As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 6, 2023

Registration Statement No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

23andMe Holding Co.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware		87-1240344
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

349 Oyster Point Boulevard

South San Francisco,

California 94080

Tel: (650) 938-6300

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

Kathy Hibbs

Chief Administrative Officer

23andMe Holding Co.

349 Oyster Point Boulevard

South San Francisco, California 94080

Tel: (650) 938-6300

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

 

 

Copies to:

Marlee S. Myers

Justin W. Chairman

Alexandra M. Good

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

One Oxford Centre, Thirty-Second Floor

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Tel: (412) 560-3300

From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement

(Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public)

 

 

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

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.  ☒

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.  ☐

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.  ☐

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.  ☐

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.  ☐

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 Securities Act.  ☐

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, as amended, or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to such Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This registration statement contains:

 

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a base prospectus which covers the offering, issuance and sale by us of the securities identified below from time to time in one or more offerings; and

 

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a sales agreement prospectus covering the offering, issuance and sale by us of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $150 million of our Class A Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Class A Common Stock”) that may be issued and sold from time to time under a sales agreement with Cowen and Company, LLC (the “Sales Agreement”).

The base prospectus immediately follows this explanatory note. The specific terms of any securities to be offered by us pursuant to the base prospectus other than the shares of our Class A Common Stock under the Sales Agreement will be specified in a prospectus supplement to the base prospectus. The specific terms of the shares of our Class A Common Stock to be issued and sold under the Sales Agreement are specified in the sales agreement prospectus that immediately follows the base prospectus. The $150 million of Class A Common Stock that may be offered, issued and sold under the Sales Agreement prospectus is included in the $500 million of securities that may be offered, issued and sold by us under the base prospectus. Upon termination of the Sales Agreement with Cowen and Company, LLC, any portion of the $150 million of Class A Common Stock included in the Sales Agreement prospectus that is not sold pursuant to the Sales Agreement will be available for sale in other offerings pursuant to the base prospectus and a corresponding prospectus supplement, and if no shares of Class A Common Stock are sold under the Sales Agreement, the full $150 million of securities may be sold in other offerings by us pursuant to the base prospectus and a corresponding prospectus supplement.

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion, Dated February 6, 2023

Prospectus

 

Up to $500,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Units

 

 

We may offer and sell from time to time our shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock, warrants and debt securities, as well as units that include any combination of the foregoing securities. We may sell any combination of these securities in one or more offerings with an aggregate offering price of up to $500 million.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement containing specific terms of the particular offering together with this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in any securities that we may offer. The prospectus supplement also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. This prospectus may not be used to offer and sell securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement.

Our Class A Common Stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “ME.” On February 3, 2023, the closing price of our Class A Common Stock was $2.69.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves significant risks. We strongly recommend that you read carefully the risks we describe in this prospectus and in any accompanying prospectus supplement, as well as the risk factors that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus from our filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. See “Risk Factors” on page 8 of this prospectus.

We may sell the securities directly or to or through underwriters or dealers, and also to other purchasers or through agents. The names of any underwriters or agents that are included in a sale of securities to you, and any applicable commissions or discounts, will be stated in an accompanying prospectus supplement.

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

 

 

The date of this prospectus is     , 2023.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			1
MARKET DATA			3
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY			4
RISK FACTORS			8
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			8
USE OF PROCEEDS			11
THE SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER			11
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK			12
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES			19
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS			27
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS			29
FORMS OF SECURITIES			30
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			32
LEGAL MATTERS			35
EXPERTS			35
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			35

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration statement, we may sell common stock, preferred stock, warrants and debt securities, as well as units that include any combination of the foregoing securities, in one or more offerings from time to time. The maximum aggregate amount of the securities that we may offer pursuant to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part is limited to $500 million. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer.

Each time we sell any type or series of securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will include more specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you may also add, update or change any of the information contained in this prospectus or in the documents we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, will include all material information relating to the applicable offering. Before buying any of the securities being offered, we urge you to carefully read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering, together with the additional information incorporated herein by reference as described under the heading “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.”

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

You should rely only on the information we have provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representation. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information appearing in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of the document and any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus, the prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus, or the time of any sale of a security.

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

This prospectus includes summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed or are incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

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The Company was originally known as VG Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“VGAC” and, after the Domestication as described below, “23andMe Holding Co.”). On February 4, 2021, VGAC entered into that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated February 4, 2021, as amended on February 13, 2021 and March 25, 2021 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among VGAC, Chrome Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned direct subsidiary of VGAC (the “Merger Sub”), and 23andMe, Inc., a Delaware corporation. On June 16, 2021 (the “Closing Date”), as contemplated by the Merger Agreement, VGAC filed a notice of deregistration with the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies, together with the necessary accompanying documents, and filed a certificate of incorporation and a certificate of corporate domestication with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, under which VGAC was domesticated and continued as a Delaware corporation, changing its name to 23andMe Holding Co. (the “Domestication”). As a result of and upon the effective time of the Domestication, among other things, each of the then issued and outstanding Class A and Class B ordinary shares of VGAC automatically converted, on a one-for-one basis, into shares of our Class A Common Stock. On the Closing Date, VGAC consummated the merger transaction contemplated by the Merger Agreement, whereby the Merger Sub merged with and into 23andMe, Inc., the separate corporate existence of the Merger Sub ceasing and 23andMe, Inc. being the surviving corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of VGAC, now known as 23andMe Holding Co. (the “Merger” and, together with the Domestication, the “Business Combination”).

Unless the context indicates otherwise, references in this prospectus to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our,” and similar terms refer to 23andMe Holding Co. and its consolidated subsidiaries. References to “VG Acquisition Corp.” or “VGAC” refer to the Company prior to the consummation of the Domestication and the Merger. “23andMe, Inc.” refers to 23andMe, Inc. prior to the Business Combination.

 

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MARKET DATA

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein include market and industry data and forecasts concerning our business and the markets for certain cancer treatments, including data regarding the estimated size of those markets and the incidence and prevalence of certain medical conditions, that we have derived from independent consultant reports, publicly available information, various industry, medical and general publications, other published industry sources, government data and our internal data and estimates. Independent consultant reports, industry publications and other published industry sources generally indicate that the information contained therein was obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Our internal data and estimates are based upon information obtained from trade and business organizations and other contacts in the markets in which we operate and our management’s understanding of industry conditions.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves risks. Before you make a decision to invest in our securities, in addition to the risks and uncertainties discussed above under “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” you should carefully consider the specific risks incorporated by reference in this prospectus from our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended by Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A, any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all other information contained or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the risk factors and other information contained in any applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus before acquiring any such securities. For more information, see “Where You Can Find More Information; Incorporation by Reference.” If any of these risks actually occur, it may materially harm our business, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations. As a result, the market price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. Additionally, the risks and uncertainties incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement are not the only risks and uncertainties that we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial may become material and adversely affect our business.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement, and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, may contain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of management. Although the Company believes that its plans, intentions, and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or realize these plans, intentions, or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Generally, statements that are not historical facts, including statements concerning the Company’s possible or assumed future actions, business strategies, events, or results of operations, are forward-looking statements. In some instances, these statements may be preceded by, followed by, or include the words “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” “forecasts,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “plans,” “scheduled,” “anticipates,” or “intends” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. You should not put undue reliance on these statements which speak only as of the date hereof. You should understand that the following important factors, among others, could affect the Company’s future results and could cause those results or other outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the Company’s forward-looking statements:

 

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The market for personal genetics products and services has experienced a recent overall decline. If this trend continues or worsens, it would adversely affect our business and results of operations.

 

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If our competitors receive further Food and Drug Administration marketing approval for in vitro diagnostic products, our business could be adversely affected.

 

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The telehealth market is immature and volatile, and if it does not develop, if it encounters negative publicity, or if the increased use of telehealth solutions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic does not continue after the pandemic, then the growth of our business and our results of operation will be harmed.

 

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We rely on key sole suppliers to manufacture and perform services used by customers who purchase our PGS, which could adversely affect our ability to meet customer demand.

 

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If we are not able to maintain and enhance our brand, our ability to expand our customer base may be impaired and our business and operating results may be harmed.

 

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If our efforts to attract new customers and patients and engage existing customers and patients with enhanced products and services are unsuccessful or if such efforts are more costly than we expect, our business may be harmed.

 

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Any significant disruption in service on our website, mobile applications, or in our computer or logistics systems could harm our reputation and may result in a loss of customers.

 

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If we are unable to deliver a rewarding experience on mobile devices, whether through our mobile website or our mobile application, we may be unable to attract and retain customers and patients.

 

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We depend on a number of other companies to perform functions critical to our ability to operate our platform and generate revenue from patients.

 

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If we are unable to attract and retain high quality healthcare providers for our patients, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

 

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If the number of our customers consenting to participate in our research programs declines or fails to grow, our revenue may be adversely affected, and our database may become less effective.

 

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Our focus on using our genetics-powered platform to discover targets with therapeutic potential may not result in the discovery of commercially viable drug targets for us or our collaborators.

 

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Media reports on consumer data privacy and security concerns and the use of genetic information may decrease the overall consumer demand for personal genetic products and services, including ours.

 

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If we fail to succeed in our drug development efforts, or to develop and commercialize additional products and services, our ability to expand our business and achieve our strategic objectives would be impaired.

 

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Our Therapeutics business faces substantial competition, which may result in others discovering, developing, or commercializing drugs before or more successfully than we can.

 

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We cannot give any assurance that any of our drugs will receive regulatory approval, which is necessary before they can be commercialized.

 

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We may be subject to legal proceedings and litigation, which are costly to defend and could materially harm our business and results of operations.

 

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Our business and future operating results may be adversely affected by catastrophic or other events outside of our control.

 

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We depend on the continued services and performance of our highly qualified key personnel, and we may not be able to attract or retain qualified scientists and other specialized individuals in the future due to the competition for qualified personnel among life science and technology businesses.

 

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We face risks related to epidemics and other outbreaks of communicable diseases, including the current COVID-19 pandemic.

 

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If we were to enter new business areas, we would likely face competition from entities more familiar with those businesses, and our efforts may not succeed.

 

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If we, GSK, and any future collaborators are unable to successfully complete clinical development, obtain regulatory approval for, or commercialize any drugs, or experience delays in doing so, our business may be materially harmed.

 

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GSK and any other potential drug discovery collaborators will have significant discretion in determining when to make announcements, if any, about the status of our collaborations.

 

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Our collaborators may not achieve projected discovery and development milestones and other anticipated key events in the expected timelines or at all, which could have an adverse impact on our business.

 

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Our products and services are subject to extensive regulation, and compliance with existing or future regulations could result in unanticipated expenses, or limit our ability to offer our products and services.

