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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration No. 333-168928

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT (TO PROSPECTUS DATED SEPTEMBER 9, 2010)

 

 

10,000,000 Shares

Common Stock

$ 3.90 per share

 

 

We are offering 10,000,000 shares of our common stock, $0.001 par value per share, in this offering.

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “CORT”. On January 20, 2011, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market was $3.95 per share.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-6.

 

 

 

		Per Share				Total
Public offering price		$	3.900			$	39,000,000
Underwriting discount		$	0.234			$	2,340,000
Proceeds, before expenses, to us		$	3.666			$	36,660,000

Delivery of the securities offered hereby is expected to be made on or about January 26, 2011. We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of 30 days to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 shares of our common stock to cover over-allotments. If the underwriters exercise the option in full, the total underwriting discounts and commissions payable by us will be $2,691,000 and the total proceeds to us, before expenses, will be $42,159,000.

 

 

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

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

Stifel Nicolaus Weisel		Leerink Swann

 

 

 

JMP Securities		Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.

The date of this prospectus supplement is January 21, 2011.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

		Page
About this Prospectus Supplement			S-i
Prospectus Supplement Summary			S-1
Risk Factors			S-6
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements			S-9
Use of Proceeds			S-10
Dilution			S-11
Description of Common Stock			S-13
Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences to Non-United States Holders			S-14
Underwriting			S-18
Validity of Common Stock			S-22
Experts			S-22
Where You Can Find More Information			S-22
Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference			S-22
PROSPECTUS
About the Company			1
Risk Factors			4
Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements			4
Use of Proceeds			5
Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends			6
Plan of Distribution			7
General Description of Securities			8
Description of Debt Securities			9
Description of Preferred Stock			17
Description of Common Stock			20
Description of Warrants			22
Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws			24
Validity of the Securities			26
Experts			26
Where You Can Find More Information			26
Incorporation by Reference			26

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this common stock offering and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein. The second part, the accompanying prospectus, provides more general information. Generally, when we refer to this prospectus, we are referring to both parts of this document combined. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein filed prior to the date of this prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement; provided that if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date — for example, a document incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus — the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.

We further note that the representations, warranties and covenants made by us in any agreement that is filed as an exhibit to any document that is incorporated by reference herein were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties to such agreements, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty or covenant to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties or covenants were accurate only as of the date when made. Accordingly, such representations, warranties and covenants should not be relied on as accurately representing the current state of our affairs.

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering. We have not authorized, and the underwriters have not authorized, anyone to provide you with information that is different. The information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering is accurate only as of the respective dates thereof, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or free writing prospectus, if any, or of any sale of our common stock. It is important for you to read and consider all information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering in making your investment decision. You should also read and consider the information in the documents to which we have referred you in the sections entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” in this prospectus supplement.

We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The distribution of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and the offering of the common stock in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the common stock and the distribution of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus outside the United States. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus by any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such an offer or solicitation.

Unless otherwise stated, all references in this prospectus to “we,” “us,” “our,” “Corcept,” the “Company” and similar designations refer to Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated. Our registered trademarks include Corcept^® and CORLUX^®. Other service marks, trademarks and trade names referred to in this document are the property of their respective owners. Unless otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our common stock, you should consider carefully the risk factors described below and discussed under the sections captioned “Risk Factors” contained in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, as amended by amendment No. 1 to our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, and any updates described in our quarterly reports, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in their entirety, and in any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering. If any of these risks actually occur, it may materially harm our business, financial condition, operating results or cash flow. As a result, the market price of our common stock could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties that are not yet identified or that we think are immaterial may also materially harm our business, operating results and financial condition and could result in a complete loss of your investment.

Risks Relating to this Offering

You will experience immediate and substantial dilution in the book value per share of the common stock you purchase.

The public offering price of our common stock being offered is substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our common stock outstanding prior to this offering. Therefore, if you purchase our common stock in this offering, you will incur an immediate substantial dilution of $3.13 in net tangible book value per share from the price you paid. In addition, if outstanding options and warrants are exercised, you will experience further dilution. For a further description of the dilution that you will experience immediately after this offering, see the section titled “Dilution.”

We have broad discretion to determine how to use the funds raised in this offering, and we may use them in ways that may not enhance our operating results or the price of our common stock.

Our management will have broad discretion over the use of proceeds from this offering, and we could spend the proceeds from this offering in ways with which you may not agree or that do not yield a favorable return. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to fund research and development activities, including clinical trials, to fund commercialization activities, to fund working capital and for general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to acquire or invest in businesses, products and technologies that are complementary to our own, although we have no current plans, commitments or agreements with respect to any such acquisitions or investments. However, we have not allocated the net proceeds from this offering for any specific purposes. If we do not invest or apply the proceeds of this offering in ways that improve our operating results, we may fail to achieve expected financial results, which could cause our stock price to decline.

Risks Related to Government Regulation and Approval of our Product Candidates

If our clinical trials fail to demonstrate to the FDA that any of our product candidates are safe and effective for the treatment of particular diseases, the FDA may require us to conduct additional clinical trials or may not grant us marketing approval for such product candidates for those diseases.

We are not permitted to market our product candidates in the United States until we receive approval of an NDA from the FDA. Before obtaining regulatory approvals for the commercial sale of any product candidate for a target indication, we must demonstrate with evidence gathered in preclinical and well-controlled clinical trials, and, with respect to approval in the United States, to the satisfaction of the FDA and, with respect to approval in other countries, similar regulatory authorities in those countries, that the product candidate is safe and effective for use for that target indication and that the manufacturing facilities, processes and controls used to produce the product are compliant with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. Our failure to adequately demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of any of our product candidates for the treatment of particular diseases may delay or prevent our receipt of the FDA’s approval and, ultimately, may prevent commercialization of our product candidates for those diseases. The FDA has substantial discretion in deciding whether, based on the benefits and risks in a particular disease, any of our product candidates should be granted approval for the treatment of that particular disease. Even if we believe that a clinical trial or trials has demonstrated the safety and statistically significant efficacy of any of our product candidates for the treatment of a disease, the results may not be satisfactory to the FDA. Preclinical and

 

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clinical data can be interpreted by the FDA authorities in different ways, which could delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval. If regulatory delays are significant or regulatory approval is limited or denied altogether, our financial results and the commercial prospects for those of our product candidates involved will be harmed, and our prospects for profitability will be significantly impaired.

The FDA ordinarily requires replicate evidence of safety and effectiveness from two or more adequate and well-controlled clinical trials to support NDA approval. The FDA may request additional analyses, additional data or ask us to complete an additional clinical trial or trials to support the approval of CORLUX for Cushing’s Syndrome.

In addition, in the course of its review of an NDA or regulatory application, the FDA or other regulatory authorities may conduct audits of the practices and procedures of a company and its suppliers and contractors concerning manufacturing, clinical study conduct, non-clinical studies and several other areas. If the FDA and/or other regulatory authorities conducts an audit relating to an NDA or regulatory application submitted by us and finds a significant deficiency in any of these or other areas, the FDA or other regulatory authorities could delay or not approve our NDA or regulatory application. If regulatory delays are significant or regulatory approval is limited or denied altogether, our financial results and the commercial prospects for those of our products or product candidates involved will be harmed, and our prospects for profitability will be significantly impaired.

We are subject to extensive and rigorous governmental regulation, including the requirement of FDA or other regulatory approval before our product candidates may be lawfully marketed.

Both before and after the approval of our product candidates, we, our product candidates, our operations, our facilities, our suppliers, and our contract manufacturers, contract research organizations, and contract testing laboratories are subject to extensive regulation by governmental authorities in the United States and other countries, with regulations differing from country to country. In the United States, the FDA regulates, among other things, the pre-clinical testing, clinical trials, manufacturing, safety, efficacy, potency, labeling, storage, record keeping, quality systems, advertising, promotion, sale and distribution of therapeutic products. Failure to comply with applicable requirements could result in, among other things, one or more of the following actions: notices of violation, untitled letters, warning letters, fines and other monetary penalties, unanticipated expenditures, delays in approval or refusal to approve a product candidate; product recall or seizure; interruption of manufacturing or clinical trials; operating restrictions; injunctions; and criminal prosecution. We or the FDA, or an institutional review board, may suspend or terminate human clinical trials at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the subjects are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk. Our product candidates cannot be lawfully marketed in the United States without FDA approval. Any failure to receive the marketing approvals necessary to commercialize our product candidates could harm our business.

The regulatory review and approval process of governmental authorities, which includes the need to conduct nonclinical studies and clinical trials of each product candidate, is lengthy, expensive and uncertain, and regulatory standards may change during the development of a particular product candidate. We are not permitted to market our product candidates in the United States or other countries until we have received requisite regulatory approvals. For example, securing FDA approval requires the submission of an NDA to the FDA. The approval application must include extensive nonclinical and clinical data and supporting information to establish the product candidate’s safety and effectiveness for each indication. The approval application must also include significant information regarding the chemistry, manufacturing and controls for the product. The FDA review process typically takes significant time to complete and approval is never guaranteed. If a product is approved, the FDA may limit the indications for which the product may be marketed, require extensive warnings on the product labeling, impose restricted distribution programs, require expedited reporting of certain adverse events, or require costly ongoing requirements for post-marketing clinical studies and surveillance or other risk management measures to monitor the safety or efficacy of the product. Markets outside of the United States also have requirements for approval of drug candidates with which we must comply prior to marketing. Obtaining regulatory approval for marketing of a product candidate in one country does not ensure we will be able to obtain regulatory approval in other countries, but a failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval in one country may have a negative effect on the regulatory process in other countries. Also, any regulatory approval of any of our product candidates, once obtained, may be withdrawn.

