Unassociated Document
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
PROXY
STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(A) OF THE
SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Filed
by
the Registrant ý
Filed
by
a Party other than the Registrant ¨
Check
the
appropriate box:
¨ |
Preliminary
Proxy Statement
|
¨ |
Confidential,
For Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
|
ý |
Definitive
Proxy Statement
|
¨ |
Definitive
Additional Materials
|
¨ |
Soliciting
Materials Under Rule 14a-12
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ARBIOS
SYSTEMS, INC.
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(Name
of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
|
|
|
(Name
of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
|
Payment
of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
¨
|
Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
|
(1)Title
of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
(2)Aggregate
number of securities to which transaction applies:
(3)Per
unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to
Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
calculated and state how it was determined):
(4)Proposed
maximum aggregate value of transaction:
(5)Total
fee paid:
¨ |
Fee paid previously with preliminary
materials. |
¨
|
Check
box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee
was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration
statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its
filing.
|
(1)Amount
Previously Paid:
(2)Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
(3)Filing
Party:
(4)Date
Filed:
ARBIOS
SYSTEMS, INC.
8797
Beverly Boulevard, Suite 304
Los
Angeles, California 90048
June
21,
2006
Dear
Stockholder:
You
are
cordially invited to attend the 2006 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Arbios
Systems, Inc. The meeting will be held at The Westin Waltham-Boston Hotel,
located at 70 Third Avenue, Waltham, Massachusetts, beginning at 9:00 a.m.,
local time, on Monday, July 31, 2006.
The
Notice of Meeting and the Proxy Statement on the following pages cover the
formal business of the meeting, which includes two items to be voted on by
the
stockholders. At the Annual Meeting, management will report on our current
operations and will be available to respond to questions from
stockholders.
Whether
or not you plan to attend the meeting, it is important that your shares be
represented and voted at the meeting. You are urged, therefore, to complete,
sign, date and return the enclosed proxy card (or use telephone or internet
voting procedures, if offered by your broker), even if you plan to attend the
meeting.
I
hope
you will join us.
Sincerely,
/s/
Walter C. Ogier
Walter
C.
Ogier
Chief
Executive Officer
ARBIOS
SYSTEMS, INC.
8797
Beverly Boulevard, Suite 304
Los
Angeles, California 90048
INFORMATION
ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
to
be held on July 31, 2006
Notice
is
hereby given to the holders of common stock, $.001 par value per share, of
Arbios Systems, Inc. (“Arbios” or the “Company”) that the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders will be held on Monday, July 31, 2006 at The Westin Waltham-Boston
Hotel, located at 70 Third Avenue, Waltham, Massachusetts, beginning at 9:00
a.m., local time, for the following purposes:
|
(1)
|
To
elect seven directors to serve until the 2007 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders;
|
|
(2)
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To
ratify the appointment of Stonefield Josephson, Inc. as Arbios’
independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year
ending
December 31, 2006; and
|
|
(3)
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To
transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual
Meeting or any postponement or adjournment of the Annual Meeting.
|
Only
those stockholders of record at the close of business on June 16, 2006 are
entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting or at any postponement
or adjournment of the Annual Meeting. A complete list of stockholders entitled
to vote at the Annual Meeting will be available at the Annual Meeting.
By
Order
of the Board of Directors
June
21,
2006 /s/
Scott
L. Hayashi
Corporate
Secretary
WHETHER
OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING, PLEASE COMPLETE, SIGN, DATE,
AND
RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED BUSINESS REPLY ENVELOPE
(OR
USE TELEPHONE OR INTERNET VOTING PROCEDURES, IF AVAILABLE THROUGH YOUR BROKER).
IF YOU ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING YOU MAY, IF YOU WISH, REVOKE YOUR PROXY AND
VOTE IN PERSON.
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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INFORMATION
ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
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1
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PROPOSAL
I
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ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS
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3
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PROPOSAL
II
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RATIFICATION
OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
FIRM
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22
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STOCKHOLDER
PROPOSALS
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24
|
OTHER
MATTERS
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24
|
ARBIOS
SYSTEMS, INC.
8797
Beverly Boulevard, Suite 304
Los
Angeles, California 90048
Annual
Meeting of Stockholders to be Held on July 31, 2006
PROXY
STATEMENT
This
Proxy Statement is furnished to holders of the common stock of Arbios Systems,
Inc., a Delaware corporation, in connection with the solicitation of proxies
by
our Board of Directors for use at our 2006 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to
be
held at The Westin Waltham-Boston Hotel, located at 70 Third Avenue, Waltham,
Massachusetts, beginning at 9:00 a.m., local time, on Monday, July 31, 2006,
and
at any postponement or adjournment of the Annual Meeting.
This
Proxy Statement and the accompanying proxy card are first being mailed to our
stockholders on or about July 7, 2006.
What
is the purpose of the Annual Meeting?
At
the
Annual Meeting, stockholders will act upon the matters outlined in the attached
Notice of Meeting and described in detail in this Proxy Statement. They
are:
· The
election of seven directors; and
· The
ratification of our appointment of independent registered public
accountants.
In
addition, management will report on our performance during fiscal 2005 and
respond to questions from stockholders.
Who
is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting?
Only
stockholders of record at the close of business on June 16, 2006 will be
entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and at any adjournment
or postponement of the Annual Meeting.
What
are the voting rights of the holders of our common stock?
Holders
of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share with respect to each
of
the matters to be presented at the Annual Meeting. The affirmative vote of
a
majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting, provided a quorum is present,
will be required for approval of the proposal to ratify the appointment of
our
independent registered public accounting firm. With regard to the election
of
directors, the seven nominees receiving the greatest number of votes cast
at the Annual Meeting will be elected.
Abstentions
will be counted in the tabulation of votes cast on matters properly presented
to
the stockholders (except the election of directors) and will have the same
effect as negative votes. So-called broker non-votes will not be counted as
votes cast and, therefore, will have no effect on the outcome of the matters
presented at the Annual Meeting.
What
constitutes a quorum?
Our
Bylaws provide that the presence, in person or by proxy, at our Annual Meeting
of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock
will
constitute a quorum.
For
the
purpose of determining the presence of a quorum, proxies marked “withhold
authority” or “abstain” will be counted as present. Shares represented by
proxies that include broker non-votes also will be counted as shares present
for
purposes of establishing a quorum. On the record date of June 16, 2006, there
were 17,460,181 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding, and those
shares are the only shares that are entitled to be voted at the Annual
Meeting.
What
are the Board’s recommendations?
Unless
you give other instructions on your proxy card, the persons named as proxy
holders on the proxy card will vote in accordance with the recommendations
of
our Board of Directors. The recommendations of our Board of Directors are set
forth together with the description of each proposal in this Proxy Statement.
In
summary, our Board of Directors recommends a vote:
· “FOR”
election of the directors named in this Proxy Statement (see Proposal I);
and
· “FOR”
ratification of our appointment of Stonefield Josephson, Inc. as our independent
registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2006 (see
Proposal II).
Proxies
If
the
enclosed proxy card is executed, returned in time and not revoked, the shares
represented by the proxy card will be voted at the Annual Meeting and at any
postponement or adjournment of the Annual Meeting in accordance with the
directions indicated on the proxy card. IF NO DIRECTIONS ARE INDICATED, PROXIES
WILL BE VOTED “FOR” ALL PROPOSALS DESCRIBED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT AND, AS TO
ANY OTHER MATTERS PROPERLY BROUGHT BEFORE THE ANNUAL MEETING OR ANY POSTPONEMENT
OR ADJOURNMENT OF THE ANNUAL MEETING, IN THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE PROXY
HOLDERS.
A
stockholder who returns a proxy card may revoke it at any time prior to its
exercise at the Annual Meeting by any of the following means: giving written
notice of revocation to our Corporate Secretary; properly submitting to us
a
duly executed proxy bearing a later date; or appearing at the Annual Meeting
and
voting in person. All written notices of revocation of proxies should be
addressed to: Arbios Systems, Inc., 8797 Beverly Boulevard, Suite 304, Los
Angeles, California 90048, Attention: Corporate Secretary.
PROPOSAL
I
ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS
Our
Board
of Directors currently consists of eleven members, consisting of Walter C.
Ogier, Dennis Kogod, Thomas C. Seoh, Jack E. Stover, Thomas M. Tully, John
M.
Vierling, M.D., Richard W. Bank, M.D., Amy Factor, Roy Eddleman, Marvin S.
Hausman, M.D. and Jacek Rozga, M.D., Ph.D. Pursuant
to our Bylaws, our Board of Directors has fixed the number of our directors
to
be seven subsequent to the Annual Meeting. Each director is elected for a term
of one year and until his or her successor is elected. On June 10, 2006, our
Board of Directors voted to nominate Walter C. Ogier, Dennis Kogod, Thomas
C.
Seoh, Jack E. Stover, Thomas M. Tully, John M. Vierling, M.D., and Achilles
A.
Demetriou, M.D., Ph.D. for election at the Annual Meeting, and until his
successor has been elected and qualified.
The
following is information concerning our current directors, as well as Dr.
Demetriou. We believe that each nominee will be able to serve as a director.
In
the event that a nominee is unable to serve, the proxy holders will vote the
proxies for such other nominee as they may determine.
A
majority of our directors are "independent directors" as defined by the listing
standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market, and the Board of Directors has determined
that our independent directors have no relationship with the Company that would
interfere with the exercise of their independent judgment in carrying out the
responsibilities of a director. The independent director nominees are Messrs.
Kogod, Seoh, Stover and Tully and Dr. Vierling.
