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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 14, 2019.

Registration Statement No. 333-229907


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO

FORM F-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

GENFIT S.A.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

France
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  2836
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  Not applicable
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

Parc Eurasanté
885, avenue Eugène Avinée
59120 Loos, France
+33 3 20 16 4000
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

Corporation Service Company
1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 210
New York, NY 10036
+1 800 927 9801

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies to:

Marc A. Recht
Brian F. Leaf
Katie A. Kazem
Cooley LLP
500 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116
+1 617 937 2300

 

Bertrand Sénéchal
Linklaters LLP
25 rue de Marignan
75008 Paris, France
+33 1 56 43 56 43

 

Mitchell S. Bloom
Edwin M. O'Connor
Markus Bauman
Goodwin Procter LLP
100 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA 02210
+1 617 570 1000

 

Linda Hesse
Florent Bouyer
Jones Day
2, rue Saint-Florentin
75001 Paris, France
+33 1 56 59 39 39

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
As soon as practicable after this registration statement becomes effective.

           If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act, check the following box.    o

           If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

           If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

           If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

           Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.

           Emerging growth company    ý

           If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, 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.    o

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

       
 
TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF SECURITIES
TO BE REGISTERED(1)

  PROPOSED MAXIMUM
AGGREGATE OFFERING
PRICE(2)(3)

  AMOUNT OF
REGISTRATION FEE(4)(5)

 

Ordinary shares, €0.25 nominal value per share

  $151,397,500   $18,349.38

 

(1)
All of the offered ordinary shares will be in the form of American Depositary Shares, or ADSs, in the U.S. offering, with each ADS representing one ordinary share. ADSs issuable upon deposit of the ordinary shares registered hereby have been registered pursuant to a separate registration statement on Form F-6.

(2)
Includes ordinary shares (which may be in the form of ADSs) that the underwriters have the option to purchase. See "Underwriting."

(3)
Includes ordinary shares that are being offered in a private placement in Europe (including France) and other countries outside of the United States, but which may be resold from time to time in the United States in transactions requiring registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, or an exemption therefrom. The total number of ordinary shares in the U.S. offering and the European private placement is subject to reallocation between them.

(4)
Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act based on an estimate of the proposed maximum offering price.

(5)
Of this amount, $12,120 was previously paid.

           The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.


The term "new or revised financial accounting standard" refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.

   


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The information contained in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MARCH 14, 2019

PROSPECTUS

5,000,000 Ordinary Shares
(Including Ordinary Shares in the Form of American Depositary Shares)

LOGO

€            per Ordinary Share

$            per American Depositary Share

          We are offering an aggregate of 5,000,000 ordinary shares in a global offering.

          We are offering            ordinary shares in the form of American Depositary Shares, or ADSs, in the United States, referred to herein as the U.S. offering. Each ADS represents the right to receive one ordinary share and the ADSs may be evidenced by American Depositary Receipts, or ADRs.

          We are concurrently offering            ordinary shares in Europe (including France) and countries outside of the United States in a private placement, referred to herein as the European private placement.

          This is our initial public offering of our ADSs in the United States. We have applied to list our ADSs on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "GNFT." Our ordinary shares are listed on Euronext Paris under the symbol "GNFT." The offering price per ADS in U.S. dollars and the corresponding offering price per ordinary share in euros will be determined through negotiations between us and the representatives of the underwriters, and by reference to the prevailing market prices of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris after taking into account market conditions and other factors, but will not be lower than a price that is 15% below the volume-weighted average price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris during a window of five to 30 consecutive trading days (as decided by our company) within the 30 trading days preceding the day on which the offering price is determined. On March 13, 2019, the last reported sale price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris was €23.42 per ordinary share, equivalent to a price of $26.33 per ADS, assuming an exchange rate of €0.8894 per U.S. dollar, the exchange rate on March 8, 2019.

          The closings of the U.S. offering and the European private placement, which are together referred to as the global offering, will occur simultaneously. The total number of ordinary shares (including in the form of ADSs) in the U.S. offering and the European private placement is subject to reallocation between these offerings as permitted under applicable laws and regulations.

          We are an "emerging growth company" as that term is used in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 and, as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements.

          Investing in the ordinary shares and ADSs involves a high degree of risk. See "Risk Factors" beginning on page 13 of this prospectus.

          Under the authority granted by our shareholders to conduct the global offering, the ordinary shares and ADSs that we are offering may only be purchased initially by industrial or commercial companies in the pharmaceutical/biotech sector or investment fund companies or fund management companies or collective savings managing funds governed by French or foreign law or any other legal entity (including a trust) or natural person, investing in the pharmaceutical/biotech sector, that is qualified to invest in a private placement. In order to purchase ordinary shares and/or ADSs in the global offering, you will be required to execute and provide to the underwriters an investor letter representing that you satisfy the foregoing investor criteria.

          Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any U.S. state or other securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

           
 
 
  PER ORDINARY
SHARE

  PER ADS
  TOTAL
 

Initial public offering price

  €               $               $            
 

Underwriting commissions(1)

  €               $               $            
 

Proceeds to us, before expenses

  €               $               $            

 

(1)
We refer you to "Underwriting" beginning on page 221 of this prospectus for additional information regarding underwriting compensation.

          We have granted an option to the underwriters, exercisable within 30 days from the date of the underwriting agreement, to purchase up to an aggregate of 750,000 additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares (representing 15% of the initial size of the global offering) in the global offering to be sold to the several underwriters at the applicable offering price. If the underwriters exercise this option in full, the total underwriting commissions payable by us will be €            ($            ) and the total proceeds to us, before expenses, will be €            ($            ), based on the exchange rate on March 8, 2019.

          The underwriters expect to deliver the ADSs to purchasers in the U.S. offering on or about                  , 2019 through the book-entry facilities of The Depository Trust Company. The underwriters expect to deliver the ordinary shares to purchasers in the European private placement on or about                  , 2019 through the book-entry facilities of Euroclear France.

SVB Leerink   Barclays

 

Bryan, Garnier & Co.   Natixis

 

Roth Capital Partners   H.C. Wainwright & Co.

   

The date of this prospectus is                  , 2019.


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
  Page  

EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION

    i  

MARKET, INDUSTRY AND OTHER DATA

    ii  

TRADEMARKS AND SERVICE MARKS

    ii  

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

    1  

RISK FACTORS

    13  

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    68  

USE OF PROCEEDS

    70  

DIVIDEND POLICY

    72  

CAPITALIZATION

    73  

DILUTION

    75  

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

    78  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

    80  

BUSINESS

    97  

MANAGEMENT

    150  

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS

    167  

PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

    170  

DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL

    172  

LIMITATIONS AFFECTING SHAREHOLDERS OF A FRENCH COMPANY

    197  

DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

    198  

SHARES AND ADSs ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

    208  

MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME AND FRENCH TAX CONSIDERATIONS

    210  

ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

    220  

UNDERWRITING

    221  

EXPENSES RELATING TO THE GLOBAL OFFERING

    230  

LEGAL MATTERS

    231  

EXPERTS

    231  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

    232  

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

    F-1  

        For investors outside the United States: Neither we nor any of the underwriters have done anything that would permit the global offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the global offering of the ADSs and ordinary shares and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States.

        We are incorporated in France, and a majority of our outstanding securities are owned by non-U.S. residents. Under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, we are currently eligible for treatment as a "foreign private issuer." As a foreign private issuer, we will not be required to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as domestic registrants whose securities are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.

        Our financial statements included in this prospectus are presented in euros and, unless otherwise specified, all monetary amounts are in euros. All references in this prospectus to "$," "US$," "U.S.$," "U.S. dollars," "dollars" and "USD" mean U.S. dollars and all references to "€" and "euros," mean euros, unless otherwise noted. Throughout this prospectus, references to ADSs mean ADSs or ordinary shares represented by such ADSs, as the case may be.


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EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION

        The following table sets forth, for each period indicated, the low and high exchange rates for euros expressed in U.S. dollars, the exchange rate at the end of such period and the average of such exchange rates on the last day of each month during such period, based on the noon buying rate of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for the euro. As used in this prospectus, the term "noon buying rate" refers to the rate of exchange for the euro, expressed in U.S. dollars per euro, as certified by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for customs purposes. The exchange rates set forth below demonstrate trends in exchange rates, but the actual exchange rates used throughout this prospectus may vary.

 
  YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,  
 
  2013   2014   2015   2016   2017   2018  

High

    1.3816     1.3927     1.2015     1.1516     1.2041     1.2488  

Low

    1.2774     1.2101     1.0524     1.0375     1.0416     1.1281  

Rate at end of period

    1.3779     1.2101     1.0859     1.0552     1.2022     1.1456  

Average rate per period

    1.3281     1.3297     1.1096     1.1072     1.1396     1.1817  

        The following table sets forth, for each of the last six months for which such information is available, the high and low exchange rates for euros expressed in U.S. dollars and the exchange rate at the end of the month based on the noon buying rate as described above.

 
  SEPTEMBER
2018
  OCTOBER
2018
  NOVEMBER
2018
  DECEMBER
2018
  JANUARY
2019
  FEBRUARY
2019
 

High

    1.1773     1.1594     1.1459     1.1456     1.1524     1.1474  

Low

    1.1566     1.1332     1.1281     1.1300     1.1322     1.1268  

Rate at end of period

    1.1622     1.1332     1.1323     1.1456     1.1454     1.1379  

        On December 31, 2018, the noon buying rate of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for the euro was €1.00 = $1.1456.

        On March 8, 2019, the noon buying rate of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for the euro was €1.00 = $1.1243.

        Unless otherwise indicated, currency translations in this prospectus reflect the March 8, 2019 exchange rate.

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MARKET, INDUSTRY AND OTHER DATA

        Unless otherwise indicated, information contained in this prospectus concerning our industry and the markets in which we operate, including our general expectations and market position, market opportunity and market size estimates, is based on information from independent industry analysts, third-party sources and management estimates. Management estimates are derived from publicly available information released by independent industry analysts and third-party sources, as well as data from our internal research, and are based on assumptions made by us based on such data and our knowledge of such industry and market, which we believe to be reasonable. In addition, while we believe the market opportunity information included in this prospectus is generally reliable and is based on reasonable assumptions, such data involves risks and uncertainties and is subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors." These and other factors could cause our future performance to differ materially from our assumptions and estimates.


TRADEMARKS AND SERVICE MARKS

        "GENFIT," the GENFIT logo and other trademarks or service marks of GENFIT S.A. appearing in this prospectus are the property of GENFIT S.A. or its subsidiaries. Solely for convenience, the trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this prospectus are listed without the ® and ™ symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their right thereto. All other trademarks, trade names and service marks appearing in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners. We do not intend to use or display other companies' trademarks and trade names to imply any relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

        The following summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus and does not contain all of the information you should consider before investing in our ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs). You should read the entire prospectus carefully, including "Risk Factors" and our financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters discussed in the sections of this prospectus titled "Business" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" before making an investment decision. Unless otherwise indicated, "GENFIT," "the company," "our company," "we," "us" and "our" refer to GENFIT S.A. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Overview

        We are a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative drug candidates and diagnostic solutions targeting metabolic and liver-related diseases where there is considerable unmet medical need. We are a leader in the field of nuclear receptor-based drug discovery with a rich history and strong scientific heritage spanning almost two decades. We are evaluating our most advanced drug candidate, elafibranor, in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial as a potential treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, and in a Phase 2 clinical trial as a potential treatment for primary biliary cholangitis, or PBC. In December 2018, we announced positive preliminary results from our Phase 2 clinical trial in PBC. Our drug discovery efforts are based on selecting appropriate nuclear receptors as targets and utilizing rational drug design to optimize our drug candidates. A key differentiator of our development strategy is our NASH biomarker-based diagnostic program, in which we are developing a new in vitro diagnostic, or IVD, test to identify patients with NASH who may be appropriate candidates for drug therapy. In January 2019, we entered into a license agreement with LabCorp to allow them to deploy our IVD test in the clinical research space. Our scientific and clinical expertise, translational disease-driven approach and strong bioinformatics capabilities have allowed us to build a scientific platform through which we discover and develop our drug candidates and diagnostic tools. We believe elafibranor, if approved, has the potential to become a first-line treatment as a monotherapy and the backbone of combination regimens.

        NASH is a liver disease that affects millions of people and for which there are currently no approved therapies. NASH is characterized by an accumulation of fat, inflammation and degeneration of hepatocytes, and may ultimately lead to life-threatening conditions like cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer requiring liver transplant. The global market for the treatment of NASH is growing rapidly and is projected to reach $20 billion by 2025.

        The following table summarizes our drug candidate and diagnostic development pipeline. We have retained worldwide rights to all of our programs.

GRAPHIC

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        Elafibranor, a dual agonist of the nuclear receptors PPARa and PPARd, is currently in Phase 3 development for the treatment of NASH. In our Phase 2b clinical trial, elafibranor achieved resolution of NASH without worsening of fibrosis, which is the primary endpoint of our ongoing global Phase 3 clinical trial. In our Phase 2b clinical trial, elafibranor achieved resolution of NASH without worsening of fibrosis, which has been defined by the FDA for drug registration and is the primary endpoint of our ongoing global Phase 3 clinical trial. However, we did not achieve statistical significance on the pre-specified primary endpoint of our Phase 2b clinical trial, which was based on an outdated definition of resolution of NASH. We have already achieved the enrollment necessary to perform an interim cohort analysis and expect to report interim results by the end of 2019. We believe these results, if positive, could support accelerated approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, and conditional approval from the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, as early as 2020. Elafibranor has received fast track designation from the FDA for the treatment of NASH.

        We are also developing elafibranor for the treatment of PBC, a chronic, progressive liver disease that leads to inflammation and scarring of the small bile ducts in the liver. Although a relatively rare disease mainly affecting women, PBC can develop into cirrhosis and other serious liver complications. There is currently no cure for PBC, and the two drugs approved for the treatment of PBC are limited by drug intolerance, lack of patient response and safety issues. Based on our clinical data in NASH, we believe elafibranor's unique mechanism of action can provide benefits for patients with PBC without significant side effects, such as the serious liver injury or death and pruritis that have been associated with approved PBC treatments. In December 2018, we announced positive preliminary results from our Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating elafibranor for the treatment of PBC. Elafibranor met the primary endpoint of the trial, which was the change at week 12 in serum alkaline phosphatase, or ALP, from baseline, with statistical significance compared to placebo in both doses evaluated. Elafibranor also achieved with high statistical significance when compared to placebo, the composite endpoint of ALP and bilirubin. That endpoint, which has been used for drug registration, is defined as (1) ALP less than 1.67 times the upper limit of normal, or ULN, (2) total bilirubin within normal limits and (3) a reduction of ALP of more than 15%. Based on these positive results, we plan to advance our PBC program into Phase 3 development.

        NASH is a silent disease. Patients often have no symptoms until the first signs of liver failure, and the lack of an accurate, non-invasive diagnosis tool contributes to under-diagnosis. Currently, liver biopsy is the standard for diagnosis, and variation in clinical practice and physician reluctance lead to under-diagnosis. Our blood-based IVD test is a novel, standalone diagnostic that we believe can address the urgent need for a non-invasive, cost-effective, accessible and validated test to identify NASH patients who may be appropriate candidates for drug intervention, thereby decreasing the need for liver biopsy. We believe our IVD test has the potential to benefit patients, improve overall clinical care and facilitate the identification of NASH patients to be treated. We anticipate marketing our IVD test first as a laboratory developed test, or LDT, in 2019, and then submitting our IVD test for FDA marketing authorization in 2020. In January 2019, we entered into a license agreement with LabCorp to allow them to deploy our IVD test in the clinical research space.

        We are also advancing a clinical-stage program based on drug repositioning to develop an anti-fibrotic drug. Our lead drug candidate in this program, nitazoxanide, or NTZ, is an approved anti-parasitic agent. In December 2018, we announced the initiation of an investigator-initiated Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial to evaluate NTZ for the treatment of NASH patients with significant fibrosis.

        Our TGFTX1 preclinical program is focused on the discovery and development of innovative drug candidates targeting RORgt, a nuclear receptor involved in certain inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. We are currently conducting pre-IND studies for a topical treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis.

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        Our current chief executive officer co-founded our company in 1999 and our shares have been listed on Euronext Paris first on Alternext and then on the regulated market under the symbol "GNFT" since 2006. We are led by an executive team and board of directors with deep experience at leading biotech companies, large pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions. We have over 150 employees at our offices in Lille and Paris, France and Cambridge, Massachusetts. The chair of our scientific advisory board, Bart Staels, is a co-founder of our company and a world-renowned expert in nuclear receptors. Our scientific advisory board is comprised of internationally recognized key opinion leaders in the field of metabolic and inflammatory diseases, with a particular focus on the liver and gastroenterology. We believe the expertise of our leadership and the strength of our relationships within the academic and clinical communities are critical to our ability to execute on our mission as we progress our development pipeline.

Our Strengths

        We believe the following strengths will allow us to continue to build upon our leadership position in drug and diagnostic development for metabolic and liver-related diseases and achieve our goal of commercializing our drug and diagnostic candidates:

    Our lead product candidate, elafibranor, is in Phase 3 development for the treatment of NASH, an indication for which there are no approved drugs today, but which presents significant market opportunity. In April 2018, we announced that we had achieved the recruitment goal of 1,000 patients for the interim cohort in our global Phase 3 clinical trial being conducted in 25 countries. We expect to report the results of our interim cohort analysis by the end of 2019, which, if positive, could support accelerated approval from the FDA and conditional approval from the EMA as early as 2020. If approved, we believe elafibranor could be among the first FDA-approved therapies shown to achieve resolution of NASH without worsening of fibrosis.

    We recently announced positive preliminary results from our Phase 2 clinical trial of elafibranor for the treatment of PBC and plan to commence Phase 3 development. In December 2018, we announced that elafibranor met the primary endpoint of our Phase 2 clinical trial, which was the change at week 12 in serum ALP from baseline. Compared to placebo, treatment with 80 mg and 120 mg elafibranor resulted in mean decrease from baseline of –52% and –44%, respectively, each with high statistical significance. With respect to the composite endpoint, the elafibranor 80 mg and 120 mg treatment groups achieved with high statistical significance mean response rates of 67% and 79%, respectively, as compared to 6.7% for the placebo group. We plan to advance our PBC program into Phase 3 development in 2019.

    Elafibranor's results on NASH resolution, its good tolerability and lack of demonstrated safety concerns make it well-positioned among late-stage NASH programs. We believe elafibranor has a favorable tolerability profile based on the results of our Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials. Also, in our Phase 2b clinical trial, we observed elafibranor's ability to resolve NASH without the worsening of fibrosis, which is the primary endpoint of our ongoing global Phase 3 clinical trial, while also showing a decrease in cardiovascular risk factors, an important observation considering the close link between NASH and cardiometabolic disease, and one that has not been reported in other drugs in Phase 3 development for NASH. Elafibranor is, to our knowledge, the only drug currently permitted to be developed for the treatment of children with NASH. We hold over 350 patents and patent applications relating to elafibranor, and the patent covering the use of elafibranor for the treatment of NASH does not expire until 2030, without taking into account any extensions.

    We are a recognized leader in the NASH field.  We are actively involved in the NASH stakeholder community, as a member of the steering committee and co-leader of a working group of The Liver Forum. We also participate in academic consortia, such as the biomarkers

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      consortia in the United States and Europe, and work with patient advocacy groups including the Global Liver Institute, American Liver Forum and the European Liver Patient Association. We also spearhead disease awareness through The NASH Education Program, which is a Genfit public health initiative. These programs provide us with insight from the key stakeholders in NASH and our leadership position enables us to establish credibility with and convey these insights to regulators and payors.

    Our diagnostic program has the potential to expand market opportunity through better patient identification and stratification. Our IVD test is designed to identify NASH patients who may be appropriate candidates for drug intervention. We believe that broad adoption of our non-invasive, accessible test, if validated and authorized for marketing, could not only help solve the problem of NASH under-diagnosis, but also provide physicians with a tool to identify patients who would benefit from treatment with elafibranor or any other appropriate drug. Our license agreement with LabCorp allows for the deployment of our IVD test in the clinical research space through its central laboratories, which we believe will provide expanded access to, and further validation of our IVD test and generate new biological insights on NASH disease pathogenesis.

    Our pipeline extends beyond elafibranor.  In December 2018, we announced the initiation of an investigator-initiated Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial to evaluate NTZ for the treatment of NASH patients with significant fibrosis. If this Phase 2 trial demonstrates anti-fibrotic activity in these patients, we plan to develop NTZ as a combination therapy with elafibranor as part of our strategy in NASH, in addition to development as a standalone monotherapy in fibrotic diseases. Our TGFTX1 program is in preclinical development in certain inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

    Our experienced team is comprised of industry leaders in metabolic and liver-related diseases. We believe that the breadth of experience and accomplishments of our management team, board of directors and scientific advisory board, combined with our broad network of established relationships with leaders in the industry and medical community, provide us with unique insights into drug development and commercialization, and have allowed us to bring together top researchers to build interdisciplinary research and development teams.

Our Strategy

        Our goal is to become a leader in the development of innovative therapies and diagnostics in metabolic and liver-related diseases. The key elements of our strategy to achieve this goal include:

    Obtain regulatory approval for, and commercialize, elafibranor for the treatment of NASH.

    Rapidly advance the clinical development of elafibranor for the treatment of PBC.

    Complete development and prepare for potential commercialization of our NASH IVD test.

    Advance other drug candidates in our pipeline, both alone and in combination with elafibranor.

    Actively manage our development pipeline and opportunistically enter into strategic collaborations.

    Increase public awareness of NASH through The NASH Education Program.

Summary Risk Factors

        An investment in our ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) involves a high degree of risk. Any of the factors set forth under "Risk Factors" may limit our ability to successfully execute our business strategy. You should carefully consider all of the information set forth

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in this prospectus and, in particular, should evaluate the specific factors set forth under "Risk Factors" in deciding whether to invest in our securities. Among these important risks are the following:

    We have never generated profits from product sales. Currently, we have no products approved for commercial sale, and to date we have not generated any revenue from product sales. As a result, our ability to reduce our losses and reach profitability is unproven, and we may never achieve or sustain profitability.

    Our ability to be profitable in the future will depend on our ability to obtain marketing approval for and commercialize our product candidates, particularly our lead product candidate, elafibranor.

    We will require substantial additional funding to commercialize our products, if approved, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all, and, if not so available, may require us to delay, limit, reduce or cease our operations.

    We are developing our lead product candidate, elafibranor for the treatment of NASH, a condition for which no drug has yet been commercialized and for which there is little clinical experience. As a result, our development approach involves new endpoints and methodologies. There is risk that the outcome of our clinical trials will not be favorable or that, even if favorable, regulatory authorities may not find the results of our clinical trials to be sufficient for marketing approval.

    Clinical failure can occur at any stage of clinical development. The results of earlier clinical trials are not necessarily predictive of future results and any product candidate we, or our potential future collaborators advance through clinical trials may not have favorable results in later clinical trials or receive regulatory approval.

    If we are unable to establish sales, marketing and distribution capabilities for our product candidates, whether it be via an internal infrastructure or an arrangement with a commercial partner, we may not be successful in commercializing those product candidates if and when they are approved.

    Our failure to maintain certain tax benefits applicable to French biopharmaceutical companies may adversely affect our results of operations.

    Our ability to compete may decline if we do not adequately protect our proprietary rights.

    The rights of shareholders in companies subject to French corporate law differ in material respects from the rights of shareholders of corporations incorporated in the United States.

    As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from a number of rules under the U.S. securities laws and are permitted to file less information with the SEC than a U.S. company. This may limit the information available to holders of ADSs and ordinary shares.

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company

        We qualify as an "emerging growth company" as defined in the U.S. Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced disclosure and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:

    the ability to present only two years of audited financial statements in addition to any required interim financial statements and correspondingly reduced disclosure in management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations in the registration statement for the global offering of which this prospectus forms a part;

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    exemption from the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; and

    to the extent that we no longer qualify as a foreign private issuer, (1) reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements and (2) exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation, including golden parachute compensation.

        We may take advantage of these provisions for up to five years or such earlier time that we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company if we have more than $1.07 billion in total annual gross revenue, have more than $700 million in market value of our capital stock held by non-affiliates or issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these reduced burdens. For example, we have presented only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations disclosure in this prospectus, and have taken advantage of the exemption from auditor attestation on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. To the extent that we take advantage of these reduced burdens, the information that we provide shareholders may be different than you might obtain from other public companies in which you hold equity interests.

        In addition, under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. Since International Financial Reporting Standards make no distinction between public and private companies for purposes of compliance with new or revised accounting standards, the requirements for our compliance as a private company and as a public company are the same.

Implications of Being a Foreign Private Issuer

        We are also considered a "foreign private issuer" under U.S. securities laws. In our capacity as a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from certain rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, that impose certain disclosure obligations and procedural requirements for proxy solicitations under Section 14 of the Exchange Act. In addition, our officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and "short-swing" profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules under the Exchange Act with respect to their purchases and sales of our securities. Moreover, we are not required to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act. In addition, we are not required to comply with Regulation FD, which restricts the selective disclosure of material information.

        We may take advantage of these exemptions until such time as we are no longer a foreign private issuer. We will remain a foreign private issuer until such time that more than 50% of our outstanding voting securities are held by U.S. residents and any of the following three circumstances applies: (1) the majority of our executive officers or directors are U.S. citizens or residents; (2) more than 50% of our assets are located in the United States; or (3) our business is administered principally in the United States.

        We have taken advantage of certain reduced reporting and other requirements in this prospectus. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different from the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold equity securities.

Corporate Information

        We were incorporated as a French société anonyme, or S.A., on September 21, 1999. Our principal executive offices are located at Parc Eurasanté, 885 avenue Eugène Avinée, 59120 Loos, France. We

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are registered at the Register of Commerce and Companies of Lille Métropole (Registre du commerce et des sociétés) under the number 424 341 907. In July 2003, we incorporated our wholly owned U.S. subsidiary, Genfit Corp. Our other wholly owned subsidiary, Genfit Pharmaceuticals SAS, was incorporated in France in December 2011. In 2006, we completed the initial public offering of our ordinary shares on Alternext market of Euronext in Paris and were transferred to the regulated market of Euronext Paris in 2014. Our telephone number at our principal executive offices is +33 3 20 16 40 00. Our agent for service of process in the United States is Corporation Service Company, located at 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 210, New York, NY 10036. Our website address is www.genfit.com. The reference to our website is an inactive textual reference only and information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website or any other website cited in this prospectus is not part of this prospectus.

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THE GLOBAL OFFERING

Global offering

  5,000,000 ordinary shares offered by us, consisting of ordinary shares in the form of ADSs offered in the U.S. offering and ordinary shares offered in the European private placement. The closings of the U.S. offering and the European private placement will occur simultaneously. The total number of ordinary shares (including in the form of ADSs) in the U.S. offering and European private placement is subject to reallocation between these offerings as permitted under applicable laws and regulations.

U.S. offering

                  ADSs, each representing one ordinary share

European private placement

                  ordinary shares

Offering price

  The offering price per ADS in U.S. dollars and the corresponding offering price per ordinary share in euros will be determined through negotiations between us and the representatives of the underwriters, and by reference to the prevailing market prices of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris after taking into account market conditions and other factors, but will not be lower than a price that is 15% below the volume-weighted average price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris during a window of five to 30 consecutive trading days (as decided by our company) within the 30 trading days preceding the day on which the offering price is determined.

Purchaser Restrictions

  Under the authority granted by our shareholders to conduct the global offering, the ordinary shares and ADSs that we are offering may only be purchased initially by industrial or commercial companies in the pharmaceutical/biotech sector or investment fund companies or fund management companies or collective savings managing funds governed by French or foreign law or any other legal entity (including trust) or natural person, investing in the pharmaceutical/biotech sector, that is qualified to invest in a private placement. In order to purchase ordinary shares and/or ADSs in the global offering, you will be required to execute and provide to the underwriters an investor letter representing that you satisfy the foregoing investor criteria.

Ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) to be outstanding after the global offering

  36,183,921 ordinary shares

Option to purchase additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares in the global offering

  We have agreed to issue, at the option of the underwriters, within 30 days after the date of the underwriting agreement, up to an aggregate of 750,000 additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares (representing 15% of the initial size of the global offering).

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American Depositary Shares

  Each ADS represents one ordinary share, nominal value €0.25 per share. Purchasers of ADSs in the U.S. offering will have the rights of an ADS holder as provided in the deposit agreement among us, the depositary and all holders and beneficial owners of ADSs issued thereunder. To better understand the terms of the ADSs, purchasers of ADSs should carefully read the section in this prospectus titled "Description of American Depositary Shares." We also encourage purchasers of ADSs to read the deposit agreement, which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Depositary

  The Bank of New York Mellon

Use of proceeds

  We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from the global offering of approximately €106.0 million ($119.2 million), based on an assumed offering price of $26.33 per ADS, or €23.42 per ordinary share, the closing price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris on March 13, 2019, after deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We intend to use the net proceeds from the global offering, together with our existing resources, to:

 

prepare for the potential commercialization of elafibranor in NASH by building out our commercial infrastructure;

 

complete our ongoing Phase 3 clinical development of elafibranor for the treatment of NASH through to, at least, the submission of an NDA to the FDA and EMA and the launch of the Phase 4 clinical trial;

 

conduct a global Phase 3 clinical trial of elafibranor for the treatment of PBC;

 

advance the commercial development of our IVD test to identify NASH patients through the launch of the LDT and completion of the work required to obtain regulatory approval for our IVD kit;

 

advance our research program on the use of elafibranor as a potential backbone for combination therapies in order to launch two proof-of-concept studies; and

 

the remainder, if any, for working capital and for general corporate purposes.

  See "Use of Proceeds" for more information.

Dividend policy

  We do not expect to pay any dividends on the ordinary shares or ADSs in the foreseeable future.

Risk factors

  You should read the "Risk Factors" section of this prospectus for a discussion of factors to consider carefully before deciding to invest in the ordinary shares or ADSs.

Proposed Nasdaq Global Market symbol for our ADSs

  "GNFT"

Euronext Paris trading symbol for our ordinary shares

  "GNFT"

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        The number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) that will be outstanding after the global offering is based on 31,183,921 ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 2018 and excludes:

    548,882 new ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of redeemable share warrants (BSAAR), share warrants (BSA), free shares and stock options granted but not exercised as of December 31, 2018 at a weighted average exercise price of €19.72 ($22.59) per new ordinary share based on the exchange rate in effect as of December 31, 2018 (this weighted average exercise price does not include the 83,726 new ordinary shares issuable upon the vesting of outstanding free shares that may be issued for free with no exercise price paid);

    200,066 ordinary shares reserved for future issuance under our share-based compensation plans and other delegations of authority from our shareholders; and

    9,000,000 ordinary shares reserved to date pursuant to a delegation of authority from our shareholders for share capital increases by us through rights issuances and public or private offerings.

        Except as otherwise noted, the information in this prospectus assumes no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase 750,000 additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares in the global offering.

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SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

        The following summary consolidated statement of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2017 and the summary consolidated statement of financial position data as of December 31, 2018 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our audited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IASB, as of and for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018.

        Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected in the future. You should read this summary consolidated financial data together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes beginning on page F-1 of this prospectus, as well as the sections of this prospectus titled "Exchange Rate Information," "Selected Consolidated Financial Data" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."

Summary Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
(in thousands of euros, except loss per share data)
  2017   2018  
 
  Restated*
   
 

Revenues and other income

             

Revenue

  118   69  

Other income

    6,737     7,425  

Revenues and other income

    6,856     7,494  

Operating expenses and other operating income (expenses)

             

Research and development expenses

    (54,189 )   (67,024 )

General and administrative expenses

    (9,421 )   (9,793 )

Other operating income (expenses)

    60     (162 )

Operating loss

    (56,695 )   (69,484 )

Financial income

    642     728  

Financial expenses

    (3,096 )   (11,118 )

Financial loss

    (2,453 )   (10,391 )

Net loss before tax

    (59,148 )   (79,875 )

Income tax benefit

    3,420     354  

Net loss

  (55,728 ) (79,521 )

Basic and diluted loss per share

  (1.79 ) (2.55 )

*
In the context of the preparation of its 2018 consolidated financial statements, we restated the financial statements previously published for the 2017 fiscal year under IFRS. These changes do not affect the cash position or the operating results, and are mainly related to the application of IFRS to deferred taxes on the OCEANE bonds issued in October 2017. The corrections lead mainly to a decrease in the consolidated net loss of €2.9 million. More information is provided in Note 2.3 of our consolidated financial statements.

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Summary Consolidated Statement of Financial Position Data:

 
  As of December 31, 2018  
(in thousands)
  Actual   As
Adjusted(1)(2)
 

Cash and cash equivalents

  207,240   313,248  

Total assets

    229,478     335,486  

Total shareholders' equity

    20,939     126,947  

Total non-current liabilities

    169,291     169,291  

Total current liabilities

    39,248     39,248  

Total liabilities

    208,539     208,539  

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

    229,478     335,486  

(1)
The as adjusted summary condensed consolidated statement of financial position data reflects our issuance and sale of ADSs and ordinary shares in the global offering at an assumed offering price of $26.33 per ADS in the U.S. offering, corresponding to €23.42 per ordinary share, the closing price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris on March 13, 2019, in the European private placement (assuming an exchange rate of €1.00 = $1.1243, the exchange rate on March 8, 2019), after deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

(2)
The as adjusted summary condensed consolidated statement of financial position data is illustrative only and will change based on the actual offering price, the actual number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) offered by us and other terms of the global offering determined at pricing. The as adjusted information is unaudited and is not derived from our audited financial statements. Each $1.00 (€0.8894) increase or decrease in the assumed offering price of $26.33 per ADS in the U.S. offering would increase or decrease the as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, total assets and total shareholders' equity by €4.1 million ($4.7 million), assuming that the number of ordinary shares offered by us (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs), as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Subject to applicable law, we may also increase or decrease the number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) we are offering. Each increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) offered by us would increase (decrease) the as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, total assets and total shareholders' equity by €21.8 million (€21.8 million) or $24.5 million ($24.5 million), assuming that the assumed offering price remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

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RISK FACTORS

        Investing in our ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information in this prospectus, including our consolidated financial statements and related notes, before deciding whether to purchase our securities. If any of the following risks are realized, our business, financial condition, operating results and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the market price of our securities could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment.

Risks Related to our Financial Position and Capital Needs

We have never generated profits from product sales. Currently, we have no products approved for commercial sale, and to date we have not generated any revenue from product sales. As a result, our ability to reduce our losses and reach profitability is unproven, and we may never achieve or sustain profitability.

        Although we were profitable in our early years of development, as a result of profits from our co-research alliances with certain pharmaceutical companies, we have not been profitable in the past 10 years and we have never generated profits from product sales. We do not expect to be profitable in the foreseeable future. We have incurred net losses in each of the past eleven years, including a net loss of €79.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. Our revenue and other income result principally from tax credits, including research tax credits, in France, and, until June 30, 2018, nominal revenues from the sublease of a portion of our corporate headquarters to a third party. Historically, we have also received funding from co-research alliances with other pharmaceutical companies, although we do not currently have any such alliances in place.

        We have devoted substantially all of our resources to our research and development efforts relating to our drug candidates and diagnostic program, in which we are developing a new in vitro diagnostic, or IVD, test to identify patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, who may be appropriate candidates for drug therapy, including conducting clinical trials of our drug candidates, providing general and administrative support for our operations, protecting our intellectual property and engaging in activities to prepare for the potential commercialization of our drug candidates and IVD test. We do not yet have any products approved for sale and have not generated any revenues from product sales.

        We expect to continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future, and we expect these losses to increase as we continue our development of, and seek regulatory approvals for elafibranor, which is our lead drug candidate, our other drug candidates and our IVD test. We also expect to incur losses as we prepare for and begin the commercialization of any approved products, and add infrastructure and personnel in the United States, Europe and other territories to support our product development and commercialization efforts and operations as a public company in both France and the United States. We anticipate that any such losses could be significant for the next several years as we continue our pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of elafibranor, referred to as the RESOLVE-IT trial, in NASH, launch a Phase 3 clinical trial of elafibranor in primary biliary cholangitis, or PBC, and finalize other planned activities for regulatory approval of elafibranor in NASH. In parallel with our potential commercialization of elafibranor, we also plan to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, marketing authorization of our IVD test. During the regulatory development process for elafibranor and our IVD test, our expenses could increase if we are required by the FDA or the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, to perform studies or trials in addition to those currently expected, or if there are any delays in completing our clinical trials or the development of any of our product candidates. We also anticipate that we will continue to increase our product development, scientific, commercial and administrative personnel significantly and expand our facilities and infrastructure in the United States, France and other countries as part of our longer-term growth strategy.

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Our ability to be profitable in the future will depend on our ability to obtain marketing approval for and commercialize our product candidates, particularly our lead product candidate, elafibranor.

        Our ability to be profitable in the future will depend on our ability to obtain marketing approval for and commercialize our product candidates, particularly our lead product candidate, elafibranor. We may not be successful in our efforts to obtain such approval and to commercialize our products. Obtaining marketing approval will require us to be successful in a range of challenging activities, including:

        We are conducting pre-commercial activities, such as patient profiling, intended to better understand how physicians care for NASH patients. NASH is a disease with no approved drug therapy. As such, there is significant uncertainty in the degree of market acceptance elafibranor will have among NASH patients and their healthcare providers as well as third-party payors. Even if we receive marketing approvals for elafibranor to treat NASH and commence our commercial launch, we may not be able to generate significant revenues in the near term. We cannot foresee if elafibranor will ever be accepted as a therapy in NASH eventually resulting in sustained revenues and it may take the passage of a significant amount of time to generate significant sustained revenues even if elafibranor becomes accepted as a therapy in NASH. NASH is currently an under-diagnosed disease, and we believe that our non-invasive IVD test will facilitate the diagnosis and identification of NASH patients who may be well suited for drug therapy. If our IVD test does not obtain marketing authorization, we may not be able to reach enough NASH patients to successfully generate significant revenues.

        If elafibranor, our IVD test or any of our other product candidates fails in clinical trials or does not gain regulatory approval, or if elafibranor, our IVD test or any of our other product candidates do not achieve market acceptance, we may never become profitable. Our net losses have had, and will continue to have, an adverse effect on our shareholders' equity and working capital. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with pharmaceutical and diagnostic product development and commercialization, we are unable to accurately predict the timing or amount of increased expenses

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or when, or if, we will be able to achieve profitability. The amount of future net losses will depend, in part, on the rate of future growth of our expenses and our ability to generate revenues.

We will require substantial additional funding to commercialize our products, if approved, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all, and, if not so available, may require us to delay, limit, reduce or cease our operations.

        We are currently advancing elafibranor through clinical development for multiple indications and other drug candidates through preclinical development. Additionally, we are also planning formal validation studies of our IVD test in preparation for submitting the test for marketing authorization. Developing pharmaceutical and diagnostic products, including conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials, along with obtaining necessary validation, is expensive.

        Subject to obtaining regulatory approval of any of our drug candidates or our IVD test, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses for product sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution. We anticipate incurring significant expenses as we prepare for the potential commercialization of elafibranor in NASH, including significant expenses relating to our sales, marketing and distribution capabilities and increasing our drug manufacturing activities. We also anticipate incurring significant expenses in connection with our planned commercialization of our IVD test, along with an increase in our product development, scientific, commercial and administrative personnel and expansion of our facilities and infrastructure in the United States, France and other countries. We also expect to incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company in the United States and further plan on expanding our operations in the United States, Europe and in other territories. We will continue to require substantial additional capital in connection with our continuing operations, including continuing our clinical development and pre-commercialization activities. Because successful development of our drug candidates and diagnostic program are uncertain, we are unable to estimate the actual funds required to complete the research and development and commercialization of our products under development.

The terms of our convertible bonds require us to meet certain operating covenants, and if we fail to comply with those covenants the bondholders would be able to accelerate our repayment obligations. Additionally, the conversion of some or all of our bonds into ordinary shares would dilute the ownership interests of existing shareholders.

        In October 2017, we issued bonds convertible and/or exchangeable into new and/or existing ordinary shares due October 16, 2022, for a nominal amount of €180.0 million, or 6,081,081 bonds that would convert into 6,081,081 new ordinary shares if such bonds were settled into new ordinary shares in the event of conversion. The bonds bear interest at a nominal rate of 3.5% payable semi-annually in arrears on April 16 and October 16 of each year with a first interest payment date of April 16, 2018. Our ability to repay the bonds at maturity depends in part on our future performance, which is subject to the success of our research and development programs and future operations, as well as on economic, financial and competitive factors that are beyond our control. In addition, we may incur additional debt in the future, some of which may be secured debt. Even if we are permitted by the terms and conditions of the convertible bonds to incur additional debt or to take other measures with regard to the incurrence of new debt, the terms of the bonds could reduce our ability to repay new debts at maturity.

        The agreement governing the bonds contains customary negative covenants and events of default. The negative covenants include restrictions on creating other liens on our assets, incurring certain additional indebtedness and engaging in certain mergers or acquisitions. If we default under the agreement governing the bonds, the bondholders may accelerate all of our repayment obligations, which would significantly harm our business and prospects and could cause the price of our ordinary shares to decline.

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        Finally, the conversion of some or all of our currently outstanding convertible bonds into ordinary shares would dilute the ownership interests of existing shareholders. Any sales in the public market of the ordinary shares issuable upon such conversion or any anticipated conversion of our convertible bonds into ordinary shares could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our ordinary shares.

Risks Related to the Discovery and Development of and Obtaining Regulatory Approval for Our Product Candidates

We cannot be certain that elafibranor or any of our other product candidates will receive regulatory approval, and without regulatory approval, we will not be able to market our product candidates.

        We are developing elafibranor in several clinical trials, including a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial, RESOLVE-IT, for the treatment of NASH that, if successful, we believe could support regulatory approval, and a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of PBC. In parallel, we are also developing our IVD test to identify patients with NASH who may be appropriate candidates for drug therapy. Our business currently depends substantially on the successful development and commercialization of elafibranor. Our ability to generate revenue related to product sales will depend on the successful development and regulatory approval of elafibranor for the treatment of NASH and other indications, our IVD test and our other product candidates.

        We currently have no products approved for sale and we cannot guarantee that we will ever have marketable products. The development of drug candidates and diagnostic tests and issues relating to their approval and marketing are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA in the United States, the European Union and EMA in Europe and regulatory authorities in other countries, with regulations differing from country to country.

        We will not be permitted to market our drug candidates in the United States or Europe until we receive approval of a New Drug Application, or NDA, from the FDA or a marketing authorization application, or MAA, from the European Commission (based on the positive opinion of the EMA), respectively. We have not submitted any marketing applications for any of our product candidates. NDAs and MAAs must include extensive preclinical and clinical data and supporting information to establish the drug candidate's safety and effectiveness for each desired indication. NDAs and MAAs must also include significant information regarding the chemistry, manufacturing and controls for the drug. Obtaining approval of a NDA or a MAA is a lengthy, expensive and uncertain process, and we may not be successful in obtaining approval. We have received a fast track designation from the FDA for the development of elafibranor for the treatment of NASH. While the fast track designation for elafibranor in NASH permits close and regular contact between us and the FDA, the FDA and the EMA review processes can take more than one year to complete and approval is never guaranteed. If we submit a NDA to the FDA, the FDA must decide whether to accept or reject the submission for filing, before even reviewing the scientific basis. Regulators of other jurisdictions, such as the EMA, have their own procedures for approval of drug candidates. Even if a drug is approved, the FDA or the EMA, as the case may be, may limit the indications for which the drug may be marketed, require extensive warnings on the drug labeling or require expensive and time-consuming clinical trials or reporting as conditions of approval.

        Our RESOLVE-IT trial began in the first quarter of 2016 and is expected to enroll approximately 2,000 patients at approximately 270 sites throughout the world. Considering the importance of NASH in terms of public health, we can submit an NDA to the FDA for accelerated approval under Subpart H and to the EMA for conditional approval on the basis of an interim analysis of the surrogate endpoint in the first 1,000 patients after 72 weeks of treatment. In addition, we evaluated elafibranor for the treatment of PBC in a Phase 2 clinical trial and recently announced preliminary results. We cannot predict whether our ongoing or future trials and studies will be successful or whether regulators will agree with our conclusions regarding the preclinical studies and clinical trials we

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have conducted to date. In NASH, following discussion with the FDA, and based on elafibranor achieving, in our Phase 2b trial, resolution of NASH without worsening of fibrosis, which is the FDA-recommended primary endpoint for our Phase 3 trial, we elected to proceed to a Phase 3 study without conducting additional Phase 2 studies after not achieving statistical significance on our prespecified endpoints in our Phase 2b trial. We cannot predict whether regulators will agree with the conclusions from, or request additional clinical data following, our Phase 3 NASH study to support an application for marketing approval.

        Similarly, we will not be permitted to market our IVD test until it is authorized for marketing by the FDA in the United States and receives CE Mark approval in Europe. We have not submitted any marketing applications for our IVD test and, as with approval of our drug candidates, the process for obtaining marketing authorization of diagnostic candidates is lengthy, uncertain and expensive. We plan to initially offer our IVD test as an LDT for use in clinical research in order to provide additional evidence of its clinical utility. LDTs have generally been considered to be tests that are intended for clinical use and that are designed, manufactured and used within a single laboratory. There can be no assurance that FDA will continue to exercise enforcement discretion over LDTs, or that the FDA will agree with our characterization of the test as an LDT. Should the FDA not agree with our characterization of the IVD test as a LDT, the IVD test may be subject to additional regulatory requirements for clinical use including pre-market review and post-market regulatory requirements, and we may not be permitted to continue to market our test as an LDT pending clearance of the IVD. We may be subject to fines, penalties, and removal of the LDT from the market, which could further result in lost revenues, damage to our reputation, and delays in the validation of the IVD. In the United States, IVD tests are regulated as medical devices. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or the FDCA, and its implementing regulations, and other federal and state statutes and regulations govern, among other things, medical device design and development, preclinical and clinical testing, premarket clearance or approval, registration and listing, manufacturing, labeling, storage, advertising and promotion, sales and distribution, export and import, and post-market surveillance. To be commercially distributed in the United States, medical devices must receive from the FDA prior to marketing, unless subject to an exemption, approval of a premarket approval application, or PMA, for most Class III devices, clearance of a 510(k) premarket notification, or classification pursuant to a de novo submission. A clinical trial is almost always required to support a PMA application and is sometimes required for 510(k) clearance. All clinical studies of medical devices must be conducted in compliance with any applicable FDA and Institutional Review Board requirements.

        There can be no assurance that a diagnostic test will be classified as a Class II medical device, and even if it is, there can be no assurance that it will receive marketing authorization from the FDA.

        In parallel with the FDA approval process for our IVD test, we are progressing towards submitting a data package which would enable CE marking and associated marketing approval in key European markets during 2020. As with the United States approval process, the CE marking process in the European Economic Area, or the EEA, can be lengthy and expensive.

        Regulatory authorities in countries outside of the United States and Europe also have requirements for approval of drug candidates and diagnostics with which we must comply prior to marketing in those countries. Obtaining regulatory approval for marketing of a drug candidate or diagnostic in one country does not ensure that we will be able to obtain regulatory approval in any other country. In addition, delays in approvals or rejections of marketing applications in the United States, Europe or other countries may be based upon many factors, including regulatory requests for additional analyses, reports, data, preclinical studies and clinical trials, regulatory questions regarding different interpretations of data and results, changes in regulatory policy during the period of product development and the emergence of new information regarding our product candidates or other products. Also, regulatory approval for any of our product candidates may be withdrawn.

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        If we are unable to obtain approval from the FDA, the EMA or other regulatory agencies for elafibranor, our IVD test and our other product candidates, or if, subsequent to approval, we are unable to successfully commercialize elafibranor, our IVD test or our other product candidates, we will not be able to generate sufficient revenue to become profitable or to continue our operations.

We are developing our lead product candidate, elafibranor for the treatment of NASH, a condition for which no drug has yet been commercialized and for which there is little clinical experience. As a result, our development approach involves new endpoints and methodologies. There is risk that the outcome of our clinical trials will not be favorable or that, even if favorable, regulatory authorities may not find the results of our clinical trials to be sufficient for marketing approval.

        We are focused on developing therapeutics for the treatment of NASH, a disease for which there are currently no approved treatments. As a result, the design and conduct of clinical trials for these diseases and other indications we may pursue will be subject to increased risk.

        The FDA and EMA generally require two pivotal clinical trials to approve an NDA or MAA. Furthermore, for full approval of an NDA or MAA, the FDA or EMA, respectively, require a demonstration of efficacy based on a clinical benefit endpoint. The FDA can grant accelerated approval for a new drug if it complies with the following criteria: (1) it treats a serious condition, (2) it provides a meaningful advantage over available therapies and (3) it demonstrates an effect on an endpoint reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit. Our pivotal Phase 3 RESOLVE-IT clinical trial of elafibranor in NASH incorporates a surrogate endpoint that may serve as the basis for an NDA filing for accelerated approval by the FDA in the United States and conditional approval by the EMA in Europe.

        Similarly, the EMA may give a positive opinion for conditional marketing authorization based on interim clinical data for a medicinal product for human use if (1) the risk-benefit balance of the product is positive, (2) it is likely that the applicant will be in a position to provide the required comprehensive clinical trial data, (3) unmet medical needs will be fulfilled and (4) the benefit to public health of the immediate availability on the market of the medicinal product outweighs the risk inherent in the fact that additional data are still required. Specific obligations, including with respect to the completion of ongoing or new studies, and with respect to the collection of pharmacovigilance data, may be specified in the conditional marketing authorization. Conditional marketing authorizations are valid for one year, and may be renewed annually, if the risk-benefit balance remains positive, and after an assessment of the need for additional or modified conditions.

        If the results of our interim cohort analysis in our pivotal Phase 3 RESOLVE-IT clinical trial are positive, the FDA may grant accelerated approval, and the EMA may grant conditional approval, for elafibranor in the treatment of NASH. However, there can be no assurance that our interim results will be positive and even if results from our interim results are highly significant and we believe reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit, the FDA and EMA may not accept the results of such trial as sufficiently significant to grant accelerated or conditional approval of elafibranor for NASH, without obtaining additional clinical data. In addition, even if we obtain accelerated or conditional marketing approval for our product candidate, elafibranor in NASH on the basis of an interim analysis, like all companies using the Subpart H and conditional approval pathway, we must continue the RESOLVE-IT trial post-marketing in order to demonstrate the efficacy of elafibranor on clinical benefit based on a composite endpoint of clinical outcomes, which include all-cause mortality, the progression to cirrhosis, and a full list of cirrhosis-related events such as liver transplantation, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease, or MELD score ³15, and hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC, on the full trial population, with the goal of obtaining full marketing approval. Depending on the outcome, the FDA or EMA could revoke the previously granted approval, and additional clinical data to submit for marketing approval may be required.

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        Although we have obtained fast track designation from the FDA for elafibranor in the treatment of NASH, which permits more frequent contact between us and the FDA, the final acceptability of these regulatory pathways (accelerated or conditional approval) for elafibranor for the treatment of NASH will depend upon the clinical results from the RESOLVE-IT trial and the review by the FDA and EMA of our applications. As a result, we may face difficulty in designing an acceptable registration strategy around RESOLVE-IT or any other trials in different subpopulations of NASH patients. It may be expensive and time consuming to conduct and complete additional preclinical studies and clinical trials that the FDA, EMA and other regulatory authorities may require us to perform. As such, any requirement by the FDA, EMA or other regulatory authorities that we conduct additional preclinical studies or clinical trials could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, even if we receive regulatory approval of elafibranor for the treatment of NASH, the labeling for our product candidates in the United States, Europe or other countries in which we have received or seek approval may include limitations that could impact the commercial success of our product candidates.

        Additionally, the successful commercialization of elafibranor depends in part on our ability to obtain regulatory approval to market our IVD test. NASH is currently an under-diagnosed disease, and we believe that our non-invasive IVD test will reduce barriers to entry for elafibranor by facilitating the diagnosis and identification of NASH patients who may be well suited for drug therapy. If our IVD test does not obtain marketing authorization, we may not be able to generate significant revenues even if such diagnostic were to be marketed as a laboratory developed test, or LDT.

We have obtained fast track designation from the FDA for elafibranor in the treatment of NASH and we may seek to avail ourselves of such mechanisms to expedite the development or approval of our other drug candidates in the future, but such mechanisms may not actually lead to a faster development or regulatory review or approval process.

        In 2014, the FDA granted fast track designation for elafibranor in the treatment of NASH. We may also seek fast track designation for our other drug candidates, and we may seek priority review or accelerated approval for elafibranor or any other drug candidate we may pursue in the future. The FDA's fast track program is designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of new drugs that are intended to treat serious or life-threatening conditions, and that demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs. The fast track designation for elafibranor in NASH permits more frequent contact between us and the FDA. Even though elafibranor has received fast track designation for the treatment of NASH, and even if we do obtain fast track or priority review designation or pursue an accelerated approval pathway in elafibranor or our other drug candidates in the future, we may not experience a faster development process, review or approval compared to conventional FDA procedures. Additionally, the FDA may withdraw a particular designation, including our fast track designation for the development of elafibranor in the treatment of NASH, if it believes that the designation is no longer supported by data from our clinical development program.

A breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA for a drug candidate may not lead to a faster development or regulatory review or approval process, and it may not increase the likelihood that a drug candidate will receive marketing approval.

        We may seek a breakthrough therapy designation for elafibranor in PBC or any other drug candidate we may pursue in the future. A breakthrough therapy is defined as a drug that is intended, alone or in combination with one or more other drugs, to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints. For drugs that are designated as breakthrough therapies, interaction and communication between the FDA and the

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sponsor can help to identify the most efficient path for clinical development while minimizing the number of patients placed in ineffective control regimens.

        Designation as a breakthrough therapy is within the discretion of the FDA. Accordingly, even if we believe a drug candidate meets the criteria for designation as a breakthrough therapy, the FDA may disagree and instead determine not to make such designation. In any event, the receipt of a breakthrough therapy designation for a drug candidate may not result in a faster development process, review or approval compared to conventional FDA procedures and does not assure ultimate approval by the FDA. In addition, even if one or more drug candidate qualifies as a breakthrough therapy, the FDA may later decide that the product no longer meets the conditions for qualification or decide that the time period for FDA review or approval will not be shortened.

If the FDA does not conclude that certain of our product candidates satisfy the requirements for the Section 505(b)(2) regulatory approval pathway, or if the requirements for such product candidates under Section 505(b)(2) are not as we expect, the approval pathway for those product candidates may likely take significantly longer, cost significantly more and entail significantly greater complications and risks than anticipated, and in either case may not be successful.

        We are currently conducting a clinical-stage program based on drug repositioning to develop an anti-fibrotic drug candidate, nitazoxanide, or NTZ, for which we may seek FDA approval through the Section 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway. The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, also known as the Hatch-Waxman Act, added Section 505(b)(2) to the FDCA. Section 505(b)(2) permits the filing of an NDA where at least some of the information required for approval comes from trials that were not conducted by or for the applicant and for which the applicant has not obtained a right of reference. Section 505(b)(2), if applicable to us under the FDCA, would allow an NDA we submit to the FDA to rely in part on data in the public domain or the FDA's prior conclusions regarding the safety and effectiveness of approved compounds, which could expedite the development program for our product candidates by potentially decreasing the amount of clinical data that we would need to generate in order to obtain FDA approval. The Phase 2 clinical trial of NTZ in NASH-induced fibrosis was allowed on the basis of the existing FDA evaluations of safety in the currently-approved indication, which is a hallmark of the Section 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway. As we progress the clinical program, we plan to initiate such discussions with the FDA. If the FDA does not allow us to pursue the Section 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway as we anticipated, we may need to conduct additional clinical trials, provide additional data and information and meet additional standards for regulatory approval. Even if we are allowed to pursue the Section 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway, we cannot assure you that our product candidates will receive the requisite approvals for commercialization.

        In addition, the pharmaceutical industry is highly competitive, and Section 505(b)(2) NDAs are subject to special requirements designed to protect the patent rights of sponsors of previously approved drugs that are referenced in a Section 505(b)(2) NDA. These requirements may give rise to patent litigation and mandatory delays in approval of our NDAs for up to 30 months or longer depending on the outcome of any litigation. It is not uncommon for a manufacturer of an approved product to file a citizen petition with the FDA seeking to delay approval of, or impose additional approval requirements for, pending competing products. If successful, such petitions can significantly delay, or even prevent, the approval of the new product. However, even if the FDA ultimately denies such a petition, the FDA may substantially delay approval while it considers and responds to the petition. In addition, even if we are able to utilize the Section 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway, there is no guarantee this would ultimately lead to accelerated product development or earlier approval.

        Moreover, even if our product candidates are approved under Section 505(b)(2), the approval may be subject to limitations on the indicated uses for which the products may be marketed or to other conditions of approval, or may contain requirements for costly post-marketing testing and surveillance to monitor the safety or efficacy of the products.

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Delays in the commencement, enrollment and completion of clinical trials could result in increased costs to us and delay or limit our ability to obtain regulatory approval for elafibranor and our other product candidates.

        Delays in the commencement, enrollment and completion of clinical trials could increase our product development costs or limit the regulatory approval of our drug candidates and IVD test. We currently have underway a number of trials including our pivotal Phase 3 RESOLVE-IT clinical study of elafibranor in NASH. We may also be required to conduct additional clinical trials of elafibranor, our other drug candidates or our IVD test. In the past, we have experienced some delays in enrollment in our clinical trials. We continue to work towards expanding our overall elafibranor development program with additional trials and studies, including in pediatric patients, and we plan on conducting additional development activities in other diseases. The results from these trials may not be available when we expect or we may be required to conduct additional clinical trials or preclinical studies not currently planned to receive approval for elafibranor as a treatment for the relevant indication. In addition, our clinical programs are subject to a number of variables and contingencies, such as the results of other trials, patient enrollments or regulatory interactions that may result in a change in timing. As such, we do not know whether any future trials or studies in elafibranor or our other product candidates will begin on time or will be completed on schedule, if at all.

        The commencement, enrollment and completion of clinical trials can be delayed or suspended for a variety of reasons, including:

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        For example, our RESOLVE-IT trial is a large and complex Phase 3 clinical trial in 2,000 patients, in a disease without any approved therapies and the diagnosis of which generally involves invasive procedures such as liver biopsies. Additionally, there are a number of companies developing product candidates for the treatment of NASH, and, as a result, there may be increased competition for enrolling patients in clinical trials involving the treatment of NASH. Furthermore, if one of our competitors' products is approved by the FDA or another regulatory body for the treatment of NASH before elafibranor is approved, we may experience difficulties enrolling patients in our clinical trials and retaining patients in any of our existing clinical trials. While we announced the completion of enrollment of the first approximately 1,000 patients in the interim analysis cohort in April 2018, and continuously evaluate and implement a variety of options to complete enrollment as quickly as possible, there can be no assurance that we will be able to enroll and retain a sufficient number of patients or complete the interim analysis and trial on a timely basis. As we engage in other large and complicated trials and trials in advanced disease populations, we may experience a number of complications that may negatively affect our plans or our development programs.

        While we have not had difficulties in the past retaining patients after enrollment in our clinical trials, changes in the treatment of NASH, such as the approval of a drug therapy for the treatment of NASH by one of our competitors, could result in difficulties retaining or enrolling patients in our clinical trials. Any difficulty retaining patients may in the future delay or produce negative or inconclusive results from our clinical trials, and we or our collaborators may decide, or regulators may require us, to conduct additional clinical trials or preclinical studies. Any delay or compromises with respect to the validity of our clinical trials may have a material adverse effect on our business or decrease our competitive position relative to other biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies.

        In addition, if we are required to conduct additional clinical trials or other preclinical studies of our product candidates beyond those contemplated, our ability to obtain regulatory approval of these product candidates and generate revenue from their sales would be similarly harmed.

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Clinical failure can occur at any stage of clinical development. The results of earlier clinical trials are not necessarily predictive of future results and any product candidate we or our potential future collaborators advance through clinical trials may not have favorable results in later clinical trials or receive regulatory approval.

        Clinical failure can occur at any stage of our clinical development. Clinical trials may produce negative or inconclusive results, and we may decide, or regulators may require us, to conduct additional clinical trials or preclinical studies. In addition, data obtained from trials and studies are susceptible to varying interpretations, and regulators may not interpret our data as favorably as we do, which may delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval. Success in preclinical studies and early clinical trials does not ensure that subsequent clinical trials will generate the same or similar results or otherwise provide adequate data to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of a product candidate. A number of companies in the pharmaceutical industry, including those with greater resources and experience than us, have suffered significant setbacks in Phase 3 clinical trials and at other stages of clinical development, even after seeing promising results in earlier clinical trials.

        Although our Phase 2b clinical trial of elafibranor in NASH, GOLDEN-505, achieved resolution of NASH without worsening of fibrosis, which is the FDA-recommended primary endpoint of our ongoing Phase 3 RESOLVE-IT clinical trial, this was not the original endpoint for our Phase 2b trial. Despite the results of our retrospective analysis of the Phase 2b results to correct for baseline severity and site heterogeneity by a standardized statistical analysis, we cannot assure you that our RESOLVE-IT trial will achieve positive results with this Phase 3 endpoint, and regulators may request additional clinical data to support regulatory approval.

        In addition, the design of a clinical trial can determine whether its results will support approval of a product and flaws in the design of a clinical trial may not become apparent until the clinical trial is well-advanced. We may be unable to design and execute a clinical trial to support regulatory approval. Further, clinical trials of potential products often reveal that it is not practical or feasible to continue development efforts. If elafibranor or our other product candidates are found to be unsafe or lack efficacy for any indication, we will not be able to obtain regulatory approval for them, and our prospects and business may be materially and adversely affected.

        If elafibranor or our other product candidates are found to be unsafe or lack efficacy, we will not be able to obtain regulatory approval for them and our business would be harmed. For example, if the results of our Phase 3 RESOLVE-IT trial of elafibranor do not achieve the primary efficacy endpoints or demonstrate expected safety, the prospects for approval of elafibranor would be materially and adversely affected.

        In some instances, there can be significant variability in safety and/or efficacy results between different trials of the same product candidate due to numerous factors, including changes or differences in trial protocols, patient distribution by clinical investor site, standards of care across sites, differences in composition of the patient populations, adherence to the dosing regimen and other trial protocols and the rate of dropout among clinical trial participants. We do not know whether any Phase 2, Phase 3 or other clinical trials we or any of our collaborators may conduct will demonstrate consistent or adequate efficacy and safety to obtain regulatory approval to market our product candidates. If we are unable to bring any of our current or future product candidates to market, or to acquire any marketed, previously approved products, our ability to create long-term shareholder value will be limited.

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Changes in regulatory requirements, guidance from regulatory authorities or unanticipated events during our clinical trials of our product candidates could necessitate changes to clinical trial protocols or additional clinical trial requirements, which would result in increased costs to us and could delay our development timeline.

        Changes in regulatory requirements, FDA guidance or guidance from the EMA or other European or foreign regulatory authorities, or unanticipated events during our clinical trials, may force us to amend clinical trial protocols or to otherwise alter the regulatory approval or clearance process and timeline for our drug candidates and/or our IVD test. Regulatory authorities could also impose additional clinical trial requirements. Amendments to our clinical trial protocols would require resubmission to the FDA, EMA, national clinical trial regulators and IRBs for review and approval, which may adversely impact the cost, timing or successful completion of a clinical trial. If we experience delays completing, or if we terminate, any of our clinical trials, or if we are required to conduct additional clinical trials, the commercial prospects for our product candidates may be harmed and our ability to generate product revenue will be delayed.

We depend on third-party contractors for a substantial portion of our operations and may not be able to control their work as effectively as if we performed these functions ourselves.

        Under our supervision, we outsource substantial portions of our operations to third-party service providers, including preclinical studies and clinical trials, collection and analysis of data and manufacturing of our drug candidates and IVD test. In particular, we subcontract the design and/or conduct of our clinical trials to CROs, as well as the manufacturing of our active ingredients and therapeutic units to contract manufacturing organizations, or CMOs, especially with regard to our Phase 3 RESOLVE-IT trial. We also contract with external investigators and other specialized services providers, for example with respect to certain statistical analyses, to perform services such as carrying out and supervising, and collecting, analyzing and formatting of data for our trials. Although we are involved in the design of the protocols for these trials and in monitoring them, we do not control all the stages of test performance and cannot guarantee that the third parties will fulfill their contractual and regulatory obligations. In particular, a contractor's failure to comply with protocols or regulatory constraints, or repeated delays by a contractor, could compromise the development of our products or result in liability for us. Such events could also inflate the product development costs borne by us.

        This strategy means that we do not directly control certain key aspects of our product development, such as:

        Additionally, our development activities or clinical trials conducted in reliance on third parties may be delayed, suspended, or terminated if:

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        We generally would not have the ability to control the performance of third parties in their conduct of development activities. In the event of a default, bankruptcy or shutdown of, or a dispute with, a third party, we may be unable to enter into a new agreement with another third party on commercially acceptable terms. Further, third-party performance failures may increase our development costs, delay our ability to obtain regulatory approval, and delay or prevent the commercialization of our product candidates. In addition, our third-party agreements usually contain a clause limiting such third party's liability, such that we may not be able to obtain full compensation for any losses we may incur in connection with the third party's performance failures. While we believe that there are numerous alternative sources to provide these services, in the event that we seek such alternative sources, we may not be able to enter into replacement arrangements without incurring delays or additional costs.

We rely entirely on third parties for the manufacturing of our drug candidates and IVD test for preclinical studies and clinical trials, including one manufacturer for the active ingredient in elafibranor and another manufacturer for the therapeutic units of elafibranor used in our clinical trials. Our business could be harmed if those third parties fail to provide us with sufficient quantities of drug product, or fail to do so at acceptable quality levels or prices.

        We do not intend to manufacture the drug products or IVD test that we plan to sell. We currently have agreements with a contract manufacturer for the production of the active pharmaceutical ingredients and the formulation of sufficient quantities of drug product for our preclinical studies and clinical trials that we plan to conduct prior to and after seeking regulatory approval. We rely on one supplier for the active ingredient in elafibranor and another manufacturer for the therapeutic units of elafibranor used in our clinical trials. If either of those contract manufacturers should cease to provide services to us for any reason, we likely would experience delays in advancing our clinical trials while we identify and qualify one or more replacement suppliers and we may be unable to obtain replacement supplies on terms that are favorable to us.

        While we believe that our current inventory and drugs in production at various levels of the production chain are sufficient for our needs on a short-term basis, a failure at both of the storage sites of the therapeutic units used for the RESOLVE-IT study would be critical. We are also in the process of qualifying one or more back-up suppliers for our active ingredient and therapeutic units; however, we may not be able to enter into additional long-term commercial supply agreements for elafibranor with other third-party manufacturers on terms sufficiently advantageous to us. We do not have agreements for long-term supplies of any of our other product candidates. We currently obtain these supplies and services from our third-party contract manufacturers on a purchase order basis.

        Additionally, the facilities used by any contract manufacturer to manufacture elafibranor or any of our other product candidates must be the subject of a satisfactory inspection before the FDA, the EMA or the regulators in other jurisdictions that approve the product candidate manufactured at that facility. We are completely dependent on these third-party manufacturers for compliance with the requirements of U.S. and non-U.S. regulators for the manufacture of our finished products. If our manufacturers cannot successfully manufacture material that conform to our specifications and current good manufacturing practice requirements of any governmental agency whose jurisdiction to which we are subject, our products or product candidates will not be approved or, if already approved, may be subject to recalls or other enforcement action.

        Reliance on third-party manufacturers entails risks to which we would not be subject if we manufactured the products or product candidates, including:

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        Any of these factors could cause the delay of approval or disruption of commercialization of our products or product candidates, cause us to incur higher costs, prevent us from commercializing our products and product candidates successfully or disrupt the supply of our products after commercial launch. Furthermore, if any of our contract manufacturers fail to deliver the required commercial quantities of finished product on acceptable commercial terms and we are unable to find one or more replacement manufacturers capable of production at substantially equivalent cost, volume and quality and on a timely basis, we would likely be unable to meet demand for our products and could lose potential revenue. It may take several years to establish an alternative source of supply and to have any such new source approved by the government agencies that regulate our products.

We have entered, and may in the future enter into, collaboration agreements with third parties for the development and eventual commercialization of our product candidates, which may affect our ability to generate revenues.

        We have limited experience in product development and may seek to enter into collaborations with third parties for the development and potential commercialization of our early stage and preclinical product candidates, particularly those candidates outside of our main therapeutic areas of interest. In January 2019, we entered into a license agreement with LabCorp to allow them to deploy our IVD test in the clinical research space. Should we seek to collaborate with additional third parties with respect to our development programs, we may not be able to locate a suitable collaborator and may not be able to enter into an agreement on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Even if we succeed in securing collaborators for the development and commercialization of our product candidates, we have limited control over the amount and timing that our collaborators may dedicate to the development or commercialization of our product candidates. These collaborations pose a number of risks, including that the collaborators may:

        Thus, collaboration agreements may not lead to development or commercialization of product candidates in the most efficient manner or at all. For example, although we have entered into a license agreement with LabCorp to use our IVD test for clinical research purposes, LabCorp is under no obligation to do so and may choose not to further develop and deploy the test. There is no guarantee that our collaboration with LabCorp will result in widespread clinical or commercial use of our IVD test.

        Some collaboration agreements may be terminated without cause on short notice. Once a collaboration agreement is signed, it may not lead to commercialization of a product candidate. We also face competition in seeking out collaborators. If we are unable to secure new collaborations that

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achieve the collaborator's objectives and meet our expectations, we may be unable to advance our product candidates and may not generate meaningful revenues.

Due to our limited resources and access to capital, our strategic decisions with respect to the development of certain product candidates may affect the development or timing of our business prospects.

        Because we have limited resources and access to capital to fund our operations, we must decide which product candidates to pursue and the amount of resources to allocate to each. As such, we are currently primarily focused on the development of elafibranor for the treatment of NASH and PBC, and the parallel development of our IVD test for identifying NASH patients who may be appropriate candidates for drug therapy. Our decisions concerning the allocation of research, collaboration, management and financial resources toward particular compounds, programs, product candidates or therapeutic areas may not lead to the development of viable commercial products and may divert resources away from more promising opportunities. We may not choose the right product candidates or programs to develop, or may be required to collaborate with third parties to advance a particular product candidate at terms that are less than optimal to us. If we make incorrect determinations regarding the market potential of our product candidates or misread trends in the pharmaceutical industry, our business prospects could be harmed.

Our product candidates may have undesirable side effects which may delay or prevent marketing approval, or, if approval is received, require our product candidates to be taken off the market, require them to include safety warnings or otherwise limit their sales.

        While we have not observed any significant side effects in our product candidates to date, unforeseen side effects from any of our product candidates could arise either during clinical development or, if approved, after the approved product has been marketed. If severe side effects were to occur, or if elafibranor or one of our other product candidates is shown to have other unexpected characteristics, we may need to either restrict our use of such product to a smaller population or abandon our development of elafibranor for NASH, PBC and other potential indications.

        In addition, our product candidates are being developed as potential treatments for severe, life-threatening diseases and, as a result, our trials will necessarily be conducted in a patient population that will be more prone than the general population to exhibit certain disease states or adverse events. For example, NASH patients may suffer from other co-morbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity that may increase the likelihood of certain adverse events. It may be difficult to discern whether certain events or symptoms observed during our trials were due to our product candidates or some other factor, resulting in our company and our development programs being negatively affected even if such events or symptoms are ultimately determined to be unlikely related to our drugs and drug candidates. We further cannot assure you that additional or more severe adverse side effects with respect to elafibranor will not develop in future clinical trials or commercial use, which could delay or preclude regulatory approval of elafibranor or limit its commercial use.

        If we or others later identify undesirable or unacceptable side effects caused by our products or product candidates:

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Risks Related to the Commercialization of Our Drug Candidates and Diagnostic Test

Even if we successfully complete clinical trials of our product candidates, those candidates may not be commercialized successfully for other reasons.

        Even if we successfully complete clinical trials for one or more of our product candidates and obtain relevant regulatory approvals or clearance, those candidates may not be commercialized for other reasons, including:

Even if approved, our product candidates may not achieve broad market acceptance among physicians, patients and healthcare payors, and as a result our revenues generated from their sales may be limited.

        The commercial success of elafibranor, our IVD test or our other drug candidates, if approved or cleared, will depend upon their acceptance among the medical community, including physicians, healthcare payors and patients. Given that no products are currently approved for the treatment of NASH, we do not know the degree to which elafibranor will be accepted as a therapy, if approved. There are, however, a number of products being developed by other companies for the treatment of NASH, and elafibranor may compete with these products for market acceptance in the future, if any of them are approved. Additionally, we cannot be assured that our IVD test will be accepted by the medical community as a means of identifying NASH patients who may be appropriate candidates for drug intervention, and even if our IVD test is used, a physician may still order a liver biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. The degree of market acceptance of elafibranor, our IVD test and any of our other drug candidates that may be approved will depend on a number of factors, including:

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        If our product candidates are approved, but do not achieve an adequate level of acceptance by physicians, patients, the medical community and healthcare payors, sufficient revenue may not be generated from these products and we may not become or remain profitable. In addition, efforts to educate the medical community and third-party payors on the benefits of our product candidates may require significant resources and may never be successful.

If we are unable to establish sales, marketing and distribution capabilities for our product candidates, whether it be via an internal infrastructure or an arrangement with a commercial partner, we may not be successful in commercializing those product candidates if and when they are approved.

        We have no sales, marketing or distribution experience and if we are unable to establish sales, marketing and distribution capabilities, we may not be successful in commercializing our product candidates if and when they are approved. To develop internal sales, distribution and marketing capabilities, we have already begun to invest significant amounts of financial and management resources, and we will continue to do so, even prior to any confirmation that elafibranor or any of our other product candidates will be approved. In particular, if elafibranor obtains marketing authorization in NASH and/or PBC, we may decide to market elafibranor in certain territories by ourselves, and/or market it in other territories in collaboration with one or more pharmaceutical partner and/or specialized local distributor. Additionally, in connection with the development of our IVD test, we entered into a license agreement with LabCorp to allow them to deploy the test in the clinical research space. If we decide to market any of our products ourselves, we would need to develop our own sales and marketing capabilities. For elafibranor or any other product candidates where we decide to

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perform sales, marketing and distribution functions ourselves or through third parties, we could face a number of additional risks, including:

        If we are unable to establish our own sales, marketing and distribution capabilities and decide to enter into arrangements with third parties to perform these services, our revenue and our profitability, if any, are likely to be lower than if we were to sell, market and distribute any products that we develop ourselves. Additionally, such collaboration agreements with partners may limit our control over the marketing of our products and expose us to a number of risks, including the risk that the partner will not prioritize the marketing of the product candidate or diagnostic test candidate or does not provide sufficient resources for its commercialization.

We may form or seek strategic alliances or enter into licensing or co-marketing arrangements in the future to commercialize our approved drugs or diagnostic products, and we may not realize the benefits of such arrangements.

        We may enter into licensing arrangements with third parties that we believe will complement or augment our commercialization efforts, particularly with respect to elafibranor and our IVD test. For example, in January 2019, we entered into a license agreement with LabCorp to allow them to deploy our IVD test in the clinical research space. Any of these relationships may require us to incur non-recurring and other charges, increase our near and long-term expenditures, issue securities that dilute our existing shareholders or disrupt our management and business. Our likely collaborators include, in the case of elafibranor, large and mid-size pharmaceutical companies, regional and national pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies, or, in the case of our IVD test, a major global diagnostic company. If we enter into any such arrangements with any third parties, we will likely have limited control over the amount and timing of resources that our collaborators dedicate to the development or commercialization of elafibranor or any other product candidate. Our ability to generate revenues from these arrangements will depend on our collaborators' abilities to successfully perform the functions assigned to them in these arrangements. We cannot be certain that, following a strategic transaction or license, we will achieve the revenue or specific net income that justifies such transaction.

        Collaborations involving elafibranor, our IVD test or any of our other drug candidates pose the following risks to us:

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        If future collaboration partners fail to develop or effectively commercialize elafibranor, our IVD test or any other drug candidate for any of these reasons, such product candidate may not be cleared for sale and our sales of such product candidate, if approved, may be limited, which would have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.

Any of our product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval will be subject to ongoing regulation and could be subject to post-marketing restrictions or withdrawal from the market. Furthermore, we may be subject to substantial penalties if we fail to comply with regulatory requirements or experience unanticipated problems with our products following approval.

        Even if we receive regulatory approval for a product candidate, this approval may carry conditions that limit the market for the product or put the product at a competitive disadvantage relative to alternative therapies. For instance, a regulatory approval may limit the indicated uses for which we can market a product or the patient population that may utilize the product, or may be required to carry a warning, such as a boxed warning, in its labeling and on its packaging. Products with boxed warnings are subject to more restrictive advertising regulations than products without such warnings. These restrictions could make it more difficult to market any product candidate effectively.

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        Additionally, any of our product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval, as well as the manufacturing processes, post-approval studies and measures, labeling, advertising and promotional activities for such products, among other things, will be subject to continual requirements of and review by the EMA, FDA and other regulatory authorities. These requirements include submissions of safety and other post-marketing information and reports, registration and listing requirements, requirements relating to manufacturing, quality control, quality assurance and corresponding maintenance of records and documents, requirements regarding the distribution of samples to physicians and recordkeeping.

        Approved drugs that are manufactured or distributed in the United States pursuant to FDA approvals are subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the EMA and the FDA, including, among other things, requirements relating to recordkeeping, periodic reporting, drug sampling and distribution, advertising and promotion and reporting of adverse experiences with the drug. After approval, most changes to the approved drug, such as adding new indications or other labeling claims and some manufacturing and supplier changes are subject to prior FDA review and approval. There also are continuing, annual program user fee requirements for marketed drugs, as well as new application fees for certain supplemental applications. Once approval is granted, the FDA may issue enforcement letters or withdraw the approval if compliance with regulatory requirements and standards is not maintained or if problems occur after the drug reaches the market. Corrective action could delay drug distribution and require significant time and financial expenditures. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a drug, including adverse effects of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in revisions to the approved labeling to add new safety information; imposition of post-market studies or clinical trials to assess new safety risks; or imposition of distribution or other restrictions under a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, or REMS. REMS can include medication guides, communication plans for healthcare professionals, and elements to assure safe use. Elements to assure safe use can include, but are not limited to, special training or certification for prescribing or dispensing, dispensing only under certain circumstances, special monitoring, and the use of patient registries. The requirement for a REMS can be costly to establish and can materially affect the potential market and profitability of the drug. In addition, even if we obtain accelerated or conditional marketing approval for our product candidate, elafibranor in NASH on the basis of an interim analysis, like all companies using the Subpart H and conditional approval pathway, we must continue the RESOLVE-IT trial post-marketing in order to demonstrate the efficacy of elafibranor on clinical benefit based on a composite endpoint of clinical outcomes. Depending on the outcome, the FDA or EMA could revoke the previously granted approval.

        Other potential consequences include, among other things:

        The FDA strictly regulates marketing, labeling, advertising and promotion of drugs that are placed on the market. Drugs may be promoted only for the approved indications and in accordance with the provisions of the approved label. The FDA and other agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses, and a company that is found to have improperly promoted off-label uses may be subject to significant liability, including civil, criminal and administrative penalties.

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        Similarly, if our IVD test is authorized for marketing in the United States, the test will be subject to quality system regulation, or QSR, labeling regulations, registration and listing, the Medical Device Reporting regulation which requires that manufacturers report to the FDA if their device may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury or malfunctioned in a way that would likely cause or contribute to a death or serious injury if it were to recur and the Reports of Corrections and Removals regulation which requires manufacturers to report recalls and field actions to the FDA if initiated to reduce a risk to health posed by the device or to remedy a violation of the FDCA. The FDA enforces these requirements by inspection and market surveillance. If the FDA finds a violation, it can institute a wide variety of enforcement actions, ranging from an untitled or public warning letter to more severe sanctions such as fines, injunctions and civil penalties; recall or seizure of products; operating restrictions and partial suspension or total shutdown of production; refusing requests for 510(k) clearance or PMA approval of new products; withdrawing 510(k) clearance or PMAs already granted; and criminal prosecution.

        Accordingly, assuming we receive marketing approval for one or more of our product candidates, we and our collaborators will continue to expend time, money and effort in all areas of regulatory compliance.

Government restrictions on pricing and reimbursement, as well as other healthcare payor cost-containment initiatives, may negatively impact our ability to generate revenues even if we obtain regulatory approval to market a product.

        Our ability to successfully commercialize any of our product candidates, if approved, also will depend in part on the extent to which coverage and adequate reimbursement for these products and related treatments will be available from third-party payors, including government authorities, such as Medicare and Medicaid in the United States, private health insurers and health maintenance organizations. These third-party payors determine which medications they will cover and establish reimbursement levels. Assuming we obtain coverage for a given product by a third-party payor, the resulting reimbursement payment rates may not be adequate or may require co-payments that patients find unacceptably high. Patients who are prescribed medications for the treatment of their conditions, and their prescribing physicians, generally rely on third-party payors to reimburse all or part of the costs associated with their prescription drugs. Patients are unlikely to use our products unless coverage is provided and reimbursement is adequate to cover all or a significant portion of the cost of our products. Therefore, coverage and adequate reimbursement is critical to new product acceptance. Coverage decisions may depend upon clinical and economic standards that disfavor new drug products when more established or lower cost therapeutic alternatives are already available or subsequently become available.

        Third-party payors are developing increasingly sophisticated methods of controlling healthcare costs, such as by limiting coverage and the amount of reimbursement for particular medications. Increasingly, third-party payors are requiring that drug companies provide them with predetermined discounts from list prices as a condition of coverage, are using restrictive formularies and preferred drug lists to leverage greater discounts in competitive classes, and are challenging the prices charged for medical products. In addition, in the United States, federal programs impose penalties on drug manufacturers in the form of mandatory additional rebates and/or discounts if commercial prices increase at a rate greater than the Consumer Price Index-Urban, and these rebates and/or discounts, which can be substantial, may impact our ability to raise commercial prices. Further, no uniform policy requirement for coverage and reimbursement for drug products exists among third-party payors in the United States. Third-party payors often rely upon Medicare coverage policy and payment limitations in setting their own reimbursement rates, but also have their own methods and approval process apart from Medicare determinations. Therefore, coverage and reimbursement for drug products can differ significantly from payor to payor. As a result, the coverage determination process is often a

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time-consuming and costly process that will require us to provide scientific and clinical support for the use of our products to each payor separately, with no assurance that coverage and adequate reimbursement will be applied consistently or obtained in the first instance.

        The continuing efforts of third-party payors of healthcare costs to contain or reduce costs of healthcare may negatively affect our commercialization prospects, including:

        Our ability to obtain an acceptable reimbursement rate for our drugs from third-party payors will be determined in the coming years, in particular at the end of the development of elafibranor in NASH, which is our most advanced drug candidate. We cannot be sure that coverage and reimbursement will be available for any potential product candidate that we may commercialize and, if reimbursement is available, what the level of reimbursement will be. Since no drug has yet been commercialized in NASH, we are currently working internally on market access and pricing, but cannot predict the conditions of elafibranor's future reimbursement. However, because negotiations with the payors are traditionally based on the results (intermediate, or otherwise) of Phase 3 clinical trials, which are not expected to be available for elafibranor in NASH before the end of 2019, as of the date of this prospectus, we have only had preliminary discussions with the organizations concerned. Coverage and reimbursement may impact the demand for, or the price of, any product candidate for which we obtain marketing approval. If coverage and reimbursement are not available or reimbursement is available only to limited levels, we may not successfully commercialize any product candidate for which we obtain marketing approval.

        In the United States, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, or collectively, ACA, is significantly impacting the provision of, and payment for, healthcare. With regard to pharmaceutical products specifically, the ACA, among other things, expanded and increased industry rebates for drugs covered under Medicaid programs and made changes to the coverage requirements under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Some of the provisions of the ACA have yet to be implemented, and there have been judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the ACA, as well as recent efforts by the Trump administration to repeal or replace certain aspects of the ACA. Since January 2017, President Trump has signed two Executive Orders and other directives designed to delay the implementation of certain provisions of the ACA or otherwise circumvent some of the requirements for health insurance mandated by the ACA. On June 14, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that the federal government was not required to pay more than $12 billion in ACA risk corridor payments to third-party payors who argued were owed to them. Plaintiffs were denied a rehearing, but retain the right to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The effects of this gap in reimbursement on third-party payors, the viability of the ACA marketplace, providers, and potentially our business, are not yet known. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, recently promulgated regulations that will give states greater flexibility in setting benchmarks for insurers in the individual and small group marketplaces, which may have the effect of relaxing the essential health benefits required under the ACA for plans sold through such marketplaces.

        Concurrently, Congress has considered legislation that would repeal or repeal and replace all or part of the ACA. While Congress has not passed comprehensive repeal legislation, it has enacted laws that modify certain provisions of the ACA, such as removing penalties, starting January 1, 2019, for not complying with the ACA's individual mandate to carry health insurance, delaying the implementation of certain ACA-mandated fees, and increasing the point-of-sale discount that is owed by pharmaceutical

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manufacturers who participate in Medicare Part D. On December 14, 2018, a U.S. District Court Judge in the Northern District of Texas, ruled that the individual mandate is a critical and inseverable feature of the ACA, and therefore, because it was repealed as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the remaining provisions of the ACA are invalid as well. While the Texas U.S. District Court Judge, as well as the Trump Administration and CMS, have both stated that the ruling will have no immediate effect, it is unclear how this decision, subsequent appeals, if any, and other efforts to repeal and replace the ACA will impact the ACA and our business.

        In addition, both the Budget Control Act of 2011 and the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 have instituted, among other things, mandatory reductions in Medicare payments to certain providers. Additional legislative proposals to reform healthcare and government insurance programs, along with the trend toward managed healthcare in the United States, could influence the purchase of medicines and reduce coverage and/or reimbursement of our product candidates, if approved.

        Moreover, recently, there has been heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products. Such scrutiny has resulted in several recent Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to drug pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, reduce the costs of drugs under Medicare and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for drug products. Additionally, the Trump administration released a "Blueprint" to lower drug prices and reduce out of pocket costs of drugs that contains additional proposals to increase manufacturer competition, increase the negotiating power of certain federal healthcare programs, incentivize manufacturers to lower the list price of their products and reduce the out of pocket costs of drug products paid by consumers. Additionally, on January 31, 2019, Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed modifications to federal Anti-Kickback Statute safe harbors which, among other things, will affect rebates paid by manufacturers to Medicare Part D plans, the purpose of which is to further reduce the cost of drug products to consumers. While any proposed measures may require additional authorization to become effective, Congress and the Trump administration have each indicated that it will continue to seek new legislative and/or administrative measures to control drug costs. At the state level, legislatures are increasingly passing legislation and implementing regulations designed to control pharmaceutical and biological product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing.

        We expect that the ACA, as well as other healthcare reform measures that may be adopted in the future, at both the federal and state levels in the United States, as well as internationally, may result in more rigorous coverage criteria and lower reimbursement, and in additional downward pressure on the price that we receive for any approved product candidate. Any reduction in reimbursement from Medicare or other government-funded programs may result in a similar reduction in payments from private payors. The implementation of cost containment measures or other healthcare reforms may prevent us from being able to generate revenue, attain profitability or commercialize our drugs. Moreover, we cannot predict what healthcare reform initiatives may be adopted in the future.

        In some non-U.S. countries, the proposed pricing for a drug must be approved before it may be lawfully marketed. In addition, in some non-U.S. markets, the pricing of prescription drugs is subject to government control and reimbursement may in some cases be unavailable. The requirements governing drug pricing vary widely from country to country. For example, the European Union provides options for its member states to restrict the range of medicinal products for which their national health insurance systems provide reimbursement and to control the prices of medicinal products for human use. A member state may approve a specific price for the medicinal product, may refuse to reimburse a product at the price set by the manufacturer or may instead adopt a system of direct or indirect controls on the profitability of the company placing the medicinal product on the market. There can be

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no assurance that any country that has price controls or reimbursement limitations for biopharmaceutical products will allow favorable reimbursement and pricing arrangements for elafibranor or any of our other product candidates that may be approved. Historically, biopharmaceutical products launched in the European Union do not follow price structures of the United States and generally tend to have significantly lower prices.

Failures to reimburse our IVD test, if commercialized, or changes in reimbursement rates by third-party payors and variances in reimbursement rates could materially and adversely affect our revenues and could result in significant fluctuations in our revenues.

        Our ability to commercialize our IVD test also will depend in part on the extent to which coverage and adequate reimbursement for this test will be available from third-party payors, such as government health administration authorities, private health insurers and other organizations. Insurance coverage and reimbursement rates for diagnostic tests are uncertain, subject to change and particularly volatile during the early stages of a newly commercialized diagnostic test. It is uncertain as to what extent third-party payors will provide coverage for our IVD test, if commercialized. We will also likely experience volatility in the coverage and reimbursement of the IVD test due to contract negotiation with third-party payors and implementation requirements. The reimbursement amounts we receive from third-party payors will vary from payor to payor, and, in some cases, the variation is material. Third-party payors have increased their efforts to control the cost, utilization and delivery of healthcare services. These measures have resulted in reduced payment rates and decreased utilization for the diagnostic test industry. From time to time, Congress has considered and implemented changes to the Medicare fee schedules in conjunction with budgetary legislation, and pricing for tests covered by Medicare is subject to change at any time. Reductions in the reimbursement rate provided by third-party payors may occur in the future. Reductions in the price at which our IVD test is reimbursed could have a material adverse effect on our revenues. If we and our collaborators are unable to establish and maintain broad coverage and adequate reimbursement for our IVD test or if third-party payors change their coverage or reimbursement policies with respect to the IVD test, our revenues could be materially and adversely affected.

Our future growth depends, in part, on our ability to penetrate international markets, where we would be subject to additional regulatory burdens and other risks and uncertainties.

        Our future profitability will depend on our ability to commercialize our product candidates in the United States, Europe and other territories around the world. If we commercialize our product candidates in international markets, we would be subject to additional risks and uncertainties, including:

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        Sales of our products outside the United States could also be adversely affected by the imposition of governmental controls, political and economic instability, trade restrictions and changes in tariffs.

Adverse market and economic conditions may exacerbate certain risks associated with commercializing our product candidates.

        Future sales of our product candidates, if they are approved, will be dependent on purchasing decisions of and reimbursement from government health administration authorities, distributors and other organizations. As a result of adverse conditions affecting the global economy and credit and financial markets, including disruptions due to political instability or otherwise, these organizations may defer purchases, may be unable to satisfy their purchasing or reimbursement obligations, or may delay payment for elafibranor or any of our product candidates that are approved for commercialization in the future. In addition, there have been concerns for the overall stability and suitability of the euro as a single currency given the economic and political challenges facing individual Eurozone countries. Continuing deterioration in the creditworthiness of Eurozone countries, the withdrawal of one or more member countries from the European Union, or the failure of the euro as a common European currency or an otherwise diminished value of the euro could materially and adversely affect our future product revenue from European sales of our products.

Risks Related to the Production and Manufacturing of Our Product Candidates

The manufacturing facilities of our third-party manufacturers are subject to significant government regulations and approvals. If our third-party manufacturers fail to comply with these regulations or maintain these approvals, our business will be materially harmed.

        We do not currently and do not intend in the future to manufacture the products we intend to sell. We outsource the manufacturing of our products to third parties, who are, in turn, subject to ongoing regulation and periodic inspection by the EMA, FDA and other regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices, or cGMP. Any failure to follow and document their adherence to such cGMP regulations or other regulatory requirements may lead to significant delays in the availability of products for commercial sale or clinical trials, may result in the termination of or a hold on a clinical trial, or may delay or prevent filing or approval of marketing applications for our products.

        Failure to comply with applicable regulations could also result in the EMA, FDA or other applicable regulatory authorities taking various actions, including:

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        Any of the foregoing actions could be detrimental to our reputation, business, financial condition or operating results. Furthermore, our key suppliers may not continue to be in compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements, which could result in our failure to produce our products on a timely basis and in the required quantities, if at all. In addition, before any additional products would be considered for marketing approval in the United States, Europe or elsewhere, our suppliers will have to pass an audit by the applicable regulatory agencies. We are dependent on our suppliers' cooperation and ability to pass such audits, and the audits and any audit remediation may be costly. Failure to pass such audits by us or any of our suppliers would affect our ability to commercialize our product candidates in the United States, Europe or elsewhere.

Our production costs may be higher than we currently estimate.

        We contract to have our product candidates manufactured according to manufacturing best practices applicable to drugs for clinical trials and to specifications approved by the applicable regulatory authorities. If any of our products are found to be non-compliant, we would be required to have the product manufactured again, which would entail additional costs and may prevent delivery of the product to patients on time.

        Other risks inherent in the production process may have the same effect, such as:

        In addition, a rise in the cost of raw material or in direct or indirect energy rates, a shortage of raw material used to make our product candidates may increase or stopped product manufacturing and increase logistical costs. Any of these risks, should they occur, could disrupt our activities and compromise our financial position, results, reputation or growth.

Risks Related to Our Operations

We may encounter difficulties in managing our growth, which could disrupt our operations.

        As of December 31, 2018, we had 148 full-time employees, and we expect to increase our number of employees and the scope of our operations. To manage our anticipated development and expansion, including the potential commercialization of our product candidates in Europe, the United States and

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other territories, we must continue to implement and improve our managerial, operational and financial systems, expand our facilities and continue to recruit and train additional qualified personnel. Also, our management may need to divert a disproportionate amount of its attention away from its day-to-day activities and devote a substantial amount of time to managing these development activities. Due to our limited resources, we may not be able to effectively manage the expansion of our operations or recruit and train additional qualified personnel. This may result in weaknesses in our infrastructure, give rise to operational mistakes, loss of business opportunities, loss of employees and reduced productivity among remaining employees. The physical expansion of our operations may lead to significant costs and may divert financial resources from other projects, such as the development of our product candidates. If our management is unable to effectively manage our expected development and expansion, our expenses may increase more than expected, our ability to generate or increase our revenue could be reduced and we may not be able to implement our business strategy. Our future financial performance and our ability to commercialize our product candidates, if approved, and compete effectively will depend, in part, on our ability to effectively manage the future development and expansion of our company.

We depend on qualified management personnel and our business could be harmed if we lose key personnel and cannot attract new personnel.

        Our success depends to a significant degree upon the technical and management skills of our co-founders, scientific advisers, senior management team, including, in particular, Jean-François Mouney, our chairman and chief executive officer, and Dean Hum, our chief operating officer. The loss of the services of Messrs. Mouney or Hum would likely have a material adverse effect on us. Our success also will depend upon our ability to attract and retain additional qualified scientific, management, marketing, technical, and sales executives and personnel. We compete for key personnel against numerous companies, including larger, more established companies with significantly greater financial resources than we possess. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in attracting or retaining such personnel, and the failure to do so could harm our operations and our growth prospects.

Our failure to maintain certain tax benefits applicable to French biopharmaceutical companies may adversely affect our results of operations.

        As a French biopharmaceutical company, we have benefited from certain tax advantages, including, for example, the French Research Tax Credit, or CIR (Crédit d'Impôt Recherche), which is a French tax credit aimed at stimulating research and development. The CIR can be offset against French corporate income tax due and the portion in excess, if any, may be refunded. The CIR is calculated based on our claimed amount of eligible research and development expenditures in France and represented €7.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. We believe, due to the nature of our business operations, that we will continue to be eligible to receive the CIR tax credit. However, if the French Parliament decides to eliminate, or to reduce the scope or the rate of, the CIR benefit, either of which it could decide to do at any time, our results of operations could be adversely affected.

        The French tax authorities, with the assistance of the Research and Higher Education Ministry, may audit each research and development program in respect of which a CIR benefit has been claimed and assess whether such program qualifies in its view for the CIR benefit. In 2014, we were subject to such an audit, at the end of which, the French tax authorities questioned part of the CIR benefit received by us as a result of certain of our expenditures incurred in 2010. The audit continued for our 2011 and 2012 CIR returns. We received proposed adjustments in December 2014 (for the 2010 CIR) and in December 2015 (for the 2011 and 2012 CIR). This tax audit was also extended to the 2014 CIR as part of a documentary audit, the purpose of which was to determine whether we were acting as a sub-contractor in our collaborative research alliances with companies in the pharmaceutical industry,

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which would reduce the basis on which the CIR is computed. The French tax authorities contend that in these alliances we were acting as a sub-contractor. However, we have disputed this finding. Although the tax authorities have partially granted some of our arguments, it is possible that the CIR tax audit may lead to a challenge of the CIR for the years audited and to potential penalties. The audits could, therefore, have an adverse effect on our results of operations and our financial position.

Our business may be exposed to foreign exchange risks.

        Although the majority of our operations are denominated in euros, an increasing portion of our expenses are denominated in U.S. dollars, including expenses resulting from clinical trials and amounts paid to our wholly owned subsidiary, Genfit Corp., and growing expenses in U.S. dollars incurred by Genfit S.A. Additionally, as we expand our operations and conduct clinical trials in the United States, we will incur expenses in U.S. dollars and will be required to enter into additional contracts denominated in other foreign currencies. As a result, we are exposed to foreign currency exchange risk as our results of operations and cash flows are subject to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. We currently engage in hedging transactions to protect against uncertainty in future exchange rates between particular foreign currencies and the euro. If our currency exposure were to increase, we would put in place additional hedging instruments. We cannot predict the impact of foreign currency fluctuations, and foreign currency fluctuations in the future may adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. The ADSs being sold in the U.S. offering will be quoted in U.S. dollars on the Nasdaq Global Market, while our ordinary shares (including those being sold in the European private placement and the underlying ordinary shares of the ADSs being sold in the U.S. offering) trade in euros on the Euronext Paris exchange. Our financial statements are prepared in euros. Therefore, fluctuations in the exchange rate between the euro and the U.S. dollar will also affect, among other matters, the value of our ordinary shares and ADSs.

We may use hazardous chemicals and biological materials in our business. Any claims relating to improper handling, storage or disposal of these materials could be time-consuming and costly.

        Our research and development processes for our product candidates and biomarker candidates involve the controlled use of hazardous materials, including chemicals and biological materials. We cannot eliminate the risk of accidental contamination or discharge and any resultant injury from these materials. During their work, our researchers come into contact with a number of potentially dangerous substances, including in particular (1) genetically modified organisms, or GMO, the safety of which is overseen by the Ministry in charge of Research with the assistance of High Council for Biotechnologies (or the Haut Conseil des Biotechnologies), (2) animals used for experimentation, the authorization of which is overseen by the local préfet with the assistance of the local Department for the Protection of People, or DDPP (for Direction départementale de la protection des populations) and (3) human samples. This research is subject to application for authorization from the competent authorities, in particular the National Drug and Health Product Authority, or ANSM (for Autorité Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament et des produits de santé) to assess the usefulness of the research, ensure that patients have been properly informed, and assess the management of information obtained from the sampling.

        We may be subject to fines or sued for any injury or contamination resulting from our use or the use by third parties of these materials, and our liability may exceed any insurance coverage and our total assets, and we may also suffer reputational harm. French and U.S. federal, state, local or foreign laws and regulations govern the use, manufacture, storage, handling and disposal of these hazardous materials and specified waste products, as well as the discharge of pollutants into the environment and human health and safety matters. Compliance with health, safety and/or environmental laws and regulations may be expensive and may impair our research and development efforts. If we fail to comply with these requirements, we could incur substantial costs, including civil or criminal fines and penalties, clean-up costs or capital expenditures for control equipment or operational changes necessary

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to achieve and maintain compliance. Furthermore, we could face the rejection, suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approval for our drugs. In addition, we cannot predict the impact on our business of new or amended health, safety and/or environmental laws or regulations or any changes in the way existing and future laws and regulations are interpreted and enforced.

Product liability and other lawsuits could divert our resources, result in substantial liabilities and reduce the commercial potential of our product candidates.

        The risk that we may be sued on product liability claims is inherent in the development and commercialization of biopharmaceutical and diagnostic products that are intended to be tested and evaluated on humans in an initial phase, then commercialized. Side effects of, or manufacturing defects in, products that we develop could result in the deterioration of a patient's condition, injury or even death. For example, our liability could be sought after by patients participating in the clinical trials in the context of the development of the therapeutic products tested and unexpected side effects resulting from the administration of these products. Once a product is approved for sale and commercialized, the likelihood of product liability lawsuits increases. Criminal or civil proceedings might be filed against us by patients, regulatory authorities, biopharmaceutical companies and any other third party using or marketing our products. These actions could include claims resulting from acts by our partners, service providers and subcontractors, over which we have little or no control. These lawsuits may divert our management from pursuing our business strategy and may be costly to defend. In addition, if we are held liable in any of these lawsuits, we may incur substantial liabilities and may be forced to limit or forgo further commercialization of the affected products.

        We maintain product liability insurance coverage for our clinical trials at levels which we believe are appropriate for our clinical trials and at levels granted by insurers to biopharmaceutical companies like us. Nevertheless, our insurance coverage may be insufficient to reimburse us for any expenses or losses we may suffer. In addition, in the future, we may not be able to obtain or maintain sufficient insurance coverage at an acceptable cost or to otherwise protect against potential product or other legal or administrative liability claims by us or our collaborators, licensees or subcontractors, which could prevent or inhibit the commercial production and sale of any of our product candidates that receive regulatory approval. Product liability claims could also harm our reputation, which may adversely affect our ability to commercialize our products successfully.

