EX-2.1 3 ea028258601ex2-1.htm DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES REGISTERED UNDER SECTION 12

Exhibit 2.1

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

REGISTERED UNDER SECTION 12 OF THE EXCHANGE ACT

General

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. is currently authorized to issue 14,000,000 ordinary shares, no par value.

NYSE American

On November 19, 2013, our ADSs began trading on the NYSE American under the symbol “CANF.”

Memorandum and Articles of Association

Our number with the Israeli Registrar of Companies is 512022153. Our purpose is set forth in Section 3 of our Articles of Association and includes every lawful purpose.

Our authorized share capital is divided into 14,000,000 ordinary shares with no par value. Our ordinary shares that are fully paid for are issued in registered form and may be freely transferred under our Amended and Restated Articles of Association, unless the transfer is restricted or prohibited by applicable law or the rules of a stock exchange on which the shares are traded. The ownership or voting of our ordinary shares by non-residents of Israel is not restricted in any way by our Amended and Restated Articles of Association or the laws of the State of Israel, except for ownership by nationals of some countries that are, or have been, in a state of war with Israel.

Pursuant to the Israeli Companies Law and our Amended and Restated Articles of Association, our Board of Directors may exercise all powers and take all actions that are not required under law or under our Amended and Restated Articles of Association to be exercised or taken by our shareholders, including the power to borrow money for company purposes.

Our Amended and Restated Articles of Association enable us to increase or reduce our share capital. Any such changes are subject to the provisions of the Israeli Companies Law and must be approved by a resolution duly passed by our shareholders at a general or special meeting by voting on such change in the capital. In addition, transactions that have the effect of reducing capital, such as the declaration and payment of dividends in the absence of sufficient retained earnings and profits and an issuance of shares for less than their nominal value, require a resolution of our Board of Directors and court approval.

Dividends

We may declare a dividend to be paid to the holders of our ordinary shares in proportion to their respective shareholdings. Under the Israeli Companies Law, dividend distributions are determined by the Board of Directors and do not require the approval of the shareholders of a company unless such company’s articles of association provide otherwise. Our Amended and Restated Articles of Association do not require shareholder approval of a dividend distribution and provide that dividend distributions may be determined by our Board of Directors.

Pursuant to the Israeli Companies Law, we may only distribute dividends from our profits accrued over the previous two years, as defined in the Israeli Companies Law, according to our then last reviewed or audited financial reports, or we may distribute dividends with court approval. In each case, we are only permitted to pay a dividend if there is no reasonable concern that payment of the dividend will prevent us from satisfying our existing and foreseeable obligations as they become due.

Election of Directors

Our Amended and Restated Articles of Association provide that the maximum number of members of the Board of Directors is 13, plus the number of external directors required by the Israeli Companies Law. The Board of Directors is presently comprised of six members, of which two are external directors as required by the Israeli Companies Law.

In February 2020, a special general meeting of our shareholders approved an amendment to our Amended and Restated Articles of Association, according to which the Board of Directors, excluding the External Directors, if any (who shall be elected and serve in office in strict accordance with the provisions of the Companies Law), shall consist of three classes of directors as nearly equal in number as practicable, which are appointed for fixed terms of office in accordance with the Israeli Companies Law and our Amended and Restated Articles of Association, as follows: (i) the term of office of the initial Class I directors shall expire at the first annual general meeting of our shareholders to be held in 2020 and when their successors are elected and qualified, (ii) the term of office of the initial Class II directors shall expire at the first annual general meeting of our shareholders following the annual general meeting of our shareholders referred to in clause (i) above and when their successors are elected and qualified, and (iii) the term of office of the initial Class III directors shall expire at the first annual general meeting of our shareholders following the annual general meeting of our shareholders referred to in clause (ii) above and when their successors are elected and qualified.

Directors (other than external directors), may be elected only in annual general meetings of our shareholders. At each annual general meeting of our shareholders, commencing with the annual general meeting of our shareholders held in 2020, each of the successors elected to replace the directors of a class whose term shall have expired at such annual general meeting of our shareholders shall be elected to hold office until the third annual general meeting of our shareholders next succeeding his or her election and until his or her respective successor shall have been elected and qualified. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, each director shall serve until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until such earlier time as such director’s office is vacated.