 

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We will face legal, reputational, and financial damage if we fail to protect our customer and patient data from security breaches or cyberattacks.

 

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If we are unable to protect our intellectual property, the value of our brand and other intangible assets may be diminished, and our business may be adversely affected.

 

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We face additional risks as a result of the acquisition of Lemonaid Health (as defined below) and may be unable to integrate our businesses successfully and realize the anticipated synergies and related benefits, or do so within the anticipated timeframe.

These and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements in this prospectus are more fully described in the “Risk Factors” section. The risks described in the “Risk Factors” section are not exhaustive. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict all such risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all such risk factors on its business or the extent to which any factor or combination of factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. The Company undertakes no obligations to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Additional cautionary statements or discussions of risks and uncertainties that could affect our results or the achievement of the expectations described in forward-looking statements may also be contained in any accompanying prospectus supplement.

Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this prospectus occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact the operations and projections discussed herein can be found in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and in our periodic filings with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

You should read this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement completely and with the understanding that our actual future results, levels of activity, and performance, as well as other events and circumstances may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Except as described in any applicable prospectus supplement or in any related free writing prospectuses we may authorize for use in connection with a specific offering, we currently expect to use the net proceeds from the securities offered hereunder, if any, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents for general corporate purposes, including working capital requirements and operating expenses. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to us from the sale of the securities offered by us hereunder. We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus our intended use for the net proceeds received from the sale of any securities sold pursuant to the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.

THE SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

We may sell common stock, preferred stock, warrants and debt securities, as well as units that include any combination of the foregoing securities, in one or more offerings from time to time under this prospectus at prices and on terms to be determined at the time of any offering. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer a type or series of securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, or both, that will describe the specific amounts, prices and other important terms of the securities being offered.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following summary of the material terms of our securities is not intended to be a complete summary of the rights and preferences of such securities, and is qualified by reference to our Certificate of Incorporation (the “Charter”) and our Second Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”), which are exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We urge to you read each of the Charter and the Bylaws in their entirety for a complete description of the rights and preferences of our securities.

Authorized and Outstanding Stock

The Charter authorizes the issuance of 1,140,000,000 shares, consisting of (a) 1,490,000,000 shares of common stock, of which (i) 1,140,000,000 shares are designated Class A Common Stock; (ii) 350,000,000 shares are designated Class B Common Stock; and (b) 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock (the “Preferred Stock”).

As of January 27, 2023, there were outstanding 288,681,284 shares of Class A Common Stock, 168,502,918 shares of Class B Common Stock, and no shares of Preferred Stock.

23andMe Holding Co. Class A Common Stock

Voting rights. Each holder of Class A Common Stock is entitled to one vote for each share of Class A Common Stock held of record by such holder on all matters voted upon by the Company’s stockholders, provided, however, that, except as otherwise required in the Charter, as provided by law or by the resolution(s) or any certificate of designation providing for the issue of any Preferred Stock, the holders of Class A Common Stock will not be entitled to vote on any amendment to the Charter that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to the Charter (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of the Company’s preferred stock) or pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”).

Dividend rights. Subject to the rights of holders of Preferred Stock, holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock are entitled to receive ratably, on a per share basis, dividends and other distributions in cash, capital stock, or property of the Company as may be declared and paid from time to time by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) out of any of the Company’s assets legally available therefor; provided, that in the event a dividend is paid in the form of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock (or rights to acquire such shares), then the holders of Class A Common Stock will receive shares of Class A Common Stock (or rights to acquire such shares, as the case may be) and the holders of Class B Common Stock will receive shares of Class B Common Stock (or rights to acquire such shares, as the case may be), with the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock receiving, on a per share basis, the same number of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, as applicable.

Rights upon liquidation. Subject to the rights of holders of Preferred Stock, holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock are entitled to receive all of the assets and funds of the Company available for distribution in the event of any liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of the Class A Common Stock held by them.

Other rights. No holders of shares of Class A Common Stock are entitled to preemptive or subscription rights contained in the Charter or in the Bylaws. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Class A Common Stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of the Class A Common Stock are subject to those of the holders of any shares of Preferred Stock that the Company may issue in the future.

 

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23andMe Holding Co. Class B Common Stock

Voting rights. Each holder of Class B Common Stock is entitled to ten votes for each share of Class B Common Stock held of record by such holder on all matters voted upon by the Company’s stockholders, provided, however, that, except as otherwise required in the Charter, as provided by law or by the resolution(s) or any certificate of designation providing for the issue of any Preferred Stock, the holders of Class B Common Stock are not entitled to vote on any amendment to the Charter that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to the Charter (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL.

Dividend rights. Subject to the rights of holders of Preferred Stock, holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock are entitled to receive ratably, on a per share basis, dividends and other distributions in cash, stock, or property of the Company as may be declared and paid from time to time by the Board out of any of the Company’s assets legally available therefor; provided that in the event a dividend is paid in the form of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock (or rights to acquire such shares), then the holders of Class A Common Stock will receive shares of Class A Common Stock (or rights to acquire such shares, as the case may be) and the holders of Class B Common Stock will receive shares of Class B Common Stock (or rights to acquire such shares, as the case may be), with the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock receiving, on a per share basis, the same number of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, as applicable.

Rights upon liquidation. Subject to the rights of holders of Preferred Stock, holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock are entitled to receive all of the assets and funds of the Company available for distribution in the event of any liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of the Class B Common Stock held by them.

Transfers. Pursuant to the Charter, holders of Class B Common Stock are generally restricted from transferring such shares, other than to another Class B Common Stockholder or a Permitted Entity (each as defined in the Charter).

Mandatory Conversion. Each share of Class B Common Stock will be automatically converted into an equal number of fully paid and nonassessable shares of Class A Common Stock upon any Transfer (as defined in the Charter) of such shares of Class B Common Stock, except for a Transfer to a Permitted Entity (as defined in the Charter). Holders of Class B Common Stock may also elect to convert into an equal number of fully paid and nonassesable shares of Class A Common Stock at their option.

Other rights. No holder of shares of Class B Common Stock is entitled to preemptive or subscription rights contained in the Charter or in the Bylaws. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Class B Common Stock. The rights, preferences, and privileges of holders of the Class B Common Stock are subject to those of the holders of any shares of Preferred Stock that the Company may issue in the future.

Preferred Stock

The Board has the authority to issue shares of Preferred Stock from time to time on terms it may determine, to divide shares of Preferred Stock into one or more series, and to fix the designations, preferences, privileges, and restrictions of Preferred Stock, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, liquidation preference, sinking fund terms, and the number of shares constituting any series or the designation of any series to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. The issuance of Preferred Stock could have the effect of decreasing the trading price of Class A Common Stock, restricting dividends on the capital stock of the Company, diluting the voting power of the Class A Common Stock, impairing the liquidation rights of the capital stock of the Company, or delaying or preventing a change in control of the Company.

 

13

Election of Directors and Vacancies

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors of the Board shall be fixed solely and exclusively by resolution duly adopted from time to time by the Board. Under the Bylaws, at all meetings of stockholders called for the election of directors, a majority of the votes properly cast will be sufficient to elect such directors to the Board.

The Board is divided into three classes of directors designated as Class I, Class II, and Class III, respectively. Except as the DGCL may otherwise require and subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, in the interim between annual meetings of stockholders or special meetings of stockholders called for the election of directors and/or the removal of one or more directors and the filling of any vacancy in that connection, newly created directorships, and any vacancies on the Board, including unfilled vacancies resulting from the removal of directors, may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by the sole remaining director. All directors will hold office until the expiration of their respective terms of office and until their successors will have been elected and qualified. A director elected or appointed to fill a vacancy resulting from the death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal of a director or a newly created directorship will serve for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the new directorship was created or the vacancy occurred and until his or her successor will have been elected and qualified.

Subject to the rights, if any, of any series of Preferred Stock, any director may be removed from office only with cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock of the Company entitled to vote at an election of directors, voting together as a single class.

In addition to the powers and authorities before or by statute expressly conferred upon them, the directors are empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Company, subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the DGCL, the Charter, and to any Bylaws adopted and in effect from time to time; provided, however, that no bylaw so adopted will invalidate any prior act of the directors which would have been valid if such bylaw had not been adopted.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, any director elected pursuant to the right, if any, of the holders of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances will serve for such term or terms and pursuant to such other provisions as specified in the relevant certificate of designations related to Preferred Stock.

Quorum

The holders of a majority of the voting power of the capital stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person, or represented by proxy, will constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business except as otherwise required by law or provided by the Charter or Bylaws; provided, however, that where a separate vote by a class or classes or series of capital stock is required by law or the Charter, the holders of a majority in voting power of the shares of such class or classes or series of the capital stock of the Company issued and outstanding and entitled to vote on such matter, present in person, present by means of remote communication in a manner, if any, authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to the vote on such matter. If, however, such quorum will not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the chairperson of the meeting will have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum will be present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum will be present or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting will be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting as of the record date fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

 

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Anti-takeover Effects of the Charter and the Bylaws

The Charter and the Bylaws contain provisions that may delay, defer, or discourage another party from acquiring control of the Company. The Company expects that these provisions, which are summarized below, will discourage coercive takeover practices or inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of the Company to first negotiate with the Board, which the Company believes may result in an improvement of the terms of any such acquisition in favor of the Company’s stockholders. However, they also give the Board the power to discourage acquisitions that some stockholders may favor.

Authorized but Unissued Capital Stock

Delaware law does not require stockholder approval for any issuance of authorized shares. However, the listing requirements of Nasdaq require stockholder approval of certain issuances equal to or exceeding 20% of the then-outstanding voting power or then-outstanding number of shares of Class A Common Stock. Additional shares that may be issued in the future may be used for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings, to raise additional capital, or to facilitate acquisitions.

One of the effects of the existence of unissued and unreserved common stock may be to enable the Board to issue shares to persons friendly to current management, which issuance could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of the Company by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest, or otherwise and thereby protect the continuity of management and possibly deprive stockholders of opportunities to sell their shares of Class A Common Stock at prices higher than prevailing market prices.

Dual-Class Stock

As described above in “—Common Stock—Class A Common Stock—Voting Rights” and “ —Common Stock—Class B Common Stock—Voting Rights,” the Charter provides for a dual-class common stock structure.

Special Meeting, Action by Written Consent, and Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals

Unless otherwise required by law, and subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Company, for any purpose or purposes, may be called only by a majority of the Board, the Chairman of the Board, or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Unless otherwise required by law, written notice of a special meeting of stockholders, stating the time, place, and purpose or purposes thereof, shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, not less than ten or more than sixty (60) days before the date fixed for the meeting. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders will be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.

The Bylaws also provide that unless otherwise restricted by the Charter or the Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board or of such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee.