In addition, we, our suppliers, our operations, our facilities, and our contract manufacturers, our contract research organizations, and our contract testing laboratories are required to comply with extensive FDA requirements both before and after approval of our products. For example, we are required to report certain adverse reactions and production problems, if any, to the FDA, and to comply with certain requirements concerning

 

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advertising and promotion for our product candidates and our products. Also, quality control and manufacturing procedures must continue to conform to current Good Manufacturing Practices, or cGMP, regulations after approval, and the FDA periodically inspects manufacturing facilities to assess compliance with cGMP. Accordingly, we and others with whom we work must continue to expend time, money, and effort in all areas of regulatory compliance, including manufacturing, production, and quality control. In addition, discovery of safety issues may result in changes in labeling or restrictions on a product manufacturer or NDA holder, including removal of the product from the market.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and should be read in conjunction with the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus supplement. All statements contained in this prospectus supplement other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used in this report or elsewhere by management from time to time, the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks” and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, but the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to statements about:

 

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the progress of our research, development and clinical programs and the timing of regulatory activities;

 

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our estimates of the dates by which we expect to report results of our clinical trials and the anticipated results of these trials;

 

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the timing of market introduction of CORLUX and future product candidates, including CORT 108297 and CORT 113083;

 

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our ability to market, commercialize and achieve market acceptance for CORLUX or other future product candidates, including CORT 108297 and CORT 113083;

 

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uncertainties associated with obtaining and enforcing patents;

 

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our estimates for future performance;

 

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our estimates regarding our capital requirements and our needs for, and ability to obtain, additional financing; and

 

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our expectations regarding the use of the net proceeds from this offering.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. For a more detailed discussion of such forward-looking statements and the potential risks and uncertainties that may impact upon their accuracy, see the “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement and discussed in the sections captioned “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, and in any updates described in our subsequent quarterly reports, which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as the same may be updated from time to time by our future filings under the Exchange Act. These forward-looking statements reflect our view only as of the date of this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligations to update any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should also carefully consider the factors set forth in other reports or documents that we file from time to time with the SEC.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Based upon a public offering price of $3.90 per share, we estimate that the net proceeds we will receive from the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $36.4 million (or approximately $41.9 million if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

We currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our common stock in this offering to fund research and development activities, including clinical trials, to fund commercialization activities, to fund working capital and for general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to acquire or invest in businesses, products and technologies that are complementary to our own, although we currently have no plans, commitments or agreements with respect to any such acquisitions or investments.

The amounts and timing of these expenditures may vary significantly depending on numerous factors, such as the progress of our research and development efforts, actions of regulatory authorities, technological advances and the competitive environment for our products. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to us from this offering. Accordingly, we will retain broad discretion over the use of these proceeds.

We intend to invest the net proceeds in money market funds and/or short-term investment-grade securities until we are ready to use them.

 

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DILUTION

Our net tangible book value as of September 30, 2010 was approximately $26.7 million, or approximately $0.37 per share. Net tangible book value per share is equal to the amount of our total tangible assets, less total liabilities, divided by the aggregate number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2010. Dilution in net tangible book value per share represents the difference between the amount per share paid by purchasers of shares of common stock in this public offering and the net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering. After giving effect to the sale of 10,000,000 shares of common stock in this public offering at a public offering price of $3.90 per share, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of September 30, 2010 would have been approximately $63.1 million, or approximately $0.77 per share. This represents an immediate dilution of $3.13 per share to new investors purchasing shares of common stock in this public offering. The following table illustrates this dilution:

 

Public offering price per share						$	3.90
Net tangible book value per share as of September 30, 2010		$	0.37
Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors		$	0.40
As adjusted, net tangible book value per share as of September 30, 2010 after giving effect to this public offering						$	0.77
Dilution per share to new investors						$	3.13

The foregoing discussion and table do not take into account further dilution to new investors that could occur upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants having a per share exercise price less than the per share offering price to the public in this offering. In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. To the extent that additional capital is raised through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders.

If the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase 1,500,000 additional shares of common stock at the public offering price of $3.90 per share, the as adjusted net tangible book value after this offering would be $0.82 per share, representing an increase in net tangible book value of $0.45 per share to existing stockholders and immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $3.08 per share to new investors purchasing our common stock in this offering at the public offering price.

The foregoing discussion and table are based on 72,070,312 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2010 and exclude, as of September 30, 2010:

 

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7,945,186 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options at a weighted-average exercise price of $2.40 per share;

 

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9,200,372 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants at a weighted-average exercise price of $2.87 per share; and

 

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2,021,281 additional shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2004 Equity Incentive Plan.

The foregoing discussion and table also exclude the following stock and option transactions that were entered into subsequent to September 30, 2010:

 

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289,608 shares of common stock issued in October 2010 to Kingsbridge Capital Limited in connection with sales under our Committed Equity Financing Facility at an average price of $3.45 per share;

 

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102,058 shares of common stock issued during the period from October 1, 2010 through January 19, 2011 upon the exercise of stock options at a weighted-average exercise price of $1.46 per share; and

 

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an increase of 2,896,155 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2004 Equity Incentive Plan effective on January 1, 2011.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

General

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of up to 140,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share. As of January 19, 2011, there were 72,461,978 shares of our common stock held of record by approximately 137 registered stockholders, options to purchase 7,953,002 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 9,200,372 shares of common stock outstanding.

Dividends

Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock, holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the board of directors out of legally available funds.

Liquidation

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities and the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Voting Rights

Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors; provided, however, that except as otherwise required by law, holders of common stock are not entitled to vote on any amendment to the certificate of incorporation that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of preferred stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon by law or pursuant to the certificate of incorporation. No holder of our common stock has cumulative voting rights. Accordingly, the holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they so choose.

Other

Holders of common stock have no preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. All outstanding shares of common stock are, and the shares of common stock offered by us in this offering, when issued and paid for, will be fully paid and non-assessable. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock which we may designate in the future.

Our common stock is subject to certain limitations on ownership and transfer. See “Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

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MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-UNITED STATES HOLDERS

The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) with respect to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock. This summary is based on current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, final, temporary or proposed Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative rulings and judicial opinions, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. We have not sought any ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, with respect to the statements made and the conclusions reached in the following summary, and there can be no assurance that the IRS will agree with such statements and conclusions.

This summary is limited to non-U.S. holders who purchase our common stock issued pursuant to this offering and who hold shares of our common stock as capital assets.

This discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be important to a particular non-U.S. holder in light of that non-U.S. holder’s individual circumstances, nor does it address any aspects of U.S. federal estate or gift tax laws or tax considerations arising under the laws of any foreign, state or local jurisdiction. This discussion also does not address tax considerations applicable to a non-U.S. holder subject to special treatment under the U.S. federal income tax laws, including without limitation:

 

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banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions;

 

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partnerships or other pass-through entities;

 

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tax-exempt organizations;

 

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tax-qualified retirement plans;

 

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dealers in securities or currencies;

 

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traders in securities that elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for their securities holdings;

 

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U.S. expatriates and certain former citizens or long-term residents of the United States;

 

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controlled foreign corporations;

 

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passive foreign investment companies;

 

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persons that own, or have owned, actually or constructively, more than 5% of our common stock; and

 

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persons that will hold common stock as a position in a hedging transaction, “straddle” or “conversion transaction” for tax purposes.

Accordingly, we urge prospective investors to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and other tax considerations of acquiring, holding and disposing of shares of our common stock.

If a partnership (or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is a beneficial owner of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership (or member in such other entity) will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Any partner in a partnership holding shares of our common stock should consult its own tax advisors.

PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK ARISING UNDER THE U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX RULES OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN OR OTHER TAXING JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE TAX TREATY.

 

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Definition of Non-U.S. Holder

In general, a “non-U.S. holder” is any beneficial owner of our common stock that is not a U.S. person. A “U.S. person” is any of the following:

 

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an individual citizen or resident of the United States;

 

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a corporation created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof;

 

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an estate, the income of which is includible in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or

 

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a trust if (a) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

Distributions on Our Common Stock

As described in the section of the prospectus titled “Price Range of Common Stock and Dividend Policy,” we do not expect to pay cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. If, however, we make cash or other property distributions on our common stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current earnings and profits for that taxable year or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Amounts not treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes will constitute a return of capital and will first be applied against and reduce a holder’s adjusted tax basis in the common stock, but not below zero. Any excess will be treated as gain realized on the sale or other disposition of the common stock and will be treated as described under the section titled “—Gain on Sale or Other Disposition of Our Common Stock” below.

Dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder of our common stock generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the dividends, or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty. To receive the benefit of a reduced treaty rate, a non-U.S. holder must furnish to us or our paying agent a valid IRS Form W-8BEN (or applicable successor form) certifying, under penalties of perjury, such holder’s qualification for the reduced rate. This certification must be provided to us or our paying agent prior to the payment of dividends and must be updated periodically. Non-U.S. holders that do not timely provide us or our paying agent with the required certification, but that qualify for a reduced treaty rate, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.

If a non-U.S. holder holds our common stock in connection with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, and dividends paid on the common stock are effectively connected with such holder’s U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States), the non-U.S. holder will be exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax. To claim the exemption, the non-U.S. holder must furnish to us or our paying agent a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI (or applicable successor form).

Any dividends paid on our common stock that are effectively connected with a non-U.S. holder’s U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States) generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular graduated U.S. federal income tax rates in the same manner as if such holder were a resident of the United States. A non-U.S. holder that is a non-U.S. corporation also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax equal to 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) of a portion of its effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year. Non-U.S. holders should consult any applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

A non-U.S. holder that claims the benefit of an applicable income tax treaty generally will be required to satisfy applicable certification and other requirements prior to the distribution date. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under a relevant income tax treaty.

 

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Gain on Sale or Other Disposition of Our Common Stock

Subject to the discussion below regarding backup withholding, a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other disposition of our common stock unless:

 

•

the gain is effectively connected with a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. holder in the United States and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the gain is attributable to a permanent establishment of the non-U.S. holder maintained in the United States;

 

•

the non-U.S. holder is an individual present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition and certain other requirements are met; or

 

•

we are or have been a U.S. real property holding corporation, or a USRPHC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time within the shorter of the five-year period preceding the disposition and the non-U.S. holder’s holding period for the common stock, and the common stock has ceased to be traded on an established securities market prior to the beginning of the calendar year in which the sale or other disposition occurs. The determination of whether we are a USRPHC depends on the fair market value of our U.S. real property interests relative to the fair market value of our other trade or business assets and our foreign real property interests.

