424B5
Table of Contents

Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)

Registration No. 333-227168

 

The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. A registration statement relating to these securities has been declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. This preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities, and we are not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED NOVEMBER 13, 2018

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To Prospectus dated October 11, 2018)

2,000,000 Shares

 

LOGO

Common Stock

 

 

We are offering 2,000,000 shares of our common stock in this offering.

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “CDNA.” On November 12, 2018, the closing price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market was $27.53 per share.

 

 

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-7 of this prospectus supplement and under similar headings in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement for a discussion of certain risks you should consider before investing in shares of our common stock.

 

     Per Share      Total  

Public offering price

   $                    $                

Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)

   $                    $                

Proceeds to us before expenses

   $                    $                

 

(1)

We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for certain of their expenses. See “Underwriting” for a description of the compensation to be received by the underwriters.

We have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 300,000 additional shares of common stock from us at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 and, as such, we have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The underwriters expect to deliver the common stock to the investors in book-entry form through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company on or about November     , 2018.

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

Jefferies   Piper Jaffray

Co-Manager

Craig-Hallum Capital Group

The date of this prospectus supplement is November     , 2018


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Prospectus Supplement

   Page  

About this Prospectus Supplement

     S-1  

Prospectus Supplement Summary

     S-2  

Risk Factors

     S-7  

Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     S-9  

Market and Industry Data

     S-11  

Use of Proceeds

     S-12  

Price Range of our Common Stock

     S-13  

Dividend Policy

     S-14  

Capitalization

     S-15  

Dilution

     S-16  

Underwriting

     S-17  

Legal Matters

     S-25  

Experts

     S-25  

Information Incorporated by Reference; Where You Can Find More Information

     S-26  

 

Prospectus

   Page  

Summary

     2  

Risk Factors

     4  

Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     4  

Use of Proceeds

     6  

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

     6  

Description of Capital Stock

     7  

Description of Debt Securities

     12  

Description of Warrants

     18  

Description of Units

     21  

Legal Ownership of Securities

     22  

Plan of Distribution

     25  

Legal Matters

     27  

Experts

     27  

Where You Can Find More Information

     27  

Important Information Incorporated by Reference

     28  

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus are part of a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. This prospectus supplement describes the specific terms of this offering. The accompanying base prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, provides general information about us, some of which, such as the section therein entitled “Plan of Distribution,” may not apply to this offering. Generally, when we refer to this prospectus, we are referring to both this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, combined.

We urge you to carefully read this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein and the additional information under the heading “Information Incorporated by Reference; Where You Can Find More Information” before buying any of the securities being offered under this prospectus supplement. These documents contain information you should consider when making your investment decision.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus supplement may add, update or change information contained in the accompanying base prospectus. To the extent any information in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with the accompanying base prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement. The information in this prospectus supplement will be deemed to modify or supersede the information in the accompanying base prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein, except for those documents incorporated by reference therein which we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus supplement.

You should not assume that the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front cover of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus or on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference herein or therein, as applicable. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, the securities described in this prospectus supplement only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The distribution of this prospectus supplement and the offering of the securities in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus supplement must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the securities and the distribution of this prospectus supplement outside the United States. This prospectus supplement does not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities offered by this prospectus supplement by any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such an offer or solicitation.

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 into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base 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.

In this prospectus supplement, unless otherwise indicated or required by the context, the terms “CareDx,” “we,” “our,” “us” and the “Company” refer to CareDx, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY

This summary contains basic information about us and this offering. This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus supplement. This summary is not complete and may not contain all of the information that may be important to you and that you should consider before deciding whether or not to invest in our common stock. For a more complete understanding of CareDx and this offering, you should carefully read this prospectus supplement, including the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, in its entirety. Investing in our common stock involves risks that are described in this prospectus supplement under the heading “Risk Factors,” under the heading “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, as amended, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018 and in our other filings with the SEC.

The Company

Overview

We are a global transplant diagnostics company with product and service offerings along the pre- and post-transplant continuum. We focus on discovery, development and commercialization of clinically differentiated, high-value diagnostic surveillance solutions for transplant patients.

Testing Services

AlloMap

Our first commercialized testing solution, the AlloMap heart transplant molecular test, or AlloMap, is a gene expression test that helps clinicians monitor and identify heart transplant recipients with stable graft function who have a low probability of moderate-to-severe acute cellular rejection. Since 2008, we have sought to expand the adoption and utilization of our AlloMap solution through ongoing studies to substantiate the clinical utility and actionability of AlloMap, secure positive reimbursement decisions for AlloMap from large private and public payers, develop and enhance our relationships with key members of the transplant community, including opinion leaders at major transplant centers, and explore opportunities and technologies for the development of additional solutions for post-transplant surveillance. We believe the use of AlloMap, in conjunction with other clinical indicators, can help healthcare providers and their patients better manage long-term care following a heart transplant. In particular, we believe AlloMap can improve patient care by helping healthcare providers avoid the use of unnecessary, invasive surveillance biopsies and determine the appropriate dosage levels of immunosuppressants. In 2008, AlloMap received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for marketing and sale as a test to aid in the identification of recipients with a low probability of moderate or severe acute cellular rejection.

AlloMap has received positive coverage decisions for reimbursement from Medicare. The 2018 reimbursement rate for AlloMap is $3,240, which represents a 14% increase over the 2017 reimbursement rate. AlloMap has also received positive coverage decisions for reimbursement from many of the largest U.S. private payers, including Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Health Care Services Corporation (HCSC), Humana, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., and TRICARE.

We have also successfully completed a number of landmark clinical trials in the transplant field demonstrating the clinical utility of AlloMap for surveillance of heart transplant recipients. We initially established the analytical and clinical validity of AlloMap on the basis of our Cardiac Allograft Rejection Gene Expression Observational (Deng, M. et al., Am J Transplantation 2006), or CARGO, study, which was published in the American Journal of Transplantation. A subsequent clinical utility trial, Invasive Monitoring Attenuation through Gene Expression (Pham MX et al., N. Eng. J. Med., 2010), or IMAGE, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrated that clinical outcomes in recipients managed with AlloMap surveillance were equivalent (non-inferior) to outcomes in recipients managed with biopsies. The results of our clinical trials have also been presented at major medical society congresses.



 

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During the first nine months of 2018, there were 12,059 AlloMap patient test results provided to 131 of the approximately 137 heart transplant management centers in the United States.

AlloSure

AlloSure, our recently launched commercial transplant surveillance solution, applies proprietary next generation sequencing technology to measure donor-derived cell free DNA, or dd-cfDNA in the blood stream emanating from the donor kidney or heart. We believe AlloSure may help clinicians determine rejection-specific activity manifested as cell damage in the transplanted heart, kidney and other solid organs, irrespective of the type of organ transplanted. We also believe the use of AlloSure, in conjunction with other clinical indicators, can help healthcare providers and their patients better manage long-term care following a kidney transplant. In particular, we believe AlloSure can improve patient care by helping healthcare providers to reduce the use of invasive biopsies and determine the appropriate dosage levels of immunosuppressants. Effective October 9, 2017, AlloSure became available for commercial testing with Medicare coverage and reimbursement. The Medicare reimbursement rate for AlloSure is $2,841. AlloSure has also received payment from private payers on a case-by-case basis, but no positive coverage decisions have been made.

