As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 17, 2007

Registration No. 333-          

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Form S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

IDERA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

167 Sidney Street

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

(617) 679-5500

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,

including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Sudhir Agrawal, D. Phil

Chief Executive Officer

and Chief Scientific Officer

167 Sidney Street

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

(617) 679-5500

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,

including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copy to:

 

Stuart M. Falber, Esq.

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP

60 State Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02109

Telephone: (617) 526-6000

Fax: (617) 526-5000

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  From time to time after this registration statement becomes effective.

 

If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. o

 

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. þ

 

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

 

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

 

If this form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o

 

If this form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

Subject to Completion, dated August 17, 2007

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

 

$50,000,000

 

IDERA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

 

Common Stock

Warrants

 

 

We may from time to time sell common stock and warrants to purchase common stock in one or more offerings for an aggregate initial offering price of $50,000,000. We refer to the common stock and the warrants to purchase common stock collectively as the securities. This prospectus describes the general manner in which our securities may be offered using this prospectus. We will specify in the accompanying prospectus supplement the terms of the securities to be offered and sold. We may sell these securities to or through underwriters or dealers, directly to purchasers or through agents. We will set forth the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

 

Our common stock is traded on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol “IDP.”

 

 

Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page 3 of this prospectus.

 

 

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.

 

 

This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

 

Prospectus dated          ,      .

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus or to which we have referred you. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction to or from any person to whom or from whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation of an offer in such jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus or any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of the applicable document. Neither the delivery of this prospectus nor any distribution of securities pursuant to this prospectus shall, under any circumstances, create any implication that there has been no change in the information set forth or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or in our affairs since the date of this prospectus. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $50,000,000. This prospectus describes the securities we may offer and the general manner in which our securities may be offered by this prospectus. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also add, update or change in the prospectus supplement any of the information contained in this prospectus. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus and the prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the 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 this prospectus or any prospectus supplement — the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.

 

We are engaged in the discovery and development of synthetic DNA- and RNA-based compounds for the treatment of cancer, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and asthma/allergies, and for use as vaccine adjuvants. We have designed proprietary product candidates to modulate immune responses through Toll-like Receptors, or TLRs. TLRs are specific receptors present in immune system cells that direct the immune system to respond to potential disease threats. Relying on our expertise in DNA and RNA chemistry, we are identifying product candidates targeted to TLRs 7, 8 or 9 for our internal development programs and for collaborative alliances. We are developing both agonists and antagonists of TLRs 7, 8 and 9. We have three internal programs, in oncology, infectious diseases, and autoimmune diseases, and two collaborative alliances relating to the development of treatments for asthma and allergies and the development of adjuvants for vaccines.

 

Our most advanced product candidate, IMO-2055, is an agonist of TLR9. We recently closed enrollment of a Phase 2 trial of IMO-2055 in oncology and a Phase 1/2 trial of IMO-2055 in combination with chemotherapy in oncology. We plan to initiate additional studies with IMO-2055 in combination with approved, targeted anti-cancer agents in patients with non-small cell in the third quarter of 2007 and in patients with colorectal cancer in the fourth quarter of 2007. We have selected a second TLR9 agonist, IMO-2125, as a lead product candidate for treating infectious diseases and recently submitted an Investigational New Drug application, or IND, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for this product candidate. We received a “safe to proceed” acknowledgement from the FDA on June 15, 2007 and are planning to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial of IMO-2125 in patients with hepatitis C virus infection in the third quarter of 2007. In our autoimmune disease program, which is in earlier stages of research, we are evaluating TLR antagonists in preclinical models. We are collaborating with Novartis International Pharmaceutical, Ltd. for the discovery, development, and commercialization of our TLR9 agonists for the treatment of asthma/allergy indications and with Merck & Co., Inc. for the use of our TLR7, 8 and 9 agonists in combination with Merck’s therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines in the areas of oncology, infectious diseases, and Alzheimer’s disease.

 

Our executive offices are located at 167 Sidney Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, our telephone number is (617) 679-5500 and our Internet address is www.iderapharma.com. The information on our Internet website is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus and should not be considered to be part of this prospectus. Our website address is included in this prospectus as an inactive technical reference only. Our name and logo and the names of our products are our trademarks or registered trademarks. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus to “Idera,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

 

An investment in our securities involves significant risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors contained in any prospectus supplement and in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as

well as all of the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, before you decide to invest in our securities. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our operations.

 

This prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference in this prospectus contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that we include in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and in the documents we incorporate by reference in this prospectus, may be deemed forward-looking statements for purposes of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act. We use the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We cannot guarantee that we actually will achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and, accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that we make, including the factors included in the documents we incorporate by reference in this prospectus. You should read these factors and the other cautionary statements made in the documents we incorporate by reference as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever they appear in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any document incorporated by reference. We caution you that we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements we make.

 

Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for research and product development activities, including costs of conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials, and for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

 

We may set forth additional information on the use of net proceeds from the sale of securities we offer under this prospectus in a prospectus supplement relating to the specific offering. Pending the application of the net proceeds, we intend to invest the net proceeds in investment-grade, interest-bearing securities.

