S-8: Initial registration statement for securities to be offered to employees pursuant to employee benefit plans
Published on October 1, 2024
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 1, 2024
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Benitec Biopharma Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 3940 Trust Way Hayward, California 94545 (510) 780-0819 |
84-462-0206 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
Benitec Biopharma Inc. 2020 Equity and Incentive Compensation Plan
(Full title of the plans)
Dr. Jerel Banks
Chief Executive Officer
Benitec Biopharma Inc.
3940 Trust Way
Hayward, California 94545
(510) 780-0819
(Name and address of agent for service)
Copies to:
Matthew S. OLoughlin, Esq.
Louis Rambo, Esq.
Proskauer Rose LLP
2029 Century Park East, Suite 2400
Los Angeles, CA 90067-3010
(310) 557-2900
(310) 557-2193 - Facsimile
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, and emerging growth company in Rule 12b2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large Accelerated Filer | ☐ | Accelerated Filer | ☐ | |||
| Non-Accelerated Filer | ☒ | Smaller Reporting Company | ☒ | |||
| Emerging Growth Company | ☐ | |||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed for the purpose of registering an additional 7,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 (Common Stock) of Benitec Biopharma Inc. (the Company). The increase in the number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Companys 2020 Equity and Incentive Compensation Plan (the Plan) was approved by the Companys stockholders at the Companys Special Meeting of Stockholders held on August 29, 2024. These additional shares of Common Stock are additional securities of the same class as the securities previously registered for issuance on the registrants Registration Statements on Form S-8 with respect to the Plan filed with the Securities Exchange Commission (the SEC) on February 18, 2021 (the Original Form S-8) (File No. 333-253258), December 23, 2021 (the First Amended Form S-8) (File No. 333-261874), and December 26, 2023 (the Second Amended Form S-8) (File No. 333-276267). The total shares that may be issued under the Plan will now be 8,204,537 shares, after giving effect to the increase of 7,000,000 additional shares approved by the Companys stockholders, and the impact of the reverse stock split effected in 2023. Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, the Original Form S-8, the First Amended Form S-8, and the Second Amended Form S-8 are incorporated by reference into and made part of this Registration Statement, except to the extent supplemented, superseded or modified by the specific information set forth below and the specific exhibits attached hereto.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
The following documents filed by the Company with the SEC are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement:
| (a) | the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, filed with the SEC on September 26, 2024; |
| (c) | the Companys Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 1, 2024 and September 5, 2024; and |
| (d) | the description of the Companys Common Stock contained in the Companys Form 8-K12B, filed with the SEC on April 15, 2020, together with any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
All other reports and documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) (other than Current Reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits furnished on such form that relate to such items) on or after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part of this Registration Statement from the date of the filing of such reports and 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 subsequently filed document that also 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 8. Exhibits
| * | Filed herewith |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, 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 Hayward, State of California, on this 1st day of October, 2024.
| BENITEC BIOPHARMA INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Dr. Jerel Banks |
|
| Name: Dr. Jerel Banks | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Dr. Jerel Banks and Megan Boston, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her 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 sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by this Registration Statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, 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 connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that 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, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Signature |
Title |
Date |
||
| /s/ Dr. Jerel Banks Dr. Jerel Banks |
Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
October 1, 2024 | ||
| /s/ Megan Boston Megan Boston |
Executive Director, Director (Principal Accounting and Financial Officer) |
October 1, 2024 | ||
| /s/ J. Kevin Buchi J. Kevin Buchi |
Director |
October 1, 2024 | ||
| /s/ Peter Francis Peter Francis |
Director |
October 1, 2024 | ||
| /s/ Kishan (Kishen) Mehta Kishan (Kishen) Mehta |
Director |
October 1, 2024 | ||
| /s/ Edward Smith Edward Smith |
Director |
October 1, 2024 | ||