Prior to the commercialization of AlloSure, we generated a strong body of clinical evidence. In late 2015, we announced the completion of analytical validation of AlloSure. A report describing the analytical validation of AlloSure, including clinical validation detailing the quality, reality, and consistency of analytical results information for heart transplant, appeared in the November 2016 issue of The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. The Circulating Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA in Blood for Diagnosing Acute Rejection in Kidney Transplant Recipients, or DART, trial, sponsored by us, was conducted between April 2015 and January 2018. DART is a 14 center observational study of kidney transplant recipients where blood specimens are drawn periodically after transplant during follow up visits and also after treatment for acute rejection. By the time of completion of the first analysis, 384 patients were followed in DART for up to 24 months. The results demonstrated that increased levels of dd-cfDNA, determined by the AlloSure assay, discriminated active rejection of a kidney transplant more effectively than serum creatinine values. In collaboration with clinical investigators, we published these findings in the scientific peer-reviewed Journal of the American Society of Nephrology and the Journal Applied Laboratory Medicine in March 2017. A total of 2,109 patient visits had been accrued in DART by January 2018; we plan to analyze and report on additional findings from this dataset in 2018 and into the future.

In 2018, we initiated the Kidney Allograft Outcomes AlloSure Registry, or K-OAR study, to develop further data on the clinical utility of AlloSure for surveillance of kidney transplant recipients. As of September 30, 2018, 40 centers have been initiated as K-OAR study sites.

During the first nine months of 2018, there were 7,059 AlloSure patient test results provided. Since launch, AlloSure has been ordered by 96 kidney transplant centers in the United States.

HeartCare

In September 2018, we initiated the Surveillance HeartCare® Outcomes Registry, or SHORE. SHORE is a prospective, multi-center, observational registry of patients receiving HeartCare for surveillance.

HeartCare combines the gene expression profiling technology of AlloMap with the dd-cfDNA analysis of AlloSure-Heart in one surveillance solution. An approach to surveillance using HeartCare provides information from two complementary measures: (i) AlloMap – a measure of immune activity, and (ii) AlloSure-Heart® – monitors graft injury. HeartCare provides robust information about distinct biological processes, such as immune quiescence, active injury, Acute Cellular Rejection and Antibody Mediated Rejection.



 

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Products

We develop, manufacture, market and sell products that increase the chance of successful transplants by facilitating a better match between a donor and a recipient of stem cells and organs. Olerup SSP® is used to type Human Leukocyte Antigen, or HLA alleles, based on the sequence specific primer, or SSP technology. Olerup SBTTM is a complete product range for sequence-based typing of HLA alleles. Olerup QTYPE enables speed and precision in HLA typing at a low to intermediate resolution for samples that require a fast turn-around-time and uses real-time polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, methodology. QTYPE received CE mark certification on April 10, 2018.

On May 4, 2018, we entered into a License and Commercialization Agreement, or the License Agreement, with Illumina, Inc., or Illumina, which provides us with worldwide distribution, development and commercialization rights to Illumina’s next generation sequencing, or NGS, product line for use in transplantation diagnostic testing.

As a result, on June 1, 2018, we became the exclusive worldwide distributor of Illumina’s TruSight HLA product line. In addition, we were granted the exclusive right to develop and commercialize other NGS product lines for use in the field of bone marrow and solid organ transplantation diagnostic testing.

Corporate Information

We were originally incorporated in Delaware in December 1998 under the name Hippocratic Engineering, Inc. In April 1999, we changed our name to BioCardia, Inc., and in June 2002, we changed our name to Expression Diagnostics, Inc. In July 2007, we changed our name to XDx, Inc. and in March 2014, we most recently changed our name to CareDx, Inc. Our principal executive offices are located at 3260 Bayshore Boulevard, Brisbane, California 94005 and our telephone number is (415) 287-2300.

For a complete description of our business, financial condition, results of operations and other important information, we refer you to our filings with the SEC that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, as amended, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018. For instructions on how to find copies of these documents, see the section of this prospectus supplement entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Emerging Growth Company Status

We qualify as an “emerging growth company,” as that term is defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. For as long as we qualify as an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that do not qualify as emerging growth companies, including, without limitation, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, reduced disclosure obligations relating to executive compensation and exemptions from the requirements of holding advisory “say-on-pay,” “say-when-on-pay” and “golden parachute” executive compensation votes.

Under the JOBS Act, we will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of:

 

   

the last day of the fiscal year during which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more;

 

   

the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering, or December 31, 2019;

 

   

the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt; and

 

   

the date on which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act (i.e., the first day of the fiscal year after we have (1) more than $700.0 million in outstanding common equity held by our non-affiliates, measured each year on the last day of our second fiscal quarter, and (2) been public for at least 12 months).



 

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We have elected to take advantage of certain of the reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in this prospectus supplement and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in future filings with the SEC. As a result, the information that we provide to our stockholders may be different than the information you receive from other public reporting companies.



 

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The Offering

 

Common stock offered by us    2,000,000 shares

 

Common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering

  

 

40,784,111 shares

 

Option to purchase additional shares

  

 

We have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 300,000 additional shares of common stock from us at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

Use of proceeds

  

 

We estimate the net proceeds from this offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, will be approximately $51.6 million, or approximately $59.3 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares from us in full, assuming a public offering price of $27.53 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on November 12, 2018. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital, general corporate purposes and the potential repayment of outstanding indebtedness. See “Use of Proceeds” beginning on page S-12 of this prospectus supplement for additional detail.

 

Trading symbol

  

 

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “CDNA.”

 

Risk factors

  

 

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-7 of this prospectus supplement and other information included or incorporated in this prospectus supplement for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before investing in our common stock.

The number of shares of our common stock that will be outstanding immediately after this offering is based on 38,784,111 shares of common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2018, and excludes:

 

   

894,304 shares of our common stock issuable upon the vesting of restricted stock units outstanding under our equity incentive plans as of September 30, 2018, with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $9.41 per share;

 

   

2,532,171 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding under equity incentive plans as of September 30, 2018, with a weighted-average exercise price of $7.23 per share;

 

   

29,344 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2016 Inducement Plan as of September 30, 2018;

 

   

532,659 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2014 Equity Incentive Plan as of September 30, 2018, which contains provisions that may increase its share reserve each year;

 

   

372,568 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of September 30, 2018, which contains provisions that may increase its share reserve each year; and

 

   

798,553 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants as of September 30, 2018, with a weighted-average exercise price of $8.05 per share.

Except as otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus supplement assumes no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares.



 

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RISK FACTORS

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, as amended, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, as well as our other filings with the SEC, include material risk factors relating to our business. Those risks and uncertainties and the risks and uncertainties described below are not the only risks and uncertainties that we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that are not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial or that are not specific to us, such as general economic conditions, may also materially and adversely affect our business and operations. If any of those risks and uncertainties or the risks and uncertainties described below actually occurs, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be harmed substantially. In such a case, you may lose all or part of your investment. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below and those risks and uncertainties incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, as well as the other information included in this prospectus supplement, before making an investment decision with respect to our common stock.

Risks Related to this Offering

Purchasers of common stock in this offering will experience immediate and substantial dilution in the book value of their investment. You may experience further dilution upon exercise of our outstanding options and warrants.

The public offering price per share of common stock in this offering is substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our common stock before giving effect to this offering. Accordingly, if you purchase common stock in this offering, you will incur immediate substantial dilution of approximately $26.31 per share, representing the difference between the assumed public offering price of $27.53 per share of common stock, which was the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on November 12, 2018, and our as adjusted net tangible book value as of September 30, 2018. In addition, if our outstanding options or warrants are exercised, you could experience further dilution. For a further description of the dilution that you will experience immediately after this offering, see the section in this prospectus supplement entitled “Dilution.”