Our internal information technology systems, or those of our third-party contractors or consultants, may fail or suffer security breaches, which could result in a material disruption of our product development programs.

        Despite the implementation of security measures, our internal information technology systems and those of our third-party contractors and consultants are vulnerable to damage from computer viruses, unauthorized access, natural disasters, terrorism, war and telecommunication and electrical failures. If such an event were to occur and cause interruptions in our operations, it could result in a material disruption of our programs.

        In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store sensitive data, including, among other things, legally protected patient health information, personally identifiable information about our employees, intellectual property and proprietary business information. We manage and maintain our applications and data utilizing on-site systems and outsourced vendors. These applications and data encompass a wide variety of business critical information, including research and development information, commercial information and business and financial information. Because information systems, networks and other technologies are critical to many of our operating activities, shutdowns or service disruptions at our company or vendors that provide information systems, networks or other services to us pose increasing risks. Such disruptions may be caused by events such as computer hacking, phishing attacks, ransomware, dissemination of computer viruses, worms and other destructive or disruptive software, denial of service attacks and other malicious activity, as well as power outages,

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natural disasters (including extreme weather), terrorist attacks or other similar events. Such events could have an adverse impact on us and our business, including loss of data and damage to equipment and data. In addition, system redundancy may be ineffective or inadequate, and our disaster recovery planning may not be sufficient to cover all eventualities. Significant events could result in a disruption of our operations, damage to our reputation or a loss of revenues. In addition, we may not have adequate insurance coverage to compensate for any losses associated with such events. For example, the loss of clinical trial data for our product candidates could result in delays in our regulatory approval efforts and significantly increase our costs to recover or reproduce the lost data.

        We could be subject to risks caused by misappropriation, misuse, leakage, falsification or intentional or accidental release or loss of information maintained in the information systems and networks of our company and our vendors, including personal information of our employees and patients, and company and vendor confidential data. In addition, outside parties may attempt to penetrate our systems or those of our vendors or fraudulently induce our personnel or the personnel of our vendors to disclose sensitive information in order to gain access to our data and/or systems. We may experience threats to our data and systems, including malicious codes and viruses, phishing and other cyber-attacks. The number and complexity of these threats continue to increase over time. If a material breach of our information technology systems or those of our vendors occurs, the market perception of the effectiveness of our security measures could be harmed and our reputation and credibility could be damaged. We could be required to expend significant amounts of money and other resources to repair or replace information systems or networks. In addition, we could be subject to regulatory actions and/or claims made by individuals and groups in private litigation involving privacy issues related to data collection and use practices and other data privacy laws and regulations, including claims for misuse or inappropriate disclosure of data, as well as unfair or deceptive practices. Although we develop and maintain systems and controls designed to prevent these events from occurring, and we have a process to identify and mitigate threats, the development and maintenance of these systems, controls and processes is costly and requires ongoing monitoring and updating as technologies change and efforts to overcome security measures become increasingly sophisticated. Moreover, despite our efforts, the possibility of these events occurring cannot be eliminated entirely. As we outsource more of our information systems to vendors, engage in more electronic transactions with payors and patients, and rely more on cloud-based information systems, the related security risks will increase and we will need to expend additional resources to protect our technology and information systems. In addition, there can be no assurance that our internal information technology systems or those of our third-party contractors, or our consultants' efforts to implement adequate security and control measures, will be sufficient to protect us against breakdowns, service disruption, data deterioration or loss in the event of a system malfunction, or prevent data from being stolen or corrupted in the event of a cyberattack, security breach, industrial espionage attacks or insider threat attacks which could result in financial, legal, business or reputational harm.

Use of social media may materially and adversely impact our reputation.

        Unauthorized communications, such as press releases or posts on social media, purported to be issued by us, may contain information that is false or otherwise damaging and could have an adverse impact on the price of our securities. Negative or inaccurate posts or comments about us, our research and development programs, and our directors or officers could seriously damage our reputation.

        In addition, our employees and partners may use social media and mobile technologies inappropriately, for which we may be held liable, or which could lead to breaches of data security, loss of trade secrets or other intellectual property or public disclosure of sensitive information. Such uses of social media and mobile technologies could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.

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We may acquire businesses or products, or form strategic alliances, in the future, and we may not realize the benefits of such acquisitions.

        Our current growth strategy includes potentially in-licensing rights to drug candidates in clinical development, and in the future, we may acquire companies or technologies facilitating or enabling us to access to new medicines, new research projects, or new geographical areas, or enabling us to express synergies with our existing operations. If such acquisitions occur in the future, we may not be able to identify appropriate targets or make acquisitions under satisfactory conditions, in particular, satisfactory price conditions. In addition, we may be unable to obtain the financing for these acquisitions on favorable terms, which could require us to finance these acquisitions using our existing cash resources that could have been allocated to other purposes. If we acquire businesses with promising markets or technologies, we may not be able to realize the benefit of acquiring such businesses if we are unable to successfully integrate them with our existing operations and company culture. We may encounter numerous difficulties in developing, manufacturing and marketing any new products resulting from a strategic alliance or acquisition that delay or prevent us from realizing their expected benefits or enhancing our business. We cannot assure you that, following any such acquisition, we will achieve the expected synergies to justify the transaction.

Risks Related to Legal and Other Compliance Matters

We are subject to healthcare laws and regulations that may require substantial compliance efforts and could expose us to criminal sanctions, civil penalties, contractual damages, reputational harm and diminished profits and future earnings, among other penalties.

        Healthcare providers, physicians and others will play a primary role in the recommendation and prescription of our products, if approved. Our business operations in the United States and our arrangements with clinical investigators, healthcare providers, consultants, third party payors and patients expose us to broadly applicable federal and state fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws. These laws may impact, among other things, our research, proposed sales, marketing and education programs of our product candidates that obtain marketing approval. Restrictions under applicable U.S. federal, state and non-U.S. healthcare laws and regulations include, but are not limited to, the following:

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        In addition, some state laws require pharmaceutical companies to comply with the pharmaceutical industry's voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government and require manufacturers to report information related to payments and other transfers of value to physicians and other healthcare providers or marketing expenditures and pricing information.

        Ensuring that our business arrangements with third parties comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations will likely be costly. It is possible that governmental authorities will conclude that our business practices do not comply with current or future statutes, regulations or case law involving applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. If our operations were found to be in violation of any of these laws or any other governmental regulations that may apply to us, we may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, individual imprisonment, possible exclusion from government funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, and curtailment of our operations, any of which could substantially disrupt our operations. If the physicians or other

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providers or entities with whom we expect to do business are found not to be in compliance with applicable laws, they may be subject to criminal, civil or administrative sanctions, including exclusions from government funded healthcare programs. Although an effective compliance program can mitigate the risk of investigation and prosecution for violations of these laws, the risks cannot be entirely eliminated. Moreover, achieving and sustaining compliance with applicable federal and state privacy, security, and fraud laws may prove costly. Any action against us for violation of these laws, even if we successfully defend against it, could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and divert our management's attention from the operation of our business.

We may be subject to laws and regulations related to data privacy, both in the United States and the European Union.

        We may be subject to data privacy and security regulation by both the federal government and the states in which we conduct our business. HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, or HITECH, and its respective implementing regulations imposes certain requirements on covered entities relating to the privacy, security, and transmission of certain individually identifiable health information, known as protected health information. Among other things, HITECH, through its implementing regulations, makes HIPAA's security standards and certain privacy standards directly applicable to business associates, defined as a person or organization, other than a member of a covered entity's workforce, that creates, receives, maintains, or transmits protected health information on behalf of a covered entity for a function or activity regulated by HIPAA. HITECH also strengthened the civil and criminal penalties that may be imposed against covered entities, business associates, and individuals, and gave state attorneys general new authority to file civil actions for damages or injunctions in federal courts to enforce the federal HIPAA laws and seek attorneys' fees and costs associated with pursuing federal civil actions. In addition, other federal and state laws may govern the privacy and security of health and other information in certain circumstances, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and may not be preempted by HIPAA, thus complicating compliance efforts.

        The collection and use of personal health data in the European Union had previously been governed by the provisions of the Data Protection Directive, which has been replaced by the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, which became effective on May 25, 2018. The GDPR imposes strict requirements on controllers and processors of personal data, including special protections for "sensitive information" which includes health and genetic information of data subjects residing in the EU. GDPR grants individuals a number of rights as data subjects, including the opportunity to object to the processing of their personal information and the right to request deletion of personal information in certain circumstances. It also provides a right for the data subject to obtain the portability of its personal data in certain cases, including when processing of the personal data is based on consent, and provides the individual with an express right to seek legal remedies in the event the individual believes his or her rights have been violated. Further, the GDPR imposes strict rules on the transfer of personal data out of the European Union to the United States or other regions that have not been deemed to offer "adequate" privacy protections. Failure to comply with the requirements of the GDPR and the related national data protection laws of the European Union Member States, which may deviate slightly from the GDPR, especially in respect of the processing of personal data concerning health, may result in fines of up to 4% of global revenues, or €20,000,000, whichever is greater. As a result of the implementation of the GDPR, we may be required to put in place additional mechanisms ensuring compliance with the new data protection rules.

        There is significant uncertainty related to the manner in which data protection authorities will seek to enforce compliance with GDPR. For example, it is not clear if the authorities will conduct random audits of companies doing business in the EU, or if the authorities will wait for complaints to be filed by individuals who claim their rights have been violated. Enforcement uncertainty and the costs

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associated with ensuring GDPR compliance be onerous and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our employees may engage in misconduct or other improper activities, including violating applicable regulatory standards and requirements or engaging in insider trading, which could significantly harm our business.

        We are exposed to the risk of employee fraud or other misconduct. Misconduct by employees could include intentional failures to comply with legal requirements or the requirements of FDA, EMA and other government regulators, provide accurate information to applicable government authorities, comply with fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations in the United States and abroad, report financial information or data accurately or disclose unauthorized activities to us. In particular, sales, marketing and business arrangements in the healthcare industry are subject to extensive laws and regulations intended to prevent fraud, misconduct, kickbacks, self-dealing and other abusive practices. These laws and regulations restrict or prohibit a wide range of pricing, discounting, marketing and promotion, sales commission, customer incentive programs and other business arrangements. Employee misconduct could also involve the improper use of, including trading on, information obtained in the course of clinical trials, which could result in regulatory sanctions and serious harm to our reputation. In connection with the global offering, we have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, but it is not always possible to identify and deter employee misconduct, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may be ineffective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to comply with these laws or regulations. If any such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful in defending ourselves or asserting our rights, those actions could have a significant impact on our business, including the imposition of significant fines or other sanctions.

Risks Related to Intellectual Property

If we are unable to obtain and maintain sufficient patent protection for our product candidates, or if the scope of the patent protection is not sufficiently broad, our competitors could develop and commercialize products similar or identical to ours, and our ability to commercialize our product candidates successfully may be adversely affected.

        Our success depends in large part on our ability to obtain and maintain patent protection in the United States and other countries with respect to our proprietary product candidates. If we do not adequately protect our intellectual property, competitors may be able to erode or negate any competitive advantage we may have, which could harm our business and ability to achieve profitability. To protect our proprietary position, we file patent applications in the United States and abroad related to our novel product candidates that are important to our business. The patent application and approval process is expensive and time-consuming. We may not be able to file and prosecute all necessary or desirable patent applications at a reasonable cost or in a timely manner.

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        Our pending patent applications cannot be enforced against third parties practicing the technology claimed in such applications unless and until patent issues from such applications. Because the issuance of a patent is not conclusive as to its inventorship, scope, validity or enforceability, our patents or pending patent applications may be challenged in the courts or patent offices in the United States and abroad. For example, we may be subject to a third party preissuance submission of prior art to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, or become involved in post-grant review procedures, oppositions, derivations, reexaminations, inter partes review or interference proceedings, in the United States or elsewhere, challenging our patent rights or the patent rights of others. An adverse determination in any such challenges may result in loss of exclusivity or in patent claims being narrowed, invalidated or held unenforceable, in whole or in part, which could limit our ability to stop others from using or commercializing similar or identical technology and products, or limit the duration of the patent protection of our technology and products. In addition, given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized.

        Obtaining and maintaining a patent portfolio entails significant expense and resources. Part of the expense includes periodic maintenance fees, renewal fees, annuity fees, various other governmental fees on patents and/or applications due in several stages over the lifetime of patents and/or applications, as well as the cost associated with complying with numerous procedural provisions during the patent application process. We may not choose to pursue or maintain protection for particular inventions. In addition, there are situations in which failure to make certain payments or noncompliance with certain requirements in the patent process can result in abandonment or lapse of a patent or patent application, resulting in partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction. If we choose to forgo patent protection or allow a patent application or patent to lapse purposefully or inadvertently, our competitive position could suffer.

        Even if our patent applications issue as patents, they may not issue in a form that will provide us with any meaningful protection, prevent competitors from competing with us or otherwise provide us with any competitive advantage. Our competitors may be able to circumvent our patents by developing similar or alternative technologies or products in a non-infringing manner. Our competitors may also seek approval to market their own products similar to or otherwise competitive with our products. Alternatively, our competitors may seek to market generic versions of any approved products by submitting Abbreviated New Drug Applications, or ANDAs, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, in which they claim that patents owned or licensed by us are invalid, unenforceable or not infringed. In these circumstances, we may need to defend or assert our patents, or both, including by filing lawsuits alleging patent infringement. In any of these types of proceedings, a court or other agency with jurisdiction may find our patents invalid or unenforceable, or that our competitors are competing in a non-infringing manner. Thus, even if we have valid and enforceable patents, these patents still may not provide protection against competing products or processes sufficient to achieve our business objectives.

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        Legal actions to enforce our patent rights can be expensive and may involve the diversion of significant management time. In addition, these legal actions could be unsuccessful and could also result in the invalidation of our patents or a finding that they are unenforceable. We may or may not choose to pursue litigation or other actions against those that have infringed or are currently infringing our patent rights, or used them without authorization, due to the associated expense and time commitment of monitoring these activities. If we fail to protect or to enforce our intellectual property rights successfully, our competitive position could suffer, which could harm our results of operations.

        Even if we have or obtain patents covering our product candidates or compositions, we may still be prevented from making, using, selling, offering for sale, or importing our product candidates or technologies because of the patent rights of others. Others may have filed, and in the future may file, patent applications covering compositions or products that are similar or identical to ours. These filings could materially affect our ability to develop our product candidates or sell our products if approved. Because patent applications can take many years to issue and are not published for a period of time after filing, there may be currently pending applications unknown to us that may later result in issued patents that our product candidates or compositions may infringe. These patent applications may have priority over patent applications filed by us.

We may become involved in lawsuits to protect or enforce our patents or other intellectual property, which could be expensive, time consuming and unsuccessful and issued patents covering our product candidates could be found invalid or unenforceable if challenged in court.

        If we initiate legal proceedings against a third party to enforce a patent covering one of our product candidates or technologies, the defendant could counterclaim that the patent covering one of our product candidates or technologies is invalid or unenforceable. In patent litigation in the United States, defendant counterclaims alleging invalidity and unenforceability of an asserted patent or patents are commonplace. Grounds for a validity challenge include alleged failures to meet any of several statutory requirements, including lack of novelty, obviousness, written description or non-enablement. Grounds for unenforceability assertions include allegations that someone connected with prosecution of the patent withheld relevant information from the USPTO, or made a misleading statement, during prosecution. Third parties may also raise similar claims before administrative bodies in the United States or abroad, even outside the context of litigation. Such mechanisms include re-examination, post-grant review and/or inter partes review and equivalent proceedings in foreign jurisdictions, such as, opposition proceedings. Such proceedings could result in revocation or amendment of our patents in such a way that they no longer cover our product candidates or competitive products. Similarly, we may initiate proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, or PTAB, of the USPTO, such as post grant review, or PGR, derivation, or inter partes review, against patents granted to third parties. For example, NTZ, which we are evaluating as an anti-fibrotic in an investigator-initiated Phase 2 clinical trial, has been commercialized by Romark for use as an anti-parasitic drug. We have a number of granted U.S. patents covering the use of NTZ as an anti-fibrotic in certain organs, including in the liver for the treatment of liver fibrosis consecutive to NASH. Romark has an allowed U.S. patent application which claims the use of NTZ in liver fibrosis. This may prevent or delay us from obtaining issued patents with similar claims in the U.S. and if granted, may prompt additional proceedings in the USPTO against such patent or against other third party applications or patents or consider the need or benefit of entering into a license agreement with such third party or parties in order to exploit such patent alone or together with Romark or such other third party or parties. In the event that we do not prevail or the settlement terms with the adverse party are unfavorable, or we are unable to reach an agreement on terms sufficiently favorable to us, our ability to market our product candidates may be affected. The outcome following legal assertions of invalidity and unenforceability in the PTAB or the federal courts is unpredictable. With respect to validity, for example, we cannot be certain that there is no invalidating prior art, of which we and the patent examiner were unaware during prosecution. If a

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defendant were to prevail on a legal assertion of invalidity or unenforceability, we would lose at least part, and perhaps all, of the patent protection on our product candidates.

        Even if we establish infringement, the court may decide not to grant an injunction against further infringing activity and instead award only monetary damages, which may or may not be an adequate remedy. Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation in the United States, there is a risk that some of our confidential information could be compromised by disclosure during litigation. There could also be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments. If securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could have a material adverse effect on the price of shares of our common stock. Moreover, there can be no assurance that we will have sufficient financial or other resources to file and pursue such infringement claims in the federal courts, which typically last for years before they are concluded. Even if we ultimately prevail in such claims, the monetary cost of such litigation and the diversion of the attention of our management and scientific personnel could outweigh any benefit we receive as a result of the proceedings.

Biopharmaceutical patents and patent applications involve highly complex legal and factual questions, which, if determined adversely to us, could negatively impact our patent position.

        The patent positions of biopharmaceutical companies can be highly uncertain and involve complex legal and factual questions. The interpretation and breadth of claims allowed in some patents covering biopharmaceutical compositions may be uncertain and difficult to determine, and are often affected materially by the facts and circumstances that pertain to the patented compositions and the related patent claims. The standards of the USPTO are evolving and could change in the future. Consequently, we cannot predict the issuance and scope of patents with certainty. Patents, if issued, may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented. U.S. patents and patent applications may also be subject to derivation or interference proceedings, and U.S. patents may be subject to reexamination proceedings, post-grant review and/or inter partes review in the USPTO. Foreign patents may be subject also to opposition or comparable proceedings in the corresponding foreign patent office, which could result in either loss of the patent or denial of the patent application or loss or reduction in the scope of one or more of the claims of the patent or patent application. In addition, such interference, reexamination, post-grant review, inter partes review and opposition proceedings may be costly. Accordingly, rights under any issued patents may not provide us with sufficient protection against competitive products or processes.

        In addition, changes in or different interpretations of patent laws in the United States and foreign countries may permit others to use our discoveries or to develop and commercialize our technology and products without providing any compensation to us, or may limit the number of patents or claims we can obtain. The laws of some countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as U.S. laws and those countries may lack adequate rules and procedures for defending our intellectual property rights.

        If we fail to obtain and maintain patent protection and trade secret protection for our product candidates, we could lose our competitive advantage and competition we face would increase, reducing any potential revenues and adversely affecting our ability to attain or maintain profitability.

If we are sued for infringing intellectual property rights of third parties, such litigation could be costly and time consuming and could prevent or delay us from developing or commercializing our product candidates.

        Our commercial success depends, in part, on our ability to develop, manufacture, market and sell our product candidates and use our technologies without infringing the intellectual property and other proprietary rights of third parties. If any third-party patents or patent applications are found to cover our product candidates or their methods of use, we may not be free to manufacture or market our

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product candidates as planned without obtaining a license, which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.

        There is a substantial amount of intellectual property litigation in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, and we may become party to, or threatened with, litigation or other adversarial proceedings regarding intellectual property rights with respect to our product candidates, including interference proceedings before the USPTO. Third parties may assert infringement claims against us based on existing or future intellectual property rights. The outcome of intellectual property litigation is subject to uncertainties that cannot be adequately quantified in advance. The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have produced a significant number of patents, and it may not always be clear to industry participants, including us, which patents cover various types of products or methods of use. The coverage of patents is subject to interpretation by the courts, and the interpretation is not always uniform. If we were sued for patent infringement, we would need to demonstrate that our product candidates, products or methods either do not infringe the patent claims of the relevant patent or that the patent claims are invalid or unenforceable, and we may not be able to do this. Proving invalidity is difficult. For example, in the United States, proving invalidity requires a showing of clear and convincing evidence to overcome the presumption of validity enjoyed by issued patents. Even if we are successful in these proceedings, we may incur substantial costs and the time and attention of our management and scientific personnel could be diverted in pursuing these proceedings, which could significantly harm our business and operating results. In addition, we may not have sufficient resources to bring these actions to a successful conclusion.

        If we are found to infringe a third party's intellectual property rights, we could be forced, including by court order, to cease developing, manufacturing or commercializing the infringing product candidate or product. Alternatively, we may be required to obtain a license from such third party in order to use the infringing technology and continue developing, manufacturing or marketing the infringing product candidate. However, we may not be able to obtain any required license on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Even if we were able to obtain a license, it could be non-exclusive, thereby giving our competitors access to the same technologies licensed to us. In addition, we could, in certain circumstances, be found liable for monetary damages, including treble damages and attorneys' fees if we are found to have willfully infringed a patent. A finding of infringement could prevent us from commercializing our product candidates or force us to cease some of our business operations, which could materially harm our business. Claims may also be made that we have misappropriated the confidential information or trade secrets of third parties could have a similar negative impact on our business.

Developments in patent law in the United States and in other jurisdictions could have a negative impact on our business.

        From time to time, the U.S. Supreme Court, other federal courts, the U.S. Congress, the USPTO or similar foreign authorities may change the standards of patentability and any such changes could have a negative impact on our business. In addition, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, or the America Invents Act, which was signed into law in 2011, includes a number of significant changes to U.S. patent law. These changes include a transition from a "first-to-invent" system to a "first-to-file" system, changes to the way issued patents are challenged, and changes to the way patent applications are disputed during the examination process. In certain areas, these changes may favor larger and more established companies that have greater resources to devote to patent application filing and prosecution. The USPTO has developed new regulations and procedures to govern the full implementation of the America Invents Act, and many of the substantive changes to patent law associated with the America Invents Act, and, in particular, the first-to-file provisions, became effective on March 16, 2013. Substantive changes to patent law associated with the America Invents Act, or any

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subsequent U.S. legislation regarding patents, may affect our ability to obtain patents, and if obtained, to enforce or defend them.

        Furthermore, recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings have narrowed the scope of patent protection available in certain circumstances for diagnostic method claims and "gene patents" (see, two landmark Supreme Court cases, Mayo Collaborative v. Prometheus Laboratories ("Prometheus"), and Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics ("Myriad")).

        In view of the Supreme Court decisions in Prometheus, Myriad, and Alice Corp. Pty. Ltd. v. CLS Bank Int'l ("Alice Corp."), as well as other federal appellate cases, we cannot guarantee that our efforts to seek patent protection for our tools and biomarkers will be successful.

If we do not obtain protection under the Hatch-Waxman Amendments and similar non-U.S. legislation for extending the term of patents covering each of our product candidates, our business may be materially harmed.

        Given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized. We expect to seek extensions of patent terms for certain patents in the United States and, if available, in other countries where we are prosecuting patents and seeking approval of various products. Depending upon the timing, duration and conditions of FDA marketing approval of our product candidates, one or more of our U.S. patents may be eligible for limited patent term extension under the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, referred to as the Hatch-Waxman Amendments; similarly, selected patents outside the U.S., may be eligible for supplementary protection certificate, or SPC, under corresponding legislation in Europe and several other countries. Depending upon the circumstances, the Hatch-Waxman Amendments permit a patent term extension of up to five years for a patent covering an approved product as compensation for effective patent term lost during product development and the FDA regulatory review process. However, we may not receive an extension if we fail to apply within applicable deadlines, fail to apply prior to expiration of relevant patents or otherwise fail to satisfy applicable requirements. Moreover, the length of the extension could be less than we request. If we are unable to obtain patent term extension or the term of any such extension is less than we request, the period during which we can enforce our patent rights for that product will be shortened. If this occurs, our competitors may be able to take advantage of our investment in development and clinical trials by referencing our clinical and preclinical data and launch their product earlier than might otherwise be the case.

If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets, our business and competitive position would be harmed.

        In addition to patent protection, because we operate in the highly technical field of development of therapies, we rely in part on trade secret protection in order to protect our proprietary technology and processes. However, trade secrets are difficult to protect. We have entered into confidentiality and intellectual property assignment agreements with our employees, consultants, outside scientific collaborators, sponsored researchers, and other advisors. These agreements generally require that the other party keep confidential and not disclose to third parties all confidential information developed by the party or made known to the party by us during the course of the party's relationship with us. These agreements also generally provide that inventions conceived by the party in the course of rendering services to us will be our exclusive property. However, these agreements may not be honored and may not effectively assign intellectual property rights to us.

        In addition to contractual measures, we try to protect the confidential nature of our proprietary information using physical and technological security measures. Such measures may not, for example, in the case of misappropriation of a trade secret by an employee or third party with authorized access,

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provide adequate protection for our proprietary information. Our security measures may not prevent an employee or consultant from misappropriating our trade secrets and providing them to a competitor, and recourse we take against such misconduct may not provide an adequate remedy to protect our interests fully. Enforcing a claim that a party illegally disclosed or misappropriated a trade secret can be difficult, expensive, and time-consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. In addition, courts outside the United States may be less willing to protect trade secrets. Trade secrets may be independently developed by others in a manner that could prevent legal recourse by us. If any of our confidential or proprietary information, such as our trade secrets, were to be disclosed or misappropriated, or if any such information was independently developed by a competitor, our competitive position could be harmed.

We will not seek to protect our intellectual property rights in all jurisdictions throughout the world and we may not be able to adequately enforce our intellectual property rights even in the jurisdictions where we seek protection.

        Filing, prosecuting and defending patents on our product candidates in all countries and jurisdictions throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and our intellectual property rights in some countries outside the United States and Europe could be less extensive than those in the United States and Europe, assuming that patent rights are obtained in the United States. Competitors may use our technologies in jurisdictions where we do not pursue and obtain patent protection to develop their own products and further, may export otherwise infringing products to territories where we have patent protection, but enforcement is not as strong as that in the United States and Europe. These products may compete with our products and our patents or other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them from competing. Even if we pursue and obtain issued patents in particular jurisdictions, our patent claims or other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent third parties from so competing.

        In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the federal and state laws in the United States. Many companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights in certain foreign jurisdictions. The legal systems of some countries, particularly in developing countries, do not favor the enforcement of patents and other intellectual property protection, especially those relating to biopharmaceuticals or biotechnologies. This could make it difficult for us to stop the infringement of our patents, if obtained, or the misappropriation of our other intellectual property rights. For example, many foreign countries have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner must grant licenses to third parties for certain products. In addition, many countries limit the enforceability of patents against third parties, including government agencies or government contractors. In these countries, patents may provide limited or no benefit. Patent protection must ultimately be sought on a country-by-country basis, which is an expensive and time-consuming process with uncertain outcomes. Accordingly, we may choose not to seek patent protection in certain countries, and we will not have the benefit of patent protection in such countries.

        Proceedings to enforce our patent rights in foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial costs and divert our efforts and attention from other aspects of our business, could put our patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly, could put our patent applications at risk of not issuing and could provoke third parties to assert claims against us. We may not prevail in any lawsuits that we initiate and the damages or other remedies awarded, if any, may not be commercially meaningful. In addition, changes in the law and legal decisions by courts in the United States and foreign countries may affect our ability to obtain adequate protection for our technology and the enforcement of intellectual property. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights around the world may be inadequate to obtain a significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property that we develop or license.

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Third parties may assert ownership or commercial rights to inventions we develop.

        Third parties may in the future make claims challenging the inventorship or ownership of our intellectual property. We have written agreements with collaborators that provide for the ownership of intellectual property arising from our collaborations. These agreements provide that we must negotiate certain commercial rights with collaborators with respect to joint inventions or inventions made by our collaborators that arise from the results of the collaboration. In some instances, there may not be adequate written provisions to address clearly the resolution of intellectual property rights that may arise from collaboration. If we cannot successfully negotiate sufficient ownership and commercial rights to the inventions that result from our use of a third-party collaborator's materials where required, or if disputes otherwise arise with respect to the intellectual property developed with the use of a collaborator's samples, we may be limited in our ability to capitalize on the market potential of these inventions. In addition, we may face claims by third parties that our agreements with employees, contractors, or consultants obligating them to assign intellectual property to us are ineffective, or in conflict with prior or competing contractual obligations of assignment, which could result in ownership disputes regarding intellectual property we have developed or will develop and interfere with our ability to capture the commercial value of such inventions. Litigation may be necessary to resolve an ownership dispute, and if we are not successful, we may be precluded from using certain intellectual property, or may lose our exclusive rights in that intellectual property. Either outcome could have an adverse impact on our business.

Third parties may assert that our employees or consultants have wrongfully used or disclosed confidential information or misappropriated trade secrets.

        We employ individuals who were previously employed at universities or other biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies, including our competitors or potential competitors. Although we try to ensure that our employees and consultants do not use the proprietary information or know-how of others in their work for us, and no such claims against us are currently pending, we may be subject to claims that we or our employees, consultants or independent contractors have used or disclosed intellectual property, including trade secrets or other proprietary information, of a former employer or other third parties. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. If we fail in defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights or personnel. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management and other employees.

A dispute concerning the infringement or misappropriation of our proprietary rights or the proprietary rights of others could be time-consuming and costly, and an unfavorable outcome could harm our business.

        There is significant litigation in the biopharmaceutical industry regarding patent and other intellectual property rights. While we are not currently subject to any pending intellectual property litigation, and are not aware of any such threatened litigation, we may be exposed to future litigation by third parties based on claims that our product candidates, technologies or activities infringe the intellectual property rights of others. If our development activities are found to infringe any such patents, we may have to pay significant damages or seek licenses to such patents. A patentee could prevent us from using the patented drugs or compositions. We may need to resort to litigation to enforce a patent issued to us, to protect our trade secrets, or to determine the scope and validity of third-party proprietary rights. From time to time, we may hire scientific personnel or consultants formerly employed by other companies involved in one or more areas similar to the activities conducted by us. Either we or these individuals may be subject to allegations of trade secret misappropriation or other similar claims as a result of prior affiliations. If we become involved in litigation, it could consume a substantial portion of our managerial and financial resources, regardless of whether we win or lose. We may not be able to afford the costs of litigation. Any adverse ruling or

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perception of an adverse ruling in defending ourselves against these claims could have a negative impact on our cash position. Any legal action against us or our collaborators could lead to:

        Any of these outcomes could hurt our cash position and financial condition and our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates.

If our trademarks and trade names are not adequately protected, we may not be able to build name recognition in our markets of interest.

        Our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names may be challenged, infringed, circumvented or declared generic or determined to be infringing on other marks. We may not be able to protect our rights to these trademarks and trade names, which we will need to build name recognition by potential partners or customers in our markets of interest. Over the long term, if we are unable to establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade names, we may not be able to compete effectively.

Risks Related to the Global Offering, Ownership of Our Ordinary Shares and ADSs and Our Status as a Non-U.S. Company with Foreign Private Issuer Status

There has been no market for our ADSs prior to the U.S. offering and an active and liquid market for our securities may fail to develop, which could harm the market price of our ADSs.

        Although our ordinary shares have been traded on Euronext Paris since April 2014, there has been no public market on a U.S. national securities exchange for our ADSs or our ordinary shares in the United States. Although we anticipate our ADSs will be approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market, an active trading market for our ADSs may never develop or be sustained following the U.S. offering. The offering price of our ADSs will be determined through negotiations between us and the underwriters based on a number of factors. This offering price may not be indicative of the market price of our ADSs or ordinary shares after the global offering. In the absence of an active trading market for our ADSs or ordinary shares, investors may not be able to sell their ADSs at or above the offering price or at the time that they would like to sell.

The market price of our equity securities may be volatile, and purchasers of our ordinary shares or ADSs could incur substantial losses.

        The market price for our ADSs and ordinary shares may be volatile. The stock market in general and the market for biopharmaceutical companies in particular have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. As a result of this volatility, investors may not be able to sell their ADSs or ordinary shares at or above the price originally paid for the security. The market price for our ADSs and ordinary shares may be influenced by many factors, including:

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        These and other market and industry factors may cause the market price and demand for our ordinary shares and ADSs to fluctuate substantially, regardless of our actual operating performance, which may limit or prevent investors from readily selling their ordinary shares or ADSs and may otherwise negatively affect the liquidity of the trading market for our ordinary shares and ADSs.

If we do not achieve our projected development and commercialization goals in the timeframes we announce and expect, our business will be harmed and the price of our securities could decline as a result.

        We sometimes estimate for planning purposes the timing of the accomplishment of various scientific, clinical, regulatory and other product development objectives. These milestones may include our expectations regarding the commencement or completion of scientific studies, clinical trials, the submission of regulatory filings, or commercialization objectives. From time to time, we may publicly announce the expected timing of some of these milestones, such as the completion of an ongoing clinical trial, the initiation of other clinical programs, receipt of marketing approval, or a commercial launch of a product. The achievement of many of these milestones may be outside of our control. All of these milestones are based on a variety of assumptions which may cause the timing of achievement of the milestones to vary considerably from our estimates, including:

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        If we fail to achieve announced milestones in the timeframes we expect, the commercialization of our product candidates may be delayed, our business and results of operations may be harmed, and the trading price of the ordinary shares and ADSs may decline as a result.

After the completion of the global offering, we may be at an increased risk of securities class action litigation.

        Historically, securities class action litigation has often been brought against a company following a decline in the market price of its securities. This risk is especially relevant for us because biotechnology and biopharmaceutical companies have experienced significant share price volatility in recent years. If we were to be sued, it could result in substantial costs, which could be insufficiently covered by insurance, and a diversion of management's attention and resources, which could harm our business.

We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from the global offering and may use them in ways with which you do not agree and in ways that may not increase the value of your investment.

        Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds that we receive from the global offering. We may spend or invest these proceeds in a way with which our shareholders and ADS holders disagree. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business and financial condition. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from the global offering in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value. These investments may not yield a favorable return to our investors.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the price of our ordinary shares and ADSs and their trading volume could decline.

        The trading market for our ADSs and ordinary shares depends in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. If no or few securities or industry analysts cover our company, the trading price for our ADSs and ordinary shares would be negatively impacted. If one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our equity securities or publishes incorrect or unfavorable research about our business, the price of our ordinary shares and ADSs would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of our company or fails to publish reports on us regularly, or downgrades our securities, demand for our ordinary shares and ADSs could decrease, which could cause the price of our ordinary shares and ADSs or their trading volume to decline.

We do not currently intend to pay dividends on our securities and, consequently, your ability to achieve a return on your investment will depend on appreciation in the price of our ordinary shares and ADSs. In addition, French law may limit the amount of dividends we are able to distribute.

        We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares and do not currently intend to do so for the foreseeable future. We currently intend to invest our future earnings, if any, to fund our growth. Therefore, you are not likely to receive any dividends on your ordinary shares or ADSs for the foreseeable future and the success of an investment in ordinary shares or ADSs will depend upon any future appreciation in its value. Consequently, investors may need to sell all or part of their holdings of ordinary shares or ADSs after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any future gains on their investment. There is no guarantee that the ordinary shares

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or ADSs will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which our shareholders have purchased them. Investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase our ADSs or ordinary shares.

        Further, under French law, the determination of whether we have been sufficiently profitable to pay dividends is made on the basis of our statutory financial statements prepared and presented in accordance with accounting standards applicable in France. In addition, payment of dividends may subject us to additional taxes under French law. Please see the section of this prospectus titled "Description of Share Capital—Key Provisions of Our Bylaws and French Law Affecting Our Ordinary Shares—Rights, Preferences and Restrictions Attaching to Ordinary Shares (Articles 11, 12, 32, 40 and 41 of the Bylaws)" for further details on the limitations on our ability to declare and pay dividends and the taxes that may become payable by us if we elect to pay a dividend. Therefore, we may be more restricted in our ability to declare dividends than companies not based in France.

        In addition, exchange rate fluctuations may affect the amount of euros that we are able to distribute, and the amount in U.S. dollars that our shareholders receive upon the payment of cash dividends or other distributions we declare and pay in euros, if any. These factors could harm the value of our ADSs, and, in turn, the U.S. dollar proceeds that holders receive from the sale of our ADSs.

If you purchase ordinary shares or ADSs in the global offering, you will experience substantial and immediate dilution.

        If you purchase ordinary shares or ADSs in the global offering, you will experience substantial and immediate dilution of $22.40 per ADS and €19.93 per ordinary share in net tangible book value as of December 31, 2018, after giving effect to the global offering at an assumed offering price of $26.33 per ADS in the U.S. offering, corresponding to €23.42 per ordinary share, the closing price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris on March 13, 2019, in the European private placement (assuming an exchange rate of €1.00=$1.1243, the exchange rate on March 8, 2019), because the price that you pay will be substantially greater than the net tangible book value per ADS or ordinary share, as applicable, that you acquire. This dilution is due in large part to the fact that our earlier investors paid substantially less than the offering price when they purchased their ordinary shares. You will experience additional dilution upon exercise of any outstanding warrants to purchase ordinary shares or if we otherwise issue additional ordinary shares or ADSs below the offering price. For a further description of the dilution that you will experience immediately after the global offering, see the section of this prospectus titled "Dilution."

Future sales, or the possibility of future sales, of a substantial number of our ADSs or ordinary shares could adversely affect the price of our ADSs and ordinary shares.

        Future sales of a substantial number of our ADSs or ordinary shares, or the perception that such sales will occur, could cause a decline in the market price of our ADSs and/or ordinary shares. Based upon the number of shares outstanding as of December 31, 2018, after giving effect to the closing of the global offering, we will have 36,183,921 ordinary shares outstanding (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs), assuming the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase 750,000 additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares. ADSs and ordinary shares issued and sold in the global offering may be resold in the public market immediately without restriction, unless purchased by our affiliates. A significant portion of these ordinary shares and ADSs will be subject to the lock-up agreements described in "Shares and ADSs Eligible for Future Sale" and "Underwriting." If, after the end of such lock-up agreements, these shareholders or ADS holders sell substantial amounts of ordinary shares or ADSs in the public market, or the market perceives that such sales may occur, the market price of our ADSs or ordinary shares and our ability to raise capital through an issuance of equity securities in the future could be adversely affected.

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The rights of shareholders in companies subject to French corporate law differ in material respects from the rights of shareholders of corporations incorporated in the United States.

        We are a French company with limited liability. Our corporate affairs are governed by our bylaws and by the laws governing companies incorporated in France. The rights of shareholders and the responsibilities of members of our board of directors are in many ways different from the rights and obligations of shareholders in companies governed by the laws of U.S. jurisdictions. For example, in the performance of its duties, our board of directors is required by French law to consider the interests of our company, its shareholders, its employees and other stakeholders, rather than solely our shareholders and/or creditors. It is possible that some of these parties will have interests that are different from, or in addition to, your interests as a shareholder or holder of ADSs. See the sections of this prospectus titled "Management—Corporate Governance Practices" and "Description of Share Capital."

U.S. investors may have difficulty enforcing civil liabilities against our company and directors and senior management and the experts named in this prospectus.

        Certain members of our board of directors and senior management and certain experts named in this prospectus are non-residents of the United States, and all or a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of such persons are located outside the United States. As a result, it may not be possible to serve process on such persons or us in the United States or to enforce judgments obtained in U.S. courts against them or us based on civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States. Additionally, it may be difficult to assert U.S. securities law claims in actions originally instituted outside of the United States. Courts outside the United States may refuse to hear a U.S. securities law claim because non-U.S. courts may not be the most appropriate forums in which to bring such a claim. Even if a court outside the United States agrees to hear a claim, it may determine that the law of the jurisdiction in which the non-U.S. court resides, and not U.S. law, is applicable to the claim. Further, if U.S. law is found to be applicable, the content of applicable U.S. law must be proved as a fact, which can be a time-consuming and costly process, and certain matters of procedure would still be governed by the law of the jurisdiction in which the non-U.S. court resides. In particular, there is some doubt as to whether French courts would recognize and enforce certain civil liabilities under U.S. securities laws in original actions or judgments of U.S. courts based upon these civil liability provisions. In addition, awards of punitive damages in actions brought in the United States or elsewhere may be unenforceable in France. An award for monetary damages under the U.S. securities laws would be considered punitive if it does not seek to compensate the claimant for loss or damage suffered but is intended to punish the defendant. French law provides that a shareholder, or a group of shareholders, may initiate a legal action to seek indemnification from the directors of a corporation in the corporation's interest if it fails to bring such legal action itself. If so, any damages awarded by the court are paid to the corporation and any legal fees relating to such action may be borne by the relevant shareholder or the group of shareholders.

        The enforceability of any judgment in France will depend on the particular facts of the case as well as the laws and treaties in effect at the time. The United States and France do not currently have a treaty providing for recognition and enforcement of judgments, other than arbitration awards, in civil and commercial matters. See the section of this prospectus titled "Enforcement of Civil Liabilities."

Our bylaws and French corporate law contain provisions that may delay or discourage a takeover attempt.

        Provisions contained in our bylaws and French corporate law could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if doing so might be beneficial to our shareholders. In addition,

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provisions of our bylaws impose various procedural and other requirements, which could make it more difficult for shareholders to effect certain corporate actions. These provisions include the following:

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You may not be able to exercise your right to vote the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs.

        Holders of ADSs may exercise voting rights with respect to the ordinary shares represented by the ADSs only in accordance with the provisions of the deposit agreement. The deposit agreement provides that, upon receipt of notice of any meeting of holders of our ordinary shares, the depositary will fix a record date for the determination of ADS holders who shall be entitled to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights. Upon timely receipt of notice from us, if we so request, the depositary shall distribute to the holders as of the record date (1) the notice of the meeting or solicitation of consent or proxy sent by us and (2) a statement as to the manner in which instructions may be given by the holders.

        Purchasers of ADSs in the U.S. offering may instruct the depositary of their ADSs to vote the ordinary shares underlying their ADSs. Otherwise, purchasers of ADSs in the U.S. offering will not be able to exercise voting rights unless they withdraw the ordinary shares underlying the ADSs they hold. However, a holder of ADSs may not know about the meeting far enough in advance to withdraw those ordinary shares. If we ask for a holder of ADSs' instructions, the depositary, upon timely notice from us, will notify him or her of the upcoming vote and arrange to deliver our voting materials to him or her. We cannot guarantee to any holder of ADSs that he or she will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that he or she can instruct the depositary to vote his or her ordinary shares or to withdraw his or her ordinary shares so that he or she can vote them. If the depositary does not receive timely voting instructions from a holder of ADSs, it may give a proxy to a person designated by us to vote the ordinary shares underlying his or her ADSs. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that a holder of ADSs may not be able to exercise his or her right to vote, and there may be nothing he or she can do if the ordinary shares underlying his or her ADSs are not voted as he or she requested.

Purchasers of ADSs are not holders of our ordinary shares.

        A holder of ADSs will not be treated as one of our shareholders and will not have direct shareholder rights. French law governs our shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the ordinary shares underlying ADSs held by purchasers of ADSs in the U.S. offering. Purchasers of ADSs in the U.S. offering will have ADS holder rights. The deposit agreement among us, the depositary and

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purchasers of ADSs in the U.S. offering, as ADS holders, and all other persons directly and indirectly holding ADSs, sets out ADS holder rights, as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary.

        A double voting right is attached to each registered share which is held in the name of the same shareholder for at least two years. However, the ordinary shares underlying our ADSs will not be entitled to double voting rights as the depositary will hold the shares underlying our ADSs in bearer form.

The right as a holder of ADSs to participate in any future preferential subscription rights or to elect to receive dividends in shares may be limited, which may cause dilution to the holdings of purchasers of ADSs in the U.S. offering.

        According to French law, if we issue additional securities for cash, current shareholders will have preferential subscription rights for these securities on a pro rata basis unless they waive those rights at an extraordinary meeting of our shareholders by a two-thirds majority vote or individually by each shareholder. However, ADS holders will not be entitled to exercise or sell such rights unless we register the rights and the securities to which the rights relate under the Securities Act or an exemption from the registration requirements is available. In addition, the deposit agreement provides that the depositary will not make rights available to purchasers of ADSs in the U.S. offering unless the distribution to ADS holders of both the rights and any related securities are either registered under the Securities Act or exempted from registration under the Securities Act. Further, if we offer holders of our ordinary shares the option to receive dividends in either cash or shares, under the deposit agreement the depositary may require satisfactory assurances from us that extending the offer to holders of ADSs does not require registration of any securities under the Securities Act before making the option available to holders of ADSs. We are under no obligation to file a registration statement with respect to any such rights or securities or to endeavor to cause such a registration statement to be declared effective. Moreover, we may not be able to establish an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Accordingly, ADS holders may be unable to participate in our rights offerings or to elect to receive dividends in shares and may experience dilution in their holdings. In addition, if the depositary is unable to sell rights that are not exercised or not distributed or if the sale is not lawful or reasonably practicable, it will allow the rights to lapse, in which case you will receive no value for these rights.

Purchasers of ADSs in the U.S. offering may be subject to limitations on the withdrawal of the underlying ordinary shares.

        Temporary delays in the cancellation of ADSs and withdrawal of the underlying ordinary shares may arise because the depositary has closed its transfer books or we have closed our transfer books, the transfer of ordinary shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders' meeting or we are paying a dividend on our ordinary shares. In addition, a holder of ADSs may not be able to cancel his or her ADSs and withdraw the underlying ordinary shares when he or she owes money for fees, taxes and similar charges and when it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs or to the withdrawal of ordinary shares or other deposited securities. See the section of this prospectus titled "Description of American Depositary Shares."

ADSs holders may not be entitled to a jury trial with respect to claims arising under the deposit agreement, which could result in less favorable outcomes to the plaintiffs in any such action.

        The deposit agreement governing the ADSs representing our ordinary shares provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, ADS holders waive the right to a jury trial of any claim they may have against us or the depositary arising out of or relating to our shares, the ADSs or the deposit agreement, including any claim under the U.S. federal securities laws.

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        If we or the depositary opposed a jury trial demand based on the waiver, the court would determine whether the waiver was enforceable based on the facts and circumstances of that case in accordance with the applicable state and federal law. To our knowledge, the enforceability of a contractual pre-dispute jury trial waiver in connection with claims arising under the federal securities laws has not been finally adjudicated by the United States Supreme Court. However, we believe that a contractual pre-dispute jury trial waiver provision is generally enforceable, including under the laws of the State of New York, which govern the deposit agreement, by a federal or state court in the City of New York, which has non-exclusive jurisdiction over matters arising under the deposit agreement. In determining whether to enforce a contractual pre-dispute jury trial waiver provision, courts will generally consider whether a party knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waived the right to a jury trial. We believe that this is the case with respect to the deposit agreement and the ADSs. It is advisable that you consult legal counsel regarding the jury waiver provision before entering into the deposit agreement.

        If you or any other holders or beneficial owners of ADSs bring a claim against us or the depositary in connection with matters arising under the deposit agreement or the ADSs, including claims under federal securities laws, you or such other holder or beneficial owner may not be entitled to a jury trial with respect to such claims, which may have the effect of limiting and discouraging lawsuits against us and the depositary. If a lawsuit is brought against either or both of us and the depositary under the deposit agreement, it may be heard only by a judge or justice of the applicable trial court, which would be conducted according to different civil procedures and may result in different outcomes than a trial by jury would have, including results that could be less favorable to the plaintiffs in any such action.

        Nevertheless, if this jury trial waiver provision is not permitted by applicable law, an action could proceed under the terms of the deposit agreement with a jury trial. No condition, stipulation or provision of the deposit agreement or ADSs serves as a waiver by any holder or beneficial owner of ADSs or by us or the depositary of compliance with U.S. federal securities laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from a number of rules under the U.S. securities laws and are permitted to file less information with the SEC than a U.S. company. This may limit the information available to holders of ADSs and our ordinary shares.

        We are a foreign private issuer, as defined in the SEC's rules and regulations and, consequently, we are not subject to all of the disclosure requirements applicable to public companies organized within the United States. For example, we are exempt from certain rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, that regulate disclosure obligations and procedural requirements related to the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations applicable to a security registered under the Exchange Act, including the U.S. proxy rules under Section 14 of the Exchange Act. In addition, our officers and directors are exempt from the reporting and "short-swing" profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and related rules with respect to their purchases and sales of our securities. Moreover, while we currently make annual and semi-annual filings with respect to our listing on Euronext Paris and expect to file financial reports on an annual and semi-annual basis, we will not be required to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. public companies and will not be required to file quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K under the Exchange Act. Accordingly, there will be less publicly available information concerning our company than there would be if we were not a foreign private issuer.

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As a foreign private issuer, we are permitted and we expect to follow certain home country practices in relation to corporate governance matters that differ significantly from Nasdaq's corporate governance standards. These practices may afford less protection to shareholders than they would enjoy if we complied fully with the corporate governance standards of the Nasdaq Global Market.

        As a foreign private issuer listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, we will be subject to Nasdaq's corporate governance standards. However, Nasdaq rules provide that foreign private issuers are permitted to follow home country corporate governance practices in lieu of Nasdaq's corporate governance standards as long as notification is provided to Nasdaq of the intention to take advantage of such exemptions. We intend to rely on exemptions for foreign private issuers and follow French corporate governance practices in lieu of Nasdaq's corporate governance standards, to the extent possible. Certain corporate governance practices in France, which is our home country, may differ significantly from Nasdaq corporate governance standards. For example, as a French company, neither the corporate laws of France nor our bylaws require a majority of our directors to be independent and we can include non-independent directors as members of our remuneration committee, and our independent directors are not required to hold regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.

        We are also exempt from provisions set forth in Nasdaq rules which require an issuer to provide in its bylaws for a generally applicable quorum, and that such quorum may not be less than one-third of the outstanding voting stock. Consistent with French law, our bylaws provide that a quorum requires the presence of shareholders having at least (1) 20% of the shares entitled to vote in the case of an ordinary shareholders' general meeting or at an extraordinary shareholders' general meeting where shareholders are voting on a capital increase by capitalization of reserves, profits or share premium, or (2) 25% of the shares entitled to vote in the case of any other extraordinary shareholders' general meeting. If a quorum is not present, the meeting is adjourned. There is no quorum requirement when an ordinary general meeting is reconvened, but the reconvened meeting may consider only questions which were on the agenda of the adjourned meeting. When an extraordinary general meeting is reconvened, the quorum required is 20% of the shares entitled to vote, except where the reconvened meeting is considering capital increases through capitalization of reserves, profits or share premium. For these matters, no quorum is required at the reconvened meeting. If a quorum is not present at a reconvened meeting requiring a quorum, then the meeting may be adjourned for a maximum of two months.

        As a foreign private issuer, we are required to comply with Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act, relating to audit committee composition and responsibilities. Under French law, the audit committee may only have an advisory role and appointment of our statutory auditors, in particular, must be decided by the shareholders at our annual meeting. Therefore, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they otherwise would have under Nasdaq's corporate governance standards applicable to U.S. domestic issuers. For an overview of our corporate governance practices, see "Management—Corporate Governance Practices."

We are an "emerging growth company" under the JOBS Act and will be able to avail ourselves of reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies, which could make our ADSs less attractive to investors.

        We are an "emerging growth company," as defined in the U.S. Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act, and we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not "emerging growth companies," including not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, Section 107 of the

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JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, for complying with new or revised accounting standards. We will not take advantage of the extended transition period provided under Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. Since IFRS makes no distinction between public and private companies for purposes of compliance with new or revised accounting standards, the requirements for our compliance as a private company and as a public company are the same.

        We cannot predict if investors will find our ADSs less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our ADSs less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our ADSs and the price of our ADSs may be more volatile. We may take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an emerging growth company. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (1) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenue of $1.07 billion or more; (2) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of the global offering; (3) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years; and (4) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC.

We may lose our foreign private issuer status in the future, which could result in significant additional cost and expense.

        While we currently qualify as a foreign private issuer, the determination of foreign private issuer status is made annually on the last business day of an issuer's most recently completed second fiscal quarter and, accordingly, the next determination will be made with respect to us on June 30, 2019. In the future, we would lose our foreign private issuer status if we fail to meet the requirements necessary to maintain our foreign private issuer status as of the relevant determination date. We will remain a foreign private issuer until such time that more than 50% of our outstanding voting securities are held by U.S. residents and any of the following three circumstances applies: (1) the majority of our executive officers or directors are U.S. citizens or residents; (2) more than 50% of our assets are located in the United States; or (3) our business is administered principally in the United States.

        The regulatory and compliance costs to us under U.S. securities laws as a U.S. domestic issuer may be significantly more than costs we incur as a foreign private issuer. If we are not a foreign private issuer, we will be required to file periodic reports and registration statements on U.S. domestic issuer forms with the SEC, which are more detailed and extensive in certain respects than the forms available to a foreign private issuer. We would be required under current SEC rules to prepare our financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, rather than IFRS, and modify certain of our policies to comply with corporate governance practices associated with U.S. domestic issuers. Such conversion of our financial statements to U.S. GAAP would involve significant time and cost. In addition, we may lose our ability to rely upon exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements on U.S. stock exchanges that are available to foreign private issuers such as the ones described herein and exemptions from procedural requirements related to the solicitation of proxies.

Changes to U.S. and non-U.S. tax laws could materially adversely affect our company.

        On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law and significantly revised the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, among other things, contains significant changes to corporate taxation, including reduction of the corporate tax rate from a top marginal rate of 35% to a flat rate of 21%, limitation of the tax deduction for interest expense to 30% of adjusted earnings (except for certain small businesses), implementation of a "base erosion anti-abuse tax" which requires U.S. corporations to make an alternative determination of taxable income without regard to tax deductions for certain payments to affiliates, taxation of certain non-U.S. corporations' earnings considered to be "global intangible low taxed income" (also referred to

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as "GILTI"), repeal of the alternative minimum tax, or AMT, for corporations and changes to a taxpayer's ability to either utilize or refund the AMT credits previously generated, changes to the limitation on deductions for certain executive compensation particularly with respect to the removal of the previously allowed performance based compensation exception, changes in the attribution rules relating to shareholders of certain "controlled foreign corporations", limitation of the deduction for net operating losses to 80% of current year taxable income and elimination of net operating loss carrybacks, one-time taxation of offshore earnings at reduced rates regardless of whether they are repatriated, elimination of U.S. tax on foreign earnings (subject to certain important exceptions), immediate deductions for certain new investments instead of deductions for depreciation expense over time, and modifying or repealing many business deductions and credits. Notwithstanding the reduction in the U.S. corporate income tax rate, the overall impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is uncertain and our business and financial condition could be adversely affected. The impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on holders of our ordinary shares or ADSs is also uncertain and could be adverse. For example, recent changes in U.S. federal income tax law resulting in additional taxes owed by U.S. holders (as defined below under "Material United States Federal Income Tax and French Tax Considerations—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations") under the new GILTI tax rules or related to "controlled foreign corporations" may discourage U.S. investors from owning or acquiring 10% or greater of our outstanding ordinary shares or ADSs, which other shareholders may have viewed as beneficial or may otherwise negatively impact the trading price of our ordinary shares or ADSs. We are unable to predict what federal tax law may be proposed or enacted in the future or what effect such changes would have on our business, but such changes, to the extent they are brought into tax legislation, regulations, policies or practices, could affect our effective tax rates in the future in countries where we have operations and have an adverse effect on our overall tax rate in the future, along with increasing the complexity, burden and cost of tax compliance. We urge our shareholders to consult with their legal and tax advisors with respect to this legislation and the potential tax consequences of investing in or holding our ordinary shares or ADSs.

If we are a passive foreign investment company, there could be adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. holders.

        Based on our analysis of our income, assets, activities and market capitalization, we believe that we were not classified as a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for the taxable year ending December 31, 2018 and we believe that we will not be classified as a PFIC for the taxable year ending December 31, 2019; however, there can be no assurance that we will not be considered a PFIC for any future taxable year. Under the Code, a non-U.S. company will be considered a PFIC for any taxable year in which (1) 75% or more of its gross income consists of passive income or (2) 50% or more of the average quarterly value of its assets consists of assets that produce, or are held for the production of, passive income. For purposes of these tests, passive income includes dividends, interest, gains from the sale or exchange of investment property and certain rents and royalties. In addition, for purposes of the above calculations, a non-U.S. corporation that directly or indirectly owns at least 25% by value of the shares of another corporation is treated as if it held its proportionate share of the assets and received directly its proportionate share of the income of such other corporation. If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. holder (as defined below under "Material United States Federal Income Tax and French Tax Considerations—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations") holds our ordinary shares or ADSs, we will continue to be treated as a PFIC with respect to such U.S. holder in all succeeding years during which the U.S. holder owns the ordinary shares or ADSs, regardless of whether we continue to meet the PFIC test described above, unless the U.S. holder makes a specified election once we cease to be a PFIC. If we are classified as a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. holder holds our ordinary shares or ADSs, the U.S. holder may be subject to adverse tax consequences regardless of whether we continue to qualify as a PFIC, including ineligibility for any preferred tax rates on capital gains or on actual or deemed dividends, interest charges on certain taxes

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treated as deferred, and additional reporting requirements. For further discussion of the PFIC rules and the adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences in the event we are classified as a PFIC, see the section of this prospectus titled "Material United States Federal Income Tax and French Tax Considerations—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations".

If a United States person is treated as owning at least 10% of our ordinary shares, such holder may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.

        If a U.S. holder is treated as owning, directly, indirectly or constructively, at least 10% of the value or voting power of our ordinary shares or ADSs, such U.S. holder may be treated as a "United States shareholder" with respect to each "controlled foreign corporation" in our group, if any. Our group currently includes one U.S. subsidiary and, therefore, under current law our non-U.S. subsidiaries should be treated as controlled foreign corporations, regardless of whether we are treated as a controlled foreign corporation. A United States shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation may be required to annually report and include in its U.S. taxable income its pro rata share of "Subpart F income," "global intangible low-taxed income" and investments in U.S. property by controlled foreign corporations, regardless of whether we make any distributions. An individual that is a United States shareholder with respect to a controlled foreign corporation generally would not be allowed certain tax deductions or foreign tax credits that would be allowed to a United States shareholder that is a U.S. corporation. Failure to comply with controlled foreign corporation reporting obligations may subject a United States shareholder to significant monetary penalties. We cannot provide any assurances that we will furnish to any United States shareholder information that may be necessary to comply with the reporting and tax paying obligations applicable under the controlled foreign corporation rules of the Code. U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of these rules to their investment in our ordinary shares or ADSs.

We must maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, and if we are unable to do so, the accuracy and timeliness of our financial reporting may be adversely affected, which could hurt our business, lessen investor confidence and depress the market price of our securities.

        As a public company, we must maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in order to accurately and timely report our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, as a public company listed in the United States, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act will require, among other things, that we assess the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting at the end of each fiscal year. Depending on the success of our listing in the U.S .market, we may have to start reporting under Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act as early as for the year ending December 31, 2020 and the filing of our second annual report on Form 20-F with the SEC.

        The rules governing the standards that must be met for our management to assess our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act are complex and require significant documentation, testing and possible remediation. These stringent standards require that our audit committee be advised and regularly updated on management's review of internal control over financial reporting. We are in the process of designing, implementing, and testing the internal control over financial reporting required to comply with this obligation. This process is time-consuming, costly, and complicated. In addition, our independent registered public accounting firm will be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting beginning with our annual report following the date on which we are no longer an "emerging growth company," which may be up to five fiscal years following the date of the global offering. Our management may not be able to effectively and timely implement controls and procedures that adequately respond to the increased regulatory compliance and reporting requirements that will be applicable to us as a public company listed in the United States.

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        In connection with the audit of our consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018, our independent registered public accounting firm identified a control deficiency in our internal control over financial reporting that constituted a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. As defined in the standards established by the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, a material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

        Our independent registered public accounting firm identified the material weakness attributable to our lack of expertise regarding complex and unusual IFRS accounting treatment for our convertible bonds and their associated deferred tax impacts. As such, our controls over financial reporting were not designed or operating effectively, and as a result there was an error in our previously issued financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017 that required us to restate our financial statements for that year. Additional information describing this matter is included in Note 2.3 to our consolidated financial statements contained in this prospectus.

        We have historically retained the services of an external consultant to assist us with complex and unusual IFRS accounting treatment, such as in the case of our convertible bonds. In an effort to remediate our material weakness, we intend to engage additional personnel, both internal and external, with appropriate training, as well as to redesign our supervision controls, including with respect to the documentation of assumptions used and the development of accounting positions, and to reassess the necessary qualifications for any external consultants. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in pursuing these measures or that these measures will significantly improve or remediate the material weakness described above. There is also no assurance that we have identified all of our material weaknesses or that we will not in the future have additional material weaknesses.

        If we fail to remediate the material weakness or to meet the demands that will be placed upon us as a public company, including the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we may be unable to accurately report our financial results, or report them within the timeframes required by law or stock exchange regulations. Failure to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could also potentially subject us to sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities. There is no assurance that we will be able to remediate the material weakness in a timely manner, or at all, or that in the future, additional material weaknesses will not exist or otherwise be discovered. If our efforts to remediate the material weakness identified are not successful, or if other material weaknesses or other deficiencies occur, our ability to accurately and timely report our financial position could be impaired, which could result in our failure to meet our reporting obligations in a timely manner under the Exchange Act, additional restatements of our consolidated financial statements, a decline in our stock price, suspension or delisting of our common stock from the Nasdaq Global Market, and could adversely affect our reputation, results of operations and financial condition.

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        This prospectus, particularly the sections of this prospectus titled "Prospectus Summary," "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Business," contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than present and historical facts and conditions contained in this prospectus, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy, plans and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this prospectus, the words "anticipate," "believe," "can," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "is designed to," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "objective," "should," or the negative of these and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:

        You should refer to the section of this prospectus titled "Risk Factors" for a discussion of important factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. As a result of these factors, we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this prospectus will prove to be accurate. Furthermore, if our forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame or at all. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking

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statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Section 27A of the Securities Act do not protect any forward-looking statements that we make in connection with the global offering.

        You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed with the SEC as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part with the understanding that our actual future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

        We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from the global offering of approximately €106.0 million ($119.2 million), assuming an offering price of $26.33 per ADS in the U.S. offering, corresponding to €23.42 per ordinary share, which was the closing price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris on March 13, 2019, in the European private placement (assuming an exchange rate of €1.00 = $1.1243, the exchange rate on March 8, 2019), after deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, and assuming no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase 750,000 additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares. If the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares in the global offering, we estimate that we will receive net proceeds from the global offering of approximately €122.3 million ($137.5 million), assuming an offering price of $26.33 per ADS in the U.S. offering, corresponding to €23.42 per ordinary share, which was the closing price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris on March 13, 2019, in the European private placement (assuming an exchange rate of €1.00 = $1.1243), after deducting underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

        Each $1.00 (€0.8894) increase or decrease in the assumed offering price of $26.33 per ADS in the U.S. offering would increase or decrease our net proceeds from the global offering by €4.1 million ($4.7 million), assuming the number of ordinary shares offered by us (which may be in the form of ADSs), as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Subject to applicable law, we may also increase or decrease the number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) we are offering. An increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) offered by us in the global offering would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us by €21.8 million (€21.8 million) or $24.5 million ($24.5 million), assuming that the assumed offering price remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The actual net proceeds payable to us will adjust based on the actual number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) offered by us in the global offering, the actual offering price and other terms of the global offering determined at pricing. We currently expect to use the net proceeds from the global offering as follows:

        Even with the expected net proceeds from the global offering, and depending on our ability to generate sufficient revenues from the future potential commercialization of our drug candidates and IVD test, we may need to raise additional capital in the future to develop and commercialize our drug candidates and IVD test, including future clinical trials that may be required by regulatory authorities.

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We have based these estimates on assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we currently expect.

        This expected use of the net proceeds from the global offering represents our intentions based upon our current plans and business conditions. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot predict with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the completion of the global offering or the amounts that we will actually spend on the uses set forth above. The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures and the extent of clinical development may vary significantly depending on numerous factors, including the progress of our development efforts, the status of and results from preclinical studies and any ongoing clinical trials or clinical trials we may commence in the future, as well as any collaborations that we may enter into with third parties for our drug candidates and any unforeseen cash needs. As a result, our future financing needs remain uncertain and our management will retain broad discretion over the allocation of the net proceeds from the global offering.

        Pending our use of the net proceeds from the global offering, we intend to invest the net proceeds in a variety of capital preservation investments, including short-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing instruments.

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DIVIDEND POLICY

        We have never declared or paid any dividends on our ordinary shares. We do not anticipate paying cash dividends on our equity securities in the foreseeable future and intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings for use in the operation and expansion of our business, given our state of development.

        Subject to the requirements of French law and our bylaws, dividends may only be distributed from our distributable profits, plus any amounts held in our available reserves which are reserves other than legal and statutory and revaluation surplus. See the section of this prospectus titled "Description of Share Capital—Key Provisions of Our Bylaws and French Law Affecting Our Ordinary Shares—Rights, Preferences and Restrictions Attaching to Ordinary Shares (Articles 11, 12, 32, 40 and 41 of the Bylaws)" for further details on the limitations on our ability to declare and pay dividends. Dividend distributions, if any in the future, will be made in euros and converted into U.S. dollars with respect to the ADSs, as provided in the deposit agreement.

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CAPITALIZATION

        The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of December 31, 2018:

        Our capitalization following the global offering will be adjusted based on the actual offering price and other terms of the global offering determined at pricing, including the amount by which actual offering expenses are higher or lower than estimated. The table should be read in conjunction with the information contained in "Use of Proceeds," "Selected Consolidated Financial Data" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," as well as our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 
  As of December 31, 2018  
(in thousands of euros)
  Actual   As Adjusted(1)  

Cash and cash equivalents

  207,240   313,248  

Total debt, including current portion

  169,593   169,593  

Shareholders' equity:

             

Share capital, nominal value €0.25 per share; 31,183,921 shares issued and outstanding, actual; 36,183,921 shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted

    7,796     9,046  

Share premium net of treasury shares

    250,824     355,582  

Accumulated deficit

    (158,167 )   (158,167 )

Currency translation adjustment

    6     6  

Net loss

    (79,521 )   (79,521 )

Total shareholders' equity

    20,939     126,947  

Total capitalization

  190,532   296,540  

(1)
Each $1.00 (€0.8894) increase or decrease in the assumed offering price of $26.33 per ADS in the U.S. offering, corresponding to €23.42 per ordinary share, which was the closing price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris on March 13, 2019, in the European private placement, would increase or decrease each of as adjusted cash and cash equivalents, total shareholders' equity and as adjusted total capitalization by €4.1 million ($4.7 million), assuming that the number of ordinary shares offered by us (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs), as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Subject to applicable law, we may also increase or decrease the number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) we are offering. Each increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) offered by us would increase (decrease) each of as adjusted cash and cash equivalents, total shareholders' equity and as adjusted total capitalization by €21.8 million (€21.8 million), or $24.5 million ($24.5 million), assuming that the assumed offering price remains

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    the same, and after deducting underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Each increase of 1,000,000 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) offered by us together with an associated $1.00 (€0.8894) increase in the assumed offering price of $26.33 per ADS in the U.S. offering, corresponding to €23.42 per ordinary share, which was the closing price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris on March 13, 2019, in the European private placement, would increase each of as adjusted cash and cash equivalents, total shareholders' equity and as adjusted total capitalization by €26.7 million ($30.1 million), after deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Each decrease of 1,000,000 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) offered by us together with an associated $1.00 (€0.8894) decrease in the assumed offering price of $26.33 per ADS in the U.S. offering, corresponding to €23.42 per ordinary share, which was the closing price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris on March 13, 2019, in the European private placement, would decrease each of as adjusted cash and cash equivalents, total shareholders' equity and as adjusted total capitalization by €25.1 million ($28.2 million), after deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only and will change based on the actual offering price, the actual number of ordinary shares offered by us (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs), and other terms of the global offering determined at pricing.

        The number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) that will be outstanding after the global offering is based on 31,183,921 ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 2018 and excludes:

        Except as otherwise noted, the information in this prospectus assumes no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional ordinary shares (which may be in the form of ADSs).

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DILUTION

        If you invest in our ADSs or ordinary shares in the global offering, your ownership interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the offering price per ADS or ordinary share paid by purchasers in the global offering and the as adjusted net tangible book value per ADS or ordinary share, as applicable, after completion of the global offering. Our net tangible book value as of December 31, 2018 was €20.1 million ($23.0 million), or €0.64 per ordinary share (equivalent to $0.74 per ADS), based on the exchange rate in effect as of December 31, 2018. Net tangible book value per ordinary share is determined by dividing (1) our total assets less our intangible assets and our total liabilities by (2) the number of ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 2018, or 31,183,921 ordinary shares.

        After giving effect to our sale of a total of 5,000,000 ordinary shares, consisting of (i)               ADSs in the U.S. offering at an assumed offering price of $26.33 per ADS, and (ii)               ordinary shares in the European private placement at an assumed offering price of €23.42 per ordinary share, which was the closing price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris on March 13, 2019, and after deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value at December 31, 2018 (based on the exchange rate in effect as of December 31, 2018) would have been €126.2 million ($142.3 million), or €3.49 per ordinary share (equivalent to $3.93 per ADS). This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of €2.85 per ordinary share (equivalent to $3.19 per ADS) to existing shareholders and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of €19.93 per ordinary share (equivalent to $22.40 per ADS) to new investors.

        The following table illustrates this dilution to new investors on a per ordinary share and per ADS basis:

 
  As of December 31, 2018  
 
  Per Ordinary
Share
  Per ADS  

Assumed offering price

        23.42         $ 26.33  

Historical net tangible book value per ordinary share or ADS as of December 31, 2018

  0.64         $ 0.74        

Increase in net tangible book value per ordinary share or ADS attributable to new investors participating in the global offering

    2.85           3.19        

As adjusted net tangible book value per ordinary share or ADS after the global offering

          3.49           3.93  

Dilution in as adjusted net tangible book value per ordinary share or ADS to new investors participating in the global offering

        19.93         $ 22.40  

        The dilution information discussed above is illustrative only and will change based on the actual offering price and other terms of the global offering determined at pricing. Each $1.00 (€0.8894) increase (decrease) in the assumed offering price of $26.33 per ADS in the U.S. offering corresponding to €23.42 per ordinary share, the closing price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris on March 13, 2019, in the European private placement, would further increase (decrease) our as adjusted net tangible book value by €4.1 million (€4.1 million) or $4.7 million ($4.7 million), or €0.11 (€0.11) per ordinary share (equivalent to $0.13 ($0.13) per ADS), and the dilution to new investors participating in the global offering would be €20.71 per ordinary share (equivalent to $23.27 per ADS), assuming that the number of ordinary shares offered by us (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs), as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Subject to applicable law, we may also increase or decrease the number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) we

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are offering. An increase of 1,000,000 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) offered by us would further increase the as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately €21.8 million ($24.5 million), or €0.49 per ordinary share (equivalent to $0.55 per ADS), and the dilution to new investors participating in the global offering would be €19.44 per ordinary share (equivalent to $21.85 per ADS), assuming that the assumed offering price remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, a decrease of 1,000,000 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) offered by us would decrease the as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately €21.8 million ($24.5 million), or €0.52 per ordinary share (equivalent to $0.58 per ADS), and the dilution to new investors participating in the global offering would be €20.45 per ordinary share (equivalent to $22.98 per ADS), assuming that the assumed offering price remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only and will change based on the actual offering price, the actual number of ordinary shares offered by us (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs), and other terms of the global offering determined at pricing.

        If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase 750,000 additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares in full, the as adjusted net tangible book value after the global offering would be €3.86 per ordinary share (equivalent to $4.35 per ADS), the increase in the as adjusted net tangible book value to existing shareholders would be €3.22 per ordinary share (equivalent to $3.61 per ADS), and the dilution to new investors participating in the global offering would be €19.56 per ordinary share (equivalent to $21.98 per ADS).

        The following table sets forth, as of December 31, 2018, on the as adjusted basis described above, consideration paid to us in cash for ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) purchased from us by our existing shareholders and by new investors participating in the global offering based on an assumed offering price of $26.33 per ADS, the closing price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris on March 13, 2019 (assuming an exchange rate of €1.00 = $1.1243, the exchange rate on March 8, 2019), and before deducting underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 
  Ordinary Shares
Purchased(1)
  Total
Consideration
   
   
 
 
  Average
Price Per
Ordinary
Share
   
 
 
  Average
Price
Per ADS
 
 
  Number   Percent   Amount   Percent  

Existing shareholders

    31,183,921     86 % 225,157,961     69 % 8.18        

New investors

    5,000,000     14     117,095,081     31   23.42   $ 26.33  

Total

    36,183,921     100 % 372,253,042     100 %            

(1)
Including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs.

        Each $1.00 (€0.8894) increase or decrease in the assumed offering price of $26.33 per ADS in the U.S. offering, corresponding to €23.42 per ordinary share, which was the closing price of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris on March 13, 2019, in the European private placement (assuming the March 8, 2019 exchange rate of €1.00 = $1.1243), would increase or decrease the total consideration paid by new investors participating in the global offering by €4.4 million ($5.0 million), assuming that the number of ordinary shares offered by us (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs), as set forth on the cover page of the prospectus, remains the same and before deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Subject to applicable law, we may also increase or decrease the number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) we are offering. Each increase or decrease in 1,000,000 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) offered by us would increase or decrease the total consideration paid by

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new investors participating in the global offering by €23.4 million ($26.3 million), assuming that the assumed offering price remains the same and before deducting estimated underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only and will change based on the actual offering price, the actual number of ordinary shares offered by us (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) and other terms of the global offering determined at pricing.

        The table above assumes no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase 750,000 additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares in the global offering. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares in full, the number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) held by the existing shareholders after the global offering would be reduced to 84% of the total number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) outstanding after the global offering, and the number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) held by new investors participating in the global offering would increase to 16% of the total number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) outstanding after the global offering.

        Other than translations of the assumed offering price into U.S. dollars and translations of corresponding proceeds of the global offering, which are determined at the exchange rate of €1.00 = $1.1243, the noon buying rate of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on March 8, 2019, translations included in "Dilution" are calculated based on the exchange rate of €1.00 = $1.1456, the noon buying rate of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on December 31, 2018.

        The tables and calculations above are based on the number of ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) that will be outstanding after the global offering, which is based on 31,183,921 ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 2018 and excludes:

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SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

        The following selected consolidated statement of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018 and selected consolidated statement of financial position data as of December 31, 2017 and 2018 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our audited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IASB, as of and for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018.

        The following selected consolidated financial data for the years and as of the dates indicated are qualified by reference to and should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes beginning on page F-1 of this prospectus, as well as the sections titled "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Exchange Rate Information" included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our historical results and the results for the year ended December 31, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of our results to be expected for any future period.

Selected Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
(in thousands, except loss per share data)
  2017   2018  
 
  Restated*
   
 

Revenues and other income

             

Revenue

  118   69  

Other income

    6,737     7,425  

Revenues and other income

    6,856     7,494  

Operating expenses and other operating income (expenses)

             

Research and development expenses

    (54,189 )   (67,024 )

General and administrative expenses

    (9,421 )   (9,793 )

Other operating income (expenses)

    60     (162 )

Operating loss

    (56,695 )   (69,484 )

Financial income

    642     728  

Financial expenses

    (3,096 )   (11,118 )

Financial loss

    (2,453 )   (10,391 )

Net loss before tax

    (59,148 )   (79,875 )

Income tax benefit

    3,420     354  

Net loss

  (55,728 ) (79,521 )

Basic and diluted loss per share

  (1.79 ) (2.55 )

(*)
In the context of the preparation of its 2018 consolidated financial statements, we restated the financial statements previously published for the 2017 fiscal year under IFRS. These changes do not affect the cash position or the operating results, and are mainly related to the application of IFRS to deferred taxes on the OCEANE bonds issued in October 2017. The corrections lead mainly to a decrease in the consolidated net loss of €2.9 million. More information is provided in Note 2.3 to our consolidated financial statements.

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Selected Consolidated Statement of Financial Position Data:

 
  As of December 31,  
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Cash and cash equivalents

  273,820   207,240  

Total assets

    293,183     229,478  

Total shareholders' equity

    101,457     20,939  

Total non-current liabilities

    164,620     169,291  

Total current liabilities

    27,106     39,248  

Total liabilities

    191,726     208,539  

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

    293,183     229,478  

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MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

        You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this prospectus, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business and related financing, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. As a result of many factors, including those factors set forth in the "Risk Factors" section of this prospectus, our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by these forward-looking statements.

        Our audited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IFRS, as issued by the IASB, as of and for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018.

Overview

        We are a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative drug candidates and diagnostic solutions targeting metabolic and liver-related diseases where there is considerable unmet medical need. We are a leader in the field of nuclear receptor-based drug discovery with a rich history and strong scientific heritage spanning almost two decades. We are evaluating our most advanced drug candidate, elafibranor, in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial as a potential treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, and as a potential treatment for primary biliary cholangitis, or PBC. In December 2018, we announced positive preliminary results from our Phase 2 clinical trial in PBC. Our drug discovery efforts are based on selecting appropriate nuclear receptors as targets and utilizing rational drug design to optimize our drug candidates. A key differentiator of our development strategy is our NASH biomarker-based diagnostic program, in which we are developing a new in vitro diagnostic, or IVD, test to identify patients with NASH who may be appropriate candidates for drug therapy. Our scientific and clinical expertise, translational disease-driven approach and strong bioinformatics capabilities have allowed us to build a scientific platform through which we discover and develop our drug candidates and diagnostic tools. We believe elafibranor, if approved, has the potential to become a first-line treatment as a monotherapy and the backbone of combination regimens.

        Elafibranor, a dual agonist of the nuclear receptors PPARa and PPARd, is currently in Phase 3 development for the treatment of NASH. In our Phase 2b clinical trial, elafibranor achieved resolution of NASH without worsening of fibrosis, which is the primary endpoint of our ongoing global Phase 3 clinical trial. We have already achieved the enrollment necessary to perform an interim cohort analysis and expect to report interim results by the end of 2019. We believe these results, if positive, could support accelerated approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, and conditional approval from the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, as early as 2020. Elafibranor has received fast track designation from the FDA for the treatment of NASH.

        We are also developing elafibranor for the treatment of PBC, a chronic, progressive liver disease that leads to inflammation and scarring of the small bile ducts in the liver. Although a relatively rare disease mainly affecting women, PBC can develop into cirrhosis and other serious liver complications. There is currently no cure for PBC, and the two drugs approved for the treatment of PBC are limited by drug intolerance, lack of patient response and safety issues. Based on our clinical data, we believe elafibranor's unique mechanism of action can provide benefits for patients with PBC without significant side effects, such as the serious liver injury or death and pruritis that have been associated with approved PBC treatments. In December 2018, we announced positive preliminary results from our Phase 2 clinical trial of elafibranor for the treatment of PBC. Elafibranor met the primary endpoint of the trial, which was the change at week 12 in serum alkaline phosphatase, or ALP, from baseline, with statistical significance compared to placebo in both doses evaluated. Elafibranor also achieved with high

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statistical significance compared to placebo, the composite endpoint of ALP and bilirubin. That endpoint, which has been used for drug registration, is defined as (1) ALP less than 1.67 times the upper limit of normal, or ULN, (2) total bilirubin within normal limits and (3) a reduction of ALP of more than 15%. Based on these positive results, we plan to advance our PBC program into Phase 3 development.

        NASH is a silent disease. Patients often have no symptoms until the first signs of liver failure, and the lack of an accurate, non-invasive diagnosis tool contributes to under-diagnosis. Currently, liver biopsy is the standard for diagnosis, and variation in clinical practice and physician reluctance lead to under-diagnosis. Our blood-based IVD test is a novel, standalone diagnostic that we believe can address the urgent need for a non-invasive, cost-effective, accessible and validated test to identify NASH patients who may be appropriate candidates for drug intervention, thereby decreasing the need for liver biopsy. We believe our IVD test has the potential to benefit patients, improve overall clinical care and greatly reduce barriers to entry for innovative therapies like elafibranor by facilitating the diagnosis and identification of NASH patients to be treated. We anticipate submitting our IVD test for FDA marketing authorization in 2020.

        We are also conducting a clinical-stage program based on drug repositioning to develop an anti-fibrotic drug. Our lead drug candidate in this program, nitazoxanide, or NTZ, is an approved anti-parasitic agent that has shown promising activity against fibrosis in our preclinical disease models. An investigator-initiated Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial to evaluate NTZ for the treatment of NASH patients with significant fibrosis began in December 2018.

        Our TGFTX1 preclinical program is focused on the discovery and development of innovative drug candidates targeting RORgt, a nuclear receptor involved in certain inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. We are currently conducting pre-IND studies for a potential topical treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis.

        We have never generated any revenues from product sales. We do not expect to generate material revenue from product sales unless and until we successfully complete clinical development of, obtain marketing approval for and commercialize our drug candidates and IVD test. Clinical development, regulatory approval and commercial launch of a product candidate can take several years and are subject to significant uncertainty. Historically, we have financed our operations and growth through issuances of share capital and convertible bonds, through conditional advances and subsidies from BPI France and from research tax credits. In 2006, we completed the initial public offering of our ordinary shares on the Alternext market of Euronext in Paris and transferred to the Euronext Paris in April 2014. Between 2010 and 2016, we raised a total of over €220 million in gross proceeds from the issuance of ordinary shares. In October 2017, we issued €180 million in convertible bonds.

        Since our inception, we have incurred significant operating losses. Our net loss was €79.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. We expect to incur significant expenses and substantial operating losses over the next several years as we continue our research and development efforts and advance the clinical development of elafibranor, as well as our IVD test and our other drug candidates, in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.

Financial Operations Overview

Revenue and Other Income

        During the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018, our revenue of €0.1 million in each period consisted primarily of revenue from the sublease of a portion of our corporate headquarters in Loos, France. We terminated this sublease effective as of June 30, 2018 and do not expect to receive any further sublease revenue.

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        We do not expect to receive any revenue from any of our product candidates until we obtain regulatory approval and commercialize such products, or until we potentially enter into collaborative agreements with third parties for the development and commercialization of such candidates.

        Our other income results principally from the research tax credits. We expect to continue to be eligible for these tax credits and subsidies for so long as we incur eligible expenses.

CIR Research Tax Credit

        We benefit from a tax credit known as Crédit d'Impôt Recherche, or CIR, which is granted by French tax authorities to encourage companies to conduct technical and scientific research. Companies demonstrating that they have expenses that meet the required criteria, including research expenses located in France or within the European Union or in another state that is a party to the agreement in the European Economic Area that has concluded a tax treaty with France that contains an administrative assistance clause, receive a tax credit that can be used against the payment of French corporate income tax due for the fiscal year in which the expenses were incurred and the three fiscal years thereafter, or, as applicable, can be reimbursed for the excess portion. The expenses taken into account for the calculation of the CIR only involve certain eligible research and development expenses. The subcontracting expenses are limited to an amount equal to €10 million.

        The main characteristics of the CIR are the following:

        We have concluded that the CIR meets the definition of a government grant as defined in IAS 20, Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure of Government Assistance, and, as a result, it has been classified as other income within operating income in our statement of operations.

CICE Tax Credit

        We also recognize income relating to the Crédit d'impôt pour la compétitivité et l'emploi, or CICE, which is a tax credit implemented by French tax authorities to enhance the competitiveness of businesses through the promotion of certain activities and employment. In 2017, the tax credit was equal to 7% of wages paid to employees during the year in respect of salaries that do not exceed 2.5 times the French minimum wage. For 2018, the applicable tax credit was equal to 6% of eligible wages. We use this tax credit to finance the increases in our headcount and to purchase scientific equipment.

Aide à L'embauche Grant

        We recognize income related to l'aide à l'embauche, a subsidy granted in 2017 by French tax authorities to companies with less than 250 employees which hire new employees whose wages do not exceed 1.3 times the French minimum wage.

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Operating Expenses

Research and Development Expenses

        We engage in substantial research and development efforts to develop our drug and diagnostic candidates. Research and development expenses include:

        Research and development activities are central to our business model. Drug candidates in later stages of clinical development generally have higher development costs than those in earlier stages of clinical development, primarily due to the increased size and duration of later-stage clinical trials, such as our global Phase 3 clinical trial of elafibranor for the treatment of NASH. We expect that our research and development expenses will continue to increase in the foreseeable future as we initiate clinical trials for certain drug candidates, pursue later stages of clinical development of other drug candidates and progress the development of our diagnostic test.

        We generally do not track our research and development expenses by product candidate. However, the substantial majority of our direct expenses incurred, such as for contract research organizations, or CROs, and other contracted research and development activities, as well as raw materials, relate to elafibranor, our lead drug candidate.

General and Administrative Expenses

        General and administrative expenses include:

        We anticipate that our general and administrative expenses will increase in the future as we grow our support functions for the expected increase in our research and development activities and the potential commercialization of our drug and diagnostic candidates. We also anticipate increased expenses associated with being a public company in the United States, including costs related to audit,

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legal, regulatory and tax-related services associated with maintaining compliance with U.S. exchange listing and SEC requirements, director and officer insurance premiums, and investor relations costs. In particular, we will need to incur additional accounting expenses to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 in the United States that will require us to test the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting.

Financial Income (Expense)

        Financial income relates primarily to interest income received from cash and cash equivalents deposits. Our cash and cash equivalents have been deposited primarily in cash accounts and term deposit accounts with short maturities and therefore generate only a modest amount of interest income.

        Financial expense relates primarily to interest expense on our outstanding convertible bonds as well as interest expense for bank loans and equipment leases. We also incur foreign exchange gains and losses related to our purchases of services in U.S. dollars, which amounts are recorded as financial income or expense.

Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2017 and 2018

        Our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018 are summarized in the table below.

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  
 
  Restated*
   
 

Revenues and other income
             

Revenue

  118   69  

Other income

    6,737     7,425  

Revenues and other income

    6,856     7,494  

Operating expenses and other operating income (expenses)
         
 
 

Research and development expenses

    (54,189 )   (67,024 )

General and administrative expenses

    (9,421 )   (9,793 )

Other operating income (expenses)

    60     (162 )

Operating loss

    (56,695 )   (69,484 )

Financial income

    642     728  

Financial expenses

    (3,096 )   (11,118 )

Financial loss

    (2,453 )   (10,391 )

Net loss before tax

    (59,148 )   (79,875 )

Income tax benefit

    (3,420 )   354  

Net loss

  (55,728 ) (79,521 )

(*)
In the context of the preparation of its 2018 consolidated financial statements, we restated the financial statements previously published for the 2017 fiscal year under IFRS. These changes do not affect the cash position or the operating results, and are mainly related to the application of IFRS to deferred taxes on the OCEANE bonds issued in October 2017. The corrections lead mainly to a decrease in the consolidated net loss of €2.9 million. More information is provided in Note 2.3 of our consolidated financial statements.

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Revenue

        Revenue of €118,000 and €69,000 during the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively, was primarily the result of our subleasing a part of our corporate headquarters in Loos, France.

Other Income

        Other income for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018 consisted of the following:

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

CIR tax credit

  6,545   7,295  

CICE tax credit and other

    171     130  

Other government grants and subsidies

    21      

TOTAL

  6,737   7,425  

Operating Expenses

        The tables below summarize our operating expenses for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018.

Year Ended December 31, 2017

Operating expenses
and other operating
income (expenses)
(in thousands of
euros)
  Total   Raw
materials &
consumables
used
  Contracted
research &
development
activities
conducted
by third
parties
  Employee
expenses
  Other expenses
(maintenance, fees,
travel, taxes)
  Depreciation,
amortization &
impairment
charges
  Gain / (loss)
on disposal of
property,
plant &
equipment
 

Research and development expenses

  (54,189 ) (2,117 ) (35,088 ) (7,915 ) (7,973 ) (1,095 )  

General and administrative expenses

    (9,421 )   (112 )   (7 )   (5,491 )   (3,374 )   (437 )    

Other operating income (expenses)

    60                 68         (8 )

TOTAL

  (63,550 ) (2,229 ) (35,095 ) (13,406 ) (11,280 ) (1,532 ) (8 )

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Year Ended December 31, 2018

Operating expenses
and other operating
income (expenses)
(in thousands of
euros)
  Total   Raw
materials &
consumables
used
  Contracted
research &
development
activities
conducted
by third
parties
  Employee
expenses
  Other expenses
(maintenance, fees,
travel, taxes)
  Depreciation,
amortization &
impairment
charges
  Gain/(loss)
on disposal of
property,
plant &
equipment
 

Research and development expenses

  (67,024 ) (1,724 ) (47,659 ) (9,431 ) (6,502 ) (1,707 )  

General and administrative expenses

    (9,793 )   (130 )   (2 )   (4,194 )   (5,738 )   272      

Other operating income (expenses)

    (162 )               (164 )       2  

TOTAL

  (76,979 ) (1,855 ) (47,662 ) (13,625 ) (12,403 ) (1,435 ) 2  

Research and Development Expenses

        Research and development expenses totaled €54.2 million, or 85% of our total operating expenses, for the year ended December 31, 2017. These expenses consisted primarily of €35.1 million in contracted research and development activities conducted by third parties, the substantial majority of which were incurred in connection with the advancement of our RESOLVE-IT Phase 3 clinical trial of elafibranor for the treatment of NASH. We also incurred €7.9 million of employee-related expenses, consisting of wages, salaries, social security and pension costs and share-based compensation paid to employees in research and development functions. Other expenses of €8.0 million consisted primarily of maintenance and other facility costs, as well as employee travel expenses and third-party fees incurred for seconded employees in research and development functions.

        Research and development expenses totaled €67.0 million, or 87% of our total operating expenses, for the year ended December 31, 2018. These expenses consisted primarily of €47.7 million in contracted research and development conducted by third parties, the substantial majority of which were incurred in connection with the progression of our RESOLVE-IT Phase 3 clinical trial of elafibranor for the treatment of NASH and the increase in contracted research and development expenses resulting from the progression of the research and development program pipeline, of which the majority related to expenses for the phase 3 elafibranor trial in NASH, and to a lesser extent, the phase 2 trial of elafibranor in PBC and the launch of the phase 2 trial of nitazoxanide. The increase of €12.6 million over the prior year reflects the advancement of these clinical trials. We also incurred €9.4 million of employee-related expenses, consisting of wages, salaries, social security and pension costs and share-based compensation paid to employees in research and development functions and patents. This increase of €1.5 million of employee-related expenses over the prior year was primarily due to the expansion of our workforce in the research and development functions. Other expenses of €6.5 million consisted primarily of maintenance and other facility costs, as well as employee travel expenses and third-party fees incurred for seconded employees in research and development functions. The decrease of €1.5 million from the prior year was primarily the result of our contribution to The NASH Education Program in 2018 being classified as general and administrative expense instead of research and development expense.

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General and Administrative Expenses

        General and administrative expenses totaled €9.4 million, or 15% of our total operating expenses, for the year ended December 31, 2017. These expenses consisted primarily of €5.5 million of employee-related expenses, consisting of wages, salaries, social security and pension costs and share-based compensation paid to employees in general and administrative functions, and as well as €3.4 million in costs and fees for third-party service providers.

        General and administrative expenses totaled €9.8 million, or 13% of our total operating expenses, for the year ended December 31, 2018. These expenses consisted primarily of €5.7 million of costs and fees for third-party service providers, as well as €4.2 million of employee-related expenses, consisting of wages, salaries, social security and pension costs and share-based compensation paid to employees in general and administrative functions. The increase of €2.4 million in other expenses was primarily the result of increases and fees and expenses in the preparation for the commercialization of elafibranor in NASH, in communication expenses, including the support to the creation of the first International NASH Day in conjunction with The NASH Education Program and expenses related to maintenance of equipment at our corporate headquarters. During the year ended December 31, 2018, we also donated €1 million to The NASH Education Program. The decrease of €1.3 million in employee-related expenses over the prior year period was primarily due to the exceptional 2017 bonuses not replicated in 2018.

Financial Income (Expense)

        Our net financial income (expense) for the year ended December 31, 2017 was €(2.5) million, consisting primarily of €(2.3) million of interest expense on our convertible bonds and bank loans and a €(0.8) million net foreign currency exchange rate loss resulting from the translation of U.S. dollars generated by the operations of our U.S. subsidiary and subcontractors into euros, offset in part by €0.4 million of interest income on our cash and cash equivalents and €0.2 million of other financial income.

        Our net financial income (expense) for the year ended December 31, 2018 was €(10.4) million, consisting primarily of €11 million of interest expense on our convertible bonds and bank loans, offset partially by €0.4 million in other financial income and €0.2 million in interest income. The increase in interest expense was due to our convertible bonds, issued in October 2017, having been outstanding for the full year ended December 31, 2018. The change in financial expenses is related to the interest on the OCEANEs, mainly due to interest payments at a rate of 3.5% and the accretion of the discounting of the bond debt at an effective interest rate of 7.29%. The accretion of bond debt consists of bringing the amount of the debt component of the bond issue to the amount that will be repaid (or converted) at maturity, by the recognition of a theoretical annual interest expense resulting from the accretion over the period of an amount equivalent to the equity component at an effective interest rate.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Overview

        As of December 31, 2017 and 2018, we had €273.8 million and €207.2 million, respectively, in cash and cash equivalents.

        Since our inception, we have financed our operations primarily through the issuance of new ordinary shares and bonds convertible into new ordinary shares in public offerings and private financing transactions. In 2006, we completed the initial public offering of our ordinary shares on the Alternext market of Euronext in Paris. The listing of our ordinary shares was transferred to the regulated market of Euronext Paris in 2014. Between 2010 and 2016, we raised a total of over €220.0 million in gross proceeds from the issuance of additional ordinary shares for cash. In October 2017, we issued €180.0 million in bonds convertible into new ordinary shares or exchangable for existing ordinary shares.

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        We also financed our operations through historical collaborative research alliances, as well as research tax credits and subsidies granted by various public institutions, such as BPI France Institutions. We also entered into conditional and repayable advances agreements with governmental entities and had a liability of €3.4 million and €3.2 million associated with these types of arrangements as of December 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively. We also entered into loans with commercial banks and had an outstanding balance of €3.5 million and €4.0 million in bank loans as of December 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively.

        As we continue to develop, and potentially commercialize, our drug candidates and diagnostic solutions in the coming years, we will likely continue relying on some or all of these sources of financing, as well as potential milestone payments and royalties that may result from licensing agreements for our drug candidates, diagnostic solutions and results of our research programs.

Cash Flows

        The table below summarizes our cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018:

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Cash flows used in operating activities

  (49,856 ) (56,081 )

Cash flows used in investing activities

    (2,948 )   (3,986 )

Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities

    174,348     (6,514 )

  121,544   (66,580 )

Operating Activities

        Cash used in operating activities was €49.9 million and €56.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively. With respect to the 2017 period, this amount primarily resulted from our net loss of €55.7 million, driven largely by our significant research and development efforts during the period, adjusted by €0.6 million in non-cash expenses and other adjustments and by €5.3 million in net cash flows from changes in working capital. With respect to the 2018 period, this amount primarily resulted from our net loss of €79.5 million, again driven largely by our significant research and development efforts as we progressed our Phase 3 clinical trial of elafibranor in NASH and our Phase 2 clinical trial of elafibranor in PBC, adjusted by €13.0 million in non-cash expenses and other adjustments of €10.3 million in net cash flows from changes in working capital.

Investing Activities

        Cash used in investing activities was €2.9 million and €4.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively, and consisted primarily of equipment and other capital purchases and in 2018, acquisition of financial instruments.

Financing Activities

        Cash provided by financing activities was €174.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 and consisted of gross proceeds of €180.0 million from our issuance of convertible bonds in October 2017, partially offset by bank fees, net repayments under bank loans, conditional advances, capital leases and interest paid. For the 2018 period, cash used in financing activities was €6.5 million, which consisted primarily of €6.4 million in interest paid on our convertible bonds and €2.0 million in repayments of loans and borrowings, partially offset by €1.8 million in proceeds from new loans and borrowings.

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Operating and Capital Expenditure Requirements

        Since our inception, we have incurred significant operating losses. Our net loss was €55.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 and €79.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. We expect to incur significant expenses and substantial operating losses over the next several years as we continue our research and development efforts and advance the clinical development of elafibranor, as well as our IVD test and our other drug candidates, in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. Our net losses may fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter and year to year, depending on the timing of our clinical trials and our expenditures on other research and development activities. We anticipate that our expenses will increase substantially in connection with our ongoing activities, as we:

        Our present and future funding requirements will depend on many factors, including, among other things:

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        For more information as to the risks associated with our future funding needs, see the section of this prospectus titled "Risk Factors."

        Until such time that we can generate substantial revenue from product sales, we expect to finance these expenses and our operating activities through a combination of our existing liquidity and the proceeds of the global offering. If we are unable to generate revenue from product sales in accordance with our expected timeframes, we will need to raise additional capital through the issuance of our shares, through other equity or debt financings or through collaborations with other companies. However, we may be unable to raise additional funds or enter into other funding arrangements when needed on favorable terms, or at all, which would have a negative impact on our financial condition and could force us to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our development programs or commercialization efforts or grant others rights to develop or market drug candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves. Our ability to successfully transition to profitability will be dependent upon achieving a level of revenues adequate to support our cost structure. We cannot assure you that we will ever be profitable or generate positive cash flow from operating activities.

        Although it is difficult to predict future liquidity requirements, we believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2018 will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months.

Contractual Obligations

        The following table discloses aggregate information about our material contractual obligations and the periods in which payments are due as of December 31, 2018. Future events could cause actual payments and timing of payments to differ from the contractual cash flows set forth below.

Contractual obligations
(in thousands of euros)
  Less than
1 year
  1 to 3
years
  3 to 5
years
  More than
5 years
  Total  

Refundable and conditional advances

        3,229   3,229  

Convertible bonds

    1,312         159,176         160,489  

Bank loans

    1,319     2,047     598         3,964  

Equipment leases

    520     1,048     333         1,900  

Pension and employee benefits

                1,085     1,085  

Other

    10                 10  

Total liabilities

    3,161     3,095     160,108     4,314     170,678  

Operating leases

    1,213     2,426     836     316     4,791  

Total contractual obligations

  4,374   5,521   160,944   4,630   175,469  

        The nominal amount of the convertible loan of €180.0 million is due in less than 4 years.

        We enter into contracts in the normal course of business with CROs and contract manufacturing organizations, or CMOs, for clinical trials, preclinical studies and clinical manufacturing, and with vendors for precommercial activities, research and development activities, research supplies and other services and products for operating purposes. These contracts generally provide for termination upon notice. Such agreements are cancelable contracts and are not included in the contractual obligations in the foregoing table.

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        We also make donations to The NASH Education Program, the endowment fund of which we are a sponsor. Such donations are at our discretion, and we are not contractually obligated to make any such donation.

        Although for the year ended December 31, 2018, our board of directors approved a maximum grant of €1.6 million primarily to support the creation of the first International NASH Day, while also continuing to contribute funds to patient registry, our contribution was limited to €959 to The NASH Education Program during the year.

        For the year 2019, our board of directors approved a grant of an amount of €200 to the Nash Education Program.

Subsidies and Refundable and Conditional Advances

        We have received financial assistance from Banque Publique d'Investissement, or BPI France, and other governmental organizations in connection with the development of our product candidates. BPI France's mission is to provide assistance and support to emerging French enterprises to facilitate the development and commercialization of innovative technologies. Such funding, in the form of refundable and conditional advances, is intended to finance our research and development efforts and the recruitment of specific personnel.

        We account for non-refundable subsidies as other income ratably over the duration of the funded project. Funds received in the form of refundable advances are recognized as financial liabilities, as we are obligated to reimburse BPI France for such refundable advances in cash based on a repayment schedule if specified conditions are met.

        As of December 31, 2017, we had outstanding four repayable advances from BPI France with an aggregate remaining balance of €3.4 million. As of December 31, 2018, we had outstanding one repayable advance with an amount of €3.2 million. This advance, in an amount of €3.2 million, is a conditional advance we received in our capacity as leader of a research consortium initiated in 2008 called IT-DIAB that is following patients at risk for Type 2 diabetes. The program ended on December 31, 2014. The conditional advance is not refundable except in the event of success. In the event of technical or commercial success of the consortium's activities, defined as the sale of related drugs or diagnostic devices developed using research results, we would be required to repay the advance, plus an additional specified amount, based on a percentage of any revenues generated from the licensing of such products over a 10-year period. The maximum amount that we would be required to pay under this arrangement would be €14.8 million, inclusive of the €3.2 million advance to be repaid.

Convertible Bonds

        In October 2017, we issued convertible bonds for gross proceeds of €180.0 million. The convertible bonds carry a fixed interest rate of 3.5%, with an effective interest rate of 7.3%, payable semi-annually in arrears in April and October, and have a maturity date in October 2022. Beginning in November 2020, we may, at our option, redeem the bonds prior to maturity in the event that our share price exceeds a specified amount for a 20-day trading period.

Bank Loans

        At December 31, 2017 and 2018, we had borrowed under multiple bank loans primarily intended to finance the acquisition of scientific and information technology equipment. The total principal amount outstanding was €3.5 million and €4.0 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively. These bank loans carry fixed interest rates of between 0.36% and 2.0% and are generally payable over periods ranging from three to five years from the original date of the loan.