We believe we currently are not, and we do not anticipate becoming, a USRPHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Gain described in the first bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at regular graduated U.S. federal income tax rates generally in the same manner as if such holder were a resident of the United States. A non-U.S. holder that is a non-U.S. corporation (or non-U.S. entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax equal to 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) of a portion of its effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year. Non-U.S. holders should consult any applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

Gain described in the second bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a flat 30% rate (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) but may be offset by U.S. source capital losses (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States), provided that the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

Generally, we must report annually to the IRS and to each non-U.S. holder the amount of dividends paid to, and the tax withheld with respect to, each non-U.S. holder. This information also may be made available under a specific treaty or agreement with the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established. Backup withholding, currently at a 28% rate, however, generally will not apply to distributions to a non-U.S. holder of the common stock provided the non-U.S. holder furnishes to us or our paying agent the required certification as to its non-U.S. status, such as by providing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8ECI, or certain other requirements are met. Notwithstanding the foregoing, backup withholding may apply if either we or our paying agent has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that the holder is a U.S. person that is not an exempt recipient.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a non-U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Payments of the proceeds from a disposition by a non-U.S. holder of our common stock made by or through a non-U.S. office of a broker generally will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, information reporting (but not backup withholding) will apply to those payments if the broker is a U.S. person or has certain enumerated connections with the United States, unless the broker has documentary evidence that the beneficial owner is a non-U.S. holder or an exemption is otherwise established, provided that the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the holder is a U.S. person or that the conditions of any other exemption are not, in fact, satisfied.

 

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Payment of the proceeds from a non-U.S. holder’s disposition of our common stock made by or through the U.S. office of a broker may be subject to information reporting. Backup withholding will apply unless the non-U.S. holder certifies as to its non-U.S. holder status under penalties of perjury, such as by providing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8ECI, or otherwise establishes an exemption, provided that the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the holder is a U.S. person or that the conditions of any other exemption are not, in fact, satisfied. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors on the application of information reporting and backup withholding to them in their particular circumstances.

New Legislation Relating to Foreign Accounts

Newly enacted legislation may impose withholding taxes on certain types of payments made to “foreign financial institutions” and certain other non-U.S. entities. Under this legislation, the failure to comply with additional certification, information reporting and other specified requirements could result in withholding tax being imposed on payments of dividends and sales proceeds to foreign intermediaries and certain non-U.S. holders. The legislation imposes a 30% withholding tax on dividends on, or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our common stock paid to a foreign financial institution or to a foreign non-financial entity, unless (i) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations or (ii) the foreign non-financial entity either certifies it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial U.S. owner. If the payee is a foreign financial institution, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain U.S. persons or U.S.-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such accounts and withhold 30% on payments to account holders whose actions prevent it from complying with these reporting and other requirements. The legislation applies to payments made after December 31, 2012. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding this legislation.

 

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UNDERWRITING

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in an underwriting agreement, the underwriters named below have agreed to purchase from us the aggregate number of shares of common stock set forth opposite their names below:

 

Underwriters		Number of Shares
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated			4,500,000
Leerink Swann LLC			3,000,000
JMP Securities LLC			2,000,000
Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.			500,000
Total			10,000,000

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters are subject to various conditions, including approval of legal matters by counsel. The nature of the underwriters’ obligations commits each underwriter to purchase and pay for all of the shares of common stock listed above next to such underwriter’s name if any are purchased.

The underwriting agreement provides that we will indemnify the underwriters against liabilities specified in the underwriting agreement under the Securities Act, or will contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make relating to these liabilities.

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated expects to deliver the shares of common stock to purchasers on or about January 26, 2011.

Over-Allotment Option

We have granted a 30-day over-allotment option to the underwriters to purchase up to a total of 1,500,000 additional shares of our common stock from us at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount payable by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. If the underwriters exercise this option in whole or in part, then each of the underwriters will be separately committed, subject to the conditions described in the underwriting agreement, to purchase the additional shares of our common stock in proportion to their respective commitments set forth in the table above.

Commissions and Discounts

The underwriters propose to offer the shares of common stock directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and at this price less a concession not in excess of $0.1404 per share of common stock to other dealers. After this offering, the offering price, concessions and other selling terms may be changed by the underwriters. Our common stock is offered subject to receipt and acceptance by the underwriters and to the other conditions, including the right to reject orders in whole or in part.

The following table summarizes the compensation to be paid to the underwriters by us and the proceeds, before expenses, payable to us:

 

						Total
		Per Share				Without Over-Allotment				With Over-Allotment
Public offering price		$	3.900			$	39,000,000			$	44,850,000
Underwriting discount		$	0.234			$	2,340,000			$	2,691,000
Proceeds, before expenses, to us		$	3.666			$	36,660,000			$	42,159,000

 

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The expenses of the offering that are payable by us are estimated to be $300,000 (excluding underwriting discounts and commissions).

In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, the maximum discount or commission to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer may not exceed 8% of the aggregate offering price of the shares offered hereby.

Indemnification of Underwriters

We will indemnify the underwriters against some civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act and liabilities arising from breaches of our representations and warranties contained in the underwriting agreement. If we are unable to provide this indemnification, we will contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

No Sales of Similar Securities

The underwriters will require all of our directors and officers and certain other persons affiliated with the company to agree not to offer, sell, agree to sell, directly or indirectly, or otherwise dispose of any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock without the prior written consent of Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated and Leerink Swann LLC for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus.

The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph do not apply to:

 

•

transactions relating to shares of common stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of this offering, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of common stock or other securities acquired in such open market transactions;

 

•

(i) transfers of shares of common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock as a bona fide gift, (ii) transfers of shares of common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock to the immediate family of the individual, to a trust the beneficiaries of which are exclusively the individual and/or a member or members of the immediate family of the individual, or to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity all of the beneficial ownership interests of which are held exclusively by the individual and/or a member or members of the immediate family of the individual, (iii) transfers of shares of common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock upon death by will or intestate succession, (iv) transfers to any affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act), limited partners, general partners, limited liability company members or stockholders of such persons, or if such person is a corporation to any wholly-owned subsidiary of such corporation, and (v) transfers by operation of law, including a qualified domestic order, provided that, in each case, any such recipient agrees to be bound by the terms of the restrictions described above and no filing is made or required to be made under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act;

 

•

the exercise of any option to purchase shares of common stock, provided that the underlying common stock continues to be subject to the restrictions described above;

 

•

transactions pursuant to any trading plan established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act that has been entered into by the individual prior to the date of the agreement; or

 

•

the entry into any trading plan established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act, provided that no sales or other dispositions may occur under such plan until the expiration of the restricted period.

We have agreed that for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus, we will not, without the prior written consent of Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated and Leerink Swann LLC, offer, sell or otherwise dispose of any shares of common stock or any other securities of ours convertible or exchangeable into common stock, except for (i) the issuance of shares of common stock under our employee stock option plans existing on the date of the underwriting agreement, (ii) the issuance of shares of common stock upon the conversion, exercise or

 

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exchange of convertible, exercisable or exchangeable securities of ours outstanding as of the date of the underwriting agreement and (iii) the issuance of shares of our common stock issuable to Kingsbridge Capital Limited pursuant to the Common Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 25, 2008, between Kingsbridge Capital Limited and us.

The 90-day restricted period in all of the agreements is subject to extension if (i) during the last 17 days of the restricted period we issue an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to us occurs or (ii) prior to the expiration of the restricted period, we announce that we will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the lock-up period, in which case the restrictions imposed in these lock-up agreements shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, unless Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated and Leerink Swann LLC waive the extension in writing.

Nasdaq Capital Market Listing

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “CORT”.

Passive Market Making

In connection with the offering, the underwriters may engage in passive market-making transactions in the common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act during the period before the commencement of offers or sales of common stock and extending through the completion and distribution. A passive market-maker must display its bids at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid of the security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market-maker’s bid, that bid must be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.

Short Sales, Stabilizing Transactions and Penalty Bids

In order to facilitate this offering, persons participating in this offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain, or otherwise affect the price of our common stock during and after this offering. Specifically, the underwriters may engage in the following activities in accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Short sales. Short sales involve the sales by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering. Covered short sales are short sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ over-allotment option to purchase additional shares from us in this offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their over-allotment option to purchase shares or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the over-allotment option. Naked short sales are any short sales in excess of such over-allotment option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares 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 common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering.

Stabilizing transactions. The underwriters may make bids for or purchases of the shares for the purpose of pegging, fixing, or maintaining the price of the shares, so long as stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.

Penalty bids. If the underwriters purchase shares in the open market in a stabilizing transaction or syndicate covering transaction, they may reclaim a selling concession from the underwriters and selling group members who sold those shares as part of this offering. Stabilization and syndicate covering transactions may cause the price of the shares to be higher than it would be in the absence of these transactions. The imposition of a penalty bid might also have an effect on the price of the shares if it discourages presales of the shares.

 

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The transactions above may occur on the Nasdaq Capital Market or otherwise. Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the shares. If these transactions are commenced, they may be discontinued without notice at any time.

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), the underwriters have represented and agreed that with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the Relevant Implementation Date) they have not made and will not make an offer of shares to the public in that Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that they may, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, make an offer of shares to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time:

(a) to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities;

(b) to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average of at least 250 employees during the last financial year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than € 43,000,000 and (3) an annual net turnover of more than € 50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts;

(c) to fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive) subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

(d) in any other circumstances which do not require the publication by us of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of shares to the public” in relation to any shares 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 shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the shares, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member State and the expression Prospectus Directive means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.

United Kingdom

The underwriters have represented and agreed that:

(a) they have only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, or the FSMA) received by them in connection with the issue or sale of the shares in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to us; and

(b) they have complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by them in relation to the shares in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

Miscellaneous

The underwriters have provided, and may in the future provide, various investment banking and other financial services for us for which services they have received, and may receive in the future, customary fees.