 

The descriptions of the securities contained in this prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplement, summarize the material terms and provisions of the various types of securities that we may offer. We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to any securities the particular terms of the securities offered by that prospectus supplement. If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, the terms of the securities may differ from the terms we have summarized below. We will also include in the prospectus supplement information, where applicable, about material United States federal income tax considerations relating to the securities, and the securities exchange or market, if any, on which the securities will be listed.

 

We may sell from time to time, in one or more offerings, one or more of the following securities:

 

 

The total initial offering price of all securities that we may issue in these offerings will not exceed $50,000,000.

This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

 

For a description of the material terms and provisions of our common stock and each other class of our securities which qualifies or limits our common stock, please see the applicable prospectus supplement, as well as the description of our capital stock in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated December 4, 2003, as amended by Amendment No. 1 on Form 8-A/A filed with the SEC on August 17, 2007, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

The following description, together with the additional information we may include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus and the related warrant agreements and warrant certificates. While the terms summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we so indicate in a prospectus supplement, the terms of any warrants offered under that prospectus supplement may differ from the terms we describe below. Specific warrant agreements will contain additional important terms and provisions and will be incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement.

 

General

 

We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock in one or more series. We may issue warrants independently or together with common stock, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from the common stock.

 

We will evidence each series of warrants by warrant certificates that we will issue under a separate agreement or by warrant agreements that we will enter into directly with the purchasers of the warrants. If we evidence warrants by warrant certificates, we will enter into the warrant agreement with a warrant agent. We will indicate the name and address of the warrant agent, if any, in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of warrants.

 

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of warrants, including:

 

 

 

Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the common stock purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive dividends, if any, or payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise voting rights, if any.

 

Exercise of Warrants

 

Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the number of shares of common stock that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement at the exercise price that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to 5:00 P.M., Eastern time, on the expiration date that we set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.

 

Holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants by delivering to the warrant agent or us the warrant certificate or warrant agreement representing the warrants to be exercised together with specified information, and by paying the required amount to the warrant agent or us in immediately available funds, as provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. We will set forth on the reverse side of the warrant certificate or in the warrant agreement and in the applicable prospectus supplement the information that the holder of the warrant will be required to deliver to the warrant agent or us in connection with such exercise.

 

Upon receipt of the required payment and the warrant certificate or the warrant agreement, as applicable, properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent, at our offices or at any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue and deliver the common stock purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate or warrant agreement are exercised, then we will issue a new warrant certificate or warrant agreement for the remaining amount of warrants.

 

Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants

 

Any warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, its warrants.

 

We may sell the securities being offered hereby in one or more of the following ways from time to time:

 

 

 

The securities that we distribute by any of these methods may be sold, in one or more transactions, at:

 

 

The accompanying prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the offering of our securities, including:

 

 

Underwriters

 

If underwriters are used in the sale, they will acquire the securities for their own account and may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of the sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement. We may offer the securities to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or by underwriters without a syndicate. Subject to certain conditions, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the securities offered by the prospectus supplement. We may change from time to time the public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.

 

Agents

 

We may sell our securities directly or through agents we designate from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of our common stock, and we will describe any commissions we will pay the agent in the prospectus supplement. Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, our agent will act on a best-efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

 

We may provide underwriters and agents with indemnification against civil liabilities related to this offering, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the underwriters or agents may make with respect to these liabilities. Underwriters and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business. We will describe such relationships in the prospectus supplement naming the underwriter or agent and the nature of any such relationship.

Rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission may limit the ability of any underwriters to bid for or purchase securities before the distribution of the shares of common stock is completed. However, underwriters may engage in the following activities in accordance with the rules:

 

 

Similar to other purchase transactions, an underwriter’s purchases to cover the syndicate short sales or to stabilize the market price of our common stock may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common stock or preventing or mitigating a decline in the market price of our common stock. As a result, the price of the shares of our common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. The imposition of a penalty bid might also have an effect on the price of shares if it discourages resales of the shares.

 

If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of these activities at any time.

 

Our common stock is listed on the American Stock Exchange. One or more underwriters may make a market in our common stock, but the underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue market making at any time without notice. We cannot give any assurance as to liquidity of the trading market for our common stock.

 

Any underwriters who are qualified market makers on the American Stock Exchange may engage in passive market making transactions in the common stock on the American Stock Exchange in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the common stock. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded.

 

In compliance with guidelines of the National Association of Securities Dealers, or NASD, the maximum consideration or discount to be received by any NASD member or independent broker dealer may not exceed 8% of the aggregate amount of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.

 

The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, Boston, Massachusetts.

 

The financial statements of Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. appearing in Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2006, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

We file reports, proxy statements and other documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room.

 

The SEC also maintains an Internet site, the address of which is www.sec.gov. That site also contains our annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements, information statements and other information.

 

We have filed this prospectus with the SEC as part of a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement because some parts of the registration statement are omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement from the SEC at the address listed above or from the SEC’s Internet site.