External directors are elected for an initial term of three years and may be reelected for up to two additional three-year terms (for a maximum of nine consecutive years of service). The reappointment of an external director requires approval by the general meeting under specific voting procedures set forth in the Israeli Companies Law. As a company traded on stock markets outside of Israel, pursuant to the Israeli Companies Regulations (Relief for Public Companies Traded on Stock Markets Outside of Israel), 5760-2000, we may reappoint an external director for additional three-year terms if our audit committee and board of directors confirm that such reappointment is in the company’s best interest given the director’s expertise and contribution, and such determination is presented to the general meeting for approval.

If the number of directors (excluding external directors) that constitutes the Board of Directors is hereafter changed, the then-serving directors shall be re-designated to other classes and/or any newly created directorships or decrease in directorships shall be apportioned by the Board of Directors among the classes so as to make all classes as nearly equal in number as is practicable, provided that no decrease in the number of Directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

Directors so elected may not be dismissed from office by the shareholders or by a general meeting of our shareholders prior to the expiration of their term of office. The directors do not receive any benefits upon the expiration of their term of office.

The three classes of directors are Class I Directors, Class II Directors and Class III Directors. Abraham Sartani serves as our Class I Director until the close of the annual meeting to be held in 2026; Ilan Cohn serves as our Class II Director until the close of the annual meeting to be held in 2024; and Dr. Pnina Fishman and Mr. Guy Regev serve as our Class III Directors until the close of the annual meeting to be held in 2025.

Any amendment, replacement or suspension of our Amended and Restated Articles of Association regarding the election of directors, as described above, require a majority of 65% of the voting power represented at the general meeting of our shareholders in person or by proxy and voting thereon, disregarding abstentions from the count of the voting power present and voting, provided that such majority constitutes more than 20% of our then issued and outstanding share capital.

A nominee for service as a director in a public company may not be elected without submitting a declaration to the company, prior to election, specifying that he or she has the requisite qualifications to serve as a director, independent director or external director (if required), as applicable, and the ability to devote the appropriate time to performing his or her duties as such.

A director, who ceases to meet the statutory requirements to serve as a director, external director or independent director, as applicable, must notify the company to that effect immediately and his or her service as a director will expire upon submission of such notice.

Shareholder Meetings

Under Israeli Companies Law, we are required to hold an annual general meeting of our shareholders once every calendar year that must be no later than 15 months after the date of the previous annual general meeting. All meetings other than the annual general meeting of shareholders are referred to as special meetings. Our Board of Directors may call special meetings whenever it sees fit, at such time and place, within or outside of Israel, as it may determine. In addition, the Israeli Companies Law and our Amended and Restated Articles of Association provide that our Board of Directors is required to convene a special meeting upon the written request of (i) any two of our directors or one quarter of our Board of Directors or (ii) one or more shareholders holding, in the aggregate, either (1) 5% of our outstanding shares and 1% of our outstanding voting power or (2) 5% of our outstanding voting power.

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Subject to the provisions of the Israeli Companies Law and the regulations promulgated thereunder, shareholders entitled to participate and vote at general meetings are the shareholders of record on a date to be decided by the Board of Directors, which may be between four and forty days prior to the date of the meeting. Furthermore, the Israeli Companies Law and our Amended and Restated Articles of Association require that resolutions regarding the following matters must be passed at a general meeting of our shareholders:

| ● | amendments to our Amended and Restated Articles of Association;

| ● | appointment or termination of our auditors;

| ● | appointment of directors and appointment and dismissal of external directors;

| ● | approval of acts and transactions requiring general meeting approval pursuant to the Israeli Companies Law;

| ● | director compensation, indemnification and change of the principal executive officer;

| ● | increases or reductions of our authorized share capital;

| ● | a merger; and

| ● | the exercise of our Board of Director’s powers by a general meeting, if our Board of Directors is unable to exercise its powers and the exercise of any of its powers is required for our proper management.

The Israeli Companies Law requires that a notice of any annual or special shareholders meeting be provided at least 21 days prior to the meeting and if the agenda of the meeting includes the appointment or removal of directors, the approval of transactions with office holders or interested or related parties, or an approval of a merger, notice must be provided at least 35 days prior to the meeting.

The Israeli Companies Law does not allow shareholders of publicly traded companies to approve corporate matters by written consent. Consequently, our Amended and Restated Articles of Association does not allow shareholders to approve corporate matters by written consent.