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

 

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VALIDITY OF COMMON STOCK

The validity of the common stock being offered by this prospectus has been passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP, Menlo Park, California. As of the date of this prospectus, Latham & Watkins LLP and certain attorneys in the firm who have rendered, and will continue to render, legal services to us, own shares of our common stock and warrants exercisable for shares of our common stock representing in the aggregate less than one percent of the shares of our common stock outstanding. Cooley LLP, New York, New York, is counsel for the underwriters in connection with this offering.

EXPERTS

Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy these reports, proxy statements and other information at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information about the operation of the Public Reference Room. You can request copies of these documents by writing to the SEC and paying a fee for the copying costs. Our SEC filings are also available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, we maintain a website that contains information about us at www.corcept.com. The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or any other report or document we file with or furnish to the SEC.

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC. The registration statement contains more information than this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus regarding us and our common stock, including certain exhibits and schedules. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement from the SEC at the address listed above or from the SEC’s website.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with them which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents instead of having to repeat the information in this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act as of 1934, as amended, between the date of this prospectus supplement and the termination of the offering (other than current reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits filed on such form that are related to such items):

 

•

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, filed with the SEC on March 26, 2010, as amended on Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on August 19, 2010;

 

•

our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2010, June 30, 2010, and September 30, 2010;

 

•

our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on May 18, 2010 (solely to the extent specifically incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009);

 

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•

our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 7, 2010 (with respect to Item 8.01 thereto but not with respect to Items 7.01 or 9.01 thereto), January 8, 2010, April 23, 2010, May 5, 2010 (with respect to Item 8.01 thereto but not with respect to Items 7.01 or 9.01 thereto), June 25, 2010 (two reports, with respect to Items 1.01, 8.01 and 9.01 thereto, as applicable, but not with respect to Item 7.01 thereto, as applicable), June 28, 2010, August 5, 2010, August 31, 2010, September 22, 2010, October 5, 2010, December 9, 2010, December 27, 2010 (with respect to Item 8.01 thereto but not with respect to Items 7.01 or 9.01 thereto), December 28, 2010, January 11, 2011 (with respect to Item 8.01 thereto but not with respect to Items 7.01 or 9.01 thereto) and January 20, 2011; and

 

•

the description of our common stock as set forth in our Form 8-A filed with the SEC on April 12, 2004 (File No. 000-50679).

We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered a copy of any or all of the information that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus. To receive a free copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits, unless they are specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, call or write Caroline Loewy, Chief Financial Officer, Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated, 149 Commonwealth Drive, Menlo Park, California 94025, telephone: (650) 327-3270. The information relating to us contained in this prospectus does not purport to be comprehensive and should be read together with the information contained in the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

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$100,000,000

Debt Securities

Preferred Stock

Common Stock

Equity Warrants

Debt Warrants

 

 

We may, from time to time, sell up to $100,000,000 in the aggregate of:

 

•

our secured or unsecured debt securities, in one or more series, which may be either senior, senior subordinated or subordinated debt securities;

 

•

shares of our preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, in one or more series;

 

•

shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share;

 

•

warrants to purchase our preferred stock or our common stock;

 

•

warrants to purchase our debt securities; or

 

•

any combination of the foregoing.

We will provide the specific terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement carefully before you invest.

Investing in our common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 4.

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “CORT”. On September 2, 2010, the last reported sale price for our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market was $3.06 per share.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state 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.

The date of this prospectus is September 9, 2010.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		PAGE
About the Company			1
Risk Factors			4
Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements			4
Use of Proceeds			5
Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends			6
Plan of Distribution			7
General Description of Securities			8
Description of Debt Securities			9
Description of Preferred Stock			17
Description of Common Stock			20
Description of Warrants			22
Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws			24
Validity of the Securities			26
Experts			26
Where You Can Find More Information			26
Incorporation by Reference			26

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is a part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $100,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities under this shelf registration, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Incorporation by Reference.”

We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the accompanying supplement to this prospectus. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement. This prospectus and the accompanying supplement to this prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do this prospectus and the accompanying supplement to this prospectus constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of the document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement is delivered or securities are sold on a later date.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The aggregate market value of voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $112.6 million as of August 30, 2010 based upon the closing price on the Nasdaq Capital Market reported for such date. This calculation does not reflect a determination that certain persons are affiliates of the registrant for any other purpose.

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ABOUT THE COMPANY

We are a pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of severe metabolic and psychiatric disorders. Our focus is on those disorders that are associated with a steroid hormone called cortisol. Elevated levels and abnormal release patterns of cortisol have been implicated in a broad range of human disorders. Since our inception in May 1998, we have been developing our lead product, CORLUX, a potent glucocorticoid receptor II (GR-II), antagonist that blocks the activity of cortisol. We have also discovered three series of novel selective GR-II antagonists and have moved CORT 108297, a compound from one of these series, into clinical development.

 

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Cushing’s Syndrome. Cushing’s Syndrome is a disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body’s tissues to high levels of the hormone cortisol. Sometimes called “hypercortisolism,” it is relatively uncommon and most often affects adults aged 20 to 50. An estimated 10 to 15 of every one million people are newly diagnosed with this syndrome each year, resulting in approximately 3,000 new patients and an estimated prevalence of 20,000 patients with Cushing’s Syndrome in the United States.

The Investigational New Drug application, or IND, for the evaluation of CORLUX for the treatment of Cushing’s Syndrome was opened in September 2007. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, indicated that our single 50-patient open-label study may provide a reasonable basis for the submission of a New Drug Application, or NDA, for this indication. In June 2010, we completed enrollment of all 50 patients in our open-label Phase 3 trial of CORLUX in patients with Cushing’s Syndrome. We expect to announce top-line results of this study in December 2010 and to submit our NDA for the use of CORLUX in Cushing’s Syndrome to the FDA during the first quarter of 2011.

In July 2007, we received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA for CORLUX for the treatment of endogenous Cushing’s Syndrome. Orphan Drug Designation is a special status granted by the FDA to encourage the development of treatments for diseases or conditions that affect fewer than 200,000 patients in the United States. Drugs that receive Orphan Drug Designation obtain seven years of marketing exclusivity from the date of drug approval, as well as tax credits for clinical trial costs, marketing application filing fee waivers and assistance from the FDA in the drug development process.

 

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Psychotic Depression. We are also developing CORLUX for the treatment of the psychotic features of psychotic major depression under an exclusive patent license from Stanford University. Psychotic major depression will hereinafter be referred to as psychotic depression. The FDA has granted “fast track” status to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CORLUX for the treatment of the psychotic features of psychotic depression.

In March 2008, we began enrollment in Study 14, our ongoing Phase 3 trial in psychotic depression. The protocol for this trial incorporates what we have learned from our three previously completed Phase 3 trials. It attempts to address the established relationship between increased drug plasma levels and clinical response and attempts to decrease the random variability observed in the results of the psychometric instruments used to measure efficacy. In one of the previously completed Phase 3 trials, Study 06, we prospectively tested and confirmed that patients whose plasma levels rose above a predetermined threshold statistically separated from both those patients whose plasma levels were below the threshold and those patients who received placebo; this threshold was established from data produced in earlier studies.

As expected, patients who took 1200 milligram, or mg, of CORLUX in Study 06 developed higher drug plasma levels than patients who received lower doses. Further, there was no discernable difference in the incidence of adverse events between patients who received placebo in Study 06 and those who received 300 mg, 600 mg or 1200 mg of CORLUX in that study. Based on this information, we are using a CORLUX dose of 1200 mg once per day for seven days in Study 14.

In addition, we also are utilizing a third party centralized rating service to independently evaluate the patients for entry into the study as well as to evaluate their level of response throughout their participation in the study. We believe the centralization of this process will improve the consistency of diagnosis and severity rating across clinical trial sites and reduce the background noise that was experienced in earlier studies and is endemic to many psychopharmacologic studies. We believe that this change in dose, as well as the other modifications to

 

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the protocol, should allow us to demonstrate the efficacy of CORLUX in the treatment of the psychotic symptoms of psychotic depression. In early 2009, in order to conserve financial resources, we reduced the number of clinical sites in this study to eight, and extended the timeline for its completion.

 

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Antipsychotic-induced Weight Gain Mitigation. In 2005, we published the results of studies in rats that demonstrated that CORLUX both reduced the weight gain associated with the ongoing use of olanzapine and mitigated the weight gain associated with the initiation of treatment with olanzapine (the active ingredient in Zyprexa). This study was paid for by Eli Lilly and Company, or Eli Lilly.

During 2007, we announced positive results from our clinical proof-of-concept study in lean healthy male volunteers evaluating the ability of CORLUX to mitigate weight gain associated with the use of Zyprexa. The results showed a statistically significant reduction in weight gain in those subjects who took Zyprexa plus CORLUX compared to those who took Zyprexa plus placebo. Also, the addition of CORLUX to treatment with Zyprexa had a beneficial impact on secondary metabolic measures such as fasting insulin, triglycerides and abdominal fat, as indicated by waist circumference. Eli Lilly provided Zyprexa and financial support for this study. In January 2009 we announced positive results from a similar proof-of-concept study evaluating the ability of CORLUX to mitigate weight gain associated with the use of Johnson & Johnson’s Risperdal. This study, which began in 2008, confirmed and extended the earlier results seen with CORLUX and Zyprexa, demonstrating a statistically significant reduction in weight and secondary metabolic endpoints of fasting insulin, triglycerides and abdominal fat, as indicated by waist circumference. The results from the study of CORLUX and Risperdal were presented at several scientific conferences, including the American Diabetes Association meeting in June 2009.

The combination of Zyprexa or Risperdal and CORLUX is not approved for any indication. The purpose of these studies was to explore the hypothesis that GR-II antagonists, such as CORLUX and our next generation of selective GR-II antagonists, would mitigate weight gain associated with antipsychotic medications. The group of medications known as second generation antipsychotic medication, including Zyprexa, Risperdal, Clozaril and Seroquel, are widely used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. All medications in this group are associated with treatment emergent weight gain of varying degrees and carry a warning in their labels relating to treatment emergent hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus.