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Operating Leases

        Operating leases consist of real estate leases for our offices located in Loos and Paris, France and in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Equipment Leases

        From time to time we enter into lease agreements for scientific equipment that contain a purchase option and are considered financial leases. Amounts in the table above represent minimum principal payments.

Pension and Employee Benefits

        French law requires payment of a lump sum retirement indemnity to employees based on years of service and annual compensation at retirement. Benefits do not vest prior to retirement. The amount presented in the table above represents the present value of estimated future benefits to be paid, applying a number of assumptions, including dates of expected retirement, life expectancies, salary growth rates and a discount rate.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

        During the periods presented, we did not and do not currently have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined under Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, rules, such as relationships with other entities or financial partnerships, which are often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities, established for the purpose of facilitating financing transactions that are not required to be reflected on our statements of financial position.

Critical Accounting Policies and Judgments and Estimates

        Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with IFRS as issued by IASB. Some of the accounting methods and policies used in preparing our consolidated financial statements under IFRS are based on complex and subjective assessments by our management or on estimates based on past experience and assumptions deemed realistic and reasonable based on the circumstances concerned. The actual value of our assets, liabilities and shareholders' equity and of our accumulated deficit could differ from the value derived from these estimates if conditions change and these changes had an impact on the assumptions adopted. See Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements for a description of our significant accounting policies.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Adopted as of January 1, 2018

        We adopted the following new standards, interpretations and amendments to standards, including any consequential amendments to other standards, with a date of initial application as of January 1, 2018:

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        The adoption of these standards, interpretations and amendments to standards did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Not Yet Adopted

        A number of new standards, amendments to standards and interpretations were not yet effective for the years ended December 31, 2017 or 2018 and have not been applied in preparing our consolidated financial statements:

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Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

Foreign Currency Exchange Risk

        We use the euro as our functional currency and the majority of our operations are denominated in euros. However, a portion of our operating expenses is denominated in U.S. dollars, and as result we may be exposed to foreign currency risk. For the year ended December 31, 2018, these expenses totaled $9.6 million based on the exchange rate in effect at December 31, 2018, or less than 10% of our total operating expenses for the year. As a result, an adverse 10% change in the exchange rate for the U.S. dollar against the euro would have resulted in a foreign exchange rate loss of approximately €1.0 million for the year. For the year ended December 31, 2018, we realized a foreign exchange rate loss of €26, although any such historical gains or losses do not predict the future impact of exchange rate risk.

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        In the future, and in particular with respect our clinical trials, we might need to manage an increasing number of transactions denominated in currencies other than the euro or indirectly exposed to currency risk, which will increase our overall exposure to this risk.

        In 2018, we considered the implementation of appropriate hedging arrangements without ultimately using any such arrangements.

        We do not currently have material revenues in dollars or any currency other than euros.

Interest Rate Risk

        We are exposed to interest rate risk related to our cash and cash equivalents. We had cash and cash equivalents of €207.2 million as of December 31, 2018, which consisted of bank accounts and short-term deposits. These interest-earning instruments carry a degree of interest rate risk; however, historical fluctuations in interest income have not been significant.

        We had net outstanding debt of €160.5 million as of December 31, 2018 in the form of convertible loans, which loans accrue interest at a fixed rate of 3.5% and for which the gross amount is €180,000. We also had outstanding at December 31, 2018 a total of €3.2 million in conditional advances from BPI France, €1.9 million of obligations under finance leases and €4.0 million of loans from commercial banks. The advances from BPI France are generally non-interest bearing or carry interest at fixed rates, and the bank loans all carry fixed interest rates. In the ordinary course of business, we may enter into contractual arrangements to reduce our exposure to interest rate risks. We do not believe that a 10% change in interest rates would have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Credit Risk

        We believe that the credit risk related to our cash and cash equivalents is not significant in light of the quality of the financial institutions at which such funds are held.

JOBS Act Exemptions and Foreign Private Issuer Status

        We qualify as an "emerging growth company" as defined in the U.S. Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other burdens that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. This includes an exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. We may take advantage of this exemption for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We will cease to be an emerging growth company if we have more than $1.07 billion in total annual gross revenue, have more than $700.0 million in market value of our ordinary shares held by non-affiliates or issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these provisions that allow for reduced reporting and other burdens.

        We will not take advantage of the extended transition period provided under Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for complying with new or revised accounting standards. Since IFRS makes no distinction between public and private companies for purposes of compliance with new or revised accounting standards, the requirements for our compliance as a private company and as a public company are the same.

        Upon consummation of the global offering, we will report under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, as a non-U.S. company with foreign private issuer status. Even after we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, as long as we qualify as a foreign private

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issuer under the Exchange Act, we will be exempt from certain provisions of the Exchange Act that are applicable to U.S. domestic public companies, including:

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BUSINESS

Overview

        We are a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative drug candidates and diagnostic solutions targeting metabolic and liver-related diseases where there is considerable unmet medical need. We are a leader in the field of nuclear receptor-based drug discovery with a rich history and strong scientific heritage spanning almost two decades. We are evaluating our most advanced drug candidate, elafibranor, in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial as a potential treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, and as a potential treatment for primary biliary cholangitis, or PBC. In December 2018, we announced positive preliminary results from our Phase 2 clinical trial in PBC. Our drug discovery efforts are based on selecting appropriate nuclear receptors as targets and utilizing rational drug design to optimize our drug candidates. A key differentiator of our development strategy is our NASH biomarker-based diagnostic program, in which we are developing a new in vitro diagnostic, or IVD, test to identify patients with NASH who may be appropriate candidates for drug therapy. Our scientific and clinical expertise, translational disease-driven approach and strong bioinformatics capabilities have allowed us to build a scientific platform through which we discover and develop our drug candidates and diagnostic tools. We believe elafibranor, if approved, has the potential to become a first-line treatment as a monotherapy and the backbone of combination regimens.

        NASH is a liver disease that affects millions of people and for which there are currently no approved therapies. NASH is characterized by an accumulation of fat, inflammation and degeneration of hepatocytes, and may ultimately lead to life-threatening conditions like cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer requiring liver transplant. The global market for the treatment of NASH is growing rapidly and is projected to reach $20 billion by 2025.

        Elafibranor, a dual agonist of the nuclear receptors PPARa and PPARd, is currently in Phase 3 development for the treatment of NASH. In our Phase 2b clinical trial, elafibranor achieved resolution of NASH without worsening of fibrosis, which is the primary endpoint of our ongoing global Phase 3 clinical trial. We have already achieved the enrollment necessary to perform an interim cohort analysis and expect to report interim results by the end of 2019. We believe these results, if positive, could support accelerated approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, and conditional approval from the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, as early as 2020. Elafibranor has received fast track designation from the FDA for the treatment of NASH.

        We are also developing elafibranor for the treatment of PBC, a chronic, progressive liver disease that leads to inflammation and scarring of the small bile ducts in the liver. Although a relatively rare disease mainly affecting women, PBC can develop into cirrhosis and other serious liver complications. There is currently no cure for PBC, and the two drugs approved for the treatment of PBC are limited by drug intolerance, lack of patient response and safety issues. Based on our clinical data, we believe elafibranor's unique mechanism of action can provide benefits for patients with PBC without significant side effects, such as the serious liver injury or death and pruritis that have been associated with approved PBC treatments. In December 2018, we announced positive preliminary results from our Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating elafibranor for the treatment of PBC. Elafibranor met the primary endpoint of the trial, which was the change at week 12 in serum alkaline phosphatase, or ALP, from baseline, with statistical significance compared to placebo in both doses evaluated. Elafibranor also achieved with high statistical significance compared to placebo, the composite endpoint of ALP and bilirubin. That endpoint, which has been used for drug registration, is defined as (1) ALP less than 1.67 times the upper limit of normal, or ULN, (2) total bilirubin within normal limits and (3) a reduction of ALP of more than 15%. Based on these positive results, we plan to advance our PBC program into Phase 3 development.

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        NASH is a silent disease. Patients often have no symptoms until the first signs of liver failure, and the lack of an accurate, non-invasive diagnosis tool contributes to under-diagnosis. Currently, liver biopsy is the standard for diagnosis, and variation in clinical practice and physician reluctance lead to under-diagnosis. Our blood-based IVD test is a novel, standalone diagnostic that we believe can address the urgent need for a non-invasive, cost-effective, accessible and validated test to identify NASH patients who may be appropriate candidates for drug intervention, thereby decreasing the need for liver biopsy. We believe our IVD test has the potential to benefit patients, improve overall clinical care and facilitate the identification of NASH patients to be treated. We anticipate marketing our IVD test first as a laboratory-developed test, or LDT, in 2019, and then submitting our IVD test for FDA marketing authorization in 2020. In January 2019, we entered into a license agreement with LabCorp to allow them to deploy our IVD test in the clinical research space.

        We are also advancing a clinical-stage program based on drug repositioning to develop an anti-fibrotic drug. Our lead drug candidate in this program, nitazoxanide, or NTZ, is an approved anti-parasitic agent that has shown promising activity against fibrosis in our preclinical disease models. See "Nitazoxanide Program for the Treatment of Fibrosis—Preclinical and Clinical Program." In December 2018, we announced the initiation of an investigator-initiated Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial to evaluate NTZ for the treatment of NASH patients with significant or severe fibrosis.

        Our TGFTX1 preclinical program is focused on the discovery and development of innovative drug candidates targeting RORgt, a nuclear receptor involved in certain inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. We are currently conducting pre-IND studies for a topical treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis.

        The following table summarizes our drug candidate and diagnostic development pipeline. We have retained worldwide rights to all of our programs.

GRAPHIC

        Our current chief executive officer co-founded our company in 1999 and our shares have been listed on the Euronext Paris under the symbol "GNFT" since 2006. We are led by an executive team and board of directors with deep experience at leading biotech companies, large pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions. We have over 150 employees at our offices in Lille and Paris, France and Cambridge, Massachusetts. The chair of our scientific advisory board, Bart Staels, is a co-founder of our company and a world-renowned expert in nuclear receptors. Our scientific advisory board is comprised of internationally recognized key opinion leaders in the field of metabolic and inflammatory diseases, with a particular focus on the liver and gastroenterology. We believe the expertise of our leadership and the strength of our relationships within the academic and clinical communities are critical to our ability to execute on our mission as we progress our development pipeline.

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Our Strengths

        We believe the following strengths will allow us to continue to build upon our leadership position in drug and diagnostic development for metabolic and liver-related diseases and achieve our goal of commercializing our drug and diagnostic candidates:

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Our Strategy

        Our goal is to become a leader in the development of innovative therapies and diagnostics in metabolic and liver-related diseases. The key elements of our strategy to achieve this goal include:

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Our Drug Candidates and Diagnostic Development Programs

NASH—A Silent, Serious and Widespread Disease with No Approved Treatments

Overview

        NASH is a silent disease, meaning patients have no symptoms until first signs of liver failure appear, and is notably under-diagnosed. With no approved drug treatments, NASH can lead to life-threatening conditions like cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer and death. NASH is the second leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States, behind hepatitis C, but is also the most rapidly growing indication and is expected to eventually become the primary cause. A study published in the Journal of Hepatology estimates that there were approximately 17.3 million adults with NASH in the United States in 2016 and projects that this number will grow to approximately 27.0 million by 2030; in the five major European markets, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, these numbers were estimated to be 12.6 million in 2016 and 18.3 million by 2030. NASH is a critical public health concern and an area with high unmet medical need.

        We are developing our lead drug candidate, elafibranor, for the treatment of NASH, a severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD. NAFLD is the buildup of fat in the liver, called hepatic steatosis, that is not caused by alcohol consumption. As the disease progresses, the liver is exposed to chronic inflammation and liver cell degradation (manifested as hepatocyte "ballooning"). A patient has NASH when the three components—steatosis, inflammation and damage—are all present. Without treatment, NASH leads to fibrosis, which is the accumulation of non-functional scar tissue, as the body

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tries to heal itself. Because the accumulation of scar tissue leads to tissue remodeling, development of fibrosis leads to progressive loss of liver function which may ultimately lead to life-threatening conditions like cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer. Approximately 20% of NASH patients will go on to develop cirrhosis, and almost half of patients with cirrhosis will develop liver failure. Studies show that NASH patients have a 10 times greater risk of dying from a liver-related disorder than the general population. In addition to its serious effects on the liver, NASH multiplies the risk of a patient developing cardiovascular problems, such as myocardial infarction, stroke and peripheral vascular accident, which also contribute to higher mortality rates in NASH patients. In fact, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in NASH patients.

        The following image depicts the progression of a normal liver through the development of NASH and its eventual consequences.

GRAPHIC

Causes, Diagnosis and Assessment of NASH

        Although experts are still studying the multiple possible causes, it is generally accepted that NASH is a consequence of high-sugar, high-fat diets and insufficient physical exercise. As such, the disease is closely associated with metabolic disorders and NASH patients can have some or all of the following disorders: obesity, type 2 diabetes, hyperglycemia and abnormal levels of triglycerides and cholesterol. As the obesity and type 2 diabetes pandemic has increased, so too has the number of NASH cases worldwide.

        Today, the clinical standard to formally diagnose NASH and stage fibrosis in a patient suspected of having NASH is the liver biopsy. When a liver biopsy shows steatosis, ballooned cells and inflammation, with or without fibrosis, the patient is diagnosed with NASH. Physicians use various scoring scales to assess the extent of disease severity and fibrosis in NASH patients:

        The histological spectrum of NAFLD is quite large and both NAS and fibrosis stage can be used to define a patient's risk of developing cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer, liver transplant and liver death. The presence of NASH is the underlying cause of fibrosis, and fuels the fibrosis progression

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from stage to stage. Not surprisingly, the higher the fibrosis stage, the more advanced the disease, the greater the risk of developing major liver complications.

        Although the natural history of the disease is not fully understood, a consensual definition of a NASH patient at risk of liver complications has emerged. According to this definition, a patient presenting with active NASH (NAS³4) and significant fibrosis (F³2) should be considered "at risk" and may be an appropriate candidate for drug intervention.

Market Opportunity

        The treatment of NASH is an urgent public health challenge. Despite the growing burden of NASH on public health systems resulting from high prevalence and morbidities and mortality associated with the disease, there are currently no FDA-approved therapies for the treatment of NASH. Existing drugs have been tested off-label for assessing potential efficacy on NASH and liver fibrosis but have failed because of lack of efficacy, unacceptable side effects or both.

        As the global epidemic of obesity fuels NAFLD prevalence, NASH has become one of the most common liver disorders. Global Data estimates the NASH market in the seven major markets (France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States) at approximately $143 million as of 2017, with the potential to reach up to $18.3 billion by 2026.

Our Solution: Elafibranor for the Treatment of NASH

        Our two-pronged strategy for developing solutions for NASH patients consists of developing our drug candidate elafibranor as a first-line treatment for patients with NASH and developing an IVD test to aid in the diagnosis of at-risk NASH patients.

        Elafibranor (previously known as GFT505) is a dual-agonist acting simultaneously on two nuclear receptors, PPARa and PPARd, that control expression of key genes of inflammation, lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, oxidative stress and fibrosis. These two receptors play an important role in numerous processes involved in the development of NASH and its co-morbidities, as outlined below.

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        An important distinction between elafibranor and some of the other third-party programs targeting PPARs in NASH is that elafibranor does not have any pharmacological PPARg activity as shown by studies in disease models and in clinical trials. Elafibranor has not shown the unwanted side effects most commonly associated with PPARg activation, such as weight gain, edema, and fluid retention, which are associated with increased risk of heart failure.

        NASH is closely associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes and is considered to be the liver manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. Similarly to many metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, NASH is a multifaceted disease with multiple components, including insulin resistance, inflammation, oxidative stress, increased liver fat and dyslipidemia. A therapeutic intervention that can address multiple NASH components may provide optimal clinical benefit and have the best probability to attain the histological endpoints required for drug registration for the treatment of NASH patients. We believe that with its unique mechanism of action, by activating both PPARa and PPARd, elafibranor has the potential to modulate many of the key hallmarks of NASH, and, if approved, could be well-positioned as a first-line treatment as a monotherapy and the backbone of combination regimens.

Our Clinical Program for Elafibranor in the Treatment of NASH

        Based on the results obtained in our Phase 2b clinical trial of elafibranor in treating NASH patients, we are currently evaluating elafibranor for the treatment of NASH in a global pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial, RESOLVE-IT. The trial began in the first quarter of 2016 and is expected to enroll approximately 2,000 patients at approximately 250 sites throughout the world. We plan to perform an interim analysis of the first 1,000 enrolled patients after 72 weeks of treatment in order to evaluate the efficacy of elafibranor, based on a single primary histological endpoint, resolution of NASH without worsening of fibrosis, as a basis for accelerated marketing approval from the FDA and conditional marketing approval from the EMA.

        RESOLVE-IT is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled (2:1) Phase 3 clinical trial enrolling patients with NASH (NAS ³4) and fibrosis (F2 or F3, stages at which fibrosis is significant but has not yet reached cirrhosis). Patients will receive either elafibranor 120 mg or placebo once daily. The primary endpoint at the interim analysis, which will be performed on the interim cohort comprised of the first 1,000 patients enrolled and after a 72 weeks of treatment, is the proportion of elafibranor-treated patients achieving NASH resolution without worsening of fibrosis as compared to placebo. This will be done by comparing a patient's liver biopsy at the end of the 72 week treatment period with their initial liver biopsy. The trial also has a key secondary histological endpoint, fibrosis improvement without the worsening of NASH, which we believe may be included in the drug label if this endpoint is met and if elafibranor receives approval.

        In April 2018, we announced that we had achieved enrollment of the first 1,000 patients in the interim cohort. The Subpart H approval pathway we are pursuing requires us to continue the trial through the extension period for all 2,000 patients, at which time the full patient population will be evaluated for a composite endpoint of clinical outcomes. The trial will also evaluate improvement of cardiometabolic profiles in patients treated with elafibranor versus patients treated with placebo. Throughout the duration of the trial, the safety is continuously monitored by the Data Safety Monitoring Board, or DSMB, an independent committee that provides recommendations on continuation of the trial.

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        During the recruitment, we focused on the balanced distribution of treatments across all sites and countries, based on stratification according to gender, presence of diabetes and disease severity. We have enrolled patients in more than 250 sites across North America, Europe, Australia, Latin America, Turkey and South Africa. Interim baseline data on the initial cohort show that the patients recruited into the trial to date have the expected metabolic co-morbidities which include type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and obesity. Thus, the baseline characteristics of the trial population are consistent with the expected associated risk factors for patients with NASH and fibrosis.

        Four pre-planned safety reviews of the data have been already performed by the DSMB. In each of the reviews, including the most recent one in December 2018, the DSMB has recommended continuation of the trial without any modification after analysis of the safety data set, including adverse events and laboratory data. This recommendation, taking into account an increasing number of patients exposed to treatment for longer periods of time, is consistent with our observations in previous Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials that support elafibranor's favorable tolerability profile and lack of demonstrated safety concerns.

        We expect to report data from the interim cohort analysis by the end of 2019. If the results of the interim analysis are positive, we expect to apply for accelerated approval from the FDA and conditional marketing approval from the EMA in 2020.

        The efficacy and safety of elafibranor, to date, has been evaluated in an extensive preclinical program which included multiple disease models. Prior to our GOLDEN-505 Phase 2b clinical trial in NASH patients, our Phase 2a program in elafibranor included trials performed in different populations of metabolic disease patients, including patients with atherogenic dyslipidemia, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. In these Phase 2a trials, we observed that treatment with elafibranor promoted a cardioprotective lipid profile, promoted glucose homeostasis, increased insulin sensitivity, was anti-inflammatory and decreased markers of liver injury. Each of these activities are important targets in the treatment of NASH patients and we believe the combined multiple activity profile of elafibranor observed in the Phase 2a trials warranted its further clinical development in a Phase 2b trial.

        In 2012, a consensus definition of NASH resolution had not yet been adopted by regulatory authorities or the medical community and little was known about the target NASH population to be included in clinical trials. As a result, we designed the GOLDEN-505 trial with the input of key opinion leaders and the FDA to identify the therapeutic dose for elafibranor and the most appropriate NASH population for drug therapy. For this purpose, GOLDEN-505 enrolled a patient population covering almost the entire histological spectrum of NASH (from NAS=3 to NAS=8 and fibrosis stage from F0 to F3). Patients with fibrosis stage F4 were excluded, as this would indicate that the patient had already progressed to cirrhosis. This trial, which began in 2012, was one of the largest interventional trials and first true international study ever conducted in NASH, enrolling 276 patients, 274 of whom were treated, at 56 sites throughout the United States and seven countries in Europe.

        Patients were enrolled if they had NASH defined as NAS³3 with at least one point in steatosis, ballooning and inflammation scores, and fibrosis stage from F0 to F3. Patients were divided into three treatment groups, receiving either elafibranor 80 mg, elafibranor 120 mg or placebo once daily for 52 weeks. The primary endpoint of the trial was to evaluate the efficacy of elafibranor doses compared to placebo on reversal of NASH without worsening of fibrosis. We also evaluated the effect of elafibranor on secondary endpoints including changes in NAS, morphometric parameters, insulin resistance, cardiovascular risk parameters and safety markers.

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Efficacy Results

        Topline results were announced in March 2015 and detailed results were presented at the 2015 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, or AASLD, Annual Meeting. Complete results of the trial were published in the peer-reviewed Gastroenterology journal.

        After the end of the 52-week treatment period, there was no difference between the elafibranor arms and placebo according to the protocol-defined definition of the primary endpoint. We conducted a post hoc analysis of the data using a definition recommended by the FDA for use as the primary endpoint in our Phase 3 trial. Applying this definition to our Phase 2b data, elafibranor 120 mg resolved NASH without the worsening of fibrosis in the intent-to-treat population, defined as all patients who took at least one treatment: 19% of patients receiving elafibranor 120 mg experienced NASH resolution without worsening of fibrosis, compared to only 12% in the placebo group, a statistically significant difference. The following table shows the percentage of patients in the placebo and elafibranor 120 mg groups who reached NASH resolution without the worsening of fibrosis, broken down by the patient's NAS. The elafibranor 80 mg group did not perform better than placebo using the FDA-recommended definition of the primary endpoint.


Percentage of Patients with NASH Resolution without Worsening of Fibrosis
(Primary Endpoint of Trial (FDA recommended post hoc definition))

GRAPHIC


(1)
P-value represents the statistical significance between two groups. A p-value <0.05 denotes significant difference and means that there is < 5% likelihood that the observed results occurred by chance. The p-values in the table are comparisons between the elafibranor 120 mg and placebo groups. The p-values comparing the elafibranor 80 mg and placebo groups each exceeded 0.05, meaning that such results were not statistically significant.

        The statistical difference between the elafibranor and the placebo groups increased with the extent of initial histological lesions. In the subpopulation of patients with active NASH (NAS³4), 19% of patients receiving elafibranor 120 mg experienced NASH resolution, compared to only 9% in the placebo group, with a p-value of 0.013. In the subpopulation of patients with active NASH (NAS³4) and fibrosis (F³1), these results increased to 20% and 11% in the elafibranor 120 mg group and placebo group, respectively, with a p-value of 0.009.

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        In addition, we conducted a post hoc analysis to take into account differences in the standard of care across centers and baseline severity. In patients recruited in centers with at least one patient with active NASH (NAS³4) in the three treatment arms of the trial, 26% in the elafibranor 120 mg group, compared to 5% in the placebo group (p=0.02), experienced resolution of NASH without worsening of fibrosis. We believe this analysis provides a good assessment of the efficacy of elafibranor, taking into account the caveats of the Phase 2b trial design which recruited patients with mild disease and too low of a NAS (NAS=3) and included trial centers which did not have patients from each of the study arms present. Of the 274 patients enrolled and treated (the intent-to-treat population) in the Phase 2b trial, 40 patients had mild disease, defined as a NAS=3. In these patients with mild disease, there was an unexpectedly high placebo response rate, which we believe might have led to a lack of treatment effect in the pre-specified primary outcome assessment. The current practice for drug development in NASH, including in our ongoing RESOLVE-IT trial, is now to include only those patients with moderate or severe disease, defined by a NAS equal to or greater than 4.

        Importantly, patients who achieved NASH resolution when treated with elafibranor ("responders") experienced a parallel decrease in fibrosis score compared to elafibranor patients who did not achieve NASH resolution ("non-responders"), as depicted in the figure below. Although the trial was not designed for anti-fibrotic endpoints, we believe it provided proof-of-concept of an anti-fibrotic effect. This correlation between improvement in NASH activity and regression of fibrosis fits with the treatment paradigm that NASH resolution predicts long-term beneficial effects on prevention of negative clinical outcomes.


Fibrosis Change from Baseline
in Elafibranor 120 mg Responders v. Non-Responders

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        Patients treated with elafibranor experienced improvement in circulating markers of liver dysfunction such as ALT, GGT and alkaline phosphatase, or ALP. The charts below show the changes in ALT, GGT and ALP from baseline over the course of the treatment period of the trial. These results were published in Gastroenterology in 2016.

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        In addition, in our evaluation of the secondary endpoints, we observed therapeutic activity of elafibranor 120 mg on the following cardiometabolic risk factors associated with NASH, which we believe is commensurate with elafibranor providing a beneficial cardiometabolic profile:

        Improved levels of plasma lipids and lipoproteins.    The charts below show the changes from baseline in triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol for each arm during the trial.

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        Improved insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism in diabetic patients.    The following charts show the effects of elafibranor compared to placebo on a number of insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism measures observed during the trial.

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        Anti-inflammatory effects.    The following chart shows changes from baseline in fibrinogen and haptoglobin, two measures of inflammation, during the trial. In this chart, elafibranor 80 mg is noted as "GFT-80" and elafibranor 120 mg is noted as "GFT-120."

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        These results were published in Gastroenterology in 2016.

Safety Results

        Periodic safety reviews were conducted throughout the Phase 2b clinical trial by the DSMB. These reviews did not generate any comments or additional requests highlighting the overall safety profile of elafibranor.

        In the GOLDEN-505 trial, elafibranor was well tolerated at both dose levels. Over the 52-week treatment period, frequency of adverse events, or AEs, were similar between the treatment groups, including placebo, and the majority of the AEs were mild in intensity. During the trial, 4 patients in the elafibranor groups experienced possibly treatment related SAEs. In the elafibranor 80mg group, three SAEs occured in one patient experiencing ataxia, fasciulation and tremor on the same day. A second patient, who had a preexisting risk profile for miscarriage, experienced a spontaneous abortion. In the elafibranor 120 mg group, one patient experienced mild acute pancreatitis. This patient had a historical cholecystectomy, was suspected of related biliary pancreatitis at the time of the adverse event, suffered from numerous concurrent conditions and was on confounding concurrent medications. A second patient was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, deemed possibly treatment related by the investigator, although it was deemed not treatment related by the sponsor due to risk factors such as patient's age (76), sex (male) and family history of tremors (patient's father). Additionally, four patients in the placebo group experienced possibly treatment related SAEs (renal cancer, breast cancer, bladder cancer and pancreatic cancer).

        In addition, there were no cardiac events, signals on cancer or deaths in the elafibranor treatment groups. Body weight remained stable. A statistically significant mild increase in creatinine of approximately five percent was observed in the elafibranor treatment group. An increase in creatinine

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is a known and generally reversible effect of elafibranor and other PPAR agonists, like fenofibrate, which has been on the market for decades. Several long-term studies with fenofibrate (DAIS, FIELD, ACCORD) have shown the preservation of renal function. This was illustrated by the rapid reversal of the observed increase in creatinine upon stopping treatment, which, even after several years of treatment, decreased to levels below those observed in the placebo groups, which is indicative of a renoprotective effect of PPAR agonist treatment. The most common adverse events were of gastrointestinal nature and of mild intensity, such as abdominal pain, transit disorders, nausea and vomiting, were similar between treatment groups. No safety concerns of elafibranor emerged from this trial.

        We have also completed five Phase 2a clinical trials which were exploratory in nature to assess safety, type of efficacy and magnitude of efficacy of elafibranor in patients suffering from specific cardiometabolic disorders also frequently observed in NASH patients. These trials, involving an aggregate of 297 randomized patients assessed a variety of endpoints not specifically related to efficacy in NASH. However, we believe the results provided a scientific and clinical rationale for positioning of elafibranor as a suitable NASH therapeutic through our observations of:

        In all five Phase 2a clinical trials, we observed a favorable tolerability profile and did not demonstrate any safety concerns of elafibranor. Below are summaries of these five Phase 2a clinical trials.

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        Most of these Phase 2a clinical trial results have been reported in two publications in a peer-reviewed journal, Diabetes Care. Notably, in a trial using the gold standard method for measuring sensitivity to insulin, we showed that in patients with insulin resistance, elafibranor was able to increase insulin sensitivity of the liver and muscles. Knowing the essential role of insulin resistance in development of NASH, this Phase 2a trial was decisive for the decision to launch a biopsy-based Phase 2b trial in NASH patients.

        To date, the elafibranor Phase 1 program to assess the safety and tolerability as well as pharmacokinetic profile of elafibranor comprises 12 clinical trials performed in single Phase 1 clinical research centers. This Phase 1 program has included a total of over 600 volunteers including more than 500 healthy lean subjects, 60 healthy overweight or obese subjects and 12 subjects with type 2 diabetes. Among them, more than 400 were included in elafibranor treated groups and more than 150 in placebo or comparator treated groups. Below is a brief summary of these Phase 1 clinical trials:

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        To date, we believe that the results from our Phase 1 program of elafibranor support a favorable tolerability profile up to 300 mg (which is 3-4 times higher than expected therapeutic doses of 80 mg/day and 120 mg/day), both under fed and fasting conditions, either after single administration or after repeated administration for at least 14 days (from 10 mg/day to 300 mg/day) in healthy, overweight/obese or diabetic volunteers. In this range of doses, no SAE related to elafibranor was reported. None of these Phase 1 trials revealed any serious safety signals and, notably, a 14-day regulatory cardiac

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safety study did not reveal an effect on QT/QTc, which is a measure of cardiac safety risk, at the high dose of 300 mg per day.

        Adverse events were all of mild to moderate intensity with no apparent imbalance over placebo or comparator groups. Most of them resolved before study end. They consisted mainly of gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea, abdominal pain, flatulence, constipation, vomiting, dyspepsia).

        Furthermore, no clinically relevant changes were detected in biochemical and hematological parameters, vital signs (including arterial pressure) or electrocardiogram. There was no evidence of dose-related clinically potentially significant abnormalities (CPSA) and/or clinically potentially significant changes (CPSC).

        Several animal models have been used to assess efficacy of elafibranor on NASH resolution, liver fibrosis and comorbidities like dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes or atherosclerosis. Results have been published in peer-review journals, including Hepatology, and/or presented at multiple international scientific meetings. Recently, we observed elafibranor's effect on liver cancer prevention and development in two mouse models. In the first mouse model, the effect of elafibranor was evaluated in mice that had been fed a diet that induced NASH and hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC, referred to as the "CD/FF diet." The mice were divided into three groups: one group of eight mice received a "regular" diet, one group of seven mice received the CD/FF diet and one group of four mice received the CD/FF diet plus elafibranor at a dose of 30 mg/kg/day. At week 36, all of the mice that had received the CD/FF diet alone developed NASH and grade 3 fibrosis. In contrast, among the mice that received elafibranor, none developed NASH and all only developed grade 1 fibrosis. At the end of the study, we evaluated nodules present in the mice. All of the mice in the group that had received the CD/FF diet alone had between six to eight nodules present in their livers. In contrast, nodules were only present in half of the mice that were administered elafibranor, and even those only had one or two nodules. Liver sections from the mice were analyzed to determine the presence of tumors and whether any tumors were benign or malignant. In the group that received the CD/FF diet alone, 86% had developed at least one malignant lesion, whereas no tumor lesions—malignant or benign—were observed in the group that received elafibranor.

        In the second mouse model, NASH and HCC were induced in mice through administration of the CD/FF diet for 19 weeks, following DEN (carcinogen) injection at 14 days post partum. The mice were divided into two groups—one group of six mice received the CD/FF diet alone and one group of seven mice received the CD/FF diet and, only for the last eight weeks of treatment, began to receive elafibranor at a dose of 30 mg/kg/day, once histological NASH lesions had already developed. A group of three mice that received a "regular" diet and no DEN injection was kept as comparator. Liver sections from the mice were analyzed to determine the presence of tumors and whether any tumors were benign or malignant. In the group that had received the CD/FF diet alone, half developed at least one HCC lesion. In contrast, in the group that received elafibranor for the last eight weeks of treatment, only 28% developed at least one HCC lesion. None of the mice on the "regular" diet had benign or malignant lesions. Also in this study, we measured the concentration of alpha fetoprotein, or AFP, a commonly used cancer marker, in the mice serum. In the group that had received the CD/FF diet alone, AFP serum concentration was significantly increased compared to that seen in healthy mice, whereas in the group that received elafibranor, AFP serum concentration was reduced by 47% as compared to the group receiving CD/FF alone, a result that was statistically significant with a p-value of less than 0.01.

        We have also evaluated elafibranor in numerous regulatory toxicology studies in animals, with up to two years of treatment in rats and mice and up to one year of high-dose treatment in monkeys. These studies did not reveal any major signs of toxicity relevant to humans. In all animal studies,

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elafibranor did not cause weight gain, peripheral edema or increase heart weight which are side effects typically associated with drugs acting on PPARg. This confirmed selectivity of elafibranor for the two other forms of PPARs: PPARa and PPARd.

Regulatory Pathway for Treatment of NASH

        In February 2014, the FDA granted fast track designation to elafibranor for the treatment of NASH. If the results of the interim analysis of our Phase 3 clinical trial are positive, we plan to apply for accelerated marketing approval from the FDA under Subpart H and conditional approval from the EMA in 2020. Like all companies using the Subpart H and conditional approval pathway, we must continue the trial post-marketing in order to demonstrate the efficacy of elafibranor on clinical benefit within the full 2,000 patient population. We will evaluate a composite endpoint of clinical outcomes which include all-cause mortality, the progression to cirrhosis, and a full list of cirrhosis-related events such as liver transplantation, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease, or MELD score ³15, and hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC, on the full trial population, with the goal of obtaining full marketing approval. The Phase 3 trial will remain blinded, and all patients will be maintained under treatment and followed until the occurrence of a pre-defined number of progressions to clinical outcomes.

Pediatric NASH

        As prevalence of obesity in children has increased, NAFLD has become a growing health concern in this population. A study published in 2016 estimates that NAFLD affects approximately 10-20% of the general pediatric population, with approximately 25% of these children progressing to NASH, and that within the next 10 years, pediatric NAFLD is expected to become the most prevalent cause of liver pathology, liver failure and indication for liver transplantation in childhood and adolescence in the Western world. In the United States, the prevalence of NAFLD in children is estimated to be approximately 10%. Thus, regulatory agencies strongly encourage parallel development of drugs to treat this specific population.

        In November 2016, we initiated the first juvenile toxicology studies of elafibranor in rats as part of our Pediatric Investigation Plan, or PIP, in the treatment of NAFLD/NASH following agreement on our PIP from the EMA. In January 2018, we received agreement from the FDA on our Pediatric Study Plan, or PSP, after which we announced the official launch of the NASH pediatric program with elafibranor. In March 2019, the FDA indicated that the protocol for our Phase 2, 12-week randomized trial of 20 pediatric patients is acceptable to fulfill the requirements of the Pediatric Research Equity Act. This trial will evaluate the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of elafibranor in children and adolescents and will be conducted in U.S. clinical centers specializing in NASH pediatrics. We expect to begin enrolling patients in this clinical trial in 2019.

NASH Combination Therapies with Elafibranor

        NASH is a complex and multifaceted disease and several drug classes with complementary mechanisms of action may be required for optimal management of NASH, liver fibrosis and comorbidities. Therefore, there is an increasing need for therapies based on drug combinations. To address this need, we are also evaluating combination therapy approaches combining elafibranor with molecules being developed in our other programs, molecules already marketed in other indications and certain molecules currently being developed by others for the treatment of NASH, with the goal of treating the largest possible number of NASH patients.

        During the International Liver Congress in Amsterdam in 2017, we presented data on the therapeutic complementarity of elafibranor and an FXR agonist illustrating the potential for new combination treatments with elafibranor for the optimal care of NASH patients. We evaluated

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elafibranor in combination with obeticholic acid, or OCA, an FXR agonist, in a preclinical rat model. In this study, a total of 90 rats were divided into several groups of 10, with a control group receiving a "normal" diet and the rest receiving a CDAA/c diet. Of the rats receiving the CDAA/c diet designed to induce fibrosis, mice received either elafibranor alone (in doses of either 1, 3 or 10 mg/kg/day), OCA (in doses of either 10 or 30 mg/kg/day) or a combination of one of the three elafibranor doses plus OCA 10 mg/kg/day. At the end of the 12-week study period, the rat livers were analyzed for levels of liver fibrosis and hepatic collagen, a biochemical measure of fibrosis. Notably, significant reduction in fibrosis was observed in all rats that were given elafibranor of any dose level. In contrast, a significant reduction in fibrosis was only achieved by the rats receiving OCA at the higher 30 mg/kg/day dose level. In this study we observed a synergistic effect of elafibranor and OCA on fibrosis in the rats receiving combination therapy even at the low doses of elafibranor. Fibrosis was reduced by 71% and 81% in the groups receiving elafibranor 1 mg/kg/day plus OCA 10 mg/kg/day and elafibranor 3 mg/kg/day plus OCA 10 mg/kg/day, respectively. Rats administered with combination therapy also had significant decreases in hepatic collagen compared to decreases observed in the mice receiving only elafibranor or OCA alone. We believe this synergistic effect, even at submaximal doses, supports the potential of our combination therapy approach.

        In April 2018, we presented data at the European Association for the Study of the Liver, or EASL, International Liver Congress from studies of combination therapy with elafibranor in which NTZ had a synergistic effect in primary human stellate cells and in a model of NASH with fibrosis. In this mouse model, a total of 39 mice were divided into five groups—one group of 4 mice received a "normal" diet, one group of 12 mice received only a diet designed to promote lipid accumulation and result in liver fibrosis, referred to as a CDAA/c diet, one group of eight mice received the CDAA/c diet plus elafibranor 1 mg/kg/day, one group of eight mice received the CDAA/c diet plus NTZ 100 mg/kg/day and the final group of seven mice received the CDAA/c diet plus elafibranor 1 mg/kg/day plus NTZ 100 mg/kg/day. At the end of the 12-week study period, the mice livers were analyzed for levels of liver fibrosis and hepatic collagen. The mice in the combination therapy group experienced a statistically significant attenuation of liver fibrosis of 52% (range of 25% to 63%), compared to 36% in the group receiving only elafibranor (range of 18% to 47%) and 27% in the group receiving only NTZ (range of –4% to 53%), each as compared to the CDAA/c only group. Similarly, in the combination therapy group, hepatic collagen was reduced by 41% (ranging from 26% to 56%), compared to 22% in the group receiving only elafibranor (ranging from 11% to 33%) and 23% in the group receiving only NTZ (ranging from 13% to 34%), each as compared to the CDAA/c only group. Altogether, these findings indicate that NTZ may be a good candidate for a NASH combination therapy with elafibranor, thus establishing the rationale for proof-of-concept studies in patients with NASH and advanced fibrosis.

        Finally, at the annual meeting of the AASLD in San Francisco in November 2018, we presented new data on anti-NASH treatment combinations, using elafibranor as backbone, in in vitro and in vivo NASH models, associating it with an ACC inhibitor. In this study, mice were divided into five groups—one group of four mice received a "normal" diet, one group of 12 mice received the CD/FF diet alone, one group of eight mice received the CD/FF diet plus elafibranor 1 mg/kg/day, one group of eight mice received the CD/FF diet plus GS-0976, an ACC inhibitor product candidate being developed by Gilead Sciences, Inc., at 10 mg/kg/day and the final group received the CD/FF diet plus elafibranor 1 mg/kg/day plus GS-0976 at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day. At the end of the eight-week study, the mice livers were analyzed for NAS and levels of hepatic triglycerides, an indicator of advancing liver disease. As compared to the group that received only the CD/FF diet, the groups receiving either elafibranor or GS-0976 alone showed subtle and non-significant decreases in NAS (3% and 9%, respectively) and hepatic triglycerides (6% and 2%, respectively). However, the group of mice that received the CD/FF diet and the combined therapy of elafibranor and GS-0976 showed statistically significant (p<0.05) decreases in both NAS (33%) and hepatic triglycerides (64%). These results suggest the potential of elafibranor, in combination with an ACC inhibitor, in reducing liver fat.

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IVD Test for the Diagnosis of NASH

        As part of our strategy to address the unmet needs in NASH, we have advanced a diagnostic program based on the in-house discovery that specific microRNA, or miRNA, which are short non-coding RNA molecules that are master regulators of many biological processes, are expressed at different levels in patients with NASH. This discovery kicked off a multi-year effort that has resulted in the development of what we target to be the first validated diagnostic test to identify patients with NASH who may be appropriate candidates for treatment. In January 2019, we entered into a license agreement with LabCorp to allow them to deploy our IVD test in the clinical research space.

Circulating Biomarkers and miRNA

        Biomarkers are characteristics of the body that can be objectively measured and correlate to a biological state or condition. Circulating biomarkers are biological molecules, such as proteins, DNA or RNA, found in body fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid, blood or urine that modulate with disease. A single circulating biomarker or a panel of different markers can be used to not only identify but also monitor the evolution of disease.

        miRNAs represent a class of small non-coding RNA whose principal function is the regulation of the expression of target genes by acting on the stability and the translation of their messenger RNA, or mRNA. miRNAs play an essential role in many cell functions, such as development, proliferation, differentiation, cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis, or cell death. Multiple studies have shown a close association between circulating levels of miRNA and the development and progression of several cancers and have highlighted an important role for miRNAs in the regulation of human liver development and pathophysiology. Because miRNAs are released from cells in response to stress, they can be detected in most biological fluids, including blood.

        Since our inception, we have developed a recognized expertise in transcriptomics, which is the study of the RNA transcripts in cells. We initially focused this expertise on mRNA and have expanded in recent years to the study of specific miRNAs. We have developed methods for the extraction and rapid and reliable measurement of miRNA in samples of blood, serum or plasma. In our miRNA biomarker research program, we use advanced technologies, such as next generation sequencing, or NGS, which allows us to perform sequencing of millions of small fragments of DNA in parallel.

Today's Challenges in Diagnosing NASH

        NASH is a silent, asymptomatic disease. Patients with NASH are often unaware of their disease until their condition progresses to more serious and life-threatening stages. The identification of patients with NASH and early fibrosis is a key area of major unmet need since medical intervention at this stage can help prevent or attenuate adverse clinical outcomes.

        A liver biopsy is the clinical standard to formally diagnose NASH and assess the stage of fibrosis in a patient suspected of having NASH. However, the liver biopsy is an invasive procedure that presents a number of limitations, including:

        In addition, there are a limited number of specialists who are able to perform and interpret liver biopsies when considering the anticipated increase in clinical cases over the next 10 years. Furthermore, there are roughly 1,000 to 2,000 practicing hepatologists in the United States, which limits the

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availability of the liver biopsy procedure to adequately diagnose these patients. As such there is a clear unmet need and market opportunity for the development of non-invasive diagnostics in NASH.

        No FDA-cleared diagnostic tests indicated for NASH exist and the currently available diagnostics are either general tools for the management of chronic liver disease patients, such as FibroScan or Magnetic Resonance Elastography, or are not widely accessible, such as MRI-based technologies. The following table depicts some of the currently available diagnostic approaches for NAFLD and liver fibrosis, including their benefits and limitations:

NAFLD   Liver Fibrosis

Ultrasound

Adequate for detection of fatty liver in patients at risk of NAFLD

Low accuracy for mild steatosis

Low cost and wide availability

MRI

High performance in detecting low grade of steatosis

Low availability, high costs and long exam time, potentially limiting use in daily medical practice

 

Ultrasound Elastography (Fibroscan, ElastQ)

Diagnostic performances for F3 and F4 are good but limited when F<3

Limited to specialist's office

MRE

Potential for detecting F<3

Low availability, high costs, long exam time

Fibrosis scores (NASH FibroSure and equivalent scores)

Diagnostic performances are good for F3 and F4 but degrade when F<3

Not validated in large cohorts of NAFLD/NASH patients in intended use NAFLD

        Therefore, there is a high unmet need for a validated, highly-specific test to identify patients with NASH and fibrosis as an alternative to the liver biopsy for use in the clinical research and clinical care settings. We believe our diagnostic test, if validated and approved for marketing, may directly address this clinical gap.

Our Solution: IVD Test Based on Our Biomarker Algorithm

        Aware of the challenges associated with diagnosing NASH, we initiated a program to combine our technical expertise in informatics, machine learning and next-generation sequencing with access to our extensive NASH clinical biobank, including cohorts from our GOLDEN-505 and RESOLVE-IT clinical trials, in addition to cohorts from academic partnerships, to pursue the discovery of novel biomarkers that may hold the key in developing a novel diagnostic test in NASH. In 2015, we reached a key milestone with the discovery that two miRNA biomarkers, miR-200a and miR-34a, were differentially expressed in patients with NASH and early fibrosis.

        Since then, we have further refined the diagnostic test and have ultimately found four unique biomarkers that we believe provide the best overall diagnostic performance: alpha-2-macroglobulin, chitinase-3-like protein 1, hemoglobin A1c, and microRNA-34a. Our diagnostic test combines the results from these four independent assays through a single proprietary algorithm, referred to as NIS4, to assist in identifying patients with both NASH and significant fibrosis who should be considered for therapeutic intervention with elafibranor or any other suitable therapeutic. We intend to market our IVD test, if it receives marketing authorization, as a standalone diagnostic with the potential to enable a non-invasive, accessible and validated alternative to the liver biopsy to benefit patients, improve overall clinical care and greatly reduce barriers to entry for innovative therapies like elafibranor.

        Using data from our elafibranor development program, we have assessed the predictive value of our IVD test in samples from 687 patients, representing a merged cohort comprising 220 patients from our GOLDEN-505 Phase 2b clinical trial and the first 467 patients screened in our RESOLVE-IT Phase 3 clinical trial. In testing our IVD test, we utilized the initial liver biopsy and blood sample from each patient. We compared the results of our IVD test on the blood sample to the patient's initial liver biopsy to evaluate whether our IVD test was an accurate predictor of the patient's levels of NASH and fibrosis. We tested our IVD test's ability to sort patients with NAS³4 and F³2 from patients with

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NAS<4 or F<2 in this cohort of prospectively enrolled patients suspected of NASH. This was determined using the AUROC, or Area Under Receiver Operating Characteristic, curve, a type of analysis that gives an overall performance metric of a diagnostic test based on its ability to correctly identify those with the disease, or sensitivity, and its ability to correctly rule out those without the disease, or specificity. The AUROC is expressed as a ratio of these two measures, with the maximum score being 1.0.

        Our IVD test outperformed currently available blood-based biomarkers when assessed in a head-to-head comparison from 687 patients with a full set of biochemical parameters. As depicted in the figure below, our IVD test, labeled as NIS4, achieved an AUROC = 0.83 (95% CI 0.7965 - 0.8557), compared to the following currently available biomarkers: the Fib-4 Index (FIB4), the NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS), the Enhanced Liver Fibrosis Score (ELF), the Fatty Liver Index Score (FLI), the BARD Score (BARD), the AST to Platelet Ratio Score (APRI) and the FibroTest.

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        An assessment of the NIS4 IVD test results based on fibrosis stage (F0-F4) or NAS category (0-1, 2-3, 4-5 or >6) revealed significant differences between fibrosis stages (p<0.0001 for all comparisons) and NAS categories (p<0.01 for all categories). We believe that these observations demonstrate that NIS4, our IVD test, has the potential to be used in medical practice, as well as in a clinical research setting, to accurately identify patients with NASH (NAS³4) and significant fibrosis (F³2).

Regulatory and Commercial Strategy

        We began communications with the FDA in 2017 to discuss potential regulatory pathways for our IVD test. Based on these discussions, we are using blood samples and liver biopsy results from patients enrolled in our clinical trials of elafibranor conducted to date in order to provide support for the potential validation of our test. By applying our IVD test to a patient's blood sample, and then comparing the IVD test result to that patient's liver biopsy result, we can assess whether our IVD test is accurate in diagnosing patients with NASH and significant fibrosis who should be considered for therapeutic intervention. We are currently finalizing the analytical and clinical study designs which are required prior to initiating formal validation studies.

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        In January 2019, we entered into a license agreement with LabCorp for development and deployment in the clinical research space as a laboratory developed test, or LDT. We believe this agreement will provide expanded access to, and further validation of our IVD test which should be supportive in our plans to seek marketing authorization from the FDA. Initially, we will limit the use of the LDT for use in clinical research studies. LabCorp will serve as a central lab partner, processing samples and providing test results. LabCorp is permitted and accredited, and will be responsible for submitting the LDT for any validation that may be required under applicable state and federal laws. We believe that leveraging the capabilities of a large diagnostic company will allow for early test adoption, result in third-party publications and provide additional evidence of the clinical utility of our IVD test. We plan to use these benefits to further support the next stage of our commercial strategy, which is to first have the FDA grant our request for marketing of the IVD at a single site and then expand the IVD test to multi-site use through a second marketing authorization for use in routine clinical care. With the assistance of a partner, we plan to produce IVD test kits and commercialize the kit-based tests in the United States, which is a prerequisite for enabling our multi-site strategy.

        In parallel, we are progressing towards submitting a data package to the EMA to enable CE marking and associated marketing approval in key European markets during 2020. In Europe, if approved, we plan to sell our kit-based IVD tests through a distributor or commercial partner to independent, smaller laboratories, as there are fewer large central laboratories in these regions.

Elafibranor for the Treatment of PBC

About PBC

        PBC is an autoimmune disease resulting from progressive destruction of the small bile ducts inside the liver. When liver bile ducts are destroyed, the bile which normally would travel to the small intestines to aid in digestion and elimination of waste instead accumulates in the liver, contributing to inflammation and fibrosis. PBC is believed to be an autoimmune disease in which a person's immune system is overactive and attacks normal, healthy bile duct cells. The following graphic depicts the distinction between normal bile ducts and those that have been destroyed.


Primary Biliary Cholangitis

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        PBC is a disease with a global prevalence of approximately 40 cases per 100,000. However, that prevalence is increasing; in the United States, the prevalence of PBC increased from 21.7 to 39.2 per 100,000 from 2006 through 2014. Women are much more likely to be affected by PBC than men, and the incidence increases after the age of 50.

        The initial symptoms of PBC are general fatigue and pruritus, which is itchy skin; other potentially associated symptoms include dry eyes, dry mouth and jaundice. However, approximately 60% of patients are asymptomatic when the disease is diagnosed. PBC is diagnosed based on blood tests revealing the presence of anti-mitochondrial antibodies, or AMAs, and high levels of the liver enzyme ALP. Cirrhosis is not generally advanced at the time of PBC diagnosis.

        Left untreated, PBC typically leads to cirrhosis, liver failure and the need for liver transplantation. In the absence of treatment, the 10-year survival of asymptomatic patients is estimated to be between 50 and 70%, with a median survival of 16 years. Among symptomatic patients, median survival in the absence of treatment is only seven to eight years. PBC is believed to be responsible for 2-3% of deaths by cirrhosis.

Limitations of Current Treatment Options

        There is currently no cure for PBC, although there are medications that work to slow its progression. For many years, ursodiol, a drug containing ursodeoxycholic acid, or UDCA, was the only drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of PBC. UDCA is a naturally occurring bile acid that is normally produced in the liver by healthy cells. Ursodiol, administered orally, is designed to help move bile through the liver and into the intestines. Although ursodiol is effective in more than 50% of patients, up to 40% of patients do not respond or respond poorly to treatment and an additional 5-10% of patients are unable to tolerate the drug.

        In May 2016, the FDA approved obeticholic acid, marketed as Ocaliva by Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc., for the treatment of PBC in combination with UDCA in adults with an inadequate response to UDCA, or as a single therapy in adults unable to tolerate UDCA. In September 2017, following the death of 19 PBC patients being treated with Ocaliva, the FDA published a safety announcement for Ocaliva, indicating that some patients with moderate to severe decreases in liver function had been incorrectly dosed, resulting in an increased risk of serious liver injury and death. The FDA also indicated that Ocaliva may also be associated with liver injury in some patients with mild disease who are receiving the correct dose. In February 2018, the FDA had a Boxed Warning added to the Ocaliva label, the most severe warning required to be included in labeling by the FDA. Concerns remain over pruritus and serious liver injury or liver death caused by administration of Ocaliva. In its Phase 3 clinical trial, severe pruritus was reported in 23% of patients in the Ocaliva 10 mg dose cohort and in 19% of patients in the Ocaliva titration cohort, in which dosing was initiated at 5 mg and titrated up to 10 mg based on clinical response, compared to 7% of patients in the placebo group.

        Accordingly, we believe there is still a significant medical need for new therapies, as current treatments either are ineffective for a large portion of PBC patients, cause significant side effects or include safety risks.

Our Solution: Elafibranor for the Treatment of PBC

        We believe that elafibranor has the potential to offer a therapeutic solution that can be effective in treating PBC while also maintaining a favorable tolerability profile and lack of demonstrated safety concerns.

        Targeting PPAR receptors has shown multiple beneficial activities, including the reduction of bile acid synthesis, improved detoxification of bile in the bile duct and anti-inflammatory activity. In third-

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party clinical trials, drugs targeting PPAR receptors resulted in a significant decrease in ALP and improved biochemical profiles and pruritus in PBC patients. Patients with PBC often have elevated ALP, and studies have shown a correlation between elevated ALP levels and increased risk of adverse patient outcomes. We have observed elafibranor's effect in lowering ALP levels in our clinical trials, including our Phase 2 clinical trial in PBC.

Our Clinical Program for Elafibranor in the Treatment of PBC

        In December 2018, we announced positive preliminary results, including achievement of the primary endpoint and the composite endpoint, from our Phase 2 multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of elafibranor after 12 weeks of treatment in patients with PBC and inadequate response to UDCA. The trial was conducted at multiple clinical centers in the United States and in three European countries and enrolled a total of 45 patients. The patients were randomized into one of three treatment arms, receiving either elafibranor 80 mg, elafibranor 120 mg or placebo.

        The primary objective of the trial was to determine the effect of daily oral administration of elafibranor on ALP in these patients, based on relative change from baseline serum ALP levels compared to placebo. In addition to assessing the tolerability and safety of elafibranor in patients with PBC, secondary endpoints included assessment of elafibranor 80 mg and 120 mg as compared to placebo on several outcome measures, including:

        In the preliminary results published in December 2018, we observed that the mean decrease in ALP in both of the elafibranor treatment groups showed statistically significant improvement compared to placebo. In the elafibranor 80 mg and 120 mg treatment groups mean decreases in ALP were 48% (n=15) and 41% (n=14), respectively whereas the mean ALP increased by 3% (n=15) in the placebo group. When adjusted for placebo, the treatment effect of the elafibranor 80 mg and 120 mg treatment groups was a mean decrease in ALP of 52% (p<0.001) and 44% (p<0.001), respectively. Based on these results, elafibranor achieved the primary endpoint of the trial with high statistical significance.

        Elafibranor also achieved with high statistical significance the composite endpoint of ALP and bilirubin, with response defined as (1) ALP less than 1.67 times the upper limit of normal, or ULN, (2) total bilirubin within normal limits and (3) a reduction of ALP of more than 15%. The elafibranor 80 mg and 120 mg treatment groups achieved mean response rates of 67% (p=0.001) and 79% (p<0.001), respectively, as compared to 6.7% in the placebo group. This composite endpoint was the primary endpoint in the Phase 3 clinical trial of Ocaliva that led to its FDA marketing approval. In a three-month Phase 2 clinical trial of Ocaliva, treatment with Ocaliva 10 mg resulted in a mean response rate of 23%, compared to a placebo response rate of 10%, on this composite endpoint.

        Patients treated with elafibranor showed improvement in other PBC markers such as gamma-glutamyl transferase and metabolic markers such as total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-C, and triglycerides. Improvement in pruritus was observed and will be confirmed in a study of longer duration. Treatment with elafibranor was generally well tolerated, with a similar number of patients experiencing adverse events in the drug treatment and placebo arms of the trial, with the most common

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adverse events being of a gastrointestinal nature and of mild or moderate intensity, and included nausea, fatigue and headache. Two patients experienced serious adverse events, of which only one was considered as possibly drug-related. The latter patient suffered from two preexisting auto-immune diseases (PBC and myasthenia gravis) and during the trial presented with a third auto-immune disease (auto-immune hepatitis, or AIH). This diagnosis was made in a patient with poly-auto-immune diseases, and AIH consecutive to PBC or AIH-PBC overlap syndrome are not uncommon, occurring in up to 2.5% and 14% of PBC patients, respectively. While this factor and/or other concomitant medications could be considered as confounding factors, a causal relationship to study drug could not be excluded. The other patient experienced an SAE deemed unrelated to treatment with elafibranor and withdrew from the trial after only one daily dose.

        Based on these preliminary results, we plan to advance our PBC program into Phase 3 development in 2019.

Nitazoxanide Program for the Treatment of Fibrosis

About Fibrosis

        We are developing NTZ for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Progressive liver fibrosis can result from chronic liver injury of any etiology, including viral infection, alcoholic liver disease and NASH. Multiple studies have demonstrated that patients with NASH are at higher risk for adverse liver-related outcomes, with the degree of fibrosis contributing most significantly to this increased risk.

        Cirrhosis is the terminal stage of progressive liver fibrosis, which results in over 1 million deaths annually worldwide. Lethal complications of cirrhosis include functional liver failure, portal hypertension-induced variceal bleeding, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, systemic bacterial infection and liver cancer, especially HCC. Annual direct and indirect costs for the care of cirrhosis exceed $12 billion in the United States alone, and there is an urgent need for anti-fibrotic drugs to prevent progression towards hepatic decompensation and the associated morbidity and mortality.

        Approved therapies directly targeting and reversing advanced fibrosis are still lacking, but clinical studies have indicated that liver fibrosis and even cirrhosis can be regressed by therapeutic intervention aimed at the primary disease etiology.

Our Solution: Repositioning of Nitazoxanide

        The identification of NTZ is the result of our research program designed to discover novel anti-fibrotic molecules with a priority given to liver fibrosis. Our strategy to target fibrosis is based on the use of a phenotypic screening approach combined with the use of a compound library composed of FDA-approved drugs. The phenotypic method does not rely on knowledge of the identity of a specific drug target or a hypothesis about its role in a disease, but rather focuses on the modulation of a disease-linked phenotype. In our model, we evaluated the compounds for their capacity to interfere with the activation of quiescent hepatic stellate cells into myofibroblasts, which are the major fibrogenic cell type in the liver.

        Following screening of FDA-approved drugs, and investigation of drug candidate profiles in medical literature, we identified NTZ, currently commercialized and prescribed in the United States and in several other countries as an anti-parasitic, as a potent anti-fibrotic agent that we believe can be repurposed for the treatment of fibrosis.

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Pre-clinical and Clinical Development Program

        As part of our pre-clinical program, we have studied NTZ in disease models and in human fibroblasts from different organs. Fibroblasts are cells in connective tissues that, when activated, play a significant role in the development of fibrosis. In April 2017, we presented the results of this research supporting the potential efficacy of NTZ in two disease models of liver fibrosis at the EASL International Liver Congress. In these two in vivo models, we observed that administration of NTZ significantly attenuated liver fibrosis development.

        We have also studied NTZ in two mouse models. In the first mouse model, we observed the effect of NTZ administration on mice that had been exposed to a toxin that causes liver damage and fibrosis. The mice were divided into four groups—a group of six mice that received a placebo, a group of nine mice that received the toxin alone, a group of 10 mice that received the toxin plus NTZ at a dose of 32 mg/kg/day and a group of 10 mice that received the toxin plus NTZ at a dose of 104 mg/kg/day. After six weeks, we measured fibrosis by percentage of surface area on a slide from tissue that was fibrotic. The cohort that received NTZ 32 mg/kg/day had their observed liver fibrosis as measured by histological evaluation reduced by an average of 30.3% (p<0.001) (ranging from 10% to 53%) and the cohort that received NTZ 104 mg/kg/day had their liver fibrosis reduced by an average of 24.7% (p<0.01) (ranging from 1% to 43%), in each case as compared to the cohort that received the toxin alone.

        In the second mouse model, we observed the effect of NTZ administration on mice that had been fed a CDAA/c diet. The mice were divided into four groups—a group of four mice that received a "normal" diet as the control group, a group of 12 mice that received the CDAA/c diet alone, a group of eight mice that received the CDAA/c diet plus NTZ at a dose of 26.3 mg/kg/day and a group of eight mice that received the CDAA/c diet plus NTZ at a dose of 78.1 mg/kg/day. After 12 weeks, we measured fibrosis by percentage of surface area on a slide of liver tissue that was fibrotic. The cohort that received NTZ 26.3 mg/kg/day did not have a statistically significant reduction in liver fibrosis as compared to placebo, but the cohort that received NTZ 78.1 mg/kg/day had their liver fibrosis reduced by an average of 27.4% (p<0.001) (ranging from –4% to 53%) as compared to placebo. In this same study, we also observed that the cohort that received NTZ 78.1 mg/kg/day had their liver collagen accumulation reduced by 22.9% (p<0.001) (ranging from 12% to 34%) compared to the placebo group.

        In December 2018, we announced the start of an investigator-initiated single-center, open-label trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nitazoxanide in patients with NASH-induced Stage 2 or Stage 3 fibrosis. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of NTZ in patients with NASH-induced stage 2 or stage 3 fibrosis. Secondary objectives of this proof-of-concept trial include evaluating the anti-fibrotic effect of NTZ by several approaches, including a method to quantify hepatic fibrogenesis flux rates. Using heavy water labeling, de novo collagen-associated protein synthesis will be determined through Fractional Synthesis Rate of circulating proteins at baseline and at the end of treatment to assess the effect of daily oral administration of NTZ. Other non-invasive methods, including MRE and FibroScan, will be used to evaluate the liver stiffness changes after NTZ treatment.

TGFTX1 Program for the Treatment of IL-17-Dependent Autoimmune Diseases

        We have designed our TGFTX1 preclinical program to allow us to identify and develop drug candidates for the treatment of certain IL-17-dependent autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis and certain inflammatory respiratory conditions such as neutrophilic asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, or asthma-COPD overlap syndromes. Psoriasis is a chronic and debilitating autoimmune disease that affects approximately 125 million people globally, or 2 to 3% of the total population, and approximately 80% of psoriasis patients suffer from a mild-to-moderate form of the

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disease. Beyond the physical manifestations, psoriasis can have a significant impact on a patient's quality of life, often with profound psychosocial consequences.

        There are three major forms of therapy: topical, phototherapy and systemic therapy. The treatment options are based on psoriasis severity. Recent advances in biologic agents have considerably expanded the treatment options, however, the prices of these newer treatments are higher than traditional systemic medications. Topical therapy remains the standard of care for treatment of mild-to-moderate disease and the biological agents are typically reserved for the small population of psoriasis patients with the most severe disease. The available topical therapies include the use of corticosteroids and vitamin D analogues, as monotherapies or in combinations. Although these treatments are still the standard of therapy for mild-to-moderate psoriasis, there are considerable side effects that have been documented.

        IL-17 is produced by inflammatory lymphocytes upon the activation of RORgt, a key transcription factor that controls the function of IL-17-secreting lymphocytes. Recent data suggest that RORgt inhibition may be a straightforward and efficient way to curb exacerbated immune responses caused by IL17. In our TGFTX1 program, we have identified novel RORgt antagonists. One of our proprietary molecules is a potent and selective RORgt antagonist that inhibits IL-17 release from human primary Th17 lymphocytes. This topical drug candidate improved both disease score, as measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, or PASI, and skin histology in a mouse model of psoriasis and complies with a target product profile for topically delivered drugs. In this mouse model, we pre-treated a group of 10 mice with TGFTX1 for three days before applying a skin irritant, and treated another group of 10 mice with the skin irritant alone for a period of eight days. We assessed the severity of inflammation daily and then at the end of the study analyzed the skin samples to evaluate changes in psoriasis using a PASI score and measuring epidermal thickness. The group of 10 mice pre-treated with TGFTX1 had significant decreases in PASI score (40%, p<0.001), epidermal thickness score (41%, p<0.001) and in a direct measure of epidermal layer thickness (33%, p<0.001), compared to the group of 10 mice given the skin irritant alone. We have also completed several regulatory pre-IND studies of this drug candidate that are required for topically administered agents.

        In parallel, we are developing a different RORgt drug candidate to treat certain inflammatory lung conditions, such as severe neutrophilic asthma, COPD and asthma-COPD overlap syndrome, conditions in which pathologic actions of IL-17 are postulated.

        To further these programs, we plan to leverage the expertise of specialized pharmaceutical companies with already established franchises in dermatology and/or respiratory diseases through collaborations or other strategic alliances that we may enter into in the future.

Competition

        We operate in a highly competitive sector. Several companies are working on technologies, therapeutic targets or drug or biomarker candidates that aim to treat or diagnose the same diseases or identify the same patient population as our product candidates. While we believe that our drug candidates and diagnostic solutions, combined with our expertise and know-how, provide us with competitive advantages, we face potential competition from various sources, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as from academic institutions, governmental agencies and public and private research institutions. We anticipate that we will face intense and increasing competition as new drugs and therapies enter the market and advanced technologies become available.

NASH

        There are currently no approved drugs for the treatment of NASH; however, the NASH market has been attracting increasing interest from larger pharmaceutical companies over recent years.

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        We are aware of three other companies that are also in Phase 3 development of a drug candidate for the treatment of NASH:

        We are also aware of other companies that have drug candidates in earlier stages of development, including:

        In addition to these drug candidates in development, we also may compete with approved drugs in other indications which could be used off-label for the treatment of NASH.

        With respect to our IVD test in development to use blood-based biomarkers to identify patients with NASH who we believe could benefit from treatment with elafibranor, there are a number of clinical tools available for the management of chronic liver disease patients, but there are no validated diagnostic tests for NASH available on the market today that are an alternative to an invasive liver biopsy procedure.

PBC

        UDCA was approved by the FDA to treat PBC in 1997 and remained the only approved treatment for PBC until 2016, when Ocaliva was approved by the FDA and EMA for the treatment of PBC in combination with UDCA in adults with an inadequate response to UDCA, or as monotherapy in adults unable to tolerate UDCA. Although Ocaliva has been the subject of continued safety concerns with respect to pruritus and serious liver injury or death, leading to the FDA issuing a Boxed Warning in 2018, elafibranor would compete with these drugs already approved for the treatment of PBC.

        We are aware of other companies developing drug candidates for the treatment of PBC with whom we would also compete, including CymaBay Therapeutics, Inc., Zydus Cadila, Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eisai Inc.

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        In addition to these approved drugs and drug candidates in development, we also may compete with approved drugs in other indications which could be used off-label for the treatment of PBC.

        We believe that elafibranor's differentiated mechanism of action in targeting PPARa and PPARd, the positive efficacy results from our Phase 2b clinical trial in NASH and our Phase 2 clinical trial in PBC and the favorable tolerability profile and demonstrated lack of safety concerns observed to date in clinical trials together suggest the potential for elafibranor to have competitive advantages over approved drugs and drug candidates in development by our competitors.

        However, many of our competitors, either alone or with their strategic collaborators, have substantially greater financial, technical and human resources than we do. Accordingly, our competitors may be more successful than we are in obtaining approval for their drug candidates and achieving widespread market acceptance and may render our drug candidates, such as elafibranor, obsolete or non-competitive. Mergers and acquisitions in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries may result in even more resources being concentrated among a smaller number of our competitors. These competitors also compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and management personnel and establishing clinical study sites and patient registration for clinical studies, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs.

        We anticipate that we will face intense and increasing competition as new drugs and therapies enter the market and advanced technologies become available. We expect any drugs that we develop and commercialize to compete on the basis of, among other things, efficacy, safety, delivery, price and the availability of reimbursement from government and other third-party payors.

        Our commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize drugs that are safer, more effective, have fewer or less severe side effects, are more convenient or are less expensive or better reimbursed than any drugs that we may commercialize. Our competitors also may obtain FDA, EMA or other regulatory approval for their drugs more rapidly than we may obtain approval for ours, which could result in our competitors establishing a strong market position for either the product or a specific indication before we are able to enter the market.

Manufacturing and Supply

        We do not have any manufacturing facilities or personnel. We currently rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties for the manufacturing of our drug candidates for preclinical and clinical testing, as well as for commercial manufacturing if our drug candidates receive marketing approval.

        With respect to our lead drug candidate, elafibranor, we use one supplier for the active ingredient and another manufacturer for the therapeutic units used in our clinical trials. Although we could use a substitute company in the event of failure or breach of these two manufacturers, we may face challenges in finding new suppliers within an acceptable timeframe or under commercially reasonable conditions. To mitigate this risk, we have performed an evaluation of the expected elafibranor manufacturing delays and costs in the event of a disaster at the supplier of the active ingredient or at the manufacturer of therapeutic units. Based on the results of this evaluation, we believe that given the current inventory and drugs in production at various levels of the production chain, which is sufficient to supply our ongoing clinical trials, the short-term failure of one of these manufacturers would not be critical.

        With respect to our IVD test, we have entered into a license agreement with LabCorp to further develop and manufacture the test for clinical research use within IVD regulatory requirements.

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Intellectual Property

        Our intellectual property is critical to our business, which we strive to protect by obtaining and maintaining patent protection in territories throughout the world for our drug and biomarker candidates, innovative methods and tools, production methods and other inventions that are important to our business. We also rely on trade secrets to protect aspects of our business that are not amenable to, or that we do not consider appropriate for, patent protection.

        Our commercial success depends in part upon obtaining and maintaining patent protection and trade secret protection of our current and future drug and biomarker candidates and the methods used to develop and manufacture them, as well as successfully defending these patents against third-party challenges. Our ability to stop third parties from making, using, selling, offering for sale in the United Sates or importing into the United States, our products depends on the extent to which we have rights under valid and enforceable patents or trade secrets that cover these activities. We cannot guarantee that patents will be granted with respect to any of our pending patent applications or with respect to any patent applications filed by us in the future, nor can we guarantee that any of our existing patents or any patents that may be granted to us in the future will be commercially useful in protecting our drug and biomarker candidates, discovery programs and processes from competitors. Furthermore, our patents may be challenged, circumvented, or invalidated by third parties. Because patent applications in the United States and certain other jurisdictions are maintained in secrecy for 18 months or potentially even longer, and since publication of discoveries in the scientific or patent literature often lags behind actual discoveries, we cannot be certain of the priority of inventions covered by our pending patent applications. For this and more comprehensive risks related to our intellectual property, please see "Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Intellectual Property."

Patents

        As of January 1, 2019, we own or have rights to 28 issued U.S. patents, over 450 issued foreign patents, and 11 pending U.S. applications, and over 135 pending foreign patent applications. Our patent portfolio contains 41 different patent families, which are made up of over 600 patents and patents applications. Eighteen of our patent families relate to our lead product candidate, elafibranor.

Elafibranor

        Our patent portfolio for elafibranor, a molecule synthesized by us, includes issued patents and pending patent applications directed to compositions of matter, manufacturing methods, and methods of use. As of January 1, 2019, we own three U.S. patents directed to the composition of matter of elafibranor, which are expected to expire in 2024, without taking a patent term extension into account. We also have counterpart patents in various countries and regions, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Europe, Israel and Japan.

        In addition, we own six U.S. patents and one pending U.S. application directed to the treatment of liver diseases, including NASH, and using elafibranor. The granted patents and the pending patent applications, if issued, are expected to expire in 2030 and 2031, without taking a patent term extension into account. We also have counterpart patents granted in various countries or regions, including, Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Israel, and Japan. In addition, we own one U.S. patent application directed to the treatment of PBC, which, if issued, is expected to expire in 2037, without taking a patent term extension into account. We also have counterpart pending patent applications in various countries or regions, including Australia, Canada, Europe, Israel, China, and Japan.

        In addition, we own two U.S. patents directed to the method of preparing elafibranor, which are expected to expire in 2024 and 2031. We also have counterpart patents granted in various countries and regions, including Canada, China, Europe, and Israel.

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        In addition to these patents and pending applications, we are also pursuing additional patents directed to specific forms of elafibranor, and combinations with other pharmaceutical compounds.

Diagnostic Tools and Biomarkers

        As of January 1, 2019, we own two U.S. patent applications and four International patent applications designating the United States directed to the diagnosis of NASH using certain biomarkers. The U.S. application, if issued, would be expected to expire in 2036, and U.S. patent applications based on the corresponding International applications, if filed and issued, would be expected to expire in 2037-2038.

Other Programs

        We are pursuing patent protection for various molecules developed by our laboratories including molecules in our TGFTX1 program for the discovery of drug candidates relating to RORyt. In addition, we are pursuing patent protection directed to our repositioning of nitazoxanide for treating cholestatic and fibrotic disease. As of January 1, 2019, four U.S. patents have been granted to us for the use of NTZ in the treatment of different fibrotic diseases and two U.S. patent applications are pending. These patents and patent applications, if granted, would be expected to expire in 2037.

Patent Term Extension (PTE)

        In the United States, the term of a patent covering an FDA-approved drug may be eligible for a patent term extension, or PTE, under the Hatch-Waxman Act as compensation for the loss of patent term during the FDA regulatory review process. This extended coverage period, PTE, can only be obtained provided we apply for and receive a marketing authorization for a product. The period of extension may be up to five years beyond the expiration of the patent, but cannot extend the remaining term of a patent beyond a total of 14 years from the date of product approval. Only one patent among those eligible for an extension may be extended. In Europe, Supplementary Protection Certificates, or SPC, may also be available to patents, which would be available by applying to the member states. However, there is no guarantee that the applicable authorities, including the FDA, will agree with our assessment of whether such extensions should be granted, and even if granted, the length of such extensions.

Know-How and Trade Secrets

        In addition to patent protection, we also rely on trade secret protection of our proprietary information that is not amenable to, or that we do not consider appropriate for, patent protection. However, trade secrets can be difficult to protect. Although we take steps to protect our proprietary information, including restricting access to our premises (we seek to preserve the integrity and confidentiality of our data, trade secrets and know-how by maintaining physical security of our premises and physical and electronic security of our information technology systems) and our confidential information, as well as entering into agreements with our employees, consultants, advisors, and potential collaborators, that prohibit the disclosure of confidential information, and require disclosure and assignment to us of ideas, developments, discoveries and inventions important to our business.

Government Regulation

        Our drug candidates must be approved by the FDA through the NDA process before they may be legally marketed in the United States and by the European Commission following a positive opinion provided by the EMA through the MAA process for a drug falling within the scope of the Centralized procedure or by a national Competent Authority through other MAA processes (National Procedure, Mutual Recognition or Decentralized procedure) before they may be legally marketed in the European

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Union. Our drug candidates will be subject to similar requirements in other countries prior to marketing in those countries. The process of obtaining regulatory approvals and the compliance with applicable federal, state, local and foreign statutes and regulations require the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources.

United States Government Regulation

        In the United States, the FDA regulates drugs under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or the FDCA, and its implementing regulations. The process of obtaining regulatory approvals and compliance with appropriate federal, state, local and foreign statutes and regulations requires the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources. Failure to comply with the applicable U.S. requirements at any time during the drug development process, approval process or after approval may subject an applicant and/or sponsor to a variety of administrative or judicial sanctions, including imposition of a clinical hold, refusal by the FDA to approve applications, withdrawal of an approval, import/export delays, issuance of warning letters and other types of enforcement letters, product recalls, product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution, injunctions, fines, refusals of government contracts, restitution, disgorgement of profits, or civil or criminal investigations and penalties brought by the FDA and the Department of Justice or other governmental entities.

        The clinical testing, manufacturing, labeling, storage, distribution, record keeping, advertising, promotion, import, export and marketing, among other things, of our drug candidates are governed by extensive regulation by governmental authorities in the United States and other countries. The FDA, under the FDCA, regulates pharmaceutical products in the United States. The steps required before a drug may be approved for marketing in the United States generally include:

        The testing and approval process requires substantial time, effort and financial resources, and the receipt and timing of any approval is uncertain. The FDA may suspend clinical trials at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the subjects or patients are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk.

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Preclinical and Human Clinical Trials in Support of an NDA

        Preclinical studies include laboratory evaluations of the drug candidate, as well as in vitro and animal studies to assess the potential safety and efficacy of the drug candidate. The conduct of preclinical studies is subject to federal regulations and requirements including GLP regulations. The results of the preclinical studies, together with manufacturing information and analytical data, among other things, are submitted to the FDA as part of the IND, which must become effective before human clinical trials may commence. The IND will become effective automatically 30 days after receipt by the FDA, unless the FDA raises concerns or questions about the conduct of the trials as outlined in the IND prior to that time and places a clinical hold on the IND. In this case, the IND sponsor and the FDA must resolve any outstanding concerns before clinical trials can proceed. The FDA may nevertheless initiate a clinical hold after the 30 days if, for example, significant public health risks arise.

        Clinical trials involve the administration of the drug candidate to human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators in accordance with GCP requirements, which include the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent in writing for their participation in any clinical trial. Clinical trials are conducted under protocols detailing, among other things, the objectives of the trial, the parameters to be used in monitoring safety, and the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated. A protocol for each clinical trial and any subsequent protocol amendments must be submitted to the FDA as part of the IND. Each clinical trial must be reviewed and approved by an IRB at each of the sites at which the trial will be conducted. The IRB will consider, among other things, ethical factors, the safety of human subjects and the possible liability of the institution.

        Clinical trials are typically conducted in three sequential phases prior to approval, but the phases may overlap or be combined. These phases generally include the following:

        Post-approval trials, sometimes referred to as Phase 4 clinical trials, may be conducted after approval to gain additional experience from the treatment of patients in the intended therapeutic indication and to document a clinical benefit in the case of drugs approved under accelerated approval regulations, or when otherwise requested by the FDA in the form of post-market requirements or commitments. Failure to promptly conduct any required Phase 4 clinical trials could result in enforcement action or withdrawal of approval. Companies that conduct certain clinical trials also are required to register them and post the results of completed clinical trials on a government-sponsored database, such as ClinicalTrials.gov in the United States, within certain timeframes. Failure to do so can result in fines, adverse publicity and civil and criminal sanctions.

Submission and Review of an NDA

        The results of preclinical studies and clinical trials, together with detailed information on the drug's manufacture, composition, quality, controls and proposed labeling, among other things, are submitted to the FDA in the form of an NDA, requesting approval to market the drug for one or more

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indications. The application must be accompanied by a significant user fee payment, which typically increases annually, although waivers may be granted in limited cases. The FDA conducts a preliminary review of all NDAs within the first 60 days after submission, before accepting them for filing, to determine whether they are sufficiently complete to permit substantive review. The FDA may request additional information rather than accept an NDA for filing. In this event, the application must be resubmitted with the additional information. The resubmitted application is also subject to review before the FDA accepts it for filing. The FDA has substantial discretion in the approval process and may refuse to file or approve any application or decide that the data is insufficient for approval and require additional preclinical, clinical or other studies.

        Once an NDA has been accepted for filing, the FDA sets a user fee goal date that informs the applicant of the specific date by which the FDA intends to complete its review. This goal date is typically 10 months from the date that the FDA accepts the filing. The review process can be extended by FDA requests for additional information or clarification. The FDA reviews NDAs to determine, among other things, whether the proposed drug is safe and effective for its intended use, and whether the drug is being manufactured in accordance with cGMPs to assure and preserve the drug's identity, strength, quality and purity. Before approving an NDA, the FDA typically will inspect the facilities at which the drug is manufactured and will not approve the drug unless the manufacturing facilities comply with cGMPs. Additionally, the FDA will typically inspect one or more clinical trial sites for compliance with GCP and integrity of the data supporting safety and efficacy.

        During the approval process, the FDA also will determine whether a REMS is necessary to assure the safe use of the drug. REMS can include medication guides, communication plans for healthcare professionals, and elements to assure safe use, or ETASU. ETASU can include, but are not limited to, special training or certification for prescribing or dispensing, dispensing only under certain circumstances, special monitoring and the use of patent registries. If the FDA concludes a REMS is needed, the sponsor of the application must submit a proposed REMS, and the FDA will not approve the application without an approved REMS, if required. A REMS can substantially increase the costs of obtaining approval. The FDA may also convene an advisory committee of external experts to provide input on certain review issues relating to risk, benefit and interpretation of clinical trial data. The FDA may delay approval of an NDA if applicable regulatory criteria are not satisfied and/or the FDA requires additional testing or information.

        On the basis of the FDA's evaluation of the NDA and accompanying information, including the results of the inspection of the manufacturing facilities and clinical trial sites, the FDA will issue either an approval of the NDA or a Complete Response Letter, detailing the deficiencies in the submission and the additional testing or information required for reconsideration of the application. Even with submission of this additional information, the FDA may ultimately decide that the application does not satisfy the regulatory criteria for approval.

        If the FDA approves a new drug, it may limit the approved indications for use of the drug. It may also require that contraindications, warnings or precautions be included in the drug labeling, such as a special warning, known as a boxed warning, to highlight a particular safety risk. In addition, the FDA may call for post-approval studies, including Phase 4 clinical trials, to further assess the drug's safety after approval. The agency may also require testing and surveillance programs to monitor the drug after commercialization, or impose other conditions, including distribution restrictions or other risk management mechanisms, including REMS, to help ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh the potential risks. The FDA may prevent or limit further marketing of a drug based on the results of post-market studies or surveillance programs. After approval, many types of changes to the approved drug, such as adding new indications, manufacturing changes and additional labeling claims, are subject to further testing requirements and FDA review and approval.

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Fast Track and Breakthrough Designations

        The FDA is authorized to designate certain drugs for expedited programs if they are intended to address an unmet medical need in the treatment of a serious or life-threatening disease or condition. These programs are fast track designation, breakthrough therapy designation and priority review designation.

        The FDA may designate a drug for fast track designation if it is intended, whether alone or in combination with one or more other drugs, for the treatment of a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, and it demonstrates the potential to address unmet medical needs for such a disease or condition. For fast track designated drugs, sponsors may have a higher number of interactions with the FDA. In addition, the FDA may review sections of the NDA for a fast track designated drug on a rolling basis before the complete application is submitted.

        The FDA may designate a drug for breakthrough designation if the drug is intended to treat a serious condition and that preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement on a clinically significant endpoint(s) over available therapies. The feature of this program allows the same advantages of the fast track designation, but also intensive FDA guidance to promote efficient development and FDA organizational commitment.

Accelerated Approval Pathway

        The FDA may grant accelerated approval, under Subpart H of 21 CFR Part 314, to a drug for a serious or life-threatening condition that provides meaningful therapeutic advantage to patients over existing treatments based upon a determination that the drug has an effect on a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit. The FDA may also grant accelerated approval for such a condition when the drug has an effect on an intermediate clinical endpoint that can be measured earlier than an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality, or IMM, and that is reasonably likely to predict an effect on IMM or other clinical benefit, taking into account the severity, rarity or prevalence of the condition and the availability or lack of alternative treatments. Drugs granted accelerated approval must meet the same statutory standards for safety and effectiveness as those granted traditional approval.

        For the purposes of accelerated approval, a surrogate endpoint is a marker, such as a laboratory measurement, radiographic image, physical sign or other measure that is thought to predict clinical benefit, but is not itself a measure of clinical benefit. Surrogate endpoints can often be measured more easily or more rapidly than clinical endpoints. An intermediate clinical endpoint is a measurement of a therapeutic effect that is considered reasonably likely to predict the clinical benefit of a drug, such as an effect on IMM. The FDA has limited experience with accelerated approvals based on intermediate clinical endpoints, but has indicated that such endpoints generally may support accelerated approval where the therapeutic effect measured by the endpoint is not itself a clinical benefit and basis for traditional approval, if there is a basis for concluding that the therapeutic effect is reasonably likely to predict the ultimate clinical benefit of a drug.

        The accelerated approval pathway is most often used in settings in which the course of a disease is long and an extended period of time is required to measure the intended clinical benefit of a drug, even if the effect on the surrogate or intermediate clinical endpoint occurs rapidly. Thus, accelerated approval has been used extensively in the development and approval of drugs for treatment of a variety of cancers in which the goal of therapy is generally to improve survival or decrease morbidity and the duration of the typical disease course requires lengthy and sometimes large trials to demonstrate a clinical or survival benefit. The benefit of accelerated approval derives from the potential to receive approval based on surrogate endpoints sooner than possible for trials with clinical or survival endpoints, rather than deriving from any explicit shortening of the FDA approval timeline, as is the case with priority review.

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        The accelerated approval pathway is usually contingent on a sponsor's agreement to conduct, in a diligent manner, confirmatory studies to verify and describe the drug's clinical benefit. As a result, a drug candidate approved on this basis is subject to rigorous post-marketing compliance requirements, including the completion of Phase 4 or post-approval clinical trials to confirm the effect on the clinical endpoint. Failure to conduct required post-approval studies, or confirm a clinical benefit during post-marketing studies, would allow the FDA to initiate expedited proceedings to withdraw approval of the drug. All promotional materials for drug candidates approved under accelerated regulations are subject to prior review by the FDA.

Post-Approval Requirements

        In additional to the post-approval requirements specific to an accelerated approval pathway, there are other post-approval requirements whatever the registration pathway.

        Approved drugs that are manufactured or distributed in the United States pursuant to FDA approvals are subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA, including, among other things, requirements relating to recordkeeping, periodic reporting, drug sampling and distribution, advertising and promotion and reporting of adverse experiences with the drug. After approval, most changes to the approved drug, such as adding new indications or other labeling claims and some manufacturing and supplier changes are subject to prior FDA review and approval. There also are continuing, annual program user fee requirements for marketed drugs, as well as new application fees for certain supplemental applications.

        The FDA may impose a number of post-approval requirements as a condition of approval of an NDA. For example, the FDA may require post-marketing testing, including Phase 4 clinical trials, and surveillance programs to further assess and monitor the drug's safety and effectiveness after commercialization. The FDA may also require a REMS, which could involve requirements for, among other things, medication guides, special trainings for prescribers and dispensers, patient registries, and elements to assure safe use.

        In addition, entities involved in the manufacture and distribution of approved drugs are required to register their establishments with the FDA and state agencies, and are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA and these state agencies for compliance with cGMP requirements. The FDA has promulgated specific requirements for drug cGMPs. Changes to the manufacturing process are strictly regulated and often require prior FDA approval before being implemented. FDA regulations also require investigation and correction of any deviations from cGMP requirements and impose reporting and documentation requirements upon the sponsor and any third-party manufacturers that the sponsor may decide to use. Accordingly, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money, and effort in the area of production and quality control to maintain cGMP compliance.

        Once an approval is granted, the FDA may issue enforcement letters or withdraw the approval if compliance with regulatory requirements and standards is not maintained or if problems occur after the drug reaches the market. Corrective action could delay drug distribution and require significant time and financial expenditures. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a drug, including AEs of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in revisions to the approved labeling to add new safety information; imposition of post-market studies or clinical trials to assess new safety risks; or imposition of distribution or other restrictions under a REMS program. Other potential consequences include, among other things:

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        The FDA strictly regulates marketing, labeling, advertising and promotion of drugs that are placed on the market. Drugs may be promoted only for the approved indications and in accordance with the provisions of the approved label. The FDA and other agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses, and a company that is found to have improperly promoted off-label uses may be subject to significant liability, including investigation by federal and state authorities.

Section 505(b)(2) NDAs

        As an alternative path to FDA approval for modifications to formulations or uses of drugs previously approved by the FDA, an applicant may submit an NDA under Section 505(b)(2) of the FDCA. Section 505(b)(2) was enacted as part of the Hatch-Waxman Amendments. A Section 505(b)(2) NDA is an application that contains full reports of investigations of safety and effectiveness, but where at least some of the information required for approval comes from studies not conducted by, or for, the applicant and for which the applicant has not obtained a right of reference or use from the person by or for whom the investigations were conducted. This type of application permits reliance for such approvals on literature or on an FDA finding of safety, effectiveness or both for an approved drug product. As such, under Section 505(b)(2), the FDA may rely, for approval of an NDA, on data not developed by the applicant. The FDA may also require companies to perform additional studies or measurements, including clinical trials, to support the change from the approved branded reference drug. The FDA may then approve the new product candidate for the new indication sought by the 505(b)(2) applicant.

Pediatric Exclusivity and Pediatric Use

        Under the Hatch-Waxman Amendments, the FDA may not approve a generic (abbreviated NDA) until any applicable period of non-patent exclusivity for the reference listed drug has expired. The FDCA provides a period of five years of non-patent exclusivity for a new drug containing a new chemical entity. For the purposes of this provision, a new chemical entity, or NCE, is a drug that contains no active moiety that has previously been approved by the FDA in any other NDA. An active moiety is the molecule or ion responsible for the physiological or pharmacological action of the drug substance.

        The FDCA also provides for a period of three years of exclusivity if the NDA includes reports of one or more new clinical investigations, other than bioavailability or bioequivalence studies, that were conducted by or for the applicant and are essential to the approval of the application. This three-year exclusivity period often protects changes to a previously approved drug product, such as a new dosage form, route of administration, combination or indication. Three-year exclusivity would be available for a drug product that contains a previously approved active moiety, provided the statutory requirement for a new clinical investigation is satisfied. Unlike five-year NCE exclusivity, an award of three-year exclusivity does not block the FDA from accepting abbreviated NDAs seeking approval for generic versions of the drug as of the date of approval of the original drug product.

        Under the Pediatric Research Equity Act of 2003, as amended, an NDA or supplement thereto must contain data that are adequate to assess the safety and effectiveness of the drug for the claimed indications in all relevant pediatric subpopulations, and to support dosing and administration for each pediatric subpopulation for which the drug is safe and effective. Sponsors must also submit pediatric study plans prior to the assessment data. Those plans must contain an outline of the proposed pediatric study or studies the applicant plans to conduct, including study objectives and design, any deferral or waiver requests and other information required by regulation. The applicant, the FDA, and the FDA's internal review committee must then review the information submitted, consult with each other and agree upon a final plan. The FDA or the applicant may request an amendment to the plan at any time.

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        The FDA may, on its own initiative or at the request of the applicant, grant deferrals for submission of some or all pediatric data until after approval of the drug for use in adults, or full or partial waivers from the pediatric data requirements if certain criteria are met.

        Pediatric exclusivity is another type of non-patent marketing exclusivity in the United States and, if granted, provides for the attachment of an additional six months of marketing protection to the term of any existing regulatory exclusivity, including the non-patent marketing and orphan exclusivity. This six-month exclusivity may be granted if an NDA sponsor submits pediatric data that fairly respond to a written request from the FDA for such data. The data do not need to show the drug to be effective in the pediatric population studied; rather, if the clinical trial is deemed to fairly respond to the FDA's request, the additional protection is granted. If reports of FDA-requested pediatric studies are submitted to and accepted by the FDA within the statutory time limits, whatever statutory or regulatory periods of exclusivity or patent protection cover the drug are extended by six months. This is not a patent term extension, but it effectively extends the regulatory period during which the FDA cannot approve another application.

FDA Regulation of In Vitro Diagnostics

        Under the FDCA, in vitro diagnostics are regulated as medical devices. In the United States, the FDCA and its implementing regulations, and other federal and state statutes and regulations govern, among other things, medical device design and development, preclinical and clinical testing, premarket clearance or approval, registration and listing, manufacturing, labeling, storage, advertising and promotion, sales and distribution, export and import, and post-market surveillance. Unless an exemption applies, diagnostic tests require marketing clearance or approval from the FDA prior to commercial distribution. The two primary types of FDA marketing authorization applicable to a medical device are premarket notification, also called 510(k) clearance, and premarket approval, or PMA approval; however, other devices may be commercialized after the FDA grants a de novo request.

Device Classification

        Under the FDCA, medical devices are classified into one of three classes—Class I, Class II or Class III—depending on the degree of risk associated with each medical device and the extent of control needed to provide reasonable assurances with respect to safety and effectiveness.

        Class I devices are those for which safety and effectiveness can be reasonably assured by adherence to a set of regulations, referred to as General Controls, which require compliance with the applicable portions of the FDA's Quality System Regulation, or QSR, facility registration and product listing, reporting of adverse events and malfunctions, and appropriate, truthful and non-misleading labeling and promotional materials. Most Class I products are exempt from the premarket notification requirements.

        Class II devices are those that are subject to the General Controls, as well as Special Controls, which can include performance standards, guidelines and post market surveillance. Most Class II devices are subject to premarket review and clearance by the FDA. Premarket review and clearance by the FDA for Class II devices is accomplished through the 510(k) premarket notification process. Under the 510(k) process, the manufacturer must submit to the FDA a premarket notification, demonstrating that the device is "substantially equivalent," as defined in the statute, to either:

        To be "substantially equivalent," the proposed device must have the same intended use as the predicate device, and either have the same technological characteristics as the predicate device or have

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different technological characteristics and not raise different questions of safety or effectiveness than the predicate device. Clinical data are sometimes required to support substantial equivalence.

        After a 510(k) notice is submitted, the FDA determines whether to accept it for substantive review. If it lacks necessary information for substantive review, the FDA will refuse to accept the 510(k) notification. If it is accepted for filing, the FDA begins a substantive review. If the FDA agrees that the device is substantially equivalent, it will grant clearance to commercially market the device.

The PMA Process

        If the FDA determines that the device is not "substantially equivalent" to a predicate device, or if the device is classified into Class III by operation of law, the device sponsor must then fulfill the much more rigorous premarketing requirements of the PMA process, or seek classification of the device through the de novo process by submitting a de novo request. A manufacturer can also submit a direct de novo request if the manufacturer is unable to identify an appropriate predicate device and the new device or new use of the device presents a moderate or low risk. In response to a de novo request, FDA may classify the device into class I or II. When FDA grants a de novo request, the device is granted marketing authorization and further can serve as a predicate for future devices of that type, including for 510(k)s.

        Class III devices include devices deemed by the FDA to pose the greatest risk such as life-supporting or life-sustaining devices, or implantable devices, in addition to those deemed not substantially equivalent following the 510(k) process. The safety and effectiveness of Class III devices cannot be reasonably assured solely by the General Controls and Special Controls described above. Therefore, these devices are subject to the PMA application process, which is generally more costly and time consuming than the 510(k) process. Through the PMA application process, the applicant must submit data and information demonstrating reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of the device for its intended use to the FDA's satisfaction. Accordingly, a PMA application typically includes, but is not limited to, extensive technical information regarding device design and development, pre-clinical and clinical study data, manufacturing information, labeling and financial disclosure information for the clinical investigators in device studies. The PMA application must provide valid scientific evidence that demonstrates to the FDA's satisfaction reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of the device for its intended use. Overall, the FDA review of a PMA application generally takes between one and three years, but may take significantly longer.

Laboratory-developed Tests

        LDTs have generally been considered to be tests that are intended for clinical use and that are designed, manufactured and used within a single laboratory. The FDA takes the position that it has the authority to regulate such tests as devices under the FDCA. The FDA has historically exercised enforcement discretion, meaning FDA has not enforced premarket review or other applicable FDA requirements with respect to LDTs. In addition, the New York State Department of Health, or NYSDOH, separately approves certain LDTs offered to New York State patients. The laboratory partner to whom we license our technology will be responsible for obtaining the requisite approvals for our LDT in New York, and maintaining CLIA-certification and state clinical laboratory licenses, where applicable.

        On October 3, 2014, the FDA issued two draft guidance documents regarding oversight of LDTs. These draft guidance documents proposed more active oversight over LDTs. The draft guidance documents have been the subject of considerable controversy, and in November 2016, the FDA announced that it would not be finalizing the 2014 draft guidance documents. On January 13, 2017, the FDA issued a discussion paper which laid out elements of a possible revised future LDT regulatory framework, but did not establish any regulatory requirements. The FDA's efforts to regulate LDTs have

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prompted the drafting of legislation governing diagnostic products and services, including LDTs. Congress or FDA may still act to provide further direction on the regulation of LDTs.

European Union Regulation for Drug Development and Registration

Pre-clinical and Clinical Development

        In the European Union, our drug candidates are also subject to extensive regulatory requirements. As in the United States, medicinal products can only be marketed if a marketing authorization from the competent regulatory agencies has been obtained.

        Similar to the United States, the various phases of preclinical and clinical research in the European Union are subject to significant regulatory controls. Although the EU Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC has sought to harmonize the European Union clinical trials regulatory framework, setting out common rules for the control and authorization of clinical trials in the European Union, the EU Member States have transposed and applied the provisions of the Directive differently. This has led to significant variations in the Member State regimes. To improve the current system, Regulation (EU) No 536/2014 on clinical trials on medicinal products for human use, which repealed Directive 2001/20/EC, was adopted on April 16, 2014 and published in the European Official Journal on May 27, 2014. The Regulation aims at harmonizing and streamlining the clinical trials authorization process, simplifying adverse event reporting procedures, improving the supervision of clinical trials, and increasing their transparency. Although the Regulation entered into force on June 16, 2014, it will not be applicable until six months after the full functionality of the IT portal and database envisaged in the Regulation is confirmed. This is not expected to occur until mid-2020. Until then the Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC will still apply.

        Under the current regime, before a clinical trial can be initiated it must be approved in each of the EU Member States where the trial is to be conducted by two distinct bodies: the National Competent Authority, or NCA, and one or more Ethics Committees, or ECs. Under the current regime all suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions, or SUSARs, to the investigated drug that occur during the clinical trial have to be reported to the NCA and ECs of the Member State where they occurred.

European Union Drug Review and Approval

        In the European Economic Area, or EEA (which is currently still comprised of the 28 Member States of the European Union plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, with the United Kingdom scheduled to leave the European Union as of March 29, 2019), medicinal products can only be commercialized after obtaining a Marketing Authorization, or MA. Marketing Authorizations may be granted either centrally (EU MA) or nationally (National MA).

        The EU MA is issued centrally by the European Commission through the Centralized Procedure, based on the opinion of the CHMP of the EMA and is valid throughout the entire territory of the EEA. The Centralized Procedure is mandatory for certain types of products, such as biotechnology medicinal products, orphan medicinal products, and medicinal products containing a new active substance indicated for the treatment of AIDS, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, auto-immune and viral diseases. The Centralized Procedure is optional for products containing a new active substance not yet authorized in the EEA, or for products that constitute a significant therapeutic, scientific or technical innovation or which are in the interest of public health in the European Union.

        National MAs are issued nationally by the competent authorities of the Member States of the EEA and only cover their respective territory. National MAs are available for products not falling within the mandatory scope of the Centralized Procedure. We do not foresee that any of our current

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drug candidates will be suitable for a National MA as they fall within the mandatory criteria for the Centralized Procedure. Therefore, our drug candidates should be approved through EU MAs.

        Under the above-described procedures, before granting the MA, the EMA or the competent authorities of the Member States of the EEA make an assessment of the risk-benefit balance of the product on the basis of scientific criteria concerning its quality, safety and efficacy.

        Also, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1901/2006, all applications for marketing authorization for new medicines must include the results of studies as described in a pediatric investigation plan agreed between regulatory authorities and the applicant, unless the medicine is exempt because of a deferral or waiver. Before the EMA is able to begin its assessment of an EU MA application, it will validate that the applicant has complied with the agreed pediatric investigation plan. The applicant and the EMA may, where such a step is adequately justified, agree to modify a pediatric investigation plan to assist validation. Modifications are not always possible; may take longer to agree than the period of validation permits; and may still require the applicant to withdraw its marketing authorization application and to conduct additional non-clinical and clinical studies.

Orphan Drugs

        In the European Union, Regulation (EC) No 141/2000, as amended, states that a drug will be designated as an orphan drug if its sponsor can establish:

        Regulation (EC) No 847/2000 sets out further provisions for implementation of the criteria for designation of a drug as an orphan drug. An application for the designation of a drug as an orphan drug must be submitted at any stage of development of the drug but before filing of a MA application. A MA for an orphan drug may only include indications designated as orphan. For non-orphan indications treated with the same active pharmaceutical ingredient, as a separate MA has to be sought.

        If an EU MA in respect of an orphan drug is granted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 726/2004, regulatory authorities will not, for a period of usually 10 years, accept another application for a MA, or grant a MA or accept an application to extend an existing MA, for the same therapeutic indication, in respect of a similar drug. This period may however be reduced to six years if, at the end of the fifth year, it is established, in respect of the drug concerned, that the criteria for orphan drug designation are no longer met, in other words, when it is shown on the basis of available evidence that the product is sufficiently profitable not to justify maintenance of market exclusivity. The exclusivity period may increase to 12 years if, among other things, the MAA includes the results of studies from an agreed pediatric investigation plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a MA may be granted, for the same therapeutic indication, to a similar drug if:

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        Regulation (EC) No 847/2000 lays down definitions of the concepts 'similar drug' and 'clinical superiority'. Other incentives available to orphan drugs in the European Union include financial incentives such as a reduction of fees or fee waivers and protocol assistance. Orphan drug designation does not shorten the duration of the regulatory review and approval process.

In Vitro Diagnostics

        The regulations on in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) are currently harmonized through the Directive 98/79/EC on in vitro diagnostic medical devices (the IVD Directive). The IVD Directive requires a conformity assessment by the person placing the product on the market under its name (the legal manufacturer), confirming the performance of an IVD. The IVD Directive will be replaced by Regulation (EU) 2017/746 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDR). The IVDR shall apply from May 26, 2022, with certain exceptions for earlier application and transitional periods for later application. The IVDR in many instances results in an upclassification of IVD, which means that the conformity assessment previously carried out by the legal manufacturer may have to be confirmed by a notified body. Notified bodies are companies designated by competent authorities of a EU Member State to review and confirm an IVD conformity assessment. The rules for the conformity assessment are tightened themselves. Furthermore, a Unique Device Identification (UDI) will be required, as well as a performance evaluation report and tightened vigilance and market surveillance requirements.

