Exhibit 10.1
Execution Version
LOAN AGREEMENT
THIS LOAN AGREEMENT (as amended or supplemented from time to time, together with any exhibits, schedules or other attachments hereto, this “Agreement”) is entered into as of October 7, 2024 between Virios Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Borrower”), and Conjoint Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Lender”).
RECITALS
Concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Borrower is entering into a Share Exchange Agreement (the “Exchange Agreement”) by and between Borrower and Sealbond Limited, a British Virgin Islands corporation (“Sealbond Seller”), pursuant to which Borrower shall purchase from Sealbond Seller 100% of the issued and outstanding shares in the share capital of Pharmagesic (Holdings) Inc.
Borrower has requested that Lender make and Lender has agreed to make one or more loans to Borrower in the aggregate principal amount of up to Nineteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($19,500,000.00), which loan shall be made in two tranches and the proceeds of which are to be used primarily for the purpose of (1) funding operations and (2) performing clinical and research & development activities by, or on behalf of, WEX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Wex”) related to Halneuron® (collectively, the “R&D Activities”) as further described herein.
Lender is willing to make such loans to Borrower on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth and as evidenced and secured by the Loan Documents (as such term is hereinafter defined).
WITNESSETH
In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
“2025 Loan” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.
“2025 Loan Closing Date” means February 18, 2025.
“2025 Note” means the Promissory Note evidencing the 2025 Loan by Borrower for the benefit of Lender, dated as of its date of issuance, as amended, extended or supplemented from time to time, in substantially the form attached as Exhibit A.
“2025 Note Closing” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“Approvals” means, collectively, any and all licenses, permits and approvals, orders, franchises, registrations, certificates, qualifications, consents, authorizations, determinations, filings and declarations required by any Government Authority, other party or pursuant to any agreement to which a party is bound.
“Borrower” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday on which commercial banks in the State of New York are required or permitted by law to close.
“Closing” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.
“Closing Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.
“Determination Date” means October 1, 2024 and each one year anniversary thereof; provided, that if such date is not a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, the Determination Date shall be the next such U.S. Government Securities Business Day.
“Event of Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.
“Exchange Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Exchange Loan” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.
“Exchange Loan Closing Date” means October 7, 2024.
“Exchange Note” means the Promissory Note evidencing the Exchange Loan by Borrower for the benefit of Lender, dated as of its date of issuance, as amended, extended or supplemented from time to time, in substantially the form attached as Exhibit A.
“Exchange Note Closing” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.
“Fundamental Transaction” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.
“Government Authority” means any governmental or quasi-governmental authority or official, including, without limitation, any federal, state, territorial, provincial, county, municipal or other governmental or quasi-governmental agency, board, branch, bureau, commission, court, department, other instrumentality, political unit, subdivision or official, whether domestic or foreign.
“Lender” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Loan” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.
“Loan Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, the Exchange Note, the 2025 Note, and any and all other documents, instruments, and certificates contemplated thereby or executed and delivered in connection with this Agreement or the Exchange Note and/or the 2025 Note, as applicable, as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time. For the avoidance of doubt, “Loan Documents” when used in this Agreement to refer solely to (i) the Exchange Loan or the Closing of the Exchange Loan shall be deemed to refer to only such documents, instruments and certificates related to the Exchange Loan and (ii) the 2025 Loan or the Closing of the 2025 shall be deemed to refer to only such documents, instruments and certificates related to the 2025 Loan.
“Loan Monitoring Committee” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.3.
“Maturity Date” means the three (3) year anniversary of the date of the Exchange Loan Closing Date.
“Notes” means, collectively, the Exchange Note and the 2025 Note.
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“R&D Activities” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Sealbond Seller” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“SOFR” means a rate equal to the secured overnight financing rate as administered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).
“Term SOFR” means the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR published by CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited (CBA) (or a successor administrator of the Term SOFR Reference Rate selected by the Lender in its reasonable discretion) for a tenor of one year on the Determination Date then most recently occurred. In the event that Term SOFR cannot be determined for any Determination Date for any reason, Lender shall have the right to (1) set Term SOFR for such Determination Date as, at its election, Term SOFR as of the last U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which Term SOFR was available or, if applicable, the next U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which Term SOFR is available or (2) in the event that Term SOFR has been discontinued or is not expected to become determinable again, require Borrower to enter into an amendment this Agreement to replace Term SOFR as the benchmark rate hereunder (including with a forward looking SOFR-based rate of a different tenor) and effect such other conforming changes as are necessary, in Lender’s reasonable determination, to effect such change.
“U.S. Government Securities Business Day” means any day except for (a) a Saturday, (b) a Sunday or (c) a day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.
“Wex” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
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If to Borrower:Virios Therapeutics, Inc.
44 Milton Avenue
Alpharetta, GA 30009
Attention:Angela Walsh
If to Lender:Conjoint Inc.
2 Dai Fu Street
Tai Po Industrial Estate, New Territories, Hong Kong
Attention:Chief Financial Officer
Email:peter.wong@ck-lifesciences.com
or, in each case, at such other address, or to the attention of such other officer, as each party shall have furnished to the other party in writing.
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[SIGNATURES APPEAR ON NEXT PAGE]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed and delivered this Agreement as an instrument under seal as of the date and year first written above.
BORROWER:
VIRIOS THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By:/s/ Greg Duncan_______________________
Name:Greg Duncan
Title:Chief Executive Officer
LENDER:
CONJOINT INC.
By:/s/ Wong Wun Lam____________________
Name:Wong Wun Lam
Title:Director
[Signature Page to Loan Agreement]
PROMISSORY NOTE
For value received, Virios Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to Conjoint Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Lender”), the aggregate principal sum of [__________]1, plus any interest accrued thereon from time to time in accordance with Section 2 hereof, plus any other amounts due hereunder, in the amounts and on the dates set forth in this Promissory Note (this “Note”).
This Note evidences the [Exchange][2025] Loan made by Lender to Borrower pursuant to that certain Loan Agreement dated as of October 7, 2024 (the “Loan Agreement”) and all other documents, instruments and agreements evidencing the loan evidenced by this Note (as amended or affected from time to time). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Loan Agreement.
1 Note to Draft: Insert [Sixteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($16,500,000.00)] OR [Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00)]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Note as of the date first set forth above.
VIRIOS THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By:
Name:
Title:
ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO:
CONJOINT INC.
By:
Name:
Title:
[Signature Page to Promissory Note]