FORM 8-K
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) December 18, 2008
NEOPROBE CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
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0-26520
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31-1080091 |
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(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
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(Commission
File Number)
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(IRS Employer
Identification No.) |
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425 Metro Place North, Suite 300, Columbus, Ohio
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43017 |
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(Address of principal executive offices)
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(Zip Code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code (614) 793-7500
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the
filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction
A.2. below):
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
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Item 5.02. |
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Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of
Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
Employment Agreements with Named Executive Officers
On December 18, 2008, the Compensation, Governance and Nominating Committee (the Committee)
of Neoprobe Corporation (the Company) approved employment agreements with each of: (a) David C.
Bupp, the Companys President and Chief Executive Officer; (b) Brent L. Larson, the Companys Vice
President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary; and (c) Anthony K. Blair, the
Companys Vice President, Manufacturing Operations. The employment agreement between the Company
and Mr. Bupp has a stated term of 12 months, commencing January 1, 2009, and terminating December
31, 2009. The employment agreements between the Company and Messrs. Larson and Blair have stated
terms of 24 months, each commencing January 1, 2009, and terminating December 31, 2010. The
following is a description of the substantially identical material terms of the aforementioned
employment agreements.
Each employee will receive an annual base salary as set forth on the schedule filed herewith
as Exhibit 10.2, which schedule sets forth the material details in which each employment agreement
differs from the form filed herewith as Exhibit 10.1. Each employee shall also receive an annual
bonus at the discretion of the Company, in accordance with any bonus plan adopted by the
Committee. For the calendar year ending December 31, 2009, the Committee has determined that the
maximum bonus payment to Mr. Bupp will be $90,000 and that Mr. Bupp will be eligible for the
payment of the appropriate portion of the bonus for such calendar year in the event the Company
does not renew the employment of Mr. Bupp after December 31, 2009. The amended employment
agreements also provide for the employees participation in the Companys employee benefit
programs, stock based incentive compensation plans and other benefits as described in the
employment agreements.
In the event of termination of an employee for cause all salary, benefits and other payments
shall cease at the time of termination, and the Company shall have no further obligations to the
employee. If an employee resigns for any reason other than a Change of Control (as that term is
defined in the employment agreements) as described below, all salary, benefits and other payments
shall cease at the time such resignation becomes effective. If an employee dies or his employment
is terminated because of disability, all salary, benefits and other payments shall cease at the
time of death or disability, provided, however, that the Company shall: (a) continue to provide Mr.
Bupp with such health, dental and similar insurance or benefits as were provided to Mr. Bupp
immediately before his termination for the longer of 36 months after such termination or the full
unexpired term of his employment agreement; and (b) continue to provide either of Messrs. Larson or
Blair with such health, dental and similar insurance or benefits as were provided to Messrs. Larson
or Blair immediately before his termination for the longer of 12 months after such termination or
the full unexpired term of his employment agreement.
In the event of termination of an employee by the Company without cause, the Company shall, at
the time of such termination, pay to the employee the respective severance amount set forth on
Exhibit 10.2, together with the value of any accrued but unused vacation time, and the amount of
all accrued but previously unpaid base salary through the date of such termination. Additionally,
the Company shall continue to: (a) provide Mr. Bupp with all of the benefits provided to him
pursuant to the Companys employee benefit plans for the longer of 36 months or the full unexpired
term of his employment agreement; and (b) provide Messrs. Blair and Larson with the benefits provided
to each pursuant to the Companys employee benefit plans for the longer of 12 months or the full
unexpired term of his employment agreement.
The Company also must pay severance, under certain circumstances, in the event of a Change of
Control. The employment agreements provide that if there is a Change in Control and an employee is
concurrently or subsequently terminated (a) by the Company without cause, (b) by the expiration of
the term of his employment agreement, or (c) by the resignation of the employee because he has
reasonably determined in good faith that his titles, authorities, responsibilities, salary, bonus
opportunities or benefits have been materially diminished, that a material adverse change in his
working conditions has occurred, that his services are no longer required in light of the Companys
business plan, or the Company has breached his employment agreement, the Company shall pay the
employee the appropriate Change of Control severance set forth on Exhibit 10.2, together with the
value of any accrued but unused vacation time, and the amount of all accrued but previously unpaid
base salary through the date of termination and shall continue to: (a) provide Mr. Bupp with all of
the benefits provided to him pursuant to the Companys employee benefit plans for the longer of 36
months or the full unexpired term of his employment agreement; and (b) provide to either of Messrs.
Larson or Blair the benefits provided to them pursuant to the Companys employee benefit plans for
the longer of 12 months after such termination or the full unexpired term of his employment
agreement.
Each employment agreement also contains non-competition and non-solicitation covenants. These
covenants, as described in the employment agreements, are effective during employment and for a
period of 12 months following termination of employment.
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The foregoing description of the employment agreements between the Company and Messrs. Bupp,
Larson and Blair is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the form employment
agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and which is incorporated herein by
reference.