Nominees
Walter
C. Ogier,
age
49, was
appointed President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of Arbios in
November 2005 and has two decades of experience in the healthcare and
biotechnology industries. Prior to joining Arbios, Mr. Ogier was President
and
Chief Executive Officer of Genetix Pharmaceuticals Inc., which is active in
gene
therapy and functional genomics and was affiliated with Johnson & Johnson,
from December 2001 until November 2005. Prior to that, Mr. Ogier was President
and Chief Executive Officer of Eligix, Inc., a Harvard University-affiliated
company engaged in monoclonal antibody-based therapies for stem cell
transplantation and immune therapy, from October 1997 through November 2001.
Mr.
Ogier was also previously Vice President of Marketing for Aastrom Biosciences
and held various positions within Baxter Healthcare Corporation and its Fenwal
and Immunotherapy divisions and with SRI International (formerly Stanford
Research Institute).
Dennis
Kogod,
age
46, has
served as a director since May 2005. Mr. Kogod is Division President, Western
Group for Davita, Inc., a leading provider of dialysis services for patients
suffering from chronic kidney failure. Mr. Kogod joined Davita when that company
acquired Gambro Healthcare in October 2005. Prior to the acquisition, Mr. Kogod
was President and Chief Operating Officer of the West Division of Gambro
Healthcare USA, which he joined in July 2000. Before that, Mr. Kogod spent
13
years with Teleflex Corporation, a NYSE-traded company. While there, he served
as Division President of the Teleflex Medical Group from December 1999 to July
2000.
Thomas
C. Seoh,
age
48, has
served as a director since March 2005. Since February 2006, Mr. Seoh has served
as Chief Executive Officer of Faust Pharmaceuticals S.A., a clinical stage
product company focused on nervous system therapeutics. From 2005 to 2006,
Mr. Seoh was Managing Director of Beyond Complexity Ventures, LLC, engaged
in life science start-up and business development consulting activities. From
1995 to 2005, Mr. Seoh was Senior Vice President, Corporate and Commercial
Development, and previously Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary,
with
NASDAQ-listed Guilford Pharmaceuticals Inc., engaged in research, development
and commercialization of CNS, oncology and cardiovascular products.
Previous positions included Vice President and Associate General Counsel of
ICN
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., General Counsel and Secretary of Consolidated Press
U.S.,
Inc. and corporate attorney in the New York City and London offices of Lord
Day
& Lord, Barrett Smith.
Jack
E. Stover,
age 53,
has served as a director since November 2004. Mr. Stover is also a director
of
PDI, Inc. and Antares Pharma, Inc. Mr. Stover was elected the President and
Chief Operating Officer of Antares Pharma, Inc., (a public specialty
pharmaceutical company) in July 2004. In September 2004, he was named President,
CEO and was appointed as a director of that company. Prior thereto, for
approximately two years Mr. Stover was Executive Vice President, Chief Financial
Officer and Treasurer of SICOR, Inc., a Nasdaq traded injectable pharmaceutical
company that was acquired by Teva Pharmaceutical Inc. Prior to that, Mr. Stover
was Executive Vice President and Director for Gynetics, Inc., a proprietary
women’s drug company, and the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer,
Chief Information Officer and Director for B. Braun Medical, Inc., a private
global medical device and pharmaceutical company. For over 16 years, Mr. Stover
was an employee and then a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers, working in
their
bioscience industry division, and is also a certified public accountant.
Thomas
M. Tully,
age
60, has
served as a director since May 2005. Since January 2006, Mr. Tully has served
as
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IDev Technologies, a medical device
company focused on the development and marketing of innovative minimally
invasive devices for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. From August
2000 until April 2005, Mr. Tully was the President and Chief Executive Officer
of Neothermia Corporation, a medical device company. Prior thereto, from June
1995 to April 2000, Mr. Tully was the President and Chief Executive Officer
of
Nitinol Medical Technologies, Inc., a medical device company. Mr. Tully was
the
President of Organogenesis Inc., from 1991 to 1994, and the President of
Schnieder (USA) Inc. from 1988 to 1991. From 1980 through 1988 he held various
positions with Johnson & Johnson, including President, Johnson & Johnson
Interventional Systems and Vice President Marketing and Sales at the Johnson
& Johnson Cardiovascular division.
John
M. Vierling, M.D., FACP,
age 60,
has served as a director since February 2002. In April 2005, Dr. Vierling
assumed the position of Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Director of Baylor
Liver Health and Chief of Hepatology at the Baylor College of Medicine and
Director, Advanced Liver Therapies at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in Houston,
Texas. Dr. Vierling had been a Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School
of Medicine at UCLA from 1996 to 2005 and was the Director of Hepatology and
Medical Director of Multi-Organ Transplantation Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical
Center from 1990 until 2004. Dr. Vierling is also currently the President of
the
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Dr. Vierling was the
Chairman of the Board of the American Liver Foundation from 1994 to 2000, and
the President of the Southern California Society for Gastroenterology from
1994
to 1995. Dr. Vierling has also been a member of numerous National
Institutes of Health study sections and advisory committees, including the
NIDDK
Liver Tissue Procurement and Distribution Program. He is currently
Chairman of the Data Safety Monitoring Board for the National Institute of
Health, NIDDK ViraHep C Multicenter Trial. Dr. Vierling’s research
has focused on the immunological mechanisms of liver injury caused by hepatitis
B and C viruses and autoimmune and alloimmune diseases.
Achilles
A. Demetriou, M.D., Ph.D.,
60, has
been the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of the University
Hospitals Health System in Cleveland, Ohio since October 2005. From October
1995
until October 2005, Dr. Demetriou served as Chairman of the Department of
Surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California and was a
Professor of Surgery and Vice-Chair of the Department of Surgery at the David
Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He received his M.D. from the Hebrew
University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel and his Ph.D. in
biochemistry from the George Washington University, Washington, D.C. He is
recognized as a pioneer of hepatocyte-based liver support system development,
work he initiated in the 1970’s at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda,
Maryland. Dr. Demetriou is an inventor and developer of Arbios’
HepatAssistTM
bioartificial liver.
Other
Directors
Richard
W. Bank, M.D.,
age
72, Dr.
Bank
has served as a director since January 2006 and was previously a director from
December 2003 to January 2005. Dr. Bank has served as President and Managing
Director of First-Tier Biotechnology Partners since February of 1995. From
February 1995 through April 1996, Dr. Bank served as President and Secretary
of
Biomedical Sciences, Incorporated. He has also served as President and Secretary
of BioVest Health Sciences, Incorporated since its organization in April 1996.
Dr. Bank was Senior Research Analyst Director/Biotechnology SBC Warburg Dillon
Read from 1998 to 1999. He was also Entrepreneur-In- Residence in Life Sciences
for Tucker Anthony Sutro for 2000 through 2001. Dr. Bank was Senior Portfolio
Manager, Managing Director and Senior Vice President of LibertyView Capital
Management-a Lehman Brothers company from July 1, 2004 to March 31, 2006 and
is
currently the President of BioVest Advisors.
Amy
Factor, age
48,
was appointed as a director of Arbios in March 2005, and she was the interim
Chief Executive Officer of Arbios from April 2005 until November 2005. Prior
to
her term as the Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Factor provided the Company with
strategic and financial consulting services from November 2003 until March
2005.
Since 1999, Ms. Factor has been President of AFO Advisors, LLC and the President
of AFO Capital Advisors, LLC since 1996. Ms. Factor began her career with the
public accounting firm KPMG and has been involved in the biotechnology industry
since 1988 serving as the chief financial officer of a publicly traded
biotechnology company.
Roy
Eddleman,
age 66,
has served as a director since March 2002. Mr. Eddleman has been the
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Spectrum Laboratories,
Inc.
since July 1982. Spectrum Laboratories, Inc. is a company in the business of
developing and commercializing proprietary tubular membranes and membrane
devices for existing and emerging life sciences applications. Mr. Eddleman
also
has been the founder and/or principal and director of each of (i) Spectrum
Separations, Inc., now a part of UOP/Hitachi, (ii) ICM, Inc., now a part of
Perstorf/Perbio, (iii) Facilichem, Inc., a joint venture with SRI International,
(iv) Nuclepore, Inc., now a part of Corning and Whatman, and (v) Inneraction
Chemical, Inc., now a part of Merck Darmstadt. He is the founder and a
benefactor of the Roy Eddleman Research Museum of Chemistry and the Chemical
Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia.
Marvin S.
Hausman, M.D.,
age 64,
has served as a director since February 2003. From January 1997 until March
2005, Dr. Hausman was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Axonyx,
Inc., a public company engaged in the business of acquiring and developing
novel
post-discovery central nervous system drug candidates, primarily in areas of
memory and cognition. Dr. Hausman stepped down as the Chairman of the Board
of
Directors of Axonyx, Inc. in June 2005. Dr. Hausman has 30 years of drug
development and clinical care experience at various pharmaceutical companies,
including working in conjunction with Bristol-Meyers International, Mead-Johnson
Pharmaceutical Co., and E.R. Squibb. He was a co-founder of Medco Research
Inc.,
a NYSE-traded biopharmaceutical company which was acquired by King
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Hausman has been the President of Northwest
Medical Research Partners, Inc. since 1995 and previously served as a member
of
the Board of Directors of Regent Assisted Living, Inc. from 1996 through
2001.