Other European Regulatory Matters

French Regulatory Framework on Clinical Trials

        In the European Union, the regulation governing clinical trials is currently based on Directive 2001/20/EC of April 4, 2001 relative to the implementation of good clinical practices in the conduct of clinical trials on medicinal products for human use. Each Member State of the European Union had to transpose this Directive into national law, which resulted in Member States adapting it to their own regulatory framework.

        In France, for example, Directive No. 2001/20/EC has been implemented by Act Law 2004-806 of August 9, 2004 regarding the public health policy and Decree 2006-477 of April 26, 2006, modifying the section of the Public Health Code, or PHC, on biomedical research. Law No. 2012-300 of March 5, 2012, or the "Loi Jardé," related to biomedical research involving human subjects, and French Order No. 2016-800 related to clinical trials of medicinal products for human use have recently adapted French law to the new provisions of Regulation No. 536/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 16, 2014 related to clinical trials of medicinal products for human use, which repealed Directive 2001/20/EC. Law 2004-806 abolishes the prior notification procedure introduced by the Law Huriet-Sérusclat of December 20, 1988.

        The framework imposed by Directive 2001/20/EC is in the process of being replaced by a new framework set forth in Regulation No. 536/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 16, 2014 related to clinical trials of medicinal products for human use, which repealed Directive 2001/20/EC. For practical purposes, full implementation of Regulation No. 536/2014 depends on the development of a fully functional EU clinical trials portal and database, which is currently estimated to start operating in 2020.

        In France, the main legislative and regulatory texts relating to the conduct of clinical trials are mainly codified in the French Public Health Code (Articles L. 1121-1 to L. 1126-12 and Articles R. 1121-1 to R. 1125-26). In addition, other regulations apply to such clinical trials such as Data Protection regulations.

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        In France, Article L. 1121-4 of the Public Health Code establishes a system of prior authorization for interventional clinical trial on human beings. This authorization is granted by the French Medicines Agency, or ANSM, provided that the competent Ethics Committee issued a favorable opinion. In addition, clinical trials require a prior favorable opinion from an ethics committee. Non-interventional clinical trials are only subject to approval by the competent ethic committee.

        Under Article L. 1123-7 of the Public Health Code, the Ethics Committee shall assess whether the conditions in which the trial will be conducted are valid. This assessment should be based on whether: adequate protection is offered to individuals, in particular to participants; adequate information is provided to the participants and appropriate procedure is in place to obtain their informed consent; the project is relevant; the benefits/risks assessment is satisfactory; the objectives of the trial are adequate to the means implemented; the qualification of the investigator(s) is satisfactory; the conditions and amount of patients' indemnification is appropriate; and the method for recruiting participants is adequate.

        The ANSM, after submission of the complete file containing not only information on the clinical protocol, but also specific product data and its quality control, as well as results of preclinical studies, may inform the sponsor that it objects to the implementation of the research. The sponsor can then modify the contents of its research project and submit this amended or supplemented request to the ANSM; this procedure may not, however, be applied more than once. If the sponsor does not alter the content of its request, the request is considered rejected. Under Article R. 1123-38 of the Public Health Code, the time limit for the examination of a request for authorization cannot exceed 60 days from the receipt of the complete file. As of October 15, 2018, sponsors of clinical trials may volunteer for a Fast Track procedure, established by ANSM, to obtain expedite processing of their application, which may reduce the examination to a maximum of 40 days (for innovative treatments) or a maximum of 25 days (for known molecules).

        Finally, under Article L. 1123-11, in the event of risk to public health or if the ANSM considers that the conditions in which the research is implemented no longer correspond to the conditions indicated in the request for authorization or does not comply with the provisions of the Public Health Code, it may at any time request changes to procedures for the realization of research, and suspend or ban this research. The decision of November 24, 2006 sets the rules for Good Clinical Practice, or GCPs, for clinical trials on medicines for human use as referred to in Article L. 1121-3 of the Public Health Code. GCPs aim to ensure both the reliability of data arising from clinical trials and the protection of the persons participating in these clinical trials. GCPs apply to all clinical trials, including pharmacokinetics, bioavailability and bioequivalence studies in healthy volunteers as well as Phase 2 to Phase 4 clinical trials.

Protection of Clinical Trial Subjects in France

        Under French law, a clinical trial may be undertaken only if (1) it is based on the latest stage of scientific knowledge and on sufficient preclinical testing, (2) the foreseeable risk incurred by the subjects is outweighed by the benefit expected for these persons or the interest of the research, (3) it aims at expanding scientific knowledge and the means possible to improve the human condition and (4) the research was designed to reduce the pain, inconveniences, fear and other predictable inconvenience connected to the disease or to the research, by taking into account in particular the degree of maturity of minors and the capacity of understanding of adults unable to express an informed consent. All these conditions must be fulfilled in order to start a clinical trial. A clinical trial may be undertaken under the following technical conditions: (a) under the direction and the supervision of a qualified physician and (b) under adapted material and technical conditions, compatible with the rigorous imperatives of science and the safety of the clinical trial subjects. Two documents must be provided to clinical trial subjects before the conduct of the trial. First, the patient must receive a patient information sheet which must contain in particular a description of the objective, the

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methodology and the time period of the research, as well as a description of the alternative treatments, the number of subjects expected to take part in the study, the anticipated benefits, the constraints and the foreseeable risks resulting from the administration of the products that are the object of the clinical trials but also the favorable opinion of the ethics committee and the authorization of the ANSM, and information on processing of personal data. The information communicated must be summarized in a written document delivered to the patient prior to any administration of products by the investigator or a physician. Second, the patient must confirm his or her agreement to participate in the clinical study by signing an informed consent form. For each study, patient information must include a right to refuse to participate and to withdraw consent at any time and by any means without further consequences or prejudice. A clinical trial on a minor may be undertaken only if, in particular, the informed consent of the parents or legal representative has been obtained. Furthermore, a clinical trial on adults under guardianship requires the informed consent of the adult's legal representative.

        In addition, personal data collected during clinical trials should be declared in simplified form to the French Data Protection Agency (Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés, or CNIL) pursuant to a reference methodology (MR-001 for interventional studies where the consent of the patient is necessary and MR-003 for certain non-interventional studies where the information of the patient is required). As a principle, patients have a right to access and rectify their personal data pursuant to Law 78-17 of January 6, 1978 on Personal Data, as amended.

        The sponsor of a clinical trial is also responsible for subscribing to a mandatory insurance policy, in order to provide for the indemnification of all unfavorable consequences of the clinical trial on the patients subject to such trials, pursuant to Article L. 1121-10 of the Public Health Code. The guaranties cannot amount to less than EUR 1.000.000 per victim and EUR 6.000.000 per research protocol.

Transfer of Values to Health Care Professionals

        The French Public Health Code provides for two sets of requirements regarding the transfer of values by health care companies to health care professionals:

        The Anti-Gift regime, regarding the general prohibition of payments from pharmaceutical and device manufacturers to healthcare professionals (Article L.1453-3 of the French Public Health Code), except in certain circumstances in particular scientific research, speaker fees and hospitality provided in the course of scientific event. The Anti-Gift regime is in the process of being modified by the implementation of the provisions of Ordinance n° 2017-49 of January 19, 2017 through regulations which are scheduled to be adopted by the end of 2018. The new regime will include a prior declaration or prior authorization procedure for the transfers of values which do not fall under the above-mentioned prohibition.

Reimbursement

        Significant uncertainty exists in the United States as to the coverage and reimbursement status of any drug candidates for which we obtain regulatory approval. Sales of our products will depend, in part, on the extent to which our products, once approved, will be covered and reimbursed by third-party payors, such as government health programs, commercial insurance and managed healthcare

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organizations. These third-party payors are increasingly reducing reimbursement levels for medical products and services. The process for determining whether a third-party payor will provide coverage for a drug product typically is separate from the process for setting the price of a drug product or for establishing the reimbursement rate that a payor will pay for the drug product once coverage is approved. Third-party payors may limit coverage to specific drug products on an approved list, also known as a formulary, which might not include all of the approved drugs for a particular indication.

        To secure coverage and reimbursement for any product candidate that might be approved for sale, we may need to conduct expensive pharmacoeconomic studies in order to demonstrate the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of the product candidate, in addition to the costs required to obtain FDA or other comparable regulatory approvals. Whether or not we conduct such studies, our drug candidates may not be considered medically necessary or cost-effective. A third-party payor's decision to provide coverage for a drug product does not imply that an adequate reimbursement rate will be approved. Further, no uniform policy for coverage and reimbursement exists in the United States, and coverage and reimbursement can differ significantly from payor to payor. One payor's determination to provide coverage for a product does not assure that other payors will also provide coverage, and adequate reimbursement, for the product. Third-party reimbursement may not be sufficient to enable us to realize an appropriate return on our investment in product development.

        We are developing an in vitro diagnostic test for the identification of NASH patients to treat, initially as an LDT. Our collaborators who develop the LDT will not seek or receive third-party reimbursement for the LDT because it will only be used in clinical research. Once we have been granted authorization to commercialize our IVD under FDA's device authorities, we or our collaborators will likely seek coverage and reimbursement from third party payors, including Medicare and Medicaid. We, or our collaborators, will be required to obtain coverage and reimbursement for this test separate and apart from the coverage and reimbursement we seek for our product candidates, once approved. There is significant uncertainty regarding our ability to obtain coverage and adequate reimbursement in the United States for this test for the same reasons applicable to our product candidates.

        The containment of healthcare costs has become a priority of federal, state and foreign governments, and the prices of drugs have been a focus in this effort. The United States federal government, state legislatures and foreign governments have shown significant interest in implementing cost-containment programs, including price controls, restrictions on reimbursement, utilization management and requirements for substitution of generic products. Adoption of price controls and cost-containment measures, and adoption of more restrictive policies in jurisdictions with existing controls and measures, could further limit our net revenue and results. Decreases in third-party reimbursement for our drug candidates or a decision by a third-party payor to not cover our drug candidates could reduce physician usage of the drug candidates and could have a material adverse effect on our sales, results of operations and financial condition.

        In addition, in some foreign countries, the proposed pricing for a drug must be approved before it may be lawfully marketed. The requirements governing drug pricing vary widely from country to country. For example, the European Union provides options for its Member States to restrict the range of medicinal products for which their national health insurance systems provide reimbursement and to control the prices of medicinal products for human use. A Member State may approve a specific price for the medicinal product or it may instead adopt a system of direct or indirect controls on the profitability of the company placing the medicinal product on the market. For example, in France, effective market access will be supported by agreements with hospitals and products may be reimbursed by the Social Security Fund. The price of medicines is negotiated with the Economic Committee for Health Products, or CEPS. There can be no assurance that any country that has price controls or reimbursement limitations for pharmaceutical products will allow favorable reimbursement and pricing

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arrangements for any of our drug candidates. Historically, products launched in the European Union do not follow price structures of the United States and generally prices tend to be significantly lower.

Healthcare Reform

        In the United States and some foreign jurisdictions, there have been, and continue to be, several legislative and regulatory changes and proposed changes regarding the healthcare system that could prevent or delay marketing approval of product candidates, restrict or regulate post-approval activities, and affect the ability to profitably sell product candidates for which marketing approval is obtained. Among policy makers and payors in the United States and elsewhere, there is significant interest in promoting changes in healthcare systems with the stated goals of containing healthcare costs, improving quality and/or expanding access. In the United States, the pharmaceutical industry has been a particular focus of these efforts and has been significantly affected by major legislative initiatives.

        For example, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, or collectively, ACA, enacted in the United States in March 2010, has already had, and is expected to continue to have, a significant impact on the healthcare industry. The ACA has expanded coverage for the uninsured while at the same time containing overall healthcare costs. With regard to pharmaceutical products, among other things, the ACA expanded and increased industry rebates for drugs covered under Medicaid programs and made changes to the coverage requirements under the Medicare Part D program.

        Since its enactment there have been judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the ACA, as well as recent efforts by the Trump administration to repeal or replace certain aspects of the ACA. Since January 2017, President Trump has signed two Executive Orders and other directives designed to delay the implementation of certain provisions of the ACA or otherwise circumvent some of the requirements for health insurance mandated by the ACA. Concurrently, Congress has considered legislation that would repeal or repeal and replace all or part of the ACA. While Congress has not passed comprehensive repeal legislation, it has enacted laws that modify certain provisions of the ACA such as removing penalties, starting January 1, 2019, for not complying with the ACA's individual mandate to carry health insurance, delaying the implementation of certain ACA-mandated fees, and increasing the point-of-sale discount that is owed by pharmaceutical manufacturers who participate in Medicare Part D. In July 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, published a final rule permitting further collections and payments to and from certain ACA-qualified health plans and health insurance issuers under the Affordable Care Act risk adjustment program in response to the outcome of federal district court litigation regarding the method CMS uses to determine this risk adjustment. On December 14, 2018, a U.S. District Court Judge in the Northern District of Texas, ruled that the individual mandate is a critical and inseverable feature of the ACA, and therefore, because it was repealed as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the remaining provisions of the ACA are invalid as well. While the Texas U.S. District Court Judge, as well as the Trump Administration and CMS, have both stated that the ruling will have no immediate effect, it is unclear how this decision, subsequent appeals, and other efforts to repeal and replace the ACA will impact the ACA.

        In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted in the United States since the ACA was enacted. For example, on August 2, 2011, the Budget Control Act of 2011 among other things, created measures for spending reductions by Congress. Specifically, the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction was created to recommend to Congress proposals in spending reductions. The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction did not achieve a targeted deficit reduction of at least $1.2 trillion for the years 2012 through 2021, thereby triggering the legislation's automatic reduction to several government programs. This includes aggregate reductions to Medicare payments to providers of up to 2% per fiscal year, started in April 2013 and which, due to subsequent legislative amendments, including the BBA, will stay in effect through 2027 unless additional Congressional action is taken. Additionally, on January 2, 2013, President Obama signed into law the American Taxpayer Relief Act

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of 2012, or the ATRA. The ATRA, among other things, reduced Medicare payments to several providers and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years.

        Recently, there has been heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products. Such scrutiny has resulted in several recent U.S. Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to drug pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, reduce the cost of drugs under Medicare and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for drug products. At the federal level, the Trump administration's budget proposal for fiscal year 2019 contains further drug price control measures that could be enacted during the 2019 budget process or in other future legislation, including, for example, measures to permit Medicare Part D plans to negotiate the price of certain drugs under Medicare Part B, to allow some states to negotiate drug prices under Medicaid, and to eliminate cost sharing for generic drugs for low-income patients. Additionally, the Trump administration released a "Blueprint" to lower drug prices and reduce out of pocket costs of drugs that contains additional proposals to increase manufacturer competition, increase the negotiating power of certain federal healthcare programs, incentivize manufacturers to lower the list price of their products and reduce the out of pocket costs of drug products paid by consumers. Additionally, on January 31, 2019, Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed modifications to federal Anti-Kickback Statute safe harbors which, among other things, will affect rebates paid by manufacturers to Medicare Part D plans, the purpose of which is to further reduce the cost of drug products to consumers. Although a number of these, and other proposed measures may require additional authorization to become effective, Congress and the Trump administration have each indicated that it will continue to seek new legislative and/or administrative measures to control drug costs. At the state level, legislatures have increasingly passed legislation and implemented regulations designed to control pharmaceutical product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing.

        Additionally, on May 30, 2018, the Right to Try Act, was signed into law. The law, among other things, provides a federal framework for certain patients to access certain investigational new drug products that have completed a Phase 1 clinical trial and that are undergoing investigation for FDA approval. Under certain circumstances, eligible patients can seek treatment without enrolling in clinical trials and without obtaining FDA permission under the FDA expanded access program. There is no obligation for a drug manufacturer to make its drug products available to eligible patients as a result of the Right to Try Act.

Other U.S. Healthcare Laws and Compliance Requirements

        Our business operations in the United States and our arrangements with clinical investigators, healthcare providers, consultants, third-party payors and patients expose us to broadly applicable federal and state fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws. These laws may impact, among other things, our research, and if approved, proposed sales, marketing and education programs of our drug candidates. The laws that may affect our ability to operate include, among others:

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        The ACA broadened the reach of the federal fraud and abuse laws by, among other things, amending the intent requirement of the U.S. federal Anti-Kickback Statute and certain federal criminal healthcare fraud statutes. Pursuant to the statutory amendment, a person or entity no longer needs to have actual knowledge of these statutes or specific intent to violate them in order to have committed a violation. In addition, the ACA provides that the government may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the U.S. federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the federal civil False Claims Act or the civil monetary penalties laws.

        Efforts to ensure that our business arrangements with third parties comply with applicable healthcare laws involves substantial costs. It is possible that governmental authorities will conclude that our business practices may not comply with current or future statutes, regulations or case law involving

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applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of these laws or any other governmental regulations that may apply to us, we may be subject to, for example, significant administrative, civil, and/or criminal penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, individual imprisonment, exclusion from government funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations. If the physicians or other healthcare providers or entities with whom we expect to do business are found to be not in compliance with applicable laws, they may be subject to administrative, civil, and/or criminal sanctions, including exclusions from government funded healthcare programs.

Employees

        As of December 31, 2018, we had 148 employees. Of these employees, 100 were engaged in research and development activities and 48 were engaged in administration and management, which includes business development, finance, investor relations, information systems, human resources and legal.

        Of these 148 employees, 138 were employed by Genfit S.A. and seven were employed by our U.S. subsidiary, Genfit Corp. Employees employed by Genfit Corp. were mainly based in our Cambridge, Massachusetts office. Of the 138 employees employed by Genfit S.A., 130 were based at our corporate headquarters in Loos and 8 were based in our Paris office.

        None of our employees is subject to a collective bargaining agreement. We consider our relationship with our employees to be good.

Facilities

        Our corporate headquarters are located in Loos, France, where we lease approximately 5,500 square meters of office space. We have begun construction of an extension to the building to provide approximately 1,000 additional square meters of office space, and we expect this extension to be completed in the second half of 2019. The lease for our Loos headquarters continues through March 2022. We also lease office space in Paris, France and, for our U.S. subsidiary, Genfit Corp., in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

        We believe that our existing facilities, including the extension to our corporate headquarters in Loos, France, are adequate for our near-term needs, and we believe that suitable additional or alternative office and manufacturing space will be available as required in the future on commercially reasonable terms.

Legal Proceedings

        From time to time, we may be involved in various claims and legal proceedings relating to claims arising out of our operations, including those described in Note 23 of our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 included in this prospectus. Other than the legal proceeding related to the research tax credit described elsewhere in this prospectus, we are not currently a party to any legal proceedings that, in the opinion of our management, are likely to have a material adverse effect on our business. Regardless of outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on us because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of management resources and other factors.

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MANAGEMENT

Senior Management and Directors

        The following table sets forth information concerning our senior management and directors as of March 14, 2019:

Name
  Age   Position(s)

Senior Management

         

Jean-François Mouney(1)

    63   Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board

Dean Hum, Ph.D

    56   Chief Operating Officer

Nathalie Huitorel

    57   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

Pascal Prigent

    50   Executive Vice President, Marketing and Commercial Development

Jean-Christophe Marcoux

    41   Chief Strategy Officer

Laurent Lannoo

    49   Corporate Secretary, Director of Legal Affairs

Non-Employee Directors

         

Xavier Guille des Buttes(2)(3)

    77   Vice-Chairman of the Board

Catherine Larue, Ph.D(1)

    63   Director

Anne-Hélène Monsellato(4)

    51   Director

Frédéric Desdouits

    51   Director

Florence Séjourné(5)

    47   Director

Philippe Moons(2)

    67   Director

(1)
Member of the Nomination and Compensation Committee.

(2)
Member of the Audit Committee.

(3)
Chairman of the Nomination and Compensation Committee.

(4)
Chair of the Audit Committee.

(5)
As representative of Biotech Avenir SAS, the legal entity that holds this board seat.

Senior Management

        Jean-François Mouney has served as our Chief Executive Officer since September 1999 and as Chairman of our board of directors since June 2017. Mr. Mouney served as Chairman of our Executive Board from September 1999 to June 2017, when we changed our management structure. He co-founded Genfit in 1999 after having been actively involved in the incubation of the company since 1997. Prior to this, he founded, managed and developed several companies specializing in high-performance materials, particularly in the aeronautical industry. In 1992, he founded M&M, a consultancy firm specializing in health economics. He was responsible for carrying out a feasibility study for the economic development agency, Eurasanté, within the field of health and biology in Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France and was appointed Chief Executive Officer of this agency. He has continued to serve in this role since its launch in 1995. Mr. Mouney has also served as Deputy Chairman of the "Nutrition, Health and Longevity" research hub between 2008 and 2016 and as an Advisor to the Banque de France since 2008. Mr. Mouney is a graduate of ESCP-Europe Business School, and holds a master degree in Economics from the University of Lille. He is also chairman of the board of directors of our wholly owned subsidiary, Genfit Corp., chairman of the Management Committee of our wholly owned subsidiary Genfit Pharmaceuticals SAS, and chairman of the board of directors of The NASH Education Program.

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        Dean Hum, Ph.D has served as our Chief Operating Officer since September 2018 and prior to that served as our Chief Scientific Officer since 2000 and as a member of our former Executive Board from May 2014 until the change in management and administration in June 2017. He earned a Ph.D in Biochemistry from McGill University in Montreal in 1990. He is an expert in the regulation of gene expression and nuclear receptors associated with endocrine and cardiometabolic diseases. Prior to becoming a Professor at Laval University in Quebec from 1994 to 2000, Dr. Hum held a research position at the University of California in San Francisco from 1990 to 1994. Dr. Hum coordinates our research and development activities with our Chief Executive Officer and in close collaboration with our other scientific officers and project managers. He is also a member of the board of directors of our wholly owned subsidiary, Genfit Corp., and a member of the Management Committee of our wholly owned subsidiary Genfit Pharmaceuticals SAS.

        Nathalie Huitorel has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer since October 2007 and as a member of our former Executive Board until the change in management and administration in June 2017. From 1997 to 2007, she was Chief Financial and Administrative Officer for MS Composites, a company specializing in high-performance composite materials. She is a graduate of the SKEMA Business School (School of Management in Lille, France). At Genfit, she oversees the financial management controls, purchasing, human resources department and general services. She is also a member of the board of directors of our wholly owned subsidiary, Genfit Corp., the Management Committee of Genfit Pharmaceuticals SAS and a member of the board of directors and Treasurer of The NASH Education Program since its inception.

        Pascal Prigent has served as our Executive Vice President, Marketing and Development since May 2018. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Marketing—U.S. Vaccines for GlaxoSmithKline USA from April 2014 to November 2017. Prior to this, he was Vice President and General Manager of GlaxoSmithKline Romania from January 2011 to March 2014. He also served in various roles at Eli Lilly and its affiliates from 1996 through January 2011. Mr. Prigent is a graduate of Reims Management School, now known as NEOMA Business School, in Reims, France and earned his MBA from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France. He has also served as a member of the board of directors and Corporate Secretary of The NASH Education Program since July 2018.

        Jean-Christophe Marcoux has served as our Chief Strategy Officer since 2016, after joining our company in 2015 to play a cross-disciplinary role regarding tactical, strategic and operational matters. He is an engineer and graduated from INSA Lyon in France, having spent part of his time at the University of Leeds in England. In addition, he also holds a degree in Strategic Management and Economic Intelligence from EGE in France. From 2000 to 2015, he led international projects and programs in a variety of industrial sectors, in particular in Europe and Asia, and with clients and colleagues in the United States. In 2012, he joined IQVIA (formerly known as IMS Health, and later Quintiles IMS), a global information and technology services company for clients in the healthcare industry, where he led projects in healthcare systems, such as patient longitudinal studies, forecasting, targeting, profiling, prospective analyses, digital healthcare and innovation. He was also a member of the board of directors and Corporate Secretary of The NASH Education Program from its inception in 2017 until mid-2018.

        Laurent Lannoo has served as our Corporate Secretary and Director of Legal Affairs since 2008. From 2005 to 2008, he served in various roles at the Coeur et Artères foundation, including as chairman of its executive board from 2007 to 2008 and as corporate secretary from 2005 to 2006. Prior to that, from 1996 to 2005, he was in charge of finance and administration for Eurasanté, the public agency for the economic development of healthcare activities in the Nord-Pas de Calais region of France. He began his professional career at M&M, a consulting firm, in 1994, becoming partner in 1996. Mr. Lannoo graduated from Lille Law School with a degree in Business Law.

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Non-Employee Directors

        Xavier Guille des Buttes served as member of our former Supervisory Board since 2006 and has served as a member of our board of directors since June 2017. Mr. Guille des Buttes was educated at the Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Commerciales d'Angers, the Institut de gestion prévisionnelle et de contrôle de gestion, and has spent his entire career in the pharmaceutical industry. He has held a number of executive positions for more than 30 years, particularly in the French subsidiary of the German Group Schering AG, where, from 1974 to 2006, he successively held the positions of Marketing Director, General Manager of the Pharmaceutical Division and Chairman of the board of directors. As a member of our former Supervisory Board from October 2006, he chaired the Supervisory Board from April 2008 to June 2017, when he became Vice-Chairman of our Board of Directors following the change in administration and management. In addition to his responsibilities at Genfit, he also serves as director of several private companies. Mr. Guille des Buttes also chairs the Foundation of the Catholic University of Lille. He is also vice chairman of the NASH Education Program.

        Catherine Larue, Ph.D has served as a member of our board of directors since 2017. Since 2012, Dr. Larue has been CEO of the Integrated Biobank of Luxembourg (IBBL), where she leads the development of the bio banking strategy and new initiatives in the field of personalized medicine. She also served as interim CEO of the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), a biomedical research institute, between 2016 and 2017. Prior to joining the IBBL, Dr. Larue piloted Genfit's biomarker program until 2012. Dr. Larue began her career as team leader at Sanofi at the Montpellier, France based research and development center in the cardiovascular research department. She later joined Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur, as Director of Research and Development and then spent 11 years at the Bio-Rad group, holding different management positions. She participated in the discovery of several innovative biomarkers and the commercialization of dozens of diagnostic products. Dr. Larue holds a doctorate in experimental biology and an accreditation to direct research (Habilitation à Diriger la Recherche, or HDR) from the University of Rouen, a University Degree in clinical oncology from the University of Paris VI and an executive MBA from St. John's University (New York).

        Anne-Hélène Monsellato has served as a member of our board of directors and the chair of our Audit Committee since 2017. Ms. Monsellato has been a Certified Public Accountant in France since 2008 and received a board member certification from IFA Sciences Po (French Association of Directors) in 2014. She graduated from EM Lyon in 1990 with a degree in Business Management. Since May 2015, she has been an independent director, the Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee and a member of the Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee of Euronav, a Belgian crude oil tanker company listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Euronext Brussels. In addition, she serves as the Vice President and Treasurer of the Mona Bismarck American Center for Art and Culture, a U.S. public foundation based in New York. From 2005 until 2013, Ms. Monsellato served as a Partner with Ernst & Young (now EY), Paris, after having served as Auditor/Senior, Manager and Senior Manager for the firm starting in 1990. During her time at EY, she gained extensive experience in cross border listing transactions, in particular with the United States, internal control and risk management, and was involved with several companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector. Ms. Monsellato is an active member of the IFA since 2013.

        Frédéric Desdouits served as member of our former Supervisory Board since 2014 and has served as a member of our board of directors since our change in management and administration in June 2017. Mr. Desdouits is Managing Director of Uetikon (Lahr, Germany), a member of the Novacap group in Ecully, France. Prior to joining Novacap in October 2017, he was head of Business Development, Acquisition and Market Intelligence at Pierre Fabre Group since 2011, and North American Pharma Director from January 2016. He was also a member of the pharmaceuticals executive board and of the development products board. Prior to joining Pierre Fabre, from 2004 to 2011, Mr. Desdouits was Managing Partner at Bionest Partners, a consulting and transaction firm based in Paris and New York

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specializing in healthcare and biotechnology. From 2007 to 2011, he was the founding Managing Partner of Bionest Partners Finance, a boutique specialized in value strategy and fund raising for emerging bio-companies. Between 1997 and 2004, Mr. Desdouits was a partner in charge of Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology sectors at Exane BNP-Paribas, an investment company. Prior to that, Mr. Desdouits worked in research from 1996 to 1997 at GlaxoWellcome in France (now GSK), as a consultant for Hoechst in the USA from 1995 to 1997 and was a Ph.D student from 1992 to 1995 with a grant from Rhône-Poulenc in France (now Sanofi). Between 2010 and 2011, he was a member of the Pre-Phase III DPU Blood & Vessels board at Sanofi Aventis (now Sanofi) in Chilly-Mazarin, France. Mr. Desdouits is a member of the supervisory board of CiToxLab. Between 2008 and 2011, Mr. Desdouits was a board member at Exonhit Therapeutics (now Diaxonhit Therapeutics) and member of the Mergers and Acquisitions subcommittee, and from 2015 to 2017, was an observer on the Orphelia Pharma Board of Directors. Mr. Desdouits graduated from Ecole Polytechnique (Palaiseau, France), obtained a M.S. in pharmacology and a Ph.D in Neurosciences at University Paris VI and Collège de France and studied from 1994 to 1996 at the Rockefeller University in New York. He is a CEFA (Certified European Financial Analyst) and Certified in Global Management from INSEAD.

        Florence Séjourné has served as a member of our board of directors since June 2017 as representative of SAS Biotech Avenir. She was a member of our former Supervisory Board from 1999 until the change in our management and administration in June 2017. Ms. Séjourné co-founded our company and served as our chief operating officer, business development director, industrial alliances coordinator and member of our former Executive Board from 1999 to 2008. Since 2008, she has been the chairwoman of Da Volterra, a clinical-stage biotechnology company. From 1997 to 1999, she was in charge of the biopharmaceutical sector for Eurasanté, the economic development agency. Ms. Séjourné graduated from the Ecole des Mines of Paris with a degree in Biotechnology and holds a master's degree in Pharmacy from the University of Illinois in Chicago.

        Philippe Moons served as member of our former supervisory board since 2015 and has served as a member of our board of directors since June 2017. Mr. Moons graduated from the Institut Catholique des Arts et Métiers de Lille and received an MBA from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales du Nord (EDHEC), and began his career as a business engineer at Delattre Leviver, part of the Creusot-Loire Group, a French industrial Group. In 1989, he joined Finorpa, a venture capital and growth capital company, operating under the aegis of the Group "Charbonnage de France" in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. Between 2006 and 2015, he was in charge at Finorpa of supporting and financing several companies in their early-stage activities or development phases, in particular in the fields of biology and health. Mr. Moons was a member of the executive board of Finovam, a regional venture capital company, established in 2014 to strengthen the emergence and provide seed capital to innovative businesses, primarily technological projects in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, until 2015.

Board Composition

        Until June 2017, our company had a two-tier corporate governance system: an executive board (directoire) was responsible for managing the company and a supervisory board (conseil de surveillance) oversaw and advised the executive board. We have now established a board of directors. Our board of directors currently consists of seven members, none of which are citizens or residents of the United States. As permitted by French law, one of our directors, SAS Biotech Avenir, is a legal entity. This entity has designated an individual, Florence Séjourné, to represent it and to act on its behalf at meetings of our board of directors. Ms. Séjourné has the same responsibilities to us and to our shareholders as she would have if she had been elected to our board of directors in her individual capacity.

        Under French law and our bylaws, our board of directors must be comprised of between three and 18 members. Since January 1, 2017, the number of directors of each gender may not be less than 40%.

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Any appointment made in violation of this limit that is not remedied within six months of this appointment will be null and void. Within these limits, the number of directors is determined by our shareholders. Directors are appointed, reappointed to their position, or removed by the company's ordinary general meeting, and in particular, any appointment which remedies a violation of the 40% gender limit must be ratified by our shareholders at the next ordinary general meeting. Their term of office, in accordance with our bylaws, is five years. Directors chosen or appointed to fill a vacancy must be elected by our board of directors for the remaining duration of the current term of the vacant director. The appointment must then be ratified at the next shareholders' general meeting. In the event the board of directors would be comprised of less than three directors as a result of a vacancy or removal, the remaining directors shall immediately convene a shareholders' general meeting to elect one or several new directors so there are at least three directors serving on the board of directors, in accordance with French law.

        The following table sets forth the names of our directors, the years of their initial appointment as directors of our board or our former supervisory board or our former executive board and the expiration dates of their current term.

 
  CURRENT
POSITION
  YEAR OF
INITIAL
APPOINTMENT
  TERM
EXPIRATION
YEAR
 

Jean-François Mouney

  Chairman     1999 (1)   2022  

Xavier Guille des Buttes

  Vice Chairman     2006 (2)   2022  

SAS Biotech Avenir represented by Florence Séjourné

  Director     2010 (3)   2022  

Frédéric Desdouits

  Director     2014 (4)   2022  

Catherine Larue

  Director     2017     2022  

Anne-Hélène Monsellato

  Director     2017     2022  

Philippe Moons

  Director     2015 (5)   2022  

(1)
As member of the former executive board of our company and was subsequently appointed as a member of our board of directors at our combined general meeting in June 2017 and elected as chairman and chief executive officer of our company.

(2)
As member of the former supervisory board and was subsequently appointed as a member of our board of directors at our combined general meeting in June 2017 and elected as vice chairman.

(3)
Biotech Avenir SAS was appointed to the former supervisory board for the first time on incorporation of the company on September 15, 1999. Ms. Séjourné has been its permanent representative since 2010, first to the former supervisory board and later to the board of directors of our company.

(4)
As member of the former supervisory board and was subsequently appointed as a member of our board of directors at our combined general meeting in June 2017.

(5)
As member of the former supervisory board and was subsequently appointed as a member of our board of directors at our combined general meeting in June 2017.

Director Independence

        As a foreign private issuer, under the listing requirements and rules of the Nasdaq Global Market, we are not required to have independent directors on our board of directors, except to the extent that our audit committee is required to consist of independent directors, subject to certain phase-in schedules. Nevertheless, our board of directors has undertaken a review of the independence of the directors and considered whether any director has a material relationship with us that could compromise his or her ability to exercise independent judgment in carrying out his or her

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responsibilities. Based upon information requested from, and provided by, each director concerning such director's background, employment and affiliations, including family relationships, our board of directors determined that all of our directors, except for Jean-François Mouney and Florence Séjourné, as representative of Biotech Avenir, qualify as "independent directors" as defined under applicable rules of the Nasdaq Global Market and the independence requirements contemplated by Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act. In making these determinations, our board of directors considered the current and prior relationships that each non-employee director has with our company and all other facts and circumstances that our board of directors deemed relevant in determining their independence, including the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares by each non-employee director and his or her affiliated entities (if any).

Role of the Board in Risk Oversight

        Our board of directors is primarily responsible for the oversight of our risk management activities and has delegated to the audit committee the responsibility to assist our board in this task. The audit committee also monitors our system of disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting and reviews contingent financial liabilities. The audit committee, among other things, examines our balance sheet commitments and risks and the relevance of risk monitoring procedures. While our board oversees our risk management, our management is responsible for day-to-day risk management processes. Our board of directors expects our management to consider risk and risk management in each business decision, to proactively develop and monitor risk management strategies and processes for day-to-day activities and to effectively implement risk management strategies adopted by the board of directors. We believe this division of responsibilities is the most effective approach for addressing the risks we face.

Corporate Governance Practices

        As a French société anonyme, we are subject to various corporate governance requirements under French law. In addition, as a foreign private issuer listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, we will be subject to Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards. However, the corporate governance standards provide that foreign private issuers are permitted to follow home country corporate governance practices in lieu of Nasdaq rules, with certain exceptions. We intend to rely on these exemptions for foreign private issuers and follow French corporate governance practices in lieu of the Nasdaq corporate governance rules, which would otherwise require that (1) a majority of our board of directors consist of independent directors; (2) we establish a nominating and corporate governance committee; and (3) our remuneration committee be composed entirely of independent directors.

        As a foreign private issuer, we are required to comply with Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act, relating to audit committee composition and responsibilities. Rule 10A-3 provides that the audit committee must have direct responsibility for the nomination, compensation and choice of our auditors, as well as control over the performance of their duties, management of complaints made, and selection of consultants. However, if the laws of a foreign private issuer's home country require that any such matter be approved by the board of directors or the shareholders, the audit committee's responsibilities or powers with respect to such matter may instead be advisory. Under French law, the audit committee may only have an advisory role and appointment of our statutory auditors, in particular, must be decided by the shareholders at our annual meeting.

        In addition, Nasdaq rules require that a listed company specify that the quorum for any meeting of the holders of common stock be at least 331/3% of the outstanding shares of the company's voting stock. Consistent with French law, our bylaws provide that a quorum requires the presence of shareholders having at least (1) 20% of the shares entitled to vote in the case of an ordinary shareholders' general meeting or at an extraordinary shareholders' general meeting where shareholders are voting on a capital increase by capitalization of reserves, profits or share premium, or (2) 25% of the shares

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entitled to vote in the case of any other extraordinary shareholders' general meeting. If a quorum is not present, the meeting is adjourned. There is no quorum requirement when an ordinary general meeting is reconvened, but the reconvened meeting may consider only questions which were on the agenda of the adjourned meeting. When an extraordinary general meeting is reconvened, the quorum required is 20% of the shares entitled to vote, except where the reconvened meeting is considering capital increases through capitalization of reserves, profits or share premium. For these matters, no quorum is required at the reconvened meeting. If a quorum is not present at a reconvened meeting requiring a quorum, then the meeting may be adjourned for a maximum of two months. See the section of this prospectus titled "Description of Share Capital—Key Provisions of Our Bylaws and French Law Affecting Our Ordinary Shares (Articles 11, 12, 32, 40 and 41 of the Bylaws)."

Board Committees

        The board of directors has established an audit committee and a remuneration and appointments committee, which operate pursuant to rules of procedure adopted by our board of directors. The board of directors also established in September 2017 an alliance committee to analyze potential business and corporate development opportunities that may be available to us. Subject to available exemptions, the composition and functioning of all of our committees will comply with all applicable requirements of the French Commercial Code, the Exchange Act, the Nasdaq Global Market and SEC rules and regulations.

        In accordance with French law, committees of our board of directors will only have an advisory role and can only make recommendations to our board of directors. As a result, decisions will be made by our board of directors taking into account non-binding recommendations of the relevant board committee.

        Audit Committee.    Our audit committee assists our board of directors in its oversight of our corporate accounting and financial reporting and submits the selection of our statutory auditors, their remuneration and independence for approval. Ms. Anne-Hélène Monsellato, Mr. Xavier Guille de Buttes and Mr. Philippe Moons currently serve on our audit committee. Ms. Monsellato is the chairperson of our audit committee. Our board has determined that each member is independent within the meaning of the applicable listing rules and the independence requirements contemplated by Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act. Our board of directors has further determined that Ms. Monsellato is an "audit committee financial expert" as defined by SEC rules and regulations and that each of the members qualifies as financially sophisticated under the applicable Nasdaq listing rules. The principal responsibility of our audit committee is to monitor the existence and efficacy of the company's financial audit and risk control procedures on an ongoing basis.

        Our board of directors has specifically assigned the following duties to the audit committee:

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        Nomination and Compensation Committee.    Mr. Xavier Guille des Buttes, Dr. Catherine Larue and Mr. Jean-François Mouney currently serve on our nomination and compensation committee, which we also refer to as our remuneration and appointments committee. Mr. Guille des Buttes is the chairperson of our remuneration and appointments committee.

        Our board of directors has specifically assigned the following duties to the remuneration and appointments committee:

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Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

        In connection with the global offering, we have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, or the Code of Conduct, applicable to all of our employees, senior management and directors. Following the closing of the global offering, the Code of Conduct will be available on our website at www.genfit.com. Our board of directors will be responsible for overseeing the Code of Conduct and must approve any waivers of the Code of Conduct for employees, senior management and directors. We expect that any amendments to the Code of Conduct, or any waivers of its requirements, will be disclosed on our website.

Compensation of Directors and Chief Executive Officer

Director Compensation

        At our combined general meetings of shareholders held on June 16, 2017 and June 15, 2018, shareholders set the total annual attendance fees (jetons de présence) to be distributed among non-employee directors at €225,000 for the period beginning with the shareholders' general meeting of June 15, 2018 until the next shareholders' general meeting. The following table sets forth information regarding the compensation earned by our non-employee directors for service on our board of directors during the year ended December 31, 2018, which consisted solely of attendance fees.

NAME
   
 

Jean-François Mouney(1)

     

Xavier Guille des Buttes

  53,330  

Frédéric Desdouits

  21,174  

SAS Biotech Avenir

     

Philippe Moons

  29,704  

Anne-Hélène Monsellato

  37,075  

Catherine Larue

  21,256  

(1)
Mr. Mouney was appointed as chairman of the board of directors by the shareholders at the Shareholders' Meeting on June 16, 2017. Mr. Mouney does not receive compensation for his service on the board of directors. His compensation for the year ended December 31, 2018 is described in the section titled "Executive Compensation."

Chief Executive Officer Compensation

        The following table sets forth information regarding compensation earned by Jean-François Mouney, our Chief Executive Officer and sole executive officer under French law, during the year ended December 31, 2018.

NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITION
  FIXED
COMPENSATION
(€)
  VARIABLE
COMPENSATION
(€)
  EQUITY
AWARDS
(€)
  ALL OTHER
COMPENSATION
(€)
  TOTAL
(€)
 

Jean-François Mouney, Chief Executive Officer

    574,361 (1)   566,074 (2)   103,651 (3)   7,200 (4)   1,251,286  

(1)
This gross amount consists of €534,295 in annual compensation and €40,066 paid for services as a director of Genfit Corp., our wholly owned U.S. subsidiary.

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(2)
Mr. Mouney is eligible for a gross variable compensation of €566,074 for the year ended December 31, 2017 under our Incentive Plan, subject to approval and which was ultimately approved by the Shareholders' General Meeting of June 18, 2018.

(3)
The amount was calculated in accordance with the IFRS2 valuation of the grant to Mr. Mouney of (i) stock options to purchase 17,000 ordinary shares and (ii) 3,000 free shares.

(4)
This amount consists of use of a company car valued at €7,200.

        The various component parts of the overall annual compensation of Mr. Mouney for his duties within the Genfit group during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 are summarized below:

Fixed Compensation

        Through his executive officer contract (contrat de mandat social), Mr. Mouney received a gross fixed annual compensation of €534,295 for the duties carried out within Genfit S.A. and a gross fixed annual compensation of $45,916 for the performance of his office of chairman of the board of directors of our subsidiary, Genfit Corp., during the year ended December 31, 2018.

Variable Compensation

        For the year ended December 31, 2018, all variable compensation linked to Mr. Mouney's performance was granted under the Incentive Plan in an amount of €566,074.

        The Incentive Plan provides that the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer's incentive bonus can represent up to 40% of the sums to be allocated under the plan; these sums vary in accordance with the conditions for carrying out the strategic and structuring operations for our development, and which reflect the beneficiary's performance.

Equity Awards

        During the year ended December 31, 2018, Mr. Mouney was granted equity awards in the form of stock options to purchase 17,000 shares and 3,000 free shares.

Other Compensation

        The benefits in kind granted to Mr. Mouney for the year ended December 31, 2018 consisted of a company car valued at €7,200.

Chief Executive Officer Change of Control and Severance Benefits

        Mr. Mouney also benefits from a severance payment falling within the scope of Article L.225-42-1 of the French Commercial Code equal to six months' gross compensation, calculated on the basis of the last twelve months, excluding variable compensation associated with the implementation of the Incentive Plan, plus an additional payment of one month's gross compensation per year of service within the Company, calculated on the same basis. In accordance with Recommendation R16 of the Middlenext Corporate Governance Code, this payment is limited to two years' gross compensation, excluding variable compensations associated with the implementation of the Incentive Plan, paid for the last fiscal year and it would be paid if, and only if, one of the following three performance conditions is achieved at the time that his post is terminated:

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        Mr. Mouney is not subject to a non-compete clause.

        As of the date of this prospectus, the second condition has been fulfilled.

Limitations on Liability and Indemnification Matters

        Under French law, provisions of bylaws that limit the liability of directors are ineffective. However, French law allows sociétés anonymes to contract for and maintain liability insurance against civil liabilities incurred by any of their directors and officers involved in a third-party action, provided that they acted in good faith and within their capacities as directors or officers of the company. Criminal liability cannot be indemnified under French law, whether directly by the company or through liability insurance.

        We have liability insurance for our directors and officers, and intend to obtain insurance coverage for liability under the Securities Act. We also intend to enter into agreements with our directors and senior management to provide contractual indemnification. With certain exceptions and subject to limitations on indemnification under French law, these agreements will provide for indemnification for damages and expenses including, among other things, attorneys' fees, judgments and settlement amounts incurred by any of these individuals in any action or proceeding arising out of his or her actions in that capacity. We believe that this insurance and these agreements are necessary to attract qualified directors and members of senior management.

        Certain of our non-employee directors may, through their relationships with their employers or partnerships, be insured against certain liabilities in their capacity as members of our board of directors.

        These agreements may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors and senior management for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and senior management, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder's investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these insurance agreements.

Equity Incentives

        We believe our ability to grant equity incentives is a valuable and necessary compensation tool that allows us to attract and retain the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility, provides additional incentives to our employees, senior management and directors and promotes the success of our business. Due to French corporate law and tax considerations, we have historically granted several different equity incentive instruments to our directors, senior management, employees and other service providers, including:

        Our board of directors has authority to grant these equity incentive instruments and the aggregate amount authorized to be granted under these instruments must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the votes held by our shareholders present, represented or voting by authorized means, at the relevant extraordinary shareholders' meeting. Once approved by our shareholders, our board of directors can

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grant share warrants (BSA) and redeemable share warrants (BSAAR) for up to 18 months, and restricted (free) shares (AGA) and stock options (SO) for up to 38 months from the date of the applicable shareholders' approval. The authority of our board of directors to grant equity incentives may be extended or increased only by extraordinary shareholders' meetings. As a result, we typically request that our shareholders authorize new pools of equity incentive instruments at every annual shareholders' meetings.

        We have four share-based compensation plans for our senior management, directors and employees, the BSAAR plan, the BSA plan, the AGA plan and the SO plan. In general, redeemable share warrants and share warrants no longer continue to vest following termination of the employment, office or service of the holder and all vested shares must be exercised within post-termination exercise periods set forth in the grant documents. In the event of certain changes in our share capital structure, such as a consolidation or share split or dividend, French law and applicable grant documentation provides for appropriate adjustments of the numbers of shares issuable and/or the exercise price of the outstanding warrants.

        As of December 31, 2018, share warrants, stock options and free shares were outstanding allowing for the purchase of an aggregate of 548,882 ordinary shares at a weighted average exercise price of €19.72 (equal to $22.59) per ordinary share based on the exchange rate in effect as of December 31, 2018 (this weighted average exercise price does not include 83,726 ordinary shares issuable upon the vesting of outstanding free shares that may be issued for free with no exercise price being paid).

Redeemable Share Warrants (BSAAR)

        Redeemable share warrants have been granted to our directors and employees, including Mr. Mouney and the two other members of the former executive board (directoire) who were corporate officers at the time of their subscription. Exercise of the BSAAR is subject to the effective presence of the beneficiary in our company or one of our French or foreign subsidiaries as an employee, officer, or through a consulting agreement at the date of receipt of the exercise request accompanied by the payment of the exercise price.

        Pursuant to authorizations granted by the shareholders meetings on April 2, 2014 and February 24, 2015, we put in place in September 2014 and July 2016, two share warrant plans (BSAAR 2014 and BSAAR 2016) for members of the executive board (including the current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer) and non-corporate officer employees:

        As of December 31, 2018, 833 BSAAR 2014-A and 400 BSAAR-C have been exercised by non-corporate officer employees, and no BSAAR have been exercised by corporate officers.

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        The main terms of the BSAAR plans are as follows:

Plan title
  BSAAR 2014-A   BSAAR 2014-B   BSAAR 2014-C   BSAAR 2016-A   BSAAR 2016-B

Meeting date

  April 2, 2014   April 2, 2014   April 2, 2014   February 24, 2015   February 24, 2015

Dates of allocation

 

September 15, 2014

 

September 15, 2014

 

September 15, 2014

 

July 22, 2016

 

July 22, 2016

Exercise conditions(1)

 

1 warrant / 1.03 shares

Subscription periods

 

From September 19, 2014 to October 15, 2014

 

From May 7, 2015 to May 29, 2014

 

From July 6, 2015 to July 31, 2015

 

From July 25, 2016 to July 27, 2016

 

From July 25, 2016 to July 27, 2016

Total number of BSAARs granted

 

15,200

 

23,238

 

24,279

 

7,200

 

3,600

Start date for the exercise of the BSAARs

 

September 15, 2015

 

September 15, 2015

 

September 15, 2015

 

January 1, 2018

 

August 1, 2019

BSAAR expiry date

 

September 15, 2018

 

May 4, 2019

 

July 1, 2019

 

July 27, 2020

 

July 27, 2020

BSAAR issuance price

 

€5.61

 

€5.61

 

€5.61

 

€4.60

 

€4.60

BSAAR exercise price per share

 

€23.50

 

€23.50

 

€23.50

 

€23.50

 

€23.50

Number of shares subscribed as of December 31, 2018

 

833

 

0

 

400

 

0

 

0

BSAAR cancelled or lapsed

 

14,367

 

0

 

833

 

0

 

0

BSAAR remaining as of December 31, 2018

 

0

 

22,155

 

23,046

 

7,200

 

3,600


(1)
Exercisable in tranches of 1/3 of the BSAAR owned by the beneficiary.

Share Warrants (BSA)

        Share warrants have been granted to the independent members of the former supervisory board and of the board of directors and scientific consultants. Similar to options, share warrants entitle a holder to exercise the warrant for the underlying vested shares at an exercise price per share determined by our board of directors and at least equal to the fair market value of an ordinary share on the date of grant. However, unlike options, the exercise price per share is fixed as of the date of implementation of the plans pursuant to which the warrants may be granted, rather than as of the date of grant of the individual warrants.

        Pursuant to delegations granted by our shareholders, our board of directors, determines the recipients of the warrants, the dates of grant, the number and exercise price of the share warrants to be granted, the number of shares issuable upon exercise and certain other terms and conditions of the share warrants, including the period of their exercisability and their vesting schedule.

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        As of December 31, 2018, we have issued three share warrants plans as follows:

Plan title
  BSA 2014-A   BSA 2014-B   BSA 2015-A   BSA 2015-B   BSA 2017-A   BSA 2017-B

Meeting date

  April 2, 2014   April 2, 2014   April 2, 2014   April 2, 2014   June 16, 2017   June 16, 2017

Dates of allocation

 

July 24, 2014

 

July 24, 2014

 

January 9, 2015

 

January 9, 2015

 

November 21, 2017

 

November 21, 2017

Exercise conditions(1)

 

1 warrant / 1.03 shares

 

1 warrant / 1 share

Subscription periods

 

From August 1, 2014 to September 15, 2014

 

From January 2, 2015 to February 25, 2015

 

From January 20, 2015 to February 25, 2015

 

From July 1, 2015 to September 15, 2015

 

From December 11, 2017 to December 26, 2017

 

From July 1, 2018 to July 15, 2018

Total number of BSAs granted

 

46,765

 

46,765

 

12,860

 

12,860

 

18,345

 

18,345

Start date for the exercise of the BSAs

 

November 1, 2014

 

March 1, 2015

 

June 1, 2015

 

December 1, 2015

 

July 1, 2018

 

July 16, 2018

BSA expiry date

 

September 30, 2018

 

February 28, 2019

 

May 31, 2019

 

November 30, 2019

 

June 30, 2022

 

July 15, 2022

BSA issuance price

 

€0.01

 

€0.01

 

€0.01

 

€0.01

 

€2.00

 

€2.00

BSA exercise price per share

 

€23.50

 

€23.50

 

€35.95

 

€35.95

 

€19.97

 

€19.97

Number of shares subscribed as of December 31, 2018

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

0

Warrants cancelled or lapsed

 

46,765

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

0

Warrants remaining as of December 31, 2018

 

0

 

46,765

 

12,860

 

12,860

 

18,345

 

18,345


(1)
Exercisable by tranches of a minimum of 2,000 BSA, or a multiple thereof, except for outstanding balance under 2,000.

Free Shares (AGA)

        Free shares may be granted to any individual employed by us or by any affiliated company. Free shares may also be granted to our chairman of the board of directors, chief executive officer (directeur général) and deputy executive officers (directeurs général délégué). Currently, Mr. Mouney serves as both our chairmain of the board and chief executive officer and we do not have any deputy executive officers. However, under French law, the maximum number of shares that may be granted shall not exceed 10% of the share capital as at the date of grant of the free shares (30% if the allocation benefits all employees).

        In 2017, the board of directors granted an aggregate of 41,196 free shares to all of our employees and senior management, and in 2018, the board of directors granted them an aggregate of 37,072 free shares.

        Our board of directors has the authority to administer the free shares plans. Our board of directors determines the recipients, the dates of grant, the number of free shares to be granted and the terms and conditions of the free shares, including the length of their vesting period (starting on the grant date, during which the beneficiary holds a right to acquire shares for free but has not yet acquired any shares) and holding period (starting when the shares are issued and definitively acquired but may not be transferred by the recipient) within the limits determined by the shareholders. Our shareholders have determined that the vesting period should be set by the board of directors and should not be less than two years from the date of grant and that the optimal holding period should be set by the board of directors. From the beginning of the vesting period, the cumulated vesting and holding period should not be less than three years.

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        The board of directors has the authority to modify awards outstanding under our AGA plans, subject to the consent of the beneficiary for any modification adverse to such beneficiary. For example, the board has the authority to release a beneficiary from the continued service condition during the vesting period after the termination of the employment.

        The free shares granted under our AGA plans will be definitively acquired at the end of the vesting period as set by our board of directors subject to performance conditions and continued service during the vesting period, except if the board releases a given beneficiary from this condition upon termination of his or her employment contract. At the end of the vesting period, the beneficiary will be the owner of the shares. However, the shares may not be sold, transferred or pledged during the holding period. In the event of disability before the end of the vesting period, the free shares shall be definitively acquired by the beneficiary on the date of disability. In the event the beneficiary dies during the vesting period, the free shares shall be definitively acquired at the date of the request of allocation made by his or her beneficiaries in the framework of the inheritance provided that such request is made within six months from the date of death.

        As of December 31, 2018, we granted an aggregate of 107,705 free shares under the free shares plans which will vest as follows:

 
  MEETING
DATE
  DATE OF
ALLOCATION
  NUMBER
OF FREE
SHARES
  EXERCISEABLE
(SUBJECT TO
CONDITIONS)(1)
  STOCK PRICE
ON
ALLOCATION
DATE
  FREE
SHARES
VESTED
 

AGA D and S 2016-1

  June 21, 2016   December 15, 2016     20,520   December 16, 2019(2)   20.79     17,484  

AGA D and S 2016-2

  June 21, 2016   December 15, 2016     10,189   December 16, 2019   20.79     0  

AGA D and S 2017-1

  June 16, 2017   December 21, 2017     27,468   January 1, 2021   21.95     0  

AGA D and S 2017-2

  June 16, 2017   December 21, 2017     13,728   January 1, 2021   21.95     0  

AGA D and S 2018

  June 15, 2018   November 22, 2018     35,800   January 1, 2021   20.02     0  

(1)
Subject to meeting performance conditions and continued employment with us.

(2)
Subject to meeting the conditions, the AGA 2016-1 could be definitively vested in whole or part on December 16, 2018, with a one year holding period, or on December 16, 2019 without a holding condition. As of December 31, 2018, 7,985 and 9,499 free shares were definitively vested under the AGA 2016-1 and AGA 2016-2, respectively.

Stock Options (SO)

        Stock options may be granted to any individual employed by us or by any affiliated company. Stock options may also be granted to our chairman of the board of directors, chief executive officer (directeur général) and deputy executive officers (directeurs général délégué). Currently, Mr. Mouney serves as both our chairman of the board and chief executive officer and we do not have any deputy executive officers. In addition, incentive stock options may not be granted to owners of shares possessing 10% or more of the share capital of our company.

        In 2017 and 2018, the board of directors, using the authorizations granted to them by the extraordinary shareholders' meeting, decided to grant stock options to the members of the board of directors, including Mr. Mouney, and certain senior managers. These stock options were put in place as motivation and retention instruments for the current teams, to recruit new talents interested in participating in our future development and include them in obtaining operational and financial objectives.

        These stock options allow us to continue to offer to new employees competitive packages compared to other companies in our sector, in particular U.S. companies; substantiate in shares a portion of the total profit-sharing of employees our company, this contributing to the alignment of their interests with those of shareholders; and motivate the employees to achieve long-term objectives, and

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particularly to retain some of them by establishing a direct link between their level of profit sharing and the evolution of the stock price.

        In 2017, the board of directors granted an aggregate of 109,250 options as part of the plan SO 2017 which will expire December 31, 2027. In 2018, the board of directors granted an aggregate of 139,500 options as part of the SO 2018 and SO U.S. 2018 plans, each of which will expire December 31, 2028. Stock options issued pursuant to these plans provide the holder with the right to purchase a specified number of ordinary shares from us at a fixed exercise price payable at the time the stock option is exercised, as determined by our board of directors. The plans generally provide that the exercise price for any stock option will be no less than 80% of the volume weighted average price of the 20 market trading days prior to the day of the board of directors' decision to grant the options. The vesting of the stock options is subject to performance conditions and the continued presence our company. These conditions are evaluated over a period of three years and reflect our mid-term objectives. Incentive stock options and non-statutory stock options may be granted under the SO plans.

        Our board of directors has the authority to administer and interpret the SO plans. Subject to the terms and conditions of the stock option plan, our board of directors determines the recipients, dates of grant, exercise price, number of stock options to be granted and the terms and conditions of the stock options, including the length of their vesting schedules. Our board of directors is not required to grant stock options with vesting and exercise terms that are the same for every participant. The term of each stock option granted under the SO plans will generally be 10 years from the date of grant. Further, stock options will generally terminate on the earlier of when the beneficiary ceases to be an employee of our company or upon certain transactions involving our company.

        Our board of directors has the authority to modify awards outstanding under our SO plans, subject to the written consent of the beneficiary for any modification adverse to such beneficiary. For example, our board of directors has the authority to extend a post-termination exercise period.

        Stock options granted under the SO plans generally may not be sold, transferred or pledged in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution. In the event of disability, unless otherwise resolved by our board of directors, the beneficiary's right to exercise the vested portion of his or her stock option generally terminates six months after the last day of such beneficiary's service, but in any event no later than the expiration of the maximum term of the applicable stock options. In the event the beneficiary dies during the vesting period, then, unless otherwise resolved by our board of directors, the beneficiary's estate or any recipient by inheritance or bequest may exercise any portion of the stock option vested at the time of the beneficiary's death within the six months following the date of death, but in any event no later than the expiration of the maximum term of the applicable stock options.

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        The main terms of the SO plans are as follows:

Plan title
  SO 2016-1   SO 2016-2   SO 2017-1   SO 2017-2   SO 2018

Meeting date

  June 21, 2016   June 21, 2016   June 16, 2017   June 16, 2017   June 15, 2018

Dates of allocation

 

December 15, 2016

 

December 15, 2016

 

November 21, 2017

 

November 21, 2017

 

November 7, 2018

Exercise conditions(1)

 

1 option / 1 share

Subscription periods

 

From December 15, 2016 to September 15, 2018 or December 15, 2019

 

From December 15, 2016 to December 15, 2019

 

From December 6, 2017 to December 31, 2020

 

From December 6, 2017 to December 31, 2020

 

From November 7, 2018 to December 31, 2021

Total number of SOs granted

 

48,917

 

24,458

 

72,830

 

36,420

 

139,500

Start date for the exercise of the SOs

 

December 16, 2019

 

December 16, 2019

 

January 1, 2021

 

January 1, 2021

 

January 1, 2022

SO expiry date

 

December 16, 2026

 

December 16, 2026

 

December 31, 2027

 

December 31, 2027

 

December 31, 2028

SO exercise price per share

 

€15.79/€21.12(2)

 

€15.79/€21.12

 

€17.91/€22.54(3)

 

€17.91/€22.54

 

€16.00/€21.65(4)

Number of SO exercised as of December 31, 2018. 

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

0

SO voided or lapsed

 

8,667

 

4,333

 

8,666

 

4,334

 

0

SO remaining as of December 31, 2018

 

40,250

 

20,125

 

64,164

 

32,086

 

139,500


(1)
Exercisable by 1/3 of the number of options held by each beneficiary.

(2)
Exercise price at €15.79 for SO 2016-1 and SO 2016-2 and €21.12 for SO US 2016-1 and SO US 2016-2.

(3)
Exercise price at €17.91 for SO 2016-1 and SO 2016-2 and €22.54 for SO US 2016-1 and SO US 2016-2.

(4)
Exercise price at €16.00 for SO 2018 and €21.65 for SO US 2018.

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS

        Since January 1, 2016, we have engaged in the following transactions with our directors, senior management and holders of more than 5% of our outstanding voting securities and their affiliates, which we refer to as our related parties.

Employment Arrangements with Our Chief Executive Officer

        Prior to the change in our management structure on June 16, 2017, Mr. Mouney, our chief executive officer, was party to an employment contract with us. The main obligations contained in the most recent amendments to the contract were the following:

        The employment contract of Mr. Mouney was suspended and then terminated and replaced by a corporate mandate agreement (contrat de mandat social) in his capacity as our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer on June 16, 2017.

Biotech Avenir

        Biotech Avenir SAS, our holding company, holds 6.06% of our share capital and 10.79% of our voting rights. Mr. Mouney, the Chairman of our board of directors and our Chief Executive Officer, is also Chairman of the Management Committee of Biotech Avenir and holds 17.1% of its share capital. Florence Séjourné, who represents Biotech Avenir on our board of directors, is also member of the Management Committee of Biotech Avenir and holds 9.9% of its share capital. The registered office of Biotech Avenir is located at the same address as our principal executive offices, without charge to Biotech Avenir.

The NASH Education Program

        The NASH Education Program endowment fund was created in November 2016 at the initiative of our company to develop and finance disease awareness activities targeting medical professionals and the general public.

        Pursuant to an agreement with effect from July 1, 2016, we decided to finance the creation by Pinnacle Clinical Research of a registry of NAFLD/NASH patients, which diseases are targeted by certain of our drug and biomarker candidates. Our goal in supporting the creation of this registry was to contribute to the improvement of scientific and medical knowledge around NAFLD and NASH. As a result, we decided on December 22, 2016, with effect from December 31, 2016, to assign the benefit and obligations of this agreement to our endowment fund, The NASH Education Program. The NASH Education Program was created on November 3, 2016 to educate the medical community and patients on the lessons that can be learned from these patients, in accordance with its objectives.

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        For the year ended December 31, 2017, we granted to The NASH Education Program a donation of €1,808 thousand so that The NASH Education Program could honor the obligations under the transfer of registry donation and carry out the other planned disease awareness activities to patients and doctors. For the year ended December 31, 2018, we donated €959,000 to The NASH Education Program, primarily to support the creation of the first International NASH Day, which occurred in June 2018.

        The registered office of The NASH Education Program is located at the same address as our principal executive offices, without charge to The NASH Education Program.

Shareholders' Agreement

        A Shareholders' Agreement binds all shareholders who held equity in our company prior to the private placement we carried out before the admission of our ordinary shares, on December 19, 2006, to trading on the Alternext stock exchange managed by Euronext Paris. In particular, this Shareholders' Agreement grants a right of first refusal to Biotech Avenir or to any shareholder it designates, provided said shareholder is a signatory of the Shareholders' Agreement, in the event that a shareholder who is a party to the Shareholders' Agreement plans an off-market sale of its shares, insofar as the projected sale, plus any other sales carried out in a given year, represents at least 2% of our total share capital.

        The parties to the Shareholders' Agreement that hold our shares include the Université de Lille, Fondation partenariale de l'Université de Lille, Finorpa SCR, Biotech Avenir SAS and two of our directors Messrs. Mouney and Guille de Buttes.

        This Shareholders' Agreement became effective on December 19, 2006, and remained effective for an initial 10-year period, after which the Shareholders' Agreement was, and may continue to be, automatically renewed for successive one-year periods.

        The Shareholders' Agreement was amended on January 30, 2018 as part of the restructuring of the University of Lille, whereby on January 1, 2018, the three universities of Lille (the universities of Lille I, Lille II and Lille III) merged into a single university (the Université de Lille). In this context, the Université de Lille II Droit et Santé (now Université de Lille) made a donation of 200,000 ordinary shares at the end of 2017 to the foundation, Fondation partenariale de l'Université de Lille, which is now one of our shareholders and a party to the Shareholders' Agreement.

Related Person Transaction Policy

        We comply with French law regarding approval of transactions with related parties. We have adopted a related person transaction policy that sets forth our procedures for the identification, review, consideration and approval or ratification of related person transactions. The policy will become effective immediately upon the closing of the global offering. For purposes of our policy only, a related person transaction is defined as (1) any transaction, arrangement or relationship (or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships) in which we and any related person are, were or will be participants in and the amount involved exceeds $120,000, or (2) any agreement or similar transaction under French law which falls within the scope of Article L. 225-38 of the French Commercial Code. A related person is any director, member of senior management or beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities, including any of their immediate family members and any entity owned or controlled by such persons.

        Under the policy, if a transaction has been identified as a related person transaction, including any transaction that was not a related person transaction when originally consummated or any transaction that was not initially identified as a related person transaction prior to consummation, our management must present information regarding the related person transaction to our board of directors for review, consideration and approval or ratification. The presentation must include a description of, among other

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things, the material facts, the interests, direct and indirect, of the related persons, the benefits to us of the transaction and whether the transaction is on terms that are comparable to the terms available to or from, as the case may be, an unrelated third party or to or from employees generally. Under the policy, we will collect information that we deem reasonably necessary from each director, member of senior management and, to the extent feasible, significant shareholder to enable us to identify any existing or potential related-person transactions and to effectuate the terms of the policy.

        In addition, under our Code of Business Conduct, our employees and directors have an affirmative responsibility to disclose any transaction or relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest.

        In considering related person transactions, our board of directors will take into account the relevant available facts and circumstances including, but not limited to:

        The policy requires that, in determining whether to approve, ratify or reject a related person transaction, our board of directors must consider, in light of known circumstances, whether the transaction is in, or is not inconsistent with, our best interests and those of our shareholders, as our board of directors determines in the good faith exercise of its discretion.

        All of the transactions described above were entered into prior to the adoption of the written policy, but all were approved by our board of directors to the extent required by, and in compliance with, French law.

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PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

        The following table sets forth, as of January 1, 2019, information regarding beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares by:

        Beneficial ownership is determined according to the rules of the SEC and generally means that a person has beneficial ownership of a security if he, she or it possesses sole or shared voting or investment power of that security, including free shares that vest by March 2, 2019, the date that is 60 days after January 1, 2019 and stock options and warrants that are currently exercisable or exercisable by March 2, 2019. Shares subject to options and warrants currently exercisable or exercisable by March 2, 2019 are deemed to be outstanding for computing the percentage ownership of the person holding these options or warrants and the percentage ownership of any group of which the holder is a member, but are not deemed outstanding for computing the percentage of any other person. Shares subject to free shares and stock options are not included, as no free shares nor stock options are currently vested because the requisite performance conditions have not been met.

        Except as indicated by the footnotes below, we believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the persons named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares shown that they beneficially own, subject to community property laws where applicable. The information does not necessarily indicate beneficial ownership for any other purpose, including for purposes of Sections 13(d) and 13(g) of the Securities Act.

        Our calculation of the percentage of beneficial ownership prior to the global offering is based on 31,183,921 of our ordinary shares outstanding as of January 1, 2019. We have based our calculation of the percentage of beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares outstanding immediately after the closing of the global offering of an additional 5,000,000 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) to be issued in the global offering, assuming no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares.

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        Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner listed in the table below is c/o Genfit S.A., Parc Eurasanté, 885, avenue Eugène Avinée, 59120 Loos, France.

 
  Number of
Ordinary
Shares
Beneficially
Owned
Before
Global
Offering
  Percentage of
Ordinary
Shares
Beneficially Owned
 
Name of Beneficial Owner
  Before
Global
Offering
  After
Global
Offering
 

5% Shareholders:

                   

Biotech Avenir SAS(1)

    1,888,618     6.1 %   5.2 %

Directors and Senior Management:

   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Jean-François Mouney(2)

    1,913,920     6.1     5.3  

Dean Hum, Ph.D(3)

    13,009     *     *  

Nathalie Huitorel(4)

    16,858     *     *  

Pascal Prigent

    4,000     *     *  

Jean-Christophe Marcoux(5)

    3,296     *     *  

Laurent Lannoo(6)

    6,545     *     *  

Xavier Guille Des Buttes(7)

    6,342     *     *  

Catherine Larue, Ph.D(8)

    5,000     *     *  

Anne-Hélène Monsellato(9)

    5,000     *     *  

Frédéric Desdouits(10)

    19,561     *     *  

Florence Séjourné

        *     *  

Philippe Moons(11)

    5,310     *     *  

All directors and senior management as a group (12 persons)(12)

    1,998,841     6.4     5.5  

*
Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1%

(1)
Biotech Avenir SAS is our holding company. Mr. Mouney, the Chairman of our board of directors and our Chief Executive Officer, is also the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Management Committee of Biotech Avenir and holds 17.1% of its share capital. Florence Séjourné, who represents Biotech Avenir on our board of directors, is also a member of the Management Committee of Biotech Avenir and holds 9.9% of its share capital. Dean Hum holds 6.2% of its share capital and Laurent Lannoo, who is a member of the Management Committee of Biotech Avenir, holds less than 0.01% of its share capital.

(2)
Consists of 1,899,884 ordinary shares, of which 1,888,618 shares are held directly by Biotech Avenir, 12,474 BSAAR share warrants that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019 and 1,562 free shares that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019.

(3)
Consists of 11 ordinary shares, 11,585 BSAAR share warrants that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019 and 1,413 free shares that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019.

(4)
Consists of 2,879 ordinary shares, 12,474 BSAAR share warrants that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019 and 1,505 free shares that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019.

(5)
Consists of 554 ordinary shares, 2,533 BSAAR share warrants that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019 and 209 free shares that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019.

(6)
Consists of 5,893 ordinary shares and 652 free shares that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019.

(7)
Consists of 1,342 ordinary shares and 5,000 BSA share warrants that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019.

(8)
Consists of 5,000 BSA share warrants that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019.

(9)
Consists of 5,000 BSA share warrants that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019.

(10)
Consists of 111 ordinary shares and 19,450 BSA share warrants that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019.

(11)
Consists of 310 ordinary shares and 5,000 BSA share warrants that are exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 2019.

(12)
Includes 1,888,618 shares (6.1%) held directly by Biotech Avenir.

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DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL

General

        The following description of our share capital summarizes certain provisions of our bylaws. Such summaries do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of our bylaws, a copy of which has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

        As of December 31, 2018, our outstanding share capital consisted of a total of 31,183,921 ordinary shares, with nominal value €0.25 per share.

        As of December 31, 2018, to the best of our knowledge, none of our outstanding ordinary shares were held by shareholders of record in the United States.

        Under French law, our bylaws set forth only our issued and outstanding share capital as of the date of the bylaws. Our fully diluted share capital represents all issued and outstanding shares, as well as all potential shares which may be issued upon exercise of outstanding free shares, stock options and share warrants, as approved by our shareholders and granted by our board of directors.

        Upon closing of the global offering, based on the number of ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 2018, our outstanding share capital will consist of 36,183,921 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs), nominal value €0.25 per share (or 36,933,921 if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares in the global offering in full).

Reconciliation of the Shares Outstanding Prior to the Global Offering

Shares outstanding at December 31, 2015

    23,958,904  

Number of shares issued in connection with a private placement on February 29, 2016

    2,395,890  

Number of shares issued in connection with a private placement on October 12, 2016

    1,695,000  

Number of shares issued in connection with a rights issuance on November 2, 2016

    3,116,643  

Shares outstanding at December 31, 2016 and 2017

    31,166,437  

Number of shares issued in connection with the vesting of free shares on December 27, 2018

    17,484  

Shares outstanding at December 31, 2018

    31,183,921  

History of Securities Issuances

        From January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2018, the following events have changed the number and classes of our issued and outstanding shares:

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Key Provisions of Our Bylaws and French Law Affecting Our Ordinary Shares

        The description below reflects the terms of our bylaws and summarizes the material rights of holders of our ordinary shares under French law. Please note that this is only a summary and is not intended to be exhaustive. For further information, please refer to the full text of our bylaws, a copy of which has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Corporate Purpose (Article 4 of the Bylaws)

        Our corporate purpose in France and abroad includes the research concerning the production and sale, at different stages of development, of biological molecules and all other activities regardless of what they may be, linked to the pharmaceutical industry, and more generally, to carry out all commercial, industrial, financial, securities or real estate transactions and operations linked directly or indirectly to its activity or capable of its facilitation.

Directors (Articles 14-25 of the Bylaws)

        Duties of the Board.    Our board of directors determines the orientations of the company's activity and ensures their implementation. Subject to the powers expressly assigned to the general meetings, and within the limits of the corporate purpose of our company, it shall deal with all issues pertaining to the proper functioning of the company and settle by its decisions our company's business. In relation to third parties, the company will be committed even by the actions of the board of directors which do not fall within the scope of our company's purpose, unless it proves that the third parties knew that the action fell outside the limits of said purpose or that they could not be unaware thereof given the circumstances.

        Appointment and Term.    Our board of directors must be composed of at least three members, but may not exceed 15 members, subject to the dispensation established by law in the event of merger, in which case the number may be increased to 24. In appointing and electing directors, we seek a balanced representation of women and men. The term of a director is 5 years, and directors may be re-elected at our annual ordinary shareholders meetings; however, a director over the age of 75 may not be appointed if such appointment would result in the number of directors over the age of 75 constituting more than one-third of the board. The number of directors who are also our employees cannot exceed one-third of the board. Directors may be natural persons or legal entities except for the chairman of the board who must be a natural person. Legal entities appointed to the board must designate a permanent representative. If a director dies or resigns between annual meetings, the board may appoint a temporary director to fill the vacancy, subject to ratification at the next ordinary general

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meeting, or, if such vacancy results in a number of directors below three, the board must call an ordinary general meeting to fill the vacancy.

        Organization.    The board of directors must elect a chairman from among the board members. The chairman must be a natural person, age 80 or younger, and may be removed by the board at any time. The board may also elect a natural person as deputy chairman who will fulfill the functions of the Chairman in his absence and may designate one or more non-voting board observers, whether companies or individuals, shareholders or not.

        Deliberations.    At least half of the number of directors in office must be present to constitute a quorum. Decisions are made by a majority of the directors present or represented and, if there is a tie, the vote of the chairman will carry the decision. Meetings may be held as often as required; however, the chairman is required to call a meeting with a determined agenda upon the request of at least one-third of the directors if the board has not met for more than two months. French law and our charter and bylaws allow directors to attend meetings in person or, to the extent permitted by applicable law and with specified exceptions in our bylaws, by videoconference or other telecommunications means allowing them to be identified and ensuring an effective participation in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

        Directors' Voting Powers on Proposal, Arrangement or Contract in which any Director is Materially Interested.    Under French law, any agreement entered into, directly or through an intermediary, between us and any director that is not entered into in the ordinary course of our business and upon standard market terms is subject to the prior authorization of the board of directors. The interested director cannot vote on such decision. All agreements entered into between our company and one of our director, our chief executive officer, one of its deputy chief executive officer, an observer or a shareholder that holds over 10% of the voting rights, or further, if a legal person, a controlling company within the meaning of article L.233-3 of the French Commercial Code holding over 10% of the voting rights, must be subject to prior authorization from the board of directors. The chairman will in turn gives notice to our statutory auditors of all authorized regulated agreements and submits them to the general meeting for approval.

        Directors' Compensation.    Director compensation for attendance at board meetings (jetons de présence) is determined at the annual ordinary general meeting. Independent directors have a right to a fixed amount of compensation for their duties as director and, if applicable, as member or chair of one or more board committees and to a variable amount of compensation depending on their actual participation at board meetings and, if applicable, committee meetings. See the section of this prospectus titled "Management—Compensation of Directors and Senior Management—Director Compensation" for a description of our compensation policy for our non-employee directors.

        Board of Directors' Borrowing Powers.    Subject to any limitation set up by the general meeting of shareholders, there are currently no limits imposed on the amounts of loans or borrowings that the board of directors may approve.

        Directors' Share Ownership Requirements.    Our directors are not required to own any of our shares.

Rights, Preferences and Restrictions Attaching to Ordinary Shares (Articles 11, 12, 32, 40 and 41 of the Bylaws)

        Dividends.    We may only distribute dividends out of our distributable profits, plus any amounts held in our reserves that the shareholders decide to make available for distribution, other than those reserves that are specifically required by law.

        "Distributable Profits" consist of our statutory net profit in each fiscal year, calculated in accordance with accounting standards applicable in France, as increased or reduced by any profit or

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loss carried forward from prior years, less any contributions to the reserve accounts pursuant to applicable French laws and regulations.

        Legal Reserve.    Pursuant to French law, we must allocate 5% of our statutory net profit for each year to our legal reserve fund before dividends may be paid with respect to that year. Funds must be allocated until the amount in the legal reserve is equal to 10% of the aggregate par value of the issued and outstanding share capital. However, it is resumed when for any particular cause the reserve drops below 10%.

        Approval of Dividends.    Pursuant to French law, our board of directors may propose a dividend for approval by the shareholders at the annual ordinary general meeting.

        Upon recommendation of our board of directors, our shareholders may decide to allocate all or part of any distributable profits to special or general reserves, to carry them forward to the next fiscal year as retained earnings or to allocate them to the shareholders as dividends. However, dividends may not be distributed when our net assets are or would become as a result of such distribution lower than the amount of the share capital plus the amount of the legal reserves which, under French law, may not be distributed to shareholders. The amount of our share capital plus the amount of our legal reserves which may not be distributed was equal to €1,035,981.50 at December 31, 2018.

        Our board of directors may distribute interim dividends after the end of the fiscal year but before the approval of the financial statements for the relevant fiscal year when the interim balance sheet, established during such year and certified by an auditor, reflects that we have earned distributable profits since the close of the last financial year, after recognizing the necessary depreciation and provisions and after deducting prior losses, if any, and the sums to be allocated to reserves, as required by law or the bylaws, and including any retained earnings. The amount of such interim dividends may not exceed the amount of the profit so defined.

        Pursuant to French legislation, if a dividend is declared we may be required to pay a dividend tax in an amount equal to 3% of the aggregate dividend paid by us. However, the European Court of Justice, or ECJ, has ruled that the 3% dividend tax may not be applied to redistribution of dividends we receive from our subsidiaries established in another Member State of the EU, in that it creates double taxation of profits made within the EU as prohibited by Article 9 of the Parent-Subsidiary directive (ECJ, 1st ch. May 17, 2017, case C-365/16 AFEP).

        Distribution of Dividends.    Dividends are distributed to shareholders pro rata according to their respective holdings of shares. In the case of interim dividends, distributions are made to shareholders on the date set by our board of directors during the meeting in which the distribution of interim dividends is approved. The actual dividend payment date is decided by the shareholders at an ordinary general shareholders' meeting or by our board of directors in the absence of such a decision by the shareholders. Shareholders that own shares on the actual payment date are entitled to the dividend.

        Shareholders may be granted an option to receive dividends in cash or in shares, in accordance with legal conditions. The conditions for payment of dividends in cash shall be set at the shareholders' meeting or, failing this, by the board of directors.

        Timing of Payment.    Pursuant to French law, dividends must be paid within a maximum of nine months after the close of the relevant fiscal year, unless extended by court order. Dividends not claimed within five years after the payment date shall be deemed to expire and revert to the French state.

        Voting Rights.    Each share shall entitle its holder to vote and be represented in the shareholders' meetings in accordance with the provisions of French law and of our bylaws. Ownership of one share implies, ipso jure, adherence to our bylaws and the decisions of the shareholders' meeting.

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        In general, each shareholder is entitled to one vote per share at any general shareholders' meeting. Pursuant to our bylaws, however, a double voting right is attached to each registered share which is held in the name of the same shareholder for at least two years.

        Under French law, treasury shares or shares held by entities controlled by us are not entitled to voting rights and do not count for quorum purposes.

        Rights to Share in Our Profit.    Each share entitles its holder to a portion of the corporate profits and assets proportional to the amount of share capital represented thereby.

        Rights to Share in the Surplus in the Event of Liquidation.    If we are liquidated, any assets remaining after payment of the debts, liquidation expenses and all of the remaining obligations will first be used to repay in full the par value of our shares. Any surplus will be distributed pro rata among shareholders in proportion to the number of shares respectively held by them, taking into account, where applicable, of the rights attached to shares of different classes.

        Repurchase and Redemption of Shares.    Under French law, we may acquire our own shares. Such acquisition may be challenged on the ground of market abuse regulations. However, the Market Abuse Regulation 596/2014 of April 16, 2014 (MAR) provides for safe harbor exemptions when the acquisition is made for one of the following purposes:

        All other purposes, and especially share buy-backs made for external growth operations in pursuance of Article L.225-209 of the French Commercial Code, while not forbidden, must be pursued in strict compliance of market manipulation and insider dealing rules.

        Under MAR and in accordance with the General Regulations of the AMF (Réglement Général de l'AMF), a corporation shall report to the competent authority of the trading value on which the shares have been admitted to trading or are traded, no later than by the end of the seventh daily market session following the date of the execution of the transaction, all the transactions relating to the buy-back program, in a detailed form and in an aggregated form.

        No such repurchase of shares may result in us holding, directly or through a person acting on our behalf, more than 10% of our issued share capital. Shares repurchased by us continue to be deemed "issued" under French law but are not entitled to dividends or voting rights so long as we hold them directly or indirectly, and we may not exercise the preemptive rights attached to them.

        Sinking Fund Provisions.    Our bylaws do not provide for any sinking fund provisions.

        Liability to Further Capital Calls.    Shareholders are liable for corporate liabilities only up to the par value of the shares they hold; they are not liable to further capital calls.

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        Requirements for Holdings Exceeding Certain Percentages.    Any individual or legal entity referred to in Articles L. 233-7, L. 233-9 and L. 223-10 of the French Commercial Code coming to directly or indirectly own, alone or in concert, a number of shares representing a fraction of our capital or voting rights greater than or equal to 2% or a multiple of this percentage, must inform us of the total number of shares and voting rights and of securities giving access to the capital or voting rights that it owns immediately or over time within a period of four trading days from the crossing of the said holding thresholds. This obligation applies when crossing each of the above-mentioned thresholds in a downward direction.

        In addition, any shareholder required the above information shall inform us of its objectives it intends pursuing over the following 12 months, when the thresholds are crossed, either upwards or downwards, of a tenth, a fifth, or third of the capital or voting rights, including notably whether it acts alone or in concert, it intends to continue acquiring our shares, it intends to acquire or transfer control of the company, its intended management strategy for the company.

        In case of failure to declare shares or voting rights exceeding the fraction that should have been declared, such shares shall be deprived of voting rights at General Meetings of Shareholders for any meeting that would be held until the expiry of a period of two years from the date of regularization of the notification in accordance with Article L. 233-14 of the French Commercial Code, if the failure to make the declaration was recorded and if one or more shareholders holding at least 5% of the capital request it, their request being recorded in the minutes of the General Meeting.

        These requirements apply without prejudice to requirements described below under the sections of this prospectus titled "Declaration of Crossing of Ownership Thresholds (Article 11 of the Bylaws)" and "Form, Holding and Transfer of Shares (Articles 13 and 15 of the Bylaws)—Ownership of Shares by Non-French Persons."

Actions Necessary to Modify Shareholders' Rights

        Shareholders' rights may be modified as allowed by French law. However, the extraordinary shareholders' meeting is authorized to amend any and all provisions of our bylaws. It may not, however, increase shareholder commitments without the prior approval of each shareholder.

Special Voting Rights of Warrant Holders

        Under French law, the holders of warrants of the same class (i.e., warrants that were issued at the same time and with the same rights), including founder's warrants, are entitled to vote as a separate class at a general meeting of that class of warrant holders under certain circumstances, principally in connection with any proposed modification of the terms and conditions of the class of warrants or any proposed issuance of preferred shares or any modification of the rights of any outstanding class or series of preferred shares.

Rules for Admission to and Calling Annual Shareholders' Meetings and Extraordinary Shareholders' Meetings (Part V of the Bylaws)

        Access to, Participation in and Voting Rights at Shareholders' Meetings.    The right to participate in shareholders' general meetings is defined and justified in accordance with the provisions of article R.225-85 of the French Commercial Code. For the calculation of the quorum and the majority, the shareholders participating, as the case may be, to the shareholders' general meetings by proxy, by postal ballot, by videoconference or by any other means of telecommunication or remote data transmission are deemed present, in accordance with applicable French laws and regulations. Each of our shareholders may vote by postal ballot or by proxy (including by electronic means) in accordance with applicable legislation, and notably by means of a form filled in and sent to our company in the conditions set by applicable French laws and by regulations. Any shareholder may also participate in

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and vote at meetings by videoconference or any other means of telecommunication or electronic transmission (including by the transmission of an electronic voting form or a proxy form) allowing him/her to be identified, under the conditions and in accordance with the procedures stipulated in the legal and regulatory provisions in force. The decision of the board of directors to use telecommunication facilities or videoconferencing will be published in the meeting notice and the notice of summons.

        Participation in shareholders' general meetings, in any form whatsoever, is subject to registration of shares under the conditions and time limits provided for applicable French laws and regulations.

        The final date for returning voting ballots by correspondence is set by the board of directors and disclosed in the notice of meeting published in the French Journal of Mandatory Statutory Notices, or BALO (Bulletin des Annonces Légales Obligatoires). This date cannot be earlier than three days prior to the meeting.

        A shareholder who has voted by correspondence will no longer be able to participate directly in the meeting or to be represented. In the case of returning the proxy form and the voting by correspondence form, the proxy form is taken into account, subject to the votes cast in the voting by correspondence form.

        A shareholder may be represented at meetings by any individual or legal entity by means of a proxy form which we send to such shareholder either at the shareholder's request or at our initiative. A shareholder's request for a proxy form must be received at the registered office at least five days before the date of the meeting. The proxy is only valid for a single meeting or for successive meetings convened with the same agenda. It can also be granted for two meetings, one ordinary, and the other extraordinary, held on the same day or within a period of fifteen days.

        A shareholder may vote by correspondence by means of a voting form, which we send to such shareholder either at the shareholder's request or at our initiative, or which we include in an appendix to a proxy voting form under the conditions provided for by current laws and requirements. A shareholder's request for a voting form must be received at the registered office at least six days before the date of the meeting. The voting form is also available on our website at least 21 days before the date of the meeting. The voting form must be recorded by us three days prior to the shareholders' meeting, in order to be taken into consideration. The voting by correspondence form addressed by a shareholder is only valid for a single meeting or for successive meetings convened with the same agenda.

        To better understand the voting rights of the ADSs, you should carefully read the section in this prospectus titled "Description of American Depositary Shares—Voting Rights."

        Notice of Annual Shareholders' Meetings.    Shareholders' meetings are convened by our board of directors, or, failing that, by the statutory auditors, or by a court appointed agent or liquidator in certain circumstances. Meetings are held at our registered offices or at any other location indicated in the convening notice (avis de convocation). A meeting announcement (avis de réunion) is published in the BALO at least 35 days prior to a meeting, as well as on our website at least 21 days prior to the meeting. In addition to the particulars relative to the company, it indicates, notably, the meeting's agenda and the draft resolutions that will be presented. The requests for recording of issues or draft resolutions on the agenda must be addressed to the company under the conditions provided for in the current legislation.

        Subject to special legal provisions, the convening notice is sent out at least 15 days prior to the date of the meeting, by means of a notice inserted both in a legal announcement bulletin of the registered office department and in the BALO. Further, the holders of registered shares for at least a month at the time of the insertion of the convening notice shall be summoned individually, by regular letter (or by registered letter if they request it and include an advance of expenses) sent to their last

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known address. This notice may also be transmitted by electronic means of telecommunication, in lieu of any such mailing, to any shareholder after obtaining their agreement by post or by electronic means in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements. The latter may expressly request by post or by electronic means to the Company at least 35 days prior to the date of the insertion of the convening notice in a legal announcement bulletin and in the BALO that the aforementioned means of telecommunication should be replaced in the future by a mailing.

        The convening notice must also indicate the conditions under which the shareholders may vote by correspondence and the places and conditions in which they can obtain voting forms by mail.

        When the shareholders' meeting cannot deliberate due to the lack of the required quorum, the second meeting must be called at least ten days in advance in the same manner as used for the first notice.

        Agenda and Conduct of Annual Shareholders' Meetings.    The agenda of the shareholders' meeting shall appear in the convening notice of the meeting and is set by the author of the notice. The shareholders' meeting may only deliberate on the items on the agenda except for the removal of directors and the appointment of their successors which may be put to vote by any shareholder during any shareholders' meeting. Pursuant to French law and our current share capital, one or more shareholders representing 5% of our share capital may request the inclusion of items or proposed resolutions on the agenda. Such request must be received at the latest on the 25th day preceding the date of the shareholders' meeting, and in any event no later than the 20th day following the date of the shareholders' meeting announcement.

        Shareholders' meetings shall be chaired by the Chairman of the board of directors or, in his or her absence, by a director elected for this purpose. Failing that, the meeting itself shall elect a Chairman. Vote counting shall be performed by the two members of the meeting who are present and accept such duties, who represent, either on their own behalf or as proxies, the greatest number of votes.

        Ordinary Shareholders' Meeting.    Ordinary shareholders' meetings are those meetings called to make any and all decisions that do not amend our bylaws. An ordinary meeting shall be convened at least once a year within six months of the end of each fiscal year in order to approve the annual and consolidated accounts for the relevant fiscal year or, in case of postponement, within the period established by court order. Upon first notice, the meeting may validly deliberate only if the shareholders present or represented by proxy or voting by correspondence, by videoconference or by means of telecommunication or electronic transmission in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations, represent at least one-fifth of the shares entitled to vote. Upon second notice, no quorum is required. Decisions are made by a majority of the votes held by the shareholders present, or represented by proxy, or voting by correspondence, by videoconference or by means of telecommunication or electronic transmission. Abstentions will have the same effect of a "no" vote. In addition, pursuant to the AMF recommendation applicable from June 15, 2015, French listed companies may be required to conduct a consultation of the ordinary shareholders' meeting prior to the disposal of the majority of their assets, under certain circumstances.

        Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting.    Our bylaws may only be amended by approval at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting. Our bylaws may not, however, be amended to increase shareholder commitments without the approval of each shareholder. Subject to the legal provisions governing share capital increases from reserves, profits or share premiums, the resolutions of the extraordinary meeting shall be valid only if the shareholders present, represented by proxy or voting by correspondence, by videoconference or by means of telecommunication or electronic transmission represent at least one-fourth of all shares entitled to vote upon first notice, or one-fifth upon second notice. If the latter quorum is not reached, the second meeting may be postponed to a date no later than two months after the date for which it was initially called. Decisions are made by a two-thirds

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majority of the votes held by the shareholders present, represented by proxy, or voting by correspondence, by videoconference or electronic transmission. Abstentions will have the same effect of a "no" vote.

Provisions Having the Effect of Delaying, Deferring or Preventing a Change in Control of Our Company

        Provisions contained in our bylaws and French corporate law could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if doing so might be beneficial to our shareholders. These provisions include the following:

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Declaration of Crossing of Ownership Thresholds (Article 11 of the Bylaws)

        Set forth below is a summary of certain provisions of the French Commercial Code applicable to us. This summary is not intended to be a complete description of applicable rules under French law.

        Any individual or legal entity referred to in Articles L. 233-7, L. 233-9 and L. 223-10 of the French Commercial Code coming to directly or indirectly own, alone or in concert, a number of shares representing a fraction of our capital or voting rights greater or equal to 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 33.33%, 50%, 66.66%, 90% and 95% shall inform us as well as the French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) of the total number of shares and voting rights and of securities giving access to the capital or voting rights that it owns immediately or over time within a period of four trading days from the crossing of the said holding thresholds.

        This obligation applies when crossing each of the above-mentioned thresholds in a downward direction.

        In case of failure to declare shares or voting rights exceeding the fraction that should have been declared, such shares shall be deprived of voting rights at General Meetings of Shareholders for any meeting that would be held until the expiry of a period of two years from the date of regularization of the notification in accordance with Article L. 233-14 of the French Commercial Code.

        In addition, any shareholder crossing, alone or acting in concert, the 10%, 15%, 20% or 25% threshold shall file a declaration with the AMF pursuant to which it shall expose its intention over the following 6 months, including notably whether it intends to continue acquiring shares of the company, it intends to acquire control over the company, its intended strategy for the company.

        Further, and subject to certain exemptions, any shareholder crossing, alone or acting in concert, the 30% threshold shall file a mandatory public tender offer with the AMF. Also, any shareholder holding directly or indirectly a number between 30% and 50% of the capital or voting rights and who,

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in less than 12 consecutive months, increases his/her/its holding of capital or voting rights by at least 1% company's capital or voting rights, shall file a mandatory public tender offer.

        Pursuant to the provisions of Article 11 of our bylaws, such individual or legal entity acquiring directly or indirectly, alone or in concert, a number of shares representing a fraction of our capital or voting rights greater than or equal to 2% or a multiple of this percentage, must inform us of the total number of shares and voting rights and securities giving access to capital and voting rights it owns immediately or subsequently within a period of four trading days from the crossing of the said holding thresholds.

        The individual or company required to provide the above information shall inform us of the objectives it intends pursuing during the next 12 months when the thresholds are crossed, either upwards or downwards, of a tenth, fifth or third of the capital or voting rights. This declaration specifies whether the purchaser is acting alone or in concert, if it intends stopping its purchases or sales or continuing them, or whether it intends acquiring or transferring control of our company, requesting its nomination or that of one or more other persons, or its registration, as a director of the Board of directors.

        In case of failure to declare shares or voting rights exceeding the fraction that should have been declared in accordance with the provisions of Article 11 of our bylaws, such share shall be deprived of voting rights at General Meetings of Shareholders for any meeting that would be held until the expiry of a period of two years from the date of regularization of the notification in accordance with Article L. 233-14 of the French Commercial Code, if the failure to make the declaration was recorded and if one or more shareholders holding at least 5% of the capital request it, their request being recorded in the minutes of the General Meeting.

Changes in Share Capital

        Increases in Share Capital (Article 7 of the Bylaws).    Pursuant to French law, our share capital may be increased only with shareholders' approval at an extraordinary general shareholders' meeting following the recommendation of our board of directors. The shareholders may delegate to our board of directors either the authority (délégation de compétence) or the power (délégation de pouvoir) to carry out any increase in share capital.

        Increases in our share capital may be effected by:

        Increases in share capital by issuing additional securities may be effected through one or a combination of the following:

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        Decisions to increase the share capital through the capitalization of reserves, profits and/or share premium require shareholders' approval at an extraordinary general shareholders' meeting, acting under the quorum and majority requirements applicable to ordinary shareholders' meetings. Increases effected by an increase in the par value of shares require unanimous approval of the shareholders, unless effected by capitalization of reserves, profits or share premium. All other capital increases require shareholders' approval at an extraordinary general shareholders' meeting acting under the regular quorum and majority requirements for such meetings.

        Reduction in Share Capital.    Pursuant to French law, any reduction in our share capital requires shareholders' approval at an extraordinary general shareholders' meeting following the recommendation of our board of directors. The share capital may be reduced either by decreasing the par value of the outstanding shares or by reducing the number of outstanding shares. The number of outstanding shares may be reduced by the repurchase and cancellation of shares. Holders of each class of shares must be treated equally unless each affected shareholder agrees otherwise.

        Preferential Subscription Right.    According to French law, if we issue additional securities for cash, current shareholders will have preferential subscription rights to these securities on a pro rata basis. Preferential subscription rights entitle the individual or entity that holds them to subscribe pro rata based on the number of shares held by them to the issuance of any securities increasing, or that may result in an increase of, our share capital by means of a cash payment or a set-off of cash debts. The preferential subscription rights are transferable during the subscription period relating to a particular offering. Pursuant to legislation that went into effect on October 1, 2016, the preferential subscription rights will be transferable during a period starting two days prior to the opening of the subscription period and ending two days prior to the closing of the subscription period.

        The preferential subscription rights with respect to any particular offering may be waived at an extraordinary general meeting by a two-thirds vote of our shareholders or individually by each shareholder. Our board of directors and our independent auditors are required by French law to present reports to the shareholders' meeting that specifically address any proposal to waive the preferential subscription rights.

        Our current shareholders waived their preferential subscription rights with respect to the global offering at our combined general shareholders' meeting held on June 16, 2017.

        In the future, to the extent permitted under French law, we may seek shareholder approval to waive preferential subscription rights at an extraordinary general shareholders' meeting in order to authorize the board of directors to issue additional shares and/or other securities convertible or exchangeable into shares.

Form, Holding and Transfer of Shares (Articles 9 and 10 of the Bylaws)

        Form of Shares.    The shares are in registered form, until their full payment. When they are fully paid up, they may be in registered form or bearer, at the option of the shareholders.

        Further, in accordance with applicable laws, we may request at any time from the central depository responsible for holding our shares, the information referred to in Article L. 228-2 of the French Commercial Code. Thus, we are, in particular and at any time, entitled to request the name and year of birth or, in the case of a legal entity, the name and the year of incorporation, nationality and address of holders of securities conferring immediate or long-term voting rights at its general meetings of shareholders and the amount of securities owned by each of them and, where applicable, the restrictions that the securities could be affected by.

        Holding of Shares.    In accordance with French law concerning the "dematerialization" of securities, the ownership rights of shareholders are represented by book entries instead of share

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certificates. Shares issued are registered in individual accounts opened by us or any authorized intermediary, in the name of each shareholder and kept according to the terms and conditions laid down by the legal and regulatory provisions.

        Ownership of Shares by Non-French Persons.    Neither the French Commercial Code nor our bylaws limit the right of non-French residents or non-French shareholders to own or, where applicable, to vote our securities. However, non-French residents must file a declaration for statistical purposes with the Bank of France (Banque de France) within twenty working days following the date of certain direct foreign investments in us, including any purchase of our ADSs. In particular, such filings are required in connection with investments exceeding €15,000,000 that lead to the acquisition of at least 10% of our share capital or voting rights or cross of such 10% threshold. Moreover, certain foreign investments in companies incorporated under French laws are subject to the prior authorization from the French Minister of the Economy, where all or part of the target's business and activity relate to a strategic sector, such as energy, transportation, public health, telecommunications, etc.

        Assignment and Transfer of Shares.    Shares are freely negotiable, subject to applicable legal and regulatory provisions. French law notably provides for standstill obligations and prohibition of insider trading.

Forum Selection Provision (Article 44 of the Bylaws)

        Our bylaws also include a provision that applies to actions between shareholders and us and between shareholders themselves that are predicated on French corporate law. The competent court is the Commercial Court of Lille. This provision does not apply to actions arising under U.S. federal securities laws. In addition, it is possible that a court could find this provision in our bylaws inapplicable or unenforceable.

Securities Exercisable for Ordinary Shares

Equity Incentives

        See the section of this prospectus titled "Management—Equity Incentives" for a description of securities granted by our board of directors to our directors, senior management and employees.

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Differences in Corporate Law

        We are a société anonyme, or S.A., incorporated under the laws of France. The laws applicable to French sociétés anonymes differ from laws applicable to Delaware corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of certain differences between the provisions of the French Commercial Code applicable to us and the Delaware General Corporation Law relating to shareholders' rights and protections. This summary is not intended to be a complete discussion of the respective rights and it is qualified in its entirety by reference to Delaware law and French law.

 
  FRANCE   DELAWARE

Number of Directors

  Under French law, a société anonyme must have at least three and may have up to 18 directors. The number of directors is fixed by or in the manner provided in the bylaws. Since January 1, 2017, the number of directors of each gender may not be less than 40%. Any appointment made in violation of this limit that is not remedied will be null and void. The directors are appointed at the shareholders' general meetings.   Under Delaware law, a corporation must have at least one director and the number of directors shall be fixed by or in the manner provided in the bylaws.

Director Qualifications

 

Under French law, a corporation may prescribe qualifications for directors under its bylaws. In addition, under French law, members of a board of directors of a corporation may be legal entities (with the exception of the Chairman of the board of directors), and such legal entities may designate an individual to represent them and to act on their behalf at meetings of the board of directors.

 

Under Delaware law, a corporation may prescribe qualifications for directors under its certificate of incorporation or bylaws.

Removal of Directors

 

Under French law, directors may be removed from office, with or without cause, at any shareholders' general meeting without notice or justification, by a simple majority vote.

 

Under Delaware law, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, directors may be removed from office, with or without cause, by a majority stockholder vote, though in the case of a corporation whose board is classified, stockholders may effect such removal only for cause.

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  FRANCE   DELAWARE

Vacancies on the Board of Directors

 

Under French law, vacancies on the board of directors resulting from death, resignation or removal, provided that at least three directors remain in office, may be filled by a majority of the remaining directors pending ratification by the shareholders by the next shareholders' general meeting.

 

Under Delaware law, vacancies on a corporation's board of directors, including those caused by an increase in the number of directors, may be filled by a majority of the remaining directors.