We have completed IND enabling work with CORT 108297, which included preclinical studies in the rat in antipsychotic induced weight gain, diet induced weight gain and insulin sensitivity. In February 2010, we initiated a Phase 1 study to evaluate the tolerability of this compound in healthy volunteers. CORT 108297 is the lead compound from our three series of selective GR-II antagonists. Preclinical studies of CORT 108297, presented at scientific conferences during 2009, demonstrated a statistically significant mitigation of weight gain and other metabolic effects when added to olanzapine, the active ingredient in Eli Lilly’s medication Zyprexa. CORT 108297 also demonstrated the potential to mitigate weight gain caused by consumption of a high fat, high sucrose diet and improve insulin sensitivity in a preclinical mouse model.

 

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Additional Indications. We have discovered three series of next-generation selective GR-II receptor antagonists, two of which have been patented in the United States and one of which is the subject of a pending U.S. patent application. As discussed above, the lead compound from these series, CORT 108297, is being developed for the prevention of weight gain induced by antipsychotic medications. Dosing of healthy volunteers in the first Phase 1 study of CORT 108297 was completed in July 2010, a second Phase 1 study is planned to begin later this year and a Phase 2 trial is planned to begin in 2011. During the second quarter of 2010, we selected a second new compound, CORT 113083, to advance toward an IND filing. CORT 113083 has demonstrated excellent bioavailability in animal models. During the third quarter of 2010, we will be commencing various manufacturing development and additional preclinical studies supporting an IND filing for this compound. There are numerous additional compounds in these three series that may be developed for weight gain mitigation or other diseases in which excess cortisol plays a role. The role of excess cortisol has been well established and documented in the scientific literature in diabetes, obesity, hypertension, osteoporosis, glaucoma, Alzheimer’s disease and various other neurodegenerative diseases, in addition to antipsychotic-induced weight gain.

 

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We were incorporated in the State of Delaware on May 13, 1998. Our registered trademarks include Corcept^® and CORLUX^®. Other service marks, trademarks and tradenames referred to in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners.

Our principal executive offices are located at 149 Commonwealth Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025. Our telephone number is (650) 327-3270. Our web site address is www.corcept.com. The information found on our website, or otherwise accessible through our website, is not deemed to be part of this prospectus. References in this prospectus to “we,” “us,” “our,” “our company” or “Corcept” refer to Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Before you decide whether to purchase any of our securities, in addition to the other information in this prospectus, you should carefully consider the risk factors set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q (including any amendments thereto), which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as the same may be updated from time to time by our future filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. For more information, see the section entitled “Incorporation by Reference.”

DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference contain forward-looking statements. All statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used in this prospectus or any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus, the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks” and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, but the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements made or incorporated by reference in this prospectus include statements about:

 

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the progress of our research, development and clinical programs and the timing of regulatory activities;

 

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our estimates of the dates by which we expect to report results of our clinical trials and the anticipated results of these trials;

 

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the timing of market introduction of CORLUX® and future product candidates, including CORT 108297;

 

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our ability to market, commercialize and achieve market acceptance for CORLUX or other future product candidates, including CORT 108297;

 

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uncertainties associated with obtaining and enforcing patents;

 

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our estimates for future performance; and

 

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our estimates regarding our capital requirements and our needs for, and ability to obtain, additional financing.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. For a more detailed discussion of such forward-looking statements and the potential risks and uncertainties that may impact upon their accuracy, see the “Risk Factors” section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and of our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q (including any amendments thereto), which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as the same may be updated from time to time by our future filings under the Exchange Act. These forward-looking statements reflect our view only as of the date of this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligations to update any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should also carefully consider the factors set forth in reports or documents that we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Except at otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds to fund research, development and commercialization activities, including clinical trials, to fund working capital and for general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to acquire or invest in businesses, products and technologies that are complementary to our own, although we currently have no plans, commitments or agreements with respect to any such acquisitions or investments. The amounts and timing of the expenditures will depend on numerous factors, such as the timing and progress of our clinical trials and research and development efforts, technological advances and the competitive environment for our drug candidates. We intend to invest the net proceeds in money market funds and/or short-term investment-grade securities until we are ready to use them.

 

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RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

Our earnings are inadequate to cover fixed charges. The following table sets forth the dollar amount of the coverage deficiency (in thousands) for the periods indicated.

 

		Year Ended December 31,																				Six  Months Ended June 30, 2010
		2005				2006				2007				2008				2009
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(1)			N/A				N/A				N/A				N/A				N/A				N/A
Deficiency of earnings to cover fixed charges		$	(20,093	)		$	(24,873	)		$	(11,573	)		$	(20,061	)		$	(20,166	)		$	(11,768	)

 

(1)	Ratios of earnings to fixed charges are computed by dividing earnings by fixed charges. For this purpose, earnings consist of net loss before fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest on capital leases and interest embedded in the rent paid on operating leases for office space.

Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends

We have not included a ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends because we do not have any preferred stock outstanding.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities from time to time pursuant to underwritten public offerings, negotiated transactions, block trades or a combination of these methods. We may sell the securities (1) through underwriters or dealers, (2) through agents and/or (3) directly to one or more purchasers. We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at:

 

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a fixed price or prices, which may be changed;

 

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market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

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prices related to the prevailing market prices;

 

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varying prices determined at the time of sale; or

 

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negotiated prices.

We may solicit directly offers to purchase the securities being offered by this prospectus. We may also designate agents to solicit offers to purchase the securities from time to time. We will name in a prospectus supplement any agent involved in the offer or sale of our securities.

If we utilize a dealer in the sale of the securities being offered by this prospectus, we will sell the securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale.

If we utilize an underwriter in the sale of the securities being offered by this prospectus, we will execute an underwriting agreement with the underwriter at the time of sale and we will provide the name of any underwriter in the prospectus supplement which the underwriter will use to make resales of the securities to the public. In connection with the sale of the securities, we, or the purchasers of securities for whom the underwriter may act as agent, may compensate the underwriter in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions. The underwriter may sell the securities to or through dealers, and the underwriter may compensate those dealers in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions.

With respect to underwritten public offerings, negotiated transactions and block trades, we will provide in the applicable prospectus supplement any compensation we pay to underwriters, dealers or agents in connection with the offering of the securities, and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers. Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions. We may enter into agreements to indemnify underwriters, dealers and agents against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments they may be required to make in respect thereof.

To facilitate the offering of securities, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities. This may include over-allotments or short sales of the securities, which involve the sale by persons participating in the offering of more securities than we sold to them. In these circumstances, these persons would cover such over-allotments or short positions by making purchases in the open market or by exercising their over-allotment option. In addition, these persons may stabilize or maintain the price of the securities by bidding for or purchasing securities in the open market or by imposing penalty bids, whereby selling concessions allowed to dealers participating in the offering may be reclaimed if securities sold by them are repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.

The underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in other transactions with us, or perform other services for us, in the ordinary course of their business.

 

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

We, directly or through agents, dealers or underwriters designated from time to time, may offer, issue and sell, together or separately, up to $100,000,000 in the aggregate of:

 

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our secured or unsecured debt securities, in one or more series, which may be either senior, senior subordinated or subordinated debt securities;

 

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shares of our preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, in one or more series;

 

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shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share;

 

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warrants to purchase our preferred stock or our common stock;

 

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warrants to purchase our debt securities; or

 

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any combination of the foregoing, either individually or as units consisting of one or more of the foregoing, each on terms to be determined at the time of sale.

We may issue the debt securities as exchangeable for or convertible into shares of common stock, preferred stock or other securities. The preferred stock may also be exchangeable for and/or convertible into shares of common stock, another series of preferred stock or other securities. The debt securities, the preferred stock, the common stock and the warrants are collectively referred to in this prospectus as the securities. When a particular series of securities is offered, a supplement to this prospectus will be delivered with this prospectus, which will set forth the terms of the offering and sale of the offered securities.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

This prospectus describes certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms of the series in a supplement to this prospectus. The following description of debt securities will apply to the debt securities offered by this prospectus unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement and in a supplement to the indenture, a board resolution, or an officers’ certificate delivered pursuant to the indenture. The applicable prospectus supplement for a particular series of debt securities may specify different or additional terms.

We may offer under this prospectus up to $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of secured or unsecured debt securities, or if debt securities are issued at a discount, or in a foreign currency or composite currency, such principal amount as may be sold for gross proceeds to us in U.S. dollars of up to $100,000,000. The debt securities may be either senior debt securities, senior subordinated debt securities or subordinated debt securities.

The debt securities offered by this prospectus will be issued under an indenture between us and a trustee, as trustee. We have filed a copy of the form of indenture as an exhibit to the registration statement and you should read the indenture for provisions that may be important to you. We have summarized select portions of the indenture below. The summary is not complete. In the summary below, we have included references to the section numbers of the indenture so that you can easily locate these provisions. Capitalized terms used in the summary below have the meanings specified in the indenture.

General

The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a resolution of our board of directors and detailed or determined in the manner provided in a board of directors resolution, an officers’ certificate or by a supplemental indenture. (Section 2.2) The particular terms of each series of debt securities will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to the series, including any pricing supplement.

