S-8

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 26, 2024

Registration No. 333-    

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

COGENT BIOSCIENCES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   46-5308248

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

275 Wyman Street, 3rd Floor

Waltham, Massachusetts 02451

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Zip Code)

Amended and Restated Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Stock Option and Incentive Plan

Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

(Full title of the plans)

Andrew Robbins

President and Chief Executive Officer

275 Wyman Street, 3rd Floor

Waltham, Massachusetts 02451

(Name and address of agent for service)

(617) 945-5576

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

Sean C. Feller

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

2029 Century Park East, Suite 4000

Los Angeles, CA 90067

(310) 552-8500

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
Emerging growth company       

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

 

 

 


INTRODUCTION

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is filed by Cogent Biosciences, Inc. (the “Registrant”) to register an additional (i) 3,444,970 shares of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share, available for issuance pursuant to the Amended and Restated Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”) and (ii) 125,000 shares of Common Stock available for issuance pursuant to the Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”).

Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, the information contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statements on Form S-8 filed on August 8, 2023 (Registration No. 333-273802), March 14, 2023 (Registration No. 333-270522), March 17, 2022 (Registration No. 333-263638), August 17, 2021 (Registration No. 333-258865), March 16, 2021 (Registration No. 333-254320), March 26, 2020 (Registration No. 333-237406), March 28, 2019 (Registration No. 333-230559) and April 4, 2018 (Registration No. 333-224137), together with all exhibits filed therewith or incorporated therein by reference, is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part hereof, except for those items being updated by this Registration Statement.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 8.

Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.

  

Exhibit Description

  4.1    Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed March 19, 2018).
  4.2    Certificate of Amendment to the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 5, 2020).
  4.3    Certificate of Amendment to the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 9, 2020).
  4.4    Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 5, 2020).
  5.1    Opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (filed herewith).
 23.1    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (filed herewith), independent registered public accounting firm.
 23.2    Consent of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 5.1).


 24.1    Power of Attorney (included on the signature pages hereof).
 99.1    Amended and Restated Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 7, 2023).
 99.2    Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 16, 2021).
107    Filing Fee Table (filed herewith).


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Waltham, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on February 26, 2024.

 

COGENT BIOSCIENCES, INC.
By:   /s/ Andrew Robbins
Name:   Andrew Robbins
Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Andrew Robbins, John Green, and Evan Kearns, and each of them severally, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, in connection with the Registration Statement, including to sign and file in the name and on behalf of the undersigned as a director or officer of Cogent Biosciences, Inc. (1) any and all amendments or supplements (including any and all stickers and post-effective amendments) to the Registration Statement, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, and (2) any and all additional registration statements, and any and all amendments thereto, relating to the same offering of securities as those that are covered by the Registration Statement that are filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any applicable securities exchange or securities self-regulatory body, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the following persons have signed this Registration Statement in the capacities and on the date(s) indicated.


Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Andrew Robbins

Andrew Robbins

   President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
  February 26, 2024

/s/ John Green

John Green

   Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)
  February 26, 2024

/s/ Chris Cain, Ph.D.

Chris Cain, Ph.D.

   Director   February 26, 2024

/s/ Karen Ferrante, M.D.

Karen Ferrante, M.D.

   Director   February 26, 2024

/s/ Peter Harwin

Peter Harwin

   Director   February 26, 2024

/s/ Arlene M. Morris

Arlene M. Morris

   Director   February 26, 2024

/s/ Matthew E. Ros

Matthew E. Ros

   Director   February 26, 2024

/s/ Todd E. Shegog

Todd E. Shegog

   Director   February 26, 2024
EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO      

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

 

2029 Century Park East

Los Angeles, CA 90067-3026

Tel 310.552.8500

www.gibsondunn.com

February 26, 2024

Cogent Biosciences, Inc.

275 Wyman Street, 3rd Floor

Waltham, Massachusetts 02451

 

Re:

Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) of Cogent Biosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in connection with the offering by the Company of up to 3,569,970 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Shares”). The Shares are to be issued under the Amended and Restated Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Stock Option and Incentive Plan and the Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (collectively, the “Plans”).

In arriving at the opinions expressed below, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction as being true and complete copies of the originals, of such documents, corporate records, certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable to enable us to render the opinions set forth below. In our examination, we have assumed without independent investigation the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity and competency of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies.

We have also assumed that there are no agreements or understandings between or among the Company and any participants in the Plans that would expand, modify or otherwise affect the terms of the Plans or the respective rights or obligations of the participants thereunder. Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when issued and sold against payment therefor as set forth in the Plans, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

We render no opinion herein as to matters involving the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”). We are not admitted to practice in the State of Delaware; however, we are generally familiar with the DGCL as currently in effect and have made such inquiries as we consider necessary to render the opinions above. This opinion is limited to the effect of the current state of the DGCL and the facts as they currently exist. We assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion in the event of future changes in such law or the interpretations thereof or such facts.

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving these consents, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

 

Abu Dhabi • Beijing • Brussels • Century City • Dallas • Denver • Dubai • Frankfurt • Hong Kong • Houston • London • Los Angeles

Munich • New York • Orange County • Palo Alto • Paris • Riyadh • San Francisco • Singapore • Washington, D.C.

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of Cogent Biosciences, Inc. of our report dated February 26, 2024 relating to the financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, which appears in Cogent Biosciences, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

 

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Boston, Massachusetts

February 26, 2024

EX-FILING FEES

Exhibit 107

CALCULATION OF FILING FEE TABLE

Form S-8

Cogent Biosciences, Inc.

Table 1 – Newly Registered Securities

 

               
Security Type  

Security

Class

Title

  Fee
Calculation
Rule
  Amount
Registered (1)
  Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per
Unit
 

Maximum

Aggregate

Offering

Price

 

Fee

Rate

  Amount of
Registration
Fee
               
Equity   Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share              
               
    To be issued pursuant to the Amended and Restated Cogent Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”)   457(a)   3,444,970(2)   $9.29(3)   $32,003,771.30(3)  

$147.60

per $1,000,000

  $4,723.76
               
    To be issued pursuant to the Cogent
Biosciences, Inc. 2018 Employee
Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”)
  457(a)   125,000(2)   $7.90(4)   $987,500(4)  

$147.60

per $1,000,000

  $145.76
           
Total Offering Amounts   3,569,970     $32,991,271.30     $4,869.52
           
Total Fee Offsets           $0
           
Net Fee Due                   $4,869.52

 

(1)

In addition to the number of shares of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Registrant stated above, pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement also covers any additional shares of Common Stock that become issuable by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without receipt of consideration that increases the number of the Registrant’s outstanding shares of Common Stock.

(2)

Represents automatic increases to the number of shares available for issuance under the 2018 Plan and ESPP in accordance with the automatic annual increase provisions therein, effective as of January 1, 2024.

(3)

The price of $9.29 per share, which is the average of the high and low sale prices of the Common Stock of the Registrant as quoted on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on February 22, 2024, is set forth solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and (h) of the Securities Act and has been used as these shares are without a fixed price.

(4)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457 of the Securities Act, and based on 85% of $9.29, which is the average of the high and low sale prices of the Common Stock of the Registrant as quoted on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on February 22, 2024. Pursuant to the ESPP, the purchase price of the shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance thereunder will be 85% of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the first trading day of the offering period or on the exercise date, whichever is less.