Future sales of our common stock, or the perception that such future sales may occur, may cause our stock price to decline.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, following this offering could cause the market price of our common stock to decline. For example, we expect an aggregate of up to approximately 80,000 shares of our common stock to be sold during the 90-day period following this offering pursuant to trading plans meeting the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act, or 10b5-1 Plans, that are currently in effect, including 50,000 shares to be sold by our Chief Executive Officer within three trading days following our release of earnings for the quarter ended September 30, 2018. We also expect an aggregate of up to an additional 100,000 shares of our common stock to be sold by our Chief Executive Officer during the 90-day period following this offering. In addition, a substantial majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock are, and the shares of common stock sold in this offering upon issuance will be, freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

We have broad discretion to determine how to use the funds raised in this offering, and may use them in ways that may not enhance our operating results or the price of our common stock.

Our management will have broad discretion over the use of proceeds from this offering, and we could spend the proceeds from this offering in ways our stockholders may not agree with or that do not yield a favorable return, if at all. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital, general corporate purposes and the potential repayment of outstanding indebtedness. See “Use of Proceeds” beginning on page S-12 of this prospectus supplement for additional detail. However, our use of these proceeds may differ substantially from our current plans. If we do not invest or apply the proceeds from this offering in ways that improve our operating results, we may fail to achieve expected financial results, which could cause our stock price to decline.

We do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future. As a result, you must rely on stock appreciation for any return on your investment.

We do not anticipate paying cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. Any payment of cash dividends will also depend on our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements and other

 

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factors and will be at the discretion of our board of directors. Accordingly, you will have to rely on capital appreciation, if any, to earn a return on your investment in our common stock. Furthermore, our credit agreement with Perceptive Credit Holdings II, LP prohibits us from paying dividends without the prior consent of Perceptive Credit Holdings II, LP, and we may in the future become subject to additional contractual restrictions on, or prohibitions against, the payment of dividends.

 

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DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement include, but are not limited to, statements about:

 

   

our ability to generate revenue from sales of AlloMap, AlloSure and future testing services, if any, and our ability to increase the commercial success of these testing services;

 

   

our ability to generate revenue from sales of Olerup SSP, Olerup SBT, Olerup QTYPE, TruSight HLA, and future products, if any, and our ability to increase the commercial success of these products;

 

   

our ability to generate revenue from the license and commercialization agreement with Illumina, Inc.;

 

   

our plans and ability to develop and commercialize new solutions for the surveillance of heart, kidney, and other solid organ transplant recipients; our plans and ability to continue updating our products, services and technology to maintain our leading position in the surveillance market for solid organ transplants;

 

   

our plans and ability to continue updating our sequence specific primer products and technology to maintain our leading position in the SSP market;

 

   

our plans and ability to develop, commercialize, and/or distribute new gene expression, qPCR, cell free DNA and Next Generation Sequencing technology applications for transplantation;

 

   

our ability to obtain additional financing on terms favorable to us, or at all;

 

   

our ability to remain eligible to use Registration Statements on Form S-3 for capital-raising transactions;

 

   

our ability to obtain, maintain and expand reimbursement coverage from payers for AlloMap, AlloSure and other future testing services, if any;

 

   

the outcome or success of our clinical trial collaborations and registry studies;

 

   

our dependence on certain of our suppliers, service providers, and other distribution partners;

 

   

our compliance with federal, state and foreign regulatory requirements;

 

   

the favorable review of our testing services and product offerings, and our future solutions, if any, in peer-reviewed publications;

 

   

our ability to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights, our strategies regarding filing additional patent applications to strengthen our intellectual property rights, and our ability to defend against intellectual property claims that may be brought against us;

 

   

our anticipated cash needs and our anticipated uses of our funds, including our estimates regarding operating expenses and capital requirements;

 

   

our ability to meet our obligations under our equity financing agreements and debt agreements;

 

   

anticipated trends and challenges in our business and the markets in which we operate;

 

   

disruptions to our business, including disruptions at our laboratories and manufacturing facilities;

 

   

our ability to retain key members of our management team;

 

   

our ability to make successful acquisitions or investments and to manage the integration of such acquisitions or investments;

 

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our ability to successfully defend against or settle any litigation brought against us or other legal matters or disputes;

 

   

our ability to expand internationally; and

 

   

our ability to comply with the requirements of being a public company.

We caution you that the forward-looking statements highlighted above do not encompass all of the forward-looking statements made in this prospectus supplement or in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.

We have based the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. The outcomes of the events described in these forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and experience to differ from those projected, including, but not limited to, the risk factors described herein and the risk factors set forth in Part I - Item 1A, “Risk Factors”, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC on March 22, 2018, in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on May 10, 2018, in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, as filed with the SEC on August 9, 2018, as amended, in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, as filed with the SEC on November 8, 2018 and elsewhere in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and challenging environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. We cannot assure you that the results, events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur, and actual results, events or circumstances could differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We do not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this prospectus supplement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, other strategic transactions or investments we may make.

 

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MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

This prospectus supplement and the information incorporated by reference herein contain statistical data, estimates, forecasts, projections and other information concerning our industry, our business and the markets for our products, including data regarding the estimated size of those markets and the incidence and prevalence of certain medical conditions. Information that is based on statistical data, estimates, forecasts, projections, market research or similar methodologies is inherently subject to uncertainties and actual events or circumstances may differ materially from events and circumstances reflected in this information. Unless otherwise expressly stated, we obtained this industry, business, market and other data from reports, research surveys, medical and general publications, government data, studies and similar data prepared by market research firms and other third parties. These third parties may, in the future, alter the manner in which they conduct surveys and studies regarding the markets in which we operate our business. The market and other estimates included in this prospectus supplement and the information incorporated by reference herein, as they relate to projections, involve numerous assumptions, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed in the section of this prospectus supplement entitled “Risk Factors” and in the other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds from the sale of the common stock in this offering will be approximately $51.6 million, or approximately $59.3 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares, based on an assumed public offering price of $27.53 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on November 12, 2018, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed public offering price of $27.53 per share of common stock, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on November 12, 2018, would increase or decrease the net proceeds from this offering by approximately $1.9 million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement, remains the same, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We may also increase or decrease the number of shares of common stock we are offering. Each increase or decrease of 500,000 shares in the number of shares of common stock we are offering would increase or decrease the net proceeds from this offering by approximately $12.9 million, assuming that the assumed public offering price remains the same, after deducting underwriting discount and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital, general corporate purposes and the potential repayment of outstanding indebtedness under our credit agreement with Perceptive Credit Holdings II, LP, or Perceptive, that was entered into on April 16, 2018, or the Perceptive Credit Agreement. Under the Perceptive Credit Agreement, Perceptive provided us with a term loan in the principal amount of $15.0 million, or the Term Loan, which accrues interest per annum at 9.00% plus the greater of the one-month LIBOR or 1.5%. Payments under the Perceptive Credit Agreement are interest-only until the first principal payment is due on the last day of the first calendar month following April 17, 2021, followed by monthly payments of principal and interest through the scheduled maturity date on April 17, 2023. The proceeds of the Term Loan were used for general corporate purposes and for the repayment of our outstanding indebtedness with FastPartner AB, Mohammed Al Amoudi and Danske Bank A/S.

Our expected use of the net proceeds from this offering represents our current intentions based upon our present plans and business condition. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we cannot predict with complete certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the completion of this offering or the actual amounts that we will spend on the uses set forth above. The amount and timing of our actual expenditures will depend upon numerous factors, including the timing and progress of our research and development efforts, the timing and progress of any partnering and commercialization efforts, technological advances and the competitive environment for our products. Accordingly, our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering, and investors will be relying on our judgment regarding the application of the net proceeds. Additionally, our management will have discretion to allocate the net proceeds from this offering for acquisitions of, or investments in, complementary businesses and products or repayment or repurchase of all or a portion of our indebtedness, in-licensing opportunities and pipeline development. We have no current agreements or commitments to use these proceeds to make any such acquisitions or investments or to repay or repurchase of all or a portion of our indebtedness.

