EX-19.1 3 ex_777066.htm EXHIBIT 19.1 ex_777066.htm

Exhibit 19.1

SIGA Technologies, Inc.
Insider Trading Compliance Policy and Procedures

(as of June 11, 2024)

 

 

Federal and state laws prohibit trading in the securities of a company while in possession of material nonpublic information and in breach of a duty of trust or confidence. These laws also prohibit anyone who is aware of material nonpublic information from providing this information to others who may trade. Violating such laws can undermine investor trust, harm the reputation and integrity of SIGA Technologies, Inc. (the “Company”), and result in dismissal from the Company or even serious criminal and civil charges against the individual and the Company. The Company reserves the right to take whatever disciplinary or other measure(s) it determines in its sole discretion to be appropriate in a particular situation, including disclosure of wrongdoing to governmental authorities.

 

The Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) has adopted this Policy in order to ensure compliance with the law and to avoid even the appearance of improper conduct by anyone associated with the Company.

 

 

A.

Persons Covered and Administration of Policy

 

This Insider Trading Compliance Policy and Procedures (this “Policy”) applies to all officers, directors and employees of the Company. For purposes of this Policy, “officers” refer to those individuals who meet the definition of “officer” under Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (as amended, the “Exchange Act”). Individuals subject to this Policy are responsible for ensuring that members of their household comply with this Policy. This Policy also applies to any entities controlled by individuals subject to the Policy, including any corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships or trusts, and transactions by these entities should be treated for the purposes of this Policy as if they were for the individual’s own account. The Company may determine that this Policy applies to additional persons with access to material nonpublic information, such as contractors or consultants. Officers, directors and employees, together with any other person designated as being subject to this Policy by the General Counsel or his or her designee or such other officer appointed by the Company (the “Compliance Officer”), are referred to collectively as “Covered Persons.” It is also the policy of the Company that the Company will not engage in transactions in securities of the Company while aware of material nonpublic information relating to the Company or its securities.

 

Questions regarding the Policy should be directed to the Compliance Officer, who is responsible for the administration of this Policy.

 

 

B.

Policy Statement

 

No Covered Person shall purchase or sell any type of security while in possession of material nonpublic information relating to the security or the issuer of such security in breach of a duty of trust or confidence, whether the issuer of such security is the Company or any other company. In addition, if a Covered Person is in possession of material nonpublic information about other publicly traded companies, such as suppliers, customers, competitors or potential acquisition targets, the Covered Person may not trade in such other companies’ securities until the information becomes public or is no longer material. Further, no Covered Person shall purchase or sell any security of any other company, including another company in the Company’s industry, while in possession of material nonpublic information if such information is obtained in the course of the Covered Person’s employment or service with the Company.

 

In addition, Covered Persons shall not directly or indirectly communicate material nonpublic information to anyone outside the Company (except in accordance with the Company’s policies regarding confidential information) or to anyone within the Company other than on a “need-to-know” basis. Finally, additional obligations apply to purchases and sales of the Company’s securities by officers and directors. Those additional obligations are included on Addendum 1 to this Policy.

 

“Securities” includes stocks, bonds, notes, debentures, options, restricted stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), stock appreciation rights, warrants and other convertible securities, as well as derivative instruments.

 

“Purchase” and “sale” are defined broadly under the federal securities law. “Purchase” includes not only the actual purchase of a security, but also any contract to purchase or otherwise acquire a security. “Sale” includes not only the actual sale of a security, but also any contract to sell or otherwise dispose of a security. These definitions extend to a broad range of transactions, including conventional cash-for-stock transactions, conversions, the exercise of stock options, transfers, gifts, and acquisitions and exercises of warrants or puts, calls, pledging and margin loans, or other derivative securities.

 

The laws and regulations concerning insider trading are complex, and Covered Persons are encouraged to seek guidance from the Compliance Officer prior to considering a transaction in Company securities.

 

 

C.

Blackout Periods

 

No officer, director, or employee shall purchase or sell any security of the Company during the period beginning on the first day after any fiscal quarter of the Company and ending upon the completion of the first full trading day after the public release of earnings data for such fiscal quarter, or during any other trading suspension period declared by the Company.