2008 Cash Bonus for Named Executive Officers
The Committee also approved the award of cash bonuses to the named executive officers listed
in the table below, to be paid upon achievement of the following corporate bonus objectives
established by the Committee and subject to reduction if the goals are not achieved:
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Achievement of specified 2008 annual revenue and gross margin goals, subject to 25%
reduction of bonus if not achieved. |
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Completion of Phase 3 clinical development activities for Lymphoseek and filing of the
new drug application for Lymphoseek with the United States Food and Drug Administration by
December 31, 2008, subject to 50% reduction of bonus if not achieved. |
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Discretionary bonus, equal to 25% of the total bonus objective. |
The final amount of any cash bonus to be paid to the named executives will be subject to the
determination of the Committee at a meeting to be held after the delivery of the financial
statements of the Company for the year ending December 31, 2008, and adjusted by the weighting
percentage, if any of the overall corporate objectives were not achieved.
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2008 Maximum Cash Bonus |
Name |
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Position |
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Amount |
David C. Bupp |
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President and Chief Executive Officer |
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$80,000 |
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Brent L. Larson |
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Vice President, Finance, Chief |
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Financial Officer, Treasurer and |
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Secretary |
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$30,000 |
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Anthony K. Blair |
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Vice President, Manufacturing Operations |
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$31,400 |
2009 Cash Bonus for Named Executive Officers
In addition, the Committee established cash bonus performance goals for the named executive
officers listed in the table above, to be paid in the first quarter of 2010 in amounts to be
determined by the Committee upon achievement of the following corporate goals, and subject to
reduction if the goals are not achieved:
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Achievement of specified 2009 annual revenue and gross margin goals, subject to 25%
reduction of bonus if not achieved. |
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Completion of Phase 3 clinical development activities for Lymphoseek, and filing of the
new drug application for Lymphoseek with the United States Food and Drug Administration by
December 31, 2009, subject to 50% reduction of bonus if not achieved. |
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Discretionary bonus, equal to 25% of the total bonus objective. |
Restricted Stock Grant
On December 18, 2008, the Committee also approved the grant of restricted shares of the
Companys common stock, effective January 1, 2009, to the Companys Chief Executive Officer:
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Name |
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Position |
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Restricted Shares |
David C. Bupp |
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President and Chief Executive Officer |
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400,000 |
The Company granted the restricted stock in accordance with the provisions of the Neoprobe
Corporation Second Amended and Restated 2002 Stock Incentive Plan. In connection with the grant of
the restricted shares, the Company entered into a restricted stock award agreement with the
Companys Chief Executive Officer in the form attached as Exhibit 10.3 to the Companys Current
Report on From 8-K filed January 9, 2008. Pursuant to the terms of the restricted stock agreement,
the restricted shares will vest upon: (1) the approval by the United States Food and Drug
Administration of the new drug application for Lymphoseek; (2) the receipt by the Company of a
marketing authorization dossier with the European Medicines Agency; or (3) upon a Change of
Control of the Company, defined for the purposes of the restricted stock award agreement as when:
(a) any person, other than the Company, an
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employee benefit plan created by its Board of Directors for the benefit of its employees, or a
participant in a transaction approved by its Board of Directors for the principal purpose of
raising additional capital, either directly or indirectly, acquires beneficial ownership of
securities issued by the Company having thirty percent (30%) or more of the voting power of all the
voting securities issued by the Company in the election of Directors at the next meeting of the
holders of voting securities to be held for such purpose; (b) a majority of the Directors elected
at any meeting of the holders of voting securities of the Company are persons who were not
nominated for such election by the Board of Directors or a duly constituted committee of the Board
of Directors having authority in such matters; (c) the stockholders of the Company approve a merger
or consolidation of the Company with another person other than a merger or consolidation in which
the holders of the Companys voting securities issued and outstanding immediately before such
merger or consolidation continue to hold voting securities in the surviving or resulting
corporation (in the same relative proportions to each other as existed before such event)
comprising eighty percent (80%) or more of the voting power for all purposes of the surviving or
resulting corporation; or (d) the stockholders of the Company approve a transfer of substantially
all of the assets of the Company to another person other than a transfer to a transferee, eighty
percent (80%) or more of the voting power of which is owned or controlled by the Company or by the
holders of the Companys voting securities issued and outstanding immediately before such transfer
in the same relative proportions to each other as existed before such event. If Mr. Bupps
employment with the Company is terminated before all of the restricted shares have vested, then
pursuant to the terms of the restricted stock agreement all restricted shares that have not vested
at the effective date of Mr. Bupps termination shall immediately be forfeited.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
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Exhibit |
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Number |
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Exhibit Description |
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10.1
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Form of Employment Agreement. This Agreement is one of three substantially identical
employment agreements and is accompanied by a schedule which identifies material details in
which each agreement differs from the form filed herewith. |
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10.2
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Schedule identifying material differences between the employment agreements. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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Neoprobe Corporation
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Date: December 23, 2008 |
By: |
/s/ Brent L. Larson
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Brent L. Larson, Vice President, Finance and |
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Chief Financial Officer |
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