Pursuant to our Amended and Restated Articles of Association, holders of our ordinary shares have one vote for each ordinary share held on all matters submitted to a vote before the shareholders at a general meeting.

Quorum

The quorum required for our general meetings of shareholders consists of at least two shareholders present in person, by proxy or written ballot who hold or represent between them at least 25% of the total outstanding voting rights.

A meeting adjourned for lack of a quorum is adjourned to the same day in the following week at the same time and place or on a later date if so specified in the summons or notice of the meeting. At the reconvened meeting, any number of our shareholders present in person or by proxy shall constitute a lawful quorum.

Resolutions

Our Amended and Restated Articles of Association provide that all resolutions of our shareholders require a simple majority vote, unless otherwise required by applicable law.

Israeli law provides that a shareholder of a public company may vote in a meeting and in a class meeting by means of a written ballot in which the shareholder indicates how he or she votes on resolutions relating to the following matters:

| ● | an appointment or removal of directors;

| ● | an approval of transactions with office holders or interested or related parties;

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| ● | an approval of a merger or any other matter in respect of which there is a provision in the articles of association providing that decisions of the general meeting may also be passed by written ballot;

| ● | authorizing the chairman of the Board of Directors or his relative to act as our chief executive officer or act with such authority; or authorize our chief executive officer or his relative to act as the chairman of the Board of Directors or act with such authority; and

| ● | other matters which may be prescribed by Israel’s Minister of Justice.

The provision allowing the vote by written ballot does not apply where the voting power of the controlling shareholder is sufficient to determine the vote. Our Amended and Restated Articles of Association provide that our Board of Directors may prevent voting by means of a written ballot and this determination is required to be stated in the notice convening the general meeting.

The Israeli Companies Law provides that a shareholder, in exercising his or her rights and performing his or her obligations toward the company and its other shareholders, must act in good faith and in a customary manner, and avoid abusing his or her power. This is required when voting at general meetings on matters such as changes to the articles of association, increasing our registered capital, mergers and approval of related party transactions. A shareholder also has a general duty to refrain from depriving any other shareholder of its rights as a shareholder. In addition, any controlling shareholder, any shareholder who knows that its vote can determine the outcome of a shareholder vote and any shareholder who, under such company’s articles of association, can appoint or prevent the appointment of an office holder, is required to act with fairness towards the company. The Israeli Companies Law does not describe the substance of this duty except to state that the remedies generally available upon a breach of contract will also apply to a breach of the duty to act with fairness, and, to the best of our knowledge, there is no binding case law that addresses this subject directly.

Under the Israeli Companies Law, unless provided otherwise in a company’s articles of association, a resolution at a shareholders meeting requires approval by a simple majority of the voting rights represented at the meeting, in person, by proxy or written ballot, and voting on the resolution. A resolution for the voluntary winding up of the company requires the approval of holders of 75% of the voting rights represented at the meeting, in person, by proxy or by written ballot and voting on the resolution.

In the event of our liquidation, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors, our assets will be distributed to the holders of our ordinary shares in proportion to their shareholdings. This right, as well as the right to receive dividends, may be affected by the grant of preferential dividend or distribution rights to the holders of a class of shares with preferential rights that may be authorized in the future.

Access to Corporate Records

Under the Israeli Companies Law, all shareholders of a company generally have the right to review minutes of our general meetings, its shareholders register and principal shareholders register, articles of association, financial statements and any document it is required by law to file publicly with the Israeli Companies Registrar and the Israel Securities Authority. Any of our shareholders may request access to review any document in our possession that relates to any action or transaction with a related party, interested party or office holder that requires shareholder approval under the Israeli Companies Law. We may deny a request to review a document if we determine that the request was not made in good faith, that the document contains a commercial secret or a patent or that the document’s disclosure may otherwise prejudice our interests.