Pending use of the proceeds from this offering as described above, we intend to invest the net proceeds of this offering in short-term, interest-bearing instruments.

 

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PRICE RANGE OF OUR COMMON STOCK

Our common stock began trading on the Nasdaq Global Market on July 16, 2014 and is listed under the symbol “CDNA.” On November 12, 2018, the closing price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market was $27.53 per share. The following table sets forth, for our fiscal periods indicated, the high and low sale prices of our common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Market.

 

     High      Low  

Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2018

     

Fourth Quarter (through November 12, 2018)

   $ 30.15      $ 21.30  

Third Quarter

   $ 29.60      $ 11.85  

Second Quarter

   $ 16.00      $ 7.60  

First Quarter

   $ 8.35      $ 4.92  

Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2017

     

Fourth Quarter

   $ 7.98      $ 3.65  

Third Quarter

   $ 4.59      $ 1.05  

Second Quarter

   $ 1.66      $ 0.76  

First Quarter

   $ 2.90      $ 1.35  

Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2016

     

Fourth Quarter

   $ 4.08      $ 2.50  

Third Quarter

   $ 5.06      $ 3.28  

Second Quarter

   $ 6.08      $ 4.01  

First Quarter

   $ 6.84      $ 4.07  

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our capital stock. We intend to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Our credit agreement with Perceptive Credit Holdings II, LP., as a lender and administrative agent for the several banks and other financial institutions or entities from time to time party thereto, restricts our ability to pay cash dividends on our common stock, and we may also enter into credit agreements or other borrowing arrangements in the future that will further restrict our ability to declare or pay cash dividends on our common stock. Any future determination to pay dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors or any authorized committee thereof after considering our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, business prospects and other factors our board of directors or such committee deems relevant, and will be subject to the restrictions contained in our current or future financing instruments.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our consolidated cash and cash equivalents, equity and total capitalization as of September 30, 2018:

 

   

on an actual basis; and

 

   

on an as adjusted basis to give effect to our issuance and sale of 2,000,000 shares of common stock at an assumed public offering price of $27.53 per share of common stock, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on November 12, 2018, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, and the application of the estimated net proceeds of this offering as described under “Use of Proceeds.”

The “As Adjusted” column assumes that the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase additional shares.

You should read the data set forth in the table below in conjunction with the section of this prospectus supplement under the caption “Use of Proceeds” as well as our “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and our consolidated financial statements and other financial information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.

 

     As of September30, 2018
(in thousands, except share amounts)
(Unaudited)
 
     Actual      As Adjusted  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 26,202      $ 77,753  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Long-term debt, including current portion

     13,384        13,384  

Stockholders’ equity:

     

Preferred stock, $0.001 par value: 10,000,000 shares authorized and no shares issued and outstanding, actual and as adjusted

     —          —    

Common stock, $0.001 par value: 100,000,000 shares authorized, actual and as adjusted, and 38,784,111 shares issued and outstanding, actual; and 40,784,111 shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted

     39        41  

Additional paid-in capital

     356,427        407,976  

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

     (3,988      (3,988

Accumulated deficit

     (308,090      (308,090
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ equity

     44,388        95,939  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total capitalization

   $ 57,772      $ 109,323  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The above table excludes:

 

   

894,304 shares of our common stock issuable upon the vesting of restricted stock units outstanding under our equity incentive plans as of September 30, 2018, with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $9.41 per share;

 

   

2,532,171 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding under equity incentive plans as of September 30, 2018, with a weighted-average exercise price of $7.23 per share;

 

   

29,344 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2016 Inducement Plan as of September 30, 2018;

 

   

532,659 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2014 Equity Incentive Plan as of September 30, 2018, which contains provisions that may increase its share reserve each year;

 

   

372,568 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of September 30, 2018, which contains provisions that may increase its share reserve each year; and

 

   

798,553 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants as of September 30, 2018, with a weighted-average exercise price of $8.05 per share.

 

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DILUTION

Purchasers of common stock in this offering will experience immediate dilution to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per share of common stock and the net tangible book value per share of common stock immediately after this offering.

Our net tangible book value as of September 30, 2018 was approximately $(1.9) million, or $(0.05) per share of common stock. Net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing the net of total tangible assets less total liabilities, by the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2018. After giving effect to the sale by us of 2,000,000 shares of common stock at the assumed public offering price of $27.53 per share of common stock, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on November 12, 2018, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of September 30, 2018 would have been approximately $49.7 million, or $1.22 per share of common stock. This represents an immediate increase in as adjusted net tangible book value of $1.27 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution of $26.31 per share of common stock issued to the investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering.

The following table illustrates this per share dilution:

 

Assumed public offering price per share of common stock

      $ 27.53  

Net tangible book value per share as of September 30, 2018

   $ (0.05   

Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to this offering

   $ 1.27     
  

 

 

    

Net tangible book value per share after this offering

      $ 1.22  
     

 

 

 

Dilution per share to investors participating in this offering

      $ 26.31  
     

 

 

 

Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed public offering price of $27.53 per share of common stock, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on November 12, 2018, would increase or decrease the dilution per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering by $0.96 per share, assuming that the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

We may also increase or decrease the number of shares of common stock we are offering. An increase of 500,000 shares in the number of shares of common stock we are offering would increase our as adjusted net tangible book value by $0.31 per share and decrease the dilution per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering by $0.31 per share, assuming that the assumed public offering price remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and the estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, a decrease of 500,000 shares in the number of shares of common stock we are offering would decrease our as adjusted net tangible book value by $0.31 per share and increase the dilution per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering by $0.31 per share, assuming that the assumed public offering price remains the same, and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses.

If the underwriters exercise their option in full to purchase 300,000 additional shares of common stock in this offering at the assumed public offering price of $27.53 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on November 12, 2018, the net tangible book value per share after this offering would be $1.40 per share, the increase in the net tangible book value per share to existing stockholders would be $1.45 per share and the dilution to investors purchasing securities in this offering would be $26.13 per share.

The above table excludes:

 

   

894,304 shares of our common stock issuable upon the vesting of restricted stock units outstanding under our equity incentive plans as of September 30, 2018, with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $9.41 per share;

 

   

2,532,171 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding under equity incentive plans as of September 30, 2018, with a weighted-average exercise price of $7.23 per share;

 

   

29,344 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2016 Inducement Plan as of September 30, 2018;

 

   

532,659 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2014 Equity Incentive Plan as of September 30, 2018, which contains provisions that may increase its share reserve each year;

 

   

372,568 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of September 30, 2018, which contains provisions that may increase its share reserve each year; and

 

   

798,553 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants as of September 30, 2018, with a weighted-average exercise price of $8.05 per share.

To the extent that outstanding options or warrants outstanding are exercised, new options or other equity awards are issued under our equity incentive plans, or we issue additional shares of common stock or other equity or convertible debt securities in the future, there may be further dilution to investors participating in this offering. Moreover, we may choose to raise additional capital because of market conditions or strategic considerations, even if we believe that we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. If we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders.

 

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UNDERWRITING

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, dated November     , 2018, among us and Jefferies LLC and Piper Jaffray & Co., as the representatives of the underwriters named below and the joint book-running managers of this offering, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each of the underwriters has agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase from us, the respective number of shares of common stock shown opposite its name below:

 

Underwriter

   Number of Shares  

Jefferies LLC

  

Piper Jaffray & Co.