Annual General Meeting

 

Under French law, the annual general meeting of shareholders shall be held at such place, on such date and at such time as decided each year by the board of directors and notified to the shareholders in the convening notice of the annual meeting, within six months after the end of the relevant fiscal year unless such period is extended by court order.

 

Under Delaware law, the annual meeting of stockholders shall be held at such place, on such date and at such time as may be designated from time to time by the board of directors or as provided in the certificate of incorporation or by the bylaws.

General Meeting

 

Under French law, general meetings of the shareholders may be called by the board of directors or, failing which, by the statutory auditors, or by a court appointed agent (mandataire ad hoc) or liquidator in certain circumstances, or by the majority shareholder in capital or voting rights following a public tender offer or exchange offer or the transfer of a controlling block on the date decided by the board of directors or the relevant person.

 

Under Delaware law, special meetings of the stockholders may be called by the board of directors or by such person or persons as may be authorized by the certificate of incorporation or by the bylaws.

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  FRANCE   DELAWARE

Notice of General Meetings

 

A meeting announcement is published in the French Journal of Mandatory Statutory Notices (BALO) at least 35 days prior to a meeting and made available on the website of the company at least twenty-one day prior to the meeting. Subject to limited exceptions provided by French law, additional convening notice is sent out at least fifteen days prior to the date of the meeting, by means of a notice inserted both in a newspaper for legal notices (journal d'annonces légales) of the registered office department and in the BALO. Further, shareholders holding registered shares for at least a month at the time latest insertions of the notices shall be summoned individually, by regular letter (or by registered letter if they request it and include an advance of expenses) sent to their last known address. This notice to registered shareholders may also be transmitted by electronic means of telecommunication, in place of any such mailing, to any shareholder requesting it beforehand by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements, specifying his e-mail address. When the shareholders' meeting cannot deliberate due to lack of required quorum, the second meeting must be called at least ten calendar days in advance in the same manner as used for the first notice.

 

Under Delaware law, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws, written notice of any meeting of the stockholders must be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting and shall specify the place, date, hour, and purpose or purposes of the meeting.

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  FRANCE   DELAWARE

 

The notice shall specify the name of the company, its legal form, share capital, registered office address, registration number with the French Registry of Commerce and Companies (registre du commerce et des sociétés), the place, date, hour and agenda of the meeting and its nature (ordinary and/or extraordinary meeting). The convening notice must also indicate the conditions under which the shareholders may vote by correspondence and the places and conditions in which they can obtain voting forms by mail.

   

Proxy

 

Each shareholder has the right to attend the meetings and participate in the discussions (1) personally, or (2) by granting proxy to his/her spouse, his/her partner with whom he/she has entered into a civil union or to another shareholder or to any individual or legal entity of his choosing; or (3) by sending a proxy to the company without indication of the mandate, or (4) by voting by correspondence, or (5) by videoconference or another means of telecommunication in accordance with applicable laws that allow identification. The proxy is only valid for a single meeting or for successive meetings convened with the same agenda. It can also be granted for two meetings, one ordinary, and the other extraordinary, held on the same day or within a period of fifteen days.

 

Under Delaware law, at any meeting of stockholders, a stockholder may designate another person to act for such stockholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period.

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  FRANCE   DELAWARE

Shareholder Action by Written Consent

 

Under French law, shareholders' action by written consent is not permitted in a société anonyme.

 

Under Delaware law, a corporation's certificate of incorporation (1) may permit stockholders to act by written consent if such action is signed by all stockholders, (2) may permit stockholders to act by written consent signed by stockholders having the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to take such action at a meeting or (3) may prohibit actions by written consent.

Preemptive Rights

 

Under French law, in case of issuance of additional shares or other securities for cash or set-off against cash debts, the existing shareholders have preferential subscription rights to these securities on a pro rata his/her share ownership unless such rights are waived by a two-thirds majority of the votes held by the shareholders present at the extraordinary general meeting deciding or authorizing the capital increase, voting in person or represented by proxy or voting by mail. In case such rights have not been waived by the extraordinary general meeting, each shareholder may individually either exercise, assign or not exercise its preferential subscription rights. Since October 1, 2016, preferential subscription rights may only be exercised two business days prior to the day on which the subscription is opened until the second business day prior to its closing. Thus, the preferential subscription rights are transferable during the same period as their period of exercise. In accordance with French law, the period of exercise shall be no less than 5 business days.

 

Under Delaware law, unless otherwise provided in a corporation's certificate of incorporation, a stockholder does not, by operation of law, possess preemptive rights to subscribe to additional issuances of the corporation's stock.

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  FRANCE   DELAWARE

Sources of Dividends

 

Under French law, dividends may only be paid by a French société anonyme out of "distributable profits" (bénéfices distribuables) plus any distributable reserves and "distributable premium" that the shareholders decide to make available for distribution, other than those reserves that are specifically required by law.

"Distributable profits" (bénéfices distribuables) consist of the unconsolidated net profits of the relevant corporation for each fiscal year, as increased or reduced by any profit or loss carried forward from prior years.

 

Under Delaware law, dividends may be paid by a Delaware corporation either out of (1) surplus or (2) in case there is no surplus, out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year, except when the capital is diminished by depreciation in the value of its property, or by losses, or otherwise, to an amount less than the aggregate amount of capital represented by issued and outstanding stock having a preference on the distribution of assets.

 

"Distributable premium" refers to the contribution paid by the shareholders in addition to the par value of their shares for their subscription that the shareholders decide to make available for distribution.

   

 

Except in case of a share capital reduction, no distribution can be made to the shareholders when the net equity is, or would become, lower than the amount of the share capital plus the reserves which cannot be distributed in accordance with the law or the bylaws.

   

Repurchase of Shares

 

Under French law, a corporation may acquire its own shares. Such acquisition may be challenged on the ground of market abuse regulations. However, the Market Abuse Regulation 596/2014 of April 16, 2014 (MAR) provides for safe harbor exemptions when the acquisition is made for the following purposes:

 

Under Delaware law, a corporation may generally redeem or repurchase shares of its stock unless the capital of the corporation is impaired or such redemption or repurchase would impair the capital of the corporation.

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  FRANCE   DELAWARE

 

to decrease its share capital, provided that such decision is not driven by losses and that a purchase offer is made to all shareholders on a pro rata basis, with the approval of the shareholders at the extraordinary general meeting deciding the capital reduction, in which case, the shares repurchased must be cancelled within one month from the expiry of the purchase offer;

   

 

with a view to distributing within one year of their repurchase the relevant shares to employees or managers under a profit-sharing, free share or share option plan; not to exceed 10% of the share capital, in which case the shares repurchased must be distributed within 12 months from their repurchase failing which they must be cancelled; or

   

 

to meet obligations arising from debt securities, that are exchangeable into equity instruments.

   

 

A simple exemption is provided when the acquisition is made under a buy-back program to be authorized by the shareholders in accordance with the provisions of Article L. 225-209 of the French Commercial Code and in accordance with the General Regulations of the Financial Markets Authority (AMF).

   

 

All other purposes, and especially share buy-backs for external growth operations by virtue of Article L. 225-209 of the French Commercial Code, while not forbidden, must be pursued in strict compliance of market manipulations and insider dealing rules.

   

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  FRANCE   DELAWARE

 

Under the MAR and in accordance with the General Regulations of the AMF, a corporation shall report to the competent authority of the trading venue on which the shares have been admitted to trading or are traded, no later than by the end of the seventh daily market session following the date of the execution of the transaction, all the transactions relating to the buy-back program, in a detailed form and in an aggregated form.

   

Liability of Directors and Officers

 

Under French law, the bylaws may not include any provisions limiting the liability of directors. Civil liabilities of the directors may be sought for (1) an infringement of laws and regulations applicable to a company, (2) breach of the bylaws and (3) management failure.

 

Under Delaware law, a corporation's certificate of incorporation may include a provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director to the corporation and its stockholders for damages arising from a breach of fiduciary duty as a director. However, no provision can limit the liability of a director for:

     

any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders;

     

acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

     

intentional or negligent payment of unlawful dividends or stock purchases or redemptions; or

     

any transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit.

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  FRANCE   DELAWARE

Voting Rights

 

French law provides that, unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, each shareholder is entitled to one vote for each share of capital stock held by such shareholder. As from March 2014, double voting rights are automatically granted to the shares held in registered form for more than two years, unless provided otherwise in the bylaws.

 

Delaware law provides that, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, each stockholder is entitled to one vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.

Shareholder Vote on Certain Transactions

  Generally, under French law, completion of a merger, dissolution, sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of a corporation's assets requires:

the approval of the board of directors; and

approval by a two-thirds majority of the votes held by the shareholders present, represented by proxy or voting by mail at the relevant shareholders' meeting or, in the case of a merger with a non-EU company, approval of all shareholders of the corporation.

  Generally, under Delaware law, unless the certificate of incorporation provides for the vote of a larger portion of the stock, completion of a merger, consolidation, sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of a corporation's assets or dissolution requires:

the approval of the board of directors; and

approval by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding stock or, if the certificate of incorporation provides for more or less than one vote per share, a majority of the votes of the outstanding stock of a corporation entitled to vote on the matter.

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  FRANCE   DELAWARE

Dissent or Dissenters' Appraisal Rights

 

French law does not provide for any such right but provides that a merger is subject to shareholders' approval by a two-thirds majority vote as stated above.

 

Under Delaware law, a holder of shares of any class or series has the right, in specified circumstances, to dissent from a merger or consolidation by demanding payment in cash for the stockholder's shares equal to the fair value of those shares, as determined by the Delaware Chancery Court in an action timely brought by the corporation or a dissenting stockholder. Delaware law grants these appraisal rights only in the case of mergers or consolidations and not in the case of a sale or transfer of assets or a purchase of assets for stock. Further, no appraisal rights are available for shares of any class or series that is listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 stockholders, unless the agreement of merger or consolidation requires the holders to accept for their shares anything other than:

     

shares of stock of the surviving corporation;

     

shares of stock of another corporation that are either listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 stockholders;

     

cash in lieu of fractional shares of the stock described in the two preceding bullet points; or

     

any combination of the above.

     

In addition, appraisal rights are not available to holders of shares of the surviving corporation in specified mergers that do not require the vote of the stockholders of the surviving corporation.

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  FRANCE   DELAWARE

Standard of Conduct for Directors

 

French law does not contain specific provisions setting forth the standard of conduct of a director. However, directors have a duty to act without self-interest, on a well-informed basis and they cannot make any decision against a corporation's corporate interest (intérêt social).

 

Delaware law does not contain specific provisions setting forth the standard of conduct of a director. The scope of the fiduciary duties of directors is generally determined by the courts of the State of Delaware. In general, directors have a duty to act without self-interest, on a well-informed basis and in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the best interest of the stockholders.

Shareholder Suits

 

French law provides that a shareholder, or a group of shareholders, may initiate a legal action to seek indemnification from the directors of a corporation in the corporation's corporate interest if it fails to bring such legal action itself. If so, any damages awarded by the court are paid to the corporation and legal fees relating to such action may be borne by the relevant shareholder or the group of shareholders.

The plaintiff must remain a shareholder through the duration of the legal action.

There is no other case where shareholders may initiate a derivative action to enforce a right of a corporation.

A shareholder may alternatively or cumulatively bring individual legal action against the directors, provided he has suffered distinct damages from those suffered by the corporation. In this case, any damages awarded by the court are paid to the relevant shareholder.

  Under Delaware law, a stockholder may initiate a derivative action to enforce a right of a corporation if the corporation fails to enforce the right itself. The complaint must:

state that the plaintiff was a stockholder at the time of the transaction of which the plaintiff complains or that the plaintiff's shares thereafter devolved on the plaintiff by operation of law; and

allege with particularity the efforts made by the plaintiff to obtain the action the plaintiff desires from the directors and the reasons for the plaintiff's failure to obtain the action; or

state the reasons for not making the effort.

Additionally, the plaintiff must remain a stockholder through the duration of the derivative suit. The action will not be dismissed or compromised without the approval of the Delaware Court of Chancery.

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  FRANCE   DELAWARE

Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation

 

Under French law, corporations are not required to file a certificate of incorporation with the French Registry of Commerce and Companies (registre du commerce et des sociétés) and only have bylaws (statuts) as organizational documents.

  Under Delaware law, generally a corporation may amend its certificate of incorporation if:

its board of directors has adopted a resolution setting forth the amendment proposed and declared its advisability; and

the amendment is adopted by the affirmative votes of a majority (or greater percentage as may be specified by the corporation) of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment and a majority (or greater percentage as may be specified by the corporation) of the outstanding shares of each class or series of stock, if any, entitled to vote on the amendment as a class or series.

Amendment of Bylaws

 

Under French law, only the extraordinary shareholders' meeting is authorized to adopt or amend the bylaws.

 

Under Delaware law, the stockholders entitled to vote have the power to adopt, amend or repeal bylaws. A corporation may also confer, in its certificate of incorporation, that power upon the board of directors.

Listing

        We have applied to have our ADSs listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "GNFT." Our ordinary shares are currently listed on Euronext Paris under the symbol "GNFT."

Transfer Agent and Registrar

        BNP Paribas Securities Services is our transfer agent and registrar and currently maintains our share register for our ordinary shares. Upon the closing of the U.S. offering, BNP Paribas Securities Services will also serve as transfer agent and registrar for our ADSs. The share register reflects only record owners of our ordinary shares. Holders of our ADSs will not be treated as one of our shareholders and their names will therefore not be entered in our share register. The depositary, the custodian or their nominees will be the holder of the shares underlying our ADSs. Holders of our ADSs have a right to receive the ordinary shares underlying their ADSs. For discussion on our ADSs and ADS holder rights, see "Description of American Depositary Shares" in this prospectus.

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LIMITATIONS AFFECTING SHAREHOLDERS OF A FRENCH COMPANY

Ownership of ADSs or Shares by Non-French Residents

        Neither the French Commercial Code nor our bylaws presently impose any restrictions on the right of non-French residents or non-French shareholders to own and vote shares. However, non-French residents must file a declaration for statistical purposes with the Bank of France (Banque de France) within twenty working days following the date of certain direct foreign investments in us, including any purchase of our ADSs. In particular, such filings are required in connection with investments exceeding €15,000,000 that lead to the acquisition of at least 10% of our share capital or voting rights or cross such 10% threshold. Violation of this filing requirement may be sanctioned by five years of imprisonment and a fine of up to twice the amount of the relevant investment. This amount may be increased fivefold if the violation is made by a legal entity.

        Moreover, certain foreign investments in companies incorporated under French laws are subject to the prior authorization from the French Minister of the Economy, where all or part of the target's business and activity relate to a strategic sector, such as energy, transportation, public health, telecommunications, etc.

Foreign Exchange Controls

        Under current French foreign exchange control regulations there are no limitations on the amount of cash payments that we may remit to residents of foreign countries. Laws and regulations concerning foreign exchange controls do, however, require that all payments or transfers of funds made by a French resident to a non-resident such as dividend payments be handled by an accredited intermediary. All registered banks and substantially all credit institutions in France are accredited intermediaries.

Availability of Preferential Subscription Rights

        Our shareholders will have the preferential subscription rights described under "Description of Share Capital—Key Provisions of Our Bylaws and French Law Affecting Our Ordinary Shares—Changes in Share Capital—Preferential Subscription Right." Under French law, shareholders have preferential rights to subscribe for cash issues of new shares or other securities giving rights to acquire additional shares on a pro rata basis. Holders of our securities in the United States (which may be in the form of shares or ADSs) may not be able to exercise preferential subscription rights for their securities unless a registration statement under the Securities Act is effective with respect to such rights or an exemption from the registration requirements imposed by the Securities Act is available. We may, from time to time, issue new shares or other securities giving rights to acquire additional shares (such as warrants) at a time when no registration statement is in effect and no Securities Act exemption is available. If so, holders of our securities in the United States will be unable to exercise any preferential subscription rights and their interests will be diluted. We are under no obligation to file any registration statement in connection with any issuance of new shares or other securities. We intend to evaluate at the time of any rights offering the costs and potential liabilities associated with registering the rights, as well as the indirect benefits to us of enabling the exercise by holders of shares and holders of ADSs in the United States of the subscription rights, and any other factors we consider appropriate at the time, and then to make a decision as to whether to register the rights. We cannot assure you that we will file a registration statement.

        For holders of our ordinary shares in the form of ADSs, the depositary may make these rights or other distributions available to ADS holders. If the depositary does not make the rights available to ADS holders and determines that it is impractical to sell the rights, it may allow these rights to lapse. In that case ADS holders will receive no value for them. The section of this prospectus titled "Description of American Depositary Shares—Dividends and Other Distributions" explains in detail the depositary's responsibility in connection with a rights offering. See also "Risk Factors—The right as a holder of ADSs to participate in any future preferential subscription rights or to elect to receive dividends in shares may be limited, which may cause dilution to the holdings of purchasers of ADSs in the U.S. offering."

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DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

American Depositary Shares

        The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary, will register and deliver American Depositary Shares, or ADSs. Each ADS will represent one ordinary share (or a right to receive one ordinary share) deposited with BNP Paribas Securities Services, as custodian for the depositary in France. Each ADS will also represent any other securities, cash or other property that may be held by the depositary. The deposited ordinary shares together with any other securities, cash or other property held by the depositary are referred to as the deposited securities. The depositary's office at which the ADSs will be administered and its principal executive office are located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286.

        You may hold ADSs either (A) directly (i) by having an American Depositary Receipt, or an ADR, which is a certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs, registered in your name, or (ii) by having uncertificated ADSs registered in your name, or (B) indirectly by holding a security entitlement in ADSs through your broker or other financial institution that is a direct or indirect participant in The Depository Trust Company, or DTC. If you hold ADSs directly, you are a registered ADS holder, or an ADS holder. This description assumes you are an ADS holder. If you hold the ADSs indirectly, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADS holders described in this section. You should consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.

        Registered holders of uncertificated ADSs will receive statements from the depositary confirming their holdings.

        As an ADS holder, we will not treat you as one of our shareholders and you will not have shareholder rights. French law governs shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. As a registered holder of ADSs, you will have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary, ADS holders and all other persons indirectly or beneficially holding ADSs sets out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. New York law governs the deposit agreement and the ADSs.

        The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement and the form of ADR. For directions on how to obtain copies of those documents, see the section of this prospectus titled "Where You Can Find More Information."

Dividends and Other Distributions

How will you receive dividends and other distributions on the ordinary shares?

        The depositary has agreed to pay or distribute to ADS holders the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on ordinary shares or other deposited securities, upon payment or deduction of its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of ordinary shares your ADSs represent.

        Cash.    After completion of the global offering, we do not expect to declare or pay any cash dividends or cash distributions on our ordinary shares for the foreseeable future. The depositary will convert any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the ordinary shares into U.S. dollars, if it can do so on a reasonable basis and can transfer the U.S. dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or if any government approval is needed and cannot be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign currency only to those ADS holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for any interest.

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        Before making a distribution, any withholding taxes, or other governmental charges that must be paid will be deducted. See the section of this prospectus titled "Material United States Federal Income and French Tax Considerations." The depositary will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional cents to the nearest whole cent. If the exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some of the value of the distribution.

        Ordinary Shares.    The depositary may distribute additional ADSs representing any ordinary shares we distribute as a dividend or free distribution. The depositary will only distribute whole ADSs. It will sell ordinary shares which would require it to deliver a fraction of an ADS (or ADSs representing those ordinary shares) and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADSs, the outstanding ADSs will also represent the new ordinary shares. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed ordinary shares (or ADSs representing those ordinary shares) sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution.

        Rights to purchase additional ordinary shares.    If we offer holders of our securities any rights to subscribe for additional ordinary shares or any other rights, the depositary may (i) exercise those rights on behalf of ADS holders, (ii) distribute those rights to ADS holders or (iii) sell those rights and distribute the net proceeds to ADS holders, in each case after deduction or upon payment of its fees and expenses. To the extent the depositary does not do any of those things, it will allow the rights to lapse unexercised. In that case, you will receive no value for them. The depositary will exercise or distribute rights only if we ask it to and provide satisfactory assurances to the depositary that it is legal to do so. If the depositary will exercise rights, it will purchase the securities to which the rights relate and distribute those securities or, in the case of ordinary shares, new ADSs representing the new ordinary shares, to subscribing ADS holders, but only if ADS holders have paid the exercise price to the depositary. U.S. securities laws may restrict the ability of the depositary to distribute rights or ADSs or other securities issued on exercise of rights to all or certain ADS holders, and the securities distributed may be subject to restrictions on transfer.

        Other Distributions.    The depositary will send to ADS holders anything else we distribute on deposited securities by any means it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way, the depositary has a choice. It may decide to sell what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds, in the same way as it does with cash. Or, it may decide to hold what we distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed property. However, the depositary is not required to distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to ADS holders unless it receives satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to make that distribution. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed securities or property sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution. U.S. securities laws may restrict the ability of the depositary to distribute securities to all or certain ADS holders, and the securities distributed may be subject to restrictions on transfer.

        The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, ordinary shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, ordinary shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that you may not receive the distributions we make on our ordinary shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to you.

Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation

How are ADSs issued?

        The depositary will deliver ADSs if you or your broker deposits ordinary shares or evidence of rights to receive ordinary shares with the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the

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appropriate number of ADSs in the names you request and will deliver the ADSs to or upon the order of the person or persons that made the deposit.

How can ADS holders withdraw the deposited securities?

        You may surrender your ADSs to the depositary for the purpose of withdrawal. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the ordinary shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to the ADS holder or a person the ADS holder designates at the office of the custodian. Or, at your request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its office, if feasible. However, the depositary is not required to accept surrender of ADSs to the extent it would require delivery of a fraction of a deposited ordinary share or other security. The depositary may charge you a fee and its expenses for instructing the custodian regarding delivery of deposited securities.

How do ADS holders interchange between certificated ADSs and uncertificated ADSs?

        You may surrender your ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging your ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary will cancel that ADR and will send to the ADS holder a statement confirming that the ADS holder is the registered holder of uncertificated ADSs. Upon receipt by the depositary of a proper instruction from a registered holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs, the depositary will execute and deliver to the ADS holder an ADR evidencing those ADSs.

Voting Rights

How do you vote?

        ADS holders may instruct the depositary how to vote the number of deposited ordinary shares their ADSs represent. If we request the depositary to solicit your voting instructions (and we are not required to do so), the depositary will notify you of a shareholders' meeting and send or make voting materials available to you. Those materials will describe the matters to be voted on and explain how ADS holders may instruct the depositary how to vote. For instructions to be valid, they must reach the depositary by a date set by the depositary. The depositary will try, as far as practical, subject to the laws of France and the provisions of our articles of association or similar documents, to vote or to have its agents vote the ordinary shares or other deposited securities as instructed by ADS holders. If we do not request the depositary to solicit your voting instructions, you can still send voting instructions, and, in that case, the depositary may try to vote as you instruct, but it is not required to do so.

        In any event, the depositary will not exercise any discretion in voting deposited securities and it will only vote or attempt to vote as instructed or as described in the following sentence. If we asked the depositary to solicit your instructions at least 30 days before the meeting date but the depositary does not receive voting instructions from you by the specified date and we confirm to the depositary that

then the depositary will consider you to have authorized and directed it to give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by us to vote the number of deposited securities represented by your ADSs as to that question.

        We cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote your ordinary shares. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not

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responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that you may not be able to exercise voting rights and there may be nothing you can do if your ordinary shares are not voted as you requested.

        In order to give you a reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to deposited securities, if we request the Depositary to act, we agree to give the depositary notice of any such meeting and details concerning the matters to be voted upon at least 30 days in advance of the meeting date.

        A double voting right is attached to each registered share which is held in the name of the same shareholder for at least two years. However, the ordinary shares underlying our ADSs will not be entitled to double voting rights as the depositary will hold the shares underlying our ADSs in bearer form.

        Holders of ADSs who wish to obtain double voting rights will need to surrender their ADSs at the depositary's office. The depositary will in turn deliver the ordinary shares underlying such ADSs to you, and you must then inscribe those shares directly in registered form within the books of our transfer agent and registrar for the ordinary shares for two consecutive years in order to be entitled to double voting rights.

        Except as described above, you will not be able to exercise your right to vote unless you withdraw the ordinary shares. However, you may not know about the shareholder meeting enough in advance to withdraw the ordinary shares.

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Fees and Expenses

What fees and expenses will you be responsible for paying?

        Pursuant to the terms of the deposit agreement, the persons depositing or withdrawing ordinary shares or holders of ADSs will be required to pay the following fees:

Persons depositing or withdrawing ordinary shares or ADS holders must pay:
  For:
$5.00 (or less) per 100 ADSs (or portion of 100 ADSs)  

Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of ordinary shares or rights or other property

 

Cancellation of ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal, including if the deposit agreement terminates

$.05 (or less) per ADS

 

Any cash distribution to ADS holders

A fee equivalent to the fee that would be payable if securities distributed to you had been ordinary shares and the ordinary shares had been deposited for issuance of ADSs

 

Distribution of securities distributed to holders of deposited securities (including rights) that are distributed by the depositary to ADS holders

$.05 (or less) per ADS per calendar year

 

Depositary services

Registration or transfer fees

 

Transfer and registration of ordinary shares on our share register to or from the name of the depositary or its agent when you deposit or withdraw ordinary shares

Expenses of the depositary

 

Cable and facsimile transmissions (when expressly provided in the deposit agreement)

 

Converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars

Taxes and other governmental charges the depositary or the custodian has to pay on any ADSs or ordinary shares underlying ADSs, such as stock transfer taxes, stamp duty or withholding taxes

 

As necessary

Any charges incurred by the depositary or its agents for servicing the deposited securities

 

As necessary

        The depositary collects its fees for delivery and surrender of ADSs directly from investors depositing ordinary shares or surrendering ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal or from intermediaries acting for them. The depositary collects fees for making distributions to investors by deducting those fees from the amounts distributed or by selling a portion of distributable property to pay the fees. The depositary may collect its annual fee for depositary services by deduction from cash distributions or by directly billing investors or by charging the book-entry system accounts of participants acting for them. The depositary may collect any of its fees by deduction from any cash distribution payable (or by selling a portion of securities or other property distributable) to ADS holders that are obligated to pay those fees. The depositary may generally refuse to provide fee-attracting services until its fees for those services are paid.

        From time to time, the depositary may make payments to us to reimburse us for costs and expenses generally arising out of establishment and maintenance of the ADS program, waive fees and

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expenses for services provided to us by the depositary or share revenue from the fees collected from ADS holders. In performing its duties under the deposit agreement, the depositary may use brokers, dealers, foreign currency dealers or other service providers that are owned by or affiliated with the depositary and that may earn or share fees, spreads or commissions.

        The depositary may convert currency itself or through any of its affiliates and, in those cases, acts as principal for its own account and not as agent, advisor, broker or fiduciary on behalf of any other person and earns revenue, including, without limitation, transaction spreads, that it will retain for its own account. The revenue is based on, among other things, the difference between the exchange rate assigned to the currency conversion made under the deposit agreement and the rate that the depositary or its affiliate receives when buying or selling foreign currency for its own account. The depositary makes no representation that the exchange rate used or obtained in any currency conversion under the deposit agreement will be the most favorable rate that could be obtained at the time or that the method by which that rate will be determined will be the most favorable to ADS holders, subject to the depositary's obligations under the deposit agreement. The methodology used to determine exchange rates used in currency conversions is available upon request.

Payment of Taxes

        You will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable on your ADSs or on the deposited securities represented by any of your ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register any transfer of your ADSs or allow you to withdraw the deposited securities represented by your ADSs until those taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell deposited securities represented by your American Depositary Shares to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to ADS holders any proceeds, or send to ADS holders any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes. Your obligation to pay taxes and indemnify us and the depository against any tax claims will survive the transfer or surrender of your ADSs, the withdrawal of the deposited ordinary shares as well as the termination of the deposit agreement.

Tender and Exchange Offers; Redemption, Replacement or Cancellation of Deposited Securities

        The depositary will not tender deposited securities in any voluntary tender or exchange offer unless instructed to do by an ADS holder surrendering ADSs and subject to any conditions or procedures the depositary may establish.

        If deposited securities are redeemed for cash in a transaction that is mandatory for the depositary as a holder of deposited securities, the depositary will call for surrender of a corresponding number of ADSs and distribute the net redemption money to the holders of called ADSs upon surrender of those ADSs.

        If there is any change in the deposited securities such as a sub-division, combination or other reclassification, or any merger, consolidation, recapitalization or reorganization affecting the issuer of deposited securities in which the depositary receives new securities in exchange for or in lieu of the old deposited securities, the depositary will hold those replacement securities as deposited securities under the deposit agreement. However, if the depositary decides it would not be lawful and practical to hold the replacement securities because those securities could not be distributed to ADS holders or for any other reason, the depositary may instead sell the replacement securities and distribute the net proceeds upon surrender of the ADSs.

        If there is a replacement of the deposited securities and the depositary will continue to hold the replacement securities, the depositary may distribute new ADSs representing the new deposited securities or ask you to surrender your outstanding ADRs in exchange for new ADRs identifying the new deposited securities.

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        If there are no deposited securities underlying ADSs, including if the deposited securities are cancelled, or if the deposited securities underlying ADSs have become apparently worthless, the depositary may call for surrender or of those ADSs or cancel those ADSs upon notice to the ADS holders.

Amendment and Termination

How may the deposit agreement be amended?

        We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the ADRs without your consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees, facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, or prejudices a substantial right of ADS holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADSs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADS holders of the amendment. At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold your ADSs, to agree to the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended.

How may the deposit agreement be terminated?

        The depositary will initiate termination of the deposit agreement if we instruct it to do so. The depositary may initiate termination of the deposit agreement if

        If the deposit agreement will terminate, the depositary will notify ADS holders at least 90 days before the termination date. At any time after the termination date, the depositary may sell the deposited securities. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement, unsegregated and without liability for interest, for the pro rata benefit of the ADS holders that have not surrendered their ADSs. Normally, the depositary will sell as soon as practicable after the termination date.

        After the termination date and before the depositary sells, ADS holders can still surrender their ADSs and receive delivery of deposited securities, except that the depositary may refuse to accept a surrender for the purpose of withdrawing deposited securities or reverse previously accepted surrenders of that kind if it would interfere with the selling process. The depositary may refuse to accept a surrender for the purpose of withdrawing sale proceeds until all the deposited securities have been sold. The depositary will continue to collect distributions on deposited securities, but, after the termination date, the depositary is not required to register any transfer of ADSs or distribute any dividends or other distributions on deposited securities to the ADSs holder (until they surrender their ADSs) or give any notices or perform any other duties under the deposit agreement except as described in this paragraph.

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Limitations on Obligations and Liability

Limits on our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs

        The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the liability of the depositary. We and the depositary:

        In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.

Requirements for Depositary Actions

        Before the depositary will deliver or register a transfer of ADSs, make a distribution on ADSs, or permit withdrawal of ordinary shares, the depositary may require:

        The depositary may refuse to deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs when the transfer books of the depositary or our transfer books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it advisable to do so.

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Your Right to Receive the Ordinary Shares Underlying your ADSs

        ADS holders have the right to cancel their ADSs and withdraw the underlying ordinary shares at any time except:

        This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.

Direct Registration System

        In the deposit agreement, all parties to the deposit agreement acknowledge that the Direct Registration System, also referred to as DRS, and Profile Modification System, also referred to as Profile, will apply to the ADSs. DRS is a system administered by DTC that facilitates interchange between registered holding of uncertificated ADSs and holding of security entitlements in ADSs through DTC and a DTC participant. Profile is a feature of DRS that allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of a registered holder of uncertificated ADSs, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register that transfer.

        In connection with and in accordance with the arrangements and procedures relating to DRS/Profile, the parties to the deposit agreement understand that the depositary will not determine whether the DTC participant that is claiming to be acting on behalf of an ADS holder in requesting registration of transfer and delivery as described in the paragraph above has the actual authority to act on behalf of the ADS holder (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code). In the deposit agreement, the parties agree that the depositary's reliance on and compliance with instructions received by the depositary through the DRS/Profile system and in accordance with the deposit agreement will not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of the depositary.

Shareholder communications; inspection of register of holders of ADSs

        The depositary will make available for your inspection at its office all communications that it receives from us as a holder of deposited securities that we make generally available to holders of deposited securities. The depositary will send you copies of those communications or otherwise make those communications available to you if we ask it to. You have a right to inspect the register of holders of ADSs, but not for the purpose of contacting those holders about a matter unrelated to our business or the ADSs.

        Each holder of ADSs may be required from time to time to provide certain information, including proof of taxpayer status, residence and beneficial ownership (as applicable), from time to time and in a timely manner as we, the depositary or the custodian may deem necessary or proper to fulfill obligations under applicable law.

Jury Trial Waiver

        The deposit agreement provides that, to the extent permitted by law, ADS holders waive the right to a jury trial of any claim they may have against us or the depositary arising out of or relating to our

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ordinary shares, the ADSs or the deposit agreement, including any claim under the U.S. federal securities laws. If we or the depositary opposed a jury trial demand based on the waiver, the court would determine whether the waiver was enforceable in the facts and circumstances of that case in accordance with applicable case law. However, you will not be deemed by agreeing to the terms of the deposit agreement to have waived our or the depositary's compliance with U.S. federal securities laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

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SHARES AND ADSs ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

        Prior to the U.S. offering, while our ordinary shares have been traded on Euronext Paris since April 2014 and prior to that, on the Alternext since 2006, there has been no public market on a U.S. national securities exchange for our ADSs or ordinary shares in the United States. Future sales of ADSs in the U.S. public market after the U.S. offering, and the availability of ADSs for future sale, could adversely affect the market price of the ADSs prevailing from time to time. As described below, a significant number of currently outstanding ordinary shares will not be available for sale shortly after the global offering due to contractual restrictions on transfers of ordinary shares and ADSs. However, sales of substantial amounts of our ADSs or our ordinary shares, or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely affect prevailing market prices for the ADSs and could impair our future ability to raise equity capital.

        Based on the number of ordinary shares outstanding on December 31, 2018, upon completion of the global offering, 36,183,921 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) will be outstanding, assuming no outstanding warrants are exercised and assuming no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares. All of the ADSs sold in the U.S. offering will be freely tradable without restrictions or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any ADSs sold to our "affiliates," as that term is defined under Rule 144 under the Securities Act. The ordinary shares held by existing shareholders are "restricted securities," as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Restricted securities may be sold in the United States on the Nasdaq Global Market only if registered or if their resale qualifies for exemption from registration described below under Rule 144 or 701 promulgated under the Securities Act.

        Under the lock-up and market stand-off agreements described below and the provisions of Rules 144 and 701 under the Securities Act and French law, and assuming no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional ADSs and/or ordinary shares, these restricted securities will be available for sale in the public market 90 days after the date of the underwriting agreement related to this global offering, provided that shares held by our affiliates will remain subject to volume, manner of sale and other resale limitations set forth in Rule 144 and subject to French law, both as described below.

Rule 144

        In general, a person who has beneficially owned restricted ordinary shares for at least six months would be entitled to sell their securities pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act provided that (1) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the 90 days preceding, a sale and (2) we have been subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least 90 days before the sale. Persons who have beneficially owned restricted ordinary shares for at least six months, but who are our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the 90 days preceding a sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of either of the following:

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provided, in each case, that we have been subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least 90 days before the sale. Such sales both by affiliates and by non-affiliates must also comply with the manner of sale, current public information and notice provisions of Rule 144.

Rule 701

        Rule 701 under the Securities Act, as in effect on the date of this prospectus, permits resales of shares in reliance upon Rule 144 but without compliance with certain restrictions of Rule 144, including the holding period requirement. Most of our employees, senior management or directors who purchased shares under a written compensatory plan or contract may be entitled to rely on the resale provisions of Rule 701, but all holders of Rule 701 shares are required to wait until 90 days after the date of this prospectus before selling their shares subject also to French law, as described below.

Lock-up Agreements

        We and our senior management and directors and their affiliated entities have agreed that, without the prior written consent of SVB Leerink LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., we and they will not, subject to customary exceptions, during the period ending 90 days after the date of this prospectus, directly or indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell, pledge or otherwise transfer or dispose of any ordinary shares, ADSs or any securities convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for our ordinary shares or ADSs or publicly announce an intent to do any of the foregoing. SVB Leerink LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., on behalf of the underwriters, will have discretion in determining if and when to release any ordinary shares or ADSs subject to lock-up agreements.

        We do not currently expect any release of ordinary shares or ADSs subject to lock-up agreements prior to the expiration of the applicable lock-up periods. Upon the expiration of the applicable lock-up periods, substantially all of the ordinary shares and ADSs subject to such lock-up restrictions will become eligible for sale, subject to the limitations described above.

French Law

        Under French law, and in particular under the General Regulation issued by the French Financial Markets Authority (Réglement Général de l'AMF), as well as under Market Abuse Regulation 596/2014 of 16 April 2014 (MAR), any person that holds inside information shall, until such information is made public, refrain from (1) carrying out any transactions relating to securities issued by the company, (2) recommending that another person engage in insider dealing or induce another person to engage in insider dealing, (3) unlawfully disclosing inside information outside of the normal exercise of an employment, a profession or duties. The use of inside information by cancelling or amending an order concerning a financial instrument to which the information relates where the order was placed before the person concerned possessed the inside information, shall also be considered to be insider dealing. These rules apply to all persons who hold inside information as a result of (1) their status as board member, executive officer, manager, employee of the company, third parties acting on behalf of the company and having access to privileged information as party of their professional relations with the company during the preparation or the completion of a particular transaction, such as investor services providers, lawyers or public relations agencies, (2) their holding of securities in the share capital of the company, and/or (3) their access to information because of their employment, profession or duties or their participation in the preparation of a financial transaction.

        Under MAR and the General Regulation of the French Financial Markets Authority, it is also prohibited for a person to engage or attempt to engage in market manipulation.

        Prohibited transactions include all transactions related to securities (stocks, bonds, securities convertible, options and warrants), and, in particular, the (1) transfer of securities, (2) exercise of options and warrants (including founder's share warrants) and exercise of any securities giving access to the capital, (3) transfer of free shares and (4) acquisition of securities.

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MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME AND FRENCH TAX CONSIDERATIONS

        The following describes material U.S. federal income tax and French tax considerations relating to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of ADSs by a U.S. holder (as defined below). This summary addresses these tax considerations only for U.S. holders that are initial purchasers of the ADSs pursuant to the global offering and that will hold such ADSs as capital assets (generally, property held for investment). This summary does not address all U.S. federal income tax and French tax matters that may be relevant to a particular U.S. holder. This summary does not address tax considerations applicable to a holder of ADSs that may be subject to special tax rules including, without limitation, the following:

        Holders of ADSs who fall within one of the categories above are advised to consult their usual tax advisor regarding the specific tax consequences which may apply to their particular situation.

        For the purposes of this description, a "U.S. holder" is a beneficial owner of ADSs that is (or is treated as), for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

        If a partnership (or any other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds ADSs, the tax consequences relating to an investment in the ADSs will depend in part upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Such a partner or partnership should consult its tax advisor regarding the specific tax considerations of acquiring, owning and disposing of the ADSs in its particular circumstances.

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        The discussion in this section is based in part upon the representations of the depositary and the assumption that each obligation in the deposit agreement and any related agreement will be performed in accordance with its terms.

        Persons considering an investment in the ADSs should consult their own tax advisors as to the particular tax consequences applicable to them relating to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the ADSs, including the applicability of U.S. federal, state and local tax laws, French tax laws and other non-U.S. tax laws.

Material French Tax Considerations

        The following describes the material French income tax consequences to U.S. holders of purchasing, owning and disposing of our ADSs and, unless otherwise noted, this discussion is the opinion of Linklaters LLP, our French tax counsel, insofar as it relates to matters of French tax law and legal conclusions with respect to those matters.

        This discussion does not purport to be a complete analysis or listing of all potential tax effects of the acquisition, ownership or disposition of our ADSs to any particular investor, and does not discuss tax considerations that arise from rules of general application or that are generally assumed to be known by investors. All of the following is subject to change. Such changes could apply retroactively and could affect the consequences described below.

        The description of the French income tax and wealth tax consequences set forth below is based on the Convention Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the French Republic for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and Capital of August 31, 1994, or the Treaty, which came into force on December 30, 1995 (as amended by any subsequent protocols, including the protocol of January 13, 2009), and the tax guidelines issued by the French tax authorities in force as of the date of this prospectus.

        This discussion applies only to investors that are entitled to Treaty benefits under the "Limitation on Benefits" provision contained in the Treaty.

        In 2011, France introduced a comprehensive set of new tax rules applicable to French assets that are held by or in foreign trusts. These rules provide inter alia for the inclusion of trust assets in the settlor's net assets for the purpose of applying the French wealth tax, for the application of French gift and death duties to French assets held in trust, for a specific tax on capital on the French assets of foreign trusts not already subject to the French wealth tax and for a number of French tax reporting and disclosure obligations. The following discussion does not address the French tax consequences applicable to securities (including ADSs) held in trusts. If ADSs are held in trust, the grantor, trustee and beneficiary are urged to consult their own tax advisor regarding the specific tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of securities (including ADSs).

        U.S. holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of securities in light of their particular circumstances, especially with regard to the "Limitations on Benefits" provision.

Estate and Gift Taxes

        In general, a transfer of securities by gift or by reason of death of a U.S. holder that would otherwise be subject to French gift or inheritance tax, respectively, will not be subject to such French tax by reason of the Convention between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the French Republic for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Estates, Inheritances and Gifts, dated November 24, 1978, unless (1) the donor or the transferor is domiciled in France at the time of making the gift or at the time of his or her death, or (2) the securities were used in, or held for use in, the conduct of a business through a permanent establishment or a fixed base in France.

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Transfer Taxes

        Pursuant to Article 235 ter ZD of the Code général des impôts (French Tax Code, or FTC), purchases of shares or ADSs of a French company listed on a regulated market of the European Union or on a foreign regulated market formally acknowledged by the French Financial Market Authority (AMF) are subject to a 0.3% French tax on financial transactions provided that, broadly, the issuer's market capitalization exceeds 1 billion euros as of December 1 of the year preceding the taxation year. The Nasdaq Global Market is not currently acknowledged by the French AMF but this may change in the future. A list of companies whose market capitalization exceeds 1 billion euros as of December 1 of the year preceding the taxation year within the meaning of Article 235 ter ZD of the FTC used to be published annually, by the French Ministry of Economy by a ministerial decree until December 2014. It was not published by the French tax authorities, and could be amended at any time. As from such date, the list is published by the French tax authorities on an annual basis in their official guidelines. Pursuant to regulations BOI-ANNX-000467-20181217 issued on December 17, 2018, we are currently not included in such list. Please note that such list may be updated from time to time, or may not be published anymore in the future.

        Following the global offering, purchases of our securities may be subject to such tax provided that its market capitalization exceeds 1 billion euros as of December 1 of the year preceding the taxation year and that the Nasdaq Global Market is acknowledged by the French AMF.

        In the case where Article 235 ter ZD of the FTC is not applicable, transfers of shares issued by a French company which are listed on a regulated or organized market within the meaning of the French Monetary and Financial Code are subject to uncapped registration duties at the rate of 0.1% if the transfer is evidenced by a written statement ("acte") executed either in France or outside France. As ordinary shares of our company are listed on Euronext Paris, which is an organized market within the meaning of the French Monetary and Financial Code, their transfer should be subject to uncapped registration duties at the rate of 0.1% subject to the existence of a written statement, or acte and provided that Article 235 ter ZD of the FTC is not applicable.

Tax on Sale or Other Disposition

        As a matter of principle, under French tax law, a U.S. holder should not be subject to any French tax on any capital gain from the sale, exchange, repurchase or redemption by us of ordinary shares or ADSs, provided such U.S. holder is not a French tax resident for French tax purposes and has not held more than 25% of our dividend rights, known as "droits aux bénéfices sociaux," at any time during the preceding five years, either directly or indirectly, and, as relates to individuals, alone or with relatives (as an exception, a U.S holder resident, established or incorporated in a non-cooperative State or territory as defined in Article 238-0 A of the FTC should be subject to a 75% withholding tax in France on any such capital gain, regardless of the fraction of the dividend rights it holds. A law aiming at fighting against tax fraud and adopted in October 2018 by the French Parliament expands the list of non-cooperative States or territories as defined under Article 238-0 A of the FTC to include States and jurisdictions on the blacklist published by the Council of the European Union and as a consequence, expands this 75% withholding tax regime to certain States and jurisdictions included in the blacklist.)

        Under application of the Treaty, a U.S. holder who is a U.S. resident for purposes of the Treaty and entitled to Treaty benefit will not be subject to French tax on any such capital gain unless the ordinary shares or the ADSs form part of the business property of a permanent establishment or fixed base that the U.S. holder has in France. U.S. holders who own ordinary shares or ADSs through U.S. partnerships that are not resident for Treaty purposes are advised to consult their own tax advisors regarding their French tax treatment and their eligibility for Treaty benefits in light of their own particular circumstances. A U.S. holder that is not a U.S. resident for Treaty purposes or is not entitled to Treaty benefit (and in both cases is not resident, established or incorporated in a non-cooperative State or territory as defined in Article 238-0 A of the FTC) and has held more than 25% of our

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dividend rights, known as "droits aux bénéfices sociaux," at any time during the preceding five years, either directly or indirectly, and, as relates to individuals, alone or with relatives will be subject to a levy in France at the rate (1) of 12.8% for individuals and (2) corresponding to the standard corporate income tax rate set forth in Article 219-I of the FTC for legal persons. Special rules apply to U.S. holders who are residents of more than one country.

Taxation of Dividends

        Dividends paid by a French corporation to non-residents of France are generally subject to French withholding tax at a rate of (i) 30% (to be aligned on the standard corporate income tax rate set forth in Article 219-I of the FTC for fiscal years beginning as from January 1, 2020) for payments benefiting legal persons which are not French tax residents, and (ii) 12.8% for payments benefiting individuals who are not French tax residents Dividends paid by a French corporation in a non-cooperative State or territory, as defined in Article 238-0 A of the FTC, will generally be subject to French withholding tax at a rate of 75%. The law aiming at fighting against tax fraud mentioned above expands this 75% withholding tax regime to certain States and jurisdictions included in the blacklist of the European Union. However, eligible U.S. holders which are legal entities and entitled to Treaty benefits under the "Limitation on Benefits" provision contained in the Treaty who are U.S. residents, as defined pursuant to the provisions of the Treaty, will not be subject to this 30% (to be aligned on the standard corporate income tax rate set forth in Article 219-I of the FTC for fiscal years beginning as from January 1, 2020) or 75% withholding tax rate, but may be subject to the withholding tax at a reduced rate (as described below).

        For U.S. holders that are not individuals but are U.S. residents, as defined pursuant to the provisions of the Treaty, the requirements for eligibility for Treaty benefits, including the reduced 5% or 15% withholding tax rates contained in the "Limitation on Benefits" provision of the Treaty, are complex, and certain technical changes were made to these requirements by the protocol of January 13, 2009. U.S. holders are advised to consult their own tax advisors regarding their eligibility for Treaty benefits in light of their own particular circumstances. Dividends paid to an eligible U.S. holder may immediately be subject to the reduced rates of 5% or 15% provided that:

        Otherwise, dividends paid to a U.S. holder, if such U.S. holder is a legal person, will be subject to French withholding tax at the rate of 30% (to be aligned on the standard corporate income tax rate set forth in Article 219-I of the FTC for fiscal years beginning as from January 1, 2020), or 75% if paid in a non-cooperative State or territory (as defined in Article 238-0 A of the FTC), and then reduced at a later date to 5% or 15%, provided that such holder duly completes and provides the French tax authorities with the treaty forms Form 5000 and Form 5001 before December 31 of the second calendar year following the year during which the dividend is paid.

        Certain qualifying pension funds and certain other tax-exempt entities are subject to the same general filing requirements as other U.S. holders except that they may have to supply additional documentation evidencing their entitlement to these benefits.

        Form 5000 and Form 5001, together with instructions, will be provided by the depositary to all U.S. holders registered with the depositary. The depositary will arrange for the filing with the French tax authorities of all such forms properly completed and executed by U.S. holders of ordinary shares or ADSs and returned to the depositary in sufficient time so that they may be filed with the French tax

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authorities before the distribution in order to immediately obtain a reduced withholding tax rate. Otherwise, the depositary must withhold tax at the full rate of 30% or 75% as applicable. In that case, the U.S. holders may claim a refund from the French tax authorities of the excess withholding tax.

        In any case, individual taxpayers who are not fiscally domiciled in France should not have to comply with these procedures if the French withholding tax applying to them is lower than 15%.

Wealth Tax

        As from January 1, 2018, the French wealth tax (impôt de solidarité sur la fortune) is repealed and replaced by the French real estate wealth tax (impôt sur la fortune immobilière). The scope of such new tax is narrowed to real estate assets (and certain assets determined to be real estate assets) or rights, directly or indirectly through one or more legal entities and whose net taxable assets amount to at least €1,300,000.

        Broadly, subject to provisions of double tax treaties and to certain exceptions, individuals who are not residents of France for tax purposes within the meaning of Article 4 B of the FTC, are subject to real estate wealth tax (impôt sur la fortune immobilière) in France in respect of the portion of the value of their shares of our company representing real estate assets (Article 965, 2° of the FTC). Some exceptions are provided by the FTC. For instance, any participations representing less than 10% of the share capital of an operational company and shares representing real estate for the professional use of the company considered shall not fall within the scope of the French real estate wealth tax (impôt sur la fortune immobilière).

        Under the Treaty (the provisions of which should be applicable to this new real estate wealth tax (impôt sur la fortune immobilière) in France), the French real estate wealth tax (impôt sur la fortune immobilière) will however generally not apply to shares that are held by U.S. Holders who (1) own, alone or with related persons, directly or indirectly, shares in our company which give rise to less than 25% of the rights in the company's earnings, and (2) do not own their shares in connection with a permanent establishment or a fixed base through which the U.S. Holder carries on business or performs personal services in France.

        U.S. Holders are advised to consult their usual tax advisor regarding the specific tax consequences which may apply to their particular situation with respect to such French real estate wealth tax (impôt sur la fortune immobilière).

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

        This section discusses the material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of ADSs by a U.S. holder. This description does not address the U.S. federal estate, gift, or alternative minimum tax considerations, or any U.S. state, local, or non-U.S. tax considerations of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the ADSs.

        This description is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, existing, proposed and temporary U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, in each case as in effect and available on the date hereof. All the foregoing is subject to change, which change could apply retroactively, and to differing interpretations, all of which could affect the tax considerations described below. There can be no assurances that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, will not take a position concerning the tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the ADSs or that such a position would not be sustained by a court. We have not obtained, nor do we intend to obtain, a ruling with respect to the U.S. federal income tax considerations in the purchase, ownership or disposition of our ADSs. Accordingly, holders should consult their own tax advisers concerning the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of the ADSs in their particular circumstances.

        As indicated below, this discussion is subject to U.S. federal income tax rules applicable to a "passive foreign investment company," or a PFIC.

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        The discussion below assumes that the representations contained in the deposit agreement are true and that the obligations in the deposit agreement and any related agreements will be complied with in accordance with their terms.

        In general, and taking into account the earlier assumptions, for U.S. federal income and French tax purposes, a U.S. holder holding ADSs will be treated as the owner of the shares represented by the ADSs. Exchanges of shares for ADSs, and ADSs for shares, generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or to French tax.

        Distributions.    Subject to the discussion under "—Passive Foreign Investment Company Considerations," below, the gross amount of any distribution (including any amounts withheld in respect of foreign tax) actually or constructively received by a U.S. holder with respect to ADSs will generally be taxable to the U.S. holder as a dividend to the extent of the U.S. holder's pro rata share of our current and accumulated earnings and profits as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Distributions in excess of earnings and profits will generally be non-taxable to the U.S. holder to the extent of, and will be applied against and reduce, the U.S. holder's adjusted tax basis in the ADSs. Distributions in excess of earnings and profits and such adjusted tax basis will generally be taxable to the U.S. holder as either long-term or short-term capital gain depending upon whether the U.S. holder has held the ADSs for more than one year as of the time such distribution is received. However, since we may not calculate our earnings and profits under U.S. federal income tax principles, it is expected that any distribution will be reported as a dividend, even if that distribution would otherwise be treated as a non-taxable return of capital or as capital gain under the rules described above. Non-corporate U.S. holders may qualify for the preferential rates of taxation with respect to dividends on ADSs applicable to long-term capital gains (i.e., gains from the sale of capital assets held for more than one year) and qualified dividend income (as discussed below) if we are a "qualified foreign corporation" and certain other requirements (discussed below) are met. A non-U.S. corporation (other than a corporation that is classified as a PFIC for the taxable year in which the dividend is paid or the preceding taxable year) generally will be considered to be a qualified foreign corporation (a) if it is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States which the Secretary of Treasury of the United States determines is satisfactory for purposes of this provision and which includes an exchange of information provision, or (b) with respect to any dividend it pays on ADSs which are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. We have applied to list our ADSs on the Nasdaq Global Market, which is an established securities market in the United States, and we expect the ADSs to be readily tradable on the Nasdaq Global Market. There can be no assurance that the ADSs will be considered readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States in later years. The Company, which is incorporated under the laws of France, believes that it qualifies as a resident of France for purposes of, and is eligible for the benefits of, the Convention between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the French Republic for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and Capital, signed on August 31, 1994, as amended and currently in force, or the U.S.-France Tax Treaty, although there can be no assurance in this regard. Further, the IRS has determined that the U.S.-France Tax Treaty is satisfactory for purposes of the qualified dividend rules and that it includes an exchange-of-information program. Therefore, subject to the discussion under "—Passive Foreign Investment Company Considerations," below, such dividends will generally be "qualified dividend income" in the hands of individual U.S. holders, provided that a holding period requirement (more than 60 days of ownership, without protection from the risk of loss, during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the ex-dividend date) and certain other requirements are met. The dividends will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally allowed to corporate U.S. holders.

        A U.S. holder generally may claim the amount of any French withholding tax as either a deduction from gross income or a credit against its U.S. federal income tax liability. The foreign tax credit is subject to numerous complex limitations that must be determined and applied on an individual basis.

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Generally, the credit cannot exceed the proportionate share of a U.S. holder's U.S. federal income tax liability that such U.S. holder's taxable income bears to such U.S. holder's worldwide taxable income. In applying this limitation, a U.S. holder's various items of income and deduction must be classified, under complex rules, as either "foreign source" or "U.S. source." This limitation is calculated separately with respect to specific categories of income. The amount of a distribution with respect to the ADSs that is treated as a "dividend" may be lower for U.S. federal income tax purposes than it is for French income tax purposes, potentially resulting in a reduced foreign tax credit for the U.S. holder. In addition, the creditability of foreign taxes could be affected by actions taken by intermediaries in the chain of ownership between the holders of ADSs and our company if, as a result of such actions, the holders of ADSs are not properly treated as beneficial owners of the underlying ordinary shares. Each U.S. holder should consult its own tax advisors regarding the foreign tax credit rules.

        In general, the amount of a distribution paid to a U.S. holder in a foreign currency will be the U.S. dollar value of the foreign currency calculated by reference to the spot exchange rate on the day the Depositary receives the distribution, regardless of whether the foreign currency is converted into U.S. dollars at that time. Any foreign currency gain or loss a U.S. holder realizes on a subsequent conversion of foreign currency into U.S. dollars will be U.S. source ordinary income or loss. If dividends received in a foreign currency are converted into U.S. dollars on the day they are received, a U.S. holder should not be required to recognize foreign currency gain or loss in respect of the dividend.

        Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of the ADSs.    A U.S. holder will generally recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of ADSs in an amount equal to the difference between the U.S. dollar value of the amount realized from such sale or exchange and the U.S. holder's adjusted tax basis in those ADSs, determined in U.S. dollars. Subject to the discussion under "—Passive Foreign Investment Company Considerations" below, this gain or loss will generally be a capital gain or loss. The adjusted tax basis in the ADSs generally will be equal to the cost of such ADSs. Capital gain from the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of ADSs by a non-corporate U.S. holder is generally eligible for a preferential rate of taxation applicable to capital gains, if the non-corporate U.S. holder's holding period determined at the time of such sale, exchange or other taxable disposition for such ADSs exceeds one year (i.e., such gain is long-term taxable gain). The deductibility of capital losses for U.S. federal income tax purposes is subject to limitations. Any such gain or loss that a U.S. holder recognizes generally will be treated as U.S. source gain or loss for foreign tax credit limitation purposes.

        For a cash basis taxpayer, units of foreign currency paid or received are translated into U.S. dollars at the spot rate on the settlement date of the purchase or sale. In that case, no foreign currency exchange gain or loss will result from currency fluctuations between the trade date and the settlement date of such a purchase or sale. An accrual basis taxpayer, however, may elect the same treatment required of cash basis taxpayers with respect to purchases and sales of the ADSs that are traded on an established securities market, provided the election is applied consistently from year to year. Such election may not be changed without the consent of the IRS. For an accrual basis taxpayer who does not make such election, units of foreign currency paid or received are translated into U.S. dollars at the spot rate on the trade date of the purchase or sale. Such an accrual basis taxpayer may recognize exchange gain or loss based on currency fluctuations between the trade date and the settlement date. Any foreign currency gain or loss a U.S. holder realizes will be U.S. source ordinary income or loss.

        Medicare Tax.    Certain U.S. holders that are individuals, estates or trusts are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their "net investment income," which may include all or a portion of their dividend income and net gains from the disposition of ADSs. Each U.S. holder that is an individual, estate or trust is urged to consult its tax advisors regarding the applicability of the Medicare tax to its income and gains in respect of its investment in the ADSs.

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        Passive Foreign Investment Company Considerations.    If we are classified as a PFIC in any taxable year, a U.S. holder will be subject to special rules generally intended to reduce or eliminate any benefits from the deferral of U.S. federal income tax that a U.S. holder could derive from investing in a non-U.S. company that does not distribute all of its earnings on a current basis.

        We will be classified as a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes in any taxable year in which, after applying certain look-through rules with respect to the income and assets of our subsidiaries, either: (1) at least 75% of the gross income is "passive income" or (2) at least 50% of the average quarterly value of our total gross assets (which would generally be measured by fair market value of our assets, and for which purpose the total value of our assets may be determined in part by the market value of the ADSs and our ordinary shares, which are subject to change) is attributable to assets that produce "passive income" or are held for the production of "passive income."

        Passive income for this purpose generally includes dividends, interest, royalties, rents, gains from commodities and securities transactions, the excess of gains over losses from the disposition of assets which produce passive income, and includes amounts derived by reason of the temporary investment of funds raised in offerings of the ADSs. If a non-U.S. corporation owns directly or indirectly at least 25% by value of the stock of another corporation, the non-U.S. corporation is treated for purposes of the PFIC tests as owning its proportionate share of the assets of the other corporation and as receiving directly its proportionate share of the other corporation's income. The determination of whether we are a PFIC is a fact-intensive determination made on an annual basis and the applicable law is subject to varying interpretation. If we are classified as a PFIC in any taxable year during which a U.S. holder owns our ordinary shares or ADSs, such U.S. holder will be subject to special tax rules discussed below and could suffer adverse tax consequences.

        The market value of our assets may be determined in large part by reference to the market price of the ADSs and our ordinary shares, which is likely to fluctuate after the global offering. Therefore, fluctuations in the market price of our ordinary shares or ADSs may result in our being a PFIC for any taxable year. In addition, the composition of our income and assets will be affected by how, and how quickly, we use the cash proceeds from the global offering in our business. Whether we are a PFIC for any taxable year will depend on our assets and income (including whether we receive certain non-refundable grants or subsidies, and whether such amounts along with reimbursements of certain refundable research tax credits and certain intercompany service payments will constitute gross income for purposes of the PFIC income test) in each year, and because this is a factual determination made annually after the end of each taxable year, there can be no assurance that we will not be considered a PFIC in any taxable year. We do not believe were characterized as a PFIC in our taxable year ending December 31, 2018 and do not believe we will be characterized as a PFIC for our taxable year ending December 31, 2019; however, there can be no assurance that we will not be considered a PFIC for any future taxable year. Our U.S. counsel expresses no opinion regarding our conclusions or our expectations regarding our PFIC status.

        If we are classified as a PFIC in any year with respect to which a U.S. holder owns our ordinary shares or ADSs, we will continue to be treated as a PFIC with respect to such U.S. holder in all succeeding years during which the U.S. holder owns the ordinary shares or ADSs, regardless of whether we continue to meet the tests described above unless we cease to be a PFIC and the U.S. holder has made a "deemed sale" election under the PFIC rules or is eligible to make and makes a mark-to-market election (as described below), with respect to all taxable years during such U.S. holder's holding period in which we are a PFIC. If the "deemed sale" election is made, a U.S. holder will be deemed to have sold the ordinary shares or ADSs the U.S. holder holds at their fair market value as of the date of such deemed sale and any gain from such deemed sale would be subject to the rules described below. After the deemed sale election, so long as we do not become a PFIC in a subsequent taxable year, the U.S. holder's ordinary shares or ADSs with respect to which such election was made will not be treated as shares in a PFIC and the U.S. holder will not be subject to the rules described below with respect to any "excess distribution" the U.S. holder receives from us or any gain

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from an actual sale or other disposition of the ordinary shares or ADSs. U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors as to the possibility and consequences of making a deemed sale election if such election becomes available.

        If we are a PFIC, and you are a U.S. holder that does not make one of the elections described above (and below in further detail), a special tax regime will apply to both (a) any "excess distribution" by us to you (generally, your ratable portion of distributions in any year which are greater than 125% of the average annual distribution received by you in the shorter of the three preceding years or your holding period for the ADSs) and (b) any gain realized on the sale or other disposition of the ADSs. Under this regime, any excess distribution and realized gain will be treated as ordinary income and will be subject to tax as if (a) the excess distribution or gain had been realized ratably over your holding period, (b) the amount deemed realized in each year had been subject to tax in each year of that holding period at the highest marginal rate for such year (other than income allocated to the current period or any taxable period before we became a PFIC, which would be subject to tax at the U.S. holder's regular ordinary income rate for the current year and would not be subject to the interest charge discussed below), and (c) the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax had been imposed on the taxes deemed to have been payable in those years. In addition, dividend distributions made to you will not qualify for the lower rates of taxation applicable to qualified dividends discussed above under "Distributions."

        Certain elections may alleviate some of the adverse consequences of PFIC status and would result in an alternative treatment of the ADSs. If a U.S. holder makes a mark-to-market election, the U.S. holder generally will recognize as ordinary income any excess of the fair market value of the ADSs at the end of each taxable year over their adjusted tax basis, and will recognize an ordinary loss in respect of any excess of the adjusted tax basis of the ADSs over their fair market value at the end of the taxable year (but only to the extent of the net amount of income previously included as a result of the mark-to-market election). If a U.S. holder makes the election, the U.S. holder's tax basis in the ADSs will be adjusted to reflect these income or loss amounts. Any gain recognized on the sale or other disposition of ADSs in a year when we are a PFIC will be treated as ordinary income and any loss will be treated as an ordinary loss (but only to the extent of the net amount of income previously included as a result of the mark-to-market election). The mark-to-market election is available only if we are a PFIC and the ADSs are "regularly traded" on a "qualified exchange." The ADSs will be treated as "regularly traded" in any calendar year in which more than a de minimis quantity of the ADSs are traded on a qualified exchange on at least 15 days during each calendar quarter (subject to the rule that trades that have as one of their principal purposes the meeting of the trading requirement as disregarded). The Nasdaq Global Market is a qualified exchange for this purpose and, consequently, if the ADSs are regularly traded, the mark-to-market election will be available to a U.S. holder.

        However, a mark-to-market election generally cannot be made for equity interests in any lower-tier PFICs that we own, unless shares of such lower-tier PFIC are themselves "marketable." As a result, even if a U.S. holder validly makes a mark-to-market election with respect to our ordinary shares or ADSs, the U.S. holder may continue to be subject to the PFIC rules (described above) with respect to its indirect interest in any of our investments that are treated as an equity interest in a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors as to the availability and desirability of a mark-to-market election, as well as the impact of such election on interests in any lower-tier PFICs.

        We do not currently intend to provide the information necessary for U.S. holders to make qualified electing fund elections if we were treated as a PFIC for any taxable year. U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors to determine whether any of these elections would be available and if so, what the consequences of the alternative treatments would be in their particular circumstances.

        If we are determined to be a PFIC, the general tax treatment for U.S. holders described in this section would apply to indirect distributions and gains deemed to be realized by U.S. holders in respect

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of any of our subsidiaries that also may be determined to be PFICs. U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the PFIC rules to our subsidiaries.

        If a U.S. holder owns ADSs during any taxable year in which we are a PFIC, the U.S. holder generally will be required to file an IRS Form 8621 (Information Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment Company or Qualified Electing Fund) with respect to the company, generally with the U.S. holder's federal income tax return for that year. If our company were a PFIC for a given taxable year, then you should consult your tax advisor concerning your annual filing requirements.

        The U.S. federal income tax rules relating to PFICs are complex. Prospective U.S. investors are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the ADSs, the consequences to them of an investment in a PFIC, any elections available with respect to the ADSs and the IRS information reporting obligations with respect to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the ADSs.

        Backup Withholding and Information Reporting.    U.S. holders generally will be subject to information reporting requirements with respect to dividends on ADSs and on the proceeds from the sale, exchange or disposition of ADSs that are paid within the United States or through U.S.-related financial intermediaries, unless the U.S. holder is an "exempt recipient." In addition, U.S. holders may be subject to backup withholding on such payments, unless the U.S. holder provides a taxpayer identification number and a duly executed IRS Form W-9 or otherwise establishes an exemption. Backup withholding is not an additional tax, and the amount of any backup withholding will be allowed as a credit against a U.S. holder's U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle such holder to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

        Certain Reporting Requirements With Respect to Payments of Offer Price.    U.S. holders paying more than U.S. $100,000 for the ADSs generally may be required to file IRS Form 926 reporting the payment of the Offer Price for the ADSs to us. Substantial penalties may be imposed upon a U.S. holder that fails to comply. Each U.S. holder should consult its own tax advisor as to the possible obligation to file IRS Form 926.

        Foreign Asset Reporting.    Certain individual U.S. holders are required to report information relating to an interest in the ADSs, subject to certain exceptions (including an exception for shares held in accounts maintained by U.S. financial institutions) by filing IRS Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets) with their federal income tax return. U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding their information reporting obligations, if any, with respect to their ownership and disposition of the ADSs.

        THE DISCUSSION ABOVE IS A SUMMARY OF THE MATERIAL FRENCH AND U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF AN INVESTMENT IN OUR ADSs OR ORDINARY SHARES AND IS BASED UPON LAWS AND RELEVANT INTERPRETATIONS THEREOF IN EFFECT AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS, ALL OF WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE, POSSIBLY WITH RETROACTIVE EFFECT. EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR IS URGED TO CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR ABOUT THE TAX CONSEQUENCES TO IT OF AN INVESTMENT IN ADSs OR ORDINARY SHARES IN LIGHT OF THE INVESTOR'S OWN CIRCUMSTANCES.

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ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

        We are a corporation organized under the laws of France. All of our directors are citizens and residents of countries other than the United States, and the majority of our assets are located outside of the United States. We have appointed an agent for service of process in the United States; however, it may be difficult for investors:

        Nevertheless, a final judgment for the payment of money rendered by any federal or state court in the United States based on civil liability, whether or not predicated solely upon the U.S. federal securities laws, would be recognized and enforced in France provided that a French judge considers that this judgment meets the French legal requirements concerning the recognition and the enforcement of foreign judgments and is capable of being immediately enforced in the United States. A French court is therefore likely to grant the enforcement of a foreign judgment without a review of the merits of the underlying claim, only if (1) that judgment resulted from legal proceedings compatible with French standards of due process, (2) that judgment does not contravene international public order and public policy of France and (3) the jurisdiction of the U.S. federal or state court has been based on principles of French private international law. The French court would also require that the U.S. judgment is not tainted with fraud and is not incompatible with a judgment rendered by a French court in the same matter, or with an earlier judgment rendered by a foreign court in the same matter.

        In addition, French law guarantees full compensation for the harm suffered but is limited to the actual damages, so that the victim does not suffer or benefit from the situation. Such system excludes damages such as, but not limited to, punitive and exemplary damages.

        As a result, the enforcement, by U.S. investors, of any judgments obtained in U.S. courts in civil and commercial matters, including judgments under the U.S. federal securities law against us or members of our board of directors, officers or certain experts named herein who are residents of France or countries other than the United States would be subject to the above conditions.

        Finally, there may be doubt as to whether a French court would impose civil liability on us, the members of our board of directors, our officers or certain experts named herein in an original action predicated solely upon the U.S. federal securities laws brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in France against us or such members, officers or experts, respectively.

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UNDERWRITING

        The global offering consists of a total of 5,000,000 ordinary shares, consisting of:

        SVB Leerink LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. are acting as joint global coordinators for the global offering and joint bookrunners for the U.S. offering. SVB Leerink LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. are also acting as representatives of each of the underwriters named below. Bryan, Garnier & Co. Limited and Natixis are acting as joint bookrunners with respect to the European private placement. Roth Capital Partners, LLC and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC are acting as co-managers of the U.S. offering. The underwriters and the representatives are collectively referred to as the "underwriters" and the "representatives," respectively.

        Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement among us and the underwriters, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each of the underwriters has agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase from us, the number of ordinary shares and/or ADSs, as the case may be, set forth opposite its name below.

Underwriter
  Number of
ADSs
  Number of
Ordinary Shares
 

SVB Leerink LLC

           

Barclays Capital Inc. 

           

Bryan, Garnier & Co. Limited

           

Natixis

           

Roth Capital Partners, LLC

           

H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC

           

Total

           

        If an underwriter defaults, the underwriting agreement provides that the purchase commitments of the non-defaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated.

        Any purchases of ADSs by the underwriters pursuant to the underwriting agreement are carried out by the underwriters agreeing, severally and not jointly, to subscribe for ordinary shares and deposit such ordinary shares with the Depositary, receiving in return the ADSs.

        We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

        The underwriters are offering the ordinary shares and ADSs representing ordinary shares that they subscribe for pursuant to the underwriting agreement, subject to prior issue, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject to approval of legal matters by their counsel, including the validity of the ordinary shares and ADSs and the ordinary shares underlying the ADSs, and other conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, such as the receipt by the underwriters of officers' certificates and legal opinions. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.

        Sales of our ordinary shares made outside of the United States may be made by the underwriters or by their affiliates. In addition, to the extent that any securities are offered by Bryan, Garnier & Co.

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Limited within the United States, Bryan, Garnier & Co. Limited will offer and place ADSs with investors through Bryan Garnier Securities, LLC, its U.S. broker-dealer affiliate. The activities of Bryan, Garnier & Co. Limited in the United States will be effected only to the extent permitted by Rule 15a-6 under the Exchange Act.

        Natixis is not registered as a broker-dealer under the Exchange Act and will not engage in any offers or sales of our securities within the United States or to U.S. persons except to the extent permitted by Rule 15a-6 under the Exchange Act (and applicable SEC interpretive guidance issued in connection therewith) and other applicable securities laws.

Commissions

        The representatives have advised us that the underwriters propose initially to offer the ordinary shares and ADSs to the public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and any ordinary shares or ADSs sold to dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of € per ordinary share and $            per ADS. After the initial offering of the ordinary shares and ADSs, the public offering price, concession or any other term of the offering may be changed by the representatives.

        The following table shows the per share and total public offering price, underwriting commissions and proceeds before expenses to us. The information assumes either no exercise or full exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional ordinary shares and/or ADSs.

 
   
   
   
   
  Total  
 
  Per ADS   Per Ordinary Share  
 
  Without
Option To
Purchase
Additional
ADSs
and/or
Ordinary
Shares
  Without
Option To
Purchase
Additional
ADSs
and/or
Ordinary
Shares
 
 
  Without
Option
To
Purchase
Additional
ADSs
  With
Option
To
Purchase
Additional
ADSs
  Without
Option
To
Purchase
Additional
Ordinary
Shares
  With
Option
To
Purchase
Additional
Ordinary
Shares
 

Offering price

  $              $                                        $              $             

Underwriting commissions

  $              $                                        $              $             

Proceeds to us, before expenses

  $              $                                        $              $             

        We estimate expenses payable by us in connection with the global offering, other than the underwriting commissions referred to above, will be approximately $3.25 million. We also have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for up to $35,000 for their FINRA counsel fee. In accordance with FINRA Rule 5110, this reimbursed fee is deemed underwriting compensation for the global offering.

Option to Purchase Additional Ordinary Shares and/or ADSs

        We have granted an option to the underwriters, exercisable for 30 days after the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to 750,000 additional ordinary shares and/or ADSs at the public offering price, less the underwriting commissions. If the underwriters exercise this option, each underwriter will be obligated, subject to conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, to purchase a number of additional ordinary shares and/or ADSs proportionate to that underwriter's initial amount reflected in the above table.

No Sales of Similar Securities

        We, our senior management and directors and certain of our existing security holders have agreed not to sell or transfer any of our ordinary shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for our ordinary shares, which includes ADSs, for 90 days after the date of this prospectus without first obtaining the written consent of SVB Leerink LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. on behalf of

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the underwriters. Specifically, we and these other persons have agreed, with certain limited exceptions, not to directly or indirectly:

        This lock-up provision applies to our ordinary shares and to securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for our ordinary shares, which includes ADSs. It also applies to our ordinary shares owned now or acquired later by the person executing the agreement or for which the person executing the agreement later acquires the power of disposition.

Exchange Listing

        We have applied to list the ADSs on The Nasdaq Global Market, under the symbol "GNFT." Our ordinary shares are listed on Euronext Paris under the symbol "GNFT."

Determination of Offering Price

        Before the global offering, while our ordinary shares are traded on Euronext Paris, there has been no public market for the ADSs or for our ordinary shares in the United States. Consequently, the offering price for our ADSs will be determined through negotiations between us and the representatives of the underwriters, and by reference to the prevailing market prices of our ordinary shares on Euronext Paris after taking into account market conditions and other factors, but will not be lower than a price that is 15% below the volume-weighted average price of our ordinary shares during a window of five to 30 consecutive trading days with the 30 trading days (as decided by our company) preceding the day on which the offering price is determined.

        An active trading market for the ADSs may not develop. It is also possible that after the global offering, the ADSs will not trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.

        The underwriters do not expect to sell more than          % of the ADSs in the aggregate to accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.

Stamp Taxes

        If you purchase ordinary shares and/or ADSs offered in this prospectus, you may be required to pay stamp taxes and other charges under the laws and practices of the country of purchase, in addition to the offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus.

Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

        Until the distribution of the ordinary shares and ADSs is completed, SEC rules may limit underwriters and selling group members from bidding for and purchasing ordinary shares and ADSs.

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However, the representatives may engage in transactions that stabilize the price of the ADSs, such as bids or purchases to peg, fix or maintain that price.

        In connection with the global offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell ordinary shares and ADSs in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, purchases on the open market to cover positions created by short sales and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of ordinary shares and ADSs than they are required to purchase in the global offering. "Covered" short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters' option described above. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option or purchasing ordinary shares and/or ADSs in the open market. In determining the source of ordinary shares and/or ADSs to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of ordinary shares and/or ADSs available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase ordinary shares and/or ADSs through the option granted to them. "Naked" short sales are sales in excess of such option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing ordinary shares and/or ADSs in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the ordinary shares and/or ADSs in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the global offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of ordinary shares and/or ADSs made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the closing of the global offering.

        The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased ordinary shares and/or ADSs sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

        Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriters' purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of the ordinary shares and/or ADSs or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the ordinary shares and/or ADSs. As a result, the price of the ordinary shares and/or ADSs may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. The underwriters may conduct these transactions on The Nasdaq Global Market, Euronext Paris, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

        Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the ordinary shares and/or ADSs. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation that the representatives will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

Electronic Distribution

        In connection with the global offering, certain of the underwriters or securities dealers may distribute prospectuses by electronic means, such as e-mail.

Other Relationships

        The underwriters and certain of their affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. Some of the underwriters and certain of their affiliates may in the future engage in investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us and our affiliates, for which they may in the future receive customary fees, commissions and expenses.

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        In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

Selling Restrictions

Notice to Investors

        Under the authority granted by our shareholders to conduct the global offering, the ordinary shares and ADSs that we are offering may only be purchased initially by industrial or commercial companies in the pharmaceutical/biotech sector or investment fund companies or fund management companies or collective savings managing funds governed by French or foreign law or any other legal entity (including a trust) or natural person, investing in the pharmaceutical/biotech sector, that is qualified to invest in a private placement. In order to purchase ordinary shares or ADSs in the global offering, you will be required to execute and provide to the underwriters an investor letter representing that you satisfy the foregoing investor criteria.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area

        In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a "Relevant Member State"), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State, no offer of any securities which are the subject of the global offering contemplated by this prospectus may be made to the public in that Relevant Member State other than:

provided that no such offer of securities shall require the Company or the representatives to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 16 of the Prospectus Directive.

        Each person in a Relevant Member State who initially acquires any securities or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that it is a "qualified investor" within the meaning of the law in that Relevant Member State implementing Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive. In the case of any ADSs being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the ADSs acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of any securities to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant Member State to qualified investors as so defined or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the representatives has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.

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        We, the representatives and each of our and the representatives' and their affiliates will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, acknowledgements and agreements.

        This prospectus has been prepared on the basis that any offer of securities in any Relevant Member State will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Directive from the requirement to publish a prospectus for offers of securities. Accordingly, any person making or intending to make an offer in that Relevant Member State of the securities which are the subject of the global offering contemplated in this prospectus may only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for the company or any of the underwriters to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive in relation to such offer. Neither the company nor the underwriters have authorized, nor do they authorize, the making of any offer of the securities in circumstances in which an obligation arises for the company or the underwriters to publish a prospectus for such offer.

        For the purpose of the above provisions, the expression "an offer to the public" in relation to any securities in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the securities, as the same may be varied in the Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in the Relevant Member State and the expression "Prospectus Directive" means Directive 2003/71/EC as amended or superseded (including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member States) and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State and the expression "2010 PD Amending Directive" means Directive 2010/73/EU.

MiFID II Product Governance

        Any person offering, selling or recommending the securities (a "distributor") should take into consideration the manufacturers' target market assessment; however, a distributor subject to Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the securities (by either adopting or refining the manufacturers' target market assessment) and determining appropriate distribution channels.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom

        In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are "qualified investors" (as defined in the Prospectus Directive) (1) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order"), and/or (2) who are high net worth companies (or persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons") or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public of the shares in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

        Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on the information included in this document or use it as basis for taking any action. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity that this document relates to may be made or taken exclusively by relevant persons.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada

        The securities may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any

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resale of the securities must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

        Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser's province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser's province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

        Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with the global offering.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Australia

        No placement document, prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document has been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission ("ASIC") in relation to the global offering. This prospectus does not constitute a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act 2001 (the "Corporations Act"), and does not purport to include the information required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act.

        Any offer in Australia of the securities may only be made to persons (the "Exempt Investors") who are "sophisticated investors" (within the meaning of section 708(8) of the Corporations Act), "professional investors" (within the meaning of section 708(11) of the Corporations Act) or otherwise pursuant to one or more exemptions contained in section 708 of the Corporations Act so that it is lawful to offer the securities without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act.

        The securities applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia in the period of 12 months after the date of allotment under the global offering, except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under section 708 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act. Any person acquiring the securities must observe such Australian on-sale restrictions.

        This prospectus contains general information only and does not take account of the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. It does not contain any securities recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the information in this prospectus is appropriate to their needs, objectives and circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong

        The securities have not been offered or sold, and will not be offered or sold, in Hong Kong by means of any document, other than (a) to "professional investors" as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that Ordinance; or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a "prospectus" as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the securities has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to the securities which are or are intended to be disposed of only

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to persons outside Hong Kong or only to "professional investors" as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made under that Ordinance.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan

        The securities have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948, as amended) and, accordingly, will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan, or for the benefit of any Japanese Person or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to any Japanese Person, except in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines promulgated by relevant Japanese governmental or regulatory authorities in effect at the relevant time. For the purposes of this paragraph, "Japanese Person" shall mean any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Qatar

        The securities described in this prospectus have not been, and will not be, offered, sold or delivered, at any time, directly or indirectly in the State of Qatar in a manner that would constitute a public offering. This prospectus has not been, and will not be, registered with or approved by the Qatar Financial Markets Authority or Qatar Central Bank and may not be publicly distributed. This prospectus is intended for the original recipient only and must not be provided to any other person. This prospectus is not for general circulation in the State of Qatar and may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore

        This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the securities may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the securities be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the "SFA"), (2) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275, of the SFA, or (3) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

        Where the securities are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries' rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the securities pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

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Solely for the purposes of its obligations pursuant to Section 309B of the SFA, we have determined, and hereby notify all relevant persons (as defined in the CMP Regulations 2018), that the shares are "prescribed capital markets products" (as defined in the CMP Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).

Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

        The securities may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange ("SIX") or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the securities or the global offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

        Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the global offering, the Company or the securities have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of the securities will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, and the offer of ADSs has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes ("CISA"). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of the securities.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre

        This prospectus relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority ("DFSA"). This prospectus is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for the prospectus. The securities to which this prospectus relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus, you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

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EXPENSES RELATING TO THE GLOBAL OFFERING

        The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, other than underwriting commissions, payable in connection with the sale of ordinary shares and ADSs in the global offering. All amounts are estimated except the SEC registration fee, the Nasdaq initial listing fee and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, filing fee. Except as otherwise noted, all the expenses below will be paid by us.

ITEM
  AMOUNT  

SEC registration fee

  $ 18,349  

FINRA filing fee

    23,210  

Nasdaq initial listing fee

    150,000  

Legal fees and expenses

    1,300,000  

Accounting fees and expenses

    1,400,000  

Printing expenses

    130,000  

Miscellaneous fees and expenses

    228,441  

Total

  $ 3,250,000  

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LEGAL MATTERS

        The validity of the ordinary shares and ADSs and certain other matters of French law will be passed upon for us by Linklaters LLP, including matters of French income tax law. Certain matters of U.S. federal law will be passed upon for us by Cooley LLP, Boston, Massachusetts. Legal counsel to the underwriters in connection with the global offering are Jones Day with respect to French law and Goodwin Procter LLP, Boston, Massachusetts, with respect to U.S. federal law.


EXPERTS

        The consolidated financial statements of Genfit S.A. at December 31, 2017 and 2018 and for the years then ended appearing in this registration statement have been audited by Ernst & Young et Autres, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing elsewhere herein and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

        The offices of Ernst & Young et Autres are located at 1-2 place des Saisons, 92400 Courbevoie, Paris La Défense 1, France.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

        We have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement on Form F-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the ordinary shares and ADSs offered in this prospectus. A related registration statement on Form F-6 will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to register the ADSs. This prospectus, which forms a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. Certain information is omitted and you should refer to the registration statement and its exhibits for that information. With respect to references made in this prospectus to any contract or other document of GENFIT S.A., such references are not necessarily complete and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contract or document.

        The SEC maintains a website (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants, such us, that file electronically with the SEC.

        Upon completion of the U.S. offering, we will be subject to the information reporting requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to foreign private issuers and under those requirements will file reports with the SEC. Those reports may be inspected without charge at the locations described above. As a foreign private issuer, we will be exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act related to the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our officers, directors and principal shareholders will be exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will not be required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.

        We maintain a corporate website at www.genfit.com. The reference to our website is an inactive textual reference only and information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website or any other website cited in this prospectus is not part of this prospectus.

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INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 
  Page  

Consolidated Financial Statements as of and for the Years Ended December 31, 2017 and 2018

       

Report of Ernst & Young et Autres, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

   
F-2
 

Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as of December 31, 2017 and 2018

   
F-3
 

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2017 and 2018

   
F-4
 

Consolidated Statements of Other Comprehensive Loss for the Years Ended December 31, 2017 and 2018

   
F-5
 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2017 and 2018

   
F-6
 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2017 and 2018

   
F-7
 

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

   
F-8
 

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Board of Directors and Shareholders
GENFIT S.A.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

        We have audited the accompanying consolidated statements of financial position of GENFIT S.A. ("the Company") as of December 31, 2017 and 2018, the related consolidated statements of operations, other comprehensive loss, cash flows and changes in equity for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018 and the related notes to the financial statements (collectively referred to as the "consolidated financial statements"). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2017 and 2018 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ("IFRS").

Restatement of 2017 financial statements

        As discussed in Note 2.3 to the consolidated financial statements, the 2017 consolidated financial statements have been restated to correct misstatements in accordance with the provisions of IAS 8.

Basis for opinion

        These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

        We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

        Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ ERNST & YOUNG et Autres

We have served as the Company's auditors since 1999.

Paris, France
February 8, 2019

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

(amounts in thousands of euros)

 
   
  As of December 31,  
 
  Notes   2017   2018  
 
   
  Restated*
   
 

ASSETS

                 

Non-current assets

                 

Intangible assets

  5   636   796  

Property, plant and equipment

  6     6,324     7,764  

Non-current trade and other receivables

  7     1,921     1,489  

Other non-current financial assets

  8     729     1,313  

Total non-current assets

        9,611     11,362  

Current assets

                 

Inventories

        4     4  

Current trade and other receivables

  7     7,955     8,794  

Other current financial assets

  8     31      

Other current assets

  9     1,761     2,078  

Cash and cash equivalents

  10     273,820     207,240  

Total current assets

        283,572     218,116  

Total assets

      293,183   229,478  

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY AND LIABILITIES

                 

Shareholders' equity

                 

Share capital

  11   7,792   7,796  

Share premium

        251,932     251,554  

Accumulated deficit

        (102,531 )   (158,897 )

Currency translation adjustment

        (8 )   6  

Net loss

        (55,728 )   (79,521 )

Total shareholders' equity

        101,457     20,939  

Non-current liabilities

                 

Non-current convertible loans

  12     154,539     159,176  

Other non-current loans and borrowings

  12     6,978     7,255  

Non-current deferred income and revenue

        2     1  

Non-current employee benefits

  15     936     1,085  

Deferred tax liabilities

  21.2     2,165     1,773  

Total non-current liabilities

        164,620     169,291  

Current liabilities

                 

Current convertible loans

  12     1,329     1,312  

Other current loans and borrowings

  12     1,834     1,848  

Current trade and other payables

  13     23,580     35,974  

Current deferred income and revenue

        1     1  

Current provisions

  14     361     112  

Total current liabilities

        27,106     39,248  

Total shareholders' equity and liabilities

      293,183   229,478  

*
See Note 2.3, "Correction of errors."

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(amounts in thousands of euros, except per share data)

 
   
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
 
  Notes   2017   2018  
 
   
  Restated*
   
 

Revenues and other income

                 

Revenue

      118   69  

Other income

  17     6,737     7,425  

Revenues and other income

        6,856     7,494  

Operating expenses and other operating income (expenses)

                 

Research and development expenses

  18     (54,189 )   (67,024 )

General and administrative expenses

  18     (9,421 )   (9,793 )

Other operating income (expense)

  18     60     (162 )

Operating loss

        (56,695 )   (69,484 )

Financial income

  20     642     728  

Financial expenses

  20     (3,096 )   (11,118 )

Financial loss

        (2,453 )   (10,391 )

Net loss before tax

        (59,148 )   (79,875 )

Income tax benefit

  21     3,420     354  

Net loss

      (55,728 ) (79,521 )

Basic and diluted loss per share

  22   (1.79 ) (2.55 )

*
See Note 2.3, "Correction of Errors."

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(amounts in thousands of euros)

 
   
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
 
  Notes   2017   2018  
 
   
  Restated*
   
 

Net loss

      (55,728 ) (79,521 )

Actuarial gains and losses net of tax

  15     (210 )   (31 )

Other comprehensive income (loss) that will never be reclassified to profit or loss

        (210 )   (31 )

Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations

       
(29

)
 
14
 

Other comprehensive income (loss) that are or may be reclassified to profit or loss

        (29 )   14  

Total other comprehensive loss

      (55,967 ) (79,537 )

*
See Note 2.3, "Correction of Errors."

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(amounts in thousands of euros)

 
Year Ended
December 31,
 
2017 2018
 
Restated*
 

Cash flows from operating activities

   

Net loss

(55,728 ) (79,521 )

Reconciliation of net loss to net cash used in operating activities


 

 

Adjustments for:

   

Amortization

1,226 1,819

Depreciation and impairment charges

186 (208 )

Expenses related to share-based compensation

278 787

Net result on disposal of property, plant & equipment

8 (2 )

Net finance expenses

2,296 10,971

Income tax expense (benefit)

(3,420 ) (354 )

Other non-cash items

17

Operating cash flows before change in working capital

(55,137 ) (66,507 )

Decrease in inventories

10

Increase in trade receivables and other assets

(2,106 ) (724 )

Increase in trade payables and other liabilities

7,364 11,056

Change in working capital

5,268 10,332

Income tax paid

13 93

Net cash flows used in operating activities

(49,856 ) (56,081 )

Cash flows from investment activities

   

Acquisition of property, plant & equipment


(2,800

)

(2,938

)

Proceeds from disposal of property, plant & equipment

15 3

Acquisition of financial instruments and financial assets

(163 ) (1,050 )

Net cash flows used in investment activities

(2,948 ) (3,986 )

Cash flows from financing activities

   

Proceeds from subscription / exercise of share warrants


37

37

Proceeds from new loans and borrowings net of issue costs

177,338 1,800

Repayments of loans and borrowings

(1,655 ) (2,000 )

Financial interests paid (including finance lease)

(1,372 ) (6,351 )

Net cash flows (used in) provided by financing activities

174,348 (6,514 )

Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

121,544 (66,580 )

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period

152,277 273,820

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period

273,820 207,240

*
See Note 2.3, "Correction of Errors."

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

(Amounts in thousands of euros, except for number of shares)

 
  Share Capital    
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
  Number of
Shares
  Share
Capital
  Share
Premium
  Treasury
Shares
  Accumulated
Deficit
  Currency
Translation
Adjustment
  Net
Loss
  Total
Shareholders'
Equity
 

As of December 31, 2016

    31,166,437   7,792   237,305   (127 ) (68,527 ) 21   (33,667 ) 142,797  

Net loss

                            (55,728 )   (55,728 )

Other comprehensive income (loss)

                    (210 )   (29 )       (239 )

Total comprehensive income (loss)

                    (210 )   (29 )   (55,728 )   (55,967 )

Allocation of prior period profit (loss)

                    (33,667 )       33,667      

Equity component of OCEANE net of deferred taxes

            14,312                     14,312  

Share-based compensation

            278                     278  

Other movements

            37                     37  

As of December 31, 2017* restated

    31,166,437     7,792     251,932     (127 )   (102,404 )   (8 )   (55,728 )   101,457  

Net loss

                            79,521     79,521  

Other comprehensive income (loss)

                    (31 )   14         (17 )

Total comprehensive income (loss)

                    (31 )   14     79,521     79,537  

Allocation of prior period profit (loss)

                    (55,728 )       55,728      

Capital increase**

    17,484     4     (1,201 )                   (1,201 )

Share-based compensation

            787                     787  

Treasury shares

                (603 )               (603 )

Other movements

            37                     37  

As of December 31, 2018

    31,183,921   7,796   251,554   (730 ) (158,167 ) 6   (79,521 ) 20,939  

*
See Note 2.3, "Correction of Errors."

**
Expenses incurred as of December 31, 2018 in connection with the preparation of capital market transactions are deducted from equity.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

1. THE COMPANY

        Founded in 1999 under the laws of France, GENFIT S.A. (the "Company") is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of drugs and biomarkers in therapeutic areas of high unmet need due to the lack of effective treatments or diagnostic tools and/or due to the increasing number of patients worldwide. The Company concentrates its research and development (R&D) efforts to participate in the potential commercialization of treatment solutions and diagnostic tools to fight certain metabolic, inflammatory, autoimmune or fibrotic diseases affecting especially the liver (such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH) and more generally in gastroenterology.

        The consolidated financial statements of the Company include the financial statements of GENFIT S.A. and those of its wholly-owned subsidiaries: GENFIT CORP (U.S. subsidiary) and GENFIT PHARMACEUTICALS SAS (French subsidiary) (together referred to as "GENFIT" or the "Group").

2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION

        The Consolidated Financial Statements of GENFIT have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB") as of December 31, 2018.

        The consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018 were prepared under the responsibility of the Board of Directors that authorized for issue such statements on February 4, 2019.

        The term IFRS includes International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), International Accounting Standards (the "IAS"), as well as the Interpretations issued by the Standards Interpretation Committee (the "SIC"), and the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee ("IFRIC"). The principal accounting methods used to prepare the Consolidated Financial Statements are described below.

        All financial information (unless indicated otherwise) is presented in thousands of euros (€).

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Continued)

2.1.  Changes in accounting policies and new standards or amendments

New or amended
policies or standards
  Effective date   Potential impact on
consolidated financial
statements
IFRS 15
Revenue from Contracts with Customers
  IFRS 15 establishes a comprehensive framework for determining whether, how much and when revenue is recognized. It replaces existing revenue recognition guidance, including IAS 18, Revenue.   Applicable for fiscal years open from January 1, 2018   The first application of IFRS 15 does not have an impact on the Group's consolidated financial statements.

IFRS 9
Financial Instruments

 

IFRS 9, published in July 2014, replaces the existing guidance in IAS 39, Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement.

 

Applicable for fiscal years open from January 1, 2018

 

The first application of IFRS 9 does not have an impact on the Group's consolidated financial statements.

Amendment to IFRS 2
Share-based payments

 

This amendment to IFRS 2 provides clarification on the valuation and modification of the plans.

 

Applicable for fiscal years open from January 1, 2018

 

These provisions do not have a significant impact on the Group's consolidated financial statements.

IFRIC 22
Foreign currency transactions and advanced consideration

 

IFRIC 22 clarifies the accounting for transactions that include the receipt or payment of advance consideration in a foreign currency.

 

Applicable for fiscal years open from January 1, 2018

 

The application of this amendment to the Group's consolidated financial statements is not expected to have a significant impact.

2.2.  Standards, interpretations and amendments issued but not yet effective

        The paragraph below describes the standards and amendments to standards that are binding and apply starting from January 1, 2019 or later, and indicates GENFIT's position with respect to the future application of these texts.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Continued)

        GENFIT has not applied any of these texts earlier than required.

New or amended
Standards
Text already adopted in the EU
  Effective date   Potential impact on
consolidated financial
statements
IFRS 16
Leases
  IFRS 16 aligns the accounting of simple leases to that of finance leases.   Applicable for fiscal years open from January 1, 2019   The Group plans to adopt IFRS 16 using the modified retrospective method and to elect to apply the standard to contracts that were previously identified as leases applying IAS 17 and IFRIC 4. The Group also plans to use the exemptions proposed by the standard on lease contracts for which the lease term ends within 12 months as of the date of initial application and lease contracts for which the underlying asset is of low value. The Group is currently identifying the related contracts (the most significant ones relating to building lease contracts) and assessing the related impact on its consolidated financial statements.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Continued)

Amendments to standards
Text not yet adopted in the EU
  Effective date   Potential impact on
consolidated financial
statements
Improvements to IFRS Standards 2015 - 2017 Cycle   This cycle concerns IFRS 3, IFRS 11, IAS 12, and IAS 23.   Applicable for fiscal years open from January 1, 2019   The application of this amendment to the Group's consolidated financial statements is not expected to have a significant impact.

IFRIC 23
Uncertainty over income tax treatments

 

IFRIC 23 clarifies the interpretation to be applied to the determination of taxable profit (tax loss), tax bases, unused tax losses, unused tax credits and tax rates, when there is an uncertainty over income tax treatments under IAS 12.

 

Applicable for fiscal years open from January 1, 2019

 

The application of this amendment to the Group's consolidated financial statements is not expected to have a significant impact.

Amendments to IAS 19
Employee Benefits

 

This amendment to IAS 19 clarified the assumptions to use for the remeasurement and the effect on the requirements regarding the asset ceiling when a plan amendment, curtailment or settlement occurs.

 

Applicable for fiscal years open from January 1, 2019

 

The application of this amendment to the Group's consolidated financial statements is not expected to have a significant impact.

2.3   Correction of errors

        In the context of the preparation of its 2018 consolidated financial statements, and in accordance with IAS 8, the Company restated the financial statements previously published for the 2017 fiscal year with respect to the accounting for the OCEANE issuance.

        These changes do not affect the cash position or the operating results.

        These changes were approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting on February 4, 2019.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Continued)

        The following table shows the impact on the statement of operations for the 2017 fiscal year, compared to previously published figures:

(in thousands of euros,
except earnings per share data)
  Year ended
December 31,
2017—as
published
  Correction:
proper effective
interest rate of
convertible
loan
  Correction:
proper
accounting
under IAS 12
  Year ended
December 31,
2017—as
corrected
  See
explanatory
note below

Revenues and other income

                           

Revenue

  118               118    

Other income

    6,737                 6,737    

Revenue and other income

    6,856             6,856    

Operating expenses and other operating income (expenses)

                           

Research and development expenses

    (54,189 )               (54,189 )  

General and administrative expenses

    (9,421 )               (9,421 )  

Other operating income (expenses)

    60                 60    

Operating loss

    (56,595 )           (56,695 )  

Financial income

    642                 642    

Financial expenses

    (2,168 )   (928 )         (3,096 ) A

Financial loss

    (1,526 )   (928 )       (2,453 )  

Net loss before tax

    (58,220 )   (928 )       (59,148 )  

Income tax (expense) benefit

    (384 )       3,804     3,420   B

Net loss

  (58,604 ) (928 ) 3,804   (55,728 )  

        The corrections lead to a decrease in the net loss of €2,876, bringing it to €(55,728) compared to €(58,604) in the previously published accounts.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Continued)

        The accounting changes are related to:

A  

Correction of the effective interest rate taken into account for the calculation of financial expenses related to the OCEANE at the transaction date of October 16, 2017 for an amount of €928 (increase of financial expenses).


B

 

Recognition of:

 

A deferred tax liability with respect to the equity component of the OCEANE €(19,960) for €5,648, as a decrease of equity on October 16, 2017 on initial recognition;

 

A deferred tax liability as of December 31, 2017 related to the tax deduction of the OCEANE issuance costs and the difference between the effective interest rate and the portion of deductible coupon (€120 net), as an increase of the financial expenses in net result (deferred tax expense); and

 

A deferred tax asset arising from recognizing deferred tax assets with respect to tax deductible net operating losses (NOLs) carried forward with respect to the deferred tax liabilities mentioned above, taking into account the French tax rule which limits application of such NOLs to 50% (above one million euros) against taxable profit, and the timing of reversal of these deferred tax liabilities, for an amount of €3,724 on initial recognition (deferred tax income), the use of NOLs for the period of €121 (deferred tax expense) and the reversal of the previously recognized deferred tax expense as of December 31, 2017 for €321 (decrease of deferred tax expense), resulting in an aggregate amount of €3,924 of reduction of deferred tax expense (or a net deferred tax income).

        As a result, the net loss per share for the 2017 fiscal year decreased from €1.88 to €1.79.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Continued)

        The following table shows the impact of the corrections of these errors in the consolidated statement of financial position at December 31, 2017:

Shareholders' Equity and Liabilities
(in thousands of euros,
except earnings per share data)
  As of
December 31,
2017—as
published
  Correction:
proper effective
interest rate of
convertible
loan
  Correction:
proper
accounting
under IAS 12
  As of
December 31,
2017—as
corrected
  See
explanatory
note below

Shareholders' equity

                           

Share capital

  7,792               7,792    

Share premium

    257,580           (5,648 )   251,932   C

Accumulated deficit

    (102,531 )               (102,531 )  

Currency translation adjustment

    (8 )               (8 )  

Net loss

    (58,604 )   (928 )   3,804     (55,728 ) D

Total shareholders' equity

    104,229     (928 )   (1,844 )   101,457    

Non-current liabilities

                           

Non-current convertible loans

    153,611     928           154,539   E

Other non-current loans and borrowings

    6,978                 6,978    

Non-current deferred income and revenue

    2                 2    

Non-current employee benefits

    936                 936    

Deferred tax liabilities

    321           1,844     2,165   F, G

Total—Non-current liabilities

    161,848     928     1,844     164,620    

Current liabilities

                           

Current convertible loans

    1,329                 1,329    

Other current loans and borrowings

    1,834                 1,834    

Current trade and other payables

    23,580                 23,580    

Current deferred income and revenue

    1                 1    

Current provisions

    361                 361    

Total—Current liabilities

    27,106             27,106    

Total—Shareholders' equity and liabilities

  293,183           293,183    

        The statement of financial position at December 31, 2017 was restated due to the following changes, in particular:

C   The equity component of the OCEANE (€19,960) determined in accordance with split accounting under IAS 32 was decreased by the deferred tax liability recognized under IAS 12 (€5,648).

D

 

The impact on income is the result of the elements explained in points A and B above.

E

 

The non-current part of the convertible loan (OCEANE) is increased by the financial expenses calculated with the proper application of the effective interest rate.

F

 

The correction of the initially recognized deferred tax liabilities under IAS 12 for €1,844.

G

 

Following these corrections, the deferred tax liabilities are €2,165.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Continued)

        The overall impact of these corrections is a €2,772 decrease in equity and an increase in non-current liabilities in the same amount.

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

3.1.  Use of estimates and judgments

        In preparing these consolidated financial statements, management makes judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of accounting policies and the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, incomes and expenses. Actual amounts may differ from these estimates.