Acquisitions under Israeli Law

Full Tender Offer

A person wishing to acquire shares of a public Israeli company and who would as a result hold over 90% of the target company’s issued and outstanding share capital is required by the Israeli Companies Law to make a tender offer to all of our shareholders for the purchase of all of the issued and outstanding shares of the company. A person wishing to acquire shares of a public Israeli company and who would as a result hold over 90% of the issued and outstanding share capital of a certain class of shares is required to make a tender offer to all of the shareholders who hold shares of the same class for the purchase of all of the issued and outstanding shares of the same class. If the shareholders who do not accept the offer hold less than 5% of the issued and outstanding share capital of the company or of the applicable class, all of the shares that the acquirer offered to purchase will be transferred to the acquirer by operation of law (provided that a majority of the offerees that do not have a personal interest in such tender offer shall have approved the tender offer except that if the total votes to reject the tender offer represent less than 2% of the company’s issued and outstanding share capital, in the aggregate, approval by a majority of the offerees that do not have a personal interest in such tender offer is not required to complete the tender offer). However, a shareholder that had its shares so transferred may petition the court within six months from the date of acceptance of the full tender offer, whether or not such shareholder agreed to the tender or not, to determine whether the tender offer was for less than fair value and whether the fair value should be paid as determined by the court unless the acquirer stipulated in the tender offer that a shareholder that accepts the offer may not seek appraisal rights. If the shareholders who did not accept the tender offer hold 5% or more of the issued and outstanding share capital of the company or of the applicable class, the acquirer may not acquire shares of the company that will increase its holdings to more than 90% of our issued and outstanding share capital or of the applicable class from shareholders who accepted the tender offer.

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Special Tender Offer

The Israeli Companies Law provides that an acquisition of shares of a public Israeli company must be made by means of a special tender offer if as a result of the acquisition the purchaser would become a holder of 25% or more of the voting rights in the company, unless one of the exemptions in the Israeli Companies Law is met. This rule does not apply if there is already another holder of at least 25% of the voting rights in the company. Similarly, the Israeli Companies Law provides that an acquisition of shares in a public company must be made by means of a tender offer if as a result of the acquisition the purchaser would become a holder of 45% or more of the voting rights in the company, if there is no other shareholder of the company who holds 45% or more of the voting rights in the company, unless one of the exemptions in the Israeli Companies Law is met.

A special tender offer must be extended to all shareholders of a company but the offeror is not required to purchase shares representing more than 5% of the voting power attached to our outstanding shares, regardless of how many shares are tendered by shareholders. A special tender offer may be consummated only if (i) at least 5% of the voting power attached to our outstanding shares will be acquired by the offeror and (ii) the number of shares tendered in the offer exceeds the number of shares whose holders objected to the offer.

If a special tender offer is accepted, then the purchaser or any person or entity controlling it or under common control with the purchaser or such controlling person or entity may not make a subsequent tender offer for the purchase of shares of the target company and may not enter into a merger with the target company for a period of one year from the date of the offer, unless the purchaser or such person or entity undertook to effect such an offer or merger in the initial special tender offer.

Merger

The Israeli Companies Law permits merger transactions if approved by each party’s Board of Directors and, unless certain requirements described under the Israeli Companies Law are met, a majority of each party’s shares voted on the proposed merger at a shareholders’ meeting called with at least 35 days’ prior notice.

For purposes of the shareholder vote, unless a court rules otherwise, the merger will not be deemed approved if a majority of the shares represented at the shareholders meeting that are held by parties other than the other party to the merger, or by any person who holds 25% or more of the outstanding shares or the right to appoint 25% or more of the directors of the other party, vote against the merger. If the transaction would have been approved but for the separate approval of each class or the exclusion of the votes of certain shareholders as provided above, a court may still approve the merger upon the request of holders of at least 25% of the voting rights of a company, if the court holds that the merger is fair and reasonable, taking into account the value of the parties to the merger and the consideration offered to the shareholders.

Upon the request of a creditor of either party to the proposed merger, the court may delay or prevent the merger if it concludes that there exists a reasonable concern that, as a result of the merger, the surviving company will be unable to satisfy the obligations of any of the parties to the merger, and may further give instructions to secure the rights of creditors.

In addition, a merger may not be completed unless at least 50 days have passed from the date that a proposal for approval of the merger was filed by each party with the Israeli Registrar of Companies and 30 days have passed from the date the merger was approved by the shareholders of each party.