                           

Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC

  
  

 

 

 

Total

     2,000,000  
  

 

 

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters are subject to certain conditions precedent such as the receipt by the underwriters of officers’ certificates and legal opinions and approval of certain legal matters by their counsel. The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters will purchase all of the shares of common stock if any of them are purchased. If an underwriter defaults, the underwriting agreement provides that the purchase commitments of the nondefaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated. We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters and certain of their controlling persons against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

The underwriters have advised us that, following the completion of this offering, they currently intend to make a market in the common stock as permitted by applicable laws and regulations. However, the underwriters are not obligated to do so, and the underwriters may discontinue any market-making activities at any time without notice in their sole discretion. Accordingly, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for the common stock, that you will be able to sell any of the common stock held by you at a particular time or that the prices that you receive when you sell will be favorable.

The underwriters are offering the shares of common stock subject to their acceptance of the shares of common stock from us and subject to prior sale. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.

Commission and Expenses

The underwriters have advised us that they propose to offer the shares of common stock to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and to certain dealers, which may include the underwriters, at that price less a concession not in excess of $         per share of common stock. After the offering, the public offering price and concession to dealers may be reduced by the representatives. No such reduction will change the amount of proceeds to be received by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement.

The following table shows the public offering price, the underwriting discounts and commissions that we are to pay the underwriters and the proceeds, before expenses, to us in connection with this offering. Such amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.

 

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     Per Share      Total  
     Without
Option to
Purchase
Additional
Shares
     With
Option to
Purchase
Additional
Shares
     Without
Option to
Purchase
Additional
Shares
     With
Option to
Purchase
Additional
Shares
 

Public offering price

   $                    $                    $                    $                

Underwriting discounts and commissions paid by us

   $                    $                    $                    $                

Proceeds to us, before expenses

   $                    $                    $                    $                

We estimate expenses payable by us in connection with this offering, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions referred to above, will be approximately $205,000. We have also agreed to reimburse the underwriters for certain of their expenses in an amount up to $15,000.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the trading symbol “CDNA”.

Option to Purchase Additional Shares

We have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for 30 days from the date of this prospectus supplement, to purchase, from time to time, in whole or in part, up to an aggregate of 300,000 shares of common stock from us at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement, less underwriting discounts and commissions. If the underwriters exercise this option, each underwriter will be obligated, subject to specified conditions, to purchase a number of additional shares of common stock proportionate to that underwriter’s initial purchase commitment as indicated in the table above.

No Sales of Similar Securities

We, and our officers and directors, have agreed, subject to specified exceptions, not to directly or indirectly:

 

   

sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell (including any short sale), pledge, transfer, establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-l(h) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or

 

   

otherwise dispose of any shares of common stock, options or warrants to acquire shares of common stock, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into shares of common stock currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially, or

 

   

publicly announce an intention to do any of the foregoing for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus supplement without the prior written consent of Jefferies LLC and Piper Jaffray & Co.

This restriction terminates after the close of trading of the common stock on and including the 90th day after the date of this prospectus supplement. The exceptions to the restrictions in the immediately preceding paragraph include, among others, with respect to our directors and officers, certain transfers pursuant to 10b5-1 Plans. We expect an aggregate of up to approximately 80,000 shares of our common stock to be sold during the lock-up period pursuant to 10b5-1 Plans that are currently in effect, including 50,000 shares to be sold by our Chief Executive Officer within three days following our release of earnings for the quarter ended September 30, 2018. We also expect an aggregate of up to an additional 100,000 shares of our common stock to be sold by our Chief Executive Officer during the lock-up period.

Jefferies LLC and Piper Jaffray & Co. may, in their sole discretion and at any time or from time to time before the termination of the 90-day period release all or any portion of the securities subject to lock-up agreements. There are no existing agreements between the underwriters and any of our stockholders who will execute a lock-up agreement, providing consent to the sale of shares prior to the expiration of the lock-up period.

 

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Stabilization

The underwriters have advised us that they, pursuant to Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and certain persons participating in the offering may engage in short sale transactions, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions or the imposition of penalty bids in connection with this offering. These activities may have the effect of stabilizing or maintaining the market price of the common stock at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. Establishing short sales positions may involve either “covered” short sales or “naked” short sales.

“Covered” short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of our common stock in this offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock or purchasing shares of our common stock in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the option to purchase additional shares.

“Naked” short sales are sales in excess of the option to purchase additional shares of our common stock. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the shares of our common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering.

A stabilizing bid is a bid for the purchase of shares of common stock on behalf of the underwriters for the purpose of fixing or maintaining the price of the common stock. A syndicate covering transaction is the bid for or the purchase of shares of common stock on behalf of the underwriters to reduce a short position incurred by the underwriters in connection with the offering. Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriter’s purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our common stock. As a result, the price of our common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. A penalty bid is an arrangement permitting the underwriters to reclaim the selling concession otherwise accruing to a syndicate member in connection with the offering if the common stock originally sold by such syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction and therefore have not been effectively placed by such syndicate member.

Neither we, nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our common stock. The underwriters are not obligated to engage in these activities and, if commenced, any of the activities may be discontinued at any time.

The underwriters may also engage in passive market making transactions in our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M during a period before the commencement of offers or sales of shares of our common stock in this offering and extending through the completion of distribution. A passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid of that security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, that bid must then be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.

Electronic Distribution

A prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in electronic format may be made available by e-mail or on the web sites or through online services maintained by one or more of the underwriters or their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and may be allowed to place orders online. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a specific number of shares of common stock for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such allocation for online distributions will be made by the underwriters on the same basis as other allocations. Other than the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in electronic format, the information on the underwriters’ web sites and any information contained in any other web site maintained by any of the underwriters is not part of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or the underwriters and should not be relied upon by investors.

 

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Other Activities and Relationships

The underwriters and certain of their affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The underwriters and certain of their affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various commercial and investment banking and financial advisory services for us and our affiliates, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses.

In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and certain of their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments issued by us and our affiliates. If the underwriters or their respective affiliates have a lending relationship with us, they routinely hedge their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities or the securities of our affiliates, including potentially the common stock offered hereby. Any such short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the common stock offered hereby. The underwriters and certain of their respective affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

Disclaimers About Non-U.S. Jurisdictions

Australia

This prospectus supplement is not a disclosure document for the purposes of Australia’s Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) of Australia, or Corporations Act, has not been lodged with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission and is only directed to the categories of exempt persons set out below. Accordingly, if you receive this prospectus supplement in Australia:

 

  A.

You confirm and warrant that you are either:

 

   

a “sophisticated investor” under section 708(8)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act;

 

   

a “sophisticated investor” under section 708(8)(c) or (d) of the Corporations Act and that you have provided an accountant’s certificate to the company which complies with the requirements of section 708(8)(c)(i) or (ii) of the Corporations Act and related regulations before the offer has been made;

 

   

a person associated with the Company under Section 708(12) of the Corporations Act; or

 

   

a “professional investor” within the meaning of section 708(11)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act.

To the extent that you are unable to confirm or warrant that you are an exempt sophisticated investor, associated person or professional investor under the Corporations Act, any offer made to you under this prospectus supplement is void and incapable of acceptance.

 

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  B.

You warrant and agree that you will not offer any of the securities issued to you pursuant to this prospectus supplement for resale in Australia within 12 months of those securities being issued unless any such resale offer is exempt from the requirement to issue a disclosure document under section 708 of the Corporations Act.

Canada

 

  A.

Resale Restrictions. The distribution of the shares in Canada is being made only in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia on a private placement basis exempt from the requirement that we prepare and file a prospectus with the securities regulatory authorities in each province where trades of these securities are made. Any resale of the shares in Canada must be made under applicable securities laws which may vary depending on the relevant jurisdiction, and which may require resales to be made under available statutory exemptions or under a discretionary exemption granted by the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authority. Purchasers are advised to seek legal advice prior to any resale of the securities.