        The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognized in the period in which the estimates are revised and in any future periods affected.

        The estimates and underlying assumptions mainly relate to research tax credits (see Note 3.19.2, "Research tax credit", employee benefits (see Note 3.17, "Employee benefits"), share-based payments (see Note 19, "Share-based compensation"), accruals related to clinical trials (see Note 18, "Operating expenses") and convertible loans (see Note 3.14, "Loans and Borrowings").

3.2.  Consolidation

        The Group controls an entity when it is exposed to variable returns from its involvement with the entity, and it has the ability to affect those returns through its power over the entity.

        The Group controls all the entities included in the scope of consolidation.

3.3.  Foreign currency

        Transactions in foreign currencies are translated into the respective functional currencies of the entities of the Group at the exchange rates applicable at the transaction dates. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into the functional currency at the reporting date.

        The resulting exchange gains or losses are recognized in the statements of operations.

        The assets and liabilities of foreign operations having a functional currency different from the euro are translated into euros at the closing exchange rate. The income and expenses of foreign operations are translated into euros at the exchange rates effective at the transaction dates or using the average exchange rate for the reporting period, unless this method cannot be applied due to significant exchange rate fluctuations.

        Gains and losses arising from foreign operations are recognized in the statement of other comprehensive loss. When a foreign operation is partly or fully divested, the associated share of gains and losses recognized in the currency translation reserve is transferred to the statements of operations.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

        The Group presentation currency is the euro, which is also the functional currency of GENFIT S.A. The functional currency of GENFIT CORP is the U.S. dollar.

 
  Year ended
December 31,
 
Ratio : 1 US dollars (USD) = × euros (EUR)
  2017   2018  

Exchange rate at period end

    0.83382     0.87336  

Average exchange rate for the period

    0.88704     0.84758  

3.4.  Intangible assets

        Intangible assets mainly consist of software and operating licenses acquired by the Group. They are recognized at cost less accumulated amortization and impairment. Amortization expense is recorded on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the intangible assets. The estimated useful lives of both software and license agreements are between 3 and 5 years.

3.5.  Property, plant and equipment

        Property, plant and equipment are initially recognized at cost. Cost includes expenditures that are directly attributable to the acquisition of the asset. Routine maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.

        Subsequently, depreciation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. If components of property, plant and equipment have different useful lives, they are accounted for separately. Depreciation methods, useful lives and residual values are reviewed at each reporting date and adjusted, if appropriate.

        Estimated useful lives are as follows:

Scientific equipment   Between 2 and 12 years
Computer equipment   Between 2 and 5 years
Furniture   Between 4 and 10 years
Vehicles   Between 4 and 6 years

        Any gain or loss on disposal of an item of property, plant and equipment is determined by comparing the proceeds from disposal with the carrying amount of the item. The net amount is recognized in the consolidated statements of operations under the line item "Other operating income (expenses)."

3.6.  Leases

        GENFIT is a lessee in a number of lease contracts (see Note 6, "Property, plant and equipment").

        If, according to the terms of a lease, it appears that substantially all the risks and rewards incidental to ownership are transferred from the lessor to the lessee, the leasing contract is qualified as a finance lease. The associated leased assets are initially recognized as an asset at their fair value or present value of the minimum lease payments due under the contract, if this is lower, and are

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

subsequently depreciated or impaired, as necessary. The resulting financial liabilities are reported in the line items "Non-current loans and borrowings" and "Current loans and borrowings".

        A lease is classified as an operating lease if it does not transfer to the lessee substantially all the risks and rewards incidental to ownership.

        Payments made under operating leases are expensed on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

        Lease incentives received such as rent-free periods or uneven lease payments are spread on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

3.7.  Impairment of tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill

        If indicators of impairment are identified, amortizable intangible assets and depreciable tangible assets are subject to an impairment test under the provisions of IAS 36, Impairment of Assets.

        The Company does not have any goodwill.

3.8.  Financial instruments

        IFRS 9, Financial Instruments, replaces IAS 39, Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement, for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2018, bringing together all three aspects of the accounting for financial instruments: (a) classification and measurement; (b) impairment; and (c) hedge accounting.

        The first time application of IFRS 9 had no impact on the Group's financial statements.

        Loans and borrowings are initially measured at fair value and subsequently recorded at amortized cost.

3.9.  Inventories

        The Company recognizes inventories of laboratory consumables in connection with its former co-research agreements.

        These inventories are measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Cost is determined using the weighted average cost method.

3.10.  Trade and other receivables

        Trade and other receivables are recognized at fair value, which is the nominal value of invoices unless payment terms require a material adjustment for the time value discounting effect at market interest rates. Trade receivables are subsequently measured at amortized cost. A valuation allowance for trade receivables is recognized if their recoverable amount is less than their carrying amount.

        Receivables are classified as current assets, except for those with a maturity exceeding 12 months after the reporting date.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

3.11.  Other financial assets

        Loans and receivables are financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not listed on an active market and are valued using the amortized cost method.

        A gain or loss arising from a change in the fair value of an available-for-sale financial asset is recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) except for impairment losses and foreign exchange gains and losses, until the financial asset is derecognized. At that time the cumulative gain or loss previously recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) is reclassified from equity to profit or loss as a reclassification adjustment.

3.12.  Cash and cash equivalents

        Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and demand deposits, together with short-term, highly liquid investments. They are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and thus present a negligible risk of a change in value. They also include Undertakings for Collective Investments in Transferable Securities (UCITs) whose characteristics allow them to be classified as financial assets available for sale.

        Initially recognized at their purchase cost at the transaction date, investments are subsequently measured at fair value. Changes in fair value are recognized in net financial income (expenses).

3.13.  Equity

        Share capital comprises ordinary shares and ordinary shares with double voting rights classified in equity. Costs directly attributable to the issue of ordinary shares or share options are recognized as a reduction in the share premium.

        The liquidity agreement consists of a share buyback program contracted to an investment service provider. Purchases and sales of the Company's shares carried out under the contract are recognized directly in shareholder's equity under treasury shares.

3.14.  Loans and borrowings

        Financial liabilities are initially recognized at fair value, net of directly attributable transaction costs, and are subsequently measured at amortized cost using the effective interest rate method.

        The accounting of the Company's financial liabilities remains largely the same as it was under IAS 39. Similar to the requirements of IAS 39, IFRS 9 requires contingent liabilities to be treated as financial instruments measured at fair value, with the changes in fair value recognized in the statement of profit or loss.

        The Group derecognizes financial liabilities when the contractual obligations are discharged or cancelled or expire.

        The bonds convertible or exchangeable into new or existing shares (OCEANE—see Section 12.1, "Breakdown of convertible loan") are recognized as follows: in accordance with IAS 32, Financial Instruments—Presentation, if a financial instrument has different components the characteristics of which are that some could be classified as liabilities and others as equity, the issuer must recognize the different components separately.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

        The liability component is measured, at the date of issuance, at its fair value in accordance with IAS 39, Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement on the basis of future contractual cash flows discounted at market rates (taking into consideration the issuer's credit risk) of a debt having similar characteristics but without having the conversion option.

        The value of the conversion option is measured by the difference between the bond's issue price and the fair value of the liability component. After deduction of the portion of expenses related to the transaction, this amount is recognized in the line item "Share premium" under shareholders' equity and is subject to a calculation of deferred tax according to IAS 12.28.

        The liability component (after deduction of the portion of the expenses related to the transaction pro rata to the respective parts attributed to liability and the conversion option) is measured at amortized cost. A non-monetary interest expense, recorded in net loss is calculated using an effective interest rate to progressively bring the debt component up to the amount which will be repaid (or converted) at maturity. A deferred tax liability is calculated on the basis of this amount. The shareholders' equity component is not remeasured.

3.15.  Trade and other payables

        Trade and other payables are initially recognized at the fair value of the amount due. This value is usually the nominal value, due to the relatively short period of time between the recognition of the instrument and its repayment.

3.16.  Provisions

        Provisions are recognized when the Group has a present obligation (legal, regulatory, contractual or constructive) as a result of a past event, for which it is probable that an outflow of resources will be required to settle the obligation, and of which the amount can be estimated reliably.

        The amount recognized as a provision is the best estimate at the reporting date of the expenditure required to settle the present obligation.

        Provisions are discounted when the time value effect is material.

3.17.  Employee benefits

        The Group's pension schemes and other post-employment benefits consist of defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans.

        Defined benefit plans relate to French retirement benefit plans under which the Group is committed to guaranteeing a specific amount or level of contractually defined benefits. The obligation arising from these plans is measured on an actuarial basis using the projected unit credit method. The method consists in measuring the obligation based on a projected end-of-career salary and vested rights at the measurement date, according to the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement, corporate agreements and applicable law.

        Actuarial assumptions are performed to determine the benefit obligations. The amount of future payments is determined on the basis of demographic and financial assumptions such as mortality, staff

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

turnover, pay increases and age at retirement, and then discounted to their present value. The discount rate used is the yield at the reporting date on AA credit-rated bonds with maturity dates that approximate the expected payments for the Group's obligations.

        Re-measurements of the net defined benefit liability which comprise actuarial gains and losses are recognized immediately in the statements of other comprehensive loss.

        The Group determines the net interest expense on the net defined benefit liability for the period by applying the discount rate used to measure the defined benefit obligation at the beginning of the annual period to the then-net defined benefit liability, taking into account any changes in the net defined benefit liability during the period as a result of contributions and benefit payments.

        Under defined contribution plans, the management of plans is performed by an external organization, to which the Group pays regular contributions. Payments made by the Group in respect of these plans are recognized as an expense for the period in the statements of operations.

        A liability is recognized for the amount expected to be paid under short-term cash bonus or profit-sharing plans if the Group has a present legal or constructive obligation to pay the amount as a result of past service provided by the employee, and the obligation can be estimated reliably.

3.18.  Revenues

        Revenue recognized in 2017 and 2018 related primarily to the sublease of a part of the Group's corporate headquarters.

        The Group has not yet entered into other contracts with customers that would fall within the scope of IFRS 15.

3.19.  Other income

        The Group received until 2016 various forms of government grants. This government aid is provided for and managed by French state-owned entities, and specifically "BPI France" ("Banque Publique d'Investissement"), formerly named "OSEO Innovation".

        Subsidies received are non-refundable. Conditional advances received are interest-free or are subject to low interest rates depending on contractual provisions.

Grants related to assets

        Grants related to assets are intended to finance the purchase of long-term assets. They are presented in the statements of financial position as deferred income and recognized in the line item "Other income" in the statements of operations on a systematic basis over the useful life of the related asset.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

Grants related to income

        Grants related to income are intended to finance research programs.

        They are presented in the statements of financial position as deferred income and recognized in the line item "Other income" in the statements of operations as and when costs related to the research programs are incurred.

Conditional advances related to research programs

        Conditional advances that are interest-free or subject to low interest rates are intended to finance research programs needs.

        In accordance with IAS 20, Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure of Government Assistance, the advantage resulting from interest-free or low interest rates as compared to a market interest rate is considered and accounted for as a government grant. A financial liability is recognized for proceeds received from the advance less the grant, and interest expense is subsequently recorded under the effective interest rate method using a market interest rate.

        The grant portion of conditional advances is treated as a grant related to income.

        For advances granted by BPI France, repayment is required in the event of commercial success. In addition, if the Group decides to stop the research program, the conditional advance may be repayable. If a program is unsuccessful, a pre-determined amount may be repayable. The remaining amount, if any, is then considered as a grant and written off in the line item "Other income" in the statements of operations.

        The Research Tax Credit ("Crédit d'Impôt Recherche", or "CIR") is granted to entities by the French tax authorities in order to encourage them to conduct technical and scientific research. Entities that demonstrate that their research expenditures meet the required CIR criteria receive a tax credit that may be used for the payment of their income tax due for the fiscal year in which the expenditures were incurred, as well as in the next three years. If taxes due are not sufficient to cover the full amount of tax credit at the end of the three-year period, the difference is repaid in cash to the entity by the authorities. If a company meets certain criteria in terms of sales, headcount or assets to be considered a small/mid-size company, immediate payment of the Research Tax Credit can be requested. The Group meets such criteria.

        The Group applies for CIR for research expenditures incurred in each fiscal year and recognizes the amount claimed in the line item "Other income" in the statements of operations in the same fiscal year. In the notes to the financial statements, the amount claimed is recognized under the heading "Research tax credit" (see Note 7, "Trade and other receivables" and Note 17, "Revenue and other income"). The CIR for fiscal years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014 was under audit by the tax authorities and proposed reassessments were made, which the Group has contested using the legal remedies available to it (see Note 23, "Litigation and contingent liabilities").

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

3.20.  Research and development costs

        Research expenses are recorded in the financial statements as expenses (see Note 18, "Operating expense").

        In accordance with IAS 38, Intangible Assets, development expenses are recognized as intangible assets only if all the following criteria are met:

        Since some of these criteria were not fulfilled, the Group did not capitalize any development costs.

3.21.  Classification of operating expenses

        Research and development expenses include:

        Contracted research and development activities conducted by third parties include services subcontracted to research partners for technical and/or regulatory reasons. In particular, this includes the production of active ingredients and therapeutic units, all or a part of clinical trials and pre-clinical trials that are necessary to the development of GENFIT's drug candidates and biomarker candidates.

        General and administrative expenses include:

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

3.22.  Share-based compensation

        The fair value of equity-settled share-based compensation granted to employees, officers, board members and consultants as determined on the grant date is recognized as a compensation expense with a corresponding increase in equity, over the vesting period. The amount recognized as an expense is adjusted to reflect the actual number of awards for which the related service and non-market performance conditions are expected to be met.

        The fair values of equity-settled share-based compensation granted to employees are measured using the Black-Scholes model with respect to the share warrants (BSA) and redeemable share warrants (BSAAR) and using the Monte Carlo model for the stock options (SO) and free shares (AGA). Measurement inputs include share price on the measurement date, the exercise price of the instrument, expected volatility, expected maturity of the instruments, expected dividends, and the risk-free interest rate (based on government bonds). With respect to the redeemable share warrants, service and non-market performance conditions attached to the transactions are not taken into account in determining fair value. Regarding the stock options and free shares, market conditions are taken into account in the evaluation of the fair value for the allocation plans that provide for it. For share-based compensation awards with non-vesting conditions, the grant date fair value of the share-based compensation is measured to reflect such conditions and there is no adjustment for differences between expected and actual outcomes.

        GENFIT may also grant equity-settled share-based compensation in exchange for services to consultants who are not considered employees. In such cases, the value of the services is measured when they are rendered by the consultants and the share-based compensation exchanged for the services is measured at an equal amount. If the value of the services cannot be measured reliably, then such value is measured with reference to the fair value of the equity instruments granted.

        Share-based compensation granted to consultants consists of share warrants, some of which may be redeemed at GENFIT's discretion.

        Share-based compensation granted to employees consists of redeemable share warrants, stock options and free shares.

3.23.  Income tax

        Income tax expense (or income) comprises current tax expense (or income) and deferred tax expense (or income), as applicable.

        Deferred taxes are recognized for all the temporary differences arising from the difference between the tax basis and the accounting basis of assets and liabilities.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

        Deferred tax assets are recognized for unused tax losses, unused tax credits and temporary deductible differences to the extent that:

3.24.  Earnings (loss) per share

        Basic earnings (loss) per share are calculated by dividing profit or loss attributable to the Company's ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period.

        Diluted earnings (loss) per share are calculated by adjusting profit attributable to ordinary shareholders and the average number of ordinary shares outstanding weighted for the effects of all potentially dilutive instruments (share warrants, redeemable share warrants, free shares, stock options and bonds convertible into new and/or existing shares).

3.25.  Operating segments

        The Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer are the chief operating decision makers.

        The Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer oversee the operations and manage the business as one segment with a single activity; namely, the research and development of innovative medicines, the marketing of which depends on the success of the clinical development phase.

4. FINANCIAL RISKS MANAGEMENT

        The Group may be exposed to the following risks arising from financial instruments: foreign exchange risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk and credit risk.

4.1.  Foreign exchange risk

        As of the date of this document, the Group's exposure to exchange rate risk is moderate because the majority of its operations are denominated in euros, with the notable exception of the operations performed by GENFIT CORP in U.S. dollars.

        In the future, and in particular with respect to its clinical trials, the Group may have to manage an increasing number of transactions either denominated in other foreign currencies or indirectly exposed to currency risk, which will increase its overall exposure to this risk.

        The increase in the overall exposure of the Group to this risk will depend, in particular, on:

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

4. FINANCIAL RISKS MANAGEMENT (Continued)

        During the 2017 fiscal year, the Group used specific hedging arrangements (e.g., purchase of U.S. dollars and of UCITS in U.S. dollars, as well as currency forwards in U.S. dollars). In 2018, the Group considered the implementation of appropriate certain hedging arrangements without ultimately using any such arrangements.

        The following table shows the sensitivity of the Group's expenses in U.S. dollars to a variation of 10% of the U.S. dollar against the euro in 2017 and 2018:

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
Sensitivity of the Group's expenses to a variation of +/– 10% of
the U.S. dollar against the euro
(in thousands of euros or U.S. dollars, as applicable)
 
  2017   2018  

Expenses denominated in U.S. dollars

    5,993     9,613  

Equivalent in euros, on the basis of 1 euro = 1.1993 U.S. dollars in 2017 and 1.1456 U.S. dollars in 2018

    4,997     8,396  

Equivalent in euros, in the event of an increase of 10% of U.S. dollar vs euro

    5,552     9,328  

Equivalent in euros, in the event of a decrease of 10% of U.S. dollar vs euro

    4,543     7,632  

        For the 2017 fiscal year, the impact of the operational exchange rate risk consisted of realized and unrealized foreign exchange rate losses of €765, offset in part by gains of €59, and in 2018, a realized and unrealized foreign exchange rate loss of €(127), offset in part by gains of €101. These gains and losses are not necessarily indicative of the future impact of exchange rate risk.

4.2.  Interest rate risk

        As of December 31, 2018, the Group was only liable for governmental advances or conditional advances with no interest or interest at a fixed rate, generally below market rate, and for fixed-rate bank loans (the only variable-rate loan was repaid in 2017). Consequently, the Group is not significantly exposed to fluctuations in interest rates for its liabilities.

        As of December 31, 2017 and 2018, the Group's financial liabilities totaled €164,680 and €169,593, respectively, net of the equity component of the convertible loan and debt issue costs. The Group's exposure to interest rate risk through its financial assets is also limited, since these assets are mainly euro-denominated Undertakings for the Collective Investment of Transferable Securities (UCITs), medium-term negotiable notes or term deposits with progressive rates.

4.3.  Liquidity risk

        The Group's loans and borrowings mainly consist of bonds convertible or exchangeable into new or existing shares (OCEANE), government advances for research projects and bank loans. For conditional advances, reimbursement of the principal is subject to the commercial success of the related research project.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

4. FINANCIAL RISKS MANAGEMENT (Continued)

        The Company has conducted a specific review of its liquidity risk and considers that it is able to meet its future maturities. At December 31, 2017 and 2018, the Group has €274,581 and €208,553, respectively, in cash and cash equivalents and other financial assets. The Group's net cash at December 31, 2017 and 2018, consisting of cash and cash equivalents, less the carrying value of the OCEANEs and current and non-current financial liabilities, amounted to €109,141 and €37,647, respectively. The Company believes that the Group's cash and cash equivalents and current financial instruments are sufficient to ensure its financing, in light of its current projects and obligations, for at least the next twelve months.

        If the Group's funds are insufficient to cover any additional financing needs, the Group would require additional financing. The conditions and arrangements for any such new financing would depend, among other factors, on economic and market conditions that are beyond the Group's control.

4.4.  Credit risk

        Credit risk is the risk of financial loss if a customer or counterparty to a financial asset defaults on their contractual commitments. The Group is exposed to credit risk due to trade receivables and other financial assets.

        The Group's policy is to manage this risk by transacting with third parties with good credit standards.

5. INTANGIBLE ASSETS

        Intangible assets consist mainly of office and administrative software as well as scientific software purchased by the Group.

        The following tables show the variations in intangible assets for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018:

Intangible assets—Variations
(in thousands of euros)
  As of
January 1,
2017
  Increase   Decrease   As of
December 31,
2017
 

Gross

                         

Software

    1,688     268     (56 )   1,900  

Patents

    21             21  

TOTAL—Gross

    1,709     268     (56 )   1,921  

Accumulated depreciation and impairment

                         

Software

    (1,020 )   (298 )   54     (1,264 )

Patents

    (21 )           (21 )

TOTAL—Accumulated depreciation and impairment

    (1,042 )   (298 )   54     (1,285 )

TOTAL—Net

    668     (29 )   (2 )   636  

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

5. INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Continued)


Intangible assets—Variations
(in thousands of euros)
  As of
January 1,
2018
  Increase   Decrease   As of
December 31,
2018
 

Gross

                         

Software

    1,900     216     (67 )   2,049  

Patents

    21             21  

Other intangibles

        313         313  

TOTAL—Gross

    1,921     529     (67 )   2,384  

Accumulated depreciation and impairment

   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 

Software

    (1,264 )   (370 )   67     (1,567 )

Patents

    (21 )           (21 )

Other intangibles

                 

TOTAL—Accumulated depreciation and impairment

    (1,285 )   (370 )   67     (1,588 )

TOTAL—Net

    636     159         796  

6. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

        Property, plant and equipment (including assets held under finance lease contracts) consist of the following:

Property, plant & equipment—
Variations
(in thousands of euros)
  As of
January 1,
2017
  Increase   Decrease   Reclassification   As of
December 31,
2017
 

Gross

                               

Buildings on non-freehold land

        11             11  

Scientific equipment

    6,078     3,546     (49 )       9,576  

Fittings

    988     138             1,126  

Vehicles

    82     61     (44 )       99  

Computer equipment

    1,475     211     (12 )   281     1,954  

Furniture

    317     40             357  

In progress

        281           (281 )    

TOTAL—Gross

    8,940     4,287     (105 )       13,123  

Accumulated depreciation and impairment

                               

Scientific equipment

    (4,438 )   (673 )   48         (5,063 )

Fittings

    (657 )   (65 )           (722 )

Vehicles

    (29 )   (17 )   22         (24 )

Computer equipment

    (530 )   (184 )   11         (703 )

Furniture

    (276 )   (9 )           (285 )

In progress

                     

TOTAL—Depreciation and impairment

    (5,930 )   (949 )   81         (6,798 )

TOTAL—Net

    3,010     3,338     (24 )       6,324  

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

6. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT (Continued)


        The following tables show the variations in tangible assets for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018:

Property, plant and equipment—
Variations
(in thousands of euros)
  As of
January 1,
2018
  Increase   Decrease   Reclassification   As of
December 31,
2018
 

Gross

                               

Buildings on non-freehold land

    11             1,447     1,458  

Scientific equipment

    9,576     1,484     (235 )   54     10,879  

Fittings

    1,126     443     (43 )   5     1,531  

Vehicles

    99                 99  

Computer equipment

    1,954     200     (5 )   (702 )   1,446  

Furniture

    357     8     (4 )       361  

In progress

        805         (804 )    

TOTAL—Gross

    13,123     2,939     (288 )       15,774  

Accumulated depreciation and impairment

                               

Buildings on non-freehold land

        (1 )           (1 )

Scientific equipment

    (5,063 )   (1,142 )   218         (5,988 )

Fittings

    (722 )   (91 )   43         (769 )

Vehicles

    (24 )   (21 )           (45 )

Computer equipment

    (703 )   (216 )   4         (915 )

Furniture

    (285 )   (11 )   4         (292 )

In progress

                     

TOTAL—Depreciation and impairment

    (6,798 )   (1,481 )   270         (8,010 )

TOTAL—Net

    6,324     1,459     (18 )       7,764  

        Assets under finance lease contracts relate to scientific equipment. Their net carrying value as of December 31, 2017 and 2018 amounted to €1,895 and €1,889, respectively.

Financial commitments—Operating leases

        Lease payments for property rented under the Group's real estate operating leases for its offices in Loos, France; Paris, France; and Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA) and the payment schedule for minimum future lease payments under these leases are as follows:

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
Operating lease payments—group as lessee
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Minimum payments—for the period

    1,072     1,153  

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

6. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT (Continued)

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Operating lease commitments—group as lessee
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Minimum payments—within 1 year

    1,072     1,213  

Minimum payments—after 1 year but no more than 5 years

    3,832     3,262  

Minimum payments—more than 5 years

    293     316  

TOTAL

    5,197     4,791  

        In May 2018, the Company signed an agreement with an independent third party who owns the Company's headquarters, for a building extension of approximately 1,000 square meters for a maximum amount of €2.5 million. The expected completion date for the extension is end of the first quarter of 2019.

        GENFIT has guaranteed its rental payment obligation under the lease agreement for the headquarters in Loos in the amount of €455 at December 31, 2017 and 2018.

Financial commitments—Capital leases

        The payment schedule for minimum future lease payments under capital leases is as follows:

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Finance lease
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Minimum payments—Within 1 year

    439     539  

Minimum payments—After 1 year but not more than 5 years

    1,489     1,404  

Minimum payments—More than 5 years

         

Total—Minimum payments

    1,928     1,943  

Of which : Principal—Within 1 year

    420     520  

Of which : Principal—After 1 year but not more than 5 years

    1,460     1,381  

Of which : Principal—More than 5 years

         

Total—Of which : Principal

    1,880     1,900  

Of which : Interest—Within 1 year

    18     19  

Of which : Interest—After 1 year but not more than 5 years

    29     23  

Of which : Interest—More than 5 years

         

Total—Of which : Interest

    48     42  

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

7. TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES

        Trade and other receivables consisted of the following:

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Trade and other receivables—Total
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Trade receivables, net

    61     25  

Research tax credit

    8,466     8,785  

Social security costs receivables

    3     10  

VAT receivables

    994     1,103  

Grants receivables

    13      

Other receivables

    340     361  

TOTAL

    9,876     10,284  

 

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Trade and other receivables—Current
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Trade receivables, net

    61     25  

Research tax credit

    6,545     7,295  

Social security costs receivables

    3     10  

VAT receivables

    994     1,103  

Grants receivables

    13     (1 )

Other receivables

    340     361  

TOTAL

    7,955     8,794  

 

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Trade and other receivables—Non-current
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Trade receivables, net

         

Research tax credit

    1,921     1,489  

Social security costs receivables

         

VAT receivables

         

Grants receivables

         

Other receivables

         

TOTAL

    1,921     1,489  

        At December 31, 2017 and 2018, trade receivables neither past due nor impaired amounted to €49 and €7, respectively. At December 31, 2017 and 2018, past due trade receivables amounted to €12 and €18, respectively. At December 31, 2017 and 2018, the part of trade receivables classified as doubtful accounts amounted to €73 and €4, respectively. During the 2018 period, a majority of the trade receivables were classified as non-recoverable, in the amount of €57.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

7. TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES (Continued)

Research tax credit

        The research tax credit receivable as of December 31, 2018 included:

        The estimated amount of €7,295 for the research tax credit receivable for the year 2018 (€6.545 for the year 2017) is in addition to the amounts described above. At December 31, 2018, other receivables mainly included VAT receivables for €1,103, receivables from suppliers for €235 and the CICE receivable for €122.

8. OTHER FINANCIAL ASSETS

        Other financial assets consisted of the following:

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Financial assets—Total
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Loans

    219     259  

Deposits and guarantees

    274     284  

Liquidity contract net

    267     770  

TOTAL

    760     1,313  

 

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Financial assets—Current
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Deposits and guarantees

    31      

TOTAL

    31      

 

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Financial assets—Non current
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Loans

    219     259  

Deposits and guarantees

    243     284  

Liquidity contract

    267     770  

TOTAL

    729     1,313  

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

8. OTHER FINANCIAL ASSETS (Continued)

        The liquidity contract consists of a share buyback program contracted to an investment service provider in order to facilitate the listing of the Group's shares.

        During the period, Genfit made an additional contribution of €1,000 to the liquidity agreement with CM-CIC Market Solutions. As of December 31, 2018, the liquidity agreement had a cash balance of €770. CM-CIC Market Solutions holds on behalf of Genfit, 27,911 shares, recorded as a deduction from equity.

9. OTHER ASSETS

        Other assets of €1,761 and €2,078 at December 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively, consisted of prepaid expenses related to current operating expenses. This follows the increase in operating expenses in 2018.

10. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

        The main components of cash equivalents were:

        These investments, summarized in the tables below, are short-term, highly liquid and subject to a low risk of changes in value.

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Cash and cash equivalents
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Short-term deposits

    244,279     201,522  

Cash on hand and bank accounts

    29,541     5,718  

TOTAL

    273,820     207,240  

 

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Short-term deposits
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

UCITS

    38,052     29,189  

Term accounts

    138,967     124,316  

Negotiable medium-term notes

    4,150      

Interest-bearing current accounts

    63,110     48,017  

TOTAL

    244,279     201,522  

11. EQUITY

        Ordinary shares are classified under shareholders' equity. Any shareholder, regardless of nationality, whose shares are fully paid-in and registered for at least two years, is entitled to double voting rights under the conditions prescribed by law (Article 32 of the Company's bylaws).

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

11. EQUITY (Continued)

        At December 31, 2018, 2,300,214 shares have been held for more than two years and entitle their holders to double voting rights (7.38% of the issued share capital).

Changes in share capital in 2017

        On October 16, 2017, the Company issued bonds convertible or exchangeable into new or existing shares (OCEANEs) due October 16, 2022 for a nominal amount of €180,000. This transaction is recorded as a liability component and an equity component; the latter is measured at €14,312 net of deferred taxes (see Note 12.2, "Breakdown of other loans and borrowings").

Changes in share capital in 2018

        On December 27, 2018, the Board of Directors of the Company determined that some of the performance conditions for the AGA D 2016-1 and all of the performance conditions for the AGA S 2016-1 were met, and therefore 17,484 ordinary shares were definitively acquired by their beneficiaries, and the share capital was increased by the nominal amount.

12. LOANS AND BORROWINGS

12.1.  Breakdown of convertible loan

        On October 16, 2017, the Company issued 6,081,081 OCEANEs at par with a nominal unit value of €29.60 per bond for an aggregate nominal amount of €180,000. The exchange or conversion premium is 30% of the reference share price of €22.77. Annual nominal interest rate is a fixed 3.5% payable semi-annually in arrears. The effective interest rate is 7.3%. The OCEANEs are due October 16, 2022. Redemption prior to maturity is at the option of the Company from November 6, 2020 if the arithmetic volume-weighted average price of the Company's share price and the then-prevailing conversion ratio (over a 20-day trading period) exceeds 150% of the nominal value of the OCEANEs.

        As of December 31, 2017 and 2018, the Group recorded a liability of €155,868 and €160,489, respectively, related to the OCEANEs net of the equity portion and debt issue costs. Of this amount, €1,329 and €1,312, respectively, was classified as current and €154,539 and €159,176, respectively, was classified as non-current.

        The conversion of all of the convertible bonds would result in a dilution of 19.5% (expressed as a percentage of share capital).

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

12. LOANS AND BORROWINGS (Continued)

12.2.  Breakdown of other loans and borrowings

        Other loans and borrowings consisted of the following:

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Other loans & borrowings—Total
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Refundable and conditional advances

    3,407     3,229  

Bank loans

    3,488     3,964  

Obligations under finance leases

    1,890     1,900  

Accrued interests

    3     3  

Other financial loans and borrowings

    24     7  

TOTAL

    8,812     9,104  

 

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Other loans and borrowings—Current
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Refundable and conditional advances

    178      

Bank loans

    1,209     1,319  

Obligations under finance leases

    420     520  

Accrued interests

    3     3  

Other financial loans and borrowings

    24     7  

TOTAL

    1,834     1,848  

 

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Other loans and borrowings—Non current
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Refundable and conditional advances

    3,229     3,229  

Bank loans

    2,279     2,645  

Obligations under finance leases

    1,469     1,381  

Accrued interests

         

Other financial loans and borrowings

         

TOTAL

    6,978     7,255  

        All financial liabilities are denominated in euros.

General overview

        From 2006 to 2010, the Company received conditional advances from BPI France. Advances are subject to no or low interest rates and are intended to finance research programs described in

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

12. LOANS AND BORROWINGS (Continued)

Note 3.19.1, "Government grants". The following table summarizes advances outstanding at December 31, 2017.

Refundable and conditional
advances—general overview
(in € thousands)
  Grant date   Total
amount
allocated
  Receipts   Repayments   Effects of
discounting
  Net book
value as of
December 31,
2017
 

BPI FRANCE—IT-DIAB

    12/23/2008     3,229     3,229             3,229  

Development of a global strategy for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes

                                     

BPI FRANCE—ADVANCE
N°1—OLNORME II—1

    11/24/2010     250     200     (134 )   (2 )   64  

BPI FRANCE—ADVANCE
N°2—OLNORME II—2

    11/24/2010     250     200     (134 )   (2 )   64  

BPI FRANCE—ADVANCE
N°3—OLNORME II—3

    11/24/2010     200     160     (108 )   (2 )   51  

Research of pharmaceutical entities in plant extracts for the treatment of inflammatory diseases

                                     

TOTAL

                                  3,407  

        The following table summarizes advances outstanding at December 31, 2018.

Refundable and conditional
advances—general overview
(in thousands of euros)
  Grant date   Total
amount
allocated
  Receipts   Repayments   Effects of
discounting
  Net book
value as of
December 31,
2018
 

BPI FRANCE—IT-DIAB

    12/23/2008     3,229     3,229             3,229  

Development of a global strategy for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes

                                     

TOTAL

          3,229     3,229             3,229  

Receipts and repayments of refundable and conditional advances

        During the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018, the Group repaid €166 and €183, respectively, of refundable and conditional advances.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

12. LOANS AND BORROWINGS (Continued)

Main terms of the contracts

BPI FRANCE IT-DIAB

  On December 23, 2008, the Group received an advance from BPI France (the BPI France IT-DIAB) as part of a framework innovation aid agreement involving several scientific partners and for which the Group was the lead partner. The contribution expected at each stage by each of the partners in respect of work carried out and results achieved is defined in the framework agreement. With respect to the Group, the aid consisted of a €3,229 conditional advance and a €3,947 non-repayable government grant.

 

The conditional advance is not refundable except in the event of success. The program ended on December 31, 2014. In the event of success, defined as the commercial spin-offs of the IT-Diab program which involves products for the treatment or diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, in that case, the financial returns generated will be used initially to repay the €3,229 conditional advance and the agreement stipulates that the conditional advance will be regarded as repaid in full when the total payments made in this regards by the recipient, discounted at the rate of 5.19%, equal the total amount, discounted at the same rate, of the aid paid. Any further amounts will be classified as additional payments, up to a maximum amount of €14,800.

BPI FRANCE ADVANCE N°1—
    OLNORME II—1

 

These non-interest bearing advances are repayable in full (at 100% of their nominal amount) in the event of technical and/or commercial success.

 

The balance of these advances (in an amount of €66) were reimbursed during 2018.

BPI FRANCE ADVANCE N°2—
OLNORME II—2

 

These non-interest bearing advances are repayable in full (at 100% of their nominal amount) in the event of technical and/or commercial success.

 

The balance of these advances (in an amount of €66) were reimbursed during 2018.

BPI FRANCE ADVANCE N°3—
OLNORME II—3

 

These non-interest bearing advances are repayable in full (at 100% of their nominal amount) in the event of technical and/or commercial success.

 

The balance of these advances (in an amount of €52) were reimbursed during 2018.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

12. LOANS AND BORROWINGS (Continued)

        Bank loans are primarily used to finance research and laboratory equipment. Bank loans consisted of the following as of December 31, 2017:

(amounts in thousands of euros)
  Loan date   Facility
size
  Interest
rate
  Available
as of
December 31,
2017
  Installments   Outstanding
as of
December 31,
2017
 

CIC

  July 2017   1,000     0.69 % 500   60 monthly   451  

Crédit du Nord

  June 2017     600     0.36 %     48 monthly     525  

BNP Paribas

  April 2017     800     0.87 %   800   60 monthly      

CIC

  December 2016     264.6     0.69 %     60 monthly     217  

BNP Paribas

  October 2016     1,050     0.80 %     20 quarterly     945  

Banque Neuflize OBC

  June 2016     500     1.10 %     12 quarterly     252  

BNP Paribas

  June 2016     500     0.80 %     20 quarterly     377  

Crédit du Nord

  April 2016     500     0.72 %     60 monthly     335  

CIC

  March 2015     500     0.85 %     16 quarterly     158  

BNP Paribas

  December 2014     500     2.00 %     20 quarterly     205  

Other

                              23  

Total bank loans

                              3,488  

        Bank loans consisted of the following as of December 31, 2018:

(amounts in thousands of
euros)
  Loan date   Facility
size
  Interest
rate
  Available
as of
December 31,
2018
  Installments   Outstanding
as of
December 31,
2018
 

CIC

  July 2017   1,000     0.69 %   60 monthly   753  

Crédit du Nord

  June 2017     600     0.36 %     48 monthly     376  

BNP Paribas

  April 2017     800     0.87 %     60 monthly     695  

CIC

  December 2016     265     0.69 %     60 monthly     164  

BNP Paribas

  October 2016     1,050     0.80 %     20 quarterly     735  

Banque Neuflize OBC

  June 2016     500     1.10 %     12 quarterly     84  

BNP Paribas

  June 2016     500     0.80 %     20 quarterly     277  

Crédit du Nord

  April 2016     500     0.72 %     60 monthly     236  

CIC

  March 2015     500     0.85 %     16 quarterly     32  

BNP Paribas

  December 2014     500     2.00 %     20 quarterly     103  

Crédit du Nord

  November 2018     500     0.46 %     48 monthly     490  

Other

                    19  

Total bank loans

                              3,964  

12.3.  Development agreements with participation feature

        In June 2010, BPI France granted the Company a development agreement with participation feature amounting to €2,300 over a 7-year period with a fixed interest rate of 4.46%. No repayment of principal was scheduled during the first two years. The loan agreement has a provision applicable

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

12. LOANS AND BORROWINGS (Continued)

during the reimbursement period which provides for additional remuneration to BPI France depending on whether the Company had industrial income. This additional remuneration amounts to 0.2294% of sales. However, this loan was repaid in its entirety in June 2017.

12.4.  Maturities of financial liabilities

Maturity of financial liabilities
(in thousands of euros)
  As of
December 31,
2018
  Less than
1 year
  Less than
2 years
  Less than
3 years
  Less than
4 years
  Less than
5 years
  More than
5 years
 

BPI FRANCE—IT-DIAB

    3,229                         3,229  

TOTAL—Refundable and conditional advances

    3,229                         3,229  

Convertible loans

    160,489     1,312             159,176          

Bank loans

    3,964     1,319     1,105     942     544     54      

Obligations under finance leases

    1,900     520     525     523     291     42      

Accrued interests

    3     3                      

Other financial loans and borrowings

    7     7                      

TOTAL—Other loans and borrowings

    166,364     3,161     1,631     1,465     160,012     96      

TOTAL

    169,593     3,161     1,631     1,465     160,012     96     3,229  

        The convertible bond results in the payment of yearly interest of €6,300 and a reimbursement at par in October 2022. The nominal amount of the convertible loan of €180,000 is due in less than 4 years.

13. TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES

        Trade and other payables consisted of the following:

 
  As of
December 31,
 
Trade and other payables—Total (all current)
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Trade payables

    19,053     32,649  

Social security costs payables

    4,217     2,949  

Employee profit sharing

    17     17  

VAT payables

    19     1  

Taxes payables

    241     286  

Other payables

    34     71  

TOTAL

    23,580     35,974  

14. PROVISIONS

        At December 31, 2017 and 2018, this line item amounted to €361 and €112, respectively.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

14. PROVISIONS (Continued)

        The accruals recorded are mainly related to the research tax credit and the salary tax for 2017. See Note 23, "Litigation and contingent liabilities".

15. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

        In France, pension funds are generally financed by employer and employee contributions and are accounted for as a defined contribution plan with the employer contributions recognized as expense as incurred. The Group has no actuarial liabilities in connection with these plans. Expenses recorded for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018 amounted to €543 and €765, respectively.

        French law also requires payment of a lump sum retirement indemnity to employees based on years of service and annual compensation at retirement, which are accounted for as a defined benefit plan. Benefits do not vest prior to retirement. The Group is paying this defined benefit plan. It is calculated as the present value of estimated future benefits to be paid, applying the projected unit credit method whereby each period of service is seen as giving rise to an additional unit of benefit entitlement, each unit being measured separately to build up the final. At December 31, 2017 and 2018, pension provisions recorded were €936 and €1,085, respectively.

        As part of the measurement of the retirement indemnity to employees, the following assumptions were used for all categories of employees:

Population

  Permanent staff

Retirement age

  65

Terms of retirement

  Initiated by the employee

Life expectancy

  On the basis of the INSEE table(1)

Probability of continued presence in the company at retirement age

  On the basis of the DARES table(1)

(1)
INSEE is the French National Institute of Statistics; DARES is the French Bureau of Studies and Statistics
 
  As of December 31,  
Rate
  2017   2018  

Salary growth rate in 2019

    5.8 %   5.8 %

Salary growth rate beyond 2019

    3.0 %   3.0 %

Discount rate

    1.5 %   1.53 %

        The discount rates are based on the market yield at December 31, 2017 and 2018 on high quality corporate bonds.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

15. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (Continued)

        The following table presents the changes in the present value of the defined benefit obligation:

Changes in the present value of the defined benefit obligation
(in thousands of euros)
   
 

Defined benefit obligation as of January 1, 2017

    849  

Current service cost

    76  

Interest cost on benefit obligation

    13  

Actuarial losses on obligation

    210  

Past service costs

    (211 )

Defined benefit obligation as of December 31, 2017

    936  

Current service cost

    104  

Interest cost on benefit obligation

    14  

Actuarial losses on obligation

    31  

Past service costs

     

Defined benefit obligation as of December 31, 2018

    1,085  

        The actuarial differences are mainly explained by the changes in personnel observed against the hypothesis used in the actuarial calculation.

16. FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

        The following tables provide the financial assets and liabilities carrying values by category and fair values as of December 31, 2017 and 2018:

 
  As of December 31, 2017  
 
  Carrying value    
   
   
 
 
  As per
statement of
financial
position
  Assets at
fair value
through
profit & loss
   
   
  Fair value  
 
  Loans &
receivables
  Debt at
amortized
cost
 
(in thousands of euros)
  Level 1   Level 2   Level 3  

Assets

                                           

Loans

    219         219             219      

Deposits and guarantees

    274         274             274      

Trade receivables

    61         61             61      

Cash and cash equivalents

    273,820     273,820             273,820          

TOTAL—Assets

    274,375     273,820     555         273,820     555      

Liabilities

                                           

Conditional advances

    3,407             3,407             3,407  

Convertible loans

    155,868             155,868         155,868      

Bank loans

    3,488             3,488         3,488      

Obligations under finance leases

    1,890             1,890         1,890      

Accrued interests

    3             3         3      

Other financial loans and borrowings

    24             24         24      

Trade payables

    19,053             19,053         19,053      

Other payables

    34             34         34      

TOTAL—Liabilities

    183,766             183,766         180,359     3,407  

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

16. FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Continued)

 
  As of December 31, 2018  
 
  Carrying value    
   
   
 
 
  As per
statement of
financial
position
  Assets at
fair value
through
profit & loss
   
   
  Fair value  
 
  Loans &
receivables
  Debt at
amortized
cost
 
(in thousands of euros)
  Level 1   Level 2   Level 3  

Assets

                                           

Loans

    259         259             259      

Deposits and guarantees

    284         284             284      

Trade receivables

    25         25             25      

Cash and cash equivalents

    207,240     207,240             207,240          

TOTAL—Assets

    207,808     207,240     568         207,240     568      

Liabilities

                                           

Conditional advances

    3,229             3,229             3,229  

Convertible loans

    160,489             160,489         160,489      

Bank loans

    3,964             3,964         3,964      

Obligations under finance leases

    1,900             1,900         1,900      

Accrued interests

    3             3         3      

Other financial loans and borrowings

    7             7         7      

Trade payables

    32,649             32,649         32,649      

Other payables

    71             71         71      

TOTAL—Liabilities

    202,313             202,313         199,084     3,229  

17. OTHER INCOME

        Other income consisted of the following:

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
Other income
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

CIR research tax credit

    6,545     7,295  

CICE tax credit; other

    171     130  

Government grants and subsidies

    21      

TOTAL

    6,737     7,425  

        As described in section—Note 23, "Litigation and contingent liabilities", the research tax credits for the fiscal years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014 were subject to a tax audit and proposed reassessments were made which the Group has contested using the legal remedies available to it.

        During the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years, the Group recognized in other operating income €170 and €122, respectively, relating to the CICE (Crédit d'impôt pour la compétitivité et l'emploi), which is a tax credit implemented to enhance the competitiveness of businesses through the promotion of certain activities and employment. In 2017 and 2018, the tax credit was equal to 7% and 6%, respectively, of all wages paid to employees during the year in respect of salaries that do not exceed 2.5 times the French minimum wage.

        In 2017 and 2018, this tax credit was used to finance the increase in headcount and to purchase scientific equipment.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

18. OPERATING EXPENSE

Year Ended December 31, 2017

Operating expenses and other operating income (expenses)
(in thousands of
euros)
  Total   Raw
materials &
consumables
used
  Contracted
research &
development
activities
conducted
by third
parties
  Employee
expenses
  Other expenses
(maintenance, fees,
travel, taxes)
  Depreciation,
amortization &
impairment
charges
  Gain / (loss)
on disposal of
property,
plant &
equipment
 

Research and development expenses

  (54,189 ) (2,117 ) (35,088 ) (7,915 ) (7,973 ) (1,095 )  

General and administrative expenses

    (9,421 )   (112 )   (7 )   (5,491 )   (3,374 )   (437 )    

Other operating income (expenses)

    60                 68         (8 )

TOTAL

  (63,550 ) (2,229 ) (35,095 ) (13,406 ) (11,280 ) (1,532 ) (8 )

Year Ended December 31, 2018

Operating expenses and other operating income (expenses)
(in thousands of
euros)
  Total   Raw
materials &
consumables
used
  Contracted
research &
development
activities
conducted
by third
parties
  Employee
expenses
  Other expenses
(maintenance, fees,
travel, taxes)
  Depreciation,
amortization &
impairment
charges
  Gain / (loss)
on disposal of
property,
plant &
equipment
 

Research and development expenses

  (67,024 ) (1,724 ) (47,659 ) (9,431 ) (6 502 ) (1,707 )  

General and administrative expenses

    (9,793 )   (130 )   (2 )   (4,194 )   (5,738 )   272      

Other operating income and (expenses)

    (162 )               (164 )       2  

TOTAL

  (76,979 ) (1,855 ) (47,662 ) (13,625 ) (12,403 ) (1,435 ) 2  

        Research and development expenses take into account estimates for ongoing activities subcontracted as part of the clinical trials and not yet invoiced, on the basis of detailed information provided by subcontractors and reviewed by the Group's internal departments. The accuracy of these estimates for some types of expenses improves with the progression of the trials and the review of their determination methods.

        In 2017, the donation to The NASH Education Program (€1,808) was classified as a research & development expense because the 2017 donation was primarily related to the creation of a NASH patient registry in particular to increase understanding of the prevalence and natural history of NASH/

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

18. OPERATING EXPENSE (Continued)

NAFLD, and the development of co-morbidities historically linked to NASH/NAFLD, which information is to be used as part of the efforts to collect RWE (Real World Evidence) data to better address the needs of the patients, which information could be utilized by the Company in its research & development efforts.

        The increase in contracted research and development activities conducted by third parties in the 2018 period was primarily the result of the progression of the research and development pipeline; and mainly operational outsourcing costs related to the Phase 3 RESOLVE-IT clinical trial of elafibranor for the treatment of NASH and, to a lesser extent, those related to the Phase 2 trial of elafibranor in PBC and the launch of the Phase 2 trial in nitazoxanide.

        The increase in employee expenses is mainly due to the evolution of employee profiles (specialized and more experienced), the increase in compensation, and the increase in the number of employees.

        Other operating expenses include costs related to facilities and their maintenance, intellectual property costs, and expenses related to the preparation of marketing of elafibranor in NASH. In 2018, the Company's donation to The Nash Education Program endowment fund (€959) was dedicated mainly to the organization of the first international NASH Day. In this context, in 2018, the Company has classified this charge as general and administrative expenses.

18.1.  Employee expenses

        Employee expenses and number of employees were as follows:

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
Employee expenses
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Wages and salaries

    (9,267 )   (9,012 )

Social security costs

    (3,996 )   (3,722 )

Changes in pension provision

    135     (104 )

Share-based compensation

    (278 )   (787 )

TOTAL

    (13,406 )   (13,625 )

Average number of employees

    123     135  

Average age of employees

    38 years 4 months     38 years 11 months  

Number of employees

             

Research and development

    92     100  

Administration and management

    33     48  

TOTAL

    125     148  

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

        Share-based compensation is granted by the Group to employees, executive officers, board members and consultants.

        Share-based compensation granted to employees and executive officers in 2014 through 2018 corresponds to redeemable share warrants ("Bons de Souscriptions et/ou d'Acquisition d'Actions" or "BSAAR"), stock options ("SO") and free shares ("actions gratuites" or "AGA").

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

        Share-based compensation granted to board members and consultants in 2014, 2015 and 2017 corresponds to share warrants ("Bons de Souscriptions d'Actions" or "BSA").

        For the measurement of this share-based compensation, the Group has determined that under IFRS its consultants were not equivalent to employees.

        Under these programs, holders of vested instruments are entitled to subscribe to shares of the Company at a pre-determined exercise price. All of the plans are equity settled.

        The table below presents the share-based compensation for each of the programs.

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
   
   
 
 
  Total expense
calculated
  Total expense
remaining
 
Share-based compensation—Annual expense
  2017   2018  

BSA 2014-A

            945      

Of which : expense related to non-executive officers

            365      

Of which : expense related to consultants

            581      

BSA 2014-B

            1,045      

Of which : expense related to non-executive officers

            365      

Of which : expense related to consultants

            680      

BSAAR 2014-A

            43      

Of which : expense related to executive officers

            9      

Of which : expense related to employees

            34      

BSAAR 2014-B

            191      

Of which : expense related to executive officers

            35      

Of which : expense related to employees

            156      

BSAAR 2014-C

            189      

Of which : expense related to executive officers

            35      

Of which : expense related to employees

            154      

 

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
   
   
 
 
  Total expense
calculated
  Total expense
remaining
 
Share-based compensation—Annual expense
  2017   2018  

BSA 2015-A

            335      

Of which : expense related to non-executive officers

            178      

Of which : expense related to consultants

            157      

BSA 2015-B

            315      

Of which : expense related to non-executive officers

            178      

Of which : expense related to consultants

            138      

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

 
  Year Ended December 31,    
   
 
 
  Total expense
calculated
  Total expense
remaining
 
Share-based compensation—Annual expense
  2017   2018  

BSAAR 2016-A

                 

Of which : expense related to executive officers

                 

Of which : expense related to employees

                 

BSAAR 2016-B

                 

Of which : expense related to executive officers

                 

Of which : expense related to employees

                 

AGA D 2016-1

    38     127     166      

Of which : expense related to executive officers

    7     25     32      

Of which : expense related to employees

    31     101     133      

AGA D 2016-2

    17     17     51     16  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

    3     3     9     3  

Of which : expense related to employees

    14     14     42     13  

AGA S 2016-1

    44     151     197      

Of which : expense related to executive officers

                 

Of which : expense related to employees

    44     151     197      

AGA S 2016-2

    22     22     65     21  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

                 

Of which : expense related to employees

    22     22     65     21  

SO 2016-1

    83     83     249     79  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

    13     13     40     13  

Of which : expense related to employees

    70     70     210     67  

SO 2016-2

    38     38     113     36  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

    6     6     18     6  

Of which : expense related to employees

    32     32     95     30  

SO US 2016-1

    12     12     36     11  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

                 

Of which : expense related to employees

    12     12     36     11  

SO US 2016-2

    5     5     16     5  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

                 

Of which : expense related to employees

    5     5     16     5  

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

 
  Year Ended December 31,    
   
 
 
  Total expense
calculated
  Total expense
remaining
 
Share-based compensation—Annual expense
  2017   2018  

BSA 2017-A

    6     63     69      

Of which : expense related to non-executive officers

    4     43     47      

Of which : expense related to employees

    2     20     22      

BSA 2017-B

    3     66     70      

Of which : expense related to non-executive officers

    2     46     48      

Of which : expense related to employees

    1     21     22      

AGA D 2017-1

        17     35     17  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

    0     2     4     2  

Of which : expense related to employees

    1     15     31     15  

AGA D 2017-2

        29     89     58  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

    0     3     11     7  

Of which : expense related to employees

    2     26     79     51  

AGA S 2017-1

                 

Of which : expense related to executive officers

                 

Of which : expense related to employees

                 

AGA S 2017-2

        24     73     48  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

                 

Of which : expense related to employees

    2     24     73     48  

SO 2017-1

    2     28     57     28  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

    0     5     10     5  

Of which : expense related to employees

    2     23     47     23  

SO 2017-2

    3     48     146     95  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

    1     8     26     17  

Of which : expense related to employees

    3     39     121     79  

SO US 2017-1

        3     6     3  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

                 

Of which : expense related to employees

        3     6     3  

SO US 2017-2

        5     16     11  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

                 

Of which : expense related to employees

        5     16     11  

F-46


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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)


 
  Year Ended December 31,    
   
 
 
  Total expense
calculated
  Total expense
remaining
 
Share-based compensation—Annual expense
  2017   2018  

AGA D 2018

        10     202     191  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

        2     95     93  

Of which : expense related to employees

        9     107     98  

AGA S 2018

        12     237     225  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

        0     0     0  

Of which : expense related to employees

        12     237     225  

SO 2018

        24     517     493  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

        3     182     179  

Of which : expense related to employees

        21     335     314  

SO US 2018

        3     55     52  

Of which : expense related to executive officers

                 

Of which : expense related to employees

        3     55     52  

 

 
  Year Ended December 31,    
   
 
 
  Total expense
calculated
  Total expense
remaining
 
Share-based compensation—Annual expense
  2017   2018  

TOTAL

    278     787     5,530     1,390  

F-47


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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

19.1.  Share warrants (bons de souscription d'actions or BSA)

        The key terms and conditions related to each program are detailed in the following tables:

 
  BSA 2014-A   BSA 2014-B
Share-based compensation Share warrants (BSA)
  Officers(1)   Consultants   Officers(1)   Consultants

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  04/02/2014

Date of the Executive board meeting

  07/24/2014

Total number of BSA granted

  23,385   23,380   23,385   23,380

Total number of BSA subscribed

  23,385   23,380   23,385   23,380

Total number of BSA voided

  23,385   23,380    

Total number of BSA exercised

       

Total number of BSA remaining

      23,385   23,380

Total number of shares to which the BSA give right

      24,087   24,081

Share entitlement per option

  1 warrant / 1.03 shares

Issue price

  0.01 €

Exercise price(2)

  23.50 €

Subscription period

  From 08/01/2014 to 09/15/2017   From 01/02/2015 to 02/15/2015

Exercise period

  From 11/01/2014 to 09/30/2018   From 03/01/2015 to 02/28/2019

Methods of exercise

  Exercisable per tranches of a minimum number of BSA equal to 2,000 or a multiple of 2,000, except outstanding balance

Valuation method used

  Black Scholes

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  74.9%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.40%

Expected life

  4 years

Estimated fair value—valued by expert opinion(3)

  13.02 €

Estimation of fair value as of December 31, 2014

               

Period used for the estimation of the underlying share

  As of 08/01/2014   From 08/01/2014 To 11/01/2014   As of 08/01/2014   From 08/01/2014 To 12/31/2014

Price of the underlying share

  27.46 €   37.79 €   27.46 €   37.79 €

Estimated fair value—according to IFRS 2

  15.61 €   24.84 €   15.61 €   24.85 €

Estimation of fair value as of December 31, 2015

               

Period used for the estimation of the underlying share

      As of 08/01/2014   From 01/01/2015 To 03/01/2015

Price of the underlying share

      27.46 €   54.84 €

Estimated fair value—according to IFRS 2

      15.61 €   40.09 €

(1)
Independent members of the Supervisory board.

(2)
Exercise price of the BSA 2014 is equal to the average, weighted by the volumes, of the closing prices of the share over five consecutive trading days from July 7, 2014 to July 11, 2014, decreased by a discount of 5.00%.

(3)
Valuation of the financial instrument by independent expert opinion at the time of allocation.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

 
  BSA 2015-A   BSA 2015-B
 
  Officers(1)   Consultants   Officers(1)   Consultants
Share-based compensation Share warrants (BSA)

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  04/02/2014

Date of the Executive board meeting

  01/09/2015

Total number of BSA subscribed

  7,015   11,690   7,015   11,690

Total number of BSA granted

  7,015   5,845   7,015   5,845

Total number of BSA voided

       

Total number of BSA exercised

       

Total number of BSA remaining

  7,015   5,845   7,015   5,845

Total number of shares to which the BSA give right

  7,225   6,020   7,225   6,020

Share entitlement per option

  1 warrant / 1.03 shares

Issue price

  0.01 €

Exercise price(2)

  35.95 €

Subscription period

  From 01/20/2015 to 02/25/2015   From 07/01/2015 to 09/15/2015

Exercise period

  From 06/01/2015 to 05/31/2019   From 12/01/2015 to 11/30/2019

Methods of exercise

  Exercisable per tranches of a minimum number of BSA equal to 2,000 or a multiple of 2,000, except outstanding balance

Valuation method used

  Black Scholes

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  74.9%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.40%

Expected life

  4 years

Estimated fair value—valued by expert opinion(3)

  14.64 €

Estimation of fair value as of June 30, 2015

               

Period used for the estimation of the underlying share

  As of 01/09/2015   From 01/09/2015 To 06/01/2015   As of 01/09/2015   From 01/09/2015 To 06/30/2015

Price of the underlying share

  43.12 €   44.84 €   43.12 €   44.20 €

Estimated fair value—according to IFRS 2

  25.33 €   26.89 €   25.33 €   26.31 €

Estimation of fair value as of December 31, 2015

               

Period used for the estimation of the underlying share

      As of 01/09/2015   From 07/01/2015 To 12/01/2015

Price of the underlying share

      43.12 €   38.09 €

Estimated fair value—according to IFRS 2

      25.33 €   20.80 €

(1)
Independant members of the Supervisory board.

(2)
Exercise price of the BSA 2015 is equal to the average, weighted by the volumes, of the closing prices of the share over five consecutive trading days from December 3, 2014 to December 9, 2014, decreased by a discount of 4.98%.

(3)
Valuation of the financial instrument by independent expert opinion at the time of allocation.

F-49


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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

 
  BSA 2017-A   BSA 2017-B
 
  Officers(1)   Consultants   Officers(1)   Consultants
Share-based compensation Share warrants (BSA)

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  06/16/2017

Date of the decision and delegation of the Board of Directors to the CEO

  11/21/2017

Date of the Executive board meeting

  12/06/2017

Total number of BSA subscribed

  12,500   5,845   12,500   5,845

Total number of BSA granted

  12,500   5,845   12,500   5,845

Total number of BSA voided

       

Total number of BSA exercised

       

Total number of BSA remaining

  12,500   5,845   12,500   5,845

Total number of shares to which the BSA give right

  12,500   5,845   12,500   5,845

Share entitlement per option

  1 warrant / 1 share

Issue price

  2.00 €

Exercise price(2)

  19.97 €

Subscription period

  From 12/11/2017 to 12/26/2017   From 07/01/2018 to 07/15/2018

Exercise period

  From 07/01/2018 to 06/30/2022   From 07/16/2018 to 07/15/2022

Methods of exercise

  Exercisable per tranches of a minimum number of BSA equal to 2,000 or a multiple of 2,000, except outstanding balance

Valuation method used

  Black Scholes

Expected dividends

  0.0%

Expected volatility

  36.4%   35.7%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.00%

Expected life

  0.6 years

Estimated fair value—valued by expert opinion(3)

  3.78 €   3.81 €

Estimation of fair value as of December 31, 2017

               

Period used for the estimation of the underlying share

  As of 12/11/2017

Price of the underlying share

  22.50 €

Estimated fair value—according to IFRS 2

  3.78 €   3.81 €

(1)
Independant members of the Board of Directors.

(2)
Exercise price of the BSA 2017 is equal to the average, weighted by the volumes, of the closing prices of the share over five consecutive trading days from October 20, 2017 to October 26, 2017, decreased by a discount of 5%.

(3)
Valuation of the financial instrument by independent expert opinion at the time of allocation.

        The services performed by the consultants are mainly:

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

19.2.  Redeemable warrants (bons de souscription et/ou d'acquisition d'actions remboursables or BSAAR)

        The key terms and conditions related to each program are detailed in the following tables:

 
  BSAAR 2014-A   BSAAR 2014-B   BSAAR 2014-C
Share-based compensation Redeemable
share subscription warrants (BSAAR)
  Members of the
Executive Board
  Employees   Members of the
Executive Board
  Employees   Members of the
Executive Board
  Employees

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  04/02/2014

Date of the Executive board Meeting

  09/15/2014

Total number of BSAAR granted

  18,711   17,248   18,711   17,248   18,711   17,248

Total number of BSAAR subscribed

  5,901   9,299   17,822   5,416   18,711   5,568

Total number of BSAAR voided

  5,901   8,466     1,083     833

Total number of BSAAR exercised

    833         400

Total number of BSAAR remaining

      17,822   4,333   18,711   4,335

Total number of shares to which the BSAAR give right

      18,357   4,463   19,272   4,465

Share entitlement per option

  1 warrant / 1.03 shares

Issue price

  5.61 €

Exercise price(1)

  23.50 €

Subscription period

  From 09/19/2014 to 10/15/2014   From 05/07/2015 to 05/29/2015   From 07/06/2015 to 07/31/2015

Exercise period

  From 09/15/2015 to 09/15/2018   From 09/15/2015 to 05/04/2019   From 09/15/2015 to 07/01/2019

Methods of exercise

  Exercisable by fraction of a number of BSAAR equal to 1/3 of the number held by each beneficiary

Valuation method used

  Black Scholes

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  74.9%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.40%

Expected life

  4 years

Estimated fair value—valued by expert opinion(2)

  5.61 €

Estimation of fair value as of December 31, 2014

                       

Period used for the estimation of the underlying share

  From 10/10/2014 To 10/14/2014   From 10/10/2014 To 10/14/2014   As of 09/15/2014   As of 09/19/2014   As of 09/15/2014   As of 09/19/2014

Price of the underlying share

  34.63 €   34.63 €   46.85 €   43.95 €   46.85 €   43.95 €

Estimated fair value—according to IFRS 2

  8.44 €   8.44 €   11.29 €   10.61 €   11.29 €   10.61 €

Estimation of fair value as of June 30, 2015

                       

Period used for the estimation of the underlying share

  From 10/10/2014 To 10/14/2014   From 10/10/2014 To 10/14/2014   As of 09/15/2014   As of 09/19/2014   As of 09/15/2014   As of 09/19/2014

Price of the underlying share

  34.63 €   34.63 €   46.85 €   43.95 €   46.85 €   43.95 €

Estimated fair value—according to IFRS 2

  8.44 €   8.44 €   11.29 €   10.61 €   11.29 €   10.61 €

Estimation of fair value as of December 31, 2015

                       

Period used for the estimation of the underlying share

  From 10/10/2014 To 10/14/2014   From 10/10/2014 To 10/14/2014   As of 09/15/2014   As of 09/19/2014   As of 09/15/2014   As of 09/19/2014

Price of the underlying share

  34.63 €   34.63 €   46.85 €   43.95 €   46.85 €   43.95 €

Estimated fair value—according to IFRS 2

  8.44 €   8.44 €   11.29 €   10.61 €   11.29 €   10.61 €

(1)
Exercise price of the BSAAR 2014 is equal to the average, weighted by the volumes, of the closing prices of the share over five consecutive trading days from August 13, 2014 to August 19, 2014, decreased by a discount of 13.60%.

(2)
Valuation of the financial instrument by independent expert opinion at the time of allocation.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

 
  BSAAR
2016-A
  BSAAR
2016-B
Share-based compensation Redeemable share subscription warrants (BSAAR)
  Employees   Employees

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  02/24/2015

Date of the Executive board meeting

  07/22/2016

Total number of BSAAR granted

  7,200   3,600

Total number of BSAAR subscribed

  7,200   3,600

Total number of BSAAR voided

   

Total number of BSAAR exercised

   

Total number of BSAAR remaining

  7,200   3,600

Total number of shares to which the BSAAR give right

  7,416   3,708

Share entitlement per option

  1 warrant / 1.03 shares

Issue price

  4.60 €

Exercise price(1)

  23.50 €

Subscription period

  From 07/25/2016 to 07/27/2016

Exercise period

  From 01/01/2018 to 07/27/2020   From 08/01/2019 to 07/27/2020

Methods of exercise

  Exercisable by fraction of a number of BSAAR equal to 1/3 of the number held by each beneficiary

Valuation method used

  Black Scholes

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  75.4%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.00%

Expected life

  4 years

Estimated fair value—valued by expert opinion(2)

  4.60 €

(1)
Exercise price of the BSAAR 2016 is equal to the average, weighted by the volumes, of the closing prices of the share over five consecutive trading days from July 15, 2014 to July 21, 2016, decreased by a discount of 6.67%.

(2)
Valuation of the financial instrument by independent expert opinion at the time of allocation.

        The exercise of the BSAAR 2016-A is subject to the following performance condition: the Group will have, at the date it receives the exercise notice accompanied by the payment of the exercise price, the financial means to carry out its research and development programs, and at a minimum its development program for elafibranor in NASH until at least the end of 2018.

        The exercise of the BSAAR 2016-B is subject to the following performance condition: the Group will have published, on the date it receives the exercise notice accompanied by the exercise price, the main results of the RESOLVE-IT clinical trial for which it is the sponsor.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

19.3.  Free shares (actions gratuites attribuées or AGA)

        The key terms and conditions related to each program are detailed in the following tables:

 
  AGA D 2016-1   AGA S 2016-1
Share-based compensation Free shares (AGA)
  Officers(1)   Employees   Officers(1)   Employees

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  06/21/2016

Date of the Executive board meeting

  12/15/2016

Total number of AGA granted

  5,242   4,879     10,419

Total number of AGA subscribed

  5,242   4,879     10,399

Total number of AGA voided

    778     900

Total number of AGA definitively vested

  4,480   3,505     9,499

Total number of AGA remaining

  762   596    

Acquisition period

  From 12/15/2016 to 12/15/2018 or 12/15/2019

Valuation method used

  Monte Carlo

Price of the share at the time of allocation

  20.79 €

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  63.0%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.0%

Turnover rate

  15.00%

(1)
Members of the Executive Board.


 
  AGA D 2016-2   AGA S 2016-2
Share-based compensation Free shares (AGA)
  Officers(1)   Employees   Officers(1)   Employees

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  06/21/2016

Date of the Executive board meeting

  12/15/2016

Total number of AGA granted

  2,621   2,439     5,209

Total number of AGA subscribed

  2,621   2,439     5,129

Total number of AGA voided

    389     380

Total number of AGA definitively vested

       

Total number of AGA remaining

  2,621   2,050     4,749

Acquisition period

  From 12/15/2016 to 12/15/2019

Valuation method used

  Monte Carlo

Price of the share at the time of allocation

  20.79 €

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  63.0%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.0%

Turnover rate

  15.00%

(1)
Members of the Executive Board.

F-53


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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

 
  AGA D 2017-1   AGA S 2017-1
Share-based compensation Free shares (AGA)
  Officers(1)   Employees   Officers(1)   Employees

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  06/16/2017

Date of the decision and delegation of the Board of Directors to the CEO

  11/21/2017

Date of the Executive board meeting

  12/06/2017

Total number of AGA granted

  2,000   14,646     11,443

Total number of AGA subscribed

  2,000   14,646     10,822

Total number of AGA voided

    1,806     649

Total number of AGA definitively vested

       

Total number of AGA remaining

  2,000   12,840     10,173

Acquisition period

  From 12/06/2017 to 12/31/2020

Valuation method used

  Monte Carlo

Price of the share at the time of allocation

  21.95 €

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  53.7%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.0%

Turnover rate

  15.00%

(1)
Chief executive officer


 
  AGA D 2017-2   AGA S 2017-2
Share-based compensation Free shares (AGA)
  Officers(1)   Employees   Officers(1)   Employees

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  06/16/2017

Date of the decision and delegation of the Board of Directors to the CEO

  11/21/2017

Date of the Executive board meeting

  12/06/2017

Total number of AGA granted

  1,000   7,321     5,718

Total number of AGA subscribed

  1,000   7,321     5,407

Total number of AGA voided

    903     324

Total number of AGA definitively vested

       

Total number of AGA remaining

  1,000   6,418     5,083

Acquisition period

  From 12/06/2017 to 12/31/2020

Valuation method used

  Monte Carlo

Price of the share at the time of allocation

  21.95 €

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  53.7%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.0%

Turnover rate

  15.00%

(1)
Chief executive officer

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

 
  AGA 2018   AGA 2018
Share-based compensation Free shares (AGA)
  Officers(1)   Employees   Officers(1)   Employees

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  06/16/2017

Date of the decision and delegation of the Board of Directors to the CEO

  11/21/2017

Date of the Executive board meeting

  12/06/2017

Total number of AGA granted

  3,000   16,149     17,923

Total number of AGA subscribed

  3,000   16,149     16,651

Total number of AGA voided

        366

Total number of AGA definitively vested

       

Total number of AGA remaining

  3,000   16,149     16,285

Acquisition period

  From 12/06/2017 to 12/31/2020

Valuation method used

  Monte Carlo

Price of the share at the time of allocation

  20.02 €

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  38.0%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.0%

Turnover rate

  15.00%

(1)
Chief executive officer

        The final allocation of free shares is subject to continued employment with the Group and performance conditions. These performance conditions are described in Note 19.5, "Performance conditions".

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

19.4.  Stock options (options de souscription d'actions or SO)

        The key terms and conditions related to each program are detailed in the following tables:

 
  SO 2016-1   SO US 2016-1
Share-based compensation Stock-options (SO)
  Officers(1)   Employees   Officers(1)   Employees

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  06/21/2016

Date of the Executive board meeting

  12/15/2016

Total number of SO granted

  20,001   21,916     7,000

Total number of SO subscribed

  20,001   21,916     7,000

Total number of SO voided

    1,667     7,000

Total number of SO definitively vested

  17,093   17,305    

Total number of SO remaining

  2,908   2,944    

Total number of SO exercised

       

Exercise price

  15.79 €   21.12 €

Vesting period

  From 12/15/2016 to 12/15/2019

Exercise period

  From 12/16/2019 to 12/16/2026

Valuation method used

  Monte Carlo

Fair Value

  10.30 €   8.52 €

Price of the share at the time of allocation

  20.79 €

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  63.0%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.0%

Turnover rate

  15.00%

(1)
Members of the Executive Board.


 
  SO 2016-2   SO US 2016-2
Share-based compensation Stock-options (SO)
  Officers(1)   Employees   Officers(1)   Employees

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  06/21/2016

Date of the Executive board meeting

  12/15/2016

Total number of SO granted

  9,999   10,959     3,500

Total number of SO subscribed

  9,999   10,959     3,500

Total number of SO voided

    833     3,500

Total number of SO definitively vested

       

Total number of SO remaining

  9,999   10,126    

Total number of SO exercised

       

Exercise price

  15.79 €   21.12 €

Vesting period

  From 12/15/2016 to 12/15/2019

Exercise period

  From 12/16/2019 to 12/16/2026

Valuation method used

  Monte Carlo

Fair Value

  10.30 €   8.52 €

Price of the share at the time of allocation

  20.79 €

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  63.0%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.0%

Turnover rate

  15.00%

(1)
Members of the Executive Board.

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Table of Contents


NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

 
  SO 2017-1   SO US 2017-1
Share-based compensation Stock-options (SO)
  Officers(1)   Employees   Officers(1)   Employees

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  06/16/2017

Date of the decision and delegation of the Board of Directors to the CEO

  11/21/2017

Date of the Executive board meeting

  12/06/2017

Total number of SO granted

  11,333   52,831     8,666

Total number of SO subscribed

  11,333   52,831     8,666

Total number of SO voided

        8,666

Total number of SO definitively vested

       

Total number of SO remaining

  11,333   52,831    

Total number of SO exercised

       

Exercise price

  17.91 €   22.54 €

Vesting period

  From 12/06/2017 to 12/31/2020

Exercise period

  From 01/01/2021 to 12/31/2027

Valuation method used

  Monte Carlo

Fair Value

  9.32 €

Price of the share at the time of allocation

  21.95 €

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  53.7%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.0%

Turnover rate

  15.00%

(1)
Chief executive officer


 
  SO 2017-2   SO US 2017-2
Share-based compensation Stock-options (SO)
  Officers(1)   Employees   Officers(1)   Employees

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  06/16/2017

Date of the decision and delegation of the Board of Directors to the CEO

  11/21/2017

Date of the Executive board meeting

  12/06/2017

Total number of SO granted

  5,667   26,419     4,334

Total number of SO subscribed

  5,667   26,419     4,334

Total number of SO voided

        4,334

Total number of SO definitively vested

       

Total number of SO remaining

  5,667   26,419    

Total number of SO exercised

       

Exercise price

  17.91 €   22.54 €

Vesting period

  From 12/06/2017 to 12/31/2020

Exercise period

  From 01/01/2021 to 12/31/2027

Valuation method used

  Monte Carlo

Fair Value

  9.32 €

Price of the share at the time of allocation

  21.95 €

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  53.7%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.0%

Turnover rate

  15.00%

(1)
Chief executive officer

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

 

 
  SO 2018   SO US 2018
Share-based compensation Stock-options (SO)
  Officers(1)   Employees   Officers(1)   Employees

Date of the Shareholders meeting

  06/16/2017

Date of the decision and delegation of the Board of Directors to the CEO

  11/21/2017

Date of the Executive board meeting

  12/06/2017

Total number of SO granted

  17,000   105,000     17,500

Total number of SO subscribed

  17,000   105,000     17,500

Total number of SO voided

       

Total number of SO definitively vested

       

Total number of SO remaining

  17,000   105,000     17,500

Total number of SO exercised

       

Exercise price

  16.00 €   21.65 €

Vesting period

  From 12/06/2017 to 12/31/2020

Exercise period

  From 01/01/2021 to 12/31/2027

Valuation method used

  Monte Carlo

Fair value

  9.32 €   6.90 €

Price of the share at the time of allocation

  22.12 €

Expected dividends

  0%

Expected volatility

  44.1%

Risk-free interest rate

  0.0%

Turnover rate

  15.00%

(1)
Chief executive officer

        Volatility assumptions in the above tables are determined by reference to the Company's historical share price over a 3-year period prior to the grant date, adjusted for extreme and unusual variations, if any.

        The final allocation of free shares is subject to continued employment with the Group and performance conditions. These performance conditions are described in Note 19.5, "Performance conditions".

19.5.  Performance conditions

        The SO and SO US stock option plans as well as certain free share plans (AGA "D") implemented in 2016, 2017 and 2018 are subject to internal performance conditions related to the progress of the Group's research and development programs, and to external performance conditions related to the evolution of the Company's stock price.

        The other free share plans (AGA "S") are subject only to internal performance conditions.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

Plans
  Assessment date
for performance
conditions
  Nature of internal conditions
SO 2016-1
SO US 2016-1
AGA D 2016-1
  12/15/2018
and/or
12/15/2019
  662/3% of the instruments will be exercisable or definitively allocated, regardless of the variation of the stock market price, in the following events:

(i) if, on the date of the Allocation Decision, one of the two ongoing or authorized clinical trials (Resolve-It, Phase 2 in PBC) has revealed its first results and/or principal results and these results have been published; and


 

 

 

 

(ii) if, on the date of the Allocation Decision, the authorization to launch at least one of the new clinical trials among the projected clinical trials has been obtained, either:

     

a clinical trial with elafibranor within a NASH subpopulation; or

     

a clinical trial with respect to fibrosis within the TGFTX4/repositioning program.


 

 

 

 

Nature of external conditions
        331/3% of the instruments will be exercisable or definitively allocated in proportion to the evolution of the stock market price of the Company, as follows:

 

 

 

 

(i) if the Final Price is strictly lower than the Initial Price, the number exercisable or definitively allocated is equal to 0;

 

 

 

 

(ii) if the Final Price is between (i) a value equal to or higher than the Initial Price and (ii) a value lower than the Ceiling Price, the number exercisable or definitively allocated is equal to:
[(Final Price / Initial Price)-1] × 1/3 of number of instruments;

 

 

 

 

(iii) if the Final Price is equal to or higher than the Ceiling Price, the number exercisable or definitively allocated is equal to the entire one-third of the instruments granted.

 

Plans
  Evaluation date
for performance
conditions
  Nature of internal conditions
AGA S 2016-1   12/15/2018
and/or
12/15/2019
  The free shares will be definitively allocated upon meeting the same internal performance conditions as the SO 2016-1, SO US 2016-1 and AGA D 2016-1 plans.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

Plans
  Evaluation date
for performance
conditions
  Nature of internal conditions
SO 2016-2
SO US 2016-2
AGA D 2016-2
  12/15/2019   662/3% of the instruments will be exercisable or definitively allocated, regardless of the evolution of the stock market price if at least one of the three following conditions is met:

 

 

 

 

(i) if an application for marketing authorization for a product (elafibranor in NASH) is examined by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); or

 

 

 

 

(ii) if the launch of at least two new clinical trials among the following are authorized by the EMA or the FDA, either:

     

Phase 3 clinical trials of or which aim to record a new product (TGFTX4) or a new indication for elafibranor (PBC); or

     

Clinical trials with a product in Phase 2 (Elafibranor) within a NASH subpopulation; or


 

 

 

 

(iii) if at least on licensing agreement, on one or another of Genfit's products in one or several territories, is entered into by the Company

 

 

 

 

Nature of external conditions
        331/3% of the instruments will be exercisable or definitively allocated in proportion to the evolution of the stock market price, as follows:

 

 

 

 

(i) if the Final Price is strictly lower than the Initial Price, the number exercisable or definitively allocated is equal to 0

 

 

 

 

(ii) if the Final Price is between (i) a value equal to or higher than the Initial Price and (ii) a value lower than the Ceiling Price, the number exercisable or definitively allocated is equal to:
[(Final Price / Initial Price)-1]/2 × 1/3 of number of instruments ;

 

 

 

 

(iii) if the Final Price is equal to or higher than the Ceiling Price, the number exercisable or definitively allocated is equal to the entire one-third of the instruments granted.

 

Plans
  Evaluation date
for performance
conditions
  Nature of internal conditions
AGA S 2016-2   12/15/2019   The free shares will be definitively allocated upon meeting the same internal performance conditions as the SO 2016-2, SO US 2016-2 and AGA D 2016-2 plans.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)

Plans
  Evaluation date
for performance
conditions
  Nature of internal conditions
SO 2017-1
SO US 2017-1
AGA D 2017-1
  12/31/2019   662/3% of the instruments will be definitively allocated, regardless of the variation of the stock market price, in the following events:

(i) if, on the date of the Allocation Decision, one of the two ongoing or authorized clinical trials (Resolve-It, Phase 2 in PBC) has revealed its first results and/or principal results and these results have been published; and


 

 

 

 

(ii) if, on the date of the Allocation Decision, the authorization to launch at least one of the clinical trials among the projected clinical trials has been obtained, either:

     

a clinical trial with elafibranor within a NASH subpopulation; or

     

a clinical trial with respect to fibrosis with NTZ.


 

 

 

 

Nature of external conditions
        331/3% of the instruments will be exercisable or definitively allocated in proportion to the evolution of the stock market price of the Company, as follows:

 

 

 

 

(i) if the Final Price is strictly lower than the Initial Price, the number exercisable or definitively allocated is equal to 0;

 

 

 

 

(ii) if the Final Price is between (i) a value equal to or higher than the Initial Price and (ii) a value lower than the Ceiling Price, the number exercisable or definitively allocated is equal to:
[(Final Price / Initial Price)-1] × 1/3 of number of instruments;

 

 

 

 

(iii) if the Final Price is equal to or higher than the Ceiling Price, the number exercisable or definitively allocated is equal to the entire one-third of the instruments exercisable or definitively allocated.

 

Plans
  Evaluation date
for performance
conditions
  Nature of internal conditions
AGA S 2017-1   12/31/2019   The free shares will be definitively allocated upon meeting the same internal performance conditions as the SO 2017-1, SO US 2017-1 and AGA D 2017-1 plans.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)


Plans
  Evaluation date
for performance
conditions
  Nature of internal conditions
SO 2017-2
SO US 2017-2
AGA D 2017-2
  12/31/2020   662/3% of the instruments will be exercisable or definitively allocated, regardless of the evolution of the stock market price if at least one of the three following conditions is met:

 

 

 

 

(i) if an application for marketing authorization for a product (elafibranor for NASH) is examined by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); or

 

 

 

 

(ii) if the launch of at least one clinical trial among the following is authorized by the EMA or the FDA, either:

     

Phase 3 clinical trials of or which aim to record a new product (NTZ program) or a new indication for Elafibranor (PBC);

     

Clinical trials with a product in Phase 2 (Elafibranor) within a NASH subpopulation; or


 

 

 

 

(iii) if at least on licensing agreement, on one or another of Genfit's products in one or several territories, is entered into by the Company.

 

 

 

 

Nature of external conditions
        331/3% of the instruments will be exercisable or definitively allocated in proportion to the evolution of the stock market price, as follows:

 

 

 

 

(i) if the Final Price is strictly lower than the Initial Price, the number exercisable or definitively allocated is equal to 0

 

 

 

 

(ii) if the Final Price is between (i) a value equal to or higher than the Initial Price and (ii) a value lower than the Ceiling Price, the number exercisable or definitively allocated is equal to:
[(Final Price / Initial Price)-1]/2 × 1/3 of number of instruments;

 

 

 

 

(iii) if the Final Price is equal to or higher than the Ceiling Price, the number exercisable or definitively allocated is equal to the entire one-third of the instruments granted.

 

Plans
  Evaluation date
for performance
conditions
  Nature of internal conditions
AGA S 2017-2   12/31/2020   The free shares will be definitively allocated upon the same internal performance conditions as the SO 2017-2, SO US 2017-2 and AGA D 2017-2 plans.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

19. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)


Plans
  Evaluation date
for performance
conditions
  Nature of internal conditions
SO 2018
SO US 2018
AGA D 2018
  12/31/2020   662/3% of the instruments will be exercisable or definitively vested, and 100% of the free shares for the AGA S 2018 will be vested, regardless of the variation of the stock market price, if one of the three following conditions is met:

 

 

 

 

(i) if an application for marketing authorization for elafibranor for the treatment of NASH is submitted to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); or

 

 

 

 

(ii) if authorization to launch at least one new clinical trial among the following trials is obtained:
         

     

Phase 3 or Phase 2/3 clinical trial evaluating a new product (NTZ);

Phase 3 or Phase 2/3 clinical trial evaluating elafibranor in PBC

Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating elafibranor in a NASH subpopulation; or


 

 

 

 

(iii) if at least on licensing agreement, on one or another of Genfit's products in one or several territories, is entered into by the Company

 

 

 

 

Nature of external conditions
        331/3% of the Stock Options will be exercisable in proportion to the variation of the Company's stock market price as per the following breakdown:

 

 

 

 

(i) if the Final Price is strictly lower than the Initial Price, the number of the Stock Options exercisable is equal to 0;

 

 

 

 

(ii) if the Final Price is between (i) a value equal to or higher than the Initial Price and (ii) a value lower than the Ceiling Price, the number of Stock Options exercisable is equal to:

 

 

 

 

[(Final Price / Initial Price)-1]/2 × 1/3 of number of Stock Options;

 

 

 

 

(iii) if the Final Price is equal to or higher than the Ceiling Price, the number of Stock Options exercisable is equal to the entire one-third of the Stock Options allocated.

 

Plans
  Evaluation date
for performance
conditions
  Nature of internal conditions
AGA S 2018   12/31/2020   The free shares will be definitively allocated upon the same internal performance conditions as the SO 2018, SO US 2018 and AGA D 2018 plans.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

20. FINANCIAL INCOME AND EXPENSES

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
Financial income and expenses
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Financial income

             

Interest income

    389     202  

Foreign exchange gain

    59     101  

Other financial income

    195     425  

TOTAL—Financial income

    642     728  

Financial expenses

             

Interest expenses for loans and borrowings

    (2,309 )   (10,955 )

Interest expenses for financial leases

    (10 )   (21 )

Foreign exchange losses

    (764 )   (127 )

Other financial expenses

    (13 )   (14 )

TOTAL—Financial expenses

    (3,096 )   (11,118 )

FINANCIAL GAIN (LOSS)

    (2,453 )   (10,391 )

        The increase in financial expenses is mainly due to the interest payments on the OCEANEs which were issued in October 2017.

        The change in financial expenses is related to the interest on the OCEANEs, mainly due to interest payments at a rate of 3.5% and the discounting of the bond debt at an effective interest rate of 7.29%. The discounting of bond debt consists of bringing the amount of the debt component of the bond issue to the amount that will be repaid (or converted) at maturity, by the recognition of a theoretical annual interest expense resulting from the accretion over the period of an amount equivalent to the equity component at an effective interest rate.

        In 2017 the foreign exchange result is mainly explained by a loss related to a currency forward in USD. (There was an unfavourable USD versus EUR variation).

21. INCOME TAX

21.1.  Losses available for offsetting against future taxable income

        At December 31, 2017 and 2018, the tax loss carryforwards for the Company amounted to €226,708 and €305,530, respectively.

        Such carryforwards can be offset against future taxable profit within a limit of €1,000 per year plus 50% of the profit exceeding this limit. Remaining unused losses will continue to be carried forward indefinitely.

21.2.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities

        The Group's main sources of deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2017 and 2018 related to:

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

21. INCOME TAX (Continued)

        Other than as it relates to deferred tax assets recognized based on the available deferred tax liabilities, no other deferred tax asset has been recognized as it is not probable that taxable profit will be available to offset deductible temporary differences and tax loss carryforwards.

22. EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE

        The components of the earnings (loss) per share computation are as follows:

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
Earnings per share
  2017   2018  

Loss for the period (in thousands of euros)

    (55,728 )   (79,521 )

Weighted average number of ordinary shares for the period

    31,166,437     31,167,203  

Loss per share (in €)

    (1.79 )   (2.55 )

        Potentially dilutive instruments were excluded from the calculation of the diluted weighted average number of shares as their effect was anti-dilutive.

23. LITIGATION AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

Dispute over research tax credit calculation

Context

        During 2014, the Company was under a tax audit at the end of which the tax authorities questioned part of the Research Tax Credit (CIR) received by the Company for 2010. The tax audit continued for the 2011 and 2012 CIR returns.

Subject matter of the dispute

        The dispute with the French tax authorities pertained mainly to collaborative research alliances with companies in the pharmaceutical industry. The tax authorities contended that, in these alliances, the Company was acting as a sub-contractor, which should reduce the basis on which the CIR was computed by deducting amounts billed by the Company to the other party. The Company maintained that the contracts governing the collaborative research alliances included reciprocal provisions concerning intellectual property, the shared governance of the research programs, risk sharing, conditions governing the termination of the agreements and the terms of compensation, which demonstrated that they were not sub-contracting agreements.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

23. LITIGATION AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES (Continued)

Status of the tax audit

        The Company received proposed tax adjustments in December 2014 (for the 2010 CIR) and in December 2015 (for the 2011 and 2012 CIR), to which the Company presented its observations in written letters in February 2015 and February 2016.

        Following the administrative appeal and the departmental meeting (interlocution départementale) held in June 2016 and October 2016 respectively, the tax authorities partially accepted the Company's arguments.

        As a result, the final tax adjustments on the CIRs totaled €566 for 2010, €623 for 2011 and €285 for 2012, and an additional €5 for late filing.

        On January 27, 2017, the Company received the formal tax assessment notice for €1,478 from the tax authorities, which were paid as follows:

        The Company filed two claims, on February 15, 2017 and October 6, 2017, contesting the aforementioned adjustments (the initial €1,478 and the potential tax adjustment on the CIR for 2014 of €447).

        On April 5, 2018, the Administrative Court of Montreuil substantially accepted the Company's claim regarding the tax qualification of its collaborative research. On July 25, 2018, the Ministry of Action and Public Accounts appealed the April 5, 2018 judgment.

        On June 28, 2018, the Administrative Court of Montreuil accepted the Company's claim on the CIR for 2014. On September 11, 2018, following the judgment, the Company was reimbursed by €432.

        The Company was informed on October 28, 2018 that the Ministry of Action and Public Accounts appealed the aforementioned June 28, 2018 judgment.

Potential liability

        The Company, in accordance with IFRS standards, measured its potential tax liability should the tax authorities' interpretation prevail with respect to the CIR for the years under tax audit and subsequent years. The recording and disclosure of this potential tax liability in these consolidated financial statements does not, under any circumstances, constitute an acknowledgement of the tax authorities' arguments in this matter. Based on analyses conducted by independent third party tax experts, the Company believes that the potential tax liability is approximately €1,809 out of the aggregate €20,695 in CIRs reported in the 2010 to 2015 financial statements.

        Independent of the payments made pursuant to the tax authorities' requests in the assessment notice, the amount of the potential tax liability of €1,809 mentioned above remains unchanged considering the appeal formed by the Ministry. There is no provision for this amount considering that the risk was assessed as possible rather than probable.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

23. LITIGATION AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES (Continued)

Provision

        In addition, the Company has accrued €106 for contracts, other than joint research alliances, which could be considered as sub-contracting for third parties that are themselves eligible for the research tax credit, and for other adjustments related to the type of tangible assets considered eligible for the CIR.

Dispute regarding social security contributions and other payments

        Following an URSSAF (French social security administration) audit which began in September 2016 with respect to the 2013, 2014 and 2015 fiscal years, the Company received in November 2016 a social security contribution reassessment for €5 which the Company contested in the amount of €4 before the Tribunal des Affaires Sociales (Social Affairs Court). The Court is expected to rule on this case in March 2019.

24. RELATED PARTIES

        Biotech Avenir SAS and The NASH Education ProgramTM, an endowment fund set up by the Company, are related parties within the meaning of IAS 24.9.

        The registered office of Biotech Avenir SAS and that of The NASH Education ProgramTM are located at the same address as the Company. These domiciliations are provided without charge.

        Biotech Avenir SAS is a holding company incorporated in 2001 by the Company's founders. Most of its share capital is currently held by the four co-founders of the Company and approximately thirteen Company employees.

        Jean-François Mouney, the Chairman and CEO of the Company, is also the Chairman of Biotech Avenir SAS.

        At December 31, 2018, Biotech Avenir SAS held 6.06% of the share capital of the Company.

        The Company did not carry out any transactions with Biotech Avenir in 2017 nor in 2018.

        In addition to the cash contributed by the Company to the liquidity agreement put in place with CM-CIC Securities, Biotech Avenir SAS contributed shares of the Company to the liquidity agreement. Biotech Avenir SAS withdrew from this liquidity agreement as of December 1, 2017 in order to comply with the latest recommendations of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers.

        The NASH Education ProgramTM endowment fund was created in November 2016 at the initiative of the Group to develop and finance disease awareness activities targeting medical professionals and the general public.

        The transactions carried out in 2017 and 2018 between the Group and The NASH Education ProgramTM and the Group's obligations with respect to The NASH Education ProgramTM are described in Note 26, "Commitments".

25. COMPENSATION OF CORPORATE OFFICERS

        By resolution of the General Shareholders Meeting on June 16, 2017, the shareholders adopted the change in mode of administration and management of the Company and elected to change from a

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

25. COMPENSATION OF CORPORATE OFFICERS (Continued)

historical two-tiered board structure (Executive Board and Supervisory Board) to a single board (Board of Directors).

        As a result, the table below provides details of the compensation paid to the Chairman and CEO, as well as that paid to the members of the Executive Board during the first half of 2017 (prior to the change in mode of governance) and for the financial years in which the relevant amounts were recognized in the statements of operations.

 
  Year Ended
December 31,
 
Compensation paid to Officers
(in thousands of euros)
  2017   2018  

Short-term employee benefits (gross plus employer's social contributions paid)

    1,476     1,569  

Post-employment pension and medical benefits

    199      

Share-based payment transactions

    51     104  

Director fees for service to Genfit Corp. 

    37     30  

TOTAL

    1,763     1,703  

        The changes in provision for pension liabilities relate to rates described in Note 15, "Employee benefits" and the fact that the Chairman and CEO exercised his pension rights in September 2017 retaining his position as Chairman and CEO.

        The Chairman and CEO is entitled to a severance payment falling within the scope of article L.225-42-1 of the French commercial code, equal to six months' salary, calculated on the basis of the last 12 months' salary (excluding payments under the Group's incentive plan) and increased by additional compensation of one months' salary per year of service with the Company (calculated on the same basis). This severance payment is capped at 2 years gross compensation (excluding exceptional payments under the incentive plans) paid with respect to the last fiscal year and subject to performance conditions. This commitment (gross amount and employer charges) at December 31, 2018 amounted to €1,438.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

25. COMPENSATION OF CORPORATE OFFICERS (Continued)

        The directors' fees and other compensation due and paid to the non executive directors are as follows:

 
  Amounts due*   Amounts paid*   Amounts due*   Amounts paid*  
 
  During the year ended December 31,  
Attendance fees and other forms of remuneration
payable to each of the non executive officer
(in euros)
 
  2017(4)   2018  

Jean-François MOUNEY(1)

                         

Attendance fees

                 

Other remuneration (outside compensation as CEO)

                 

Total

                 

Xavier GUILLE DES BUTTES

                         

Attendance fees

    30,218     24,688     53,330     41,311  

Other remuneration

                 

Total

    30,218     24,688     53,330     41,311  

Charles WOLER(2)

                         

Attendance fees

    5,925     5,925          

Other remuneration

                 

Total

    5,925     5,925          

Frédéric DESDOUITS

                         

Attendance fees

    13,627     11,258     21,174     17,113  

Other remuneration

                 

Total

    13,627     11,258     21,174     17,113  

BIOTECH AVENIR

                         

Represented by Florence Séjourné

                         

Attendance fees

                 

Other remuneration

                 

Total

                 

Philippe MOONS

                         

Attendance fees

    18,763     14,023     29,704     22,345  

Other remuneration

                 

Total

    18,763     14,023     29,704     22,345  

Anne-Hélène MONSELLATO(3)

                         

Attendance fees

    14,813     10,468     37,075     24,307  

Other remuneration

                 

Total

    14,813     10,468     37,075     24,307  

Catherine LARUE(3)

                         

Attendance fees

    11,258     8,098     21,256     17,985  

Other remuneration

                 

Total

    11,258     8,098     21,256     17,985  

TOTAL

    94,602     74,458     162,539     123,061  

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

25. COMPENSATION OF CORPORATE OFFICERS (Continued)

 
  2017(4)   2018  

IFRS 2 valuation of options granted during the financial year

    94,875    
 

*
After applying a required 21% withholding

(1)
Jean-François MOUNEY joined the Board of Directors on June 16, 2017 as Chairman.

(2)
Since the Shareholders' Meeting on June 16, 2017, Charles WOLER is no longer a board member.

(3)
Anne-Hélène MONSELLATO and Catherine LARUE were appointed to the Board of Directors by the shareholders at the June 16, 2017 Shareholders' Meeting.

(4)
The remuneration received by Xavier GUILLE DES BUTTES, Frédéric DESDOUITS, Biotech Avenir and Philippe MOONS until June 16, 2017 was in their capacities as members of the Supervisory Board.

26. COMMITMENTS

Subcontracting agreements

        The Group enters into contracts in the normal course of business with clinical research organizations (CROs) for clinical trials, as well as with third party vendors for clinical and commercial supply manufacturing, commercial and precommercial activities, research and development activities and other services and products for operating purposes. The Group's agreements generally provide for termination with specified periods of advance notice. Such agreements are generally cancelable contracts and not included in the description of the Group's contractual obligations and commitments.

Deposits and guarantees

        The Company has guaranteed its rental payment obligation under the lease agreement for the headquarters in Loos, France in the amount of €455 at December 31, 2018.

Lease commitments

        In 2016, CM-CIC Bail and the Company entered into a master agreement for leases with an option to purchase scientific equipment for a maximum amount of €2,000.

        This contract was amended several times, with Amendment No. 3 increasing the amount of this agreement to €2,150, valid until June 30, 2019.

        In addition, in 2016, NatioCreditMur (BNP Paribas) and the Company entered into a master lease agreement of €1,050, which was extended by amendments in 2017 and 2018 until June 30, 2019.

        Through December 31, 2018, the Company had drawn on €2,637 under these leasing agreements.

Obligations in respect of the co-ownership of intellectual property rights

        To date, the Company has not been required to license any third-party intellectual property to develop drug candidates and biomarker candidates that comprise its portfolio of proprietary programs and products.

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NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(amounts in thousands of euros, except for numbers of shares and per share amounts)

26. COMMITMENTS (Continued)

        The Company ensures, with regard to these programs, that the collaboration or subcontracting agreements that it is required to enter into, systematically stipulate that the results of the research are the Company's property. This is particularly the case for research consortia, in which the Group is associated with university laboratories and other biotechnology companies. It therefore holds all the intellectual property rights over its portfolio of proprietary programs and products.

        On the other hand, the agreements signed in the framework of the Company's historical co-research alliances with partners in the pharmaceutical industry provided that the intellectual property rights of the drug candidates developed under these alliances belonged to the partners. These agreements also provided that the Company had intellectual property rights over the innovative technologies discovered on this occasion, even if it had to grant a royalty free and non-exclusive license to the industrial partner for the purpose of developing drug candidates discovered under the co-research programs.

        To date, Sanofi remains the only industrial partner likely to still have exploitation rights on a drug candidate developed as part of its historical co-research alliance with the Company and therefore able to use on a royalty-free basis, but not exclusively, technologies developed by the Company under this program. The other historic partners have informed the Company of their decision not to exploit or stop exploiting the results of joint research. Nevertheless, to date, Sanofi has not communicated to the Company its desire to continue the development of this program despite the last research phase shared with the Company's teams having ended in May 2015.

Other liabilities

        Pursuant to an agreement with effect from July 1, 2016, the Company decided to finance the creation by Pinnacle Clinical Research of a registry of NAFLD/NASH patients, which diseases are targeted by certain of the Company's drug and biomarker candidates. This donation, for a maximum amount of USD $1,582 is being paid over the course of the creation of the registry on the basis of reporting periods.

        The Company's goal in supporting the creation of this registry was to contribute to the improvement of scientific and medical knowledge around NAFLD and NASH. As a result, the Company decided on December 22, 2016, with effect from December 31, 2016, to assign the benefit and obligations of this agreement to its endowment fund, The NASH Education ProgramTM. The NASH Education ProgramTM was created on November 3, 2016 with Genfit as its sole founding member to educate the medical community and patients on the lessons that can be learned from these patients, in accordance with its objectives.

        In 2017 and 2018, the Company granted to The NASH Education ProgramTM endowment fund a donation of €1,808 and €959, respectively, so that The NASH Education ProgramTM could honor its obligations under the transfer of registry donation and carry out the other planned disease awareness activities to patients and doctors and the organization of the first International NASH Day, which took place in June 2018.

        For the year 2019, our board of directors approved a grant of an amount of €200 to the Nash Education Program.

27. EVENTS AFTER THE REPORTING PERIOD

        On January 2, 2019, GENFIT signed a licensing agreement with LabCorp, a company specialized in drug development. The agreement will expand access to Genfit's NASH liver diagnostic test for the clinical research market.

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GENFIT S.A.

                    Ordinary Shares
(including Ordinary Shares in the form of American Depositary Shares)

LOGO

PROSPECTUS

                        , 2019


SVB Leerink

 

Barclays

Bryan, Garnier & Co.

 

Natixis

Roth Capital Partners

 

H.C. Wainwright & Co.

Through and including                  , 2019 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in the global offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers' obligations to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

   


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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 6.    Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

        Under French law, provisions of bylaws that limit the liability of directors are prohibited. However, French law allows sociétés anonymes to contract for and maintain liability insurance against civil liabilities incurred by any of their directors and officers involved in a third-party action, provided that they acted in good faith and within their capacities as directors or officers of the company. Criminal liability cannot be indemnified under French law, whether directly by the company or through liability insurance.

        We have liability insurance for our directors and officers, and intend to obtain coverage for insurance against liability under the Securities Act. We also intend to enter into agreements with our directors and senior management to provide contractual indemnification. With certain exceptions and subject to limitations on indemnification under French law, these agreements will provide for indemnification for damages and expenses including, among other things, attorneys' fees, judgments and settlement amounts incurred by any of these individuals in any action or proceeding arising out of his or her actions in that capacity.

        These agreements may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors and senior management for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and senior management, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder's investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these insurance agreements.

ITEM 7.    Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

        The following sets forth information regarding all unregistered securities sold since January 1, 2016:

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        The offers, sales and issuances of the securities described in the preceding paragraphs were exempt from registration either (a) under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (including Regulation D and Rule 506), in that the transactions were between an issuer and sophisticated investors or members of its senior executive management and did not involve any public offering within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2), (b) under Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act in that offers, sales and issuances were not made to persons in the United States and no directed selling efforts were made in the United States, (c) under Rule 144A under the Securities Act in that the shares were offered and sold by the initial purchasers to qualified institutional buyers or (d) under Rule 701 promulgated under the Securities Act in that the transactions were under compensatory benefit plans and contracts relating to compensation.