In addition, the Bylaws require advance notice procedures for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders, including the nomination of directors. Stockholders at an annual meeting may only consider the proposals specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board, or by a stockholder of record on the record date for the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has delivered a timely written notice in proper form to the Company’s secretary, of the stockholder’s intention to bring such business before the meeting.

These provisions could have the effect of delaying until the next stockholder meeting any stockholder actions, even if they are favored by the holders of a majority of the Company’s outstanding voting securities.

 

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Amendment to Charter and Bylaws

The DGCL provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding stock entitled to vote on amendments to a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws is required to approve such amendment, unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, as the case may be, requires a greater percentage.

The Charter provides that all provisions therein may be altered, amended, or repealed only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (66.7%) in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. Additionally, the Charter provides that the authorized number of shares of any class of stock may only be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then-outstanding) by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds (66.7%) of the voting power of the stock entitled to vote thereon irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

The Bylaws may be amended, altered, or repealed (A) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board or (B) in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Company required by law or the Charter, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (66.7%) of the voting power of all then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute

Section 203 of the DGCL provides that if a person acquires 15% or more of the voting stock of a Delaware corporation, such person becomes an “interested stockholder” and may not engage in certain “business combinations” with the corporation for a period of three years from the time such person acquired 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock, unless:

 

(1)

the board of directors approves the acquisition of stock or the merger transaction before the time that the person becomes an interested stockholder;

 

(2)

the interested stockholder owns at least 85% of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation at the time the merger transaction commences (excluding voting stock owned by directors who are also officers and certain employee stock plans); or

 

(3)

the merger transaction is approved by the board of directors and at a meeting of stockholders, not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of 2/3 of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.

A Delaware corporation may elect in its certificate of incorporation or bylaws not to be governed by this particular Delaware law.

Under the Charter, the Company opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL and therefore is not subject to Section 203. However, the Charter contains similar provisions providing that the Company may not engage in certain “business combinations” with any “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

 

•

prior to such time, the Board approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

•

upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the Company’s voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding certain shares; or

 

•

at or subsequent to such time, the business combination is approved by the Board and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at

 

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least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock of the Company that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset, or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with that person’s affiliates and associates, owns, or within the previous three years owned, 15% or more of the Company’s voting stock.

Under certain circumstances, this provision will make it more difficult for a person who would be an “interested stockholder” to effect various business combinations with a corporation for a three-year period. This provision may encourage companies interested in acquiring the Company to negotiate in advance with the Board because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if the Board approves either the business combination or the transaction which results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in the Board and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions which stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.

The Charter provides that any persons whose ownership of shares in excess of the 15% limitation set forth therein is the result of any action taken solely by the Company (provided, that such person shall be an “interested stockholder” if such thereafter such person acquires additional shares of voting stock of the Company, except as a result of further corporate actions not caused by such person) do not constitute “interested stockholders” for purposes of this provision.

Classified Board and Stockholder Action by Written Consent

The Charter provides that the Board is classified into three classes of directors, each of which holds office for a three-year term. A third party may be discouraged from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of the Company at a time when there is a classified board as it is more difficult and time consuming for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors on a classified board of directors.

Under the Charter, the Company’s stockholders are required to take action at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders. This provision may have the effect of delaying or preventing hostile stockholder action designed to effect a change in control of the Company.

Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

The Charter limits the liability of the directors of the Company to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, and the Bylaws provide that the Company will indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by such law. The Company has entered and expects to continue to enter into agreements to indemnify its directors, executive officers, and other employees as determined by the Board. Each indemnification agreement provides for indemnification and advancements by the Company of certain expenses and costs, if the basis of the indemnitee’s involvement was by reason of the fact that the indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or was serving at the Company’s request in an official capacity for another entity, to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the state of Delaware.

Exclusive Jurisdiction of Certain Actions

The Charter requires, to the fullest extent permitted by law, unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, that derivative actions brought in the name of the Company, actions against current or former directors, officers, employees, and agents for breach of fiduciary duty, actions asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the Charter or the Bylaws and actions asserting a claim against the Company governed by the internal affairs doctrine may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware and any stockholder will be deemed to have consented to such provision. Although the Company

 

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believes this provision benefits the Company by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, the provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against the Company’s directors and officers.

The Bylaws designate the United States federal district courts as the exclusive forum for the resolution of actions asserting claims arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In addition, the Charter requires that, unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States shall be the sole and exclusive forum for resolving any action asserting a claim arising under the Securities Act.

To the extent the exclusive forum provisions restrict the venue in which holders of the Company’s common stock may bring claims arising under the federal securities laws, there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provisions. The exclusive forum provisions in the Bylaws and Charter do not relieve the Company of its duties to comply with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder, and the Company’s stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with these laws, rules and regulations.

Transfer Agent

The transfer agent for our Class A Common Stock is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

Listing of Common Stock

Our Class A Common Stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “ME.”

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following is a general description of the terms of debt securities we may issue from time to time unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. Particular terms of any debt securities we offer will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to such debt securities.

As required by Federal law for all bonds and notes of companies that are publicly offered, any debt securities we issue will be governed by a document called an “indenture.” We have summarized the general features of the debt securities to be governed by the indenture. The summary is not complete. An indenture is a contract between us and a financial institution acting as trustee on behalf of the holders of the debt securities, and is subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”). The trustee has two main roles. First, the trustee can enforce holders’ rights against us if we default. There are some limitations on the extent to which the trustee acts on holders’ behalf, described in the second paragraph under “Description of Debt Securities — Events of Default.” Second, the trustee performs certain administrative duties, such as sending interest and principal payments to holders.

Because this section is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of any debt securities we may issue or the indenture governing any such debt securities. Particular terms of any debt securities we offer will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to such debt securities, and we urge you to read the applicable executed indenture, which will be filed with the SEC at the time of any offering of debt securities, because it, and not this description, will define the rights of holders of such debt securities.

A prospectus supplement will describe the particular terms of any series of debt securities we may issue, including some or all of the following:

 

•

the designation or title of the series of debt securities;

 

•

the total principal amount of the series of debt securities, the denominations in which the offered debt securities will be issued and whether the offering may be reopened for additional securities of that series and on what terms;

 

•

the percentage of the principal amount at which the series of debt securities will be offered;

 

•

the date or dates on which principal will be payable;

 

•

the rate or rates (which may be either fixed or variable) and/or the method of determining such rate or rates of interest, if any;

 

•

the date or dates from which any interest will accrue, or the method of determining such date or dates, and the date or dates on which any interest will be payable;

 

•

the terms for redemption, extension or early repayment, if any;

 

•

the currencies in which the series of debt securities are issued and payable;

 

•

whether the amount of payments of principal, interest or premium, if any, on a series of debt securities will be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method and how these amounts will be determined;

 

•

the place or places of payment, transfer, conversion and/or exchange of the debt securities;

 

•

the provision for any sinking fund;

 

•

any restrictive covenants;

 

•

events of default;

 

•

whether the series of debt securities are issuable in certificated form;

 

•

any provisions for legal defeasance or covenant defeasance;

 

19

•

whether and under what circumstances we will pay additional amounts in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge and, if so, whether we will have the option to redeem the debt securities rather than pay the additional amounts (and the terms of this option);

 

•

any provisions for convertibility or exchangeability of the debt securities into or for any other securities;

 

•

whether the debt securities are subject to subordination and the terms of such subordination;

 

•

any listing of the debt securities on any securities exchange;

 

•

whether the issuance of the debt securities may limit the incurrence of additional debt;

 

•

if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations, including those related to original issue discount, if applicable; and

 

•

any other material terms.

The debt securities may be secured or unsecured obligations. Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, principal, interest and premium, if any, will be paid by us in immediately available funds.

General

The indenture may provide that any debt securities proposed to be sold under this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such debt securities (“offered debt securities”) and any debt securities issuable upon conversion or exchange of other offered securities (“underlying debt securities”) may be issued under the indenture in one or more series.

For purposes of this prospectus, any reference to the payment of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, debt securities will include additional amounts if required by the terms of the debt securities.

Debt securities issued under an indenture, when a single trustee is acting for all debt securities issued under the indenture, are called the “indenture securities.” The indenture may also provide that there may be more than one trustee thereunder, each with respect to one or more different series of securities issued thereunder. See “Description of Debt Securities — Resignation of Trustee” below. At a time when two or more trustees are acting under an indenture, each with respect to only certain series, the term “indenture securities” means the one or more series of debt securities with respect to which each respective trustee is acting. In the event that there is more than one trustee under an indenture, the powers and trust obligations of each trustee described in this prospectus will extend only to the one or more series of indenture securities for which it is trustee. If two or more trustees are acting under an indenture, then the indenture securities for which each trustee is acting would be treated as if issued under separate indentures.

We refer you to the applicable prospectus supplement relating to any debt securities we may issue from time to time for information with respect to any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants that are described below, including any addition of a covenant or other provision providing event risk or similar protection, that will be applicable with respect to such debt securities.

We have the ability to issue indenture securities with terms different from those of indenture securities previously issued and, without the consent of the holders thereof, to reopen a previous issue of a series of indenture securities and issue additional indenture securities of that series unless the reopening was restricted when that series was created.

Conversion and Exchange

If any debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the related prospectus supplement will explain the terms and conditions of the conversion or exchange, including the conversion price

 

20

or exchange ratio (or the calculation method), the conversion or exchange period (or how the period will be determined), if conversion or exchange will be mandatory or at the option of the holder or us, provisions for adjusting the conversion price or the exchange ratio and provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of the redemption of the underlying debt securities. These terms may also include provisions under which the number or amount of other securities to be received by the holders of the debt securities upon conversion or exchange would be calculated according to the market price of the other securities as of a time stated in the prospectus supplement.

Payment and Paying Agents

We will pay interest to the person listed in the applicable trustee’s records as the owner of the debt security at the close of business on a particular day in advance of each due date for interest, even if that person no longer owns the debt security on the interest due date. That day, often approximately two weeks in advance of the interest due date, is called the “record date.” Because we will pay all the interest for an interest period to the holders on the record date, holders buying and selling debt securities must work out between themselves the appropriate purchase price. The most common manner is to adjust the sales price of the debt securities to prorate interest fairly between buyer and seller based on their respective ownership periods within the particular interest period. This prorated interest amount is called “accrued interest.”

Events of Default

Holders of debt securities of any series will have rights if an Event of Default occurs in respect of the debt securities of such series and is not cured, as described later in this subsection. The term “Event of Default” in respect of the debt securities of any series means any of the following:

 

•

we do not pay the principal of, or any premium on, a debt security of the series on its due date;

 

•

we do not pay interest on a debt security of the series within 30 days of its due date;

 

•

we do not deposit any sinking fund payment in respect of debt securities of the series on its due date and we do not cure this default within five days;

 

•

we remain in breach of a covenant in respect of debt securities of the series for 90 days after we receive a written notice of default stating we are in breach. The notice must be sent by either the trustee or holders of at least 25% of the principal amount of debt securities of the series;

 

•

we file for bankruptcy or certain other events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur; and

 

•

any other Event of Default occurs in respect of debt securities of the series described in the prospectus supplement.