 

  B.

Representations of Canadian Purchasers. By purchasing shares in Canada and accepting delivery of a purchase confirmation, a purchaser is representing to and the dealer from whom the purchase confirmation is received that:

 

   

the purchaser is entitled under applicable provincial securities laws to purchase the shares of common stock without the benefit of a prospectus qualified under those securities laws as it is an “accredited investor” as defined under National Instrument 45-106—Prospectus Exemptions;

 

   

the purchaser is a “permitted client” as defined in National Instrument 31-103—Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations;

 

   

where required by law, the purchaser is purchasing as principal and not as agent; and

 

   

the purchaser has reviewed the text above under Resale Restrictions.

 

  C.

Conflicts of Interest. Canadian purchasers are hereby notified that the underwriters are relying on the exemption set out in section 3A.3 or 3A.4, if applicable, of National Instrument 33-105—Underwriting Conflicts from having to provide certain conflict of interest disclosure in this document.

 

  D.

Statutory Rights of Action. Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if the prospectus supplement (including any amendment thereto) such as this document contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser of these securities in Canada should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

 

  E.

Enforcement of Legal Rights. All of our directors and officers as well as the experts named herein may be located outside of Canada and, as a result, it may not be possible for Canadian purchasers to effect service of process within Canada upon us or those persons. All or a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of those persons may be located outside of Canada and, as a result, it may not be possible to satisfy a judgment against us or those persons in Canada or to enforce a judgment obtained in Canadian courts against us or those persons outside of Canada.

 

  F.

Taxation and Eligibility for Investment. Canadian purchasers of shares of common stock should consult their own legal and tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the company in their particular circumstances and about the eligibility of the shares of common stock for investment by the purchaser under relevant Canadian legislation.

 

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European Economic Area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area (each, a “Relevant Member State”), no offer of shares of common stock may be made to the public in that Relevant Member State other than:

 

  (a)

to any legal entity which is a “qualified investor” as defined in the Prospectus Directive;

 

  (b)

to fewer than 100 or, if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representative; or

 

  (c)

in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, provided that no such offer of shares shall require the Company or the representative to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 16 of the Prospectus Directive,

Each person in a Relevant Member State who initially acquires any shares or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with each of the representative and the Company that it is a “qualified investor” within the meaning of the law in that Relevant Member State implementing Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive. In the case of any shares being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of any shares to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant Member State to qualified investors as so defined or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the representative has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of shares to the public” in relation to any shares in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the shares, as the same may be varied in the Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in the Relevant Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended by Directive 2010/73/EU), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State.

Hong Kong

No securities have been offered or sold, and no securities may be offered or sold, in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than to persons whose ordinary business is to buy or sell securities, whether as principal or agent; or to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong, or the SFO, and any rules made under that Ordinance; or in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong, or the CO, or which do not constitute an offer or invitation to the public for the purpose of the CO or the SFO. No document, invitation or advertisement relating to the securities has been issued or may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to securities which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the SFO and any rules made under that Ordinance.

This prospectus supplement has not been registered with the Registrar of Companies in Hong Kong. Accordingly, this prospectus supplement may not be issued, circulated or distributed in Hong Kong, and the securities may not be offered for subscription to members of the public in Hong Kong. Each person acquiring the securities will be required, and is deemed by the acquisition of the securities, to confirm that he is aware of the restriction on offers of the securities described in this prospectus supplement and the relevant offering documents and that he is not acquiring, and has not been offered any securities in circumstances that contravene any such restrictions.

 

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Israel

This document does not constitute a prospectus under the Israeli Securities Law, 5728-1968, or the Securities Law, and has not been filed with or approved by the Israel Securities Authority. In Israel, this prospectus is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer of the shares of common stock is directed only at, (i) a limited number of persons in accordance with the Israeli Securities Law and (ii) investors listed in the first addendum, or the Addendum, to the Israeli Securities Law, consisting primarily of joint investment in trust funds, provident funds, insurance companies, banks, portfolio managers, investment advisors, members of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, underwriters, venture capital funds, entities with equity in excess of NIS 50 million and “qualified individuals,” each as defined in the Addendum (as it may be amended from time to time), collectively referred to as qualified investors (in each case, purchasing for their own account or, where permitted under the Addendum, for the accounts of their clients who are investors listed in the Addendum). Qualified investors are required to submit written confirmation that they fall within the scope of the Addendum, are aware of the meaning of same and agree to it.

Japan

This offering has not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948 of Japan, as amended), or FIEL, and the Initial Purchaser will not offer or sell any securities, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the FIEL and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.

Singapore

This prospectus supplement has not been and will not be lodged or registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus supplement and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares of common stock may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares of common stock be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore, or the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275, of the SFA, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where the shares of common stock are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

 

  (a)

a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or

 

  (b)

a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor, securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the securities pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

 

  (i)

to an institutional investor or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;

 

  (ii)

where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;

 

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  (iii)

where the transfer is by operation of law;

 

  (iv)

as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or

 

  (v)

as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore.

Switzerland

The securities may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, or the SIX, or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This prospectus supplement has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the securities or this offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Neither this prospectus supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to this offering, the company or the securities have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this prospectus supplement will not be filed with, and the offer of securities will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, and the offer of securities has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes, or the CISA. The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of securities.

United Kingdom

This prospectus supplement is only being distributed to, and is only directed at, persons in the United Kingdom that are qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive that are also (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended, or the Order, and/or (ii) high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated (each such person being referred to as a relevant person).

This prospectus supplement and its contents are confidential and should not be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part) or disclosed by recipients to any other persons in the United Kingdom. Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus supplement will be passed upon for us by Paul Hastings LLP, Palo Alto, California. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the underwriters by Latham  & Watkins LLP, San Diego, California.

EXPERTS

Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and elsewhere in the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement is a part. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE; WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information and reports we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to these documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus supplement. We are incorporating by reference the documents listed below, which we have already filed with the SEC:

 

   

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, filed with the SEC on March 22, 2018;

 

   

our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on May 10, 2018;

 

   

our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, filed with the SEC on August 9, 2018;

 

   

our Amendment No. 1 to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q/A for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, filed with the SEC on October 9, 2018;

 

   

our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, filed with the SEC on November 8, 2018;

 

   

our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 30, 2018;

 

   

our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 1, 2018, April 16, 2018, April 18, 2018, May 8, 2018, June 26, 2018, June 28, 2018, August 6, 2018 and August 31, 2018; and

 

   

the description of our common stock set forth in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-36536), filed with the SEC on July 11, 2014, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents we file pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act on or after the date of this prospectus supplement and before the later of (1) the completion of the offering of the securities described in this prospectus supplement and (2) if applicable, the date any underwriter stops offering securities pursuant to this prospectus supplement will also be incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement from the date of filing of such documents. Upon request, we will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus supplement is delivered a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement but not delivered with this prospectus supplement.

Notwithstanding the preceding, unless specifically stated to the contrary, none of the information that we disclose under 2.02 or 7.01 or, if related to Items 2.02 or 7.01, Item 9.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K that we may, from time to time, furnish to the SEC will be incorporated by reference into, or otherwise included in, this prospectus supplement. The information contained in each of the documents incorporated by reference speaks only as of the date of such document. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, or contained in this prospectus supplement, shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document or report that also is incorporated by reference 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 supplement.

We file annual, quarterly and other reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K, including any amendments to those reports, and other information that we file with or furnish to the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act can also be accessed free of charge through the Internet. These filings will be available as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC.