ITEM 8.    Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

(a)
Exhibits
EXHIBIT NO.   DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
  1.1   Form of Underwriting Agreement
        
  3.1 * Articles of Association of GENFIT S.A. (English translation)
        
  4.1   Form of Deposit Agreement
        
  4.2   Form of American Depositary Receipt (included in Exhibit 4.1)
        
  5.1   Opinion of Linklaters LLP
        
  10.1 * Summary of BSA Plans
        
  10.2 * Summary of BSAAR Plans
        
  10.3 * Summary of Share Options Plans
        
  10.4 * Summary of Free Shares (AGA) Plan
        
  10.5 * Summary of Lease Agreement (English translation)
        
  21.1 * Subsidiaries of GENFIT S.A.
        
  23.1   Consent of Ernst & Young et Autres
        
  23.2   Consent of Linklaters LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
        
  24.1 * Power of Attorney (included on signature page to the filing of the Registration Statement on Form F-1 filed on February 27, 2019)

*
Previously filed.

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(b)
Financial Statement Schedules

        All schedules have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or has been included in the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto.

ITEM 9.    Undertakings.

        The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

        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 the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such 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.

        The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

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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 F-1 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Loos, France, on this 14th day of March, 2019.

  GENFIT S.A.



 

By:

 

/s/ JEAN-FRANÇOIS MOUNEY

Jean-François Mouney
Chief Executive Officer

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

SIGNATURE
 
TITLE
 
DATE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
/s/ JEAN-FRANÇOIS MOUNEY

Jean-François Mouney
  Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors
(Principal Executive Officer)
  March 14, 2019

/s/ NATHALIE HUITOREL

Nathalie Huitorel

 

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

March 14, 2019

*

Xavier Guille Des Buttes

 

Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors

 

March 14, 2019

*

Catherine Larue, Ph.D

 

Director

 

March 14, 2019

*

Anne-Hélène Monsellato

 

Director

 

March 14, 2019

*

Frédéric Desdouits

 

Director

 

March 14, 2019

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SIGNATURE
 
TITLE
 
DATE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
*

Florence Séjourné
  Director   March 14, 2019

*

Philippe Moons

 

Director

 

March 14, 2019

By:

 

/s/ JEAN-FRANÇOIS MOUNEY

Jean-François Mouney
Attorney-in-fact

 

 

 

 

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SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED U.S. REPRESENTATIVE OF REGISTRANT

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of GENFIT S.A. has signed this registration statement on the 14th day of March, 2019.

  GENFIT CORP.



 

/s/ JEAN-FRANÇOIS MOUNEY

  By:   Jean-François Mouney

  Title:   President



Exhibit 1.1

 

GENFIT S.A.
(a société anonyme incorporated under the laws of France)

 

[·] Ordinary Shares and
[·] American Depositary Shares,
Each Representing One Ordinary Share
(nominal value €0.25 per share)

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

[·], 2019

 

SVB Leerink LLC

Barclays Capital Inc.

as Representatives of the several Underwriters

 

c/o                               SVB Leerink LLC

1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor

New York, NY 10019

 

c/o                               Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, NY 10019

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Genfit S.A., a société anonyme with a board of directors (société anonyme à conseil d’administration) incorporated under the laws of France and registered with the registre du commerce et des sociétés of Lille Métropole under number 424 341 907 (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with SVB Leerink LLC (“SVB Leerink”), Barclays Capital Inc. (“Barclays”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for which SVB Leerink and Barclays are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), with respect to the issuance and sale, in a capital increase reserved to specified categories of investors, to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of an aggregate of (i) [·] ordinary shares, nominal value €0.25 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), of the Company (the “Initial Shares”) and (ii) Ordinary Shares to be delivered in the form of an aggregate of [·] American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each representing one Ordinary Share (the “Initial ADSs” and, together with the Initial Shares, the “Initial Securities”), as set forth in Schedule A hereto. The Company also grants to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, the option described in Section 2(c) hereof to purchase (i) all or any part of [·] additional Ordinary Shares (the “Option Shares”) and (ii) all or any part of [·] additional Ordinary Shares to be delivered in the form of ADSs (the “Option ADSs” and together with the Option Shares, the “Option Securities”). The aforesaid [·] Initial Securities and all or any part of the [·] Option Securities subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof are herein collectively called the “Offered Securities.” The Offered Securities and the Shares represented thereby are herein collectively called the “Securities.” The Initial ADSs and the Option ADSs are collectively called the “ADSs,” and the Initial Shares and the Option

 


 

Shares are collectively called the “Shares.” Unless the context otherwise requires, each reference to the Initial Securities, the Option Securities or the Securities herein also includes the Ordinary Shares underlying the ADSs (the “Underlying Shares”).

 

The Offered Securities will be issued by way of a capital increase without preferential rights for existing shareholders under the provisions of Article L.225-138 of the French Commercial Code, pursuant to the seventeenth resolution of the Company’s combined general shareholders’ meeting held on June 15, 2018. Each prospective investor of Offered Securities shall have executed an investor letter in the form set forth as Exhibit A-1 or Exhibit A-2 hereto, as applicable.

 

The Underlying Shares are to be deposited pursuant to a deposit agreement (the “Deposit Agreement”), to be dated on or prior to the Closing Time (as defined in Section 2(c) hereof), among the Company, The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary (the “Depositary”), and holders and beneficial holders from time to time of the American Depositary Receipts (the “ADRs”) issued by the Depositary and evidencing the ADSs. Each ADS will initially represent one Share deposited pursuant to the Deposit Agreement.

 

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Offered Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”) has been executed and delivered.  The Initial Shares and the Option Shares will be offered in the context of a private placement to institutional investors in Europe (including France) and countries outside of the United States, including to “qualified investors” within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the directive 2003/71/EC as amended (including amendments by Directive 2010/73/EU) (the “Prospectus Directive”) in France and other member states of the European Union.

 

The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form F-1 (No. 333-229907), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of the sale of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A (“Rule 430A”) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”) and Rule 424(b) (“Rule 424(b)”) of the 1933 Act Regulations. The information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time such registration statement became effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b) is herein called the “Rule 430A Information.” Such registration statement, including the amendments thereto, the exhibits thereto and any schedules thereto at the time it became effective, and including the Rule 430A Information, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” and, after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.” The final prospectus, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities is herein called the “Prospectus.” The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form F-6 (No. 333-[·]) covering the registration of the ADSs under the 1933 Act. The registration statement relating to the ADSs, as amended at the time it became effective, is hereinafter referred to as the “ADS Registration Statement.” The Company has also filed with the Commission, in accordance with Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”), a registration statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-[·]) under the 1934 Act to register, under Section 12(b) of the 1934 Act, the Shares and the ADSs. The registration statement relating to the

 

2


 

Shares and the ADSs, as amended at the time it became effective, is hereinafter referred to as the “1934 Act Registration Statement.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the 1934 Act Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor system (“EDGAR”).

 

The Company has, for the purpose of listing the Initial Shares, the Underlying Shares and, as the case may be, the Option Shares, on the regulated market of Euronext Paris (“Euronext”), prepared and filed with the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorité des Marchés Financiers) (the “AMF”) a French-language Prospectus consisting of (i) the 2018 registration document (Document de Référence) filed with the AMF under number D. 19-0078 on February 27, 2019 (the “Document de Référence”), (ii) a securities note (Note d’opération) (the “Note d’Opération”) and (iii) a summary of such listing prospectus (included in the Note d’Opération) (collectively, the “French Listing Prospectus”), which is expected to receive the approval (visa) of the AMF on or about [·], 2019.

 

The Company has also published or, will prepare, as the case may be, three press releases (i) on November 19, 2018, (ii) on March 14, 2019 setting forth, in particular, the expected pricing parameters of the Offered Securities and (iii) on the date hereof setting forth, in particular, the Offering Price (as such term is defined in Section 2 below) and, as the case may be, the press release to be published upon issuance and sale of any Option Securities by the Company, in the French and English languages (the “Press Releases”).

 

The French Listing Prospectus and the Press Releases, and any amendments or supplements thereto and the documents that are or will be incorporated by reference therein are each hereinafter referred to as an “Information Document” and collectively as the “French Documents”.

 

As used in this Agreement:

 

“Applicable Time” means [·]:[·] [A./P.M.], New York City time, on [·], 2019 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.

 

“General Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the most recent preliminary prospectus that is distributed to investors prior to the Applicable Time and the information included on Schedule B-1 hereto, all considered together.

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show for an offering that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

 

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic

 

3


 

road show,” as defined in Rule 433 (a “Bona Fide Electronic Road Show”)), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule B-2 hereto.

 

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

 

“Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the 1933 Act and in compliance with EU Regulation No 596/2014 of April 26, 2014 on market abuse (“MAR”).

 

“Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the 1933 Act and in compliance with MAR.

 

SECTION 1.                            Representations and Warranties.

 

(a)                                 Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

 

(i)                                     Registration Statements and Prospectuses. Each of the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement and any amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued by the Commission under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued by the Commission and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted by the Commission or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

Each of the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

The Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and the ADS Registration Statement and the filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and the ADS Registration Statement with the Commission have been duly authorized by and on behalf of the Company, and each of the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement has been duly executed pursuant to such authorization.

 

(ii)                                  Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, none of (A) the General Disclosure Package, (B) any

 

4


 

individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, nor (C) any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto, including any prospectus wrapper) or the French Listing Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in the second and third sentences in the eighth paragraph under the heading “Underwriting,” the ninth paragraph under the heading “Underwriting,” the first sentence under the caption “Underwriting—Commissions,” the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—Determination of Offering Price,” the fifth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids” and the information under the caption “Underwriting—Electronic Distribution,” in each case contained in the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

 

(iii)                               Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The Company has made available a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show in compliance with Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) such that no filing of any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h)) is required in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities. Any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act or that was prepared by or behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act Regulations. Except for the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule B-2 hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to the Representatives before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the prior consent of the Representatives, prepare, use or refer to, any issuer free writing prospectus.

 

(iv)                              Testing-the-Waters Materials. The Company (A) has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the 1933 Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the 1933 Act and (B) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters

 

5


 

Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule B-3 hereto.

 

(v)                                 French Listing Prospectus. In connection with the filing of the Document de Référence, the Company has complied, to the AMF’s satisfaction, with all requests of the AMF for additional or supplemental information, if any. In connection with the French Listing Prospectus, which will receive the visa from the AMF on or about [·], 2019, and in any event before the First Closing Date, the Company’s auditors will submit letters of completion of work (lettres de fin de travaux), a copy of which will be given to the AMF pursuant to article 212-15 of the General Regulations of the AMF, that will show no reservation, observation or warning other than as described in the French Listing Prospectus, as applicable; these letters of completion of work will not be altered or replaced. No order suspending the effectiveness of the French Listing Prospectus has been issued by the AMF, nor has, to the Company’s knowledge, any challenge to the filing with the AMF or the use of the Document de Référence been filed with any court.

 

All references in this Agreement to the French Listing Prospectus shall be deemed to refer collectively to (i) the Document de Référence, when such reference is made as of a date or for a period at which or during which the Note d’Opération has not yet been approved by the AMF and (ii) after such approval has been received, to the Document de Référence, the Note d’Opération and the summary of the French Listing Prospectus (included in the Note d’Opération), taken together.  Further, the parties acknowledge that, to the extent representations are made by the Company in Section 1 hereof with respect to the French Listing Prospectus as of the date of this Underwriting Agreement, such representations shall not be deemed untrue solely by virtue of the fact that, as of the date of this Underwriting Agreement, the French Listing Prospectus does not yet include certain information contained in the Preliminary Prospectus or the Disclosure Package (as applicable), but that will be included in the Note d’Opération.

 

The Document de Référence , the Press Releases and, when it will have received the visa from the AMF, the French Listing Prospectus conformed, conform and will conform, as appropriate, with the requirements set forth by applicable laws, including AMF regulations and European Commission Regulation (EC) no. 809/2004 as amended. Each of the French Documents, as of the date hereof is accurate, correct and true in all material respects, and does not and will not, as amended or supplemented, at the Closing Time and on any date on which Option Securities are purchased, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or, when taken together, omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;  provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the French Listing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the French Listing Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 1(ii) hereof.

 

(vi)                              Company Not Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Offered Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

 

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(vii)                           Emerging Growth Company Status. From the time of the initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any individual or entity authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the 1933 Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

 

(viii)                        Stamp Taxes. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no registration, stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes are payable in France by or on behalf of the Underwriters in connection with (i) the issuance and the delivery of the Shares in the manner contemplated by this Underwriting Agreement, (ii) the deposit with the Depositary of the Underlying Shares against issuance by the Depositary of the ADRs evidencing the ADSs or (iii) the initial sale and delivery by the Underwriters of the Shares or the ADSs, as the case may be, as contemplated herein.

 

(ix)                              Dividends and Distributions. Except as described in each of the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus, all dividends and other distributions declared and payable on the Ordinary Shares may under current French law and regulations be paid to the Depositary and to the holders of Securities, as the case may be, in Euros and may be converted into foreign currency that may be transferred out of France in accordance with the Deposit Agreement.

 

(x)                                 PFIC. Based on reasonable assumptions and projections, the Company does not believe it was a Passive Foreign Investment Company (“PFIC”) within the meaning of Section 1296 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, for the taxable year ended December 31, 2018 and does not expect to become a PFIC for the taxable year ending December 31, 2019.

 

(xi)                              Foreign Private Issuer. The Company is a “foreign private issuer” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the 1933 Act.

 

(xii)                           Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young et Autres, who have certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus and delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus are (1) independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder and, together with Grant Thornton, have delivered a lettre de fin de travaux with respect to the Document de Référence and will deliver a lettre de fin de travaux with respect to the French Listing Prospectus and (2) independent statutory auditors with respect to the Company as required by the AMF General Regulations and under the professional rules of the “Compagnie Nationale des Commissaires aux Comptes.”

 

(xiii)                        Financial Statements. The financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, comply as to form in all material respects with Regulation S-X under the 1933 Act and present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (as defined below) at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with

 

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International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly, in all material respects and in accordance with IFRS, the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations.

 

(xiv)                       Due Diligence Materials.  The information, materials and assertions expressed in the information provided by the Company to its legal and intellectual property counsels as well as to the Underwriters and their counsel in connection with their due diligence enquiries or similar requests for information (including, but not limited to, the information provided by the Company in connection with its operations in France and the information provided during management presentations and due diligence sessions) (together, the “Due Diligence Materials”) have been prepared with due care and attention and in good faith, and have been prepared and given by persons reasonably believed by the Company to have the knowledge and responsibility to enable them properly to provide such information, materials and assertions, and all expressions of opinion, intention or expectation contained in the Due Diligence Materials are in good faith and reasonably arrived at after due and careful inquiry.

 

(xv)                          No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as defined below) considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, (C) there have been no material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (D) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

 

(xvi)                       Due Incorporation of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a société anonyme with a board of directors (société anonyme à conseil d’administration) under the laws of France, duly registered with the registre du commerce et des sociétés of Lille Métropole under number 424 341 907; the Company has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xvii)                    Good Standing of the Board of Directors. Each member of the Company’s board of directors (conseil d’administration) has been duly elected or appointed in such capacity and

 

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exercises his or her functions in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and the Company’s by-laws (statuts) and internal regulations.

 

(xviii)                 Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing in good standing (to the extent such concept is applicable) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable (to the extent such concept is applicable) and is owned by the Company, directly or through Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive rights (droit préférentiel de souscription), priority rights (délai de priorité) or other similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only Subsidiaries of the Company are the entities listed on Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement.

 

(xix)                       Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company as of December 31, 2018 are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, (A) pursuant to this Agreement, (B) pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus or (C) pursuant to the exercise of convertible bonds (OCEANE), stock options (options de souscription et/ou d’achat d’actions), free shares (actions gratuites) or warrants (including redeemable share subscription warrants (BSAAR) or share warrants (BSA)) referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus). The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and freely negotiable and have been issued in compliance with French law. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company were issued in violation of preemptive rights (droit préférentiel de souscription), priority rights (délai de priorité) or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company that have not been excluded, waived or satisfied.

 

The holders of outstanding Ordinary Shares, as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus, are not entitled to preemptive rights (droit préférentiel de souscription), priority rights (délai de priorité) or other similar rights to acquire the Shares or the ADSs that have not been waived with respect to the offering of the ADSs in accordance with their terms and all applicable laws; there are no outstanding securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, or warrants, rights or options to purchase from the Company, or obligations of the Company to issue, Ordinary Shares or any other class of share capital of the Company, except in each case as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus under the captions “Description of Share Capital,” “Management — Equity Incentives” and “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions.” Subject to the payment of the purchase

 

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price for each Share and the issuing of a certificate acknowledging such payment by the transfer agent (certificat du dépositaire) in accordance with article L.225-146 of the French Commercial Code (code de commerce), the Underlying Shares, will be validly issued, fully paid and may be freely deposited by the Company with the Depositary against issuance of ADRs evidencing ADSs. The Offered Securities, when issued and delivered against payment therefor, will be freely transferable by the Company to or for the account of the several Underwriters; and there are no restrictions on subsequent transfers of the Shares or the Offered Securities under the laws of France or the United States except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus.

 

(xx)                          Working Capital. The cash flow and working capital projections on which the Company has based its working capital statement which will be contained in Section 3.1 of the Note d’Opération and in Section B.11 of the summary of the French Listing Prospectus have been made on reasonable grounds in good faith, after due and careful inquiry and take into account all material matters of which the Company was aware concerning the Company and its subsidiaries as of the respective dates of such statement. So far as the Company is aware, there were no material assumptions that the Company should reasonably have taken into account in the preparation of such working capital statement that were not so taken into account.

 

(xxi)                       Sales, Issuances or Distributions of Capital Stock. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of capital stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or Regulation S of, the 1933 Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans, free share (actions gratuites) plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants.

 

(xxii)                    Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(xxiii)                 Authorization and Description of Securities. The Offered Securities have been duly authorized by the Company for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor pursuant to this Agreement, and upon delivery of the depositary certificate (certificate du dépositaire) in accordance with Article L. 225-146 of the French Commercial Code, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and the issuance and sale of the Securities is not subject to preemptive rights (droit préférentiel de souscription), priority rights (délai de priorité) or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company that have not been duly excluded, waived or satisfied with respect to the offering of the ADSs in accordance with their terms and all applicable laws. The Securities conform to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder. The Ordinary Shares may be freely deposited by the Company with the Depositary or its nominee against issuance of ADRs evidencing the ADSs, as contemplated by the Deposit Agreement. Upon the sale and delivery of the Offered Securities, and payment therefor, the Underwriters or the purchasers thereof, as the case may be, will acquire good, marketable and valid title to such Offered Securities, free and clear of all pledges, liens, security interests, charges, claims or encumbrances.

 

(xxiv)                Authorization of Deposit Agreement. The Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized, and when executed and delivered by the Company will, assuming due authorization,

 

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execution and delivery by the Depositary, constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforceability, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; upon due issuance by the Depositary of the ADRs evidencing the ADSs against the deposit of the Underlying Shares in respect thereof in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement, such ADSs and ADRs will be duly and validly issued, and the persons in whose names the ADSs and ADRs are registered will be entitled to the rights specified therein, respectively, and in the Deposit Agreement; and the Deposit Agreement and the ADRs conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus. There has been no change in the Company’s agreement with the Depositary in connection with any pre-release of the Company’s ADRs and no such change is currently contemplated.

 

(xxv)                   Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale or sold by the Company under the 1933 Act pursuant to this Agreement, other than those rights that have been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus and that have been duly waived.

 

(xxvi)                Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein or therein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and deposit with the Depositary of the Underlying Shares represented by the ADSs and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter, by-laws or similar organizational document of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any

 

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note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

(xxvii)             Listing. The ADSs (and the Underlying Shares) have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market, subject to notice of issuance. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Ordinary Shares and the Underlying Shares on Euronext, and will comply with all laws and regulations applying to it due to the listing of the Initial Shares and, as the case may be, the Option Shares on Euronext.

 

(xxviii)          Absence of Labor Dispute. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus, no labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any of its Subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxix)                Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity (including, without limitation, any action, suit proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), the European Commission or the European Medicines Agency (the “EMA”), the Autorité Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament et des produits de santé (the “ANSM”) or the AMF) now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect their respective properties or assets or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any such Subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxx)                   Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described and filed as required.

 

(xxxi)                Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, shareholders, customers or suppliers of the Company, on the other hand, that is required to be described in the preliminary prospectus which is not so described.

 

(xxxii)             Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Offered Securities or the issuance and deposit with the Depositary of the Shares hereunder or the consummation of the transactions

 

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contemplated by this Agreement, except (A) such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, state securities laws or the rules of FINRA and (B) such as have been obtained or will be obtained on the First Closing Date under the laws and regulations of jurisdictions outside the United States in which the Offered Securities were offered.

 

(xxxiii)          Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them (including, without limitation, all such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations required by the FDA, the EMA, or any other federal, state, local or foreign agencies or bodies engaged in the regulation of clinical or preclinical studies, pharmaceuticals, biologics, biohazardous substances or activities related to the business now operated by the Company and its Subsidiaries), except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The Company has fulfilled and performed all of its material obligations with respect to the Governmental Licenses and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the Company as a holder of any permit, except where the failure to so fulfill or perform, or the occurrence of such event, would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxxiv)         Title to Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries do not own any real property and any material real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its Subsidiaries is held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good title to all other properties owned by them (other than Intellectual Property, which is addressed by subsection (xxxv) below), in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus or (B) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

 

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(xxxv)            Title to Intellectual Property. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus, the Company owns or has valid, binding and enforceable licenses or other rights under the patents, patent applications, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property necessary for, or used in the conduct, or the proposed conduct, of the business of the Company in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”); except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the patents, trademarks and copyrights, if any, included within the Intellectual Property are valid, enforceable and subsisting; except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus: (A) the Company is not obligated to pay a material royalty, grant a license to or provide other material consideration to any third party in connection with the Intellectual Property; (B) the Company has not received any notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with any asserted rights of others with respect to any of the Company’s drug candidates, services, processes or Intellectual Property; (C) to the knowledge of the Company, neither the sale nor use of any of the discoveries, inventions, drug candidates services or processes of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus do or will, to the knowledge of the Company, infringe, misappropriate or violate any right or valid patent claim of any third party; (D) none of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in material violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, upon any of its officers, directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons; (E) to the knowledge of the Company, no third party has any ownership right in or to any Intellectual Property that is owned by the Company, other than any co-owner of any patent constituting Intellectual Property who is listed on the records of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the “USPTO”) and any co-owner of any patent application constituting Intellectual Property who is named in such patent application, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no third party has any ownership right in or to any Intellectual Property in any field of use that is exclusively licensed to the Company, other than any licensor to the Company of such Intellectual Property; (F) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no material infringement by third parties of any Intellectual Property; (G) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s rights in or to any Intellectual Property; and (H) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any Intellectual Property.  The Company is not a party to any material agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company.

 

(xxxvi)         Patents and Patent Applications. Except as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, all patents and patent applications owned by or licensed to the Company or under which the Company has rights have, to the knowledge of the Company, been duly and properly filed and maintained; to the knowledge of the Company, the parties that prosecuted such patents have complied with their duty of candor and disclosure to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the “USPTO”), the European Patent Office (the “EPO”) and/or the Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (the “INPI”), as applicable, in connection with such patents; and the Company is not aware of any facts required to be disclosed to the USPTO, the EPO and/or the INPI, as applicable, that were not disclosed to the USPTO, the EPO and/or the INPI, as applicable, that would preclude the grant of a patent in connection with any such application or would form the basis of a finding of invalidity with respect to any patents that have issued with respect to such applications. To the Company’s knowledge, all patents and

 

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patent applications owned by the Company and filed with the USPTO or any foreign or international patent authority (the “Company Patent Rights”) have been duly and properly filed; the Company believes it has complied with its duty of candor and disclosure to the USPTO for the Company Patent Rights.  No patents or patent applications have been in-licensed by the Company.

 

(xxxvii)      Compliance with Regulatory Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus, the Company:  (A) is and at all times has been in compliance with all statutes, rules or regulations of the FDA and other comparable Governmental Entities applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product under development, manufactured or distributed by the Company (“Applicable Laws”), to the extent such activities are undertaken by the Company, except for any noncompliance that would not have a Material Adverse Effect; (B) has not received any FDA Form 483, notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from the FDA or any Governmental Authority alleging or asserting material noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, exemptions, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and the Company is not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from the FDA or any Governmental Authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in material violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that the FDA or any Governmental Authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (E) has not received notice that the FDA or any Governmental Authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any material Authorizations and has no knowledge that the FDA or any Governmental Authority is considering such action; and (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were materially complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission).

 

(xxxviii)   Compliance with Health Care Laws.  The Company has operated and currently is in compliance with all applicable health care laws, rules and regulations (except where such failure to operate or non-compliance would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect), including, without limitation, (i) the Federal, Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. §§ 301 et seq.); (ii) all applicable federal, state, local and all applicable foreign healthcare related fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, the federal Anti-kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)), the U.S. Physician Payments Sunshine Act (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7h), the civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 et seq.), the criminal False Claims Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(a)), all criminal laws relating to healthcare fraud and abuse, including but not limited to 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287, the healthcare fraud criminal provisions under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.), the exclusion laws (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7), and the civil monetary penalties law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a); (iii) HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. Section 17921 et seq.); (iv) the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws; and (v) any other similar applicable local,

 

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state, federal, or foreign laws (collectively, the “Health Care Laws”). Neither the Company, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors, employees or agents have engaged in activities which are, as applicable, cause for false claims liability, civil penalties, or mandatory or permissive exclusion from Medicare, Medicaid, or any other state or federal healthcare program. The Company has not received written notice or other correspondence of any claim, action, suit, audit, survey, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action  (“Action”) from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in material violation of any Health Care Laws, and, to the Company’s knowledge, no such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action is threatened. The Company is not a party to and does not have any material ongoing reporting obligations pursuant to any corporate integrity agreement, deferred prosecution agreement, monitoring agreement, consent decree, settlement order, plan of correction or similar agreement imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority.  Additionally, neither the Company, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of its employees, officers or directors, has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any U.S. state or federal health care program or human clinical research or, to the knowledge of the Company, is subject to a material governmental inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action that could reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.

 

(xxxix)         Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus or would not, singly or in the aggregate,  result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (B) the Company and its Subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements; (C) there are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and (D) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

 

(xl)                              Accounting Controls. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintains effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13-a15 and 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations as well as in compliance with IFRS and French GAAP, as the case may be) and a system of internal accounting controls (it being understood that this subsection shall not require the Company to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (as defined below) as of an earlier date than it would otherwise be required to so comply under applicable law) designed to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS and to maintain accountability

 

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for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

(xli)                           Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure that, upon the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, it will be in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or implementing the provisions thereof (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) that are then in effect and with which the Company is required to comply as of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and is using commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that it will be in compliance with other provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act not currently in effect, upon the effectiveness of such provisions, or which will become applicable to the Company at all times after the effectiveness of the Registration Statement (taking into account all exemptions and phase-in periods provided under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act and otherwise under applicable law).

 

(xlii)                        Tests and Preclinical Studies and Clinical Trials. The studies, tests and preclinical studies and clinical trials conducted by or, to the Company’s knowledge, on behalf of the Company were and, if still ongoing, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to accepted professional scientific standards and all Authorizations and Applicable Laws, including, without limitation, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and the rules and regulations of the EMA; the descriptions of the results of such studies, tests and trials contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus are, to the Company’s knowledge, accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such studies, tests and trials; except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any studies, tests or trials, the results of which the Company believes reasonably call into question the study, test or trial results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus when viewed in the context in which such results are described and the clinical state of development; and, except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus, the Company has not received any notices or correspondence from the FDA or any Governmental Entity requiring the termination or suspension of any ongoing studies, tests or preclinical studies or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company, other than ordinary course communications with respect to modifications in connection with the design and implementation of such trials, copies of which communications have been made available to you.

 

(xliii)                     Payment of Taxes. All tax returns of the Company and its Subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been timely and duly filed or appropriate extensions have been requested pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such returns or request such extensions would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and have timely and duly paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its Subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith

 

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and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xliv)                    Insurance. The Company and its Subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its Subsidiaries will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither of the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

 

(xlv)                       Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities and the deposit with the Depositary of the Shares as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

 

(xlvi)                    Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or to result in a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act. Neither the Company, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any person acting on its or their behalf will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, the stabilization of the Securities in violation of applicable European Union or French laws or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(xlvii)                 Market Abuse Regulation. The Company has complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of MAR, the delegated EU regulations adopted thereunder and the equivalent French laws and regulations (the “Market Abuse Rules”) and has taken adequate measures and has adequate procedures in place in order to ensure such compliance, and none of the allotment of the Offered Securities, the sale of the Offered Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will constitute a violation by the Company of any the Market Abuse Rules, and no person acting on its behalf has done any act or engaged in any course of conduct constituting such violation.

 

(xlviii)              Euronext. The Company will as soon as practicable, before or after the Closing Time and in any event within any prescribed period of time, give such notices to, or make such filings with, Euronext or other agencies or bodies, as shall be required under any applicable laws or regulations in connection with the offering.

 

(xlix)                    Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  None of the Company, its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting

 

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on behalf of the Company or its Subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company has and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

(l)                                     Money Laundering Laws.  The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(li)                                  OFAC.  None of the Company, its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or representative of the Company or its Subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. No provision of this Section 1(a)(lii) shall apply to any person if and to the extent that it violates any provision of EU Regulation 2271/96 of November 22, 1996 (or any law or regulation implementing such regulation in any member state of the European Union, including the United Kingdom).

 

(lii)                               Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any banking or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.

 

(liii)                            Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after

 

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reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate in all material respects and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

 

(liv)                           Privacy and Data Protection.  The Company and its Subsidiaries have complied with all United States federal, state, local and non-United States privacy (including, but not limited to, the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679, “GDPR”), data security and data protection laws and regulations applicable to the Company’s collection, use, transfer, protection, disposal, disclosure, handling, storage and analysis of personal data, except for any noncompliance that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  In each case except for any noncompliance that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries have been and are in compliance with (1) internal policies and procedures designed to ensure the integrity and security of the data collected, handled or stored in connection with its business; and (2) internal policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with the Health Care Laws that govern privacy and data security and take, and the Company has taken reasonably appropriate steps designed to assure compliance with such internal policies and procedures.  The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of its personally identifiable information, protected health information, consumer information and other confidential information of the Company, its Subsidiaries and any third parties in its possession (“Sensitive Company Data”).  The tangible or digital information technology systems (including computers, screens, servers, workstations, routers, hubs, switches, networks, data communications lines, technical data and hardware), software and telecommunications systems used or held for use by the Company and its Subsidiaries (the “Company IT Assets”) are adequate and operational for, in accordance with their documentation and functional specifications, the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as now operated and as currently proposed to be conducted as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus.  The Company and its Subsidiaries have used reasonable efforts to establish, and have established, commercially reasonable disaster recovery and security plans, procedures and facilities for the business consistent with industry standards and practices in all material respects, including, without limitation, for the Company IT Assets and data held or used by or for the Company and its Subsidiaries.  The Company and its Subsidiaries have not suffered or incurred any security breaches, compromises or incidents with respect to any Company IT Asset or Sensitive Company Data, except where such breaches, compromises or incidents would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and to the Company’s knowledge there has been no unauthorized or illegal use of or access to any Company IT Asset or Sensitive Company Data by any unauthorized third party.  The Company and its Subsidiaries have not been required to notify any individual of any information security breach, compromise or incident involving Sensitive Company Data.

 

(lv)                              No Broker Fees.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the offering of the Securities contemplated hereby.

 

(lvi)                           Maintenance of Rating. The Company has no debt securities or preferred stock that are rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act).

 

(lvii)                        Insolvency Proceedings. With respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (i) none of them has ceased its payments (cessation des paiements), (ii) none of them is subject to

 

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or has made an application for the appointment of an ad hoc representative (mandataire ad hoc) or judicial administrator, (iii) none of them is subject to or has made an application to enter into a safeguard procedure (procédure de sauvegarde) or accelerated safeguard procedure (procedure de sauvegarde accélérée), (iv) none of them is subject to or has made an application to enter into an accelerated financial safeguard procedure (procédure de sauvegarde financière accélérée), (v) none of them is subject to or has made an application to enter into a conciliation procedure (procédure de conciliation), (vi) none of them is subject to or has made an application for the transfer of the whole of the business (cession totale de l’entreprise), (vii) no notice of judicial reorganization (redressement judiciaire), judicial liquidation (liquidation judiciaire), or voluntary liquidation has been filed, and (viii) no proceedings under any applicable laws before a court having competent jurisdiction over the Company or such Subsidiaries which has an analogous effect to any of the proceedings referred to have been initiated or requested.

 

(lviii)                     ADS Registration Statement. The Company has caused to be filed with the Commission the ADS Registration Statement. The Company may have filed one or more amendments thereto, each of which has previously been furnished to the U.S. Underwriters. Such ADS Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness did comply and on the First Closing Date, will comply, in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules thereunder. and at the time of its effective date, did not, as of its effective date, and will not, as of the Applicable Time and on the First Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(b)                                 Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

 

SECTION 2.                            Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Offered Securities.

 

(a)                                 Initial Securities. Upon the terms herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters an aggregate of [·] Initial ADSs and [·] Initial Shares. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company up to the respective number of Initial ADSs or Initial Shares, as applicable, set forth opposite their names on Schedule A, at the purchase price set forth in accordance with Section 2(d) below; plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 (subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the applicable Representatives in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchase of fractional Ordinary Shares or ADSs, as the case may be). It is understood that the obligations of the Underwriters contained in this Agreement shall not constitute a performance guarantee (garantie de bonne fin) within the meaning of Article L. 225-145 of the French Commercial Code.

 

(b)                                 First Closing Date. Delivery of the Initial Securities and the documents described in Section 5 hereof shall occur at the offices of Goodwin Procter LLP (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and the Representatives) at [·] [A.M./P.M.] New York City time, on [·], 2019, or such other time and date not later than [·] [A.M./P.M.] New York City time, on the seventh business day thereafter as the Representatives shall designate by notice to the Company (the time and date of such closing are called the “First Closing Date”). The Company hereby acknowledges that circumstances under which the Representatives may provide notice to postpone the First Closing Date as originally scheduled include, but are not limited to, any determination by the Company or the Representatives to recirculate to

 

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the public copies of an amended or supplemented Prospectus or a delay as contemplated by the provisions of Section 10.

 

(c)                                  Option Securities; Option Closing Date. In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase up to an aggregate of [·] Option Securities, comprised of Option Shares at the Share Purchase Price (as defined below) and/or Option ADSs at the ADS Purchase Price (as defined below). The option granted hereunder may be exercised at any time in whole or in part upon notice by the Representatives to the Company, which notice may be given at any time within 30 days from the date of this Agreement. Such notice shall set forth (i) the aggregate number of Option Securities as to which the Underwriters are exercising the option and (ii) the time, date and place at which the Option Securities will be delivered (which time and date may be simultaneous with, but not earlier than, the First Closing Date; and in the event that such time and date are simultaneous with the First Closing Date, the term “First Closing Date” shall refer to the time and date of delivery of the Initial Securities and such Option Securities). Such time and date of delivery, if subsequent to the First Closing Date, is called the “Option Closing Date”, shall be determined by the Representatives and shall not be earlier than two or later than seven full business days after delivery of such notice of exercise. If any Option ADSs and/or Option Shares are to be purchased, each relevant Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase that proportion of the total number of Option ADSs or Option Shares, as the case may be, then being purchased which the number of Initial ADSs or Initial Shares, as the case may be, as set forth on Schedule A opposite the name of such relevant Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities to be purchased (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional Ordinary Shares or ADSs, as the case may be, as the applicable Representatives may determine). The Representatives may cancel the option at any time prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company.

 

(d)                                 Payment for the Offered Securities. The Initial Shares (and, as the case may be, the Option Shares) and the Initial ADS (and, as the case may be, the Option ADS) are being offered as part of a single capital increase at an identical price of $[·] per ADS (the “ADS Purchase Price”) corresponding to €[·] per Ordinary Share (the “Share Purchase Price” and, together with the ADS Purchase Price, the “Offering Price”) based upon the exchange rate as in effect on the date hereof, as agreed between the Company and the Representatives, and exclusive of the commissions set forth in Section 2(f) below. Payment of the Share Purchase Price or the ADS Purchase Price, as applicable, for the Offered Securities shall be made on behalf of the Underwriters on or prior to the First Closing Date (and, as the case may be, on or prior to the Option Closing Date) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account or accounts designated by the Company in writing at least two business days prior to the First Closing Date, which account shall be held at BNP Paribas Securities Services, as transfer agent and registrar of the Company (the “Registrar”), for purposes of settlement and delivery of the Offered Securities. No later than [·] Central European Time on the First Closing Date and, as the case may be, the Option Closing Date, the Registrar shall issue the depositary certificate (certificat du dépositaire) in accordance with Article L. 225-146 of the French Commercial Code, relating to the capital increase, and, as the case may be, the additional capital increase, of the Company, and shall deliver two originals of such certificate to the Company. At least one full business day prior to the First Closing Date, the Company shall have taken all actions and provided the Registrar with all notices, documents, corporate authorizations or other instruments necessary or required to effectuate the issuance of the certificat du dépositaire referred herein.

 

(e)                                  Delivery of the Offered Securities. On the First Closing Date and, as the case may be, on the Option Closing Date, immediately after issuing the certificat du dépositaire, the Registrar shall: (i) send to Euroclear France, in the name and on behalf of the Company, a lettre comptable for the creation of the Initial Shares (and, as the case may be, the Option Shares) and of the Underlying Shares

 

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corresponding to the Initial ADSs (and, as the case may be, the Option ADSs) and for credit thereof no later than on the First Closing Date (and, as the case may be, the Option Closing Date) in a securities account opened in the name and on behalf of the Company in the books of the Registrar; (ii) transfer and credit the Initial Shares (and, as the case may be, the Option Shares) to a securities account as directed by the Representatives; and (iii) transfer the Underlying Shares corresponding to the Initial ADSs (and, as the case may be, the Option ADSs) to BNP Paribas Securities Services, as custodian under the Deposit Agreement, for the account of the Depositary against issuance of ADRs evidencing ADSs in accordance with the Deposit Agreement. Delivery of the ADSs and/or the ADRs evidencing ADSs shall be made through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the applicable Representatives shall otherwise instruct. Prior to the First Closing Date, the Company shall have taken all actions and made all necessary filings with Euronext and Euroclear France, and with the Depositary and DTC, to facilitate the transfer of the Offered Shares through Euroclear France and the ADSs through DTC. The ADRs evidencing the ADSs shall be registered in such names and denominations as the applicable Representatives shall have requested at least one full business day prior to the First Closing Date (or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be). Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.

 

(f)                                   Underwriting Commissions. As compensation for the Underwriters’ commitments, in addition to the expenses outlined in Section 4 hereof, the Company shall pay, or cause the Registrar to pay, to the Representatives of the Underwriters for purposes of settlement and delivery of the Offered Securities, a commission equal to the sum of (i) the product of $[·] and the number of Initial ADSs (and/or Option ADSs, as the case may be) to be issued at the First Closing Date (or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be) and (ii) the product of €[·] and the number of Initial Shares (and/or Option Shares, as the case may be) to be issued at the First Closing Date (or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be). The aforementioned commissions, expressed in the aggregate in dollars ($[·]), shall be deducted from the gross proceeds payable to the Company on the First Closing Date (or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be) and shall be paid on such date by the Registrar to the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters as soon as possible after issuance of the certificat du dépositaire referred to in Section 2(d) above.

 

SECTION 3.                            Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a)                                 Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A, and will notify the Representatives as soon as practicable, and confirm the notice in writing (which may be in electronic form), (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus (including any prospectus wrapper) shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement, (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities or (vi) the issuance by the AMF of any order preventing or suspending the use of the French Listing Prospectus (or before the AMF visa is received on the French Listing Prospectus, of the Document de Référence) or of any challenge to the filing with the AMF or the use of the French Listing Prospectus (or before the AMF visa is received on the French Listing Prospectus, of the Document de

 

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Référence). The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

 

(b)                                 Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Offered Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Offered Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representatives notice of such event, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such untrue statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The information contained in such amendment or supplement shall be made available, to the extent the Representatives reasonably determine that it is required by applicable French laws after consultation with the Company, to the public in France either through the Note d’Opération or, after the French Listing Prospectus has received the visa from the AMF, through a press release broadcasted pursuant to applicable AMF rules or, if necessary, an amendment to the Note d’Opération. The Company has given the Representatives notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

 

(c)                                  Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement and the 1934 Act Registration Statement, each as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy

 

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of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment to the Registration Statement (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the 1934 Act Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(d)                                 Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(e)                                  Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Offered Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may reasonably designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Offered Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

(f)                                   Visa. The Company shall take the necessary steps to obtain from the AMF a visa on the French Listing Prospectus.

 

(g)                                  Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

 

(h)                                 Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in all material respects in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds.”

 

(i)                                     Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the ADSs (and the Underlying Shares) on the Nasdaq Global Market and of the Ordinary Shares on Euronext.

 

(j)                                    Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any ADSs or Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for ADSs or Ordinary Shares or file or confidentially submit any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing, (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the ADSs or Ordinary Shares, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of ADSs or Ordinary Shares or other

 

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securities, in cash or otherwise or (iii) publicly announce an intention to effect any such swap, agreement or other transaction described in clauses (i) and (ii). The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder and the Underlying Shares to be deposited with the Depositary in connection therewith; (B) any ADSs or Ordinary Shares issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant (it being understood that this includes redeemable share subscription warrants (BSAAR) and share warrants (BSA)) or the conversion of a convertible security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus; (C) any ADSs or Ordinary Shares issued, or share options, free shares (actions gratuites) and warrants (including redeemable share subscription warrants (BSAAR) or share warrants (BSA)) to purchase ADSs or Ordinary Shares granted to employees, members of management or consultants, pursuant to existing shareholders’ authorizations of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus; (D) any ADSs or Ordinary Shares issued pursuant to any existing non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the French Listing Prospectus; (E) the filing by the Company of any registration statement on Form S-8 or a successor form thereto; (F) the entry into an agreement providing for the issuance by the Company of ADSs or Ordinary Shares, or any security convertible into or exercisable for, ADSs or Ordinary Shares in connection with the acquisition by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of the securities, business, technology, property or other assets of another person or entity, or pursuant to an employee benefit plan assumed by the Company in connection with such acquisition, and the issuance of any such securities pursuant to any such agreement; or (G) the entry into any agreement providing for the issuance of ADSs or Ordinary Shares, or any security convertible into or exercisable for, ADS or Ordinary Shares in connection with joint ventures, commercial relationships or other strategic transactions, and the issuance of any such securities pursuant to any such agreement; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (F) and (G), the aggregate number of ADSs or Ordinary Shares that the Company may sell or issue or agree to sell or issue shall not exceed 5% of the total number of Ordinary Shares (including in the form of ADSs) issued and outstanding immediately following the completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and provided, further, that in the case of clauses (F) and (G), the Company shall cause each recipient of such securities to execute and deliver to you, on or prior to the issuance of such securities, a lock-up agreement substantially on the same terms as the lock-up agreements referenced in Section 5(q) hereof for the remainder of the Lock-Up Period and enter stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar for such securities.

 

(k)                                 Lock-Up Release or Waiver. If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up agreement described in Section 5(q) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

(l)                                     Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Securities as may be required under Rule 463 under the 1933 Act.

 

(m)                             Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make any offer relating to the Offered Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing

 

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prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representatives will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representatives. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representatives as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement which has not been superseded or modified, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

(n)                                 Deposit of Shares. The Company agrees, prior to each Date of Delivery, to deposit Ordinary Shares with the Depositary in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement and otherwise to comply with the Deposit Agreement so that ADRs evidencing the applicable ADSs will be issued by the Depositary against receipt of such Shares and delivered to the Underwriters at such Date of Delivery.

 

(o)                                 Testing-the-Waters Materials. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication until the completion of the distribution of the Offered Securities there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.

 

(p)                                 Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Offered Securities within the meaning of the 1933 Act and (ii) completion of the 90-day restricted period referred to in Section 3(p).

 

(q)                                 Deductions or Withholdings. All sums payable by the Company under this Agreement shall be paid free and clear of and without deductions or withholdings of any present or future taxes or duties, unless the deduction or withholding is required by law, in which case the Company shall pay such additional amount as will result in the receipt by each Underwriter of the full amount that would have been received had no deduction or withholding been made.

 

SECTION 4.                            Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)                                 Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) and the ADS Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto; (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the

 

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Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors; (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the ADRs evidencing the ADSs to the Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters; (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors; (v) the qualification of the Offered Securities (and, if necessary, the Underlying Shares) under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of a “Blue Sky Survey” and any supplement thereto; (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent, registrar and/or depositary for the Securities; (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Offered Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged by the Company in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, (it being understood and agreed that the Underwriters will pay all of the travel, lodging and other expenses of the Underwriters or any of their employees or representatives incurred by them in connection with the “road show” and the Underwriters will pay 50% of the cost of any aircraft or other transportation chartered in connection with the “road show”, and the other 50% of which will be paid by the Company); (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities, in an amount not to exceed, together with the fees and disbursements of counsel described in clause (v) above, an aggregate of $35,000; (ix) the fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Ordinary Shares and the ADSs and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Offered Securities (and the Underlying Shares) on the Nasdaq Global Market; (x) the costs and expenses of qualifying the Securities for inclusion in the book-entry settlement system of DTC; and (xi) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the third sentence of Section 1(a)(ii).

 

(b)                                 Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i), Section 9(a)(iii) or Section 10 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their reasonable documented out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters; provided, however, that if the Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 10, the Company shall have no obligation to reimburse any out-of-pocket expenses of the Underwriters that have failed to purchase the Offered Securities that they have agreed to purchase hereunder.

 

SECTION 5.                            Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

 

(a)                                 Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement, have become effective and, at the Closing Time and any applicable Date of Delivery, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s

 

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knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission, its staff or the AMF for additional information to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A.

 

(b)                                 Opinion of French Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Linklaters LLP, French counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.

 

(c)                                  Opinion of U.S. Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the opinion and negative assurance letter, each dated the Closing Time, of Cooley LLP, U.S. counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letters for each of the other Underwriters.

 

(d)                                 Opinion of Intellectual Property Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the opinion and negative assurance letter, each dated the Closing Time, of Leason Ellis, special counsel for the Company with respect to intellectual property, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.

 

(e)                                  Opinion of Counsel for Depositary. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Emmet, Marvin & Martin, LLP, counsel for the Depositary, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.

 

(f)                                   Opinion of French Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Jones Day, French counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

(g)                                  Opinion of U.S. Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the opinion and negative assurance letter, each dated the Closing Time, of Goodwin Procter LLP, U.S. counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letters for each of the other Underwriters with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

(h)                                 Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the principal executive officer of the Company and the principal financial officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no

 

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proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.

 

(i)                                     Depositary’s Certificate. The Depositary shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Underwriters a certificate satisfactory to the Representatives of one of its authorized officers with respect to the deposit with it of the Underlying Shares, the issuance of the ADRs evidencing the Underlying Shares delivered in the form of the ADSs, the execution, issuance, countersignature and delivery of the ADRs evidencing the Shares delivered in the form of the ADSs pursuant to the Deposit Agreement and such other customary matters related thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

(j)                                    Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young et Autres a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(k)                                 Lettres de fin de travaux. The lettres de fin de travaux on the French Listing Prospectus delivered to the Company by Ernst & Young et Autres and Grant Thornton shall not contain any reserves or observations and such lettres de fin de travaux shall not have not been changed or revoked.

 

(l)                                     Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young et Autres a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (j) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

 

(m)                       Effective Deposit Agreement. The Company and the Depositary shall have executed and delivered the Deposit Agreement and the Deposit Agreement shall be in full force and effect.

 

(n)                           Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Initial ADSs and Option ADSs shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market, and the Firm Shares, the Optional Shares and the Underlying Shares shall have been approved for listing on Euronext, subject only to official notice of issuance.

 

(o)                           Eligible for DTC Clearance. At or prior to the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery, the Securities shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of the DTC.

 

(p)                           No FINRA Objection. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, FINRA shall have confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Securities.

 

(q)                           Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto signed by the Company’s directors, officers and certain securityholders.

 

(r)                                    Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates

 

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furnished by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:

 

(i)                                     Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the principal executive officer of the Company and of the principal financial officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(h) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

 

(ii)                                  Opinion of French Counsel for Company. If requested by the Representatives, the opinion of Linklaters LLP in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.

 

(iii)                               Opinion of U.S. Counsel for Company. If requested by the Representatives, the opinion and negative assurance letter of Cooley LLP in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, each dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion and negative assurance letter required by Section 5(c) hereof.

 

(iv)                              Opinion of Intellectual Property Counsel for Company. If requested by the Representatives, the opinion and negative assurance letter of Leason Ellis in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, each dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion and negative assurance letter required by Section 5(d) hereof.

 

(v)                                 Opinion of Counsel for Depositary. If requested by the Representatives, the opinion of Emmet, Marvin & Martin, LLP in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option ADSs to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(e) hereof.

 

(vi)                              Opinion of French Counsel for Underwriters. If requested by the Representatives, the opinion of Jones Day, French counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(f) hereof.

 

(vii)                           Opinion of U.S. Counsel for Underwriters. If requested by the Representatives, the opinion and negative assurance of Goodwin Procter LLP, U.S. counsel for the Underwriters, each dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(g) hereof.

 

(viii)                        Depositary’s Certificate. If requested by the Representatives, a certificate from the Depositary in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the certificate furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof.

 

(ix)                              Bring-Down Comfort Letter. If requested by the Representatives, a letter from Ernst & Young et Autres, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(l), except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.

 

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(s)                                   Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any) counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such other documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities and the deposit with the Depositary of the Underlying Shares as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.

 

(t)                                    Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 6.                            Indemnification.

 

(a)                                 Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents (which term includes Oddo BHF, as it relates to Natixis) and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

 

(i)                                     against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the French Listing Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Offered Securities (“Marketing Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), the French Listing Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

(ii)                                  against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

 

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(iii)                               against any and all expense, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

 

(iv)                              against any transaction, documentary, stamp, capital or other issuance, registration, transfer or withholding tax or duty (including any financial transaction tax as set out in Article 235 ter ZD of the Code général des impôts), including any interest and penalties, that may be payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters on (i) the creation, issuance, delivery and sale of the Offered Securities, the issuance of the ADSs, and the delivery of the Offered Securities to or for the account of the Underwriters; (ii) the purchase from the Company, and the initial sale and delivery by the Underwriters of the Offered Securities to purchasers thereof; (iii) the holding or transfer of the Offered Securities; (iv) the deposit of the Ordinary Shares with the Depositary and the issuance and delivery of the ADRs evidencing the ADSs; or (v) on the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Deposit Agreement or any other document to be furnished hereunder. Moreover, the Company will, in addition to any amount payable by it pursuant to Section 2(f) and Section 4 (and at the same time as paying that amount), pay any value added tax, sale or similar tax payable in addition to that amount on receipt of a valid VAT invoice showing the amount of the applicable VAT;

 

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the French Listing Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

 

(b)                                 Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the French Listing Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

 

(c)                                  Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying

 

33


 

parties be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(d)                                 Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

 

SECTION 7.                            Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Offered Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions, which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

 

The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Offered Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting commissions received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Offered Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

 

The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the

 

34


 

equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public.

 

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

 

SECTION 8.                            Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

 

SECTION 9.                            Termination of Agreement.

 

(a)                                 Termination. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representatives, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or France, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in U.S., French or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Offered Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission, the Nasdaq Global Market, on Euronext Paris or on Euronext Access Paris, or (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE MKT, the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq or Euronext has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or

 

35


 

securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities or authorities in France.

 

(b)                                 Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 10.                     Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

 

(i)                                     if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

 

(ii)                                  if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

 

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

 

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i) Representatives or (ii) the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the French Listing Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

 

SECTION 11.                     Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to SVB Leerink at 1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Stuart R. Nayman, and to Barclays Syndicate Registration (Fax: (646) 834-8133), with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Goodwin Procter LLP, 100 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, Attention: Mitchell Bloom; notices to the Company shall be directed to it at Parc Eurasanté, 885 avenue Eugène Avineé, 59120 Loos, France, Attention: Jean-François Mouney, Chief Executive Officer, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Cooley LLP, 500 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116, Attention: Marc Recht.

 

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SECTION 12.                     No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Offered Securities and any related commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or their respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of the Offered Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Offered Securities and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

 

SECTION 13.                     Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

 

SECTION 14.                     Waiver of Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

SECTION 15.                     GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

 

SECTION 16.                     Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such

 

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court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each party not located in the United States irrevocably appoints Corporation Service Company as its agent to receive service of process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the City and County of New York. With respect to any Related Proceeding, each party irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all immunity (whether on the basis of sovereignty or otherwise) from jurisdiction, service of process, attachment (both before and after judgment) and execution to which it might otherwise be entitled in the Specified Courts, and with respect to any Related Judgment, each party waives any such immunity in the Specified Courts or any other court of competent jurisdiction, and will not raise or claim or cause to be pleaded any such immunity at or in respect of any such Related Proceeding or Related Judgment, including, without limitation, any immunity pursuant to the United States Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976, as amended.

 

SECTION 17.                     Judgment Currency. The obligations of the Company pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any sum due to any Underwriter shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first business day, following receipt by such Underwriter of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency, on which (and only to the extent that) such Underwriter may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency. If the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to such Underwriter hereunder, the Company agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Underwriter against such loss.  If the United States dollars so purchased are greater than the sum originally due to such Underwriter hereunder, such Underwriter agrees to pay to the Company an amount equal to the excess of the dollars so purchased over the sum originally due to such Underwriter hereunder.

 

SECTION 18.                     TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

 

SECTION 19.                     Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

 

SECTION 20.                     Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same agreement.

 

SECTION 21.                     Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

SECTION 22.                     Entire Agreement. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

(Signature pages follow)

 

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

GENFIT S.A.

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO GENFIT S.A. UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT]

 


 

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,

 

as of the date first above written:

 

SVB LEERINK LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO GENFIT S.A. UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT]

 


 

SCHEDULE A

 

Name of Underwriter

 

Number of Initial ADSs
to be Purchased

 

Number of Initial
Shares to be Purchased

SVB Leerink LLC

 

 

 

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

 

 

 

 

Bryan, Garnier & Co. Limited

 

 

 

 

Natixis

 

 

 

 

Roth Capital Partners, LLC

 

 

 

 

H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC

 

 

 

 

[·]

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

Sch. A


 

SCHEDULE B-1

 

Pricing Terms

 

1.             The Company is selling [·] Initial Securities.

 

2.             The Company has granted an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional [·] Option Securities.

 

3.             The initial public offering price shall be $[·] per Initial ADS, corresponding to €[·] per Initial Share, which represents the exchange rate as of the date of this Underwriting Agreement.

 

Sch. B-1-1


 

SCHEDULE B-2

 

Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses

 

[None.]

 

Sch. B-2-1


 

SCHEDULE B-3

 

List of Written Testing-the-Waters Communications

 

[None.]

 

Sch. B-3-1


 

Exhibit A-1

 

Investor Letter

American Depositary Shares

 

GENFIT S.A.

Parc Eurasanté

885, avenue Eugène Avinée

59120 Loos

France

 

SVB Leerink LLC

1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor

New York, New York 10019

United States of America

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, NY 10019

United States of America

 

H.C. Wainwright & Co.

430 Park Avenue, 4th Floor

New York, New York 10022

United States of America

 

Roth Capital Partners, LLC.

888 San Clemente Drive, Suite 400

Newport Beach, CA 92660

United States of America

 

[As Representatives of the several Underwriters]

 

      , 2019

RE:         Genfit S.A.

 

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

In connection with its proposed commitment to subscribe for ordinary shares, nominal value €0.25 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), of Genfit S.A., a societé anonyme organized under the laws of France (the “Company”), to be delivered in the form of American Depositary Shares (the “ADSs”), in the context of an issuance by the Company without preferential subscription rights of Ordinary Shares (including Ordinary Shares in the form of ADSs) reserved to specified categories of investors (the “Offering”), the undersigned hereby represents and warrants that, as at the date hereof and until the completion of the Offering, it belongs and will belong, or is acting on behalf of or advising an investor who belongs and will belong, to one of the following categories:

 

(1)           industrial or commercial companies of the pharmaceutical/biotech sector; or

 


 

(2)                                 investment fund companies or fund management companies or collective savings managing funds of French or foreign law or any other legal entity (including a trust) or natural person, investing in the pharmaceutical/biotech sector, likely to qualify to invest in a private placement.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

 

 

On behalf of

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

Ex. A-2


 

Exhibit A-2

 

Investor Letter

Ordinary Shares

 

GENFIT S.A.

Parc Eurasanté

885, avenue Eugène Avinée

59120 Loos

France

 

SVB Leerink LLC

1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor

New York, New York  10019

United States of America

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, NY 10019

United States of America

 

Bryan, Garnier & Co Limited

Beaufort House

15 St. Botolph Street

London EC3A 7BB

United Kingdom

 

Natixis

30 avenue Pierre Mendès-France

75013, Paris

France

 

[As Representatives of the several Underwriters]

 

      , 2019

 

RE:         Genfit S.A.

 

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

In connection with its proposed commitment to subscribe for ordinary shares, nominal value €0.25 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), of Genfit S.A., a societé anonyme organized under the laws of France (the “Company”), in the context of an issuance by the Company without preferential subscription rights of Ordinary Shares reserved to specified categories of investors (the “Offering”), the undersigned hereby represents and warrants that, as at the date hereof and until the completion of the Offering:

 

A.            It belongs and will belong, or is acting on behalf of or advising an investor who belongs and will belong, to one of the following categories:

 

(1)           industrial or commercial companies of the pharmaceutical/biotech sector; or

 

Ex. A-3


 

(2)                                 investment fund companies or fund management companies or collective savings managing funds of French or foreign law or any other legal entity (including a trust) or natural person, investing in the pharmaceutical/biotech sector, likely to qualify to invest in a private placement.

 

B.            It is and will be, or is acting on behalf of or advising an investor who is and will be, a “qualified investor” within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive (Directive 2003/71/EC as amended (including amendments by Directive 2010/73/EU)).

 

Sincerely yours,

 

 

 

On behalf of

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

Ex. A-4


 

Exhibit B

 

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT FROM DIRECTORS, OFFICERS OR OTHER STOCKHOLDERS
PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(q)

 

SVB Leerink LLC

Barclays Capital Inc.

as Representatives of the several Underwriters

 

c/o          SVB Leerink LLC

1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor

New York, NY 10019

 

c/o          Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, NY 10019

 

Re:          Proposed Public Offering by Genfit S.A.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned, a shareholder, officer and/or director of Genfit S.A., a societé anonyme incorporated under the laws of France (the “Company”), understands that SVB Leerink LLC (“Leerink”) and Barclays Capital Inc. (“Barclays” and, together with Leerink, the “Representatives”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with the Company providing for (i) a public offering (the “Public Offering”) of ordinary shares, nominal value €0.25 per share, of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”) which may be delivered in the form of American Depositary Shares (the “ADSs”) and (ii) a private placement of Ordinary Shares outside of the United States.  In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a shareholder, an officer and/or a director of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Underwriting Agreement (collectively, the “Underwriters”) that, during the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the date that is ninety (90) days from the date of the Underwriting Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Ordinary Shares, which includes the ADSs, as well as new or existing Ordinary Shares to be received upon exercise of the conversion/exchange right under any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Ordinary Shares, and any Ordinary Shares received upon grant or vesting pursuant to a free share plan, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”), or make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any of the Lock-Up Securities, or file or cause to be filed any registration statement in connection therewith, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Ordinary Shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise. If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be

 

Ex. B-1


 

equally applicable to any issuer-directed ADSs or Ordinary Shares the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Representatives, provided, in each case, that (1) the Representatives receive a signed lock-up agreement for the balance of the Lock-Up Period from each donee, trustee, distributee, or transferee, as the case may be, (2) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value and (3) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such transfers:

 

(i)                                     as a bona fide gift or gifts;

 

(ii)                                  to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin);

 

(iii)                               as a distribution or other transfer by a partnership to its partners or former partners or by a limited liability company to its members or retired members or by a corporation to its shareholders or former shareholders or to any wholly-owned subsidiary or affiliate (as defined under Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act) of such entity;

 

(iv)                              to the undersigned’s affiliates or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned;

 

(v)                                 by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order or in connection with a divorce settlement;

 

(vi)                              by will or intestate succession upon the death of the undersigned; or

 

(vii)                           to the Company in satisfaction of any tax withholding obligation.

 

Furthermore, no provision in this letter shall be deemed to restrict or prohibit (1) the transfer of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities to the Company, to the extent permitted by applicable laws, in connection with the termination of the undersigned’s services to the Company, provided that no public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer; (2) the exercise or exchange by the undersigned of any option (including options de souscription et/ou d’achat d’actions) or warrant (including bons de souscription et/ou d’acquisition d’actions remboursables and bons de souscription d’actions) to acquire any Ordinary Shares or options to purchase Ordinary Shares pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or arrangement; provided, however, that the underlying Ordinary Shares shall continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this letter; and (3) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities upon the completion of a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of the Company’s securities involving a change of control of the Company; provided, however, that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, such securities held by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this letter.

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing herein shall prevent the undersigned from establishing a 10b5-1 trading plan that complies with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act (“10b5-1 Trading Plan”) or from amending an existing 10b5-1 Trading Plan so long as there are no sales of Lock-Up Securities under any such 10b5-1 Trading Plan during the Lock-Up Period; and provided that, the establishment of a 10b5-1 Trading Plan or the amendment of a 10b5-1 Trading Plan shall only be

 

Ex. B-2


 

permitted if (i) the establishment or amendment of such plan is not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Securities Exchange Commission, the AMF or otherwise and (ii) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding the establishment or amendment of such plan.

 

The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.  This lock-up agreement shall automatically terminate, and the undersigned shall be released from the undersigned’s obligations hereunder, upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (i) prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company advises the Representatives in writing that it has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering; (ii) the Company files an application to withdraw the registration statement related to the Public Offering; (iii) the Underwriting Agreement is executed but is terminated prior to the closing of the Public Offering (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination); or (iv) May 31, 2019, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by such date.

 

This agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

Ex. B-3


 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

Name of Security Holder (Print exact name)

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Signature

 

 

 

 

 

If not signing in an individual capacity:

 

 

 

 

 

Name of Authorized Signatory (Print)

 

 

 

 

 

Title of Authorized Signatory (Print)

 

(indicate capacity of person signing if signing as custodian, trustee, or on behalf of an entity)

 

Ex. B-4


 

Exhibit C

 

FORM OF PRESS RELEASE

TO BE ISSUED PURSUANT TO SECTION 3(j)

 

Genfit S.A.

[Date]

 

Genfit S.A. (the “Company”) announced today that SVB Leerink LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., the joint book-running managers in the Company’s recent public sale of [·] ordinary shares, nominal value €0.25 per share, of the Company and of [·] ordinary shares to be delivered in the form of an aggregate of [·] American Depositary Shares (collectively, the “Shares”), are [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to          shares of the Shares held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on    ,     20    , and the Shares may be sold on or after such date.

 

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Ex. C




Exhibit 4.1

 

 

 

GENFIT S.A.

 

AND

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

 

As Depositary

 

AND

 

OWNERS AND HOLDERS OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

 

Deposit Agreement

 

                    , 2019

 

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE 1.                                                   DEFINITIONS

1

SECTION 1.1.                                    American Depositary Shares

1

SECTION 1.2.                                    Commission

2

SECTION 1.3.                                    Company

2

SECTION 1.4.                                    Custodian

2

SECTION 1.5.                                    Delisting Event

2

SECTION 1.6.                                    Deliver; Surrender

2

SECTION 1.7.                                    Deposit Agreement

3

SECTION 1.8.                                    Depositary; Depositary’s Office

3

SECTION 1.9.                                    Deposited Securities

3

SECTION 1.10.                             Disseminate

3

SECTION 1.11.                             Dollars

4

SECTION 1.12.                             DTC

4

SECTION 1.13.                             Foreign Registrar

4

SECTION 1.14.                             Holder

4

SECTION 1.15.                             Insolvency Event

4

SECTION 1.16.                             Owner

5

SECTION 1.17.                             Receipts

5

SECTION 1.18.                             Registrar

5

SECTION 1.19.                             Replacement

5

SECTION 1.20.                             Restricted Securities

5

SECTION 1.21.                             Securities Act of 1933

5

SECTION 1.22.                             Shares

5

SECTION 1.23.                             SWIFT

6

SECTION 1.24.                             Termination Option Event

6

 

ARTICLE 2.                                                   FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF SHARES, DELIVERY, TRANSFER AND SURRENDER OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

6

SECTION 2.1.                                    Form of Receipts; Registration and Transferability of American Depositary Shares

6

SECTION 2.2.                                    Deposit of Shares

7

SECTION 2.3.                                    Delivery of American Depositary Shares

8

SECTION 2.4.                                   Registration of Transfer of American Depositary Shares; Combination and Split-up of Receipts; Interchange of Certificated and Uncertificated American Depositary Shares

8

SECTION 2.5.                                    Surrender of American Depositary Shares and Withdrawal of Deposited Securities

9

SECTION 2.6.                                    Limitations on Delivery, Transfer and Surrender of American Depositary Shares

10

 

i


 

SECTION 2.7.                                    Lost Receipts, etc.

11

SECTION 2.8.                                    Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts

11

SECTION 2.9.                                    DTC Direct Registration System and Profile Modification System

11

 

 

ARTICLE 3.                                                   CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF OWNERS AND HOLDERS OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

12

SECTION 3.1.                                    Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information

12

SECTION 3.2.                                    Liability of Owner for Taxes

12

SECTION 3.3.                                    Warranties on Deposit of Shares

13

SECTION 3.4.                                    Disclosure of Interests

13

 

 

ARTICLE 4.                                                   THE DEPOSITED SECURITIES

14

SECTION 4.1.                                    Cash Distributions

14

SECTION 4.2.                                    Distributions Other Than Cash, Shares or Rights

15

SECTION 4.3.                                    Distributions in Shares

16

SECTION 4.4.                                    Rights

16

SECTION 4.5.                                    Conversion of Foreign Currency

18

SECTION 4.6.                                    Fixing of Record Date

19

SECTION 4.7.                                    Voting of Deposited Shares

19

SECTION 4.8.                                   Tender and Exchange Offers; Redemption, Replacement or Cancellation of Deposited Securities

21

SECTION 4.9.                                    Reports

23

SECTION 4.10.                             Lists of Owners

23

SECTION 4.11.                             Withholding

23

 

 

ARTICLE 5.                                                   THE DEPOSITARY, THE CUSTODIANS AND THE COMPANY

24

SECTION 5.1.                                    Maintenance of Office and Transfer Books by the Depositary

24

SECTION 5.2.                                    Prevention or Delay of Performance by the Company or the Depositary

24

SECTION 5.3.                                    Obligations of the Depositary and the Company

25

SECTION 5.4.                                    Resignation and Removal of the Depositary

27

SECTION 5.5.                                    The Custodians

28

SECTION 5.6.                                    Notices and Reports

28

SECTION 5.7.                                    Distribution of Additional Shares, Rights, etc.

29

SECTION 5.8.                                    Indemnification

29

SECTION 5.9.                                    Charges of Depositary

30

SECTION 5.10.                             Retention of Depositary Documents

31

SECTION 5.11.                             Exclusivity

31

 

ii


 

SECTION 5.12.                             Information for Regulatory Compliance

31

 

 

ARTICLE 6.                                                   AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

32

SECTION 6.1.                                    Amendment

32

SECTION 6.2.                                    Termination

32

 

 

ARTICLE 7.                                                   MISCELLANEOUS

33

SECTION 7.1.                                    Counterparts; Signatures

33

SECTION 7.2.                                    No Third Party Beneficiaries

34

SECTION 7.3.                                    Severability

34

SECTION 7.4.                                    Owners and Holders as Parties; Binding Effect

34

SECTION 7.5.                                    Notices

34

SECTION 7.6.                                    Appointment of Agent for Service of Process; Submission to Jurisdiction; Jury Trial Waiver

35

SECTION 7.7.                                    Waiver of Immunities

36

SECTION 7.8.                                    Governing Law

36

 

iii


 

DEPOSIT AGREEMENT

 

DEPOSIT AGREEMENT dated as of               , 2019 among GENFIT S.A., a company incorporated under the laws of France (herein called the Company), THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, a New York banking corporation (herein called the Depositary), and all Owners and Holders (each as hereinafter defined) from time to time of American Depositary Shares issued hereunder.

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide, as set forth in this Deposit Agreement, for the deposit of Shares (as hereinafter defined) of the Company from time to time with the Depositary or with the Custodian (as hereinafter defined) under this Deposit Agreement, for the creation of American Depositary Shares representing the Shares so deposited and for the execution and delivery of American Depositary Receipts evidencing the American Depositary Shares; and

 

WHEREAS, the American Depositary Receipts are to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A annexed to this Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as set forth in this Deposit Agreement;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, it is agreed by and between the parties hereto as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1. DEFINITIONS

 

The following definitions shall for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated, apply to the respective terms used in this Deposit Agreement:

 

SECTION 1.1.              American Depositary Shares.

 

The term “American Depositary Shares” shall mean the securities created under this Deposit Agreement representing rights with respect to the Deposited Securities.  American Depositary Shares may be certificated securities evidenced by Receipts or uncertificated securities.  The form of Receipt annexed as Exhibit A to this Deposit Agreement shall be the prospectus required under the Securities Act of 1933 for sales of both certificated and uncertificated American Depositary Shares.  Except for those provisions of this Deposit Agreement that refer specifically to Receipts, all the provisions of this Deposit Agreement shall apply to both certificated and uncertificated American Depositary Shares.

 

Each American Depositary Share shall represent the number of Shares specified in Exhibit A to this Deposit Agreement, except that, if there is a distribution upon Deposited Securities covered by Section 4.3, a change in Deposited Securities covered by Section 4.8 with respect to which additional American Depositary Shares are

 

1


 

not delivered or a sale of Deposited Securities under Section 3.2 or 4.8, each American Depositary Share shall thereafter represent the amount of Shares or other Deposited Securities that are then on deposit per American Depositary Share after giving effect to that distribution, change or sale.

 

SECTION 1.2.              Commission.

 

The term “Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States or any successor governmental agency in the United States.

 

SECTION 1.3.              Company.

 

The term “Company” shall mean Genfit S.A., a company incorporated under the laws of France, and its successors.

 

SECTION 1.4.              Custodian.

 

The term “Custodian” shall mean BNP Paribas Securities Services, as custodian for the Depositary in France for the purposes of this Deposit Agreement, and any other firm or corporation the Depositary appoints under Section 5.5 as a substitute or additional custodian under this Deposit Agreement, and shall also mean all of them collectively.

 

SECTION 1.5.              Delisting Event.

 

A “Delisting Event” occurs if the American Depositary Shares are delisted from a securities exchange on which the American Depositary Shares were listed and the Company has not listed or applied to list the American Depositary Shares on any other securities exchange.

 

SECTION 1.6.              Deliver; Surrender.

 

(a)           The term “deliver”, or its noun form, when used with respect to Shares or other Deposited Securities, shall mean, as applicable, (i) book-entry transfer of those Shares or other Deposited Securities to an account maintained by an institution authorized under applicable law to effect transfers of such securities designated by the person entitled to that delivery or (ii) physical transfer of certificates evidencing those Shares or other Deposited Securities registered in the name of, or duly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer to, the person entitled to that delivery.

 

(b)           The term “deliver”, or its noun form, when used with respect to American Depositary Shares, shall mean (i) registration of those American Depositary Shares in the name of DTC or its nominee and book-entry transfer of those American Depositary Shares to an account at DTC designated by the person entitled to that

 

2


 

delivery, (ii) registration of those American Depositary Shares not evidenced by a Receipt on the books of the Depositary in the name requested by the person entitled to that delivery and mailing to that person of a statement confirming that registration or (iii) if requested by the person entitled to that delivery, execution and delivery at the Depositary’s Office to the person entitled to that delivery of one or more Receipts evidencing those American Depositary Shares registered in the name requested by that person.

 

(c)           The term “surrender”, when used with respect to American Depositary Shares, shall mean (i) one or more book-entry transfers of American Depositary Shares to the DTC account of the Depositary, (ii) delivery to the Depositary at its Office of an instruction to surrender American Depositary Shares not evidenced by a Receipt or (iii) surrender to the Depositary at its Office of one or more Receipts evidencing American Depositary Shares.

 

SECTION 1.7.              Deposit Agreement.

 

The term “Deposit Agreement” shall mean this Deposit Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 1.8.              Depositary; Depositary’s Office.

 

The term “Depositary” shall mean The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, and any successor as depositary under this Deposit Agreement.  The term “Office”, when used with respect to the Depositary, shall mean the office at which its depositary receipts business is administered, which, at the date of this Deposit Agreement, is located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286.

 

SECTION 1.9.              Deposited Securities.

 

The term “Deposited Securities” as of any time shall mean Shares at such time deposited or deemed to be deposited under this Deposit Agreement, including without limitation, Shares that have not been successfully delivered upon surrender of American Depositary Shares, and any and all other securities, property and cash received by the Depositary or the Custodian in respect of Deposited Securities and at that time held under this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 1.10.            Disseminate.

 

The term “Disseminate,” when referring to a notice or other information to be sent by the Depositary to Owners, shall mean (i) sending that information to Owners in paper form by mail or another means or (ii) with the consent of Owners, another procedure that has the effect of making the information available to Owners, which may include (A) sending the information by electronic mail or electronic messaging or (B)

 

3


 

sending in paper form or by electronic mail or messaging a statement that the information is available and may be accessed by the Owner on an Internet website and that it will be sent in paper form upon request by the Owner, when that information is so available and is sent in paper form as promptly as practicable upon request.

 

SECTION 1.11.            Dollars.

 

The term “Dollars” shall mean United States dollars.

 

SECTION 1.12.            DTC.

 

The term “DTC” shall mean The Depository Trust Company or its successor.

 

SECTION 1.13.            Foreign Registrar.

 

The term “Foreign Registrar” shall mean the entity that carries out the duties of registrar for the Shares and any other agent of the Company for the transfer and registration of Shares, including, without limitation, any securities depository for the Shares, being, at the time of this Deposit Agreement is entered into and without prejudice to the Company’s discretionary right to change Registrar, BNP Paribas Securities Services.

 

SECTION 1.14.            Holder.

 

The term “Holder” shall mean any person holding a Receipt or a security entitlement or other interest in American Depositary Shares, whether for its own account or for the account of another person, but that is not the Owner of that Receipt or those American Depositary Shares.

 

SECTION 1.15.            Insolvency Event.

 

An “Insolvency Event” occurs if the Company institutes proceedings to be adjudicated as bankrupt or insolvent, consents to the institution of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against it, files a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under the laws of France in respect of bankruptcy or insolvency, consents to the filing of any petition of that kind or to the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian or sequestrator (or other similar official) of it or any substantial part of its property or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or if information becomes publicly available indicating that unsecured claims against the Company are not expected to be paid.

 

4


 

SECTION 1.16.            Owner.

 

The term “Owner” shall mean the person in whose name American Depositary Shares are registered on the books of the Depositary maintained for that purpose.

 

SECTION 1.17.            Receipts.

 

The term “Receipts” shall mean the American Depositary Receipts issued under this Deposit Agreement evidencing certificated American Depositary Shares, as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 1.18.            Registrar.

 

The term “Registrar” shall mean any corporation or other entity that is appointed by the Depositary to register American Depositary Shares and transfers of American Depositary Shares as provided in this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 1.19.            Replacement.

 

The term “Replacement” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 4.8.

 

SECTION 1.20.            Restricted Securities.

 

The term “Restricted Securities” shall mean Shares that (i) are “restricted securities,” as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, except for Shares that could be resold in reliance on Rule 144 without any conditions, (ii) are beneficially owned by an officer, director (or person performing similar functions) or other affiliate of the Company, (iii) otherwise would require registration under the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with the public offer and sale thereof in the United States or (iv) are subject to other restrictions on sale or deposit under the laws of France, a shareholder agreement or the articles of association or similar document of the Company.

 

SECTION 1.21.            Securities Act of 1933.

 

The term “Securities Act of 1933” shall mean the United States Securities Act of 1933, as from time to time amended.

 

SECTION 1.22.            Shares.

 

The term “Shares” shall mean ordinary shares of the Company that are validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable and that were not issued in violation of any pre-emptive or similar rights of the holders of outstanding securities of the Company; provided, however, that, if there shall occur any change in nominal or par

 

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value, a split-up or consolidation or any other reclassification or, upon the occurrence of an event described in Section 4.8, an exchange or conversion in respect of the Shares of the Company, the term “Shares” shall thereafter also mean the successor securities resulting from such change in nominal value, split-up or consolidation or such other reclassification or such exchange or conversion.

 

SECTION 1.23.            SWIFT.

 

The term “SWIFT” shall mean the financial messaging network operated by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, or its successor.

 

SECTION 1.24.            Termination Option Event.

 

The term “Termination Option Event” shall mean an event of a kind defined as such in Section 4.1, 4.2 or 4.8.

 

ARTICLE 2. FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF SHARES, DELIVERY, TRANSFER AND SURRENDER OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

 

SECTION 2.1.              Form of Receipts; Registration and Transferability of American Depositary Shares.

 

Definitive Receipts shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A to this Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as permitted under this Deposit Agreement.  No Receipt shall be entitled to any benefits under this Deposit Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless that Receipt has been (i) executed by the Depositary by the manual signature of a duly authorized officer of the Depositary or (ii) executed by the facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer of the Depositary and countersigned by the manual signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary or the Registrar or a co-registrar.  The Depositary shall maintain books on which (x) each Receipt so executed and delivered as provided in this Deposit Agreement and each transfer of that Receipt and (y) all American Depositary Shares delivered as provided in this Deposit Agreement and all registrations of transfer of American Depositary Shares, shall be registered.  A Receipt bearing the facsimile signature of a person that was at any time a proper officer of the Depositary shall, subject to the other provisions of this paragraph, bind the Depositary, even if that person was not a proper officer of the Depositary on the date of issuance of that Receipt.

 

The Receipts and statements confirming registration of American Depositary Shares may have incorporated in or attached to them such legends or recitals or modifications not inconsistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement as may be required by the Depositary or required to comply with any applicable law or regulations thereunder or with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange upon which American Depositary Shares may be listed or to conform with any usage with

 

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respect thereto, or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular Receipts and American Depositary Shares are subject by reason of the date of issuance of the underlying Deposited Securities or otherwise.

 

American Depositary Shares evidenced by a Receipt, when the Receipt is properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer, shall be transferable as certificated registered securities under the laws of the State of New York.  American Depositary Shares not evidenced by Receipts shall be transferable as uncertificated registered securities under the laws of the State of New York.  The Depositary, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, may treat the Owner of American Depositary Shares as the absolute owner thereof for the purpose of determining the person entitled to distribution of dividends or other distributions or to any notice provided for in this Deposit Agreement and for all other purposes, and neither the Depositary nor the Company shall have any obligation or be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement to any Holder of American Depositary Shares (but only to the Owner of those American Depositary Shares).

 

SECTION 2.2.              Deposit of Shares.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, Shares or evidence of rights to receive Shares may be deposited under this Deposit Agreement by delivery thereof to any Custodian, accompanied by any appropriate instruments or instructions for transfer, or endorsement, in form satisfactory to the Custodian.

 

As conditions of accepting Shares for deposit, the Depositary may require (i) any certification required by the Depositary or the Custodian in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, (ii) a written order directing the Depositary to deliver to, or upon the written order of, the person or persons stated in that order American Depositary Shares representing those deposited Shares, (iii) evidence satisfactory to the Depositary that those Shares are being held in bearer form in the books of the Foreign Registrar in the name of the Depositary, a Custodian or a nominee of the Depositary or a Custodian, (iv) evidence satisfactory to the Depositary that any necessary approval for the transfer or deposit has been granted by any governmental body in each applicable jurisdiction and (v) an agreement or assignment, or other instrument satisfactory to the Depositary, that provides for the prompt transfer to the Custodian of any dividend, or right to subscribe for additional Shares or to receive other property, that any person in whose name those Shares are or have been recorded may thereafter receive upon or in respect of those Shares, or, in lieu thereof, such agreement of indemnity or other agreement as shall be satisfactory to the Depositary.

 

Deposited Securities shall be held by the Depositary or by a Custodian for the account and to the order of the Depositary or at such other place or places as the Depositary shall determine.

 

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SECTION 2.3.              Delivery of American Depositary Shares.

 

The Depositary shall instruct each Custodian that, upon receipt by that Custodian of any deposit pursuant to Section 2.2, together with the other documents  or evidence required under that Section, that Custodian shall notify the Depositary of that deposit and the person or persons to whom or upon whose written order American Depositary Shares are deliverable in respect thereof.  Upon receiving a notice of a deposit from a Custodian, or upon the receipt of Shares or evidence of the right to receive Shares by the Depositary, the Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall deliver, to or upon the order of the person or persons entitled thereto, the number of American Depositary Shares issuable in respect of that deposit, but only upon payment to the Depositary of the fees and expenses of the Depositary for the delivery of those American Depositary Shares as provided in Section 5.9, and of all taxes and governmental charges and fees payable in connection with that deposit and the transfer of the deposited Shares.  However, the Depositary shall deliver only whole numbers of American Depositary Shares.

 

SECTION 2.4.              Registration of Transfer of American Depositary Shares; Combination and Split-up of Receipts; Interchange of Certificated and Uncertificated American Depositary Shares.

 

The Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall register a transfer of American Depositary Shares on its transfer books upon (i) in the case of certificated American Depositary Shares, surrender of the Receipt evidencing those American Depositary Shares, by the Owner or by a duly authorized attorney, properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer or (ii) in the case of uncertificated American Depositary Shares, receipt from the Owner of a proper instruction (including, for the avoidance of doubt, instructions through DRS and Profile as provided in Section 2.9), and, in either case, duly stamped as may be required by the laws of the State of New York and of the United States of America. Upon registration of a transfer, the Depositary shall deliver the transferred American Depositary Shares to or upon the order of the person entitled thereto.

 

The Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall upon surrender of a Receipt or Receipts for the purpose of effecting a split-up or combination of such Receipt or Receipts, execute and deliver a new Receipt or Receipts for any authorized number of American Depositary Shares requested, evidencing the same aggregate number of American Depositary Shares as the Receipt or Receipts surrendered.

 

The Depositary, upon surrender of certificated American Depositary Shares for the purpose of exchanging for uncertificated American Depositary Shares, shall cancel the Receipt evidencing those certificated American Depositary Shares and send the Owner a statement confirming that the Owner is the owner of the same number of uncertificated American Depositary Shares.  The Depositary, upon receipt of a proper

 

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instruction (including, for the avoidance of doubt, instructions through DRS and Profile as provided in Section 2.9) from the Owner of uncertificated American Depositary Shares for the purpose of exchanging for certificated American Depositary Shares, shall cancel those uncertificated American Depositary Shares and register and deliver to the Owner a Receipt evidencing the same number of certificated American Depositary Shares.

 

The Depositary may appoint one or more co-transfer agents for the purpose of effecting registration of transfers of American Depositary Shares and combinations and split-ups of Receipts at designated transfer offices on behalf of the Depositary, and the Depositary shall notify the Company if it makes an appointment of that kind.  In carrying out its functions, a co-transfer agent may require evidence of authority and compliance with applicable laws and other requirements by Owners or persons entitled to American Depositary Shares and will be entitled to protection and indemnity to the same extent as the Depositary.

 

SECTION 2.5.              Surrender of American Depositary Shares and Withdrawal of Deposited Securities.

 

Upon surrender of American Depositary Shares for the purpose of withdrawal of the Deposited Securities represented thereby and payment of the fee of the Depositary for the surrender of American Depositary Shares as provided in Section 5.9 and payment of all taxes and governmental charges payable in connection with that surrender and withdrawal of the Deposited Securities, and subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Owner of those American Depositary Shares shall be entitled to delivery (to the extent delivery can then be lawfully and practicably made), to or as instructed by that Owner, of the amount of Deposited Securities at the time represented by those American Depositary Shares, but not any money or other property as to which a record date for distribution to Owners has passed (since money or other property of that kind will be delivered or paid on the scheduled payment date to the Owner as of that record date), and except that the Depositary shall not be required to accept surrender of American Depositary Shares for the purpose of withdrawal to the extent it would require delivery of a fraction of a Deposited Security.  That delivery shall be made, as provided in this Section, without unreasonable delay.

 

As a condition of accepting a surrender of American Depositary Shares for the purpose of withdrawal of Deposited Securities, the Depositary may require (i) that each surrendered Receipt be properly endorsed in blank or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer in blank and (ii) that the surrendering Owner execute and deliver to the Depositary a written order directing the Depositary to cause the Deposited Securities being withdrawn to be delivered to or upon the written order of a person or persons designated in that order.

 

Thereupon, the Depositary shall direct the Custodian to deliver, subject to Sections 2.6, 3.1 and 3.2, the other terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement and local market rules and practices, to the surrendering Owner or to or upon the written

 

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order of the person or persons designated in the order delivered to the Depositary as above provided, the amount of Deposited Securities represented by the surrendered American Depositary Shares, and the Depositary may charge the surrendering Owner a fee and its expenses for giving that direction by cable (including SWIFT) or facsimile transmission.

 

If Deposited Securities are delivered physically upon surrender of American Depositary Shares for the purpose of withdrawal, that delivery will be made at the Custodian’s office, except that, at the request, risk and expense of an Owner surrendering American Depositary Shares for withdrawal of Deposited Securities, and for the account of that Owner, the Depositary shall direct the Custodian to forward any cash or other property comprising, and forward a certificate or certificates, if applicable, and other proper documents of title, if any, for, the Deposited Securities represented by the surrendered American Depositary Shares to the Depositary for delivery at the Depositary’s Office or to another address specified in the order received from the surrendering Owner.

 

SECTION 2.6.              Limitations on Delivery, Transfer and Surrender of American Depositary Shares.

 

As a condition precedent to the delivery, registration of transfer or surrender of any American Depositary Shares or split-up or combination of any Receipt or withdrawal of any Deposited Securities, the Depositary, Custodian or Registrar may require payment from the depositor of Shares or the presenter of the Receipt or instruction for registration of transfer or surrender of American Depositary Shares not evidenced by a Receipt of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any tax or other governmental charge and any stock transfer or registration fee with respect thereto (including any such tax or charge and fee with respect to Shares being deposited or withdrawn) and payment of any applicable fees as provided in this Deposit Agreement, may require the production of proof satisfactory to it as to the identity and genuineness of any signature and may also require compliance with any regulations the Depositary may establish consistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, including, without limitation, this Section 2.6.

 

The delivery of American Depositary Shares against deposit of Shares generally or against deposit of particular Shares may be suspended, or the registration of transfer of American Depositary Shares in particular instances may be refused, or the registration of transfer of outstanding American Depositary Shares generally may be suspended, during any period when the transfer books of the Depositary are closed, or if any such action is deemed necessary or advisable by the Depositary or the Company at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body or commission, or under any provision of this Deposit Agreement, or for any other reason.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Deposit Agreement, the surrender of outstanding American Depositary Shares and withdrawal of

 

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Deposited Securities may not be suspended, subject only to (i) temporary delays caused by closing of the transfer books of the Depositary or the Company or the Foreign Registrar, if applicable, or the deposit of Shares in connection with voting at a shareholders’ meeting, or the payment of dividends, (ii) the payment of fees, taxes and similar charges, and (iii) compliance with any U.S. or foreign laws or governmental regulations relating to the American Depositary Shares or to the withdrawal of the Deposited Securities; in each case, the Depositary shall notify the Company as promptly as practicable of any  suspension of that kind that is outside the ordinary course of business.

 

The Depositary shall not knowingly accept for deposit under this Deposit Agreement any Shares that, at the time of deposit, are Restricted Securities.

 

SECTION 2.7.              Lost Receipts, etc.

 

If a Receipt is mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen, the Depositary shall deliver to the Owner the American Depositary Shares evidenced by that Receipt in uncertificated form or, if requested by the Owner, execute and deliver a new Receipt of like tenor in exchange and substitution for such mutilated Receipt, upon surrender and cancellation of that mutilated Receipt, or in lieu of and in substitution for that destroyed, lost or stolen Receipt.  However, before the Depositary will deliver American Depositary Shares in uncertificated form or execute and deliver a new Receipt, in substitution for a destroyed, lost or stolen Receipt, the Owner must (a) file with the Depositary (i) a request for that replacement before the Depositary has notice that the Receipt has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser and (ii) a sufficient indemnity bond and (b) satisfy any other reasonable requirements imposed by the Depositary.

 

SECTION 2.8.              Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts.

 

The Depositary shall cancel all Receipts surrendered to it and is authorized to destroy Receipts so cancelled.

 

SECTION 2.9.              DTC Direct Registration System and Profile Modification System.

 

(a)           Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.4, the parties acknowledge that DTC’s Direct Registration System (“DRS”) and Profile Modification System (“Profile”) apply to the American Depositary Shares upon acceptance thereof to DRS by DTC.  DRS is the system administered by DTC that facilitates interchange between registered holding of uncertificated securities and holding of security entitlements in those securities through DTC and a DTC participant.  Profile is a required feature of DRS that allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of an Owner of American Depositary Shares, to direct the Depositary to register a transfer of those American Depositary Shares to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those American

 

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Depositary Shares to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the Depositary of prior authorization from the Owner to register that transfer.

 

(b)                                 In connection with DRS/Profile, the parties acknowledge that the Depositary will not determine whether the DTC participant that is claiming to be acting on behalf of an Owner in requesting a registration of transfer and delivery as described in paragraph (a) above has the actual authority to act on behalf of that Owner (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code).  For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of Sections 5.3 and 5.8 apply to the matters arising from the use of the DRS/Profile.  The parties agree that the Depositary’s reliance on and compliance with instructions received by the Depositary through the DRS/Profile system and otherwise in accordance with this Deposit Agreement shall not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of the Depositary.

 

ARTICLE 3. CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF OWNERS AND HOLDERS OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

 

SECTION 3.1.                                          Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information.

 

Any person presenting Shares for deposit or any Owner or Holder may be required from time to time to file with the Depositary or the Custodian such proof of citizenship or residence, exchange control approval, or such information relating to the registration on the books of the Company or the Foreign Registrar, if applicable, to execute such certificates and to make such representations and warranties, as the Depositary may deem necessary or proper.  The Depositary may withhold the delivery or registration of transfer of American Depositary Shares, the distribution of any dividend or other distribution or of the proceeds thereof or the delivery of any Deposited Securities until that proof or other information is filed or those certificates are executed or those representations and warranties are made.

 

Holders and Owners shall, from time to time and in a timely manner, file such proof of taxpayer status, residence and beneficial ownership (as applicable), to execute such certificates and to make such representations and warranties, or to provide any other information or documents, as the Company, the Depositary or the Custodian may deem necessary or proper to fulfill the Company’s, the Depositary’s or the Custodian’s obligations under applicable law.

 

SECTION 3.2.                                          Liability of Owner for Taxes.

 

If any tax or other governmental charge shall become payable by the Custodian or the Depositary with respect to or in connection with any American Depositary Shares or any Deposited Securities represented by any American Depositary Shares or in connection with a transaction to which Section 4.8 applies, that tax or other governmental charge shall be payable by the Owner of those American Depositary Shares to the Depositary. The Depositary may refuse to register any transfer of those American

 

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Depositary Shares or any withdrawal of Deposited Securities represented by those American Depositary Shares until that payment is made, and may withhold any dividends or other distributions or the proceeds thereof, or may sell for the account of the Owner any part or all of the Deposited Securities represented by those American Depositary Shares and apply those dividends or other distributions or the net proceeds of any sale of that kind in payment of that tax or other governmental charge but, even after a sale of that kind, the Owner of those American Depositary Shares shall remain liable for any deficiency.  The Depositary shall distribute any net proceeds of a sale made under this Section that are not used to pay taxes or governmental charges to the Owners entitled to them in accordance with Section 4.1.  If the number of Shares represented by each American Depositary Share decreases as a result of a sale of Deposited Securities under this Section, the Depositary may call for surrender of the American Depositary Shares to be exchanged on a mandatory basis for a lesser number of American Depositary Shares and may sell American Depositary Shares to the extent necessary to avoid distributing fractions of American Depositary Shares in that exchange and distribute the net proceeds of that sale to the Owners entitled to them.

 

SECTION 3.3.                                          Warranties on Deposit of Shares.

 

Every person depositing Shares under this Deposit Agreement shall be deemed thereby to represent and warrant that those Shares are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and were not issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of the holders of outstanding securities of the Company and that the person making that deposit is duly authorized so to do.  Every depositing person shall also be deemed to represent that the Shares, at the time of deposit, are not Restricted Securities.  All representations and warranties deemed made under this Section shall survive the deposit of Shares and delivery of American Depositary Shares.

 

SECTION 3.4.                                          Disclosure of Interests.

 

When required in order to comply with applicable laws and regulations, the rules and requirements of the regulated market of Euronext in Paris, the Nasdaq Global Market or any other stock exchange on which the Shares or the American Depositary Shares are registered, traded or listed or any book-entry settlement system, or the articles of association or similar document of the Company, the Company may from time to time request each Owner and Holder to provide to the Depositary information relating to: (a) the capacity in which it holds American Depositary Shares, (b) the identity of any Holders or other persons or entities then or previously interested in those American Depositary Shares and the nature of those interests and (c) any other matter where disclosure of such matter is required for that compliance.   Each Owner and Holder agrees to provide all information known to it in response to a request made pursuant to this Section.  Each Holder consents to the disclosure by the Depositary and the Owner or any other Holder through which it holds American Depositary Shares, directly or indirectly, of all information responsive to a request made pursuant to this Section

 

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relating to that Holder that is known to that Owner or other Holder.  The Depositary agrees to use reasonable efforts to comply with written instructions requesting that the Depositary forward any request authorized under this Section to the Owners and to forward to the Company any responses it receives in response to that request.  The Depositary may charge the Company a fee and its expenses for complying with requests under this Section 3.4.

 

Each Owner and Holder of American Depositary Shares further agrees to comply with the laws and regulations of the United States and France (if and to the extent applicable) with respect to the disclosure requirements regarding beneficial ownership of Shares, all as if the American Depositary Shares were the Shares represented thereby, which is deemed to include, inter alia, requirements to make notifications and filings within the required timeframes to the Company, to the Commission, to the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers and any other authorities in the United States or in France. The Company reserves the right to instruct Owners and Holders to deliver their American Depositary Shares for cancellation and withdrawal of the Deposited Securities so as to permit the Company to deal directly with the Owner or Holder thereof as a holder of Shares, and Owners and Holders agree to comply with such instructions. The Depositary agrees to cooperate with the Company in its efforts to inform Owners and Holders of the Company’s exercise of its rights under this paragraph and agrees to consult with, and provide reasonable assistance without risk, liability or expense on the part of the Depositary, to the Company on the manner or manners, if any, in which it may enforce such rights with respect to any Owner or Holder.

 

ARTICLE 4.   THE DEPOSITED SECURITIES

 

SECTION 4.1.                                          Cash Distributions.

 

Whenever the Depositary receives any cash dividend or other cash distribution on Deposited Securities, the Depositary shall, subject to the provisions of Section 4.5, convert that dividend or other distribution into Dollars and distribute the amount thus received (net of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9) to the Owners entitled thereto, in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares representing those Deposited Securities held by them respectively; provided, however, that if the Custodian or the Depositary shall be required to withhold and does withhold from that cash dividend or other cash distribution an amount on account of taxes or other governmental charges, the amount distributed to the Owners of the American Depositary Shares representing those Deposited Securities shall be reduced accordingly.  However, the Depositary will not pay any Owner a fraction of one cent, but will round each Owner’s entitlement to the nearest whole cent.

 

The Company or its agent will remit to the appropriate governmental agency in each applicable jurisdiction all amounts withheld and owing to such agency.

 

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If a cash distribution would represent a return of all or substantially all the value of the Deposited Securities underlying American Depositary Shares, the Depositary may require surrender of those American Depositary Shares and may require payment of or deduct the fee for surrender of American Depositary Shares (whether or not it is also requiring surrender of American Depositary Shares) as a condition of making that cash distribution.  A distribution of that kind shall be a Termination Option Event.

 

SECTION 4.2.                                          Distributions Other Than Cash, Shares or Rights.

 

Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.11 and 5.9, whenever the Depositary receives any distribution other than a distribution described in Section 4.1, 4.3 or 4.4 on Deposited Securities (but not in exchange for or in conversion or in lieu of Deposited Securities), the Depositary shall cause the securities or property received by it to be distributed to the Owners entitled thereto, after deduction or upon payment of any fees and expenses of the Depositary and any taxes or other governmental charges, in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares representing such Deposited Securities held by them respectively, in any manner that the Depositary deems equitable and practicable for accomplishing that distribution (which may be a distribution of depositary shares representing the securities received); provided, however, that if in the opinion of the Depositary such distribution cannot be made proportionately among the Owners entitled thereto, or if for any other reason (including, but not limited to, any requirement that the Company or the Depositary withhold an amount on account of taxes or other governmental charges or that securities received must be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 in order to be distributed to Owners or Holders) the Depositary, after consultation with the Company to the extent practicable, deems such distribution not to be lawful and feasible, the Depositary may adopt such other method as it may deem equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such distribution, including, but not limited to, the public or private sale of the securities or property thus received, or any part thereof, and distribution of the net proceeds of any such sale (net of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9) to the Owners entitled thereto, all in the manner and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.1.  The Depositary may withhold any distribution of securities under this Section 4.2 if it has not received satisfactory assurances from the Company that the distribution does not require registration under the Securities Act of 1933.  The Depositary may sell, by public or private sale, an amount of securities or other property it would otherwise distribute under this Section 4.2 that is sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in respect of that distribution.

 

If a distribution under this Section 4.2 would represent a return of all or substantially all the value of the Deposited Securities underlying American Depositary Shares, the Depositary may require surrender of those American Depositary Shares and may require payment of or deduct the fee for surrender of American Depositary Shares (whether or not it is also requiring surrender of American Depositary Shares) as a

 

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condition of making that distribution.  A distribution of that kind shall be a Termination Option Event.

 

SECTION 4.3.                                          Distributions in Shares.

 

Whenever the Depositary receives any distribution on Deposited Securities consisting of a dividend in, or free distribution of, Shares, the Depositary may deliver to the Owners entitled thereto, in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares representing those Deposited Securities held by them respectively, an aggregate number of American Depositary Shares representing the amount of Shares received as that dividend or free distribution, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement with respect to the deposit of Shares and issuance of American Depositary Shares, including withholding of any tax or governmental charge as provided in Section 4.11 and payment of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9 (and the Depositary may sell, by public or private sale, an amount of the Shares received (or American Depositary Shares representing those Shares) sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in respect of that distribution).  In lieu of delivering fractional American Depositary Shares, the Depositary may sell the amount of Shares represented by the aggregate of those fractions (or American Depositary Shares representing those Shares) and distribute the net proceeds, all in the manner and subject to the conditions described in Section 4.1.  If and to the extent that additional American Depositary Shares are not delivered and Shares or American Depositary Shares are not sold, each American Depositary Share shall thenceforth also represent the additional Shares distributed on the Deposited Securities represented thereby.

 

If the Company declares a distribution in which holders of Deposited Securities have a right to elect whether to receive cash, Shares or other securities or a combination of those things, or a right to elect to have a distribution sold on their behalf, the Depositary may, after consultation with the Company, make that right of election available for exercise by Owners in any manner the Depositary considers to be lawful and practical.  As a condition of making a distribution election right available to Owners, the Depositary may require satisfactory assurances from the Company that doing so does not require registration of any securities under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

SECTION 4.4.                                          Rights.

 

(a)                                 If rights (including Share subscription warrants (bons de souscription d’actions) issued by the Company in lieu of rights) are granted to the Depositary in respect of deposited Shares to purchase additional Shares or other securities, the Company and the Depositary shall endeavor to consult as to the actions, if any, the Depositary should take in connection with that grant of rights.  The Depositary may, to the extent deemed by it to be lawful and practical (i) if requested in writing by the Company, grant to all or certain Owners rights to instruct the Depositary to purchase the securities to which the rights relate and deliver those securities or American Depositary Shares representing those securities to Owners, (ii) if requested in writing by

 

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the Company, deliver the rights to or to the order of certain Owners, or (iii) sell the rights to the extent practicable and distribute the net proceeds of that sale to Owners entitled to those proceeds.  To the extent rights are not exercised, delivered or disposed of under (i), (ii) or (iii) above, the Depositary shall permit the rights to lapse unexercised.

 

(b)                                 If the Depositary will act under (a)(i) above, the Company and the Depositary will enter into a separate agreement setting forth the conditions and procedures applicable to the particular offering.  Upon instruction from an applicable Owner in the form the Depositary specified and upon payment by that Owner to the Depositary of an amount equal to the purchase price of the securities to be received upon the exercise of the rights, the Depositary shall, on behalf of that Owner, exercise the rights and purchase the securities.  The purchased securities shall be delivered to, or as instructed by, the Depositary.  The Depositary shall (i) deposit the purchased Shares under this Deposit Agreement and deliver American Depositary Shares representing those Shares to that Owner or (ii) deliver or cause the purchased Shares or other securities to be delivered to or to the order of that Owner.  The Depositary will not act under (a)(i) above unless the offer and sale of the securities to which the rights relate are registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Depositary has received an opinion of United States counsel that is satisfactory to it to the effect that those securities may be sold and delivered to the applicable Owners without registration under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

(c)                                  If the Depositary will act under (a)(ii) above, the Company and the Depositary will enter into a separate agreement setting forth the conditions and procedures applicable to the particular offering.  Upon (i) the request of an applicable Owner to deliver the rights allocable to the American Depositary Shares of that Owner to an account specified by that Owner to which the rights can be delivered and (ii) receipt of such documents as the Company and the Depositary agreed to require to comply with applicable law, the Depositary will deliver those rights as requested by that Owner.