Jacek
Rozga, M.D., Ph.D.,
age 56,
is a co-founder of Arbios and has been a director and Chief Scientific Officer
of Arbios since its organization in August 2000. Dr. Rozga served as President
of Arbios from August 2000 until November 2005. From October 2003 until March
2005, Dr. Rozga also acted as our Chief Financial Officer. Dr. Rozga is has
been
a director of Optical Imaging Systems, Inc., a publicly held Nevada corporation
since February 2005 and Chairman of OncoTx, Inc., a private California
corporation since October 2005. Since 1992, Dr. Rozga has been a professor
of
Surgery at UCLA School of Medicine. Dr. Rozga was previously a research
scientist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center from 1992 to 2005.
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE NOMINEES FOR ELECTION AS
DIRECTORS.
Meetings
of the Board of Directors and Committees
Board
of Directors
The
property, affairs and business of Arbios are conducted under the supervision
and
management of our Board of Directors as called for under the corporation law
of
Delaware, and our Bylaws. Our Board of Directors has established a standing
Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee, and has determined that each member of these Committees is
“independent” under the independence standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market’s
Marketplace Rules and the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. Our Board
of Directors also has determined that Mr. Stover, one of the independent
directors serving on our Audit Committee, is an “audit committee financial
expert” within the meaning of SEC rules.
The
Board
of Directors held twelve meetings during the 2005 fiscal year. During the term
for which the director served on the Board, each director attended at least
75%
of the aggregate of the total meetings of the Board and the total number of
meetings of all Board committees on which he or she served.
The
following table provides information concerning the current membership of our
Board committees:
Name
|
Audit
Committee
|
Compensation
Committee
|
Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee
|
Walter
C. Ogier
|
|
|
|
Dennis
Kogod
|
|
X
|
X
|
Thomas
C. Seoh
|
X
|
|
X(1)
|
Jack
E. Stover
|
X(2)
|
|
|
Thomas
M. Tully
|
X
|
X(3)
|
X
|
John
M. Vierling, M.D., FACP
|
|
X
|
|
Richard
W. Bank, M.D.
|
|
|
|
Amy
Factor
|
|
|
|
Roy
Eddleman
|
|
|
|
Marvin S.
Hausman, M.D.
|
|
|
|
Jacek
Rozga, M.D., Ph.D
|
|
|
|
__________________
(1)
|
Thomas
C. Seoh is the Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee.
|
(2)
|
Jack
E. Stover is the Chairman of the Audit
Committee.
|
(3)
|
Thomas
M. Tully is the Chairman of the Compensation Committee.
|
Audit
Committee
The
Audit
Committee assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight
responsibilities relating to:
· The
quality and integrity of our financial statements and reports.
· Our
independent registered public accounting firm's qualifications and
independence.
· Our
compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
The
Audit
Committee reviews our financial structure, policies and procedures, appoints
our
independent registered public accountants, reviews with the independent
registered public accountants the plans and results of the audit engagement,
approves permitted non-audit services provided by our independent registered
public accountants and reviews the independence of the accountants and the
adequacy of our internal control over financial reporting. The Audit Committee
or an authorized independent body of the Board is authorized to review and
approve related-party transactions for potential conflicts of interest. The
Audit Committee’s responsibilities also include oversight activities described
below under the “Report of the Audit Committee.”
The
Audit
Committee was established in February 2004 and held nine meetings during the
2005 fiscal year.
Compensation
Committee
The
Compensation Committee is authorized to review and make recommendations to
the
full Board of Directors relating to the annual salaries and bonuses of our
officers and to make recommendations to the Board regarding grants of stock
options, the exercise price of each option and the number of shares to be
issuable upon the exercise of each option under our stock option plans.
The
Compensation Committee was established in November 2004 and held six meetings
during the 2005 fiscal year.
Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee assists the Board of Directors
in
identifying qualified candidates for election as directors, selecting director
nominees for election at our annual stockholders meetings, selecting candidates
to fill vacancies on our Board of Directors and developing criteria to be used
in making such recommendations.
A
Copy of
the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s Charter was attached to the
Proxy Statement for our 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee was formed in November 2004 in
compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The Nominating
and
Corporate Governance Committee nominated the current slate of directors for
the
Annual Meeting.
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has not established any specific
minimum qualifications for director candidates or any specific qualities or
skills that a candidate must possess in order to be considered qualified to
be
nominated as a director. However, the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee evaluates potential director candidates based on various factors,
including but not limited to: background and experience relevant to the
Company’s operations, including hepatology and/or medicine in general, clinical,
regulatory, product and business development, commercialization of relevant
products, senior management and/or board of directors experience in life science
companies, and relevant financial and legal public company experience;
independence; committee needs; availability; compatibility; and views of
management and major stockholders. Qualifications for consideration as a
director nominee may vary according to the particular areas of expertise being
sought as a complement to the existing board composition. In making its
nominations, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee generally will
consider, among other things, an individual’s business experience, industry
experience, financial background, breadth of knowledge about issues affecting
our company, time available for meetings and consultation regarding company
matters and other particular skills and experience possessed by the
individual.
Stockholder
Recommendations and Nominations of Director Candidates
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider Board nominees
recommended by stockholders. In order for a stockholder to nominate a candidate
for director, timely notice of the nomination must be given in writing to the
Corporate Secretary of the Company. To be timely, the notice must be received
at
the principal executive officers of the Company as set forth under “Stockholder
Proposals” below. Notice of a nomination must include your name, address and
number of shares you own; the name, age, business address, residence address
and
principal occupation of the nominee; and the number of shares beneficially
owned
by the nominee. It must also include the information that would be required
to
be disclosed in the solicitation of proxies for election of directors under
the
federal securities laws, as well as whether the individual can understand basic
financial statements and the candidate’s other board memberships (if any). You
must submit the nominee’s consent to be elected and to serve. The Board of
Directors may require any nominee to furnish any other information that may
be
needed to determine the eligibility and qualifications of the nominee. Any
recommendations in proper form received from stockholders will be evaluated
in
the same manner as recommendations received from our Board members or
management.
Stockholder
Communication with Board Members
Stockholders
who wish to communicate with our Board members may do so by writing to us at
our
principal executive office at 8797 Beverly Boulevard, Suite 304, Los Angeles,
California 90048. Written communications specifically marked as a communication
for our Board of Directors, or a particular director, except those that are
clearly marketing or soliciting materials, will be forwarded unopened to the
Chairman of our Board, or to the particular director to whom they are addressed,
or will be delivered unopened to the full Board or the particular director
at
the next regularly scheduled Board meeting.
Board
Members’ Attendance at Annual Meetings
The
Board
has adopted a policy requiring that each member of the Board make every effort
to attend the annual meetings of stockholders. Seven of our directors attended
our 2005 Annual Meeting.
Compensation
of Directors
Stock
Option Compensation
On
March
24, 2005, the Board of Directors approved a plan for compensating our directors.
On May 16, 2005, the Board amended the plan for the 2005 fiscal year and later
renewed the plan on January 11, 2006 for fiscal year 2006. The plan consists
of
the following:
Non-employee
directors will receive annual grants of stock options to purchase 15,000 shares
of the Company’s common stock. The options will be granted on January 1 of each
year. The options will have a term of seven years and will have an exercise
price equal to the market price on the trading day preceding the grant date.
The
options will vest in equal monthly installments over the 12-month period
following the grant date.
Upon
election to the Board of Directors, each new director will be granted a stock
option to purchase 30,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. The option will
have a term of seven years and will have an exercise price equal to the market
price on the trading day preceding the date of grant. One half of the options
will vest on the date of grant, and the balance will vest on the first
anniversary of the grant date.
On
January 1 of each year, committee members will receive an annual grant of a
stock option to purchase 5,000 shares of common stock for each committee for
which they are a member. The option will have a term of seven years and will
have an exercise price equal to the market price on the trading day preceding
the grant date. The option will vest in equal monthly installments over the
12-month period following the grant date.
During
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005, each of our directors was granted
an annual grant of stock options to purchase 15,000 shares of common stock
at an
exercise price of $2.48 per share. All director options are granted at the
market price on the date of grant and have a term of seven years and vest on
a
monthly basis from the date of grant.
Cash
Compensation
Effective
March 24, 2005, all non-employee directors receive a cash payment of $1,500
for
each day they attend a Board of Directors meeting in person ($1,000 if they
attend a meeting by telephone), and $500 for each telephonic Board meeting
($1,000 for each telephonic meeting if the meeting lasts longer than two hours).
In addition, the Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Audit Committee
are
each paid $25,000 annually (payable quarterly), and the Chairman of the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Chairman of the
Compensation Committee are each paid $10,000 annually (payable quarterly).
On
June 10, 2006, the Board adopted a policy that as of June 30, 2006, all
directors shall receive compensation for their performance of duties as
directors in the form of common stock or options to purchase common stock,
and
no cash compensation shall be paid for the performance of director duties.
We
reimburse all directors for any expenses incurred by them in attending meetings
of the Board of Directors.
Section 16(a)
Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires our directors and executive
officers, and persons who own more than ten percent of the outstanding shares
of
our common stock (collectively, “Reporting Persons”) to file reports of
ownership of our common stock and changes in ownership with the SEC. Reporting
Persons are required by SEC regulations to furnish us with copies of all
Section 16(a) forms that they file.
Our
records reflect that all reports which were required to be filed pursuant to
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act were filed on a timely basis, except that
8
reports, covering an aggregate of 21 transactions, were filed late by Roy
Eddleman, Marvin Hausman, M.D., Dennis Kogod, Jacek Rozga M.D., Ph.D., Thomas
Seoh, Jack Stover, Thomas Tully and John Vierling, M.D.
An
Annual
Statement of Beneficial Ownership on Form 5 is not required to be filed if
there
are no previously unreported transactions or holdings to report. Nevertheless,
we are required to disclose the names of directors, officers and 10%
stockholders who did not file a Form 5 unless we have obtained a written
statement that no filing is required. We have received a written statement
from
each of our directors, officers and 10% stockholders stating that no filing
is
required.
