequate provision for the satisfaction of (and will indemnify the Company and any parent or Subsidiary for) any Tax-Related Items. Subject to approval by the Administrator, the Tax-Related Items shall be satisfied by the Company’s withholding all or a portion of any Stock that otherwise would be issued to Participant upon payment of the vested Restricted Stock Units; provided that amounts withheld shall not exceed the amount necessary to satisfy the Company’s minimum tax withholding obligations. Such withheld Stock shall be valued based on the Fair Market Value as of the date the withholding obligations are satisfied. Furthermore, Participant agrees to pay the Company or any parent, Subsidiary, or Employer any Tax-Related Items that cannot be satisfied by the foregoing methods.

 

8.           Rights as Stockholder. Neither Participant nor any person claiming under or through Participant will have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder of the Company in respect of any Stock deliverable hereunder unless and until certificates representing such Stock will have been issued, recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars, and delivered to Participant; provided, however, that the Participant may be credited with Dividend Equivalent Rights with respect to the stock units underlying the Restricted Stock Units, subject to the provisions of Section 12 of the Plan and such terms and conditions as the Administrator may determine. After such issuance, recordation and delivery, Participant will have all the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to voting such Stock and receipt of dividends and distributions on such Stock, but prior to such issuance, Participant will not have any rights to dividends and/or distributions on such Stock.

 

9.         No Guarantee of Continued Service or Grants. PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE VESTING OF THE RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS PURSUANT TO THE VESTING SCHEDULE HEREOF SHALL OCCUR ONLY BY CONTINUING AS AN EMPLOYEE AT THE WILL OF THE EMPLOYER OR CONTRACTING ENTITY (AS APPLICABLE) AND NOT THROUGH THE ACT OF BEING HIRED, BEING GRANTED THIS AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS OR ACQUIRING STOCK HEREUNDER. PARTICIPANT FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS AWARD AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND THE VESTING SCHEDULE SET FORTH HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS AN EMPLOYEE FOR THE VESTING PERIOD, FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND WILL NOT INTERFERE IN ANY WAY WITH PARTICIPANT’S RIGHT OR THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY (OR ANY PARENT, SUBSIDIARY, OR EMPLOYER) TO TERMINATE PARTICIPANT’S RELATIONSHIP AS AN EMPLOYEE AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE, SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAWS.

Participant also acknowledges and agrees that: (a) the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time; (b) the grant of Restricted Stock Units is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of Restricted Stock Units, or benefits in lieu of Restricted Stock Units even if Restricted Stock Units have been granted repeatedly in the past; (c) all decisions with respect to future awards of Restricted Stock Units, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company; (d) Participant’s participation in the Plan is voluntary; (e) the Restricted Stock Units and the Stock subject to the Restricted Stock Units are extraordinary items that do not constitute regular compensation for services rendered to the Company or the Employer, and that are outside the scope of Participant’s employment contract, if any; (f) the Restricted Stock Units and the Stock subject to the Restricted Stock Units are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation; (g) the Restricted Stock Units and the Stock subject to the Restricted Stock Units are not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, or end of service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar payments and in no event should be considered as compensation for, or relating in any way to, past services for the Company or the Employer, subject to applicable laws.

 

10.        Address for Notices. Notices hereunder shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its principal place of business and shall be mailed or delivered to the Participant at the address on file with the Company or, in either case, at such other address as one party may subsequently furnish to the other party in writing.

 

11.         Grant is Not Transferable. Except to the limited extent provided in Section 6 above or as otherwise provided in Section 13 of the Plan, no Awards of Restricted Stock Units shall be sold, assigned, transferred or otherwise encumbered or disposed of by a Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to a domestic relations order. No Awards of Restricted Stock Units shall be subject, in whole or in part, to attachment, execution, or levy of any kind, and any purported transfer in violation hereof shall be null and void.

 

12.         Binding Agreement. Subject to the limitation on the transferability of this grant contained herein, this Award Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

13.        Additional Conditions to Issuance of Stock and Imposition of Other Requirements. If at any time the Company determines, in its discretion, that the listing, registration, qualification or rule compliance of the Stock upon any securities exchange or under any applicable laws, the Code or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory authority is necessary or desirable as a condition to the issuance of Stock to Participant (or his or her estate) hereunder, such issuance will not occur unless and until such listing, registration, qualification, rule compliance, consent or approval will have been completed, effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company. Where the Company determines that the delivery of the payment of any Stock will violate any state, federal or foreign securities or exchange laws or other applicable laws, the Company will defer delivery until the earliest date at which the Company reasonably anticipates that the delivery of Stock will no longer cause such violation. The Company will make all reasonable efforts to meet the requirements of any applicable laws or securities exchange and to obtain any such consent or approval of any such governmental authority or securities exchange. The Company shall not be obligated to issue any Stock pursuant to the Restricted Stock Units at any time if the issuance of Stock violates or is not in compliance with any applicable laws, rules or regulations of the United States or any state or country.