 

(d)                                 If the Depositary will act under (a)(iii) above, the Depositary will use reasonable efforts to sell the rights in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares held by the  applicable Owners and pay the net proceeds to the Owners otherwise entitled to the rights that were sold, upon an averaged or other practical basis without regard to any distinctions among such Owners because of exchange restrictions or the date of delivery of any American Depositary Shares or otherwise.  The Depositary may enter into any arrangements with the Company or persons acting on behalf of the Company to effect the orderly disposal or such rights.

 

(e)                                  Payment or deduction of the fees of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9 and payment or deduction of the expenses of the Depositary and any applicable taxes or other governmental charges shall be conditions of any delivery of securities or payment of cash proceeds under this Section 4.4.

 

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(f)                                   The Depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to determine that it may be lawful or feasible to make rights available to or exercise rights on behalf of Owners in general or any Owner in particular, or to sell rights.

 

SECTION 4.5.                                          Conversion of Foreign Currency.

 

Whenever the Depositary or the Custodian receives foreign currency, by way of dividends or other distributions or the net proceeds from the sale of securities, property or rights, and if at the time of the receipt thereof the foreign currency so received can in the judgment of the Depositary be converted on a reasonable basis into Dollars and the resulting Dollars transferred to the United States, the Depositary shall convert or cause to be converted by sale or in any other manner that it may determine that foreign currency into Dollars, and those Dollars shall be distributed to the Owners entitled thereto.  A cash distribution may be made upon an averaged or other practicable basis without regard to any distinctions among Owners based on exchange restrictions, the date of delivery of any American Depositary Shares or otherwise and shall be net of any expenses of conversion into Dollars incurred by the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9.

 

If a conversion of foreign currency or the repatriation or distribution of Dollars can be effected only with the approval or license of any government or agency thereof, the Depositary may, but will not be required to, file an application for that approval or license.

 

If the Depositary, after consultation with the Company to the extent practicable, determines that in its judgment any foreign currency received by the Depositary or the Custodian is not convertible on a reasonable basis into Dollars transferable to the United States, or if any approval or license of any government or agency thereof that is required for such conversion is not filed or sought by the Depositary or is not obtained within a reasonable period as determined by the Depositary, the Depositary may distribute the foreign currency received by the Depositary to, or in its discretion may hold such foreign currency uninvested and without liability for interest thereon for the respective accounts of, the Owners entitled to receive the same.

 

If any conversion of foreign currency, in whole or in part, cannot be effected for distribution to some of the Owners entitled thereto, the Depositary may in its discretion make that conversion and distribution in Dollars to the extent practicable and permissible to the Owners entitled thereto and may distribute the balance of the foreign currency received by the Depositary to, or hold that balance uninvested and without liability for interest thereon for the account of, the Owners entitled thereto.

 

The Depositary may convert currency itself or through any of its affiliates and, in those cases, acts as principal for its own account and not as agent, advisor, broker or fiduciary on behalf of any other person and earns revenue, including, without limitation, transaction spreads, that it will retain for its own account.  The revenue is

 

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based on, among other things, the difference between the exchange rate assigned to the currency conversion made under this Deposit Agreement and the rate that the Depositary or its affiliate receives when buying or selling foreign currency for its own account.  The Depositary makes no representation that the exchange rate used or obtained in any currency conversion under this Deposit Agreement will be the most favorable rate that could be obtained at the time or that the method by which that rate will be determined will be the most favorable to Owners, subject to the Depositary’s obligations under Section 5.3.  The methodology used to determine exchange rates used in currency conversions is available upon request.

 

SECTION 4.6.                                          Fixing of Record Date.

 

Whenever a cash dividend, cash distribution or any other distribution is made on Deposited Securities or rights (including Share subscription warrants (bons de souscription d’actions) issued by the Company in lieu of rights) to purchase Shares or other securities are issued with respect to Deposited Securities (which rights will be delivered to or exercised or sold on behalf of Owners in accordance with Section 4.4) or the Depositary receives notice that a distribution or issuance of that kind will be made, or whenever the Depositary receives notice that a meeting of holders of Shares will be held in respect of which the Company has requested the Depositary to send a notice under Section 4.7, or whenever the Depositary will assess a fee or charge against the Owners, or whenever the Depositary causes a change in the number of Shares that are represented by each American Depositary Share, or whenever the Depositary otherwise finds it necessary or convenient, the Depositary shall fix a record date, which shall be the same as, or as near as practicable to, any corresponding record date set by the Company with respect to Shares, (a) for the determination of the Owners (i) who shall be entitled to receive the benefit of that dividend or other distribution or those rights, (ii) who shall be entitled to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at that meeting or (iii) who shall be responsible for that fee or charge or (iv) for any other purpose for which the record date was set, or (b) on or after which each American Depositary Share will represent the changed number of Shares.  Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.1 through 4.5 and to the other terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Owners on a record date fixed by the Depositary shall be entitled to receive the amount distributable by the Depositary with respect to that dividend or other distribution or those rights or the net proceeds of sale thereof in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares held by them respectively, to give voting instructions or to act in respect of the other matter for which that record date was fixed, or be responsible for that fee or charge, as the case may be.

 

SECTION 4.7.                                          Voting of Deposited Shares.

 

(a)                                 Upon receipt of notice of any meeting of holders of Shares at which holders of Shares will be entitled to vote, if requested in writing by the Company, the Depositary shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, Disseminate to the Owners a

 

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notice, the form of which shall be in the sole discretion of the Depositary, that shall contain (i) the information contained in the notice of meeting received by the Depositary, (ii) a statement that the Owners as of the close of business on a specified record date will be entitled, subject to any applicable provision of French law and of the articles of association or similar documents of the Company, to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of Shares represented by their respective American Depositary Shares (iii) a statement as to the manner in which those instructions may be given, including an express indication that instructions may be deemed given in accordance with the last sentence of paragraph (b) below, if no instruction is received or if a partial or incomplete instruction is received, to the Depositary to give a proxy to a person designated by the Company to vote in favor of each matter that is endorsed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors of the Company and (iv) the last date on which the Depositary will accept instructions (the “Instruction Cutoff Date”).

 

(b)                                 Upon the written request of an Owner of American Depositary Shares, as of the date of the request or, if a record date was specified by the Depositary, as of that record date, received on or before any Instruction Cutoff Date established by the Depositary, the Depositary may, and if the Depositary sent a notice under the preceding paragraph shall, endeavor, in so far as practicable, to vote or cause to be voted the amount of deposited Shares represented by those American Depositary Shares in accordance with the instructions set forth in that request.  The Depositary shall not vote or attempt to exercise the right to vote that attaches to the deposited Shares other than in accordance with instructions given by Owners and received by the Depositary or as provided in the following sentence.  If

 

(i) the Company instructed the Depositary to Disseminate a notice under paragraph (a) above and complied with paragraph (d) below,

 

(ii) no instructions are received by the Depositary from an Owner with respect to a matter and an amount of American Depositary Shares of that Owner on or before the Instruction Cutoff Date (or the instruction fails to fully specify the manner in which the Depositary is to vote with respect to a matter) and

 

(iii) the Depositary has received from the Company, by the business day in New York and Paris following the Instruction Cutoff Date, a written confirmation that, as of the Instruction Cutoff Date, (x) the Company wishes a proxy to be given under this sentence, (y) the Company reasonably does not know of any substantial opposition to the matter and (z) the matter is not materially adverse to the interests of shareholders,

 

then, the Depositary shall deem that Owner to have instructed the Depositary to give a proxy, and the Depositary shall give a proxy, to a person designated by the Company with respect to that matter and the amount of deposited Shares represented by that amount of American Depositary Shares if, but only if , the matter is endorsed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

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(c)                                  There can be no assurance that Owners generally or any Owner in particular will receive the notice described in paragraph (a) above in time to enable Owners to give instructions to the Depositary prior to the Instruction Cutoff Date.

 

(d)                                 In order to give Owners a reasonable opportunity to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to Shares, if the Company will request the Depositary to Disseminate a notice under paragraph (a) above, the Company shall give the Depositary notice of the meeting, details concerning the matters to be voted upon and copies of materials to be made available to holders of Shares in connection with the meeting not less than 30 days prior to the meeting date.

 

Notwithstanding anything in this Section 4.7 to the contrary, the Depositary and the Company may modify, amend or adopt additional procedures with respect to voting Deposited Securities from time to time as they determine may be necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable laws and regulations.

 

In addition, pursuant to French law and the Company’s by-laws, a double voting right is attached to each Share which is held registered form in the name of the same shareholder for at least two years. However, the deposited Shares will not be entitled to double voting rights as the Depositary will hold the deposited Shares in bearer form only.  Therefore, Owners who wish to obtain double voting rights will need to surrender their American Depositary Shares, withdraw the deposited Shares and take the necessary steps with the Foreign Registrar to have those Shares held in registered form.

 

SECTION 4.8.                                          Tender and Exchange Offers; Redemption, Replacement or Cancellation of Deposited Securities.

 

(a)                                 The Depositary shall not tender any Deposited Securities in response to any voluntary cash tender offer, exchange offer or similar offer made to holders of Deposited Securities (a “Voluntary Offer”), except when instructed in writing to do so by an Owner surrendering American Depositary Shares and subject to any conditions or procedures the Depositary may require.

 

(b)                                 If the Depositary receives a written notice that Deposited Securities have been redeemed for cash or otherwise purchased for cash in a transaction that is mandatory and binding on the Depositary as a holder of those Deposited Securities (a “Redemption”), the Depositary, at the expense of the Company, shall (i) if required, surrender Deposited Securities that have been redeemed to the issuer of those securities or its agent on the redemption date, (ii) Disseminate a notice to Owners (A) notifying them of that Redemption, (B) calling for surrender of a corresponding number of American Depositary Shares and (C) notifying them that the called American Depositary Shares have been converted into a right only to receive the money received by the Depositary upon that Redemption and those net proceeds shall be the Deposited Securities to which Owners of those converted American Depositary Shares shall be entitled upon surrenders of those American Depositary Shares in accordance with Section

 

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2.5 or 6.2 and (iii) distribute the money received upon that Redemption to the Owners entitled to it upon surrender by them of called American Depositary Shares in accordance with Section 2.5 (and, for the avoidance of doubt, Owners shall not be entitled to receive that money under Section 4.1).  If the Redemption affects less than all the Deposited Securities, the Depositary shall call for surrender a corresponding portion of the outstanding American Depositary Shares and only those American Depositary Shares will automatically be converted into a right to receive the net proceeds of the Redemption.  The Depositary shall allocate the American Depositary Shares converted under the preceding sentence among the Owners pro-rata to their respective holdings of American Depositary Shares immediately prior to the Redemption, except that the allocations may be adjusted so that no fraction of a converted American Depositary Share is allocated to any Owner.  A Redemption of all or substantially all of the Deposited Securities shall be a Termination Option Event.

 

(c)                                  If the Depositary is notified of or there occurs any change in nominal value or any subdivision, combination or any other reclassification of the Deposited Securities or any recapitalization, reorganization, sale of assets substantially as an entirety, merger or consolidation affecting the issuer of the Deposited Securities or to which it is a party that is mandatory and binding on the Depositary as a holder of Deposited Securities and, as a result, securities or other property have been or will be delivered in exchange, conversion, replacement or in lieu of, Deposited Securities (a “Replacement”), the Depositary shall, if required, surrender the old Deposited Securities affected by that Replacement of Shares and hold, as new Deposited Securities under this Deposit Agreement, the new securities or other property delivered to it in that Replacement.  However, the Depositary may elect to sell those new Deposited Securities if in the opinion of the Depositary, after consultation with the Company to the extent practicable, it is not lawful or not practical for it to hold those new Deposited Securities under this Deposit Agreement because those new Deposited Securities may not be distributed to Owners without registration under the Securities Act of 1933 or for any other reason, at public or private sale, at such places and on such terms as it deems proper and proceed as if those new Deposited Securities had been Redeemed under paragraph (b) above.  A Replacement shall be a Termination Option Event.

 

(d)                                 In the case of a Replacement where the new Deposited Securities will continue to be held under this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary may call for the surrender of outstanding Receipts to be exchanged for new Receipts specifically describing the new Deposited Securities and the number of those new Deposited Securities represented by each American Depositary Share.  If the number of Shares represented by each American Depositary Share decreases as a result of a Replacement, the Depositary may, after consultation with the Company to the extent practicable, call for surrender of the American Depositary Shares to be exchanged on a mandatory basis for a lesser number of American Depositary Shares and may sell American Depositary Shares to the extent necessary to avoid distributing fractions of American Depositary

 

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Shares in that exchange and distribute the net proceeds of that sale to the Owners entitled to them.

 

(e)                                  If there are no Deposited Securities with respect to American Depositary Shares, including if the Deposited Securities are cancelled, or the Deposited Securities with respect to American Depositary Shares have become apparently worthless, the Depositary may call for surrender of those American Depositary Shares or may cancel those American Depositary Shares, upon notice to Owners, and that condition shall be a Termination Option Event.

 

SECTION 4.9.                                          Reports.

 

The Depositary shall make available for inspection by Owners at its Office any reports and communications, including any proxy solicitation material, received from the Company which are both (a) received by the Depositary as the holder of the Deposited Securities and (b) made generally available to the holders of those Deposited Securities by the Company.  The Company shall furnish reports and communications, including any proxy soliciting material to which this Section applies, to the Depositary in English, to the extent those materials are required to be translated into English pursuant to any regulations of the Commission.

 

SECTION 4.10.                                   Lists of Owners.

 

Upon written request by the Company, the Depositary shall, at the expense of the Company (unless otherwise agreed between the Company and the Depositary), furnish to it a list, as of a recent date, of the names, addresses and American Depositary Share holdings of all Owners.

 

SECTION 4.11.                                   Withholding.

 

If the Depositary determines that any distribution received or to be made by the Depositary (including Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) is subject to any tax or other governmental charge that the Depositary is obligated to withhold, the Depositary may sell, by public or private sale, all or a portion of the distributed property (including Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) in the amounts and manner the Depositary deems necessary and practicable to pay those taxes or charges, and the Depositary shall distribute the net proceeds of that sale, after deduction of those taxes or charges, to the Owners entitled thereto in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares held by them respectively.

 

Services for Owners and Holders that may permit them to obtain reduced rates of tax withholding at source or reclaim excess tax withheld, and the fees and costs associated with using services of that kind, are not provided under, and are outside the scope of, this Deposit Agreement.

 

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Each Owner and Holder agrees to indemnify the Company, the Depositary, the Custodian and their respective directors, employees, agents and affiliates for, and hold each of them harmless against, any claim by any governmental authority or any other entity or person with respect to taxes, additions to tax, penalties or interest arising out of any refund of taxes, reduced withholding at source or other tax benefit received by it.  The obligations of Owners and Holders under the preceding sentence shall survive any transfer of American Depositary Shares or surrender of American Depositary Shares and withdrawal of Deposited Securities and the termination of this Deposit Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 5.   THE DEPOSITARY, THE CUSTODIANS AND THE COMPANY

 

SECTION 5.1.                                          Maintenance of Office and Transfer Books by the Depositary.

 

Until termination of this Deposit Agreement in accordance with its terms, the Depositary shall maintain facilities for the execution and delivery, registration, registration of transfers and surrender of American Depositary Shares in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement.

 

The Depositary shall keep books for the registration of American Depositary Shares, which shall be open for inspection by the Owners at the Depositary’s Office during regular business hours, provided that such inspection is not for the purpose of communicating with Owners in the interest of a business or object other than the business of the Company or a matter related to this Deposit Agreement or the American Depositary Shares.

 

The Depositary may close the transfer books, at any time or from time to time, when deemed expedient by it in connection with the performance of its duties under this Deposit Agreement (whereupon it shall notify the Company as promptly as practicable of any closure that is outside the ordinary course of business).

 

If the Company lists any American Depositary Shares on one or more stock exchanges, the Depositary shall act as Registrar or appoint a Registrar or one or more co-registrars for registry of those American Depositary Shares in accordance with any requirements of that exchange or those exchanges.  The Depositary shall notify the Company if it makes any appointment of that kind.

 

SECTION 5.2.                                          Prevention or Delay of Performance by the Company or the Depositary.

 

Neither the Depositary nor the Company nor any of their respective directors, employees, agents or affiliates shall incur any liability to any Owner or Holder:

 

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(i) if by reason of (A) any provision of any present or future law or regulation or other act of the government of the United States, any State of the United States or any other state or jurisdiction, or of any other country, or of any governmental or regulatory authority or stock exchange; (B) (in the case of the Depositary only) any provision, present or future, of the articles of association or similar document of the Company, or by reason of any provision of any securities issued or distributed by the Company, or any offering or distribution thereof; or (C) any event or circumstance, whether natural or caused by a person or persons, that is beyond the ability of the Depositary or the Company, as the case may be, to prevent or counteract by reasonable care or effort (including, but not limited to, earthquakes, floods, severe storms, fires, explosions, war, terrorism, civil unrest, labor disputes or criminal acts; interruptions or malfunctions of utility services, Internet or other communications lines or systems; unauthorized access to or attacks on computer systems or websites; or other failures or malfunctions of computer hardware or software or other systems or equipment), the Depositary or the Company is, directly or indirectly, prevented from, forbidden to or delayed in, or could be subject to any civil or criminal penalty on account of doing or performing and therefore does not do or perform, any act or thing that, by the terms of this Deposit Agreement or the Deposited Securities, it is provided shall be done or performed;

 

(ii) for any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in this Deposit Agreement (including any determination by the Depositary to take, or not take, any action that this Deposit Agreement provides the Depositary may take);

 

(iii) for the inability of any Owner or Holder to benefit from any distribution, offering, right or other benefit that is made available to holders of Deposited Securities but is not, under the terms of this Deposit Agreement, made available to Owners or Holders; or

 

(iv) for any special, consequential, indirect or punitive damages for any breach of the terms of this Deposit Agreement.

 

Where, by the terms of a distribution to which Section 4.1, 4.2 or 4.3 applies, or an offering to which Section 4.4 applies, or for any other reason, that distribution or offering may not be made available to Owners, and the Depositary may not dispose of that distribution or offering on behalf of Owners and make the net proceeds available to Owners, then the Depositary shall not make that distribution or offering available to Owners, and shall allow any rights, if applicable, to lapse.

 

SECTION 5.3.                                          Obligations of the Depositary and the Company.

 

The Company assumes no obligation nor shall it be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement to any Owner or Holder, except that the Company agrees to perform its obligations specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement without negligence or bad faith.

 

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The Depositary assumes no obligation nor shall it be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement to any Owner or Holder (including, without limitation, liability with respect to the validity or worth of the Deposited Securities), except that the Depositary agrees to perform its obligations specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement without negligence or bad faith, and the Depositary shall not be a fiduciary or have any fiduciary duty to Owners or Holders.

 

Neither the Depositary nor the Company shall be under any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, suit or other proceeding in respect of any Deposited Securities or in respect of the American Depositary Shares on behalf of any Owner or Holder or any other person.

 

Each of the Depositary and the Company may rely, and shall be protected in relying upon, any written notice, request, direction or other document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

 

Neither the Depositary nor the Company shall be liable for any action or non-action by it in reliance upon the advice of or information from legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting Shares for deposit, any Owner or any other person believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information.

 

The Depositary shall not be liable for any acts or omissions made by a successor depositary whether in connection with a previous act or omission of the Depositary or in connection with any matter arising wholly after the removal or resignation of the Depositary, provided that in connection with the issue out of which such potential liability arises the Depositary performed its obligations without negligence or bad faith while it acted as Depositary.

 

The Depositary shall not be liable for the acts or omissions of any securities depository, clearing agency or settlement system in connection with or arising out of book-entry settlement of American Depositary Shares or Deposited Securities or otherwise.

 

In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote any of the Deposited Securities, or for the manner in which any such vote is cast or the effect of any such vote.

 

Neither the Company nor the Depositary shall have any duty to make any determination or provide any information as to the tax status of the Company or any liability for any tax consequences that may be incurred by Owners or Holders as a result of owning or holding American Depositary Shares, including without limitation, tax consequences resulting from the Company (or any of its subsidiaries) being treated as a “Passive Foreign Investment Company” (“PFIC”) (in each case as defined in the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations issued thereunder) or otherwise. The Company may have been in the past and may be in the future a PFIC for

 

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U.S. Federal income tax purposes. Owners must consult their own tax advisers as to the potential application of the PFIC rules.  Neither the Company nor the Depositary shall be liable for the inability or failure of an Owner or Holder to obtain the benefit of a foreign tax credit, reduced rate of withholding or refund of amounts withheld in respect of tax or any other tax benefit.

 

No disclaimer of liability under the United States federal securities laws is intended by any provision of this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.4.                                          Resignation and Removal of the Depositary.

 

The Depositary may at any time resign as Depositary hereunder by written notice of its election so to do delivered to the Company, to become effective upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of that appointment as provided in this Section.  The effect of resignation if a successor depositary is not appointed is provided for in Section 6.2.

 

The Depositary may at any time be removed by the Company by 120 days’ prior written notice of that removal, to become effective upon the later of (i) the 120th day after delivery of the notice to the Depositary and (ii) the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of its appointment as provided in this Section.

 

If the Depositary resigns or is removed, the Company shall use its best efforts to appoint a successor depositary, which shall be a bank or trust company having an office in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York.  Every successor depositary shall execute and deliver to the Company an instrument in writing accepting its appointment under this Deposit Agreement.  If the Depositary receives notice from the Company that a successor depositary has been appointed following its resignation or removal, the Depositary, upon payment of all sums due it from the Company, shall deliver to its successor a register listing all the Owners and their respective holdings of outstanding American Depositary Shares and shall deliver the Deposited Securities to or to the order of its successor.  When the Depositary has taken the actions specified in the preceding sentence (i) the successor shall become the Depositary and shall have all the rights and shall assume all the duties of the Depositary under this Deposit Agreement and (ii) the predecessor depositary shall cease to be the Depositary and shall be discharged and released from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement, except for its duties under Section 5.8 with respect to the time before that discharge.  A successor Depositary shall notify the Owners of its appointment as soon as practical after assuming the duties of Depositary.

 

Any corporation or other entity into or with which the Depositary may be merged or consolidated shall be the successor of the Depositary without the execution or filing of any document or any further act.

 

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SECTION 5.5.                                          The Custodians.

 

The Custodian shall be subject at all times and in all respects to the directions of the Depositary and shall be responsible solely to it.  The Depositary in its discretion may at any time appoint a substitute or additional custodian or custodians, each of which shall thereafter be one of the Custodians under this Deposit Agreement.  If the Depositary receives notice that a Custodian is resigning and, upon the effectiveness of that resignation there would be no Custodian acting under this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall, as promptly as practicable after receiving that notice, appoint a substitute custodian or custodians, each of which shall thereafter be a Custodian under this Deposit Agreement.  The Depositary shall require any Custodian that resigns or is removed to deliver all Deposited Securities held by it to another Custodian.

 

SECTION 5.6.                                          Notices and Reports.

 

If the Company takes or decides to take any corporate action of a kind that is addressed in Sections 4.1 to 4.4, or 4.6 to 4.8, or that effects or will effect a change of the name or legal structure of the Company, or that effects or will effect a change to the Shares, the Company shall notify the Depositary and the Custodian of that action or decision as soon as it is lawful and practical to give that notice.  The notice shall be in English and shall include all details that the Company is required to include in any notice to any governmental or regulatory authority or securities exchange or is required to make available generally to holders of Shares by publication or otherwise.

 

The Company will arrange for the translation into English, if not already in English, to the extent required pursuant to any regulations of the Commission, and the prompt transmittal by the Company to the Depositary and the Custodian of all notices and any other reports and communications which are made generally available by the Company to holders of its Shares.  If requested in writing by the Company, the Depositary will Disseminate, at the Company’s expense, unless otherwise agreed between the Company and the Depositary, those notices, reports and communications to all Owners or otherwise make them available to Owners in a manner that the Company specifies as substantially equivalent to the manner in which those communications are made available to holders of Shares and compliant with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the American Depositary Shares are listed.  The Company will timely provide the Depositary with the quantity of such notices, reports, and communications, as requested by the Depositary from time to time, in order for the Depositary to effect that Dissemination.

 

The Company represents that as of the date of this Deposit Agreement, the statements in Article 11 of the Receipt with respect to the Company’s obligation to file periodic reports under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are true and correct.  The Company agrees to promptly notify the Depositary upon becoming aware of any change in the truth of any of those statements.

 

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SECTION 5.7.                                          Distribution of Additional Shares, Rights, etc.

 

If the Company or any affiliate of the Company determines to make any issuance or distribution of (1) additional Shares, (2) rights to subscribe for Shares (including Share subscription warrants (bons de souscription d’actions) issued by the Company in lieu of rights), (3) securities convertible into Shares, or (4) rights to subscribe for such securities (including Share subscription warrants (bons de souscription d’actions) issued by the Company in lieu of rights) (each a “Distribution”), the Company shall notify the Depositary in writing in English as promptly as practicable and in any event before the Distribution starts and, if requested in writing by the Depositary, the Company shall promptly furnish to the Depositary either (i) evidence satisfactory to the Depositary that the Distribution is registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or (ii) a written opinion from U.S. counsel for the Company that is reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary, stating that the Distribution does not require, or, if made in the United States, would not require, registration under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

The Company agrees with the Depositary that neither the Company nor any company controlled by, controlling or under common control with the Company will at any time deposit any Shares that, at the time of deposit, are Restricted Securities.

 

SECTION 5.8.                                          Indemnification.

 

The Company agrees to indemnify the Depositary, its directors, employees, agents and affiliates and each Custodian against, and hold each of them harmless from, any liability or expense (including, but not limited to any fees and expenses incurred in seeking, enforcing or collecting such indemnity and the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel) that may arise out of or in connection with (a) any registration with the Commission of American Depositary Shares or Deposited Securities or the offer or sale thereof in the United States or (b) acts performed or omitted, pursuant to the provisions of or in connection with this Deposit Agreement and the American Depositary Shares, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, (i) by either the Depositary or a Custodian or their respective directors, employees, agents and affiliates, except for any liability or expense arising out of the negligence or bad faith of either of them, or (ii) by the Company or any of its directors, employees, agents and affiliates.

 

The Depositary agrees to indemnify the Company, its directors, officers, management, employees, agents and affiliates and hold them harmless from any liability or expense (including, but not limited to any fees and expenses incurred in seeking, enforcing or collecting such indemnity and the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel) that may arise out of acts performed or omitted by the Depositary or any Custodian or their respective directors, employees, agents and affiliates due to their negligence or bad faith.

 

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The obligations set forth in this Section 5.8 shall survive the termination of this Deposit Agreement and the succession or substitution of any party hereto.

 

Any person seeking indemnification hereunder (an “indemnified person”) shall notify the person from whom it is seeking indemnification (the “indemnifying person”) of the commencement of any indemnifiable action or claim promptly after such indemnified person becomes aware of such commencement (provided that the failure to make such notification shall not affect such indemnified person’s rights to seek indemnification except to the extent the indemnifying person is materially prejudiced by such failure) and shall consult in good faith with the indemnifying person as to the conduct of the defense of such action or claim that may give rise to an indemnity hereunder, which defense shall be reasonable in the circumstances. No indemnified person shall compromise or settle any action or claim that may give rise to an indemnity hereunder without the consent of the indemnifying person, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

SECTION 5.9.                                          Charges of Depositary.

 

The Company agrees to pay the fees and charges specified in the following paragraph only to the extent the Company is a depositor of Shares or an Owner.

 

The following charges shall be incurred by any party depositing or withdrawing Shares or by any party surrendering American Depositary Shares or to whom American Depositary Shares are issued (including, without limitation, issuance pursuant to a stock dividend or stock split declared by the Company or an exchange of stock regarding the American Depositary Shares or Deposited Securities or a delivery of American Depositary Shares pursuant to Section 4.3), or by Owners, as applicable:  (1) taxes and other governmental charges, (2) such registration fees as may from time to time be in effect for the registration of transfers of Shares generally on the Share register of the Company or Foreign Registrar and applicable to transfers of Shares to or from the name of the Depositary or its nominee or the Custodian or its nominee on the making of deposits or withdrawals hereunder, (3) such cable (including SWIFT) and facsimile transmission fees and expenses as are expressly provided in this Deposit Agreement, (4) such expenses as are incurred by the Depositary in the conversion of foreign currency pursuant to Section 4.5, (5) a fee of $5.00 or less per 100 American Depositary Shares (or portion thereof) for the delivery of American Depositary Shares pursuant to Section 2.3, 4.3 or 4.4 and the surrender of American Depositary Shares pursuant to Section 2.5 or 6.2, (6) a fee of $.05 or less per American Depositary Share (or portion thereof) for any cash distribution made pursuant to this Deposit Agreement, including, but not limited to Sections 4.1 through 4.4 and Section 4.8, (7) a fee for the distribution of securities pursuant to Section 4.2 or of rights pursuant to Section 4.4 (where the Depositary will not exercise or sell those rights on behalf of Owners), such fee being in an amount equal to the fee for the execution and delivery of American Depositary Shares referred to above

 

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which would have been charged as a result of the deposit of such securities under this Deposit Agreement (for purposes of this item 7 treating all such securities as if they were Shares) but which securities are instead distributed by the Depositary to Owners, (8) in addition to any fee charged under item 6 above, a fee of $.05 or less per American Depositary Share (or portion thereof) per annum for depositary services, which will be payable as provided in item 9 below, and (9) any other charges payable by the Depositary or the Custodian, any of the Depositary’s or Custodian’s agents or the agents of the Depositary’s or Custodian’s agents, in connection with the servicing of Shares or other Deposited Securities (which charges shall be assessed against Owners as of the date or dates set by the Depositary in accordance with Section 4.6 and shall be payable at the sole discretion of the Depositary by billing those Owners for those charges or by deducting those charges from one or more cash dividends or other cash distributions).

 

The Depositary may collect any of its fees by deduction from any cash distribution payable, or by selling a portion of any securities to be distributed, to Owners that are obligated to pay those fees.

 

In performing its duties under this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary may use brokers, dealers, foreign currency dealers or other service providers that are owned by or affiliated with the Depositary and that may earn or share fees, spreads or commissions.

 

The Depositary may own and deal in any class of securities of the Company and its affiliates and in American Depositary Shares.

 

SECTION 5.10.                                   Retention of Depositary Documents.

 

The Depositary is authorized to destroy those documents, records, bills and other data compiled during the term of this Deposit Agreement at the times permitted by the laws or regulations governing the Depositary.

 

SECTION 5.11.                                   Exclusivity.

 

Without prejudice to the Company’s rights under Section 5.4, the Company agrees not to appoint any other depositary for issuance of depositary shares, depositary receipts or any similar securities or instruments (for the avoidance of doubt, other than instruments or securities issued directly by the Company) so long as The Bank of New York Mellon is acting as Depositary under this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.12.                                   Information for Regulatory Compliance.

 

Each of the Company and the Depositary shall provide to the other, as promptly as practicable, information from its records or otherwise available to it that is reasonably requested by the other to permit the other to comply with applicable law or requirements of governmental or regulatory authorities.

 

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ARTICLE 6.   AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

 

SECTION 6.1.                                          Amendment.

 

The form of the Receipts and any provisions of this Deposit Agreement may at any time and from time to time be amended by agreement between the Company and the Depositary without the consent of Owners or Holders in any respect that they may deem necessary or desirable.  Any amendment that would impose or increase any fees or charges (other than taxes and other governmental charges, registration fees, cable, telex or facsimile transmission costs, delivery costs or other such expenses), or that would otherwise prejudice any substantial existing right of Owners, shall, however, not become effective as to outstanding American Depositary Shares until the expiration of 30 days after notice of that amendment has been Disseminated to the Owners of outstanding American Depositary Shares. Every Owner and Holder, at the time any amendment so becomes effective, shall be deemed, by continuing to hold American Depositary Shares or any interest therein, to consent and agree to that amendment and to be bound by this Deposit Agreement as amended thereby. Upon the effectiveness of an amendment to the form of Receipt, including a change in the number of Shares represented by each American Depositary Share, the Depositary may call for surrender of Receipts to be replaced with new Receipts in the amended form or call for surrender of American Depositary Shares to effect that change of ratio.  In no event shall any amendment impair the right of the Owner to surrender American Depositary Shares and receive delivery of the Deposited Securities represented thereby, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law.

 

SECTION 6.2.                                          Termination.

 

(a)                                 The Company may initiate termination of this Deposit Agreement by notice to the Depositary.  The Depositary may initiate termination of this Deposit Agreement if (i) at any time 60 days shall have expired after the Depositary delivered to the Company a written resignation notice and a successor depositary has not been appointed and accepted its appointment as provided in Section 5.4, (ii) an Insolvency Event or Delisting Event occurs with respect to the Company or (iii) a Termination Option Event has occurred or will occur.  If termination of this Deposit Agreement is initiated by the Company or the Depositary, the Depositary shall Disseminate a notice of termination to the Owners of all American Depositary Shares then outstanding setting a date for termination (the “Termination Date”), which shall be at least 90 days after the date of that notice, and this Deposit Agreement shall terminate on that Termination Date.

 

(b)                                 After the Termination Date, the Company shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement except for its obligations to the Depositary under Sections 5.8 and 5.9.

 

(c)                                  At any time after the Termination Date, the Depositary may sell the Deposited Securities then held under this Deposit Agreement and may thereafter hold

 

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uninvested the net proceeds of any such sale, together with any other cash then held by it hereunder, unsegregated and without liability for interest, for the pro rata benefit of the Owners of American Depositary Shares that remain outstanding, and those Owners will be general creditors of the Depositary with respect to those net proceeds and that other cash.  After making that sale, the Depositary shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement, except (i) to account for the net proceeds and other cash (after deducting, in each case, the fee of the Depositary for the surrender of American Depositary Shares, any expenses for the account of the Owner of such American Depositary Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement and any applicable taxes or governmental charges) and (ii) for its obligations under Section 5.8 and (iii) to act as provided in paragraph (d) below.

 

(d)                                 After the Termination Date, the Depositary shall continue to receive dividends and other distributions pertaining to Deposited Securities (that have not been sold), may sell rights and other property as provided in this Deposit Agreement and shall deliver Deposited Securities (or sale proceeds) upon surrender of American Depositary Shares (after payment or upon deduction, in each case, of the fee of the Depositary for the surrender of American Depositary Shares, any expenses for the account of the Owner of those American Depositary Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement and any applicable taxes or governmental charges).  After the Termination Date, the Depositary shall not accept deposits of Shares or deliver American Depositary Shares.  After the Termination Date, (i) the Depositary may refuse to accept surrenders of American Depositary Shares for the purpose of withdrawal of Deposited Securities (that have not been sold) or reverse previously accepted surrenders of that kind that have not settled if in its judgment the requested withdrawal would interfere with its efforts to sell the Deposited Securities, (ii) the Depositary will not be required to deliver cash proceeds of the sale of Deposited Securities until all Deposited Securities have been sold and (iii) the Depositary may discontinue the registration of transfers of American Depositary Shares and suspend the distribution of dividends and other distributions on Deposited Securities to the Owners and need not give any further notices or perform any further acts under this Deposit Agreement except as provided in this Section.

 

ARTICLE 7.   MISCELLANEOUS

 

SECTION 7.1.                                          Counterparts; Signatures.

 

This Deposit Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of those counterparts shall constitute one and the same instrument.  Copies of this Deposit Agreement shall be filed with the Depositary and the Custodians and shall be open to inspection by any Owner or Holder during regular business hours.

 

Any manual signature on this Deposit Agreement that is faxed, scanned or photocopied, and any electronic signature valid under the Electronic Signatures in Global

 

33


 

and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. § 7001, et. seq., shall for all purposes have the same validity, legal effect and admissibility in evidence as an original manual signature, and the parties hereby waive any objection to the contrary.

 

SECTION 7.2.                                          No Third Party Beneficiaries.

 

This Deposit Agreement is for the exclusive benefit of the Company, the Depositary, the Owners and the Holders and their respective successors and shall not be deemed to give any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim whatsoever to any other person.

 

SECTION 7.3.                                          Severability.

 

In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Deposit Agreement or in a Receipt should be or become invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained in this Deposit Agreement or that Receipt shall in no way be affected, prejudiced or disturbed thereby.

 

SECTION 7.4.                                          Owners and Holders as Parties; Binding Effect.

 

The Owners and Holders from time to time shall be parties to this Deposit Agreement and shall be bound by all of the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement and of the Receipts by acceptance of American Depositary Shares or any interest therein.

 

SECTION 7.5.                                          Notices.

 

Any and all notices to be given to the Company shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by domestic first class or international air mail or air courier or sent by facsimile transmission or email attaching a pdf or similar bit-mapped image of a signed writing, provided that receipt of the facsimile transmission or email has been confirmed by the recipient, addressed to Genfit S.A., Parc Eurasante,  885 Avenue Eugene Avinee, 59120 Loos, France, Attention: Jean-François Mouney, or any other place to which the Company may have transferred its principal office with notice to the Depositary.

 

Any and all notices to be given to the Depositary shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if in English and personally delivered or sent by first class domestic or international air mail or air courier or sent by facsimile transmission or email attaching a pdf or similar bit-mapped image of a signed writing, addressed to The Bank of New York Mellon, 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286, Attention:  Depositary Receipt Administration, or any other place to which the Depositary may have transferred its Office with notice to the Company.

 

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Delivery of a notice to the Company or Depositary by mail or air courier shall be deemed effected when deposited, postage prepaid, in a post-office letter box or received by an air courier service.  Delivery of a notice to the Company or Depositary sent by facsimile transmission or email shall be deemed effected when the recipient acknowledges receipt of that notice.

 

A notice to be given to an Owner shall be deemed to have been duly given when Disseminated to that Owner.  Dissemination in paper form will be effective when personally delivered or sent by first class domestic or international air mail or air courier, addressed to that Owner at the address of that Owner as it appears on the transfer books for American Depositary Shares of the Depositary, or, if that Owner has filed with the Depositary a written request that notices intended for that Owner be mailed to some other address, at the address designated in that request.  Dissemination in electronic form will be effective when sent in the manner consented to by the Owner to the electronic address most recently provided by the Owner for that purpose.

 

SECTION 7.6.                                          Appointment of Agent for Service of Process; Submission to Jurisdiction; Jury Trial Waiver.

 

The Company hereby designates and appoints the person named in Exhibit A to this Deposit Agreement as the Company’s authorized agent in the United States upon which process may be served in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Shares or Deposited Securities, the American Depositary Shares, the Receipts or this Deposit Agreement (a “Proceeding”).  Each of the Company and the Depositary consents and submits to the jurisdiction of any state or federal court in the State of New York in which any Proceeding may be instituted.  The Company agrees that service of process upon said authorized agent shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company in any Proceeding.  The Company agrees to deliver to the Depositary, upon the execution and delivery of this Deposit Agreement, a written acceptance by the agent named in Exhibit A to this Deposit Agreement of its appointment as process agent.  The Company further agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue that designation and appointment in full force and effect, or to appoint and maintain the appointment of another process agent located in the United States as required above, and to deliver to the Depositary a written acceptance by that agent of that appointment, for so long as any American Depositary Shares or Receipts remain outstanding or this Deposit Agreement remains in force.  In the event the Company fails to maintain the designation and appointment of a process agent in the United States in full force and effect, the Company hereby waives personal service of process upon it and consents that a service of process in connection with a Proceeding may be made by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, directed to the Company at its address last specified for notices under this Deposit Agreement, and service so made shall be deemed completed five (5) days after the same shall have been so mailed.

 

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EACH PARTY TO THIS DEPOSIT AGREEMENT (INCLUDING, FOR AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, EACH OWNER AND HOLDER) HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING AGAINST THE COMPANY AND/OR THE DEPOSITARY DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SHARES OR OTHER DEPOSITED SECURITIES, THE AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES OR THE RECEIPTS, THIS DEPOSIT AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREIN OR THEREIN, OR THE BREACH HEREOF OR THEREOF, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY QUESTION REGARDING EXISTENCE, VALIDITY OR TERMINATION (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).

 

SECTION 7.7.                                          Waiver of Immunities.

 

To the extent that the Company or any of its properties, assets or revenues may have or may hereafter become entitled to, or have attributed to it, any right of immunity, on the grounds of sovereignty or otherwise, from any legal action, suit or proceeding, from the giving of any relief in any respect thereof, from setoff or counterclaim, from the jurisdiction of any court, from service of process, from attachment upon or prior to judgment, from attachment in aid of execution or judgment, or from execution of judgment, or other legal process or proceeding for the giving of any relief or for the enforcement of any judgment, in any jurisdiction in which proceedings may at any time be commenced, with respect to its obligations, liabilities or any other matter under or arising out of or in connection with the Shares or Deposited Securities, the American Depositary Shares, the Receipts or this Deposit Agreement, the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, and agrees not to plead or claim, any immunity of that kind and consents to relief and enforcement as provided above.

 

SECTION 7.8.                                          Governing Law.

 

This Deposit Agreement and the Receipts shall be interpreted in accordance with and all rights hereunder and thereunder and provisions hereof and thereof shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, GENFIT S.A. and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON have duly executed this Deposit Agreement as of the day and year first set forth above and all Owners and Holders shall become parties hereto upon acceptance by them of American Depositary Shares or any interest therein.

 

 

GENFIT S.A.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

Jean-François Mouney

 

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

 

as Depositary

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

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EXHIBIT A

 

 

AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

 

(Each American Depositary Share represents one deposited Share)

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPT

FOR ORDINARY SHARES OF

GENFIT S.A.

(INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF FRANCE)

 

The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary (hereinafter called the “Depositary”), hereby certifies that                                         , or registered assigns IS THE OWNER OF

 

AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

 

representing deposited ordinary shares (herein called “Shares”) of Genfit S.A., incorporated under the laws of France (herein called the “Company”).  At the date hereof, each American Depositary Share represents one Share deposited or subject to deposit under the Deposit Agreement (as such term is hereinafter defined) with a custodian for the Depositary (herein called the “Custodian”) that, as of the date of the Deposit Agreement, was BNP Paribas Securities Services located in France.  The Depositary’s Office and its principal executive office are located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, N.Y. 10286.

 

THE DEPOSITARY’S OFFICE ADDRESS IS

240 GREENWICH STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10286

 

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1.                                      THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT.

 

This American Depositary Receipt is one of an issue (herein called “Receipts”), all issued and to be issued upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Deposit Agreement dated as of             , 2019 (herein called the “Deposit Agreement”) among the Company, the Depositary, and all Owners and Holders from time to time of American Depositary Shares issued thereunder, each of whom by accepting American Depositary Shares agrees to become a party thereto and become bound by all the terms and conditions thereof.  The Deposit Agreement sets forth the rights of Owners and Holders and the rights and duties of the Depositary in respect of the Shares deposited thereunder and any and all other securities, property and cash from time to time received in respect of those Shares and held thereunder (those Shares, securities, property, and cash are herein called “Deposited Securities”).  Copies of the Deposit Agreement are on file at the Depositary’s Office in New York City and at the office of the Custodian.

 

The statements made on the face and reverse of this Receipt are summaries of certain provisions of the Deposit Agreement and are qualified by and subject to the detailed provisions of the Deposit Agreement, to which reference is hereby made.  Capitalized terms defined in the Deposit Agreement and not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Deposit Agreement.

 

2.                                      SURRENDER OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES AND WITHDRAWAL OF SHARES.

 

Upon surrender of American Depositary Shares for the purpose of withdrawal of the Deposited Securities represented thereby and payment of the fee of the Depositary for the surrender of American Depositary Shares as provided in Section 5.9 of the Deposit Agreement and payment of all taxes and governmental charges payable in connection with that surrender and withdrawal of the Deposited Securities, and subject to the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement, the Owner of those American Depositary Shares shall be entitled to delivery (to the extent delivery can then be lawfully and practicably made), to or as instructed by that Owner, of the amount of Deposited Securities at the time represented by those American Depositary Shares, but not any money or other property as to which a record date for distribution to Owners has passed (since money or other property of that kind will be delivered or paid on the scheduled payment date to the Owner as of that record date), and except that the Depositary shall not be required to accept surrender of American Depositary Shares for the purpose of withdrawal to the extent it would require delivery of a fraction of a Deposited Security.  The Depositary shall direct the Custodian with respect to delivery of Deposited Securities and may charge the surrendering Owner a fee and its expenses for giving that direction by cable (including SWIFT) or facsimile transmission.  If Deposited Securities are delivered physically upon surrender of American Depositary Shares for the purpose of withdrawal, that delivery will be made at the Custodian’s office, except that, at the request, risk and expense of the surrendering Owner, and for the account of that Owner,

 

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the Depositary shall direct the Custodian to forward any cash or other property comprising, and forward a certificate or certificates, if applicable, and other proper documents of title, if any, for, the Deposited Securities represented by the surrendered American Depositary Shares to the Depositary for delivery at the Depositary’s Office or to another address specified in the order received from the surrendering Owner.

 

3.                                      REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES; COMBINATION AND SPLIT-UP OF RECEIPTS; INTERCHANGE OF CERTIFICATED AND UNCERTIFICATED AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES.

 

The Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement, shall register a transfer of American Depositary Shares on its transfer books upon (i) in the case of certificated American Depositary Shares, surrender of the Receipt evidencing those American Depositary Shares, by the Owner or by a duly authorized attorney, properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer or (ii) in the case of uncertificated American Depositary Shares, receipt from the Owner of a proper instruction (including, for the avoidance of doubt, instructions through DRS and Profile as provided in Section 2.9 of that Agreement), and, in either case, duly stamped as may be required by the laws of the State of New York and of the United States of America. Upon registration of a transfer, the Depositary shall deliver the transferred American Depositary Shares to or upon the order of the person entitled thereto.

 

The Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement, shall upon surrender of a Receipt or Receipts for the purpose of effecting a split-up or combination of such Receipt or Receipts, execute and deliver a new Receipt or Receipts for any authorized number of American Depositary Shares requested, evidencing the same aggregate number of American Depositary Shares as the Receipt or Receipts surrendered.

 

The Depositary, upon surrender of certificated American Depositary Shares for the purpose of exchanging for uncertificated American Depositary Shares, shall cancel the Receipt evidencing those certificated American Depositary Shares and send the Owner a statement confirming that the Owner is the owner of the same number of uncertificated American Depositary Shares.  The Depositary, upon receipt of a proper instruction (including, for the avoidance of doubt, instructions through DRS and Profile as provided in Section 2.9 of the Deposit Agreement) from the Owner of uncertificated American Depositary Shares for the purpose of exchanging for certificated American Depositary Shares, shall cancel those uncertificated American Depositary Shares and register and deliver to the Owner a Receipt evidencing the same number of certificated American Depositary Shares.

 

As a condition precedent to the delivery, registration of transfer, or surrender of any American Depositary Shares or split-up or combination of any Receipt or withdrawal of any Deposited Securities, the Depositary, the Custodian, or Registrar may require

 

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payment from the depositor of the Shares or the presenter of the Receipt or instruction for registration of transfer or surrender of American Depositary Shares not evidenced by a Receipt of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any tax or other governmental charge and any stock transfer or registration fee with respect thereto (including any such tax or charge and fee with respect to Shares being deposited or withdrawn) and payment of any applicable fees as provided in the Deposit Agreement, may require the production of proof satisfactory to it as to the identity and genuineness of any signature and may also require compliance with any regulations the Depositary may establish consistent with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement.

 

The delivery of American Depositary Shares against deposit of Shares generally or against deposit of particular Shares may be suspended, or the registration of transfer of American Depositary Shares in particular instances may be refused, or the registration of transfer of outstanding American Depositary Shares generally may be suspended, during any period when the transfer books of the Depositary are closed, or if any such action is deemed necessary or advisable by the Depositary or the Company at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body or commission, or under any provision of the Deposit Agreement, or for any other reason.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Deposit Agreement or this Receipt, the surrender of outstanding American Depositary Shares and withdrawal of Deposited Securities may not be suspended subject only to (i) temporary delays caused by closing the transfer books of the Depositary or the Company or the Foreign Registrar, if applicable, or the deposit of Shares in connection with voting at a shareholders’ meeting, or the payment of dividends, (ii) the payment of fees, taxes and similar charges, and (iii) compliance with any U.S. or foreign laws or governmental regulations relating to the American Depositary Shares or to the withdrawal of the Deposited Securities; in each case, the Depositary shall notify the Company as promptly as practicable of any suspension of that kind that is outside the ordinary course of business.  The Depositary shall not knowingly accept for deposit under the Deposit Agreement any Shares that, at the time of deposit, are Restricted Securities.

 

4.                                      LIABILITY OF OWNER FOR TAXES.

 

If any tax or other governmental charge shall become payable by the Custodian or the Depositary with respect to or in connection with any American Depositary Shares or any Deposited Securities represented by any American Depositary Shares or in connection with a transaction to which Section 4.8 of the Deposit Agreement applies, that tax or other governmental charge shall be payable by the Owner of those American Depositary Shares to the Depositary.  The Depositary may refuse to register any transfer of those American Depositary Shares or any withdrawal of Deposited Securities represented by those American Depositary Shares until that payment is made, and may withhold any dividends or other distributions or the proceeds thereof, or may sell for the account of the Owner any part or all of the Deposited Securities represented by those American Depositary Shares, and may apply those dividends or other distributions or the

 

A-4


 

net proceeds of any sale of that kind in payment of that tax or other governmental charge but, even after a sale of that kind, the Owner shall remain liable for any deficiency.  The Depositary shall distribute any net proceeds of a sale made under Section 3.2 of the Deposit Agreement that are not used to pay taxes or governmental charges to the Owners entitled to them in accordance with Section 4.1 of the Deposit Agreement.  If the number of Shares represented by each American Depositary Share decreases as a result of a sale of Deposited Securities under Section 3.2 of the Deposit Agreement, the Depositary may call for surrender of the American Depositary Shares to be exchanged on a mandatory basis for a lesser number of American Depositary Shares and may sell American Depositary Shares to the extent necessary to avoid distributing fractions of American Depositary Shares in that exchange and distribute the net proceeds of that sale to the Owners entitled to them.

 

5.                                      WARRANTIES ON DEPOSIT OF SHARES.

 

Every person depositing Shares under the Deposit Agreement shall be deemed thereby to represent and warrant that those Shares are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and were not issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of the holders of outstanding securities of the Company and that the person making that deposit is duly authorized so to do.  Every depositing person shall also be deemed to represent that the Shares, at the time of deposit, are not Restricted Securities.  All representations and warranties deemed made under Section 3.3 of the Deposit Agreement shall survive the deposit of Shares and delivery of American Depositary Shares.

 

6.                                      FILING PROOFS, CERTIFICATES, AND OTHER INFORMATION.

 

Any person presenting Shares for deposit or any Owner or Holder may be required from time to time to file with the Depositary or the Custodian such proof of citizenship or residence, exchange control approval, or such information relating to the registration on the books of the Company or the Foreign Registrar, if applicable, to execute such certificates and to make such representations and warranties, as the Depositary may deem necessary or proper.  The Depositary may withhold the delivery or registration of transfer of any American Depositary Shares, the distribution of any dividend or other distribution or of the proceeds thereof or the delivery of any Deposited Securities until that proof or other information is filed or those certificates are executed or those representations and warranties are made.  As conditions of accepting Shares for deposit, the Depositary may require (i) any certification required by the Depositary or the Custodian in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement, (ii) a written order directing the Depositary to deliver to, or upon the written order of, the person or persons stated in that order, the number of American Depositary Shares representing those Deposited Shares, (iii) evidence satisfactory to the Depositary that those Shares have been re-registered in the books of the Company or the Foreign Registrar in the name of the Depositary, a Custodian or a nominee of the Depositary or a Custodian, (iv) evidence satisfactory to the Depositary that any necessary approval has been granted by

 

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any governmental body in each applicable jurisdiction and (v) an agreement or assignment, or other instrument satisfactory to the Depositary, that provides for the prompt transfer to the Custodian of any dividend, or right to subscribe for additional Shares or to receive other property, that any person in whose name those Shares are or have been recorded may thereafter receive upon or in respect of those Shares, or, in lieu thereof, such agreement of indemnity or other agreement as shall be satisfactory to the Depositary.

 

Holders and Owners shall, from time to time and in a timely manner, file such proof of taxpayer status, residence and beneficial ownership (as applicable), to execute such certificates and to make such representations and warranties, or to provide any other information or documents, as the Company, the Depositary or the Custodian may deem necessary or proper to fulfill the Company’s, the Depositary’s or the Custodian’s obligations under applicable law.

 

7.                                      CHARGES OF DEPOSITARY.

 

The following charges shall be incurred by any party depositing or withdrawing Shares or by any party surrendering American Depositary Shares or to whom American Depositary Shares are issued (including, without limitation, issuance pursuant to a stock dividend or stock split declared by the Company or an exchange of stock regarding the American Depositary Shares or Deposited Securities or a delivery of American Depositary Shares pursuant to Section 4.3 of the Deposit Agreement), or by Owners, as applicable:  (1) taxes and other governmental charges, (2) such registration fees as may from time to time be in effect for the registration of transfers of Shares generally on the Share register of the Company or Foreign Registrar and applicable to transfers of Shares to or from the name of the Depositary or its nominee or the Custodian or its nominee on the making of deposits or withdrawals hereunder, (3) such cable (including SWIFT) and facsimile transmission fees and expenses as are expressly provided in the Deposit Agreement, (4) such expenses as are incurred by the Depositary in the conversion of foreign currency pursuant to Section 4.5 of the Deposit Agreement, (5) a fee of $5.00 or less per 100 American Depositary Shares (or portion thereof) for the delivery of American Depositary Shares pursuant to Section 2.3, 4.3 or 4.4 of the Deposit Agreement and the surrender of American Depositary Shares pursuant to Section 2.5 or 6.2 of the Deposit Agreement, (6) a fee of $.05 or less per American Depositary Share (or portion thereof) for any cash distribution made pursuant to the Deposit Agreement, including, but not limited to Sections 4.1 through 4.4 and 4.8 of the Deposit Agreement, (7) a fee for the distribution of securities pursuant to Section 4.2 of the Deposit Agreement or of rights pursuant to Section 4.4 of that Agreement (where the Depositary will not exercise or sell those rights on behalf of Owners), such fee being in an amount equal to the fee for the execution and delivery of American Depositary Shares referred to above which would have been charged as a result of the deposit of such securities under the Deposit Agreement (for purposes of this item 7 treating all such securities as if they were Shares) but which securities are instead distributed by the Depositary to Owners, (8) in addition

 

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to any fee charged under item 6, a fee of $.05 or less per American Depositary Share (or portion thereof) per annum for depositary services, which will be payable as provided in item 9 below, and (9) any other charges payable by the Depositary or the Custodian, any of the Depositary’s or Custodian’s agents or the agents of the Depositary’s or Custodian’s agents, in connection with the servicing of Shares or other Deposited Securities (which charges shall be assessed against Owners as of the date or dates set by the Depositary in accordance with Section 4.6 of the Deposit Agreement and shall be payable at the sole discretion of the Depositary by billing those Owners for those charges or by deducting those charges from one or more cash dividends or other cash distributions).

 

The Depositary may collect any of its fees by deduction from any cash distribution payable, or by selling a portion of any securities to be distributed, to Owners that are obligated to pay those fees.

 

The Depositary may own and deal in any class of securities of the Company and its affiliates and in American Depositary Shares.

 

From time to time, the Depositary may make payments to the Company to reimburse the Company for costs and expenses generally arising out of establishment and maintenance of the American Depositary Shares program, waive fees and expenses for services provided by the Depositary or share revenue from the fees collected from Owners or Holders.  In performing its duties under the Deposit Agreement, the Depositary may use brokers, dealers, foreign currency dealers or other service providers that are owned by or affiliated with the Depositary and that may earn or share fees, spreads or commissions.

 

8.                                      DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS.

 

When required in order to comply with applicable laws and regulations or the articles of association or similar document of the Company, the Company may from time to time request each Owner and Holder to provide to the Depositary information relating to: (a) the capacity in which it holds American Depositary Shares, (b) the identity of any Holders or other persons or entities then or previously interested in those American Depositary Shares and the nature of those interests and (c) any other matter where disclosure of such matter is required for that compliance.   Each Owner and Holder agrees to provide all information known to it in response to a request made pursuant to Section 3.4 of the Deposit Agreement.  Each Holder consents to the disclosure to the Company by the Depositary and the Owner or other Holder through which it holds American Depositary Shares, directly or indirectly, of all information responsive to a request made pursuant to that Section relating to that Holder that is known to that Owner or other Holder.

 

Each Owner and Holder of American Depositary Shares further agrees to comply with the laws and regulations of the United States and France (if and to the extent applicable) with respect to the disclosure requirements regarding beneficial ownership of

 

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Shares, all as if the American Depositary Shares were the Shares represented thereby, which is deemed to include, inter alia, requirements to make notifications and filings within the required timeframes to the Company, to the Commission, to the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers and any other authorities in the United States or in France. The Company reserves the right to instruct Owners and Holders to deliver their American Depositary Shares for cancellation and withdrawal of the Deposited Securities so as to permit the Company to deal directly with the Owner or Holder thereof as a holder of Shares, and Owners and Holders agree to comply with such instructions.

 

9.                                      TITLE TO AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES.

 

It is a condition of the American Depositary Shares, and every successive Owner and Holder of American Depositary Shares, by accepting or holding the same, consents and agrees that American Depositary Shares evidenced by a Receipt, when the Receipt is properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer, shall be transferable as certificated registered securities under the laws of the State of New York, and that American Depositary Shares not evidenced by Receipts shall be transferable as uncertificated registered securities under the laws of the State of New York.  The Depositary, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, may treat the Owner of American Depositary Shares as the absolute owner thereof for the purpose of determining the person entitled to distribution of dividends or other distributions or to any notice provided for in the Deposit Agreement and for all other purposes, and neither the Depositary nor the Company shall have any obligation or be subject to any liability under the Deposit Agreement to any Holder of American Depositary Shares, but only to the Owner.

 

10.                               VALIDITY OF RECEIPT.

 

This Receipt shall not be entitled to any benefits under the Deposit Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless this Receipt shall have been (i) executed by the Depositary by the manual signature of a duly authorized officer of the Depositary or (ii) executed by the facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer of the Depositary and countersigned by the manual signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary or the Registrar or a co-registrar.

 

11.                               REPORTS; INSPECTION OF TRANSFER BOOKS.

 

The Company is subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and, accordingly, files certain reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Those reports will be available for inspection and copying through the Commission’s EDGAR system or at public reference facilities maintained by the Commission in Washington, D.C.

 

The Depositary will make available for inspection by Owners at its Office any reports, notices and other communications, including any proxy soliciting material, received from the Company which are both (a) received by the Depositary as the holder

 

A-8


 

of the Deposited Securities and (b) made generally available to the holders of those Deposited Securities by the Company.  The Company shall furnish reports and communications, including any proxy soliciting material to which Section 4.9 of the Deposit Agreement applies, to the Depositary in English, to the extent such materials are required to be translated into English pursuant to any regulations of the Commission.

 

The Depositary will keep books for the registration of American Depositary Shares and transfers of American Depositary Shares, which shall be open for inspection by the Owners at the Depositary’s Office during regular business hours, provided that such inspection shall not be for the purpose of communicating with Owners in the interest of a business or object other than the business of the Company or a matter related to the Deposit Agreement or the American Depositary Shares.

 

12.                               DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.

 

Whenever the Depositary receives any cash dividend or other cash distribution on Deposited Securities, the Depositary will, if at the time of receipt thereof any amounts received in a foreign currency can in the judgment of the Depositary be converted on a reasonable basis into Dollars transferable to the United States, and subject to the Deposit Agreement, convert that dividend or other cash distribution into Dollars and distribute the amount thus received (net of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Article 7 hereof and Section 5.9 of the Deposit Agreement) to the Owners entitled thereto; provided, however, that if the Custodian or the Depositary is required to withhold and does withhold from that cash dividend or other cash distribution an amount on account of taxes or other governmental charges, the amount distributed to the Owners of the American Depositary Shares representing those Deposited Securities shall be reduced accordingly.  If a cash distribution would represent a return of all or substantially all the value of the Deposited Securities underlying American Depositary Shares, the Depositary may require surrender of those American Depositary Shares and may require payment of or deduct the fee for surrender of American Depositary Shares (whether or not it is also requiring surrender of American Depositary Shares) as a condition of making that cash distribution.  A distribution of that kind shall be a Termination Option Event.

 

Subject to the provisions of Section 4.11 and 5.9 of the Deposit Agreement, whenever the Depositary receives any distribution other than a distribution described in Section 4.1, 4.3 or 4.4 of the Deposit Agreement on Deposited Securities (but not in exchange for or in conversion or in lieu of Deposited Securities), the Depositary will cause the securities or property received by it to be distributed to the Owners entitled thereto, after deduction or upon payment of any fees and expenses of the Depositary and any taxes or other governmental charges, in any manner that the Depositary deems equitable and practicable for accomplishing that distribution (which may be a distribution of depositary shares representing the securities received); provided, however, that if in the opinion of the Depositary such distribution cannot be made proportionately among

 

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the Owners entitled thereto, or if for any other reason the Depositary, after consultation with the Company to the extent practicable, deems such distribution not to be lawful and feasible, the Depositary may adopt such other method as it may deem equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such distribution, including, but not limited to, the public or private sale of the securities or property thus received, or any part thereof, and distribution of the net proceeds of any such sale (net of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Article 7 hereof and Section 5.9 of the Deposit Agreement) to the Owners entitled thereto all in the manner and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.1 of the Deposit Agreement.  The Depositary may withhold any distribution of securities under Section 4.2 of the Deposit Agreement if it has not received satisfactory assurances from the Company that the distribution does not require registration under the Securities Act of 1933.  The Depositary may sell, by public or private sale, an amount of securities or other property it would otherwise distribute under this Article that is sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in respect of that distribution.  If a distribution under Section 4.2 of the Deposit Agreement would represent a return of all of substantially all the value of the Deposited Securities underlying American Depositary Shares, the Depositary may require surrender of those American Depositary Shares and may require payment of or deduct the fee for surrender of American Depositary Shares (whether or not it is also requiring surrender of American Depositary Shares) as a condition of making that distribution.  A distribution of that kind shall be a Termination Option Event.

 

Whenever the Depositary receives any distribution consisting of a dividend in, or free distribution of, Shares, the Depositary may deliver to the Owners entitled thereto, an aggregate number of American Depositary Shares representing the amount of Shares received as that dividend or free distribution, subject to the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement with respect to the deposit of Shares and issuance of American Depositary Shares, including the withholding of any tax or other governmental charge as provided in Section 4.11 of the Deposit Agreement and the payment of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Article 7 hereof and Section 5.9 of the Deposit Agreement (and the Depositary may sell, by public or private sale, an amount of Shares received (or American Depositary Shares representing those Shares) sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in respect of that distribution).  In lieu of delivering fractional American Depositary Shares, the Depositary may sell the amount of Shares represented by the aggregate of those fractions (or American Depositary Shares representing those Shares) and distribute the net proceeds, all in the manner and subject to the conditions described in Section 4.1 of the Deposit Agreement.  If and to the extent that additional American Depositary Shares are not delivered and Shares or American Depositary Shares are not sold, each American Depositary Share shall thenceforth also represent the additional Shares distributed on the Deposited Securities represented thereby.

 

If the Company declares a distribution in which holders of Deposited Securities have a right to elect whether to receive cash, Shares or other securities or a combination of those things, or a right to elect to have a distribution sold on their behalf, the

 

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Depositary may, after consultation with the Company, make that right of election available for exercise by Owners any manner the Depositary considers to be lawful and practical.  As a condition of making a distribution election right available to Owners, the Depositary may require satisfactory assurances from the Company that doing so does not require registration of any securities under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

If the Depositary determines that any distribution received or to be made by the Depositary (including Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) is subject to any tax or other governmental charge that the Depositary is obligated to withhold, the Depositary may sell, by public or private sale, all or a portion of the distributed property (including Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) in the amounts and manner the Depositary deems necessary and practicable to pay any those taxes or charges, and the Depositary shall distribute the net proceeds of that sale, after deduction of those taxes or charges, to the Owners entitled thereto in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares held by them respectively.

 

Each Owner and Holder agrees to indemnify the Company, the Depositary, the Custodian and their respective directors, employees, agents and affiliates for, and hold each of them harmless against, any claim by any governmental authority or any other entity or person with respect to taxes, additions to tax, penalties or interest arising out of any refund of taxes, reduced withholding at source or other tax benefit received by it.  The obligations of Owners and Holders under the preceding sentence shall survive any transfer of American Depositary Shares or surrender of American Depositary Shares and withdrawal of Deposited Securities and the termination of the Deposit Agreement.  Services for Owners and Holders that may permit them to obtain reduced rates of tax withholding at source or reclaim excess tax withheld, and the fees and costs associated with using services of that kind, are not provided under, and are outside the scope of, the Deposit Agreement.

 

13.                               RIGHTS.

 

(a)                                 If rights (including Share subscription warrants (bons de souscription d’actions) issued by the Company in lieu of rights) are granted to the Depositary in respect of deposited Shares to purchase additional Shares or other securities, the Company and the Depositary shall endeavor to consult as to the actions, if any, the Depositary should take in connection with that grant of rights.  The Depositary may, to the extent deemed by it to be lawful and practical (i) if requested in writing by the Company, grant to all or certain Owners rights to instruct the Depositary to purchase the securities to which the rights relate and deliver those securities or American Depositary Shares representing those securities to Owners, (ii) if requested in writing by the Company, deliver the rights to or to the order of certain Owners, or (iii) sell the rights to the extent practicable and distribute the net proceeds of that sale to Owners entitled to those proceeds.  To the extent rights are not exercised, delivered or disposed of under (i), (ii) or (iii) above, the Depositary shall permit the rights to lapse unexercised.

 

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(b)                                 If the Depositary will act under (a)(i) above, the Company and the Depositary will enter into a separate agreement setting forth the conditions and procedures applicable to the particular offering.  Upon instruction from an applicable Owner in the form the Depositary specified and upon payment by that Owner to the Depositary of an amount equal to the purchase price of the securities to be received upon the exercise of the rights, the Depositary shall, on behalf of that Owner, exercise the rights and purchase the securities.  The purchased securities shall be delivered to, or as instructed by, the Depositary.  The Depositary shall (i) deposit the purchased Shares under the Deposit Agreement and deliver American Depositary Shares representing those Shares to that Owner or (ii) deliver or cause the purchased Shares or other securities to be delivered to or to the order of that Owner.  The Depositary will not act under (a)(i) above unless the offer and sale of the securities to which the rights relate are registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Depositary has received an opinion of United States counsel that is satisfactory to it to the effect that those securities may be sold and delivered to the applicable Owners without registration under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

(c)                                  If the Depositary will act under (a)(ii) above, the Company and the Depositary will enter into a separate agreement setting forth the conditions and procedures applicable to the particular offering.  Upon (i) the request of an applicable Owner to deliver the rights allocable to the American Depositary Shares of that Owner to an account specified by that Owner to which the rights can be delivered and (ii) receipt of such documents as the Company and the Depositary agreed to require to comply with applicable law, the Depositary will deliver those rights as requested by that Owner.

 

(d)                                 If the Depositary will act under (a)(iii) above, the Depositary will use reasonable efforts to sell the rights in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares held by the applicable Owners and pay the net proceeds to the Owners otherwise entitled to the rights that were sold, upon an averaged or other practical basis without regard to any distinctions among such Owners because of exchange restrictions or the date of delivery of any American Depositary Shares or otherwise. The Depositary may enter into any arrangements with the Company or persons acting on behalf of the Company to effect the orderly disposal of rights.

 

(e)                                  Payment or deduction of the fees of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9 of the Deposit Agreement and payment or deduction of the expenses of the Depositary and any applicable taxes or other governmental charges shall be conditions of any delivery of securities or payment of cash proceeds under Section 4.4 of that Agreement.

 

(f)                                   The Depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to determine that it may be lawful or feasible to make rights available to or exercise rights on behalf of Owners in general or any Owner in particular, or to sell rights.

 

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14.                               CONVERSION OF FOREIGN CURRENCY.

 

Whenever the Depositary or the Custodian receives foreign currency, by way of dividends or other distributions or the net proceeds from the sale of securities, property or rights, and if at the time of the receipt thereof the foreign currency so received can in the judgment of the Depositary be converted on a reasonable basis into Dollars and the resulting Dollars transferred to the United States, the Depositary shall convert or cause to be converted by sale or in any other manner that it may determine that foreign currency into Dollars, and those Dollars shall be distributed to the Owners entitled thereto.  A cash distribution may be made upon an averaged or other practicable basis without regard to any distinctions among Owners based on exchange restrictions, the date of delivery of any American Depositary Shares or otherwise and shall be net of any expenses of conversion into Dollars incurred by the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9 of the Deposit Agreement.

 

If a conversion of foreign currency or the repatriation or distribution of Dollars can be effected only with the approval or license of any government or agency thereof, the Depositary may, but will not be required to, file an application for that approval or license.

 

If the Depositary, after consultation with the Company to the extent practicable, determines that in its judgment any foreign currency received by the Depositary or the Custodian is not convertible on a reasonable basis into Dollars transferable to the United States, or if any approval or license of any government or agency thereof that is required for such conversion is not filed or sought by the Depositary or is not obtained within a reasonable period as determined by the Depositary, the Depositary may distribute the foreign currency received by the Depositary to, or in its discretion may hold such foreign currency uninvested and without liability for interest thereon for the respective accounts of, the Owners entitled to receive the same.

 

If any conversion of foreign currency, in whole or in part, cannot be effected for distribution to some of the Owners entitled thereto, the Depositary may in its discretion make that conversion and distribution in Dollars to the extent practicable and permissible to the Owners entitled thereto and may distribute the balance of the foreign currency received by the Depositary to, or hold that balance uninvested and without liability for interest thereon for the account of, the Owners entitled thereto.

 

The Depositary may convert currency itself or through any of its affiliates and, in those cases, acts as principal for its own account and not as agent, advisor, broker or fiduciary on behalf of any other person and earns revenue, including, without limitation, transaction spreads, that it will retain for its own account.  The revenue is based on, among other things, the difference between the exchange rate assigned to the currency conversion made under the Deposit Agreement and the rate that the Depositary or its affiliate receives when buying or selling foreign currency for its own account.  The Depositary makes no representation that the exchange rate used or obtained in any currency conversion under the Deposit Agreement will be the most favorable rate that

 

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could be obtained at the time or that the method by which that rate will be determined will be the most favorable to Owners, subject to the Depositary’s obligations under Section 5.3 of the Deposit Agreement.  The methodology used to determine exchange rates used in currency conversions is available upon request.

 

15.                               RECORD DATES.

 

Whenever a cash dividend, cash distribution or any other distribution is made on Deposited Securities or rights (including Share subscription warrants (bons de souscription d’actions) issued by the Company in lieu of rights) to purchase Shares or other securities are issued with respect to Deposited Securities (which rights will be delivered to or exercised or sold on behalf of Owners in accordance with Section 4.4 of the Deposit Agreement) or the Depositary receives notice that a distribution or issuance of that kind will be made, or whenever the Depositary receives notice that a meeting of holders of Shares will be held in respect of which the Company has requested the Depositary to send a notice under Section 4.7 of the Deposit Agreement, or whenever the Depositary will assess a fee or charge against the Owners, or whenever the Depositary causes a change in the number of Shares that are represented by each American Depositary Share, or whenever the Depositary otherwise finds it necessary or convenient, the Depositary shall fix a record date, which shall be the same as, or as near as practicable to, any corresponding record date set by the Company with respect to Shares, (a) for the determination of the Owners (i) who shall be entitled to receive the benefit of that dividend or other distribution or those rights, (ii) who shall be entitled to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at that meeting, (iii) who shall be responsible for that fee or charge or (iv) for any other purpose for which the record date was set, or (b) on or after which each American Depositary Share will represent the changed number of Shares.  Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.1 through 4.5 of the Deposit Agreement and to the other terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement, the Owners on a record date fixed by the Depositary shall be entitled to receive the amount distributable by the Depositary with respect to that dividend or other distribution or those rights or the net proceeds of sale thereof in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares held by them respectively, to give voting instructions or to act in respect of the other matter for which that record date was fixed, or be responsible for that fee or charge, as the case may be.

 

16.                               VOTING OF DEPOSITED SHARES.

 

(a)                                 Upon receipt of notice of any meeting of holders of Shares at which holders of Shares will be entitled to vote, if requested in writing by the Company, the Depositary shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, Disseminate to the Owners a notice, the form of which shall be in the sole discretion of the Depositary, that shall contain (i) the information contained in the notice of meeting received by the Depositary, (ii) a statement that the Owners as of the close of business on a specified record date will be entitled, subject to any applicable provision of French law and of the articles of

 

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association or similar documents of the Company, to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of Shares represented by their respective American Depositary Shares (iii) a statement as to the manner in which those instructions may be given, including an express indication that instructions may be deemed given in accordance with the last sentence of paragraph (b) below, if no instruction is received or if a partial or incomplete instruction is received, to the Depositary to give a proxy to a person designated by the Company to vote in favor of each matter that is endorsed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors of the Company and (iv) the last date on which the Depositary will accept instructions (the “Instruction Cutoff Date”).

 

(b)                                 Upon the written request of an Owner of American Depositary Shares, as of the date of the request or, if a record date was specified by the Depositary, as of that record date, received on or before any Instruction Cutoff Date established by the Depositary, the Depositary may, and if the Depositary sent a notice under the preceding paragraph shall, endeavor, in so far as practicable, to vote or cause to be voted the amount of deposited Shares represented by those American Depositary Shares in accordance with the instructions set forth in that request.  The Depositary shall not vote or attempt to exercise the right to vote that attaches to the deposited Shares other than in accordance with instructions given by Owners and received by the Depositary or as provided in the following sentence.  If

 

(i) the Company instructed the Depositary to Disseminate a notice under paragraph (a) above and complied with paragraph (d) below,

 

(ii) no instructions are received by the Depositary from an Owner with respect to a matter and an amount of American Depositary Shares of that Owner on or before the Instruction Cutoff Date (or the instruction fails to fully specify the manner in which the Depositary is to vote with respect to a matter) and

 

(iii) the Depositary has received from the Company, by the business day in New York and Paris following the Instruction Cutoff Date, a written confirmation that, as of the Instruction Cutoff Date, (x) the Company wishes a proxy to be given under this sentence, (y) the Company reasonably does not know of any substantial opposition to the matter and (z) the matter is not materially adverse to the interests of shareholders,

 

then, the Depositary shall deem that Owner to have instructed the Depositary to give a proxy, and the Depositary shall give a proxy, to a person designated by the Company with respect to that matter and the amount of deposited Shares represented by that amount of American Depositary Shares if, but only if, the matter is endorsed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(c)                                  There can be no assurance that Owners generally or any Owner in particular will receive the notice described in paragraph (a) above in time to enable Owners to give instructions to the Depositary prior to the Instruction Cutoff Date.

 

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(d)                                 In order to give Owners a reasonable opportunity to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to Shares, if the Company will request the Depositary to Disseminate a notice under paragraph (a) above, the Company shall give the Depositary notice of the meeting, details concerning the matters to be voted upon and copies of materials to be made available to holders of Shares in connection with the meeting not less than 30 days prior to the meeting date.

 

Notwithstanding anything in Section 4.7 of the Deposit Agreement to the contrary, the Depositary and the Company may modify, amend or adopt additional procedures with respect to voting Deposited Securities from time to time as they determine may be necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable laws and regulations.

 

In addition, pursuant to French law and the Company’s by-laws, a double voting right is attached to each Share which is held registered form in the name of the same shareholder for at least two years. However, the deposited Shares will not be entitled to double voting rights as the Depositary will hold the deposited Shares in bearer form only.  Therefore, Owners who wish to obtain double voting rights will need to surrender their American Depositary Shares, withdraw the deposited Shares and take the necessary steps with the Foreign Registrar to have those Shares held in registered form.

 

17.                               TENDER AND EXCHANGE OFFERS; REDEMPTION, REPLACEMENT OR CANCELLATION OF DEPOSITED SECURITIES.

 

(a)                                 The Depositary shall not tender any Deposited Securities in response to any voluntary cash tender offer, exchange offer or similar offer made to holders of Deposited Securities (a “Voluntary Offer”), except when instructed in writing to do so by an Owner surrendering American Depositary Shares and subject to any conditions or procedures the Depositary may require.

 

(b)                                 If the Depositary receives a written notice that Deposited Securities have been redeemed for cash or otherwise purchased for cash in a transaction that is mandatory and binding on the Depositary as a holder of those Deposited Securities (a “Redemption”), the Depositary, at the expense of the Company (unless otherwise agreed between the Company and the Depositary), shall (i) if required, surrender Deposited Securities that have been redeemed to the issuer of those securities or its agent on the redemption date, (ii) Disseminate a notice to Owners (A) notifying them of that Redemption, (B) calling for surrender of a corresponding number of American Depositary Shares and (C) notifying them that the called American Depositary Shares have been converted into a right only to receive the money received by the Depositary upon that Redemption and those net proceeds shall be the Deposited Securities to which Owners of those converted American Depositary Shares shall be entitled upon surrenders of those American Depositary Shares in accordance with Section 2.5 or 6.2 of the Deposit Agreement and (iii) distribute the money received upon that Redemption to the Owners entitled to it upon surrender by them of called American Depositary Shares in accordance

 

A-16


 

with Section 2.5 of that Agreement (and, for the avoidance of doubt, Owners shall not be entitled to receive that money under Section 4.1 of that Agreement).  If the Redemption affects less than all the Deposited Securities, the Depositary shall call for surrender a corresponding portion of the outstanding American Depositary Shares and only those American Depositary Shares will automatically be converted into a right to receive the net proceeds of the Redemption.  The Depositary shall allocate the American Depositary Shares converted under the preceding sentence among the Owners pro-rata to their respective holdings of American Depositary Shares immediately prior to the Redemption, except that the allocations may be adjusted so that no fraction of a converted American Depositary Share is allocated to any Owner.  A Redemption of all or substantially all of the Deposited Securities shall be a Termination Option Event.

 

(c)                                  If the Depositary is notified of or there occurs any change in nominal value or any subdivision, combination or any other reclassification of the Deposited Securities or any recapitalization, reorganization, sale of assets substantially as an entirety, merger or consolidation affecting the issuer of the Deposited Securities or to which it is a party that is mandatory and binding on the Depositary as a holder of Deposited Securities and, as a result, securities or other property have been or will be delivered in exchange, conversion, replacement or in lieu of, Deposited Securities (a “Replacement”), the Depositary shall, if required, surrender the old Deposited Securities affected by that Replacement of Shares and hold, as new Deposited Securities under the Deposit Agreement, the new securities or other property delivered to it in that Replacement.  However, the Depositary may elect to sell those new Deposited Securities if in the opinion of the Depositary, after consultation with the Company to the extent practicable, it is not lawful or not practical for it to hold those new Deposited Securities under the Deposit Agreement because those new Deposited Securities may not be distributed to Owners without registration under the Securities Act of 1933 or for any other reason, at public or private sale, at such places and on such terms as it deems proper and proceed as if those new Deposited Securities had been Redeemed under paragraph (b) above.  A Replacement shall be a Termination Option Event.

 

(d)                                 In the case of a Replacement where the new Deposited Securities will continue to be held under the Deposit Agreement, the Depositary may call for the surrender of outstanding Receipts to be exchanged for new Receipts specifically describing the new Deposited Securities and the number of those new Deposited Securities represented by each American Depositary Share.  If the number of Shares represented by each American Depositary Share decreases as a result of a Replacement, the Depositary may, after consultation with the Company to the extent practicable, call for surrender of the American Depositary Shares to be exchanged on a mandatory basis for a lesser number of American Depositary Shares and may sell American Depositary Shares to the extent necessary to avoid distributing fractions of American Depositary Shares in that exchange and distribute the net proceeds of that sale to the Owners entitled to them.

 

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(e)                                  If there are no Deposited Securities with respect to American Depositary Shares, including if the Deposited Securities are cancelled, or the Deposited Securities with respect to American Depositary Shares become apparently worthless, the Depositary may call for surrender of those American Depositary Shares or may cancel those American Depositary Shares, upon notice to Owners, and that condition shall be a Termination Option Event.

 

18.                               LIABILITY OF THE COMPANY AND DEPOSITARY.

 

Neither the Depositary nor the Company nor any of their respective directors, employees, agents or affiliates shall incur any liability to any Owner or Holder:

 

(i) if by reason of (A) any provision of any present or future law or regulation or other act of the government of the United States, any State of the United States or any other state or jurisdiction, or of any governmental or regulatory authority or stock exchange; (B) (in the case of the Depositary only) any provision, present or future, of the articles of association or similar document of the Company, or by reason of any provision of any securities issued or distributed by the Company, or any offering or distribution thereof; or (C) any event or circumstance, whether natural or caused by a person or persons, that is beyond the ability of the Depositary or the Company, as the case may be, to prevent or counteract by reasonable care or effort (including, but not limited to earthquakes, floods, severe storms, fires, explosions, war, terrorism, civil unrest, labor disputes or criminal acts; interruptions or malfunctions of utility services, Internet or other communications lines or systems; unauthorized access to or attacks on computer systems or websites; or other failures or malfunctions of computer hardware or software or other systems or equipment), the Depositary or the Company is, directly or indirectly, prevented from, forbidden to or delayed in, or could be subject to any civil or criminal penalty on account of doing or performing and therefore does not do or perform, any act or thing that, by the terms of the Deposit Agreement or the Deposited Securities, it is provided shall be done or performed;

 

(ii) for any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in the Deposit Agreement (including any determination by the Depositary to take, or not take, any action that the Deposit Agreement provides the Depositary may take);

 

(iii) for the inability of any Owner or Holder to benefit from any distribution, offering, right or other benefit that is made available to holders of Deposited Securities but is not, under the terms of the Deposit Agreement, made available to Owners or Holders; or

 

(iv) for any special, consequential, indirect or punitive damages for any breach of the terms of the Deposit Agreement.

 

Where, by the terms of a distribution to which Section 4.1, 4.2 or 4.3 of the Deposit Agreement applies, or an offering to which Section 4.4 of that Agreement

 

A-18


 

applies, or for any other reason, that distribution or offering may not be made available to Owners, and the Depositary may not dispose of that distribution or offering on behalf of Owners and make the net proceeds available to Owners, then the Depositary shall not make that distribution or offering available to Owners, and shall allow any rights, if applicable, to lapse.

 

Neither the Company nor the Depositary assumes any obligation or shall be subject to any liability under the Deposit Agreement to Owners or Holders, except that they agree to perform their obligations specifically set forth in the Deposit Agreement without negligence or bad faith.  The Depositary shall not be a fiduciary or have any fiduciary duty to Owners or Holders.  The Depositary shall not be subject to any liability with respect to the validity or worth of the Deposited Securities.  Neither the Depositary nor the Company shall be under any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, suit, or other proceeding in respect of any Deposited Securities or in respect of the American Depositary Shares, on behalf of any Owner or Holder or other person.  Neither the Depositary nor the Company shall be liable for any action or non-action by it in reliance upon the advice of or information from legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting Shares for deposit, any Owner or Holder, or any other person believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information.  Each of the Depositary and the Company may rely, and shall be protected in relying upon, any written notice, request, direction or other document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.  The Depositary shall not be liable for any acts or omissions made by a successor depositary whether in connection with a previous act or omission of the Depositary or in connection with a matter arising wholly after the removal or resignation of the Depositary, provided that in connection with the issue out of which such potential liability arises, the Depositary performed its obligations without negligence or bad faith while it acted as Depositary.  The Depositary shall not be liable for the acts or omissions of any securities depository, clearing agency or settlement system in connection with or arising out of book-entry settlement of American Depositary Shares or Deposited Securities or otherwise.  In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote any of the Deposited Securities or for the manner in which any such vote is cast or the effect of any such vote.

 

Neither the Company nor the Depositary shall have any duty to make any determination or provide any information as to the tax status of the Company or any liability for any tax consequences that may be incurred by Owners or Holders as a result of owning or holding American Depositary Shares, including without limitation, tax consequences resulting from the Company (or any of its subsidiaries) being treated as a “Passive Foreign Investment Company” (“PFIC”) (in each case as defined in the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations issued thereunder) or otherwise. The Company may have been in the past and may be in the future a PFIC for U.S. Federal income tax purposes. Owners must consult their own tax advisers as to the potential application of the PFIC rules.  Neither the Company nor the Depositary shall be

 

A-19


 

liable for the inability or failure of an Owner or Holder to obtain the benefit of a foreign tax credit, reduced rate of withholding or refund of amounts withheld in respect of tax or any other tax benefit.

 

No disclaimer of liability under the United States federal securities laws is intended by any provision of the Deposit Agreement.

 

19.                               RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL OF THE DEPOSITARY; APPOINTMENT OF SUCCESSOR CUSTODIAN.

 

The Depositary may at any time resign as Depositary under the Deposit Agreement by written notice of its election so to do delivered to the Company, to become effective upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as provided in the Deposit Agreement.  The Depositary may at any time be removed by the Company by 120 days’ prior written notice of that removal, to become effective upon the later of (i) the 120th day after delivery of the notice to the Depositary and (ii) the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of its appointment as provided in the Deposit Agreement.  The Depositary in its discretion may at any time appoint a substitute or additional custodian or custodians.

 

20.                               AMENDMENT.

 

The form of the Receipts and any provisions of the Deposit Agreement may at any time and from time to time be amended by agreement between the Company and the Depositary without the consent of Owners or Holders in any respect which they may deem necessary or desirable.  Any amendment that would impose or increase any fees or charges (other than taxes and other governmental charges, registration fees, cable, telex or facsimile transmission costs, delivery costs or other such expenses), or that would otherwise prejudice any substantial existing right of Owners, shall, however, not become effective as to outstanding American Depositary Shares until the expiration of 30 days after notice of that amendment has been Disseminated to the Owners of outstanding American Depositary Shares. Every Owner and Holder, at the time any amendment so becomes effective, shall be deemed, by continuing to hold American Depositary Shares or any interest therein, to consent and agree to that amendment and to be bound by the Deposit Agreement as amended thereby. Upon the effectiveness of an amendment to the form of Receipt, including a change in the number of Shares represented by each American Depositary Share, the Depositary may call for surrender of Receipts to be replaced with new Receipts in the amended form or call for surrender of American Depositary Shares to effect that change of ratio.  In no event shall any amendment impair the right of the Owner to surrender American Depositary Shares and receive delivery of the Deposited Securities represented thereby, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law.

 

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21.                               TERMINATION OF DEPOSIT AGREEMENT.

 

(a)                                 The Company may initiate termination of the Deposit Agreement by notice to the Depositary.  The Depositary may initiate termination of the Deposit Agreement if (i) at any time 60 days shall have expired after the Depositary delivered to the Company a written resignation notice and a successor depositary has not been appointed and accepted its appointment as provided in Section 5.4 of that Agreement, (ii) an Insolvency Event or Delisting Event occurs with respect to the Company or (iii) a Termination Option Event has occurred or will occur.  If termination of the Deposit Agreement is initiated by the Company or the Depositary, the Depositary shall Disseminate a notice of termination to the Owners of all American Depositary Shares then outstanding setting a date for termination (the “Termination Date”), which shall be at least 90 days after the date of that notice, and the Deposit Agreement shall terminate on that Termination Date.

 

(b)                                 After the Termination Date, the Company shall be discharged from all obligations under the Deposit Agreement except for its obligations to the Depositary under Sections 5.8 and 5.9 of that Agreement.

 

(c)                                  At any time after the Termination Date, the Depositary may sell the Deposited Securities then held under the Deposit Agreement and may thereafter hold uninvested the net proceeds of any such sale, together with any other cash then held by it hereunder, unsegregated and without liability for interest, for the pro rata benefit of the Owners of American Depositary Shares that remain outstanding, and those Owners will be general creditors of the Depositary with respect to those net proceeds and that other cash.  After making that sale, the Depositary shall be discharged from all obligations under the Deposit Agreement, except (i) to account for the net proceeds and other cash (after deducting, in each case, the fee of the Depositary for the surrender of American Depositary Shares, any expenses for the account of the Owner of such American Depositary Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement and any applicable taxes or governmental charges) and (ii) for its obligations under Section 5.8 of that Agreement and (iii) to act as provided in paragraph (d) below.

 

(d)                                 After the Termination Date, the Depositary shall continue to receive dividends and other distributions pertaining to Deposited Securities (that have not been sold), may sell rights and other property as provided in the Deposit Agreement and shall deliver Deposited Securities (or sale proceeds) upon surrender of American Depositary Shares (after payment or upon deduction, in each case, of the fee of the Depositary for the surrender of American Depositary Shares, any expenses for the account of the Owner of those American Depositary Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement and any applicable taxes or governmental charges).  After the Termination Date, the Depositary shall not accept deposits of Shares or deliver American Depositary Shares.  After the Termination Date, (i) the Depositary may refuse to accept surrenders of American Depositary Shares for the purpose of withdrawal of Deposited Securities (that have not been sold) or reverse previously accepted surrenders of that kind that have not settled if in its judgment the requested withdrawal would interfere with its

 

A-21


 

efforts to sell the Deposited Securities, (ii) the Depositary will not be required to deliver cash proceeds of the sale of Deposited Securities until all Deposited Securities have been sold and (iii) the Depositary may discontinue the registration of transfers of American Depositary Shares and suspend the distribution of dividends and other distributions on Deposited Securities to the Owners and need not give any further notices or perform any further acts under the Deposit Agreement except as provided in Section 6.2 of that Agreement.

 

22.                               DTC DIRECT REGISTRATION SYSTEM AND PROFILE MODIFICATION SYSTEM.

 

(a)                                 Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.4 of the Deposit Agreement, the parties acknowledge that DTC’s Direct Registration System (“DRS”) and Profile Modification System (“Profile”) apply to the American Depositary Shares upon acceptance thereof to DRS by DTC.  DRS is the system administered by DTC that facilitates interchange between registered holding of uncertificated securities and holding of security entitlements in those securities through DTC and a DTC participant.  Profile is a required feature of DRS that allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of an Owner of American Depositary Shares, to direct the Depositary to register a transfer of those American Depositary Shares to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those American Depositary Shares to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the Depositary of prior authorization from the Owner to register that transfer.

 

(b)                                 In connection with DRS/Profile, the parties acknowledge that the Depositary will not determine whether the DTC participant that is claiming to be acting on behalf of an Owner in requesting registration of transfer and delivery described in paragraph (a) above has the actual authority to act on behalf of that Owner (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code).  For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of Sections 5.3 and 5.8 of the Deposit Agreement apply to the matters arising from the use of the DRS/Profile.  The parties agree that the Depositary’s reliance on and compliance with instructions received by the Depositary through the DRS/Profile system and otherwise in accordance with the Deposit Agreement, shall not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of the Depositary.

 

23.                               APPOINTMENT OF AGENT FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS; SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION; JURY TRIAL WAIVER; WAIVER OF IMMUNITIES.

 

The Company has appointed Genfit Corp, 185 Alewife Brook Parkway, Suite 401, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, as the Company’s authorized agent in the United States upon which process may be served in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Shares or Deposited Securities, the American Depositary Shares, the Receipts or the Deposit Agreement (a “Proceeding”).  Each of the Company and the Depositary has consented and submitted to the jurisdiction of any state or federal court in the State of New York in which any Proceeding may be instituted.  The Company has

 

A-22


 

agreed that service of process upon said authorized agent shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company in any Proceeding.

 

EACH PARTY TO THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT (INCLUDING, FOR AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, EACH OWNER AND HOLDER) THEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING AGAINST THE COMPANY AND/OR THE DEPOSITARY DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SHARES OR OTHER DEPOSITED SECURITIES, THE AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES OR THE RECEIPTS, THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREIN OR THEREIN, OR THE BREACH HEREOF OR THEREOF, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY QUESTION REGARDING EXISTENCE, VALIDITY OR TERMINATION (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).

 

To the extent that the Company or any of its properties, assets or revenues may have or hereafter become entitled to, or have attributed to it, any right of immunity, on the grounds of sovereignty or otherwise, from any legal action, suit or proceeding, from the giving of any relief in any respect thereof, from setoff or counterclaim, from the jurisdiction of any court, from service of process, from attachment upon or prior to judgment, from attachment in aid of execution or judgment, or other legal process or proceeding for the giving of any relief or for the enforcement of any judgment, in any jurisdiction in which proceedings may at any time be commenced, with respect to its obligations, liabilities or any other matter under or arising out of or in connection with the Shares or Deposited Securities, the American Depositary Shares, the Receipts or the Deposit Agreement, the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, and agrees not to plead or claim, any such immunity and consents to such relief and enforcement.

 

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Exhibit 5.1

 

Avocats à la Cour de Paris
Solicitors of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

 

Linklaters LLP
25 rue de Marignan
75008 Paris
Telephone (+33) 1 56 43 56 43
Facsimile (+33) 1 43 59 41 96
Palais J 030
Direct Line +33 1 56 43 57 42

 

 

 

To:                             GENFIT S.A.

Parc Eurasanté

885, avenue Eugène Avinée

59120 Loos

France

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 14, 2019

 

 

 

Our Ref: L-276715

 

 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Re. Registration Statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-229907) relating to the Offering of up to 5,750,000 ordinary shares of GENFIT S.A.

 

1                                      Introduction and Purpose

 

1.1                            We have acted as French counsel to the Company (as such term is defined below) in connection with:

 

(a) the offering (the “Offering”) of ordinary shares of Genfit S.A., a société anonyme à conseil d’administration organised under the laws of France, registered with the Registre du commerce et des sociétés of Lille Métropole under number 424 341 907 (the “Company”), which Offering consists of the issue and sale of:

 

·                  up to 5,000,000 ordinary shares with a nominal value of €0.25 each issued in the context of a private placement outside of the United States and a public offering in the United States (it being specified that, in the context of the U.S. public offering, the ordinary shares will be delivered in the form of ADSs) (the “Initial Shares”);

 

·                  up to 5,000,000 ADSs, each representing one ordinary share of the Company, issued in the context of a public offering in the United States (the “Initial ADSs,”);

 

·                  up to 750,000 ordinary shares, some of which may be delivered as such (the “Option Shares” and together with the Initial Shares, the “Offered Securities”) and some of which may be delivered in the form of ADSs (the “Option ADSs”) in case of the exercise of the overallotment option; and

 

(b) the admission to trading and listing on (i) the Regulated Market of Euronext in Paris (“Euronext Paris”) of the Initial Shares and, as the case may be, the Option Shares and (ii) the Nasdaq Global Market of the Initial ADSs and, as the case may be, the Option ADSs.

 

This communication is confidential and may be privileged or otherwise protected by work product immunity. Linklaters LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC326345. It is a law firm authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The term partner in relation to Linklaters LLP is used to refer to a member of the LLP or an employee or consultant of Linklaters LLP or any of its affiliated firms or entities with equivalent standing and qualifications. A list of the names of the members of Linklaters LLP and of the non-members who are designated as partners and their professional qualifications is open to inspection at its registered office, One Silk Street, London EC2Y 8HQ, England or on www.linklaters.com and such persons are either solicitors, registered foreign lawyers or European lawyers.

 

Please refer to www.linklaters.com/regulation for important information on Linklaters LLP’s regulatory position.

 


 

In connection with the preparation and filing of a registration statement on Form F-1, we have been asked to provide opinions on certain matters, as set out below. We have taken instruction in this regard solely from the Company.

 

2                                      French law

 

This opinion is limited to French law and is given on the basis that it will be governed by and construed in accordance with French law.

 

3                                      Scope of inquiry

 

For the purpose of this opinion, we have examined the documents listed and, where appropriate, defined in the Schedule to this opinion.

 

4                                      Assumptions

 

For the purpose of this opinion, we have made the following assumptions:

 

4.1                            all copy documents conform to the originals and all originals are genuine, complete and up-to-date;

 

4.2                            each signature is the genuine signature of the individual concerned;

 

4.3                            the extrait K-bis, the certificat en matière de procédures collectives and the copy of the statuts of the Company examined by us are complete and up-to-date;

 

4.4                            the resolutions and decisions referred to in paragraphs 4 to 5 of the Schedule have not been amended or superseded, the resolutions referred to in paragraph 4 of the Schedule were duly passed at a duly convened and held Combined General Meeting of shareholders (Assemblée Générale Mixte des actionnaires) of the Company, and the decision referred to in paragraph 5 of the Schedule was duly passed at a duly convened and held meeting of the Board of Directors (Conseil d’Administration) of the Company;

 

4.5                            the Underwriting Agreement and the Deposit Agreement constitute legally binding, valid and enforceable obligations of each party thereto under all applicable laws, in particular the laws of the State of New York by which they are expressed to be governed;

 

4.6                            the offering restrictions contained in the Underwriting Agreement and the Registration Statement have been and will be complied with;

 

4.7                            the maximum issuance amounts set forth in the resolution of the extraordinary shareholders’ meeting pursuant to which the Offered Securities are issued will not be exceeded as a result of the Offering;

 

4.8                            the representations made by certain investors in the Investor Letter as to the fact that they belong to the categories of investors to whom the capital increase authorised by the resolutions of the Combined General Meeting of shareholders (Assemblée Générale Mixte des actionnaires) referred to in paragraph 4 of the Schedule will be, as applicable, be true and accurate and correct and complete.

 

2


 

5                                      Opinion

 

Based on the documents referred to in the Schedule and the assumptions in paragraph 4 above and subject to the qualifications in paragraph 6 and to any matters not disclosed to us, we are of the opinion that the Initial Shares and, as the case may be, the Option Shares, when issued by the Company in accordance with the resolutions of the Combined General Meeting of shareholders (Assemblée Générale Mixte des actionnaires) of the Company held on June 15, 2018 pursuant to, and in accordance with, the Underwriting Agreement against full payment of their subscription price as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

6                                      Qualifications

 

This opinion is subject to the following qualifications:

 

6.1                            without limiting the generality of the foregoing, we have made no investigation as to the accuracy and exhaustiveness of the facts (including statements of foreign law) contained in any of the documents listed in the Schedule to this opinion;

 

6.2                            the issue of the Option Shares will have to be decided by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, within the limits set forth by the Board of Directors’ decision referred to in paragraph 5 of the Schedule;

 

6.3                            this opinion is subject to any limitation arising from ad hoc mandate (mandat ad hoc), conciliation (conciliation), accelerated safeguard (sauvegarde accélérée), accelerated financial safeguard (sauvegarde financière accélérée), safeguard (sauvegarde), judicial reorganisation (redressement judiciaire), judicial liquidation (liquidation judiciaire) (including a provision that creditors’ proofs of debts denominated in foreign currencies would be converted into euros at the rate applicable on the date of the court decision instituting the accelerated safeguard (sauvegarde accélérée), the accelerated financial safeguard (sauvegarde financière accélérée), the safeguard (sauvegarde), the judicial reorganisation (redressement judiciaire) and the judicial liquidation (liquidation judiciaire) proceedings), insolvency, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights of creditors; and

 

6.4                            it should be noted that notice of any change affecting the status of the Company may not be filed immediately with the Registre du commerce et des sociétés and as a consequence may not immediately appear on the extrait K-bis. It should also be noted that the opening of ad hoc mandate (mandat ad hoc) or conciliation (conciliation) proceedings never appears on such document;

 

7                                      Reliance

 

7.1                            This opinion is addressed to you solely for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement. It is not to be transmitted to anyone else nor is it to be relied upon by anyone else or for any other purpose or quoted or referred to in any public document (other than the Registration Statement) or filed with anyone without our prior written express consent.

 

7.2                            We hereby consent to the filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-229907) (the “Registration Statement”) and to the reference to Linklaters LLP under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting a part of such Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

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Yours faithfully,

 

/s/ Bertrand Sénéchal

Linklaters LLP

 

4


 

SCHEDULE

 

1                                      A copy of the statuts of the Company as at December 27, 2018.

 

2                                      The Extrait K-bis relating to the Company, issued by the Registre du commerce et des sociétés of Lille Métropole dated March 10, 2019.

 

3                                      The certificat en matière de procédures collectives of the Company issued by the Registre du commerce et des sociétés of Lille Métropole dated March 10, 2019.

 

4                                      A copy of the resolutions of the Combined General Meeting of shareholders (Assemblée Générale Mixte des actionnaires) of the Company passed on June 15, 2018, authorising the issue of the Offered Securities by capital increase without preferential rights to existing shareholders.

 

5                                      A copy of the decision of the Board of Directors (Conseil d’Administration) of the Company passed on March 13, 2019 deciding on the launch of the Offering.

 

6                                      A copy of the Registration Statement.

 

7                                      A copy of the latest draft Underwriting Agreement.

 

8                                      A copy of the latest draft Depositary Agreement.

 

5




Exhibit 23.1

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” and to the use of our report dated February 8, 2019, in Amendment No.1 to the Registration Statement (Form F-1 No.333-229907) of Genfit S.A. dated February 27, 2019 for the registration of ordinary shares.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young et Autres

 

Paris, France

 

March 14, 2019