An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under the same or any other indenture. The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any default, except in the payment of principal, premium or interest, if it considers the withholding of notice to be in the best interests of the holders.

Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs

If an Event of Default has occurred and has not been cured or waived, the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series may declare the entire principal amount of all the debt securities of that series to be due and immediately payable. This is called a declaration of acceleration of maturity. A declaration of acceleration of maturity may be cancelled by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series if the default is cured or waived and certain other conditions are satisfied.

 

21

Except in cases of default, where the trustee has some special duties, the trustee typically is not required to take any action under an indenture at the request of any holders unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable protection from expenses and liability (called an “indemnity”). If reasonable indemnity is provided, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the relevant series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy available to the trustee. The trustee may refuse to follow those directions in certain circumstances.

Before a holder is allowed to bypass the trustee and bring its own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take other steps to enforce its rights or protect its interests relating to any debt securities, the following must occur:

 

•

the holder must give the trustee written notice that an Event of Default has occurred and remains uncured;

 

•

the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of the relevant series must make a written request that the trustee take action because of the default and must offer reasonable indemnity to the trustee against the cost and other liabilities of taking that action;

 

•

the trustee must not have taken action for 60 days after receipt of the above notice and offer of indemnity; and

 

•

the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities must not have given the trustee a direction inconsistent with the above notice during that 60-day period.

However, a holder is entitled at any time to bring a lawsuit for the payment of money due on its debt securities on or after the due date. Each year, we will furnish to each trustee a written statement of certain of our officers certifying that to their knowledge we are in compliance with the indenture and the debt securities, or else specifying any default.

Waiver of Default

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the relevant series of debt securities may waive a default for all such series of debt securities. If this happens, the default will be treated as if it had not occurred. No one can waive a payment default on a holder’s debt security, however, without the holder’s approval.

Merger or Consolidation

Under the terms of an indenture, we may be permitted to consolidate or merge with another entity. We may also be permitted to sell all or substantially all of our assets to another entity. However, typically we may not take any of these actions unless all the following conditions are met:

 

•

if we do not survive such transaction or we convey, transfer or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety, the acquiring company must be a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or trust, or other corporate form, organized under the laws of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia, and such company must agree to be legally responsible for our debt securities, and, if not already subject to the jurisdiction of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia, the new company must submit to such jurisdiction for all purposes with respect to the debt securities and appoint an agent for service of process;

 

•

alternatively, we must be the surviving company;

 

•

immediately after the transaction no Event of Default will exist;

 

•

we must deliver certain certificates and documents to the trustee; and

 

•

we must satisfy any other requirements specified in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of debt securities.

 

22

Modification or Waiver

There are three types of changes we may make to an indenture and the debt securities issued thereunder.

Changes Requiring Approval

First, there are changes that we may not be able to make to debt securities without specific approval of all of the holders. The following is a list of the types of changes that may require specific approval:

 

•

change the stated maturity of the principal of or rate of interest on a debt security;

 

•

reduce any amounts due on a debt security;

 

•

reduce the amount of principal payable upon acceleration of the maturity of a security following a default;

 

•

at any time after a change of control has occurred, reduce any premium payable upon a change of control;

 

•

change the place or currency of payment on a debt security (except as otherwise described in the prospectus or prospectus supplement);

 

•

impair the right of holders to sue for payment;

 

•

adversely affect any right to convert or exchange a debt security in accordance with its terms;

 

•

reduce the percentage of holders of debt securities whose consent is needed to modify or amend the indenture;

 

•

reduce the percentage of holders of debt securities whose consent is needed to waive compliance with certain provisions of the indenture or to waive certain defaults;

 

•

modify any other aspect of the provisions of the indenture dealing with supplemental indentures, modification and waiver of past defaults, changes to the quorum or voting requirements or the waiver of certain covenants; and

 

•

change any obligation we have to pay additional amounts.

Changes Not Requiring Approval

The second type of change does not require any vote by the holders of the debt securities. This type is limited to clarifications and certain other changes that would not adversely affect holders of the outstanding debt securities in any material respect, including the addition of covenants and guarantees. We also do not need any approval to make any change that affects only debt securities to be issued under the indenture after the change takes effect.

Changes Requiring Majority Approval

Any other change to the indenture and the debt securities may require the following approval:

 

•

if the change affects only one series of debt securities, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount of that series; and

 

•

if the change affects more than one series of debt securities issued under the same indenture, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount of all of the series affected by the change, with all affected series voting together as one class for this purpose.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of all of the series of debt securities issued under an indenture, voting together as one class for this purpose, may waive our compliance obligations with respect to some of our

 

23

covenants in that indenture. However, we cannot obtain a waiver of a payment default or of any of the matters covered by the bullet points included above under “Description of Debt Securities — Modification or Waiver — Changes Requiring Approval.”

Further Details Concerning Voting

When taking a vote on proposed changes to the indenture and the debt securities, we expect to use the following rules to decide how much principal to attribute to a debt security:

 

•

for original issue discount securities, we will use the principal amount that would be due and payable on the voting date if the maturity of these debt securities were accelerated to that date because of a default;

 

•

for debt securities whose principal amount is not known (for example, because it is based on an index), we will use a special rule for that debt security described in the related prospectus supplement; and

 

•

for debt securities denominated in one or more foreign currencies, we will use the U.S. dollar equivalent.

Debt securities will not be considered outstanding, and therefore not eligible to vote, if we have deposited or set aside in trust money for their payment or redemption. Debt securities will also not be eligible to vote if they have been fully defeased as described later under “Description of Debt Securities — Defeasance — Legal Defeasance.”

We generally will be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders of outstanding indenture securities that are entitled to vote or take other action under the indenture. If we set a record date for a vote or other action to be taken by holders of one or more series, that vote or action may be taken only by persons who are holders of outstanding indenture securities of those series on the record date and must be taken within 11 months following the record date.

Book-entry and other indirect holders will need to consult their banks or brokers for information on how approval may be granted or denied if we seek to change the indenture or the debt securities or request a waiver.

Defeasance

The following provisions will be applicable to each series of debt securities unless we state in the applicable prospectus supplement that the provisions of covenant defeasance and legal defeasance will not be applicable to that series.

Covenant Defeasance

We can make the deposit described below and be released from some of the restrictive covenants in the indenture under which the particular series was issued. This is called “covenant defeasance.” In that event, the holders would lose the protection of those restrictive covenants but would gain the protection of having money and government securities set aside in trust to repay holders’ debt securities. If applicable, a holder also would be released from the subordination provisions described under “Description of Debt Securities — Indenture Provisions — Subordination” below. In order to achieve covenant defeasance, we must do the following:

 

•

If the debt securities of the particular series are denominated in U.S. dollars, we must deposit in trust for the benefit of all holders of such debt securities a combination of money and U.S. government or U.S. government agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any other payments on the debt securities on their various due dates;

 

•

We may be required to deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming that, under current U.S. Federal income tax law, we may make the above deposit without causing the holders to be

 

24

taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit and just repaid the debt securities ourselves at maturity; and

 

•

We must deliver to the trustee certain documentation stating that all conditions precedent to covenant defeasance have been complied with.

If we accomplish covenant defeasance, holders can still look to us for repayment of the debt securities if there were a shortfall in the trust deposit or the trustee is prevented from making payment. In fact, if one of the remaining Events of Default occurred (such as our bankruptcy) and the debt securities became immediately due and payable, there might be a shortfall. Depending on the event causing the default, holders may not be able to obtain payment of the shortfall.

Legal Defeasance

As described below, we can legally release ourselves from all payment and other obligations on the debt securities of a particular series (called “legal defeasance”), (1) if there is a change in U.S. Federal tax law that allows us to effect the release without causing the holders to be taxed any differently than if the release had not occurred, and (2) if we put in place the following other arrangements for holders to be repaid:

 

•

If the debt securities of the particular series are denominated in U.S. dollars, we must deposit in trust for the benefit of all holders of such debt securities a combination of money and U.S. government or U.S. government agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any other payments on the debt securities on their various due dates;

 

•

We may be required to deliver to the trustee a legal opinion confirming that there has been a change in current U.S. Federal tax law or an Internal Revenue Service ruling that allows us to make the above deposit without causing the holders to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit and just repaid the debt securities ourselves at maturity;

 

•

Under current U.S. Federal tax law, the deposit and our legal release from the debt securities would be treated as though we paid each holder its share of the cash and notes or bonds at the time the cash and notes or bonds were deposited in trust in exchange for its debt securities and holders would recognize gain or loss on the debt securities at the time of the deposit; and

 

•

We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion and officers’ certificate stating that all conditions precedent to legal defeasance have been complied with.

If we ever did accomplish legal defeasance, as described above, holders would have to rely solely on the trust deposit for repayment of the debt securities. Holders could not look to us for repayment in the unlikely event of any shortfall. Conversely, the trust deposit would most likely be protected from claims of our lenders and other creditors if we ever became bankrupt or insolvent. If applicable, holders would also be released from the subordination provisions described later under “Description of Debt Securities — Indenture Provisions — Subordination.”

Resignation of Trustee

Each trustee may resign or be removed with respect to one or more series of indenture securities provided that a successor trustee is appointed to act with respect to such series. In the event that two or more persons are acting as trustee with respect to different series of indenture securities under the indenture, each of the trustees will be a trustee of a trust separate and apart from the trust administered by any other trustee.

Indenture Provisions — Subordination

Upon any distribution of our assets upon our dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on any indenture securities denominated as

 

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subordinated debt securities is to be subordinated to the extent provided in the indenture in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness (defined below), but our obligation to holders to make payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on such subordinated debt securities will not otherwise be affected. In addition, no payment on account of principal (or premium, if any), interest or sinking fund, if any, may be made on such subordinated debt securities at any time unless full payment of all amounts due in respect of the principal (and premium, if any), interest and sinking fund, if any, on Senior Indebtedness has been made or duly provided for in money or money’s worth.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment from us is received by the trustee in respect of subordinated debt securities or by the holders of any of such subordinated debt securities before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, the payment or distribution must be paid over to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness or on their behalf for application to the payment of all the Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid until all the Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness. Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, the holders of such subordinated debt securities will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of the Senior Indebtedness to the extent of payments made to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness out of the distributive share of such subordinated debt securities.

By reason of this subordination, in the event of a distribution of our assets upon our insolvency, certain of our senior creditors may recover more, ratably, than holders of any subordinated debt securities. The related indenture will provide that these subordination provisions will not apply to money and securities held in trust under the defeasance provisions of the indenture.