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to the offering of these securities. The registration statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us and the securities. This prospectus supplement does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration

 

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statement. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement, at prescribed rates, from the SEC at the address listed above. The registration statement and the documents referred to above are also available on our corporate website at www.caredx.com under the heading “Investors”. Unless specifically listed above, the information contained on the SEC website or our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and you should not consider that information a part of this prospectus supplement. You may obtain a copy of any of these documents at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

CareDx, Inc.

3260 Bayshore Boulevard

Brisbane, CA 94005

Attn: Investor Relations

Telephone: (415) 287-2300

This prospectus supplement may contain information that updates, modifies or is contrary to information in one or more of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date of this prospectus supplement or the date of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.

 

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PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

CareDx, Inc.

$200,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Units

 

 

We may offer and sell, from time to time in one or more offerings, up to $200,000,000 in the aggregate of any combination of the securities identified above from time to time in one or more offerings, either individually or in combination with other securities. We may also offer common stock or preferred stock upon conversion of debt securities, common stock upon conversion of preferred stock, or common stock, preferred stock or debt securities upon the exercise of warrants.

Each time we offer and sell securities, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the offering and the amounts, prices and terms of the securities. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectuses may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus with respect to that offering. You should carefully read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as any documents incorporated by reference, before you invest in any of our securities.

We may offer and sell the securities described in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, or through a combination of these methods. If any underwriters, dealers or agents are involved in the sale of any of the securities, their names and any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangement between or among them will be set forth, or will be calculable from the information set forth, in the applicable prospectus supplement. See the sections of this prospectus entitled “About this Prospectus” and “Plan of Distribution” for more information. No securities may be sold without delivery of this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of such securities.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should review carefully the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” on page 4 of this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and in any applicable free writing prospectuses, and under similar headings in the documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

Our common stock is currently listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “CDNA”. On August 29, 2018, the last reported sales price for our common stock was $22.80 per share. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing on the Nasdaq Global Market or any securities market or other exchange of the securities, if any, covered by the applicable prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is October 11, 2018.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

Summary

     2  

Risk Factors

     4  

Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     4  

Use of Proceeds

     6  

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

     6  

Description of Capital Stock

     7  

Description of Debt Securities

     12  

Description of Warrants

     18  

Description of Units

     21  

Legal Ownership of Securities

     22  

Plan of Distribution

     25  

Legal Matters

     27  

Experts

     27  

Where You Can Find More Information

     27  

Important Information Incorporated by Reference

     28  


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer and sell shares of our common stock and preferred stock, various series of debt securities, warrants to purchase any of such securities and/or units consisting of any combination of such securities, either individually or in combination with other securities, in one or more offerings, up to a total dollar amount of $200,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer.

Each time we offer securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain 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 we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering may also add, update or change any of the information contained in this prospectus or in the documents that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We urge you to read carefully this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering, together with the information incorporated herein by reference as described under the section entitled “Important Information Incorporated by Reference”, before buying any of the securities being offered.

THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO CONSUMMATE A SALE OF SECURITIES UNLESS IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.

You should rely only on the information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectuses, along with the information contained in any free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information. 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, the applicable prospectus supplement or 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 applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus, or any sale of a security. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

This prospectus contains 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 will be 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 below under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information”.


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SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information that is presented in greater detail elsewhere in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Because it is only a summary, it does not contain all of the information you should consider before investing in our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants or units, and it is qualified in its entirety by, and should be read in conjunction with, the more detailed information included elsewhere in this prospectus. Before you decide whether to purchase shares of our common stock or preferred stock, or our debt securities, warrants or units, you should read this entire prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free-writing prospectus carefully, including the risks of investing in our securities discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should also carefully read the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including our financial statements, and the exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “CareDx,” “the Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” in this prospectus refer to CareDx, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

The Company

We are a global transplant diagnostics company with product and service offerings along the pre- and post-transplant continuum. We focus on discovery, development and commercialization of clinically differentiated, high-value diagnostic surveillance solutions for transplant patients.

Testing Services

AlloMap

Our first commercialized testing solution, the AlloMap heart transplant molecular test, or AlloMap, is a gene expression test that helps clinicians monitor and identify heart transplant recipients with stable graft function who have a low probability of moderate-to-severe acute cellular rejection. Since 2005, we have sought to expand the adoption and utilization of our AlloMap solution through ongoing studies to substantiate the clinical utility and actionability of AlloMap, secure positive reimbursement decisions for AlloMap from large private and public payers, develop and enhance our relationships with key members of the transplant community, including opinion leaders at major transplant centers, and explore opportunities and technologies for the development of additional solutions for post-transplant surveillance. We believe the use of AlloMap, in conjunction with other clinical indicators, can help healthcare providers and their patients better manage long-term care following a heart transplant. In particular, we believe AlloMap can improve patient care by helping healthcare providers avoid the use of unnecessary, invasive surveillance biopsies and determine the appropriate dosage levels of immunosuppressants. In 2008, AlloMap received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for marketing and sale as a test to aid in the identification of recipients with a low probability of moderate or severe acute cellular rejection.

AlloMap has received positive coverage decisions for reimbursement from Medicare. The 2018 reimbursement rate for AlloMap is $3,240, which represents a 14% increase over the 2017 reimbursement rate. AlloMap has also received positive coverage decisions for reimbursement from many of the largest U.S. private payers, including Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Health Care Services Corporation (HCSC), Humana, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., and TRICARE.

We have also successfully completed a number of landmark clinical trials in the transplant field demonstrating the clinical utility of AlloMap for surveillance of heart transplant recipients. We initially established the analytical and clinical validity of AlloMap on the basis of our Cardiac Allograft Rejection Gene Expression Observational (Deng, M. et al., Am J Transplantation 2006), or CARGO, study, which was published in the American Journal of Transplantation. A subsequent clinical utility trial, Invasive Monitoring Attenuation through Gene Expression (Pham MX et al., N. Eng. J. Med., 2010), or IMAGE, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrated that clinical outcomes in recipients managed with AlloMap surveillance were equivalent (non-inferior) to outcomes in recipients managed with biopsies. The results of our clinical trials have also been presented at major medical society congresses.

During the first six months of 2018, there were 7,979 AlloMap patient test results provided to 128 of the approximately 135 heart transplant management centers in the United States.

AlloSure

AlloSure, our recently launched commercial transplant surveillance solution, applies proprietary next generation sequencing technology to measure donor-derived cell free DNA, or dd-cfDNA in the blood stream emanating from the donor kidney or heart. We

 

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believe AlloSure may help clinicians determine rejection-specific activity manifested as cell damage in the transplanted heart, kidney and other solid organs, irrespective of the type of organ transplanted. We also believe the use of AlloSure, in conjunction with other clinical indicators, can help healthcare providers and their patients better manage long-term care following a kidney transplant. In particular, we believe AlloSure can improve patient care by helping healthcare providers to reduce the use of invasive biopsies and determine the appropriate dosage levels of immunosuppressants. Effective October 9, 2017, AlloSure became available for commercial testing with Medicare coverage and reimbursement. The Medicare reimbursement rate for AlloSure is $2,841. AlloSure has also received payment from private payers on a case-by-case basis, but no positive coverage decisions have been made.

Prior to the commercialization of AlloSure, we generated a strong body of clinical evidence. In late 2015, we announced the completion of analytical validation of AlloSure. A report describing the analytical validation of AlloSure including clinical validation detailing the quality, reality, and consistency of analytical results information for heart transplant appeared in the November 2016 issue of The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.