 

We also maintain an Internet site at www.iderapharma.com, through which you can access our SEC filings. The information set forth on our Internet site is not part of this prospectus.

 

We are “incorporating by reference” certain documents we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information in the documents incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus. Statements contained in documents that we file with the SEC and that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus will automatically update and supersede information contained in this prospectus, including information in previously filed documents or reports that have been incorporated by reference in this prospectus, to the extent the new information differs from or is inconsistent with the old information.

 

We have filed or may file the following documents with the SEC. These documents are incorporated herein by reference as of their respective dates of filing:

 

(1) Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, as filed with the SEC on March 30, 2007;

 

(2) Our Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, as filed with the SEC on May 8, 2007;

 

(3) Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2007, as filed with the SEC on May 14, 2007;

 

(4) Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2007, as filed with the SEC on August 1, 2007;

 

(5) Our Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 21, 2007;

(6) Our Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on June 15, 2007;

 

(7) Our Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on June 26, 2007;

 

(8) Our Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on June 28, 2007;

 

(9) Our Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on August 3, 2007;

 

(10) The description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on December 4, 2003, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Form 8-A on Form 8-A/A filed with the SEC on August 17, 2007; and

 

(11) All documents filed by us pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (1) after the date of the filing of this registration statement and prior to its effectiveness and (2) until all of the common stock to which this prospectus relates has been sold or the offering is otherwise terminated, except in each case for information contained in any such filing where we indicate that such information is being furnished and is not to be considered “filed” under the Exchange Act, will be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

 

We will provide a copy of the documents we incorporate by reference, at no cost, to any person who receives this prospectus. To request a copy of any or all of these documents, you should write or telephone us at 167 Sidney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, Attention: Investor Relations, (617) 679-5500.

PART II

 

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

 

The following table sets forth the various expenses to be incurred in connection with the registration of the securities being registered hereby, all of which will be borne by the registrant. All amounts shown are estimates except the SEC registration fee.

 

 

 

Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law allows a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit.

 

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation law provides that a corporation has the power to indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation and certain other persons serving at the request of the corporation in related capacities against amounts paid and expense incurred in connection with an action or proceeding to which he is or is threatened to be made a party by reason of such position, if such person shall have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in any criminal proceeding, if such person had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful; provided that, in the case of actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the adjudicating court determines that such indemnification is proper under the circumstances.

 

Article EIGHTH of the Registrant’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that no director of the Registrant shall be personally liable for any monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent that the Delaware General Corporation Law prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of directors for breach of fiduciary duty.

 

Article NINTH of the Registrant’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that a director or officer of the Registrant (a) shall be indemnified by the Registrant against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement incurred in connection with any litigation or other legal proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the Registrant) brought against him by virtue of his position as a director or officer of the Registrant if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Registrant, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful and (b) shall be indemnified by the Registrant against all expense (including attorneys’ fees) and amounts paid in settlement incurred in connection with any action by or in the right of the Registrant brought against him by virtue of his position as a director or officer of the Registrant if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Registrant, except that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Registrant, unless a court determines that, despite such adjudication but in view of all of the circumstances, he is entitled to indemnification of such expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that a director or officer has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, including, without limitation, the dismissal of an action

without prejudice, he is required to be indemnified by the Registrant against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection therewith. Expenses shall be advanced to a director or officer at his request, provided that he undertakes to repay the amount advanced if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to indemnification for such expenses.

 

Indemnification is required to be made unless the Registrant determines that the applicable standard of conduct required for indemnification has not been met. In the event of a determination by the Registrant that the director or officer did not meet the applicable standard of conduct required for indemnification, or if the Registrant fails to make an indemnification payment within 60 days after such payment is claimed by such person, such person is permitted to petition the court to make an independent determination as to whether such person is entitled to indemnification. As a condition precedent to the right of indemnification, the director or officer must give the Registrant notice of the action for which indemnity is sought and the Registrant has the right to participate in such action or assume the defense thereof.

 

Article NINTH of the Registrant’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation further provides that the indemnification provided therein is not exclusive, and provides that in the event that the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended to expand the indemnification permitted to directors or officers the Registrant must indemnify those persons to the full extent permitted by such law as so amended.

 

The Registrant has obtained directors and officers insurance for the benefit of its directors and its officers.

 

 

The exhibits listed in the Exhibit Index immediately preceding the exhibits are filed as part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3

 

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

 

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities

offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

 

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

 

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Cambridge, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on August 17, 2007.

 

IDERA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

 

Sudhir Agrawal, D. Phil

Chief Executive Officer and

Chief Scientific Officer

 

SIGNATURES AND POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

We, the undersigned officers and directors of Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. hereby severally constitute and appoint Sudhir Agrawal and Robert W. Karr, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full power to any of them, and to each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed herewith and any and all pre-effective and post-effective amendments to said Registration Statement and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and generally to do all such things in our name and behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or any of them, to said Registration Statement and any and all amendments thereto.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated as of the date indicated below.

 

EXHIBIT INDEX