As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 1, 2008
Registration No. 333-
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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GERON CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware 75-2287752
(State or Other Jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or Organization) Identification Number)
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230 Constitution Drive
Menlo Park, California 94025
(Addresses of Principal Executive Offices including Zip Codes)
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2002 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
(Full Title of the Plans)
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Thomas B. Okarma Copy to:
President and Chief Executive Officer Alan C. Mendelson, Esq.
Geron Corporation Latham & Watkins LLP
230 Constitution Drive 140 Scott Drive
Menlo Park, California 94025 Menlo Park, California 94025
(650) 473-7700 (650) 328-4600
(Name and Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,
Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See
the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller
reporting company" in Rule 12b2 of the Exchange Act.
[ ] Large accelerated filer [X] Accelerated filer
[ ] Non-accelerated filer [ ] Smaller reporting company
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
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CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Amount Proposed Maximum Proposed Amount of
to be Offering Price Maximum Aggregate Registration
Title of Securities to be Registered Registered (1)(2) Per Share (3) Offering Price (3) Fee
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Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share,
issuable under the 2002 Equity Incentive
Plan (4) 2,000,000 $4.34 $8,680,000 $341.12
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Total.................................. 2,000,000 $4.34 $8,680,000 $341.12
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(1) The 2002 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2002 Plan") authorizes the issuance of
15,579,603 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Common
Stock"), of Geron Corporation (the "Company"), of which 2,000,000 shares
are being registered hereunder.
(2) This registration statement shall also cover any additional shares of
Common Stock which become issuable under the Plan by reason of any stock
dividend, stock split, recapitalization or any other similar transaction
effected without the receipt of consideration which results in an increase
in the number of the outstanding shares of the Company's Common Stock.
(3) Estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee
pursuant to Rule 457(h) and (c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act of 1933"), and is based on the average ($4.34)
of the high ($4.44) and low ($4.23) sales price of the Common Stock, as
reported on the Nasdaq Global Market on July 29, 2008.
(4) Each share of Common Stock being registered hereunder, if issued prior to
the termination by the Company of its Rights Agreement dated as of July 20,
2001, will include one preferred share purchase right. Prior to the
occurrence of certain events, the preferred share purchase rights will not
be exercisable or evidenced separately from the Common Stock.
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Proposed sale to take place as soon after the effective date of the registration
statement as options granted under the Plan are exercised.
Total Pages 9
Exhibit Index on Page 7
REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL SECURITIES
On July 3, 2002, Geron Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("Geron" or
the "Company") filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration No.
333-91916 (the "First Registration Statement"), with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") relating to an aggregate of 7,000,000 shares of
the Company's common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Common Stock"), to
be offered and sold under the 2002 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). On
October 7, 2004, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8,
Registration No. 333-119601 (the "Second Registration Statement"), with the
Commission relating to an additional 579,603 shares of Common Stock issuable
under the Plan. On August 5, 2005, the Company filed a Registration on Statement
on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-127255 (the "Third Registration Statement"),
with the Commission relating to an additional 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock
issuable under the Plan. On August 4, 2006, the Company filed a Registration
Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-136330 (the "Fourth Registration
Statement"), with the Commission relating to an additional 2,000,000 shares of
Common Stock issuable under the Plan. On August 1, 2007, the Company filed a
Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-145042, (the "Fifth
Registration Statement"), with the Commission relating to an additional
2,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable under the Plan. Pursuant to
Instruction E of Form S-8, the contents of the First Registration Statement,
Second Registration Statement, Third Registration Statement, Fourth Registration
Statement and Fifth Registration Statement are incorporated by reference in this
registration statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement"). The Company
is hereby registering an additional 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable
under the Plan, none of which has been issued as of the date of this
Registration Statement.
PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
The information called for in Part I of the Form S-8 is not being filed
with or included in this Form S-8 (by incorporation by reference or otherwise)
in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference
The following documents filed with the Commission by Geron are
incorporated as of their respective dates in this registration statement by
reference:
o Geron's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2007, filed with the Commission on February 28, 2008;
o Geron's Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on
January 25, 2008, March 21, 2008, March 31, 2008, and May 14,
2008;
o Geron's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended
March 31, 2008, filed with the Commission on April 30, 2008;
o Geron's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three and six
months ended June 30, 2008, filed with the Commission on July 31,
2008;
o the description of Geron preferred share purchase rights,
contained in Geron's Current Report on Form 8-K dated as of July
20, 2001, filed with the Commission on July 23, 2001, and any
amendment or report filed with the Commission for purposes of
updating the description.