Beneficial
Owners of More Than Five Percent of Our Common Stock; Shares Held by Directors
and Executive Officers
The
following table sets forth certain information regarding beneficial ownership
of
our common stock as of May 22, 2006 (a) by each person known by us to own
beneficially 5% or more of any class of our common stock, (b) by each of our
Named Executive Officers and our directors and (c) by all executive officers
and
directors of this company as a group. As of May 22, 2006 there were
17,460,181 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding. Unless otherwise
noted, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and
investment power with respect to all the shares beneficially owned by them.
Except as otherwise indicated, the address of each stockholder is c/o the
Company at 8797 Beverly Blvd., Suite 304, Los Angeles, California,
90048.
Name
and Address of Beneficial Owner
|
|
|
Shares
Beneficially
Owned(1
|
)
|
|
Percentage
of
Class
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jacek
Rozga, M.D., Ph.D.
|
|
|
2,323,000(2
|
)
|
|
13.2
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Achilles
A. Demetriou, M.D., Ph.D
and
Kristin P. Demetriou
|
|
|
2,500,000(3
|
)
|
|
14.3
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John
M. Vierling, M.D.
|
|
|
156,000(4
|
)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Walter
C. Ogier
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Roy
Eddleman
|
|
|
451,169(5
|
)
|
|
2.6
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marvin
S. Hausman, M.D.
|
|
|
676,583(6
|
)
|
|
3.8
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jack
E. Stover
|
|
|
70,000(7
|
)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amy
Factor
|
|
|
927,500(8
|
)
|
|
5.1
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas
C. Seoh
|
|
|
67,500(7
|
)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dennis
Kogod
|
|
|
57,500(7
|
)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas
Tully
|
|
|
67,500(7
|
)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
W. Bank, M.D.
|
|
|
200,000(9
|
)
|
|
1.1
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scott
L. Hayashi
|
|
|
32,000(7
|
)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David
J. Zeffren
|
|
|
72,000(10
|
)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shawn
P. Cain
|
|
|
18,750(7
|
)
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gary
Ballen
140
Burlingame,
Los
Angeles, California 90049
|
|
|
1,139,222(11
|
)
|
|
6.3
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LibertyView
Funds, LP
111
River Street - Suite 1000
Hoboken,
NJ 07030-5776
|
|
|
1,578,892(12
|
)
|
|
8.8
|
%
|
LibertyView
Special Opportunities Fund, LP
111
River Street -- Suite 1000
Hoboken,
NJ 07030-5776
|
|
|
2,382,444(13
|
)
|
|
13.1
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Neuberger
Berman LLC
111
River Street - Suite 1000
Hoboken,
NJ 07030-5776
|
|
|
4,484,388(14
|
)
|
|
23.9
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All
executive officers and directors as a group (14 persons)
|
|
|
5,127,002(15
|
)
|
|
26.4
|
%
|
* Less
than 1%.
(1)
|
Beneficial
ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the Securities
and
Exchange Commission and generally includes voting or investment power
with
respect to securities. Shares of common stock subject to options,
warrants
and convertible securities currently exercisable or convertible,
or
exercisable or convertible within 60 days, are deemed outstanding,
including for purposes of computing the percentage ownership of the
person
holding such option, warrant or convertible security, but not for
purposes
of computing the percentage of any other holder.
|
|
|
(2)
|
Includes
currently exercisable options to purchase 78,000 shares of common
stock.
|
|
|
(3)
|
Consists
of 2,500,000 shares owned by the A & K Demetriou Family Trust, of
which Achilles A. Demetriou, M.D., Ph.D. and Kristin P. Demetriou
each are
co-trustees with the right to vote or dispose of the trust’s
shares.
|
|
|
(4)
|
Consists
of currently exercisable options to purchase 156,000 shares of common
stock.
|
|
|
(5)
|
Consists
of currently exercisable options to purchase 88,500 shares of common
stock
and 362,669 shares of common stock owned by Spectrum Laboratories,
Inc.
Mr. Eddleman is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
of
Spectrum Laboratories, Inc.
|
|
|
(6)
|
Consists
of (i) currently exercisable options to purchase 145,083 shares of
common
stock, (ii) currently exercisable warrants to purchase 187,500 shares
of
common stock, (iii) 100,000 shares owned by the Marvin Hausman Revocable
Trust, and (iv) 244,000 shares owned by Northwest Medical Research,
Inc.
Dr. Hausman is the trustee of the Marvin Hausman Revocable Trust
and the
Chief Executive Officer and principal stockholder of Northwest Medical
Research, Inc.
|
|
|
(7)
|
Consists
of currently exercisable options.
|
|
|
(8)
|
Consists
of (i) currently exercisable options to purchase 512,500 shares of
common
stock, (ii) warrants to purchase 200,000 shares exercisable by AFO
Advisors, LLC, (iii) warrants to purchase 100,000 shares exercisable
by
AFO Capital Advisors, LLC, (iv) 5,000 shares owned by the Jay H.
Oyer and
Amy Factor Foundation, (v) 5,000 shares owned by the Melissa H. Oyer
Trust, (vi) 5,000 shares owned by the Zachary D. Oyer Trust, and
(vii)
100,000 shares owned by AFO Capital Advisors, LLC. Amy Factor is
the owner
and President of AFO Capital Advisors, LLC and AFO Advisors, LLC.
She is
also the trustee of The Jay H. Oyer and Amy Factor Family Foundation,
The
Melissa H. Oyer Trust, and The Zachary D. Oyer Trust and has voting
and
investment control of the securities of these
entities.
|
|
|
(9)
|
Consists
of (i) currently exercisable options to purchase 120,000 shares of
common
stock, (ii) a warrant to purchase 40,000 shares of common stock
exercisable by Richard W. Bank, M.D. and (iii) 40,000 shares of common
stock owned by Richard W. Bank. M.D.
|
|
|
(10)
|
Consists
of (i) 25,000 shares owned by Mira Zeffren, David Zeffren’s wife, (ii)
warrants to purchase 25,000 shares registered in the name of Mira
Zeffren,
and (iii) currently exercisable options held by David Zeffren for
the
purchase of 22,000 shares of common stock.
|
|
|
(11)
|
Consists
of (i) 417,000 shares of common stock registered in Mr. Ballen’s name,
(ii) currently exercisable warrants to purchase 600,000 shares of
common
stock owned by Mr. Ballen, and (iii) 122,222 shares registered in
the name
of American Charter & Marketing LLC, over which Mr. Ballen has voting
and investment control.
|
|
|
(12)
|
Consists
of (i) 1,100,619 shares of common stock and (ii) currently exercisable
warrants to purchase 478,273 shares of common stock. LibertyView
Funds,
LP, LibertyView Special Opportunities Fund, LP and Trust D for a
Portion
of the Assets of the Kodak Retirement Income Plan have a common investment
advisor, Neuberger Berman, LLC, that has voting and dispositive power
over
the shares held by them, which is exercised by Richard A. Meckler.
Since
they have hired a common investment advisor, these entities are likely
to
vote together. Additionally, there may be common investors within
the
different accounts managed by the same investment advisor. The General
Partner of LibertyView Special Opportunities Fund, LP and LibertyView
Funds, LP is Neuberger Berman Asset Management, LLC, which is affiliated
with Neuberger Berman, LLC, a registered broker-dealer. LibertyView
Capital Management, a division of Neuberger Berman, LLC, is affiliated
with the General Partner of the LibertyView Health Sciences Fund,
LP. The
shares were purchased for investment in the ordinary course of business
and at the time of purchase, there were no agreements or understandings,
directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the shares.
Trust D
for a Portion of the Assets of the Kodak Retirement Income Plan is
not in
any way affiliated with a broker-dealer.
|
|
|
(13)
|
Consists
of (i) 1,724,169 shares of common stock and (ii) currently exercisable
warrants to purchase 658,275 shares of common stock. LibertyView
Special
Opportunities Fund, LP, LibertyView Funds, LP and Trust D for a Portion
of
the Assets of the Kodak Retirement Income Plan have a common investment
advisor, Neuberger Berman, LLC, that has voting and dispositive power
over
the shares held by them, which is exercised by Richard A. Meckler.
Since
they have hired a common investment advisor, these entities are likely
to
vote together. Additionally, there may be common investors within
the
different accounts managed by the same investment advisor. The General
Partner of LibertyView Special Opportunities Fund, LP and LibertyView
Funds, LP is Neuberger Berman Asset Management, LLC, which is affiliated
with Neuberger Berman, LLC, a registered broker-dealer. LibertyView
Capital Management, a division of Neuberger Berman, LLC, is affiliated
with the General Partner of the LibertyView Health Sciences Fund,
LP. The
shares were purchased for investment in the ordinary course of business
and at the time of purchase, there were no agreements or understandings,
directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the shares.
Trust D
for a Portion of the Assets of the Kodak Retirement Income Plan is
not in
any way affiliated with a
broker-dealer.
|
|
|
(14)
|
Includes
shares of common stock and currently exercisable warrants to purchase
shares of common stock held by Liberty Funds, LP and LibertyView
Special
Opportunities Fund, LP (see footnotes 12 and 13). Also includes (i)
386,689 shares of common stock held by Trust D for a Portion of the
Assets
of the Kodak Retirement Income Fund and (ii) currently exercisable
warrants to purchase 136,363 shares of common stock held by Trust
D for a
Portion of the Assets of the Kodak Retirement Income Plan. LibertyView
Funds, LP, LibertyView Special Opportunities Fund, LP and Trust D
for a
Portion of the Assets of the Kodak Retirement Income Plan have a
common
investment advisor, Neuberger Berman, LLC, that has voting and dispositive
power over the shares held by them, which is exercised by Richard
A.