We can issue an unlimited amount of debt securities under the indenture that may be in one or more series with the same or various maturities, at par, at a premium, or at a discount. We will set forth in a prospectus supplement (including any pricing supplement) relating to any series of debt securities being offered, the initial offering price, the aggregate principal amount and the following terms of the debt securities:

 

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the title of the debt securities;

 

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the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount) at which we will sell the debt securities;

 

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any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;

 

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the date or dates on which we will pay the principal on the debt securities;

 

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the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or the method used to determine the rate or rates (including any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the debt securities will bear interest, the date or dates from which interest will accrue, the date or dates on which interest will commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;

 

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the place or places where the principal of, premium, and interest on the debt securities will be payable;

 

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the terms and conditions upon which we may redeem the debt securities;

 

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any obligation we have to redeem or purchase the debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a holder of debt securities;

 

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the dates on which and the price or prices at which we will repurchase the debt securities at the option of the holders of debt securities and other detailed terms and provisions of these repurchase obligations;

 

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the denominations in which the debt securities will be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

 

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whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of certificated debt securities or global debt securities;

 

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the portion of principal amount of the debt securities payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date, if other than the principal amount;

 

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the currency of denomination of the debt securities;

 

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the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of principal of, premium and interest on the debt securities will be made;

 

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if payments of principal of, premium or interest on the debt securities will be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which the debt securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to these payments will be determined;

 

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the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of, premium or interest on the debt securities will be determined, if these amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies other than that in which the debt securities are denominated or designated to be payable or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;

 

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any provisions relating to any security provided for the debt securities;

 

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any addition to or change in the Events of Default described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities and any change in the acceleration provisions described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;

 

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any addition to or change in the covenants described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;

 

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any other terms of the debt securities, which may modify or delete any provision of the indenture as it applies to that series; and

 

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any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to the debt securities. (Section 2.2)

We may issue debt securities that provide for an amount less than their stated principal amount to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity pursuant to the terms of the indenture. We will provide you with information on the federal income tax considerations and other special considerations applicable to any of these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

If we denominate the purchase price of any of the debt securities in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, or if the principal of and any premium and interest on any series of debt securities is payable in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, we will provide you with information on the restrictions, elections, general tax considerations, specific terms and other information with respect to that issue of debt securities and such foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Payment of Interest and Exchange

Each debt security will be represented by either one or more global securities registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company, as Depositary, or a nominee of the Depositary (we will refer to any debt security represented by a global debt security as a book-entry debt security), or a certificate issued in definitive registered form (we will refer to any debt security represented by a certificated security as a certificated debt security), as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Except as described under “Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System” below, book-entry debt securities will not be issuable in certificated form.

Certificated Debt Securities. You may transfer or exchange certificated debt securities at the trustee’s office or paying agencies in accordance with the terms of the indenture. No service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of certificated debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with a transfer or exchange.

You may transfer certificated debt securities and the right to receive the principal of, premium and interest on certificated debt securities only by surrendering the old certificate representing those certificated debt securities and either we or the trustee will reissue the old certificate to the new holder or we or the trustee will issue a new certificate to the new holder.

Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System. Each global debt security representing book-entry debt securities will be deposited with, or on behalf of, the Depositary, and registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary.

 

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The Depositary has indicated it intends to follow the following procedures with respect to book-entry debt securities.

Ownership of beneficial interests in book-entry debt securities will be limited to persons that have accounts with the Depositary for the related global debt security (we shall refer to these persons as participants) or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a global debt security, the Depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal amounts of the book-entry debt securities represented by the global debt security beneficially owned by such participants. The accounts to be credited will be designated by any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the book-entry debt securities. Ownership of book-entry debt securities will be shown on, and the transfer of the ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary for the related global debt security (with respect to interests of participants) and on the records of participants (with respect to interests of persons holding through participants). The laws of some states may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in book-entry debt securities.

So long as the Depositary for a global debt security, or its nominee, is the registered owner of that global debt security, the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the book-entry debt securities represented by such global debt security for all purposes under the indenture. Except as described in this prospectus, beneficial owners of book-entry debt securities will not be entitled to have securities registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of a certificate in definitive form representing securities and will not be considered the owners or holders of those securities under the indenture. Accordingly, to exercise any rights of a holder under the indenture, each person beneficially owning book-entry debt securities must rely on the procedures of the Depositary for the related global debt security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which that person owns its interest.

We understand, however, that under existing industry practice, the Depositary will authorize the persons on whose behalf it holds a global debt security to exercise certain rights of holders of debt securities, and the indenture provides that we, the trustee and our respective agents will treat as the holder of a debt security the persons specified in a written statement of the Depositary with respect to that global debt security for purposes of obtaining any consents or directions required to be given by holders of the debt securities pursuant to the indenture. (Section 2.14.6)

We will make payments of principal of, and premium and interest on book-entry debt securities to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered holder of the related global debt security. (Section 2.14.5) We, the trustee and any other agent of ours or agent of the trustee will not have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in a global debt security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

We expect that the Depositary, upon receipt of any payment of principal of, premium or interest on a global debt security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to the respective amounts of book-entry debt securities held by each participant as shown on the records of the Depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in book-entry debt securities held through those participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.

We will issue certificated debt securities in exchange for each global debt security if the Depositary is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor Depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act is not appointed by us within 90 days. In addition, we may at any time and in our sole discretion determine not to have any of the book-entry debt securities of any series represented by one or more global debt securities and, in that event, we will issue certificated debt securities in exchange for the global debt securities of that series. Global debt securities will also be exchangeable by the holders for certificated debt securities if an event of default with respect to the book-entry debt securities represented by those global debt securities has occurred and is continuing. Any certificated debt securities

 

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issued in exchange for a global debt security will be registered in such name or names as the Depositary shall instruct the trustee. We expect that such instructions will be based upon directions received by the Depositary from participants with respect to ownership of book-entry debt securities relating to such global debt security.

We have obtained the foregoing information in this section concerning the Depositary and the Depositary’s book-entry system from sources we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy of this information.

No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control

Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions which may afford holders of the debt securities protection in the event we have a change in control or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction (whether or not such transaction results in a change in control).

Covenants

Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any restrictive covenants, including covenants restricting us or any of our subsidiaries from incurring, issuing, assuming or guarantying any indebtedness secured by a lien on any of our or our subsidiaries’ property or capital stock, or restricting us or any of our subsidiaries from entering into any sale and leaseback transactions.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may not consolidate with or merge into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of our properties and assets to, any person (a “successor person”), and we may not permit any person to merge into, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to us, unless:

 

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the successor person is a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes our obligations on the debt securities and under the indenture;

 

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immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no event of default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an event of default, shall have occurred and be continuing under the indenture; and

 

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certain other conditions are met. (Section 5.1)

Events of Default

Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, “event of default” means with respect to any series of debt securities, any of the following:

 

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default in the payment of any interest upon any debt security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of that default for a period of 90 days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by us with the trustee or with a paying agent prior to the expiration of the 90-day period);

 

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default in the payment of principal of or premium on any debt security of that series when due and payable;

 

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default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due in respect of any debt security of that series;

 

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default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty by us in the indenture (other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in the indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities other than that series), which default continues uncured for a period of 90 days after we receive written notice from the trustee or we and the trustee receive written notice from the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series as provided in the indenture;

 

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certain events of our bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization; and

 

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any other event of default provided with respect to debt securities of that series that is described in the applicable prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus.

 

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No event of default with respect to a particular series of debt securities (except as to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) necessarily constitutes an event of default with respect to any other series of debt securities. (Section 6.1) An event of default may also be an event of default under our bank credit agreements or other debt securities in existence from time to time and under guaranties by us of any subsidiary indebtedness.

Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, if an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than certain events of our bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization), then the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, by written notice to us (and to the trustee if given by the holders), declare to be due and payable immediately the principal (or, if the debt securities of that series are discount securities, that portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) and premium of all debt securities of that series. In the case of an event of default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal (or such specified amount) and premium of all outstanding debt securities will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act by the trustee or any holder of outstanding debt securities. At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to debt securities of any series has been made, but before the trustee has obtained a judgment or decree for payment of the money due, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, subject to our having paid or deposited with the trustee a sum sufficient to pay overdue interest and principal which has become due other than by acceleration and certain other conditions, rescind and annul such acceleration if all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal and premium with respect to debt securities of that series, have been cured or waived as provided in the indenture. (Section 6.2) For information as to waiver of defaults see the discussion under “Modification and Waiver” below. We refer you to the prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that are discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of a portion of the principal amount of the discount securities upon the occurrence of an event of default and the continuation of an event of default.

The indenture provides that the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request of any holder of outstanding debt securities, unless the trustee receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense. (Section 7.1(e)) Subject to certain rights of the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series. (Section 6.12)

Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, no holder of any debt security of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any remedy under the indenture, unless:

 

•

that holder has previously given to the trustee written notice of a continuing event of default with respect to debt securities of that series; and

 

•

the holders of at least 51% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and offered reasonable indemnity, to the trustee to institute such proceeding as trustee, and the trustee shall not have received from the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series a direction inconsistent with that request and has failed to institute the proceeding within 60 days. (Section 6.7)

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the holder of any debt security will have an absolute and unconditional right to receive payment of the principal of, premium and any interest on that debt security on or after the due dates expressed in that debt security and to institute suit for the enforcement of payment. (Section 6.8)

The indenture requires us, within 90 days after the end of our fiscal year, to furnish to the trustee a statement as to compliance with the indenture. (Section 4.3) The indenture provides that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any series of any default or event of default (except in payment on any debt securities of that series) with respect to debt securities of that series if it in good faith determines that withholding notice is in the interest of the holders of those debt securities. (Section 7.5)

 

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Modification and Waiver

Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we and the trustee may modify and amend the indenture with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the modifications or amendments. We and the trustee may not make any modification or amendment without the consent of the holder of each affected debt security then outstanding if that amendment will:

 

•

change the amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment or waiver;

 

•

reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any debt security;

 

•

reduce the principal of or premium on or change the fixed maturity of any debt security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation with respect to any series of debt securities;

 

•

reduce the principal amount of discount securities payable upon acceleration of maturity;

 

•

waive a default in the payment of the principal of, premium or interest on any debt security (except a rescission of acceleration of the debt securities of any series by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of that series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from that acceleration);

 

•

make the principal of or premium or interest on any debt security payable in currency other than that stated in the debt security;

 

•

make any change to certain provisions of the indenture relating to, among other things, the right of holders of debt securities to receive payment of the principal of, premium and interest on those debt securities, the right of the holders to institute suit for the enforcement of the payment, the right of holders to waive past defaults or amendments to the limitations described in this bullet point; or

 

•

waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt security or change any of the provisions with respect to the redemption of any debt securities. (Section 9.3)

Except for certain specified provisions, the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may, on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series, waive our compliance with provisions of the indenture. (Section 9.2) The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may, on behalf of the holders of all the debt securities of that series, waive any past default under the indenture with respect to that series and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal of, premium or any interest on any debt security of that series; provided, however, that the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from the acceleration. (Section 6.13)

Defeasance of Debt Securities and Certain Covenants in Certain Circumstances

Legal Defeasance. The indenture provides that, unless the terms of the applicable series of debt securities provide otherwise, we may be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the debt securities of any series (except for certain obligations to register the transfer or exchange of debt securities of the series, to replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities of the series, and to maintain paying agencies and certain provisions relating to the treatment of funds held by paying agents). We will be so discharged upon the deposit with the trustee, in trust, of money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. dollars, foreign government obligations (as described at the end of this section), that, through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants to pay and discharge each installment of principal, premium and interest on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity of such payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities.