 

In addition, from time to time, the Compliance Officer and Chief Financial Officer may recommend that directors, officers, employees or others suspend trading in Company securities because of developments that have not yet been disclosed to the public. Subject to the exceptions noted below, all of those individuals affected should not trade in the Company’s securities while the suspension is in effect and should not disclose to others that the Company has suspended trading.

 

Exceptions to prohibitions on trading during the foregoing periods (such periods, “blackout periods”) may be approved by the Compliance Officer.

 

In addition, these trading prohibitions do not apply to:

 

 

exercises of stock options or the surrender of shares to the Company in payment of the exercise price; vesting of restricted stock or RSUs, including when the Company elects to withhold shares of stock to satisfy tax withholding requirements upon the release of any restricted stock or RSU or other equity awards; in each case in a manner permitted by the applicable equity award agreement and that does not involve a market sale of the Company’s securities (the “cashless exercise” of a Company stock option or other equity award through a broker does involve a market sale of the Company’s securities, and therefore would not qualify under this exception);

 

 

bona fide gifts of the Company’s securities, unless the individual making the gift knows, or is reckless in not knowing, the recipient intends to sell the securities while the donor is in possession of material nonpublic information about the Company;

 

 

purchases or sales of the Company’s securities mandated under an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company which authorizes the sale of only such securities as are necessary to satisfy tax withholding obligations arising exclusively from the vesting of a compensatory award or made pursuant to a plan adopted to comply with the Exchange Act Rule 10b5-1 (“Rule 10b5-1”); or

 

 

D.

Preclearance of Trades by Directors, Officers and Employees

 

All transactions in the Company’s securities by directors, officers, or employees of the Company (each, a “Preclearance Person”) must be precleared by the Compliance Officer or, for transactions by the Compliance Officer, the Chief Financial Officer. Preclearance should not be understood to represent legal advice by the company that a proposed transaction complies with the law.

 

A request for preclearance must be in writing, should be made at least two (2) business days in advance of the proposed transaction, and should include the identity of the Preclearance Person, a description of the proposed transaction, the proposed date of the transaction, and the number of shares or other securities involved. In addition, the Preclearance Person must execute a certification that he or she is not aware of material nonpublic information about the Company. The Compliance Officer, or the Chief Financial Officer for transactions by the Compliance Officer, shall have sole discretion to decide whether to clear any contemplated transaction. All trades that are precleared must be effected within two (2) business days of receipt of the preclearance. A precleared trade (or any portion of a precleared trade) that has not been effected during the two (2) business day period must be submitted for preclearance determination again prior to execution. Notwithstanding receipt of preclearance, if the Preclearance Person becomes aware of material nonpublic information or becomes subject to a blackout period before the transaction is effected, the transaction may not be completed. Transactions under a previously established Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan that has been preapproved in accordance with this Policy are not subject to further preclearance.

 

None of the Company, the Compliance Officer, or the Company’s other employees will have any liability for any delay in reviewing, or refusal of, a request for preclearance.

 

 

1.

Material Nonpublic Information

 

Information is considered “material” if there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it important in making a decision to buy, sell, or hold a security, or if the information is likely to have a significant effect on the market price of the security. Material information can be positive or negative and can relate to virtually any aspect of a company’s business or to any type of security, debt, or equity. Also, information that something is likely to happen in the future—or even just that it may happen—could be deemed material.

 

Examples of material information may include (but are not limited to) information about:

 

 

corporate earnings or earnings forecasts;

 

 

possible mergers, acquisitions, tender offers, or dispositions;

 

 

major new products or product developments;

 

 

new contracts with any entity, including the United States government or any foreign government, negotiations with respect to such contracts, or material changes to (or termination or cancellation of) existing contracts;

 

 

results of clinical trials or preclinical studies;

 

 

communications sent to or received from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or foreign regulatory authorities;

 

 

important business developments, such as the status of regulatory submissions;

 

 

management or control changes;

 

 

financing developments including pending public or private sales or offerings of debt or equity securities;

 

 

stock dividends or the repurchase of securities;

 

 

defaults on borrowings;

 

 

raw material shortages;

 

 

bankruptcies;

 

 

cybersecurity or data security incidents; and

 

 

significant litigation, government investigation, or regulatory actions.