Meckler. Since they have hired a common investment advisor, these
entities
are likely to vote together. Additionally, there may be common investors
within the different accounts managed by the same investment advisor.
The
General Partner of LibertyView Special Opportunities Fund, LP and
LibertyView Funds, LP is Neuberger Berman Asset Management, LLC,
which is
affiliated with Neuberger Berman, LLC, a registered broker-dealer.
LibertyView Capital Management, a division of Neuberger Berman, LLC,
is
affiliated with the General Partner of the LibertyView Health Sciences
Fund, LP. The shares were purchased for investment in the ordinary
course
of business and at the time of purchase, there were no agreements
or
understandings, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute
the
shares. Trust D for a Portion of the Assets of the Kodak Retirement
Income
Plan is not in any way affiliated with a broker-dealer.
|
|
|
(15)
|
Includes
currently exercisable options and warrants to purchase 1,995,333
shares of
common stock.
|
Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions
On
December 26, 2001, Arbios entered into various agreements with Spectrum
Laboratories, Inc. Concurrently with these agreements, Spectrum Laboratories
also purchased 362,669 shares of our common stock. Mr. Eddleman, one of the
members of our Board of Directors, is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of Spectrum Laboratories. The three principal agreements entered into by Arbios
and Spectrum Laboratories in December 2001 are the following:
A. License
Agreement.
Spectrum
Laboratories granted to Arbios an exclusive, worldwide license to develop,
make,
use and distribute products based on two Spectrum Laboratories patents. Provided
that Arbios purchases the hollow fiber cartridges that it expects that it will
need for its products from Spectrum Laboratories, Arbios will not have to pay
a
royalty for the license. In the event that Spectrum Labs is not the manufacturer
of the hollow fiber cartridges, Arbios will have to pay Spectrum Laboratories
a
royalty for the license (see “Manufacturing and Supply Agreement” below).
Spectrum Laboratories also agreed to grant Arbios a right of first refusal
to
obtain a license to make, use, develop or distribute products based on Spectrum
Laboratories’ technology other than in liver assisted products, provided that
such other products are in the fields of artificial blood therapy and
bioprocessing and therapeutic devices.
B. Research
Agreement.
Arbios
and Spectrum Laboratories also entered into a four-year research agreement
pursuant to which Arbios and Spectrum Laboratories agreed to combine their
expertise and their respective technologies to enable Arbios to (i) develop
liver assist systems, (ii) conduct pre-clinical and Phase I-III clinical
testing, (iii) obtain regulatory approvals and (iv) commercialize such liver
assist systems. Under the terms of the agreement, Spectrum Laboratories agreed
to perform certain research toward the development of hollow fiber-in-fiber
modules for Arbios’ liver assist systems during product development,
pre-clinical and clinical testing at no cost to Arbios. Spectrum Laboratories
also agreed to pay for all costs and expenses in connection with the research
program and agreed to allocate a total of $550,000 to the program during the
research term. In October 2002, Arbios and Spectrum Laboratories agreed that
Spectrum Laboratories has now satisfied its research and development
obligations, that Arbios owed Spectrum Laboratories an additional $54,960 for
services provided by Spectrum Laboratories (which amount was paid in full in
2004), and that the 362,669 shares of Arbios common stock previously issued
to
Spectrum Laboratories are now fully vested. Spectrum Laboratories has agreed
to
perform additional research and development work as may be requested by Arbios
on such terms as the parties may agree to in good faith
negotiations.
C. Manufacturing
and Supply Agreement.
Arbios
and Spectrum Laboratories have also entered into an agreement pursuant to which
the parties have agreed that Spectrum Laboratories will manufacture for Arbios
the hollow fiber cartridges with fiber-in-fiber geometry for its LIVERAID™
device. The agreement provides that the price of the hollow fiber-in-fiber
cartridges to be sold by Spectrum Laboratories to Arbios will be determined
by
good faith negotiations between the parties. Arbios has agreed that it will
not
purchase cartridges with fiber-in-fiber geometry from any other manufacturer
unless Spectrum Laboratories is either unable or unwilling to manufacture the
cartridges. In the event that Spectrum Laboratories is unwilling to manufacture
the fiber-in-fiber cartridges for Arbios, Arbios shall have the right to have
a
third party manufacture the cartridges for it, in which case Arbios will pay
Spectrum Laboratories a royalty for the license granted to Arbios by Spectrum
Laboratories under the License Agreement. The royalty shall be equal to 3%
of
the net sales (total sales less taxes, returns, transportation, insurance,
and
handling charges) attributed solely to the fiber-in-fiber
cartridges.
Agreement
with Marvin Hausman, M.D.
On
October 17, 2005, we entered into a consulting agreement with Marvin S. Hausman,
M.D. Dr. Hausman is a member of our Board of Directors. Under the
consulting agreement, Dr. Hausman agreed to provide us with consulting services
in support of our SEPET clinical trial program. We agreed to pay Dr. Hausman
a
$10,000 monthly retainer for a period of three months for his consulting
services and granted a five-year non-qualified stock option to purchase 30,000
shares of our common stock under our 2005 Stock Incentive Plan, of which 25,000
shares were ultimately awarded to him based on certain terms of the consulting
agreement. The exercise price of the foregoing options is $1.80 per share and
vest on a monthly basis for a period of one year beginning January 1,
2006.
Agreement
with AFO Advisors, LLC
Pursuant
to a verbal arrangement with AFO Advisors, LLC, we engaged Amy Factor to provide
investor relations services to support our fundraising efforts as well as
provide strategic and financial advice. Ms. Factor is a member of our Board
of
Directors and is the President of AFO Advisors, LLC. Under the arrangement,
we
agreed to pay Ms. Factor a $7,500 monthly retainer for a period of three months
commencing January 1, 2006 to March 31, 2006 and granted a five year
non-qualified stock option to purchase 30,000 shares of our common stock under
our 2005 Plan. The exercise price of the foregoing options is $1.80 per share
and vest on a monthly basis during for a period of three months beginning
January 1, 2006. We
have
extended the arrangement to provide AFO Advisors, LLC with $7,500 per month
for
investor relations services until July 31, 2007 (subject to early termination
if
we determine that insufficient services have been provided to justify
continuation of the agreement). In lieu of the $7,500 per month, at our sole
discretion, we may determine to pay AFO Advisors, LLC $1,500 per day for each
day in which services are provided. See “Consulting Agreements with Directors”
below.
Warrant
to Adam Hausman
On
February 17, 2004, we issued 7,500 shares of common stock and a warrant to
purchase 7,500 shares of common stock to Adam Hausman, who is the son of Marvin
S. Hausman, M.D., a member of our Board of Directors, as compensation for
finder’s fees related to the October 2003 financing. The warrant has a
three-year life and is exercisable at $2.50 per share.
Consulting
Agreements with Directors
The
Board
of Directors has approved consulting arrangements with each of Richard W. Bank,
M.D., Roy Eddleman, and Marvin S. Hausman, M.D., who are our directors not
standing for re-election at the 2006 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. We have
entered into a similar arrangement with AFO Advisors, LLC, whose President
is
Amy Factor, one of our directors not standing for re-election. Under the
agreements, each of these entities will provide consulting services to the
Company. In return, we will pay Mr. Eddleman and Dr. Hausman $1,500 per day
for
each day in which services are provided. We will pay Dr. Bank and AFO Advisors,
LLC retainer fees of $3,000 and $7,500 per month, respectively (in lieu of
such
retainer fee, at our sole discretion, we may determine to pay Dr. Bank and/or
AFO Advisors, LLC $1,500 per day for each day in which services are provided).
The agreements are to last until July 31, 2007 (subject to early termination
if
we determine that insufficient services have been provided to justify
continuation of the agreements).
Executive
Officers
For
biographical information regarding two of our executive officers, Walter C.
Ogier and Jacek Rozga, M.D., Ph.D., see “Proposal I - Election of
Directors.” For information concerning our executive officers’ ownership of our
common stock, see “Beneficial Owners of More Than Five Percent of Our Common
Stock; Shares Held by Directors and Executive Officers” above. Following is
information regarding our other executive officers.
Scott
L. Hayashi,
age 34,
joined the company as its Chief Administrative Officer in February 2004, became
the Secretary of the Company in July 2004 and was appointed as the Vice
President of Administration in November 2004. In March 2005, Mr. Hayashi assumed
the role as our Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Arbios, Mr. Hayashi
was a Manager of Overseas Development for Cardinal Health, Inc. from July 2000
to April 2002, Mr. Hayashi worked in finance, mergers and acquisitions for
Northrop Grumman Corporation from March 1997 to July 2000 and Honeywell, Inc.
from July 1994 to December 1996.
David
J. Zeffren,
age 49,
was first employed by us as a consultant in February 2004, before being
appointed Vice President of Operations in November 2004, after which he became
Vice President of Product Development in March 2005. Prior to joining Arbios,
Mr. Zeffren had been the Chief Operating Officer of Skilled Health Systems,
L.C., a healthcare technology and clinical research organization from 1999
to
2004. Mr. Zeffren was also Chief Operating Officer of Physician Care Management
from 1996 to 1999. Mr. Zeffren was a Corporate Director, Business Development
& Division Manager at INFUSX, Inc., a subsidiary of Salick Health Care, Inc.
from 1993-1996. Mr. Zeffren has over 15 years of experience working in the
healthcare and medical device industries.