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All documents filed by Geron pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold are incorporated by reference
in this registration statement and are a part hereof from the date of filing
such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement
contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is
deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such
statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,
except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration
statement.
Item 4. Description of Securities
Not applicable.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel
The consolidated financial statements of Geron Corporation appearing in
Geron's Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2007, and the
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31,
2007 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein, and
incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are
incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the
authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
The Company is incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware.
Reference is made to Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law,
or DGCL, which enables a corporation in its original certificate of
incorporation or an amendment thereto to eliminate or limit the personal
liability of a director for violations of the director's fiduciary duty, except
(1) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its
stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve
intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) pursuant to Section
174 of the DGCL, which provides for liability of directors for unlawful payments
of dividends of unlawful stock purchase or redemptions, or (4) for any
transaction from which a director derived an improper personal benefit.
Reference is also made to Section 145 of the DGCL, which provides that
a corporation may indemnify any person, including an officer or director, who
is, or is threatened to be made, party to any threatened, pending or completed
legal action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, other than an action by or in the right of such corporation, by
reason of the fact that such person was an officer, director, employee or agent
of such corporation or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The
indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and
amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in
connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such officer,
director, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
believed to be in, or not opposed to, the corporation's best interest and, for
criminal proceedings, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was
unlawful. A Delaware corporation may indemnify any officer or director in an
action by or in the right of the corporation under the same conditions, except
that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer or
director is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or
director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action
referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him against the expenses that
such officer or director actually and reasonably incurred.
The Company's certificate of incorporation provides for indemnification
of the officers and directors to the full extent permitted by applicable law.
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Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed
Not applicable.
Item 8. Exhibits
A list of exhibits filed with this registration statement is set forth
in the Exhibit Index on page 7 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9. 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 this 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 this registration
statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of
securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not
exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of
the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus
filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in
volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum
aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee"
table in the effective registration statement; and
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan
of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any
material change to such information in this registration statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic 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 this
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.
(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 this
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 pursuant to existing provisions, or otherwise, the
registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
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indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of
1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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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-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Menlo Park, State of California, on August 1, 2008.
GERON CORPORATION
By: /s/ David L. Greenwood
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David L. Greenwood
Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints Thomas B. Okarma and David L. Greenwood, and each
of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full power
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective
amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all
exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them,
full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done in order to effectuate the same as fully, to
all intents and purposes, as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying
and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of
them, or their or his substitutes or substitute may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.
Signature Title Date
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/s/ Thomas B. Okarma President, Chief Executive Officer and August 1, 2008
----------------------- Director (Principal Executive Officer)
Thomas B. Okarma
/s/ David L. Greenwood Executive Vice President and Chief August 1, 2008
----------------------- Financial Officer (Principal Financial
David L. Greenwood and Accounting Officer)
/s/ Alexander E. Barkas Director August 1, 2008
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Alexander E. Barkas
/s/ Edward V. Fritzky Director August 1, 2008
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Edward V. Fritzky
/s/ Charles J. Homcy Director August 1, 2008
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Charles J. Homcy
/s/ Thomas D. Kiley Director August 1, 2008
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Thomas D. Kiley
/s/ John P. Walker Director August 1, 2008
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John P. Walker
/s/ Patrick J. Zenner Director August 1, 2008
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Patrick J. Zenner
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EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT PAGE
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4.1+ 2002 Equity Incentive Plan N/A
4.2++ Rights Agreement dated as of July 20, 2001, between Geron N/A
Corporation and U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation, as Rights Agent 8
5.1 Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP
23.1 Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 9
24.1 Power of Attorney (included on the signature page to this 6
Registration Statement)
(+) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2007 filed on April
30, 2007.
(++) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Current Report on
Form 8-K filed on July 23, 2001.
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