“Senior Indebtedness” will be defined in an applicable indenture as the principal of (and premium, if any) and unpaid interest on:

 

•

our indebtedness (including indebtedness of others guaranteed by us), whenever created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed, for money borrowed (other than indenture securities issued under the indenture and denominated as subordinated debt securities), unless in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or under which the same is outstanding it is provided that this indebtedness is not senior or prior in right of payment to the subordinated debt securities; and

 

•

renewals, extensions, modifications and refinancings of any of such indebtedness.

The prospectus supplement accompanying any series of indenture securities denominated as subordinated debt securities will set forth the approximate amount of our Senior Indebtedness outstanding as of a recent date.

Trustee

We intend to name the indenture trustee for each series of indenture securities in the related prospectus supplement.

Certain Considerations Relating to Foreign Currencies

Debt securities denominated or payable in foreign currencies may entail significant risks. These risks include the possibility of significant fluctuations in the foreign currency markets, the imposition or modification of foreign exchange controls and potential illiquidity in the secondary market. These risks will vary depending upon the currency or currencies involved and will be more fully described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants for the purchase of shares of our common stock, shares of our preferred stock or debt securities. The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. The particular terms of the warrants and the extent, if any, to which the general terms and provisions may apply to the warrants so offered will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Warrants may be issued independently or together with other securities and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.

A copy of the forms of the warrant agreement and the warrant certificate relating to any particular issue of warrants will be filed with the SEC each time we issue warrants, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the forms of the warrant agreement and the related warrant certificate, if applicable, see “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Stock Warrants

The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants to issue shares of our common stock or shares of our preferred stock will describe the terms of the common share warrants and preferred share warrants, including the following:

 

•

the title of the warrants;

 

•

the offering price for the warrants, if any;

 

•

the aggregate number of the warrants;

 

•

the designation and terms of the shares of common stock or shares of preferred stock that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrants;

 

•

the terms for changes or adjustments to the exercise price of the warrants;

 

•

if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities that the warrants are issued with and the number of warrants issued with each security;

 

•

if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any securities issued with the warrants will be separately transferable;

 

•

the number of shares of common stock or shares of preferred stock that may be purchased upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which the shares may be purchased upon exercise;

 

•

the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants commence and expire;

 

•

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 

•

the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

 

•

if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations;

 

•

anti-dilution provisions of the warrants, if any;

 

•

redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the warrants;

 

•

any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants; and

 

•

any other information we think is important about the warrants.

 

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Debt Warrants

The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants to issue debt securities will describe the terms of those warrants, including the following:

 

•

the title of the warrants;

 

•

the offering price for the warrants, if any;

 

•

the aggregate number of the warrants;

 

•

the designation and terms of the debt securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants;

 

•

the terms for changes or adjustments to the exercise price of the warrants;

 

•

if applicable, the designation and terms of the debt securities that the warrants are issued with and the number of warrants issued with each debt security;

 

•

if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any debt securities issued with them will be separately transferable;

 

•

the principal amount of debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which the debt securities may be purchased upon exercise;

 

•

the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire;

 

•

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 

•

whether the warrants represented by the warrant certificates or debt securities that may be issued upon exercise of the warrants will be issued in registered or bearer form;

 

•

information relating to book-entry procedures, if any;

 

•

the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

 

•

if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations;

 

•

anti-dilution provisions of the warrants, if any;

 

•

redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the warrants;

 

•

any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants; and

 

•

any other information we think is important about the warrants.

Exercise of Warrants

Each warrant will entitle the holder of the warrant to purchase at the exercise price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement the number of shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock or the principal amount of debt securities being offered. Holders may exercise warrants at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants are void. Holders may exercise warrants as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants being offered.

Until a holder exercises the warrants to purchase our shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock or debt securities, the holder will not have any rights as a holder of our shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock or debt securities, as the case may be, by virtue of ownership of warrants.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

We may issue, in one or more series, units consisting of common stock, preferred stock, or warrants for the purchase of common stock or preferred stock in any combination. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to the series of units being offered, as well as the complete unit agreement that contains the terms of the units. We will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of unit agreement and any supplemental agreements that describe the terms of the series of units we are offering before the issuance of the related series of units.

Units may be issued under a unit agreement that we enter into with a unit agent. We will indicate the name and address of the unit agent, if applicable, in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of units being offered.

The applicable prospectus supplement may describe:

 

•

the designation and terms of the units and of the securities composing the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;

 

•

any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities composing the units; and

 

•

whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form.

 

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FORMS OF SECURITIES

Each debt security, warrant and unit will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of securities. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, certificated securities in definitive form and global securities will be issued in registered form. Definitive securities name you or your nominee as the owner of the security, and in order to transfer or exchange these securities or to receive payments other than interest or other interim payments, you or your nominee must physically deliver the securities to the trustee, registrar, paying agent or other agent, as applicable. Global securities name a depositary or its nominee as the owner of the debt securities, warrants or units represented by these global securities. The depositary maintains a computerized system that will reflect each investor’s beneficial ownership of the securities through an account maintained by the investor with its broker/dealer, bank, trust company or other representative, as we explain more fully below.

Global Securities

We may issue the debt securities of a particular series, depositary shares, subscription right, units and warrants in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and registered in the name of that depositary or nominee. In those cases, one or more global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of the securities to be represented by global securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole for securities in definitive registered form, a global security may not be transferred except as a whole by and among the depositary for the global security, the nominees of the depositary or any successors of the depositary or those nominees.

If not described below, any specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any securities to be represented by a global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those securities. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited to persons, called participants, that have accounts with the depositary or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities beneficially owned by the participants. Any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the securities will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary, with respect to interests of participants, and on the records of participants, with respect to interests of persons holding through participants. The laws of some states may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of these securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in global securities.

So long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a global security, that depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by the global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture, deposit agreement, subscription rights agreement, warrant agreement or unit agreement. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by the global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the securities under the applicable indenture, purchase unit agreement or warrant agreement. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary for that global security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the applicable indenture, deposit agreement, subscription rights agreement, unit agreement or warrant agreement. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a

 

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beneficial interest in a global security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the applicable indenture, unit agreement or warrant agreement, the depositary for the global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through them to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.

Principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on debt securities, and any payments to holders with respect to warrants, purchase agreements or units, represented by a global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the global security. None of us, or any trustee, warrant agent, unit agent or other agent of ours, or any agent of any trustee, warrant agent or unit agent will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial ownership interests.

We expect that the depositary for any of the securities represented by a global security, upon receipt of any payment to holders of principal, premium, interest or other distribution of underlying securities or other property on that registered global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in that global security as shown on the records of the depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a global security held through participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.

If the depositary for any of the securities represented by a global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue securities in definitive form in exchange for the global security that had been held by the depositary. Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a global security will be registered in the name or names that the depositary gives to the relevant trustee, warrant agent, unit agent or other relevant agent of ours or theirs. It is expected that the depositary’s instructions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the global security that had been held by the depositary.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell securities by one or more of, or a combination of, the following methods:

 

•

purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by such broker-dealer for its own account pursuant to this prospectus;

 

•

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker solicits purchasers;

 

•

block trades in which the broker-dealer so engaged will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;

 

•

an over-the-counter distribution in accordance with the rules of Nasdaq;

 

•

through trading plans entered into by a Selling Holder pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act, that are in place at the time of an offering pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement hereto that provide for periodic sales of their securities on the basis of parameters described in such trading plans;

 

•

to or through underwriters or broker-dealers;

 

•

in “at the market” offerings, as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act, at negotiated prices, at prices prevailing at the time of sale or at prices related to such prevailing market prices, including sales made directly on a national securities exchange or sales made through a market maker other than on an exchange or other similar offerings through sales agents;

 

•

in privately negotiated transactions;

 

•

in options transactions;

 

•

through a combination of any of the above methods of sale; or

 

•

any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.

In addition, any securities that qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act may be sold under Rule 144 rather than pursuant to this prospectus.

In the prospectus supplement relating to such offering, we will name any agent that could be viewed as an underwriter under the Securities Act and describe any commissions that we must pay to any such agent. Any such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment or, if indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, on a firm commitment basis. This prospectus may be used in connection with any offering of our securities through any of these methods or other methods described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions:

 

•

at a fixed price, or prices, which may be changed from time to time;

 

•

at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

•

at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or

 

•

at negotiated prices.

Each prospectus supplement will describe the method of distribution of the securities and any applicable restrictions. The prospectus supplement with respect to the securities of a particular series will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including the following:

 

•

at a fixed price, or prices, which may be changed from time to time;

 

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•

the name of the agent or any underwriters;

 

•

the public offering or purchase price;

 

•

any discounts and commissions to be allowed or paid to the agent or underwriters;

 

•

all other items constituting underwriting compensation;

 

•

any discounts and commissions to be allowed or paid to dealers; and

 

•

any exchanges on which the securities will be listed.

If any underwriters or agents are used in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will enter into an underwriting agreement, sales agreement or other agreement with them at the time of sale to them, and we will set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to such offering the names of the underwriters or agents and the terms of the related agreement with them.

In connection with the offering of securities, we may grant to the underwriters an option to purchase additional securities with an additional underwriting commission, as may be set forth in any accompanying prospectus supplement. If we grant any such option, the terms of such option will be set forth in the prospectus supplement for such securities.

If a dealer is used in the sale of the securities in respect of which the prospectus is delivered, we will sell such securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer, who may be deemed to be an “underwriter” as that term is defined in the Securities Act, may then resell such securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealer at the time of resale.

Agents, underwriters, dealers and other persons may be entitled under agreements which they may enter into with us to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.

If so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase securities from us pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on the date stated in the prospectus supplement. Each contract will be for an amount not less than, and the aggregate amount of securities sold pursuant to such contracts shall not be less nor more than, the respective amounts stated in the prospectus supplement. Institutions with whom the contracts, when authorized, may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and other institutions, but shall in all cases be subject to our approval. Delayed delivery contracts will not be subject to any conditions except that:

 

•

the purchase by an institution of the securities covered under that contract shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which that institution is subject; and

 

•

if the securities are also being sold to underwriters acting as principals for their own account, the underwriters shall have purchased such securities not sold for delayed delivery. The underwriters and other persons acting as our agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of delayed delivery contracts.

Offered securities may also be offered and sold, if so indicated in the prospectus supplement, in connection with a remarketing upon their purchase, in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to their terms, or otherwise, by one or more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreement, if any, with us and its compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Remarketing firms may be deemed to be underwriters in connection with their remarketing of offered securities.