 

Furthermore, the Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on Participant’s participation in the Plan, on the Restricted Stock Units and on any Stock acquired under the Plan, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable in order to comply with any applicable laws or facilitate the administration of the Plan, and to require Participant to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing. Furthermore, Participant understands that the applicable laws of the country in which he or she is resident at the time of grant or vesting of the Restricted Stock Units or the holding or disposition of Stock (including any rules or regulations governing securities, foreign exchange, tax, labor or other matters) may restrict or prevent the issuance of Stock or may subject Participant to additional procedural or regulatory requirements he or she is solely responsible for and will have to independently fulfill in relation to the Restricted Stock Units or the Stock. Notwithstanding any provision herein, the Restricted Stock Units and any Stock shall be subject to any special terms and conditions or disclosures as set forth in any addendum for Participant’s country (the “Country- Specific Addendum,” which forms part of this Award Agreement). Participant also understands and agrees that if he works, resides, moves to, or otherwise is or becomes subject to applicable laws or company policies of another jurisdiction at any time, certain country-specific notices, disclaimers and/or terms and conditions may apply to him as from the date of grant, unless otherwise determined by the Company in its sole discretion.

 

14.         Plan Governs. This Award Agreement is subject to all terms and provisions of the Plan. In the event of a conflict between one or more provisions of this Award Agreement and one or more provisions of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan will govern. Capitalized terms used and not defined in this Award Agreement will have the meaning set forth in the Plan.

 

15.         Administrator Authority. As provided more fully in Section 2(b) of the Plan, the Administrator will have the power to interpret the Plan and this Award Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Restricted Stock Units have vested). All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator in good faith will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons. No member of the Administrator will be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Award Agreement.

16.         Electronic Delivery and Acceptance; Translation. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to Restricted Stock Units awarded under the Plan or future Restricted Stock Units that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or request Participant’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through any on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company. If Participant has received this Award Agreement, including appendices, or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English, and the meaning of the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.

 

17.         Captions. Captions provided herein are for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.

 

18.         Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision in this Award Agreement will be held invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be severable from, and such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of this Award Agreement.

 

19.         Modifications to the Award Agreement. This Award Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties on the subjects covered. Participant expressly warrants that he or she is not accepting this Award Agreement in reliance on any promises, representations, or inducements other than those contained herein. Modifications to this Award Agreement or the Plan can be made only in an express written contract executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or this Award Agreement, the Company reserves the right to revise this Award Agreement as it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion and without the consent of Participant, to comply with Section 409A or to otherwise avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition under Section 409A in connection to this Award of Restricted Stock Units.

 

20.         Data Privacy. Participant hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of Participant’s Personal Data (as described below) by and among, as applicable, the Company, any parent, Subsidiary, or affiliate, or third parties as may be selected by the Company for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing Participant’s participation in the Plan. Participant understands that refusal or withdrawal of consent will affect Participant’s ability to participate in the Plan; without providing consent, Participant will not be able to participate in the Plan or realize benefits (if any) from the Restricted Stock Unit.

Participant understands that the Company and any parent, Subsidiary, affiliate, or designated third parties may hold personal information about Participant, including, but not limited to, Participant’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any shares of stock or directorships held in the Company or any parent, Subsidiary, or affiliate, details of all Restricted Stock Units or any other entitlement to Stock awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in Participant’s favor (“Personal Data”). Participant understands that Personal Data may be transferred to any parent, Subsidiary, affiliate, or third parties assisting in the implementation, administration and management of the Plan, that these recipients may be located in the United States, Participant’s country (if different than the United States), or elsewhere, and that the recipient’s country may have different data privacy laws and protections than Participant’s country. In particular, the Company may transfer Personal Data to the broker or stock plan administrator assisting with the Plan, to its legal counsel and tax/accounting advisor, and to the affiliate or entity that is Participant’s employer and its payroll provider.

 

Participant should also refer to any data privacy policy implemented by the Company (which will be available to Participant separately and may be updated from time to time) for more information regarding the collection, use, storage, and transfer of Participant’s Personal Data.

 

21.         Foreign Exchange Fluctuations and Restrictions. Participant understands and agrees that the future value of the underlying Stock is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty and may decrease. Participant also understands that neither the Company, nor any affiliate is responsible for any foreign exchange fluctuation between local currency and the United States Dollar or the selection by the Company or any affiliate in its sole discretion of an applicable foreign currency exchange rate that may affect the value of the Restricted Stock Units or Stock received (or the calculation of income or Tax-Related Items thereunder). Participant understands and agrees that any cross-border remittance made to transfer proceeds received upon the sale of Stock must be made through a locally authorized financial institution or registered foreign exchange agency and may require the Participant to provide such entity with certain information regarding the transaction.

 

22.        Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan. By accepting this Award, Participant expressly warrants that he or she has received an Award of Restricted Stock Units under the Plan, and has received, read and understood a description of the Plan. Participant understands that the Plan is discretionary in nature and may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time.

 

23.         Governing Law. This Award Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of law principles thereof.

 

***

 

COUNTRY-SPECIFC ADDENDUM

(See Attached)