Shawn
P. Cain, age
39,
joined the company as its Vice President of Operations in April 2005 and was
previously employed by us as a part-time consultant from December 2003 to March
2005. From June 2003 to March 2005, Mr. Cain was employed at Becton Dickinson’s
Discovery Labware, Biologics Business, where he was responsible for the
operation of two manufacturing facilities that produced over 900 biologics
products. From January 1997 through May 2003, Mr. Cain was the Vice
President of Operations for Circe Biomedical, Inc., where he was instrumental
in
the early development of the bioartificial liver technology, including
development the company’s HepatAssist® product.
There
are
no family relationships between any of the executive officers, directors or
nominees to become directors.
Executive
Compensation
The
following table set forth certain information concerning the annual and
long-term compensation for services rendered to us in all capacities for the
fiscal years ended December 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003 of (i) all persons who
served as the Chief Executive Officer of this Company during the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2005 and (ii) each other person who was an executive officer
on December 31, 2005 and whose total annual salary and bonus during the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2005 exceeded $100,000. (The Chief Executive Officer
and
the other named officers are collectively referred to as the "Named Executive
Officers."). The
information set forth below includes all compensation paid to the Named
Executive Officers by Arbios Technologies, Inc. (“ATI”) before the October 2003
reorganization in which ATI became our wholly-owned subsidiary (the
“Reorganization”), and all compensation paid to such individual by both Arbios
and ATI (which was subsequently merged into Arbios in July 2005) since the
Reorganization.
Summary
Compensation Table
|
Annual
Compensation
|
Long-Term
Compensation Awards
|
|
Name
and Principal Position
|
Year
|
Salary
|
Bonus
|
Other
Annual
Compensation
|
Securities
Underlying
Options
|
All
other
Compensation(12)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Walter
C. Ogier,(1)
President
and Chief Executive Officer
|
2005
|
$46,057(2)
|
$50,000
|
|
500,000
|
|
Amy
Factor (3)
|
2005
|
$190,582
|
-
|
$137,750(4)
|
300,000
|
$1,125
|
Jacek
Rozga, M.D., Ph.D.,
Chief
Scientific Officer
|
2005
2004
2003
|
$199,177
$198,909
$143,125
|
$24,000
$20,000
$15,000
|
|
12,000
30,000
18,000(5)
|
$2,750
|
Scott
L. Hayashi,
Vice
President of Administration, Chief Financial Officer and
Secretary
|
2005
2004(6)
|
$102,291
$80,000
|
$9,450
$12,000
|
$8,000(7)
|
22,000
10,000
|
$1,969
|
David
J. Zeffren,
Vice
President of Product Development
|
2005
2004(8)
|
$114,346
$120,000
|
$5,400
|
|
12,000
10,000
|
$2,080
|
Shawn
P. Cain,(9)
Vice
President of Operations
|
2005
|
$110,000(10)
|
$12,000
|
$3,465(11)
|
30,000
|
$
3,000
|
_________________________
(1) Mr.
Ogier
was appointed our President and Chief Executive Officer in November
2005.
(2) Mr.
Ogier’s annualized salary for 2005 was $300,000.
(3) From
January 2005 to March 2005, Ms. Factor was employed by Arbios Systems, Inc.
as a
consultant and was subsequently appointed as the Chief Executive Officer from
April 2005 until November 2005.
(4) Represents
compensation paid to Ms. Factor for the period during which Ms. Factor was
a
consultant from January 2005 until March 2005.
(5) Represents
options granted to Jacek Rozga, M.D., Ph.D by ATI, which options were
assumed by this Company in the Reorganization.
(6) Mr.
Hayashi joined Arbios in February 2004.
(7) Represents
cash payments made to Mr. Hayashi for health and other benefits in
2004.
(8) Mr.
Zeffren joined Arbios Systems, Inc. in February 2004 as a consultant before
becoming an executive officer of this Company in November 2004. The compensation
shown includes amounts paid both as a consultant and as an officer of the
Company.
(9) Mr.
Cain
was employed by Arbios Systems, Inc. as a consultant from January 2005 to March
2005 and subsequently was appointed an executive officer in April 2005.
(10) Mr.
Cain’s annualized salary for 2005 was $160,000.
(11) Represents
compensation paid to Mr. Cain for the period during which Mr. Cain was a
consultant from January 2005 to March 2005.
(12)
Represents
Company matching contributions in the Arbios 401(k)
Plan.
Stock
Option Grants
The
following table contains information concerning grants of stock options during
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 by us to the Named Executive
Officers. We have not granted any stock appreciation rights.
Option
Grants in Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2005
|
|
|
|
Individual
Grants
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number
of
|
|
%
of Total Options
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Securities
Underlying
|
|
Granted
to Employees
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
|
Options
Granted
|
|
In
Fiscal Year
|
|
Exercise
or Base Price
|
|
Expiration
Date
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Walter
C. Ogier
|
|
|
500,000(1
|
)
|
|
57
|
%
|
$
|
1.85
|
|
|
November
8, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amy
Factor
|
|
|
97,000(2
|
)
|
|
34
|
%
|
$
|
1.65
|
|
|
April
1, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
103,000(2
|
)
|
|
|
|
$
|
1.65
|
|
|
April
1, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
25,000(2
|
)
|
|
|
|
$
|
1.85
|
|
|
November
8, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
75,000(2
|
)
|
|
|
|
$
|
2.90
|
|
|
March
1, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
200,000(3
|
)
|
|
|
|
$
|
2.90
|
|
|
February
1, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jacek
Rozga, M.D., Ph.D.
|
|
|
12,000(4
|
)
|
|
2
|
%
|
$
|
2.22
|
|
|
July
7, 2012
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scott
L. Hayashi
|
|
|
12,000(4
|
)
|
|
3
|
%
|
$
|
2.90
|
|
|
March
1, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
10,000(5
|
)
|
|
|
|
$
|
1.85
|
|
|
March
24, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David
J. Zeffren
|
|
|
12,000(4
|
)
|
|
1
|
%
|
$
|
2.90
|
|
|
March
1, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shawn
P. Cain
|
|
|
30,000(6
|
)
|
|
3
|
%
|
$
|
1.65
|
|
|
March
31, 2010
|
|
(1) One
half
of these options will vest on the one year anniversary of the date of grant,
and
the balance will monthly in monthly increments during the second year following
the date of grant.
(2) All
of
the options were vested upon Ms. Factor’s resignation from the Company per the
terms of her employment agreement.
(3) Represents
a warrant for 200,000 shares of common stock issued to Ms. Factor.
(4) The
options vest in monthly increments over the first twelve months following the
date of grant.
(5) One
half
of these options vest immediately on the date of grant, and the balance vests
on
the one year anniversary of the date of grant.
(6) The
options vest in monthly increments over the first twenty four months following
the date of grant.
Aggregated
Option Exercises in Last Fiscal Year
The
following table sets forth the number and value of unexercised options held
by
the Named Executive Officers as of December 31, 2005. There were no
exercises of options by the Named Executive Officers in fiscal year 2005.
Aggregated
Option Exercises in Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2005
and
FY-End Option Values
Name
|
|
Shares
Acquired
on
Exercise
|
|
Value
Realized
|
|
Number
of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options at Fiscal Year-End (#)
Exercisable/
Unexercisable
|
|
Value
of Unexercised In-the-Money Options at Fiscal Year- End (#)
Exercisable/
Unexercisable(1)
|
|
Walter
C. Ogier
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
0/500,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
Amy
Factor
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
475,000/0
|
|
$
|
170,000/0
|
|
Jacek
Rozga, M.D., Ph.D
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
71,000/7,000
|
|
$
|
44,100/0
|
|
Scott
Hayashi
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
27,000/5,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
David
J. Zeffren
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
20,000/2,000
|
|
|
-
|
|
Shawn
P. Cain
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
11,250/18,750
|
|
$
|
1,688/2,813
|
|
_________________________
(1)
|
Dollar
amounts reflect the net values of outstanding stock options computed
as
the difference between $1.80 (the last reported sale on December 30,
2005) and the exercise price of the options.
|
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
The
following table summarizes as of December 31, 2005, the number of securities
to
be issued upon the exercise of outstanding derivative securities (options,
warrants, and rights); the weighted-average exercise price of the outstanding
derivative securities; and the number of securities remaining available for
future issuance under our equity compensation plans.
Plan
Category
|
|
Number
of
securities
to
be
issued
upon
exercise
of
outstanding
options,
warrants,
and
rights
|
|
Weighted-
average
exercise
price
of
outstanding
options,
warrants
and
rights
|
|
Number
of
securities
remaining
available
for future
issuance
under
equity
compensation
plans
(excluding
securities
reflected
in
column (a))
|
|
|
|
(a)
|
|
(b)
|
|
(c)
|
|
Equity
compensation plans approved by security holders(1)
|
|
|
2,100,000
|
|
|
$1.62
|
|
|
1,900,000
|
|
Equity
compensation plans not approved by security holders
|
|
|
475,000(2)
|
|
|
$1.15
|
|
|
-0-
|
|
Total
|
|
|
2,575,000
|
|
$
|
1.54
|
|
|
1,900,000
|
|
(1) These
plans consist of our 2001 Stock Option Plan and 2005 Stock Incentive
Plan.
(2) Represents
warrants to purchase shares of our common stock issued to our
consultants.
Employment
Contracts and Termination of Employment, and Change-In-Control
Arrangements
We
entered into an agreement with David Zeffren, dated December 30, 2004, pursuant
to which Mr. Zeffren has served as Vice President of Operations. The agreement
provides for a salary of $120,000 per year that is subject to annual review
and
adjustment. The agreement provides that Mr. Zeffren’s employment is “at will”
and can be terminated at any time. Mr. Zeffren’s title and responsibilities were
changed in March 2005 to Vice President Product Development.