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Antitakeover Measures

The Israeli Companies Law allows us to create and issue shares having rights different from those attached to our ordinary shares, including shares providing certain preferred rights, distributions or other matters and shares having preemptive rights. As of the date hereof, we do not have any authorized or issued shares other than our ordinary shares. In the future, if we do create and issue a class of shares other than ordinary shares, such class of shares, depending on the specific rights that may be attached to them, may delay or prevent a takeover or otherwise prevent our shareholders from realizing a potential premium over the market value of their ordinary shares. The authorization of a new class of shares will require an amendment to our Amended and Restated Articles of Association which requires the prior approval of the holders of a majority of our shares at a general meeting. In addition, the rules and regulations of the TASE also limit the terms permitted with respect to a new class of shares and prohibit any such new class of shares from having voting rights. Shareholders voting in such meeting will be subject to the restrictions provided in the Israeli Companies Law as described above.

Borrowing Powers

Under the Israeli Companies Law and our Amended and Restated Articles of Association, our Board of Directors may exercise all powers and take all actions that are not required under law or under our amended and restated articles of association to be exercised or taken by our shareholders or other corporate bodies, including the power to borrow money for company purposes.

Changes in Capital

Our Amended and Restated Articles of Association enable us to increase or reduce our share capital. Any such changes are subject to the provisions of the Israeli Companies Law and must be approved by a resolution duly passed by our shareholders at a general meeting by voting on such change in the capital. In addition, transactions that have the effect of reducing capital, such as the declaration and payment of dividends in the absence of sufficient retained earnings or profits and, in certain circumstances, an issuance of shares for less than their nominal value, require the approval of both our Board of Directors and an Israeli court.

Debt Securities

We do not have any debt securities that are registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Securities Act”).

Warrants and Rights

We do not have any warrants or rights that are registered under Section 12 of the Securities Act.

Other Securities

We do not have any other securities that are registered under Section 12 of the Securities Act.

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American Depositary Shares

Name of the Depositary

The Bank of New York Mellon, as Depositary, will register and deliver American Depositary Shares, or ADSs. Each ADS will represent two (2) ordinary shares (or a right to receive two (2) ordinary shares) deposited with the principal Tel Aviv office of Bank Hapoalim, as custodian for the Depositary. Each ADS will also represent any other securities, cash or other property which may be held by the Depositary. The Depositary’s office at which our ADSs will be administered is located at the Depositary’s principal executive office, at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York, 10286.

The form of the deposit agreement for our ADSs and the form of American Depositary Receipt that represents an ADS have been incorporated by reference as exhibits in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F.

Fees and Expenses

Persons depositing or withdrawing shares or ADS holders must pay: |  | For:
$5.00 (or less) per 100 ADSs (or portion of 100 ADSs) |  | ● | Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of shares or rights or other property
|  | ● | Cancellation of ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal, including if the Deposit Agreement terminates
$.05 (or less) per ADS |  | ● | Any cash distribution to ADS holders
A fee equivalent to the fee that would be payable if securities distributed to you had been shares and the shares had been deposited for issuance of ADSs |  | ● | Distribution of securities distributed to holders of deposited securities which are distributed by the Depositary to ADS holders
$.05 (or less) per ADSs per calendar year |  | ● | Depositary services
Registration or transfer fees |  | ● | Transfer and registration of shares on our share register to or from the name of the Depositary or its agent when you deposit or withdraw shares
Expenses of the Depositary |  | ● | Cable, telex and facsimile transmissions (when expressly provided in the Deposit Agreement)
|  | ● | Converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars
Taxes and other governmental charges the Depositary or the custodian have to pay on any ADS or share underlying an ADS, for example, stock transfer taxes, stamp duty or withholding taxes |  | ● | As necessary
Any charges incurred by the Depositary or its agents for servicing the deposited securities |  | ● | As necessary

The Depositary collects its fees for delivery and surrender of ADSs directly from investors depositing shares or surrendering ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal or from intermediaries acting for them. The Depositary collects fees for making distributions to investors by deducting those fees from the amounts distributed or by selling a portion of distributable property to pay the fees. The Depositary may collect its annual fee for depositary services by deduction from cash distributions, by directly billing investors or by charging the book-entry system accounts of participants acting for them. The Depositary may generally refuse to provide fee-attracting services until its fees for those services are paid.

From time to time, the Depositary may make payments to us to reimburse us for expenses and/or share revenue with us from the fees collected from ADS holders, or waive fees and expenses for services provided, generally relating to costs and expenses arising out of the establishment and maintenance of the ADS program. In performing its duties under the Deposit Agreement, the Depositary may use brokers, dealers or other service providers that are affiliates of the Depositary and that may earn or share fees or commissions.

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