 

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Certain agents, underwriters and dealers, and their associates and affiliates, may be customers of, have borrowing relationships with, engage in other transactions with, or perform services, including investment banking services, for us or one or more of our respective affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

In order to facilitate the offering of the securities, any underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities or any other securities the prices of which may be used to determine payments on such securities. Specifically, any underwriters may overallot in connection with the offering, creating a short position for their own accounts. In addition, to cover overallotments or to stabilize the price of the securities or of any such other securities, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, the securities or any such other securities in the open market. Finally, in any offering of the securities through a syndicate of underwriters, the underwriting syndicate may reclaim selling concessions allowed to an underwriter or a dealer for distributing the securities in the offering if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed securities in transactions to cover syndicate short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities above independent market levels. Any such underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time.

We may engage in at the market offerings into an existing trading market in accordance with Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act. In addition, we may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement so indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment). In addition, we may otherwise loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities short using this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement. Such financial institution or other third party may transfer its economic short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a concurrent offering of other securities.

Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. The applicable prospectus supplement may provide that the original issue date for your securities may be more than two scheduled business days after the trade date for your securities. Accordingly, in such a case, if you wish to trade securities on any date prior to the second business day before the original issue date for your securities, you will be required, by virtue of the fact that your securities initially are expected to settle in more than two scheduled business days after the trade date for your securities, to make alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

The securities may be new issues of securities and may have no established trading market. The securities may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange. We can make no assurance as to the liquidity of or the existence of trading markets for any of the securities.

In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), the aggregate maximum discount, commission or agency fees or other items constituting underwriting compensation to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer will not exceed 8% of the proceeds from any offering pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.

The specific terms of any lock-up provisions in respect of any given offering will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with us, or perform services for us, in the ordinary course of business for which they receive compensation.

The anticipated date of delivery of offered securities will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to each offer.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus has been passed upon for us by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP. If the validity of any securities is also passed upon by counsel for the underwriters, dealers, or agents of an offering of those securities, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of 23andMe Holding Co. and its subsidiaries as of March 31, 2022 and 2021, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended March 31, 2022, have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

Available Information

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of Class A Common Stock offered hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules thereto. For further information with respect to the Company and its Class A Common Stock, reference is made to the registration statement and the exhibits and any schedules filed therewith. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or any other document referred to are not necessarily complete, and in each instance, we refer you to the copy of the contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. Each of these statements is qualified in all respects by this reference. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, over the internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

We are subject to the information reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and we are required to file reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC. These reports, proxy statements, and other information are available for inspection and copying at the SEC’s website referred to above. We also maintain a website at investors.23andme.com, at which you may access these materials free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not a part of this prospectus, and the inclusion of our website address in this prospectus is an inactive textual reference only.

Incorporation by Reference

The SEC rules allow us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, and subsequent information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede that information. Any statement contained in this prospectus or a previously filed document incorporated by reference will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or a subsequently filed document incorporated by reference modifies or replaces that statement.

This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement incorporate by reference the documents set forth below that have previously been filed with the SEC:

 

•

our Annual Report on Form  10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on May 27, 2022, as amended by Amendment No. 1 on Form  10-K/A, filed with the SEC on August 9, 2022 (our “Annual Report on Form 10-K”);

 

35

•

our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2022, filed with the SEC on August 9, 2022 and for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2022, filed with the SEC on November 7, 2022;

 

•

our Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on  April 13, 2022,  June 13, 2022,  August 19, 2022 (as amended on  August 30, 2022),  September  1, 2022, November  4, 2022, and December 9, 2022;

 

•

our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A for the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed with the SEC on July 15, 2022; and

 

•

the description of shares of Class  A Common Stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on June 17, 2021, pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All other reports and other documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of this offering (other than those furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K or other information deemed to have been “furnished” rather than “filed” in accordance with the SEC’s rules), shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and to be a part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.

For the purposes of this prospectus, any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

Copies of all documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to those documents unless such exhibits are specially incorporated by reference in this prospectus, will be provided at no cost to each person who receives a copy of this prospectus on the written or oral request of that person made to:

23andMe Holding Co.

349 Oyster Point Boulevard

South San Francisco, California 94080

Attention: Corporate Secretary

Telephone: (650) 938-6300

 

36

 

 

UP TO $500,000,000

 

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Units

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

 

 

 

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to completion, dated February 6, 2023

PROSPECTUS

Up to $150,000,000

 

Class A Common Stock

 

 

We have entered into a sales agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with Cowen and Company, LLC (“Cowen” or the “Agent”), relating to shares of our Class A Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Class A Common Stock”) offered by this prospectus. In accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement, we may offer and sell shares of our Class A Common Stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000 from time to time through or to Cowen acting as our agent or principal.

Our Class A Common Stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “ME”. On February 3, 2023, the last reported sale price of our Class A Common Stock was $2.69 per share.

Sales of our Class A Common Stock, if any, under this prospectus will be made in sales deemed to be “at the market offerings” as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Cowen is not required to sell any specific amount of securities, but will act as our sales agent using commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices, on mutually agreed terms between Cowen and us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

The compensation to Cowen for sales of Class A Common Stock sold pursuant to the Sales Agreement will be an amount equal to 3.0% of the gross proceeds of any shares of Class A Common Stock sold under the Sales Agreement. In connection with the sale of the Class A Common Stock on our behalf, Cowen will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of Cowen will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have also agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to Cowen with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

Our business and an investment in our common stock involve significant risks. These risks are described under the caption “Risk Factors” beginning on page 10 of this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

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

 

 

 

				Cowen

The date of this prospectus is                , 2023.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			1
MARKET DATA			3
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY			4
RISK FACTORS			10
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			12
USE OF PROCEEDS			15
DILUTION			16
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			18
LEGAL MATTERS			20
EXPERTS			20
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			20

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), using a “shelf” registration process.

Under this shelf registration process, we may from time to time sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000 under this prospectus at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of the offering.

This prospectus describes the terms of this offering of common stock and also adds to and updates information contained in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus, on the one hand, and the information contained in any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus that was filed with the SEC before the date of this prospectus, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus. 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 into this prospectus that was filed after the date of this prospectus – the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.

We have not, and the Agent has not, authorized anyone to provide you with any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement or related free writing prospectus to which we have referred you. Neither we nor the Agent take any responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information others may give you. We are not, and the Agent is not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted or in which the person making that offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, is accurate only as of the date of those respective documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. You should read this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, in their entirety before making an investment decision.

This prospectus includes summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed or are incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

The Company was originally known as VG Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“VGAC” and, after the Domestication as described below, “23andMe Holding Co.”). On February 4, 2021, VGAC entered into that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated February 4, 2021, as amended on February 13, 2021 and March 25, 2021 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among VGAC, Chrome Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned direct subsidiary of VGAC (the “Merger Sub”), and 23andMe, Inc., a Delaware corporation. On June 16, 2021 (the “Closing Date”), as contemplated by the Merger Agreement, VGAC filed a notice of deregistration with the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies, together with the necessary accompanying documents, and filed a certificate of incorporation and a certificate of corporate domestication with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, under which VGAC was domesticated and continued as a Delaware corporation, changing its name to 23andMe Holding Co. (the “Domestication”). As a result of and upon the effective time of the Domestication, among other things, each of the then issued and outstanding Class A and Class B ordinary shares of VGAC automatically converted, on a one-for-one basis, into shares of our Class A Common Stock. On the Closing Date, VGAC consummated the merger transaction contemplated by the Merger Agreement, whereby the Merger Sub merged with and into 23andMe, Inc., the

 

1

separate corporate existence of the Merger Sub ceasing and 23andMe, Inc. being the surviving corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of VGAC, now known as 23andMe Holding Co. (the “Merger” and, together with the Domestication, the “Business Combination”).

Unless the context indicates otherwise, references in this prospectus to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our,” and similar terms refer to 23andMe Holding Co. and its consolidated subsidiaries. References to “VG Acquisition Corp.” or “VGAC” refer to the Company prior to the consummation of the Domestication and the Merger. “23andMe, Inc.” refers to 23andMe, Inc. prior to the Business Combination.

 

2

MARKET DATA

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein include market and industry data and forecasts concerning our business and the markets for certain cancer treatments, including data regarding the estimated size of those markets and the incidence and prevalence of certain medical conditions, that we have derived from independent consultant reports, publicly available information, various industry, medical and general publications, other published industry sources, government data and our internal data and estimates. Independent consultant reports, industry publications and other published industry sources generally indicate that the information contained therein was obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Our internal data and estimates are based upon information obtained from trade and business organizations and other contacts in the markets in which we operate and our management’s understanding of industry conditions.

 

3

 

4

 

5

 

6

 

7

 

8

 

9

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our Class A Common Stock involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our Class A Common Stock, you should carefully consider the risks described below and discussed under the sections captioned “Risk Factors” contained in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended by Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A, as well as in any of our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Exchange Act, together with other information in this prospectus, the information and documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and in any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flow could be seriously harmed. This could cause the trading price of our Class A Common Stock to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. The risks below and incorporated by reference in this prospectus are not the only ones we face. Additional risks not currently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business operations. Please also read carefully the section below titled “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Risks Related to this Offering

Management will have broad discretion as to the use of the net proceeds from this offering, and may not use the proceeds effectively.

Our management will have broad discretion as to the application of the net proceeds from this offering and could use them in a manner that does not effectively maximize the potential of our clinical development programs and pipeline. Our management’s use of the net proceeds from this offering may not increase the market value of our Class A Common Stock. In fact, our failure to apply these funds effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, delay the development of our product candidates, and cause the market value of our Class A Common Stock to decline.

You may experience immediate and substantial dilution.

The offering price per share in this offering may exceed the net tangible book value per share of our Class A Common Stock outstanding prior to this offering. Assuming that an aggregate of              shares of our Class A Common Stock are sold at a price of $             per share pursuant to this prospectus, for aggregate gross proceeds of $150,000,000, and after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us, you would experience immediate dilution of $             per share, representing the difference between our as adjusted net tangible book value per share as of             , after giving effect to this offering and the assumed offering price. The exercise of outstanding stock options and warrants or the settlement of outstanding restricted stock units will result in further dilution of your investment. See the section titled “Dilution” below for a more detailed illustration of the dilution you would incur if you participate in this offering.

You may experience future dilution as a result of future equity offerings.

In order to raise additional capital, we may in the future offer additional shares of our Class A Common Stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our Class A Common Stock at prices that may not be the same as the prices per share in this offering. We may sell shares or other securities in any other offering at a price per share that is less than the prices per share paid by investors in this offering, and investors purchasing shares of our Class A Common Stock or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing shareholders. The price per share at which we sell additional shares of our Class A Common Stock, or securities convertible or exchangeable into our Class A Common Stock, in future transactions may be higher or lower than the prices per share paid by investors in this offering.