This discharge may occur only if, among other things, we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel stating that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling or, since the date of execution of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that holders of the debt securities of such

 

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series will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred. (Section 8.3)

Defeasance of Certain Covenants. The indenture provides that, unless the terms of the applicable series of debt securities provide otherwise, upon compliance with certain conditions, we may omit to comply with the restrictive covenants contained in Sections 4.2 (SEC Reports), 4.3 through 4.6 (Compliance Certificate; Stay, Extension and Usury Laws; Corporate Existence; Taxes) and Section 5.1 (When Company May Merge, Etc.) of the indenture, as well as any additional covenants contained in a supplement to the indenture, a board resolution or an officers’ certificate delivered pursuant to the indenture.

The conditions include:

 

•

depositing with the trustee money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. dollars, foreign government obligations, that, through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants to pay principal, premium and interest on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity of those payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities; and

 

•

delivering to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and related covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States federal income tax in the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit and related covenant defeasance had not occurred. (Section 8.4)

Covenant Defeasance and Events of Default. In the event we exercise our option not to comply with certain covenants of the indenture with respect to any series of debt securities and the debt securities of that series are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any event of default, the amount of money and/or U.S. government obligations or foreign government obligations on deposit with the trustee will be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities of that series at the time of their stated maturity but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities of that series at the time of the acceleration resulting from the event of default. However, we will remain liable for those payments.

“Foreign government obligations” means, with respect to debt securities of any series that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars:

 

•

direct obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged, which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof; or

 

•

obligations of a person controlled or supervised by or acting as an agency or instrumentality of that government the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by that government, which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

Conversion and Exchange Rights

The debt securities may be exchanged for or converted into shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock or other securities. The terms, if any, on which the debt securities may be exchanged for or converted will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Such terms may include provisions for conversion, either mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option, in which case the number of shares of common stock, preferred stock or other securities to be received by the holders of the debt securities would be calculated as of a time and in the manner stated in the prospectus supplement.

 

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Governing Law

The indenture and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York. (Section 10.10)

 

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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

We have authority to issue 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, none of which are outstanding as of August 30, 2010.

Undesignated Preferred Stock

The following description of the terms of the preferred stock sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the preferred stock to which any prospectus supplement may relate and will apply to the preferred stock offered by this prospectus unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement for a particular series of preferred stock may specify different or additional terms. The description of certain provisions of the preferred stock set forth below and in any prospectus supplement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our certificate of incorporation and the certificate of designations relating to each series of the preferred stock.

Under our certificate of incorporation, our board of directors is authorized without further stockholder action to provide for the issuance of up to the remaining authorized but unissued shares of our preferred stock, in one or more series, with such voting powers, full or limited, and with such designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, as shall be stated in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of a series of such stock adopted, at any time or from time to time, by our board of directors. As used in this prospectus, the term “board of directors” includes any duly authorized committee thereof. The issuance of the preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock and the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation and could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control.

The preferred stock shall have the dividend, liquidation, redemption and voting rights set forth below unless we provide otherwise in a prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of the preferred stock. Reference is made to the prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of the preferred stock offered thereby for specific terms, including:

 

•

the designation and stated value per share of such preferred stock and the number of shares offered;

 

•

the amount of liquidation preference per share;

 

•

the initial public offering price at which such preferred stock will be issued;

 

•

the dividend rate (or method of calculation), the dates on which dividends shall be payable and the dates from which dividends shall commence to cumulate, if any;

 

•

any redemption or sinking fund provisions;

 

•

any conversion or exchange rights; and

 

•

any additional voting, dividend, liquidation, redemption, sinking fund and other rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions.

The preferred stock will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable and will have no preemptive rights. The rights of the holders of each series of the preferred stock will be subordinate to those of our general creditors.

Dividend Rights

Holders of the preferred stock of each series will be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by our board of directors, out of our funds legally available therefor, cash dividends on such dates and at such rates as set forth in, or as are determined by the method described in, the prospectus supplement relating to such series of the preferred stock. Such rate may be fixed or variable or both. Each such dividend will be payable to the holders of record as they appear on our stock books on such record dates, fixed by our board of directors, as specified in the prospectus supplement relating to such series of preferred stock.

Such dividends may be cumulative or noncumulative, as provided in the prospectus supplement relating to such series of preferred stock. If our board of directors fails to declare a dividend payable on a dividend payment date on any series of preferred stock for which dividends are noncumulative, then the right to receive a dividend in respect

 

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of the dividend period ending on such dividend payment date will be lost, and we will have no obligation to pay any dividend for such period, whether or not dividends on such series are declared payable on any future dividend payment dates. Dividends on the shares of each series of preferred stock for which dividends are cumulative will accrue from the date on which we initially issue shares of such series.

Bank credit agreements that we may enter into from time to time and debt securities that we may issue from time to time may restrict our ability to declare or pay dividends on our capital stock.

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, so long as the shares of any series of the preferred stock are outstanding, unless:

 

•

full dividends (including if such preferred stock is cumulative, dividends for prior dividend periods) have been declared and paid in full or declared and consideration sufficient for payment set apart for payment on all outstanding shares of the preferred stock of such series and all other classes and series of our preferred stock, other than junior stock, as defined below, and

 

•

we are not in default or in arrears with respect to the mandatory or optional redemption or mandatory repurchase or other mandatory retirement of, or with respect to any sinking or other analogous funds for, any shares of preferred stock of such series or any shares of any of our other preferred stock of any class or series, other than junior stock, as defined below,

we may not declare any dividends on any shares of our common stock or any of our other stock ranking as to dividends or distributions of assets junior to such series of preferred stock (we refer to this common stock and any such other stock as junior stock), or make any payment on account of, or set apart money for, the purchase, redemption or other retirement of, or for a sinking or other analogous fund for, any shares of junior stock or make any distribution in respect of any shares of junior stock, whether in cash or property or in obligations of our stock, other than in junior stock which is neither convertible into, nor exchangeable or exercisable for, any of our securities other than junior stock.

Liquidation Preferences

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of each series of the preferred stock will be entitled to receive out of our assets available for distribution to stockholders, before any distribution of assets is made to the holders of common stock or any other shares of our stock ranking junior as to such distribution to such series of the preferred stock, but after any required distributions to holders of any shares of our stock ranking senior as to such distribution to such series of preferred stock, the amount set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to such series of the preferred stock. If, upon our voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up and after required distribution of our assets to holders of any shares of our stock ranking senior as to such distribution to the preferred stock of a particular series, the amounts payable with respect to the preferred stock of such series and any other shares of our preferred stock, including any other series of the preferred stock, ranking as to any such distribution on a parity with such series of the preferred stock are not paid in full, the holders of the preferred stock of such series and of such other shares of our preferred stock will share ratably in any such distribution of our assets in proportion to the full respective preferential amounts to which they are entitled. After payment to the holders of the preferred stock of each series of the full preferential amounts of the liquidating distribution to which they are entitled, unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holders of each such series of the preferred stock will be entitled to no further participation in any distribution of our assets.

Redemption

A series of the preferred stock may be redeemable, in whole or from time to time in part, at our option, and may be subject to mandatory redemption pursuant to a sinking fund or otherwise, in each case upon terms, at the times and at the redemption prices set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to such series. Shares of the preferred stock redeemed by us will be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of our preferred stock.

In the event that fewer than all of the outstanding shares of a series of the preferred stock are to be redeemed, whether by mandatory or optional redemption, the number of shares to be redeemed will be determined by lot or pro rata, subject to rounding to avoid fractional shares, as may be determined by us or by any other method as may be

 

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determined by us in our sole discretion to be equitable. From and after the redemption date, unless default is made by us in providing for the payment of the redemption price plus accumulated and unpaid dividends, if any, dividends will cease to accumulate on the shares of the preferred stock called for redemption and all rights of the holders thereof, except the right to receive the redemption price plus accumulated and unpaid dividends, if any, will cease.

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, so long as any dividends on shares of any series of the preferred stock or any other series of our preferred stock ranking on a parity as to dividends and distribution of assets with such series of the preferred stock are in arrears, no shares of any such series of the preferred stock or such other series of our preferred stock will be redeemed, whether by mandatory or optional redemption, unless all such shares are simultaneously redeemed, and we will not purchase or otherwise acquire any such shares; provided, however, that the foregoing will not prevent the purchase or acquisition of such shares pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all such shares outstanding.

Conversion and Exchange Rights

The terms, if any, on which shares of the preferred stock of any series may be exchanged for or converted into shares of common stock, another series of the preferred stock or any other security will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Such terms may include provisions for conversion, either mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option, in which case the number of shares of common stock, the shares of another series of the preferred stock or the amount of any other securities to be received by the holders of the preferred stock would be calculated as of a time and in the manner stated in the prospectus supplement.

