20-F/A
Table of Contents
FY0001627281 0001627281 2022-01-01 2022-12-31 0001627281 2022-12-31 0001627281 dei:AdrMember 2022-01-01 2022-12-31 0001627281 dei:BusinessContactMember 2022-01-01 2022-12-31 xbrli:shares
 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
FORM
20-F/A
(Amendment No. 1)
 
 
(Mark One)
REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) or (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
 
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2022
OR
 
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
 
SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of event requiring this shell company report
          
For the transition period from
      
to
        
Commission file number
001-36891
 
 
CELLECTIS S.A.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
 
 
(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)
 
 
France
(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
Cellectis S.A.
8, rue de la Croix Jarry
75013 Paris, France
(Address of principal executive office)
Marie-Bleuenn Terrier
General Counsel
Cellectis S.A.
8, rue de la Croix Jarry
75013 Paris, France
Tel: +33 (0)1 81 69 16 00, Fax: +33 (0)1 81 69 16 06
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act.
 
Title of each class
 
Trading Symbol
 
Name of each exchange on which registered
American Depositary Shares, each representing one American Depository Shares, each representing one
 
CLLS
 
Nasdaq Global Market
Ordinary shares, nominal value €0.05 per share*
   
Nasdaq Global Market*
 
*
Not for trading, but only in connection with the registration of the American Depositary Shares.
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act.
None
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act.
None
 
 
Indicate the number of outstanding shares of common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report.
Ordinary shares, nominal value €0.05 per share: 45,675,968 as of December 31, 2022
 
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark, if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes ☐ No ☒
Note – Checking the box above will not relieve any registrant required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 from their obligations under those Sections.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation
S-T
during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, accelerated filer, a
non-accelerated
filer, or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer” and “emerging growth company” in Rule
12b-2
of the Exchange Act.
 
Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated
file
     Emerging Growth Company  
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, 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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. 
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included on the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to
§
240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:
 
U.S. GAAP ☐   
International Financial Reporting Standards as issued
by the International Accounting Standards Board ☒
   Other ☐
If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow: Item 17 ☐ Item 18 ☐
If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2
of the Exchange
Act). Yes ☐ No 
(APPLICABLE ONLY TO ISSUERS INVOLVED IN BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court. ☐ Yes ☐ No
 
Auditor Firm Id: 1704    Auditor Name: Ernst & Young et Autres    Auditor Location: Courbevoie, France
 
 
 


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         PAGE  

EXPLANATORY NOTE

     1  

PART II

  

Item 16G.

 

Corporate Governance

     2  

PART III

  

Item 19.

 

Exhibits

     3  


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true
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Amendment No. 1 on Form
 
20-F/A
 
(this “Amendment”) amends the Annual Report on Form
 
20-F
 
of Cellectis S.A. and its consolidated subsidiaries (the “Company”) for the year ended December 31, 2022, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 14, 2023 (the “Original Filing”).
The Company is filing this Amendment solely for the purpose of updating the disclosure in Item 16G of Part II of the Original Filing. In accordance with Rule
 
12b-15
 
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), Item 16G of Part II of the Original Filing is hereby amended and restated in its entirety. In addition, pursuant to Rule
 
12b-15
 
under the Exchange Act, the Company is including new certifications by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer as exhibits to this Amendment pursuant to Rule
 
13a-14(a)
 
of the Exchange Act. Because no financial statements have been included in this Form
 
20-F/A
 
and this Form
 
20-F/A
 
does not contain or amend any disclosure with respect to Item 15, paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of the certifications have been omitted. Except as described above or as otherwise expressly provided by the terms of this Amendment, no other changes have been made to the Original Filing. Except as otherwise indicated herein, this Amendment continues to speak as of the date of the Original Filing, and the Company has not updated the disclosures contained therein to reflect any events that occurred subsequent to the date of the Original Filing.
 
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PART II

 

ITEM 16G.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

As a French société anonyme, we are subject to various corporate governance requirements under French law. In addition, as a foreign private issuer listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, we will be subject to the Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards. However, the Nasdaq Global Market’s listing standards provide that foreign private issuers are permitted to follow home country corporate governance practices in lieu of the Nasdaq rules, with certain exceptions. Certain corporate governance practices in France may differ significantly from Nasdaq’s corporate governance listing standards. For example, neither the corporate laws of France nor our By-laws require that (i) a majority of our directors be independent, (ii) our compensation committee include only independent directors, or (iii) our independent directors hold regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present. Other than as set forth below, we currently intend to comply with the corporate governance listing standards of Nasdaq to the extent possible under French law. However, we may choose to change such practices to follow home country practice in the future.