 

If you have any doubt as to the materiality of information known to you, you should consult the Compliance Officer. In addition to the restrictions set forth in this Policy, all non-public information, whether or not material, is subject to the Company’s Confidentiality of Information Policy.

 

Information is “nonpublic” if it is not available to the general public. In order for information to be considered “public,” it must be widely disseminated in a manner that makes it generally available to investors in a Regulation FD-compliant method, such as through a press release, a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or a Regulation FD-compliant conference call. The Compliance Officer shall have sole discretion to decide whether information is public for purposes of this Policy.

 

The circulation of rumors, even if accurate and reported in the media, does not constitute public dissemination. In addition, even after a public announcement, a reasonable period of time may need to lapse in order for the market to react to the information. Generally, the passage of one to two full trading days following release of the information to the public, is a reasonable waiting period before such information is deemed to be public.

 

 

E.

Post-Termination Transactions

 

This Policy continues to apply to transactions in Company securities even after a person’s service with the Company is terminated. If a person is in possession of material nonpublic information when his or her service terminates, that individual may not trade in Company securities until that information has become public or is no longer material. Questions or concerns on whether any continuing nonpublic information remains material should be directed to the Compliance Officer. Although the pre-clearance procedures specified in Section D above will cease to apply upon termination of service, individuals subject to a quarterly blackout period at the time of termination of service may not trade in Company securities until after the end of the blackout period.

 

 

F.

Prohibited Transactions

 

The Company has determined that there is a heightened legal risk and the appearance of improper or inappropriate conduct if persons subject to this Policy engage in certain types of transactions. Therefore, Covered Persons shall comply with the following policies with respect to certain transactions in the Company’s securities.

 

 

1.

Short Sales

 

Short sales of the Company’s securities are prohibited by this Policy. Short sales of the Company’s securities, or sales of shares that the insider does not own at the time of sale, or sales of shares against which the insider does not deliver the shares within 20 days after the sale, evidence an expectation on the part of the seller that the securities will decline in value, and, therefore, signal to the market that the seller has no confidence in the Company or its short-term prospects. In addition, Section 16(c) of the Exchange Act prohibits Section 16 reporting persons (i.e., directors, officers, and the Company’s 10% stockholders) from making short sales of the Company’s equity securities.

 

 

2.

Options

 

Transactions in puts, calls, or other derivative securities involving the Company’s equity securities, on an exchange, on an over-the-counter market, or in any other organized market, are prohibited by this Policy. A transaction in options is, in effect, a bet on the short-term movement of the Company’s stock and, therefore, creates the appearance that a Covered Person is trading based on material nonpublic information. Transactions in options, whether traded on an exchange, on an over-the-counter market, or any other organized market, also may focus a Covered Person’s attention on short-term performance at the expense of the Company’s long-term objectives.

 

 

3.

Hedging Transactions

 

Hedging transactions involving the Company’s securities, such as prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars and exchange funds, or other transactions that hedge or offset, or are designed to hedge or offset, any decrease in the market value of the Company’s equity securities, are prohibited by this Policy. Such transactions allow the Covered Person to continue to own the covered securities, but without the full risks and rewards of ownership. When that occurs, the Covered Person may no longer have the same objectives as the Company’s other stockholders.

 

 

4.

Margin Accounts and Pledging

 

Individuals are prohibited from pledging Company securities as collateral for a loan, purchasing Company securities on margin (i.e., borrowing money to purchase the securities), or placing Company securities in a margin account. This prohibition does not apply to cashless exercises of stock options under the Company’s equity plans, nor to situations where the Covered Person clearly demonstrates their financial capacity to repay the loan without resorting to the pledged securities, subject to pre-clearance in advance by the Compliance Officer.

 

 

G.

Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans

 

 

1.