Voting Rights

Except as indicated in a prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of the preferred stock, or except as required by applicable law, the holders of the preferred stock will not be entitled to vote for any purpose.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

General

We have authority to issue 140,000,000 shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share. As of August 30, 2010, 72,051,362 shares of our common stock were outstanding.

Dividends

Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock, holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the board of directors out of legally available funds.

Liquidation

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities and the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Preemptive Rights

In addition, in connection with the sale of an aggregate of 12,596,475 shares of our common stock and warrants to purchase an aggregate of 4,408,773 shares of common stock, on October 12, 2009, we granted each investor preemptive rights to purchase its pro rata share of all common stock or common stock equivalents, that we may, from time to time, propose to sell and issue, other than certain excluded securities, commencing from and after October 16, 2009 until the unblinded data from our Phase 3 Cushing’s Syndrome trial is generally available to and known by the public.

Voting Rights

Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors, provided, however, that except as otherwise required by law, holders of common stock are not entitled to vote on any amendment to the certificate of incorporation that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of preferred stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon by law or pursuant to the certificate of incorporation, and each holder does not have cumulative voting rights. Accordingly, the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they so choose.

Other

Holders of common stock have no preemptive rights other than as described above or conversion rights or other subscription rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. All outstanding shares of common stock are, and the shares of common stock offered by us in this offering, when issued and paid for, will be fully paid and non-assessable. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock which we may designate in the future.

Our common stock is subject to certain limitations on ownership and transfer. See “Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws” below.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “CORT”.

 

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Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

Outstanding Warrants

As of August 30, 2010, there are warrants exercisable for 9,200,372 shares of common stock outstanding.

We may issue debt warrants to purchase debt securities, as well as equity warrants to purchase preferred stock or common stock. The warrants may be issued independently or together with any securities and may be attached to or separate from the securities. If the warrants are issued pursuant to warrant agreements, we will so specify in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants being offered pursuant to the prospectus supplement. The following description of warrants will apply to the warrants offered by this prospectus unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement for a particular series of warrants may specify different or additional terms.

Debt Warrants

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of debt warrants offered, the warrant agreement relating to the debt warrants and the debt warrant certificates representing the debt warrants, including the following:

 

•

the title of the debt warrants;

 

•

the aggregate number of the debt warrants;

 

•

the price or prices at which the debt warrants will be issued;

 

•

the designation, aggregate principal amount and terms of the debt securities purchasable upon exercise of the debt warrants, and the procedures and conditions relating to the exercise of the debt warrants;

 

•

the designation and terms of any related debt securities with which the debt warrants are issued, and the number of the debt warrants issued with each debt security;

 

•

the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of each debt warrant;

 

•

the date on which the right to exercise the debt warrants will commence, and the date on which this right will expire;

 

•

the maximum or minimum number of debt warrants which may be exercised at any time;

 

•

a discussion of any material federal income tax considerations; and

 

•

any other terms of the debt warrants and terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exercise of debt warrants.

Debt warrant certificates will be exchangeable for new debt warrant certificates of different denominations, and debt warrants may be exercised at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement. Prior to the exercise of their debt warrants, holders of debt warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities purchasable upon exercise and will not be entitled to payment of principal of or any premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities purchasable upon exercise.

Equity Warrants

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the following terms of equity warrants offered:

 

•

the title of the equity warrants;

 

•

the securities (i.e., preferred stock or common stock) for which the equity warrants are exercisable;

 

•

the price or prices at which the equity warrants will be issued;

 

•

if applicable, the designation and terms of the preferred stock or common stock with which the equity warrants are issued, and the number of equity warrants issued with each share of preferred stock or common stock; and

 

•

any other terms of the equity warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of equity warrants.

Holders of equity warrants will not be entitled, by virtue of being such holders, to vote, consent, receive dividends, receive notice as stockholders with respect to any meeting of stockholders for the election of our directors or any other matter, or to exercise any rights whatsoever as our stockholders.

 

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The exercise price payable and the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock purchasable upon the exercise of each equity warrant will be subject to adjustment in certain events, including the issuance of a stock dividend to holders of common stock or preferred stock or a stock split, reverse stock split, combination, subdivision or reclassification of common stock or preferred stock. In lieu of adjusting the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock purchasable upon exercise of each equity warrant, we may elect to adjust the number of equity warrants. No adjustments in the number of shares purchasable upon exercise of the equity warrants will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% thereof. We may, at our option, reduce the exercise price at any time.

No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of equity warrants, but we will pay the cash value of any fractional shares otherwise issuable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case of any consolidation, merger, or sale or conveyance of our property as an entirety or substantially as an entirety, the holder of each outstanding equity warrant shall have the right to the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property, including cash, receivable by a holder of the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock into which the equity warrant was exercisable immediately prior to the transaction.

Exercise of Warrants

Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase for cash such principal amount of securities or shares of stock at such exercise price as shall in each case be set forth in, or be determinable as set forth in, the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants offered thereby. Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants offered thereby. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.

The warrants may be exercised as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants offered. Upon receipt of payment and the taking of other action specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the securities purchasable upon exercise. If less than all of the warrants represented by such warrant certificate are exercised, a new warrant certificate will be issued for the remaining warrants.

 

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CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF DELAWARE LAW AND OF THE COMPANY’S CERTIFICATE OF

INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS

The following paragraphs summarize certain provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law and our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws. The summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Delaware General Corporation Law and to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, copies of which are on file with the SEC as exhibits to registration statements we previously filed. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law

We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, an anti-takeover law. This law prohibits a publicly-held Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date that the stockholder became an interested stockholder unless:

 

•

prior to the date of the transaction, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

•

upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding those shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

 

•

on or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.

Section 203 defines “business combination” to include:

 

•

any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder;

 

•

any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of our assets involving the interested stockholder;

 

•

in general, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by us of any of our stock to the interested stockholder; or

 

•

the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.

In general, Section 203 defines an “interested stockholder” as an entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by the entity or person.

Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws

Some provisions of Delaware law and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that could make the following transactions more difficult:

 

•

acquisition of us by means of a tender offer;

 

•

acquisition of us by means of a proxy contest or otherwise; or

 

•

removal of our incumbent officers and directors.

These provisions, summarized below, are expected to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to promote stability in our management. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors.

 

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•

Undesignated Preferred Stock. The ability to authorize undesignated preferred stock makes it possible for our board of directors to issue one or more series of preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to change control of our company. These and other provisions may have the effect of deferring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management of our company.

 

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Stockholder Meetings. Our charter documents provide that a special meeting of stockholders may be called only by the chairman of the board or by our president, or by a resolution adopted by a majority of our board of directors.

 

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Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Nominations and Proposals. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation requires and our amended and restated bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors.

 

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Elimination of Stockholder Action by Written Consent. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation eliminates the right of stockholders to act by written consent without a meeting.

 

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Amendment of Bylaws. Any amendment of our bylaws by our stockholders requires approval by holders of at least 66 2/3% of our then outstanding common stock, voting together as a single class.

 

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VALIDITY OF THE SECURITIES

The validity of the securities being offered by this prospectus has been passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP, Menlo Park, California. As of the date of this prospectus, Latham & Watkins LLP and certain attorneys in the firm who have rendered, and will continue to render, legal services to us, own shares of our common stock and warrants exercisable for shares of our common stock representing in the aggregate less than one percent of the shares of our common stock outstanding.

EXPERTS

Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2009, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy these reports, proxy statements and other information at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information about the operation of the Public Reference Room. You can request copies of these documents by writing to the SEC and paying a fee for the copying costs. Our SEC filings are also available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, we maintain a website that contains information about us at www.corcept.com. The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus or any other report or document we file with or furnish to the SEC.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC. The registration statement contains more information than this prospectus regarding us and our common stock, including certain exhibits and schedules. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement from the SEC at the address listed above or from the SEC’s website.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

We have elected to “incorporate by reference” certain information into this prospectus. By incorporating by reference, we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document we have filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for information incorporated by reference that is superseded by information contained in this prospectus. This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents set forth below that we have previously filed with the SEC:

 

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our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2009, filed with the SEC on March 26, 2010 and August 19, 2010, respectively;

 

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our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2010 and June 30, 2010, filed with the SEC on May 11, 2010 and August 16, 2010, respectively;

 

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our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on May 18, 2010 (with respect to the information under the caption “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions – Preemptive Rights” and otherwise solely to the extent specifically incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2009);

 

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our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 7, 2010 (with respect to Item 8.01 thereto but not with respect to Items 7.01 or 9.01 thereto), January 8, 2010, April 23, 2010, May 5, 2010 (with respect to Item 8.01 thereto but not with respect to Items 7.01 or 9.01 thereto), June 25, 2010 (two reports), June 28, 2010, August 5, 2010 and August 31, 2010; and

 

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the description of our common stock as set forth in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on April 12, 2004 (File No. 000-50679).

 

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We are also incorporating by reference all other documents that we subsequently file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the initial registration statement of which this prospectus is a part but prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement and between the date of this prospectus and the termination of the offering.

This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of offered securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement. The delivery of this prospectus together with a prospectus supplement relating to particular offered securities in any jurisdiction shall not constitute an offer in the jurisdiction of any other securities covered by this prospectus.

We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered a copy of any or all of the information that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus. To receive a free copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits, unless they are specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, call or write Caroline Loewy, Chief Financial Officer, Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated, 149 Commonwealth Drive, Menlo Park, California 94025, telephone: (650) 327-3270. The information relating to us contained in this prospectus does not purport to be comprehensive and should be read together with the information contained in the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

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Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated

10,000,000 Shares

Common Stock

 

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

January 21, 2011

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

Stifel Nicolaus Weisel		Leerink Swann

 

 

JMP Securities

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.

 

 

 

 

Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide information different from that contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in this offering. When you make a decision about whether to invest in our common stock, you should not rely upon any information other than the information in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, including any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in this offering. Neither the delivery of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, including any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in this offering, nor the sale of our common stock means that information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in this offering, is correct after their respective dates. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in this offering, is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy these shares of common stock in any circumstance under which the offer or solicitation is unlawful.