Although we are a foreign private issuer, we are required to comply with Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act, relating to audit committee composition and responsibilities. Rule 10A-3 provides that the audit committee must have direct responsibility for the nomination, compensation and choice of our auditors, as well as control over the performance of their duties, management of complaints made, and selection of consultants. Under Rule 10A-3, if the laws of a foreign private issuer’s home country require that any such matter be approved by the board of directors or the shareholders of the Company, the audit committee’s responsibilities or powers with respect to such matter may instead be advisory. Under French law, the audit committee may only have an advisory role and appointment of our statutory auditors, in particular, must be decided by our shareholders at our annual meeting.

Nasdaq rules require that a listed company specify that the quorum for any meeting of the holders of share capital be at least 3313% of the outstanding shares of the company’s common voting stock. We follow our French home country practice, rather than complying with this Nasdaq rule. Consistent with French Law, our By-laws provide that when first convened, general meetings of shareholders may validly convene only if the shareholders present or represented hold at least (1) 20% of the voting shares in the case of an ordinary general meeting or of an extraordinary general meeting where shareholders are voting on a capital increase by capitalization of reserves, profits or share premium, or (2) 25% of the voting shares in the case of any other extraordinary general meeting. If such quorum required by French law is not met, the meeting is adjourned. There is no quorum requirement under French law when an ordinary general meeting or an extraordinary general meeting where shareholders are voting on a capital increase by capitalization of reserves, profits or share premium is reconvened, but the reconvened meeting may consider only questions that were on the agenda of the adjourned meeting. When any other extraordinary general meeting is reconvened, the required quorum under French law is 20% of the shares entitled to vote. The reconvened meeting may consider only questions that were on the agenda of the adjourned meeting. If a quorum is not met at a reconvened meeting requiring a quorum, then the meeting may be adjourned for a maximum of two months.

Finally, we follow French law with respect to shareholder approval requirements in lieu of the various shareholder approval requirements of Nasdaq Rule 5635, which requires a Nasdaq listed company to obtain shareholder approval prior to certain issuances of securities, including: (a) issuances in connection with the acquisition of the stock or assets of another company if upon issuance the issued shares will equal 20% or more of the number of shares or voting power outstanding prior to the issuance, or if certain specified persons have a 5% or greater interest in the assets or company to be acquired (Rule 5635(a)); (b) issuances or potential issuances that will result in a change of control of us (Rule 5635(b)); (c) issuances in connection with equity compensation arrangements (Rule 5635(c)); and (d) 20% or greater issuances in transactions other than public offerings, as defined in the Nasdaq rules (Rule 5635(d)). Under French law, our shareholders may approve issuances of equity, as a general matter, through the adoption of delegation of authority resolutions at the Company’s shareholders’ meeting pursuant to which shareholders may delegate their authority to the Executive Board to increase the Company’s share capital within specified parameters set by the shareholders, which may include a time limitation to carry out the share capital increase, the cancellation of their preferential subscription rights to the benefit of named persons or a category of persons, specified price limitations and/or specific or aggregate limitations on the size of the share capital increase. Due to differences between French law and corporate governance practices and Nasdaq Rule 5635, we follow our French home country practice, rather than complying with this Nasdaq rule.

In accordance with French law, committees of our board of directors will only have an advisory role and can only make recommendations to our board of directors. As a result, decisions will be made by our board of directors taking into account nonbinding recommendations of the relevant board committee.

 

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PART III

Exhibit Index

The following exhibits are filed as part of this Annual Report:

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description of Exhibit

  

Schedule/

 Form 

  

File Number

  

Exhibit

  

File Date

12.1

   Certificate of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002             Filed herewith

12.2

   Certification by the Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002             Filed herewith

104.1

   Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL)             Filed herewith

 

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SIGNATURES

The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F/A and that it has duly caused and authorized the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf.

 

CELLECTIS S.A.

/s/ André Choulika

By: André Choulika
Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Date: October 31, 2023

EX-12.1

Exhibit 12.1

Certification by the Principal Executive Officer pursuant to

Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a)

as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

I, André Choulika, certify that:

 

  1.

I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F/A of Cellectis S.A.; and

 

  2.

Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report.

Date: October 31, 2023

 

/s/ André Choulika

Name:

 

André Choulika

Title:

 

Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)

EX-12.2

Exhibit 12.2

Certification by the Principal Financial Officer pursuant to

Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a)

as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

I, Bing Wang, certify that:

 

  1.

I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F/A of Cellectis S.A.; and

 

  2.

Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report.

Date: October 31, 2023

 

/s/ Bing Wang

Name:

 

Bing Wang

Title:

 

Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)