Requirements

 

The trading restrictions set forth in this Policy, other than those transactions described under “Prohibited Transactions,” do not apply to transactions under a previously established contract, plan or instruction to trade in the Company’s securities entered into in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 (a “Trading Plan”) that:

 

 

has been submitted to and preapproved by the Compliance Officer (and in the case of the Company, by the Board or a committee of the Board);

 

 

includes a “Cooling Off Period” for

 

 

o

Section 16 reporting persons that extends to the later of 90 days after adoption or modification of a Trading Plan or two business days after filing the Form 10-K or Form 10-Q covering the fiscal quarter in which the Trading Plan was adopted, up to a maximum of 120 days; and

 

 

o

employees and any other persons, other than the Company, that extends 30 days after adoption or modification of a Trading Plan;

 

 

for Section 16 reporting persons, includes a representation in the Trading Plan that the Section 16 reporting person is (1) not aware of any material nonpublic information about the Company or its securities; and (2) adopting the Trading Plan in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade Rule 10b-5;  

 

 

has been entered into in good faith at a time when the individual was not in possession of material nonpublic information about the Company and not otherwise in a blackout period, and the person who entered into the Trading Plan has acted in good faith with respect to the Trading Plan;

 

 

either (1) specifies the amounts, prices, and dates of all transactions under the Trading Plan; or (2) provides a written formula, algorithm, or computer program for determining the amount, price, and date of the transactions, and (3) prohibits the individual from exercising any subsequent influence over the transactions; and

 

 

complies with all other applicable requirements of Rule 10b5-1.

 

The Compliance Officer may impose such other conditions on the implementation and operation of the Trading Plan as the Compliance Officer deems necessary or advisable. Individuals may not adopt more than one Trading Plan at a time except under the limited circumstances permitted by Rule 10b5-1 (including Trading Plans which authorize an agent to sell only such securities as are necessary to satisfy tax withholding obligations arising exclusively from the vesting of a compensatory award) and subject to preapproval by the Compliance Officer.

 

An individual may only modify a Trading Plan outside of a blackout period and, in any event, when the individual does not possess material nonpublic information. Modifications to and terminations of a Trading Plan are subject to preapproval by the Compliance Officer and modifications of a Trading Plan that change the amount, price, or timing of the purchase or sale of the securities underlying a Trading Plan will trigger a new Cooling-Off Period.

 

The Company reserves the right to publicly disclose, announce, or respond to inquiries from the media regarding the adoption, modification, or termination of a Trading Plan and non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangements, or the execution of transactions made under a Trading Plan. The Company also reserves the right from time to time to suspend, discontinue, or otherwise prohibit transactions under a Trading Plan if the Compliance Officer or the Board of Directors, in its discretion, determines that such suspension, discontinuation, or other prohibition is in the best interests of the Company.

 

Compliance of a Trading Plan with the terms of Rule 10b5-1 and the execution of transactions pursuant to the Trading Plan are the sole responsibility of the person initiating the Trading Plan, and none of the Company, the Compliance Officer, or the Company’s other employees assumes any liability for any delay in reviewing and/or refusing to approve a Trading Plan submitted for approval, nor the legality or consequences relating to a person entering into, informing the Company of, or trading under, a Trading Plan.

 

2.         Outside Trades.

 

Adoption of a Rule 10b5-1 Plan does not preclude trading outside of the plan that otherwise is in accordance with the Insider Trading Policy. However, directors and employees should be cognizant of the fact that the Rule 10b5-1 affirmative defense will not apply to such trades outside a Rule 10b5-1 Plan. In addition, under Rule 10b5-1, the director or employee may not have further influence over whether, when or how the trades under the plan are made once the plan is put in place, and therefore their trading outside of the plan must not have direct or indirect influence on the trading instructions under the plan. In other words, securities subject to the plan (e.g., shares underlying unexercised stock options) should not be purchased or sold outside the plan.

 

 

H.

