Introductory Note
As previously disclosed in its Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on July 8, 2024 (the “Announcement Report”), Morphic Holding, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated as of July 7, 2024, by and among the Company, Eli Lilly and Company, an Indiana corporation (“Parent”), and Rainier Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser”) and wholly owned subsidiary of Parent.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on July 19, 2024, Purchaser commenced a tender offer (the “Offer”) to purchase all of the issued and outstanding shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), at a purchase price of $57.00 per Share (the “Offer Price”), net to the stockholder in cash, without interest thereon and subject to any applicable tax withholding.
The Offer and related withdrawal rights expired as scheduled at one minute past 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on August 15, 2024 (such date and time, the “Expiration Time”), and was not further extended. Computershare Trust Company, N.A., in its capacity as depositary and paying agent for the Offer (the “Depositary and Paying Agent”), has advised Purchaser that, as of the Expiration Time, 46,731,511 Shares had been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer, representing approximately 92.8% of the issued and outstanding Shares as of the Expiration Time. Accordingly, the Minimum Tender Condition (as defined in the Merger Agreement) has been satisfied. As a result of the satisfaction of the Minimum Tender Condition and each of the other conditions to the Offer, on August 16, 2024, Parent and Purchaser accepted for payment the Shares that were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer prior to the Expiration Time. Parent has transmitted payment for such Shares to the Depositary and Paying Agent, which will disburse the Offer Price to tendering Company stockholders whose Shares have been accepted for payment in accordance with the terms of the Offer.
Following the consummation of the Offer, pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions of the Merger Agreement, in accordance with Section 251(h) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) and without a meeting or a vote of the Company’s stockholders, on August 16, 2024, Purchaser was merged with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation and becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent.
Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, as of the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holders thereof, each Share issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than (i) Shares owned by the Company or any wholly owned subsidiary of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time, (ii) Shares owned by Parent, Purchaser or any other subsidiary of Parent or Purchaser at the commencement of the Offer and owned by Parent, Purchaser or any other subsidiary of Parent immediately prior to the Effective Time, (iii) Shares irrevocably accepted for purchase in the Offer or (iv) Shares that were held by stockholders who were entitled to demand and properly demanded appraisal for such Shares pursuant to and in compliance in all respects with Section 262 of the DGCL and did not fail to perfect or otherwise waive, withdraw or lose their rights to such appraisal with respect to such Shares under the DGCL), was automatically converted into the right to receive the Offer Price in cash and without interest, from Purchaser, subject to any applicable tax withholding.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the treatment of the Company’s equity awards was as follows:
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Immediately prior to the Effective Time, each stock option to purchase Common Stock of the Company that was outstanding but not then vested or exercisable was immediately vested and became exercisable in full. At the Effective Time, each outstanding stock option granted under a Company Stock Plan (as defined in the Merger Agreement) that had an exercise price per Share less than the Offer Price was canceled and converted into the right to receive an amount in cash, without interest, less any applicable tax withholding, equal to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the number of Shares underlying such stock option and (ii) the excess, if any, of the Offer Price over the exercise price per Share underlying such stock option. Any stock options that had an exercise price per Share that equaled or exceeded the Offer Price were canceled for no consideration; and |