 

10

It is not possible to predict the aggregate proceeds resulting from sales of our Class A Common Stock made under the Sales Agreement.

Subject to certain limitations in the Sales Agreement and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver a placement notice to the Agent at any time throughout the term of the Sales Agreement. The number of shares of our Class A Common Stock that are sold through the Agent after delivering a placement notice will fluctuate based on a number of factors, including the market price of our Class A Common Stock during the sales period, the limits we set with the Agent in any applicable placement notice, and the demand for our Class A Common Stock during the sales period. Because the price per share of our Class A Common Stock will fluctuate during the sales period, it is not currently possible to predict the aggregate proceeds to be raised in connection with those sales.

The shares of our Class A Common Stock offered hereby will be sold in “at the market offerings”, and investors who buy shares of our Class A Common Stock at different times will likely pay different prices.

Investors who purchase shares of our Class A Common Stock in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices, and so may experience different levels of dilution and different outcomes in their investment results. We will have discretion, subject to market demand, to vary the timing, prices, and numbers of shares of our Class A Common Stock sold in this offering. In addition, subject to the final determination by our board of directors or a committee thereof, there is no minimum or maximum sales price for shares of our Class A Common Stock to be sold in this offering. Investors may experience a decline in the value of the shares of our Class A Common Stock they purchase in this offering as a result of sales made at prices lower than the prices they paid.

The price of our Class A Common Stock may be volatile and fluctuate substantially, which could result in substantial losses for purchasers of our Class A Common Stock in this offering.

Our stock price has been and is likely to be volatile. The stock market in general and the market for biopharmaceutical companies in particular have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. As a result of this volatility, you may not be able to sell your Class A Common Stock at or above the price at which it was acquired. The market price for our Class A Common Stock may be influenced by many factors, including:

 

•

the success of our drug development or clinical trials;

 

•

the success of competitive products or technologies;

 

•

regulatory or legal developments in the United States and other countries;

 

•

developments or disputes concerning patent applications, issued patents or other proprietary rights;

 

•

the recruitment or departure of key personnel;

 

•

actual or anticipated changes in estimates as to financial results, development timelines or recommendations by securities analysts;

 

•

variations in our financial results or those of companies that are perceived to be similar to us;

 

•

market conditions in the biotechnology sectors;

 

•

political and economic instability, including the impact of COVID-19, the possibility of an economic recession, international hostilities, acts of terrorism and governmental restrictions, inflation, trade relationships and military and political alliances; and

 

•

general economic, industry and market conditions.

 

11

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement, and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, may contain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of management. Although the Company believes that its plans, intentions, and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or realize these plans, intentions, or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Generally, statements that are not historical facts, including statements concerning the Company’s possible or assumed future actions, business strategies, events, or results of operations, are forward-looking statements. In some instances, these statements may be preceded by, followed by, or include the words “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” “forecasts,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “plans,” “scheduled,” “anticipates,” or “intends” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. You should not put undue reliance on these statements which speak only as of the date hereof. You should understand that the following important factors, among others, could affect the Company’s future results and could cause those results or other outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the Company’s forward-looking statements:

 

•

The market for personal genetics products and services has experienced a recent overall decline. If this trend continues or worsens, it would adversely affect our business and results of operations.

 

•

If our competitors receive further Food and Drug Administration marketing approval for in vitro diagnostic products, our business could be adversely affected.

 

•

The telehealth market is immature and volatile, and if it does not develop, if it encounters negative publicity, or if the increased use of telehealth solutions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic does not continue after the pandemic, then the growth of our business and our results of operation will be harmed.

 

•

We rely on key sole suppliers to manufacture and perform services used by customers who purchase our PGS, which could adversely affect our ability to meet customer demand.

 

•

If we are not able to maintain and enhance our brand, our ability to expand our customer base may be impaired and our business and operating results may be harmed.

 

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If our efforts to attract new customers and patients and engage existing customers and patients with enhanced products and services are unsuccessful or if such efforts are more costly than we expect, our business may be harmed.

 

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Any significant disruption in service on our website, mobile applications, or in our computer or logistics systems could harm our reputation and may result in a loss of customers.

 

•

If we are unable to deliver a rewarding experience on mobile devices, whether through our mobile website or our mobile application, we may be unable to attract and retain customers and patients.

 

•

We depend on a number of other companies to perform functions critical to our ability to operate our platform and generate revenue from patients.

 

•

If we are unable to attract and retain high quality healthcare providers for our patients, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

 

•

If the number of our customers consenting to participate in our research programs declines or fails to grow, our revenue may be adversely affected, and our database may become less effective.

 

•

Our focus on using our genetics-powered platform to discover targets with therapeutic potential may not result in the discovery of commercially viable drug targets for us or our collaborators.

 

12

•

Media reports on consumer data privacy and security concerns and the use of genetic information may decrease the overall consumer demand for personal genetic products and services, including ours.

 

•

If we fail to succeed in our drug development efforts, or to develop and commercialize additional products and services, our ability to expand our business and achieve our strategic objectives would be impaired.

 

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Our Therapeutics business faces substantial competition, which may result in others discovering, developing, or commercializing drugs before or more successfully than we can.

 

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We cannot give any assurance that any of our drugs will receive regulatory approval, which is necessary before they can be commercialized.

 

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We may be subject to legal proceedings and litigation, which are costly to defend and could materially harm our business and results of operations.

 

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Our business and future operating results may be adversely affected by catastrophic or other events outside of our control.

 

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We depend on the continued services and performance of our highly qualified key personnel, and we may not be able to attract or retain qualified scientists and other specialized individuals in the future due to the competition for qualified personnel among life science and technology businesses.

 

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We face risks related to epidemics and other outbreaks of communicable diseases, including the current COVID-19 pandemic.

 

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If we were to enter new business areas, we would likely face competition from entities more familiar with those businesses, and our efforts may not succeed.

 

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If we, GSK, and any future collaborators are unable to successfully complete clinical development, obtain regulatory approval for, or commercialize any drugs, or experience delays in doing so, our business may be materially harmed.

 

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GSK and any other potential drug discovery collaborators will have significant discretion in determining when to make announcements, if any, about the status of our collaborations.

 

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Our collaborators may not achieve projected discovery and development milestones and other anticipated key events in the expected timelines or at all, which could have an adverse impact on our business.

 

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Our products and services are subject to extensive regulation, and compliance with existing or future regulations could result in unanticipated expenses, or limit our ability to offer our products and services.

 

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We will face legal, reputational, and financial damage if we fail to protect our customer and patient data from security breaches or cyberattacks.

 

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If we are unable to protect our intellectual property, the value of our brand and other intangible assets may be diminished, and our business may be adversely affected.

 

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We face additional risks as a result of the acquisition of Lemonaid Health (as defined below) and may be unable to integrate our businesses successfully and realize the anticipated synergies and related benefits, or do so within the anticipated timeframe.

These and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements in this prospectus are more fully described in the “Risk Factors” section. The risks described in the “Risk Factors” section are not exhaustive. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict all such risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all such risk factors on its business or

 

13

the extent to which any factor or combination of factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. The Company undertakes no obligations to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Additional cautionary statements or discussions of risks and uncertainties that could affect our results or the achievement of the expectations described in forward-looking statements may also be contained in any accompanying prospectus supplement.

Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this prospectus occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact the operations and projections discussed herein can be found in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and in our periodic filings with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

You should read this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement completely and with the understanding that our actual future results, levels of activity, and performance, as well as other events and circumstances may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

 

14

USE OF PROCEEDS

We may issue and sell shares of our Class A Common Stock having aggregate sales proceeds of up to $150 million from time to time. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time.

Except as described in any applicable prospectus supplement or in any related free writing prospectuses we may authorize for use in connection with a specific offering, we currently expect to use the net proceeds from the securities offered hereunder, if any, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents for general corporate purposes, including working capital requirements and operating expenses. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to us from the sale of the securities offered by us hereunder. We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus our intended use for the net proceeds received from the sale of any securities sold pursuant to the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.

 

15

DILUTION

If you invest in our Class A Common Stock, your interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the price per share you pay in this offering and the net tangible book value per share of our Class A Common Stock immediately after this offering. Our net tangible book value of our Class A Common Stock as of                  was approximately $         million, or approximately $         per share of Class A Common Stock based upon          shares outstanding. Net tangible book value per share is equal to our total tangible assets, less our total liabilities, divided by the total number of shares outstanding as of                 .

After giving effect to the sale of our Class A Common Stock in the aggregate amount of $         million at an assumed offering price of $         per share, and after deducting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us of approximately $        , our as adjusted net tangible book value as of                  would have been approximately $         million, or $         per share of Class A Common Stock. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $         per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution in as adjusted net tangible book value of $         per share to new investors in this offering. Dilution per share to new investors participating in this offering is determined by subtracting as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the price per share paid by new investors. The following table illustrates this calculation on a per share basis. The as adjusted information is illustrative only and will adjust based on the actual prices to the public, the actual number of shares sold and other terms of the offering determined at the times shares of our Class A Common Stock are sold pursuant to this prospectus. The shares sold in this offering, if any, will be sold from time to time at various prices.

 

Assumed offering price per share						$
Net tangible book value per share as of		$
Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to the offering
As adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to this offering
Dilution per share to new investors participating in the offering						$

The number of shares of Class A Common Stock to be outstanding after this offering, as set forth above, is based on          shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding as of                 , which amount excludes:

 

•

shares of our Class A Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of Class B Common Stock, of which there were          outstanding as of                 ;

 

•

shares of our Class A Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding as of                  at a weighted average exercise price of $         per share;

 

•

shares of our Class A Common Stock underlying unvested restricted stock units outstanding as of                  at a weighted average grant date fair value of $         per share;

 

•

shares of our Class A Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options and restricted stock units representing          shares of our Class A Common Stock, in each case, that were issued as inducement grants in accordance with Rule 5635(c)(4) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules;

 

•

shares of our Class A Common Stock reserved, as of                 , for future issuance under our 2021 Incentive Equity Plan; and

 

•

shares of our Class A Common Stock reserved, as of                 , for future issuance under our 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 

16

To the extent shares of Class A Common Stock issued upon the vesting of outstanding restricted stock units are exercised at prices per share that are less than the prices paid by investors in this offering, there will be further dilution to investors. In addition, to the extent that we issue additional equity securities in connection with future capital raising activities, our then-existing stockholders may experience dilution.

 

17

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We have entered into a Sales Agreement with Cowen, under which we may issue and sell from time to time up to $150,000,000 of our Class A Common Stock through or to Cowen as our sales agent or principal. Sales of our Class A Common Stock, if any, will be made at market prices by any method that is deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act.