Interpretation, Amendment, and Implementation of this Policy

 

The Compliance Officer shall have the authority to interpret and update this Policy and all related policies and procedures. In particular, such interpretations and updates of this Policy, as authorized by the Compliance Officer, may include amendments to or departures from the terms of this Policy to the extent consistent with the general purpose of this Policy and applicable securities laws.

 

Actions taken by the Company, the Compliance Officer, or any other Company personnel do not constitute legal advice, nor do they insulate you from the consequences of noncompliance with this Policy or with securities laws.

 

Certification of Compliance

 

All directors, officers, employees and others subject to this Policy will be required periodically to certify their compliance with the terms and provisions of this Policy.

 

 

 

 

Addendum 1

 

Additional Obligations for Officers and Directors

 

 

1.

REPORTING AND FORM FILING REQUIREMENTS

 

Under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, directors and officers of the Company, as well as beneficial owners of more than 10% of the outstanding shares of any class of voting Company equity securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, must file forms with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) disclosing their direct and indirect pecuniary interest in most transactions involving the Company’s equity securities. In this context, “equity securities” of the Company include shares of the classes of equity securities created under the Company’s governing documents, such as common stock, as well as any securities (regardless of whether issued by the Company) that are exchangeable for or convertible into, or that derive their value from, an equity security of the Company. These other securities are known as “derivative securities,” and include options, restricted share units, warrants, convertible securities and stock appreciation rights.

 

 

A.

Forms 3, 4 and 5

The Compliance Officer will assist directors and officers in preparing and filing the following Section 16 reports but each individual director and officer is responsible for the timing and contents of his or her reports:

 

 

Form 3, Initial Beneficial Ownership Statement.  A person who becomes a director or officer of the Company must file a Form 3 within 10 calendar days of becoming a director or officer, even if such person does not own any Company equity securities at the time. The Form 3 must disclose such person’s position and ownership of any Company equity securities as of immediately prior to assuming office.

 

 

Form 4, Changes of Beneficial Ownership Statement. As long as a person remains a director or officer, and for up to six months after a person no longer holds such a position with the Company, a Form 4 must be filed with the SEC before 10:00 p.m., Eastern, on the second business day following any transaction by that person, whether directly or indirectly, in Company equity securities. There are exceptions to this requirement for acquisitions from gifts (but not dispositions by gifts).

 

 

Form 5, Annual Beneficial Ownership Statement.  A Form 5 must be filed with the SEC by any individual who served as a director or officer of the Company during any part of the Company’s fiscal year to report:

 

all reportable transactions in Company equity securities that were specifically eligible for deferred reporting on Form 5;

 

all transactions that should have been reported during the last fiscal year but were not; and

 

with respect to an individual’s first Form 5, all transactions which should have been reported but were not for the last two fiscal years.

 

A Form 5 need not be filed if all transactions otherwise reportable have been previously reported. If required, Form 5 must be filed within 45 days after the end of the Company’s fiscal year, e.g., February 14 for calendar-year companies, or the first business day thereafter. Common types of transactions reportable on Form 5 include acquisitions from gifts (but not dispositions by gifts) and certain acquisitions of less than $10,000 in any six-month period, either of which may be reported on a voluntary basis on any Form 4 filed before the Form 5 is due.

 

 

B.

Indirect Ownership by Related Insiders

The reports described above must also reflect any indirect ownership by directors and officers, including all holdings and transactions by Related Insiders. This includes changes in ownership by immediate family members living in the director’s officer’s household and any other person or entity over whom the individual exercises influence or control over his, her or its securities trading decisions. For this purpose, “immediate family” includes a spouse, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents and siblings, including in-laws and adoptive relationships.

 

 

C.

Rule 144

Officers and Directors must also ensure their compliance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to sales of any Company securities, which may include filing a Form 144 with the SEC.

 

Any questions concerning whether a particular transaction will necessitate filing of one of these forms, or how or when they should be completed should be asked of the Compliance Officer, or, if you prefer, your individual legal counsel. The Company must disclose in its Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its Proxy Statement any delinquent filings of Forms 3, 4 or 5 by directors and officers, and must post on its website, by the end of the business day after filing with the SEC, any Forms 3, 4 and 5 relating to the Companys securities.