We
have
entered into an agreement with Scott Hayashi, dated March 29, 2005, pursuant
to
which Mr. Hayashi serves as Chief Financial Officer. The agreement provides
for
a salary of $105,000 per year that is subject to annual review and adjustment.
Mr. Hayashi is eligible to receive an annual discretionary bonus of up to 15%
of
his salary based on achieving certain goals. The agreement also offered Mr.
Hayashi a five-year qualified stock option to purchase 10,000 shares of our
common stock. The shares are exercisable at $1.85 per share; 50% of the shares
vested immediately and 50% of the shares vest one year from the grant date
of
the option. The agreement provides that Mr. Hayashi’s employment is “at will”
and can be terminated at any time.
We
have
entered into an agreement with Shawn Cain, dated March 22, 2005, pursuant to
which Mr. Cain serves as Vice-President of Operations. The agreement provides
for a salary of $160,000 per year. The agreement also offered Mr. Cain a
five-year incentive stock option to purchase 30,000 shares of our common stock.
The options have an exercise price of $1.65 per share and vest in monthly
installments of 1,250 shares commencing on May 1, 2005. The agreement also
provides that we will match Mr. Cain’s contributions to a 401(k) plan at a rate
of 50% up to 6% of total compensation per year. The agreement also offers to
pay
Mr. Cain’s COBRA costs for an 18-month period commencing on the April 15, 2005.
Mr. Cain is also eligible to receive an annual discretionary cash bonus of
up to
15% of his base annual salary. The agreement provides that Mr. Cain’s employment
is “at will” and can be terminated at any time. During Mr. Cain’s first year of
employment, he will receive six months’ notice if we wish to terminate his
employment, during the second year he will receive four months’ notice and
during the third year he will receive three months’ notice. If we fail to
provide the required notice, upon termination, we will pay Mr. Cain the salary
equivalent of the notice of the shortened notice period.
We
have
entered into an agreement with Dr. Jacek Rozga, dated July 28, 2005, pursuant
to
which Dr. Rozga has served as President and Chief Scientific Officer. The
agreement provides for a salary of $200,000 per year that is subject to review
and adjustment by the Board of Directors. Dr. Rozga is eligible to receive
a
discretionary annual bonus of up to 20% of his salary as determined by the
Board
of Directors. The agreement provides that Dr. Rozga’s employment is “at will”
and can be terminated at any time. Dr. Rozga’s title of President was
transferred to Walter Ogier upon his hiring in November 2005. Dr. Rozga
continues to serve as Chief Scientific Officer.
On
March
31, 2005, we entered into an employment agreement with Amy Factor pursuant
to
which Ms. Factor was appointed as our interim Chief Executive Officer. Under
the
agreement, Ms. Factor was hired to be our Chief Executive Officer until the
hiring of a permanent Chief Executive Officer. The employment agreement was
terminable by either Ms. Factor or by us at any time upon 30 day’s prior written
notice. Under the agreement, we agreed to pay Ms. Factor a base salary at a
monthly rate of $25,000 (which is equivalent to $300,000 on an annualized basis)
and to issue to Ms. Factor five-year non-qualified stock options to purchase
an
aggregate of 200,000 shares of common stock. The options are exercisable at
$1.65 per share (the closing market price of the common stock on March 31,
2005). Options to purchase 80,000 shares vested on March 31, 2005, and the
options for the remaining 120,000 shares will vest in monthly installments
of
6,000 shares commencing on April 1, 2005. The vesting of these options was
to be
accelerated to be immediately and fully vested when we hired a permanent Chief
Executive Officer, which has subsequently occurred. If Ms. Factor terminated
the
employment agreement for any reason other than our breach, or if we terminated
the agreement “for cause” (as defined in the agreement) before all of the
remaining 120,000 options had vested, all unvested options would have been
forfeited. If we had terminated the employment agreement for any reason other
than cause, the options would have thereupon immediately and fully (100%)
vested. In November 2005, Ms. Factor resigned her position as the interim Chief
Executive Officer upon the hiring of Walter C. Ogier, and we terminated her
employment agreement with the Company at such time.
We
entered into an agreement with Walter C. Ogier, dated October 17, 2005, pursuant
to which Mr. Ogier began serving as Chief Executive Officer commencing November
7, 2005. The agreement provides for an annual initial base salary of $300,000
that is subject to review and adjustment on an annual basis in accordance with
the procedures established by the Board of Directors. Mr. Ogier is eligible
to
receive a discretionary annual cash bonus equal to up to 50% of his annual
base
salary. The agreement provides that upon commencement of employment, Mr. Ogier
received an option to purchase 500,000 shares of our common stock, which will
vest 250,000 shares on the one year anniversary of the date Mr. Ogier’s
employment commenced and 250,000 shares will vest ratably at the end of each
of
the twelve months of the second year of his employment. If there is a
liquidation or change-in-control of the Company and in connection with such
transaction, Mr. Ogier is terminated other than for cause or is no longer
President and Chief Executive Officer of the surviving corporation, then all
option shares granted to Mr. Ogier in connection with his employment will
immediately and fully vest. Additionally, if Mr. Ogier terminates his employment
for good reason or is terminated in anticipation of such a transaction, then
all
option shares granted to Mr. Ogier in connection with his employment will
immediately and fully vest. The agreement provides that Mr. Ogier’s employment
is “at will” and can be terminated at any time. Mr. Ogier is entitled to 12
months of salary if the Company terminates him without cause or he terminates
his employment for defined good reason.
Code
of Ethics
The
Board
of Directors adopted a Code of Ethics that covers all of our executive officers
and key employees. The Code of Ethics requires that senior management avoid
conflicts of interest; maintain the confidentiality of our confidential and
proprietary information; engage in transactions in our common stock only in
compliance with applicable laws and regulations and the requirements set forth
in the Code of Ethics; and comply with other requirements which are intended
to
ensure that our officers conduct business in an honest and ethical manner and
otherwise act with integrity and in the best interest of this Company.
All
of
our executive officers are required to affirm in writing that they have reviewed
and understand the Code of Ethics.
A
copy of
our Code of Ethics will be furnished, without charge, to any person upon written
request from any such person. Requests should be sent to: Secretary, Arbios
Systems, Inc., 8797 Beverly Blvd., Suite 304, Los Angeles, California,
90048.
Stock
Option Plans
2001
Stock Option Plan
In
2001,
we adopted our 2001 Stock Option Plan, pursuant to which our Board of Directors
has the authority to grant options to purchase up to a total of 1,000,000 shares
of our common stock to our directors, officers, consultants and employees.
Awards under the plan may be either non-qualified options or options intended
to
qualify as “incentive stock options” under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended.
The
exercise price of incentive stock options granted under the plan may not be
less
than 100% of the fair market value of the common stock on the day of grant.
If
incentive stock options are granted to a person who controls more than 10%
of
our stock, then the exercise price of those incentive stock options may not
be
less than 110% of the fair market value on the day of the grant. The purchase
price and method of exercise of each option granted to officers and other key
employees shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The purchase price
is
payable in full by cash. However, the Board of Directors may accept payment
for
the purchase price of the shares of common stock acquired upon exercise of
an
option, by optionee’s tendering outstanding shares of our common stock owned by
the optionee, or by other so-called cashless exercises as permitted by law,
or
any combination of cash, check, shares and cashless exercises.
Options
granted under the 2001 Stock Option Plan become exercisable and shall expire
on
such dates as determined by the Board of Directors, provided, however, that
no
term of an incentive stock option may exceed ten years from the date of grant,
or five years from the date of grant in the case of any optionee holding more
than 10 percent of the combined voting power of all classes of our capital
stock
as of the date of grant. After options become exercisable they may be exercised
at any time or from time to time as to any part thereof.
Options
are not transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution;
during the life of the person to whom the option is granted, that person alone
may exercise them. Generally, all rights to exercise options terminate 90 days
after the date a grantee ceases to be an employee of this company or any
subsidiary for any reason other than death or disability.
In
connection with the reorganization transaction between Arbios and Arbios
Technologies, Inc. in October 2003, Arbios assumed all of the 314,000
outstanding options granted by Arbios Technologies, Inc. under its existing
stock option plan and the options previously issued under that plan were
cancelled. None of the terms of the assumed options were changed. The options
assumed under the 2001 Stock Option Plan are identical to the options that
were
previously granted under the Arbios Technologies, Inc. Plan.
2005
Stock Incentive Plan
In
2005,
Arbios adopted the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2005 Plan”) for the purpose
of granting incentive stock options and/or non-statutory stock options to
employees, consultants, directors and others. Under the 2005 Plan, the Company
is authorized to grant options to purchase up to 3,000,000 shares. The 2005
Plan
is administered by the Board of Directors of the Company or by a committee
of
the Board.
For
the
years ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, the Company granted 60,000 and
140,000 options, respectively, to consultants and recorded expenses of $58,000
and $555,000 for the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2004 relating to the
vested portion of these options.
Report
of the Audit Committee
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth in any of our previous or future filings
under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act that might incorporate by reference
previous or future filings, including this Proxy Statement, in whole or in
part,
the following report shall not be incorporated by reference into any of such
filings.
The
responsibilities of the Audit Committee include providing oversight to the
financial reporting process of the Company through periodic meetings with the
Company’s independent auditors and management to review accounting, auditing,
internal controls, and financial reporting matters. The management of the
Company is responsible for the preparation and integrity of the financial
reporting information and related systems of internal controls. The Audit
Committee, in carrying out its role, relies on senior management, including
senior financial management, and the Company’s independent auditors.