Cowen will offer our Class A Common Stock subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement on a daily basis or as otherwise agreed upon by us and Cowen. We will designate the maximum amount of our Class A Common Stock to be sold through Cowen on a daily basis or otherwise determine such maximum amount together with Cowen. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, Cowen will use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell on our behalf all of the shares of Class A Common Stock requested to be sold by us. We may instruct Cowen not to sell our Class A Common Stock if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us in any such instruction. Cowen or we may suspend the offering of our Class A Common Stock being made through Cowen under the Sales Agreement upon proper notice to the other party. Cowen and we each have the right, by giving written notice as specified in the Sales Agreement, to terminate the Sales Agreement in each party’s sole discretion at any time.

The aggregate compensation payable to Cowen as sales agent equals 3.0% of the gross sales price of the shares sold through it pursuant to the Sales Agreement. We have also agreed to reimburse Cowen up to $75,000 of Cowen’s actual outside legal expenses incurred by Cowen in connection with this offering. We estimate that the total expenses of the offering payable by us, excluding commissions payable to Cowen under the Sales Agreement, will be approximately $            .

The remaining sales proceeds, after deducting any expenses payable by us and any transaction fees imposed by any governmental, regulatory, or self-regulatory organization in connection with the sales, will equal our net proceeds for the sale of such Class A Common Stock.

Cowen will provide written confirmation to us following the close of trading on The Nasdaq Global Market on each day in which our Class A Common Stock is sold through it as sales agent under the Sales Agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares of Class A Common Stock sold through it as sales agent on that day, the volume weighted average price of the shares sold, the percentage of the daily trading volume and the net proceeds to us.

We will report at least quarterly the number of shares of Class A Common Stock sold through Cowen under the Sales Agreement, the net proceeds to us and the compensation paid by us to Cowen in connection with the sales of our Class A Common Stock.

Settlement for sales of our Class A Common Stock will occur, unless the parties agree otherwise, on the second business day that is also a trading day following the date on which any sales were made in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

Under the Sales Agreement, we may also sell shares of our Class A Common Stock to Cowen as principal for its own account, at a price to be agreed upon at the time of sale.

In connection with the sales of our Class A Common Stock on our behalf, Cowen will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation paid to Cowen will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed in the Sales Agreement to provide indemnification and contribution to Cowen against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. As sales agent, Cowen will not engage in any transactions that stabilizes our Class A Common Stock.

 

18

Our Class A Common Stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market and trades under the symbol “ME.” The transfer agent of our Class A Common Stock is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. Cowen and/or its affiliates have provided, and may in the future provide, various investment banking and other financial services for us for which services they have received and, may in the future receive, customary fees.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus has been passed upon for us by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP. The Agent is being represented in connection with this offering by Duane Morris LLP.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of 23andMe Holding Co. and its subsidiaries as of March 31, 2022 and 2021, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended March 31, 2022, have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act, and in accordance with the Exchange Act, file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These documents may be accessed through the SEC’s electronic data gathering, analysis and retrieval system, via electronic means, including the SEC’s home page on the Internet (www.sec.gov). Our corporate website address is www.23andme.com. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not a part of this prospectus, and the inclusion of our website address in this prospectus is an inactive textual reference only.

This prospectus is part of the registration statement on Form S-3 we filed with the SEC under the Securities Act and does not contain all the information set forth in the registration statement. Whenever a reference is made in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the reference may not be complete and you should refer to the exhibits that are a part of the registration statement or the exhibits to the reports or other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus for a copy of such contract, agreement or other document.

 

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC rules allow us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, and subsequent information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede that information. Any statement contained in this prospectus or a previously filed document incorporated by reference will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or a subsequently filed document incorporated by reference modifies or replaces that statement.

This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement incorporate by reference the documents set forth below that have previously been filed with the SEC:

 

•

our Annual Report on Form  10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on May 27, 2022, as amended by Amendment No. 1 on Form  10-K/A, filed with the SEC on August 9, 2022 (our “Annual Report on Form 10-K”);

 

•

our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2022, filed with the SEC on August 9, 2022 and for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2022, filed with the SEC on November 7, 2022;

 

•

our Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on  April 13, 2022,  June 13, 2022,  August 19, 2022 (as amended on  August 30, 2022),  September  1, 2022, November  4, 2022, and December 9, 2022;

 

•

our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A for the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed with the SEC on July 15, 2022; and

 

•

the description of shares of Class A Common Stock contained in the Registration Statement on  Form 8-A filed on June 17, 2021, pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All other reports and other documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of this offering (other than those furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K or other information deemed to have been “furnished” rather than “filed” in accordance with the SEC’s rules), shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and to be a part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.

For the purposes of this prospectus, any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

Copies of all documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to those documents unless such exhibits are specially incorporated by reference in this prospectus, will be provided at no cost to each person who receives a copy of this prospectus on the written or oral request of that person made to:

23andMe Holding Co.

349 Oyster Point Boulevard

South San Francisco, California 94080

Attention: Corporate Secretary

Telephone: (650) 938-6300

 

21

 

 

Up to $150,000,000

 

Class A Common Stock

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

Cowen

 

 

, 2023

 

 

 

PART II. INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered will be borne by us and are set forth in the following table. All amounts except the registration fee are estimated.

 

SEC registration fee		$	55,100
FINRA filing fee Legal fees and expenses		$ $	75,500 350,000
Accounting fees and expenses			(1	)
Printing expenses			(1	)
Transfer and registrar fee			(1	)
Miscellaneous			(1	)
Total			(1	)

 

(1)	These fees will be dependent on the type of securities offered and the number of offerings and, therefore, cannot be estimated at this time. The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the estimated amount of expenses of any offerings of securities.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a corporation’s board of directors to grant, and authorizes a court to award, indemnity to officers, directors, and other corporate agents.

As permitted by Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, no director will be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Pursuant to Delaware law such protection would be not available for liability:

 

•

for any breach of a duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders;

 

•

for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

•

for any transaction from which the director derived an improper benefit; or

 

•

for an act or omission for which the liability of a director is expressly provided by an applicable statute, including unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Our certificate of incorporation also provides that if Delaware law is amended after the approval by our stockholders of the certificate of incorporation to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of our directors will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law.

Our bylaws further provide that we must indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Our bylaws also authorize us to indemnify any of our employees or agents and permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee or agent for any liability arising out of his or her action in that capacity, whether or not Delaware law would otherwise permit indemnification.

In addition, our bylaws also provide that we are required to advance expenses to our directors and officers as incurred in connection with legal proceedings against them for which they may be indemnified and that the rights conferred in the bylaws are not exclusive.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers.

 

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These agreements, among other things, require us to indemnify each director and officer to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws, for expenses such as, among other things, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, and settlement amounts incurred by the director or executive officer in any action or proceeding, including any action by or in our right, arising out of the person’s services as our director or executive officer or as the director or executive officer of any subsidiary of ours or any other company or enterprise to which the person provides services at our request. We also have directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.

The SEC has taken the position that personal liability of directors for violation of the federal securities laws cannot be limited and that indemnification by us for any such violation is unenforceable. The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors and officers for breach of their fiduciary duty. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and other stockholders. Further, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent that we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers as required by these indemnification provisions.

 

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Item 16. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.		Description
1.1***		Form of Underwriting Agreement.
1.2**		Sales Agreement, dated February 6, 2023, by and among 23andMe Holding Co. and Cowen and Company, LLC.
2.1†*		Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February  4, 2021, by and among VG Acquisition Corp., Chrome Merger Sub, Inc., and 23andMe, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-39587), filed with the SEC on February 4, 2021).
2.2*		First Amendment to the Merger Agreement, dated as of February  13, 2021, by and among VG Acquisition Corp., Chrome Merger Sub, Inc., and 23andMe, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-4  (File No. 333-254772), filed with the SEC on May 13, 2021).
2.3*		Second Amendment to the Merger Agreement, dated as of March  25, 2021, by and among VG Acquisition Corp., Chrome Merger Sub, Inc., and 23andMe, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.3 to the Registration Statement on Form S-4/A  (File No. 333-254772), filed with the SEC on May 13, 2021).
3.1*		Certificate of Incorporation of 23andMe Holding Co. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on  Form 8-K/A (File No. 001-39587) filed with the SEC on June 21, 2021).
3.2*		Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of 23andMe Holding Co. (incorporated by reference to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-39587) filed with the SEC on December 9, 2022).
4.1*		Certificate of Corporate Domestication of VG Acquisition Corp. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Current Report on Form  8-K (File No. 001-39587) filed with the SEC on June 21, 2021).
4.2***		Form of Specimen Certificate Representing Preferred Stock.
4.3***		Form of Warrant.
4.4***		Form of Warrant Agreement.
4.5***		Form of Note.
4.6***		Form of Unit Agreement.
5.1**		Opinion of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.
23.1**		Consent of KPMG, independent registered public accounting firm of 23andMe Holding Co.
23.2**		Consent of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereto).
24.1**		Power of Attorney (included in the signature page of the Registration Statement).
25.1****		Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of Debt Trustee (to be filed prior to any issuance of Debt Securities).
107**		Filing Fee Table

 

†	Schedules and exhibits to this agreement have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule and/or exhibit will be furnished to the SEC upon request.

*	Previously filed.

**	Filed herewith.

***	To be filed by amendment or incorporated by reference in connection with the offering of the securities.

****	To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

 

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Item 17. Undertakings.

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 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 Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% 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) of this section 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 Securities and Exchange 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 of 1933 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

 

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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.

 

(6)

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.

 

(7)

That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

 

(8)

That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post- effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus 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.

 

(9)

If and when applicable, to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 305(b)2 of the Trust Indenture Act.

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 Securities Act of 1933 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

 

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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 Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 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 South San Francisco, California, on this 6^th day of February, 2023.

 

				23ANDME HOLDING CO.
Date: February 6, 2023				By:		/s/ Anne Wojcicki
						ANNE WOJCICKI
						Chief Executive Officer

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Anne Wojcicki and Joseph Selsavage his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to sign any registration statement for the same offerings covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming that all said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name		Title		Date
/s/ Anne Wojcicki Anne Wojcicki		Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)		February 6, 2023
/s/ Joseph Selsavage Joseph Selsavage		Interim Chief Financial Officer and Interim Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)		February 6, 2023
/s/ Roelof Botha Roelof Botha		Director		February 6, 2023
/s/ Patrick Chung Patrick Chung		Director		February 6, 2023
/s/ Sandra R. Hernández, M.D. Sandra R. Hernández, M.D.		Director		February 6, 2023
/s/ Evan Lovell Evan Lovell		Director		February 6, 2023
/s/ Neal Mohan Neal Mohan		Director		February 6, 2023

 

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Name		Title		Date
/s/ Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D. Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D.		Director		February 6, 2023
/s/ Richard Scheller, Ph.D. Richard Scheller, Ph.D.		Director		February 6, 2023
/s/ Peter Taylor Peter Taylor		Director		February 6, 2023

 

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