We
have
reviewed and discussed with senior management the audited financial statements
of the Company that are included in the fiscal year 2005 Annual Report on
Form 10-KSB. Management has confirmed to us that such financial statements
(i) have been prepared with integrity and objectivity and are the
responsibility of management and (ii) have been prepared in conformity with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.
We
have
discussed with Stonefield Josephson, Inc. (“Stonefield”) our independent
registered public accountants, the matters required to be discussed by SAS
61
(Communications with Audit Committee). SAS 61 requires our independent
registered public accountants to provide us with additional information
regarding the scope and results of their audit of the Company’s financial
statements with respect to (i) their responsibility under auditing
standards generally accepted in the United States, (ii) significant
accounting policies, (iii) management judgments and estimates,
(iv) any significant audit adjustments, (v) any disagreements with
management, and (vi) any difficulties encountered in performing the audit.
We
also
have received from Stonefield a letter providing the disclosures required by
Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1 (Independence Discussions with
Audit
Committees) with respect to any relationships between Stonefield and the Company
that in its professional judgment may reasonably be thought to bear on
independence. Stonefield has discussed its independence with us. Stonefield
confirmed in its letter, in its professional judgment, it is independent of
the
Company within the meaning of the federal securities laws.
Based
on
the review and discussions described above with respect to the audited financial
statements of the Company, we recommended to the Board of Directors that such
financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on
Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005.
It
is not
the duty of the Audit Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that
the Company’s financial statements are complete and accurate and in accordance
with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. That is
the
responsibility of management and the Company’s independent registered public
accountants. In giving our recommendation to the Board of Directors, we have
relied on (i) management’s representation that such financial statements
have been prepared with integrity and objectivity and in conformity with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and (ii) the
report of the Company’s independent registered public accountants with respect
to such financial statements.
Respectfully
submitted,
Audit
Committee
Jack
E.
Stover, Chairman
Thomas
C.
Seoh
Thomas
M.
Tully
PROPOSAL
II
RATIFICATION
OF APPOINTMENT
OF
INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Changes
in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial
Disclosure
On
January 27, 2004, our Board of Directors dismissed our former independent
accountants, Williams & Webster, P.S. (“Williams”).
Williams’ report on our financial statements for the two years prior to their
dismissal did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, and
was
not modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles, except
that there was an explanatory paragraph relating to our ability to continue
as a
going concern.
During
the two fiscal years prior to Williams’ dismissal, we also had no disagreements
with Williams, whether or not resolved, on any matter of accounting principles
or practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedure,
which, if not resolved to Williams’ satisfaction, would have caused Williams to
make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement in connection with
its
report. Williams also did not advise the Company of any of the events requiring
reporting in a Form 8-K under Item 304(a)(iv)(B).
The
Audit
Committee has appointed Stonefield Josephson, Inc. (“Stonefield”) to serve as
our independent accountants to audit our financial statements for the year
ending December 31, 2006. The Board proposes that the stockholders ratify
this appointment. Stonefield audited our financing statements for the fiscal
years ended December 31, 2005 and December 31, 2004.
Accounting
Fees
Aggregate
fees billed to us by Stonefield for professional services rendered for the
years
ended December 31, 2005 and December 31, 2004 were as follows:
|
|
2005
|
|
2004
|
Audit
Fees
|
|
$
|
53,083
|
|
$
|
52,769
|
Audit-Related
Fees
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
--
|
Tax
Fees
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
--
|
All
Other Fees
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
53,083
|
|
$
|
52,769
|
In
the
above table, in accordance with the SEC’s definitions and rules, “audit fees”
are fees that the Company paid for professional services for the audit of our
consolidated financial statements included in our Form 10-KSB and for
services that are normally provided by the accountants in connection with
statutory and regulatory filings or engagements; “audit-related fees” are fees
for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the
performance of the audit or review of our financial statements; and “tax fees”
are fees for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning.
Audit
Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
Consistent
with SEC policies, the Audit Committee charter provides that the Audit Committee
shall pre-approve all audit engagement fees and terms and pre-approve any other
significant compensation to be paid to the independent registered public
accounting firm. The Audit Committee pre-approved all services performed by
Stonefield Josephson, Inc. during 2004 and 2005.
Stockholder
Ratification of the Appointment of Stonefield
The
Audit
Committee of the Board of Directors has appointed Stonefield to serve as our
independent accountants to audit our consolidated financial statements for
the
fiscal year ending December 31, 2006. We are not required to seek
stockholder approval for the appointment of our independent accountants;
however, the Audit Committee believes it to be sound corporate practice to
seek
such approval. If the appointment is not ratified, the Audit Committee will
investigate the reasons for stockholder rejection and will re-consider its
appointment of Stonefield. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit
Committee in its discretion may direct the appointment of different independent
auditors at any time if it determines that such a change would be in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders.
Representatives
of Stonefield will be present at the Annual Meeting and will have an opportunity
to make a statement, if they so desire, and will be available to respond to
appropriate questions.
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” RATIFICATION OF THE
APPOINTMENT OF STONEFIELD JOSEPHSON, INC. AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31,
2006.
STOCKHOLDER
PROPOSALS
Any
proposal that a stockholder of the Company intends to present in accordance
with
Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) at
our next annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2007 must be received
by
us on or before March 9, 2007. Notice of stockholder proposals submitted outside
of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act will be considered untimely if received
by us after March 9, 2007. Only proper proposals under Rule 14a-8 of the
Exchange Act that are timely received will be included in the 2007 Proxy
Statement. All proposals described in this paragraph should be sent to Arbios
Systems, Inc., 8797 Beverly Boulevard, Suite 304, Los Angeles, California 90048,
Attention: Corporate Secretary.
OTHER
MATTERS
Expenses
of Solicitation
The
Company will bear the cost of soliciting proxies in the accompanying form.
In
addition to the use of the mails, proxies may be solicited by our directors,
officers and other employees, personally or by telephone, facsimile or email.
Such persons will not be compensated separately for these solicitation
activities.
Miscellaneous
The
Board
does not intend to present any other items of business and is not aware of
any
matters other than those set forth in this Proxy Statement that will be
presented for action at the Annual Meeting. However, if any other matters
properly come before the Annual Meeting, the persons named in the enclosed
proxy
intend to vote the shares of our common stock that they represent in accordance
with their best judgment.
Annual
Report
A
copy of
our Annual Report on Form 10-KSB, without exhibits, for the year ended
December 31, 2005 that we filed with the SEC accompanies this Proxy
Statement. Copies of the Form 10-KSB exhibits are available without charge.
Stockholders who would like such copies should direct their requests in writing
to: Arbios Systems, Inc. 8797 Beverly Boulevard, Suite 304, Los Angeles,
California 90048, Attention: Corporate Secretary.
By
Order
of the Board of Directors
June
21,
2006 /s/
Scott L. Hayashi
Corporate
Secretary
ARBIOS
SYSTEMS, INC.
PROXY
FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO
BE HELD JULY 31, 2006
THIS
PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The
undersigned hereby appoints Jacek Rozga, M.D. and Walter C. Ogier, and each
of
them, the attorneys, agents and proxies of the undersigned, with full powers
of
substitution to each, to attend and act as proxy or proxies of the undersigned
at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Arbios Systems, Inc. to be held at
The
Westin Waltham-Boston Hotel, located at 70 Third Avenue, Waltham, Massachusetts,
on Monday, July 31, 2006 at 9:00 a.m., local time, and at any and all
adjournments or postponements thereof, and to vote as specified herein the
number of shares which the undersigned, if personally present, would be entitled
to vote.
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE ELECTION OF DIRECTORS NOMINATED
BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE OTHER PROPOSAL DESCRIBED IN THE ACCOMPANYING
PROXY STATEMENT. THIS PROXY, WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED, WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED.
IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, IT WILL BE VOTED “FOR” THE ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
NOMINATED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE OTHER
PROPOSAL.
¨FOR
all nominees listed below (except as indicated to the contrary
below).
|
¨WITHHOLD
AUTHORITY
to
vote for all nominees listed below
|
¨EXCEPTIONS
|
Director
Nominees: Walter C. Ogier, Dennis Kogod, Thomas C. Seoh, Jack E. Stover, Thomas
M. Tully, John M. Vierling, M.D., and Achilles A. Demetriou, M.D.,
Ph.D.
(INSTRUCTIONS:
To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee mark the “Exceptions”
box and write that nominee’s name on the space below.)
EXCEPTIONS:
|
2.
|
APPOINTMENT
OF STONEFIELD JOSEPHSON,
INC.
|
¨ FOR
|
¨ AGAINST
|
¨ ABSTAIN
|
|
3.
|
OTHER
BUSINESS.
In
their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other
business as may properly come before the meeting and at any and all
adjournments or postponements thereof. The Board of Directors at
present
knows of no other business to be presented by or on behalf of Arbios
Systems, Inc. or the Board of Directors at the
meeting.
|
The
undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms all that the attorneys and proxies,
or
any of them, or their substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof, and hereby revokes any and all proxies heretofore given by the
under-signed to vote at the meeting. The undersigned acknowledges receipt of
the
Notice of Annual Meeting and the Proxy Statement accompanying such
notice.
Dated: 2006
Signature
Signature
Please
date this proxy card and sign above exactly as your name appears on this card.
Joint owners should each sign personally. Corporate proxies should be signed
by
an authorized officer. Executors, administrators, trustee, etc., should give
their full titles.