The Circulating Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA in Blood for Diagnosing Acute Rejection in Kidney Transplant Recipients, or DART, trial, sponsored by us, was conducted between April 2015 and January 2018. DART is a 14 center observational study of kidney transplant recipients where blood specimens are drawn periodically after transplant during follow up visits and also after treatment for acute rejection. By the time of completion of the first analysis, 384 patients were followed in DART for up to 24 months. The results demonstrated that increased levels of dd-cfDNA, determined by the AlloSure assay, discriminated active rejection of a kidney transplant more effectively than serum creatinine values. In collaboration with clinical investigators, we published these findings in the scientific peer-reviewed Journal of the American Society of Nephrology and the Journal Applied Laboratory Medicine in March 2017. A total of 2,109 patient visits had been accrued in DART by January 2018; we plan to analyze and report on additional findings from this dataset in 2018 and into the future.    

In late 2017, we established the Kidney Allograft Outcomes AlloSure Registry, or K-OAR, study to develop further data on the clinical utility of AlloSure for surveillance of kidney transplant recipients. We will invite 35 centers to join K-OAR, and we anticipate staggered activation of these study centers throughout 2018. As of June 30, 2018, 27 centers have been initiated as K-OAR study sites.

During the first six months of 2018, there were 3,351 AlloSure patient test results provided. Since launch, AlloSure has been ordered by 76 kidney transplant centers in the United States.

Products

We develop, manufacture, market and sell products that increase the chance of successful transplants by facilitating a better match between a donor and a recipient of stem cells and organs. Olerup SSP® is used to type Human Leukocyte Antigen, or HLA alleles, based on the sequence specific primer, or SSP technology. Olerup SBTTM is a complete product range for sequence-based typing of HLA alleles. Olerup QTYPE® enables speed and precision in HLA typing at a low to intermediate resolution for samples that require a fast turn-around-time and uses real-time polymerase chain reaction, or PCR methodology. QTYPE received CE mark certification on April 10, 2018.

On May 4, 2018, we entered into a License and Commercialization Agreement with Illumina, Inc., or Illumina, which provides us with worldwide distribution, development and commercialization rights to Illumina’s next generation sequencing product line for use in transplantation diagnostic testing. As a result, on June 1, 2018, we became the exclusive worldwide distributor of Illumina’s TruSight HLA product line. In addition, we were granted the exclusive right to develop and commercialize other next generation sequencing product lines for use in the field of bone marrow and solid organ transplantation diagnostic testing.

Corporate Information

We were originally incorporated in Delaware in December 1998 under the name Hippocratic Engineering, Inc. In April 1999, we changed our name to BioCardia, Inc., and in June 2002, we changed our name to Expression Diagnostics, Inc. In July 2007, we changed our name to XDx, Inc. and in March 2014, we most recently changed our name to CareDx, Inc. Our principal executive offices are located at 3260 Bayshore Boulevard, Brisbane, California 94005 and our telephone number is (415) 287-2300.

For a complete description of our business, financial condition, results of operations and other important information, we refer you to our filings with the SEC that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018. For instructions on how to find copies of these documents, see the section of this prospectus entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

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Emerging Growth Company Status

We qualify as an “emerging growth company,” as that term is defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. For as long as we qualify as an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that do not qualify as emerging growth companies, including, without limitation, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, reduced disclosure obligations relating to executive compensation and exemptions from the requirements of holding advisory “say-on-pay,” “say-when-on-pay” and “golden parachute” executive compensation votes.

Under the JOBS Act, we will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of:

 

   

the last day of the fiscal year during which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion (subject to adjustment for inflation) or more;

 

   

the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering, or January 1, 2020;

 

   

the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt; and

 

   

the date on which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act (i.e., the first day of the fiscal year after we have (1) more than $700.0 million in outstanding common equity held by our non-affiliates, measured each year on the last day of our second fiscal quarter, and (2) been public for at least 12 months).

We have elected to take advantage of certain of the reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in this prospectus and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in future filings with the SEC. As a result, the information that we provide to our stockholders may be different than the information you receive from other public reporting companies.

RISK FACTORS

Investing in any securities offered pursuant to this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, or any updates in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, together with all of the other information appearing in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, before deciding whether to purchase any of the securities being offered. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities.

DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, which statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus include, but are not limited to, statements about:

 

   

our ability to generate revenue from sales of AlloMap, AlloSure and future testing services, if any, and our ability to increase the commercial success of these testing services;

 

   

our ability to generate revenue from sales of Olerup SSP, Olerup SBT, Olerup QTYPE, TruSight HLA, and future products, if any, and our ability to increase the commercial success of these products;

 

   

our ability to generate revenue from the license and commercialization agreement with Illumina;

 

   

our plans and ability to develop and commercialize new solutions for the surveillance of heart, kidney, and other solid organ transplant recipients;

 

   

our plans and ability to continue updating our products, services and technology to maintain our leading position in the surveillance market for solid organ transplants;

 

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our ability to obtain additional financing on terms favorable to us, or at all;

 

   

our ability to remain eligible to use Registration Statements on Form S-3 for capital-raising transactions;

 

   

our ability to obtain, maintain and expand reimbursement coverage from payers for AlloMap, AlloSure and other future testing services, if any;

 

   

the outcome or success of our clinical trial collaborations and registry studies;

 

   

our dependence on certain of our suppliers, service providers, and other distribution partners;

 

   

our compliance with federal, state and foreign regulatory requirements;

 

   

the favorable review of our testing services and product offerings, and our future solutions, if any, in peer-reviewed publications;

 

   

our ability to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights, our strategies regarding filing additional patent applications to strengthen our intellectual property rights, and our ability to defend against intellectual property claims that may be brought against us;

 

   

our anticipated cash needs and our anticipated uses of our funds, including our estimates regarding operating expenses and capital requirements;

 

   

our ability to meet our obligations under our equity financing agreements and debt agreements;

 

   

anticipated trends and challenges in our business and the markets in which we operate;

 

   

disruptions to our business, including disruptions at our laboratories and manufacturing facilities;

 

   

our ability to retain key members of our management team;

 

   

our ability to make successful acquisitions or investments and to manage the integration of such acquisitions or investments;

 

   

our ability to successfully defend against or settle any litigation brought against us or other legal matters or disputes;

 

   

our ability to expand internationally; and

 

   

our ability to continue to comply with the requirements of being a public company.

These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described in this prospectus, in Part I - Item 1A, “Risk Factors”, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC on March 22, 2018, in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on May 10, 2018 and in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, as filed with the SEC on August 9, 2018, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free-writing prospectus and elsewhere in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment, and new risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for us to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this report may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. Moreover, neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free-writing prospectus to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations.

You should read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free-writing prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus with the understanding that our actual future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Except as described in the applicable prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering, we currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities under this prospectus, if any, for working capital and general corporate purposes, which may include, without limitation, supporting asset growth and engaging in acquisitions or other business combinations. We also may use a portion of the proceeds to repay debt.

The precise amount and timing of our use of the net proceeds from the sale of securities under this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement will depend upon a number of factors, such as the timing and progress of our research and development efforts, the timing and progress of any partnering and commercialization efforts, technological advances and the competitive environment for our products. 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 securities under this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement. Accordingly, our management will have broad discretion in the timing and application of these proceeds. Pending application of the net proceeds as described above, we intend to temporarily invest the proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing instruments.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table sets forth the historical ratios of earnings to fixed charges for CareDx, Inc. for the periods indicated.

 

     Year Ended December 31,      Six Months
Ended
 
     2013      2014      2015      2016      2017      June 30, 2018  

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (1)

     N/A        N/A        N/A        N/A        N/A        N/A  

 

(1)

For the purpose of calculating such ratios, “earnings” consist of losses before income taxes plus fixed charges, which consist of interest expense, capitalized interest, amortization of debt discount and the portion of rental expense representative of interest expense. Earnings were inadequate to cover the fixed charges by approximately $57,269,000, $41,362,000, $13,707,000, $719,000 and $3,542,000 for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013 and by approximately $23,861,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2018.

As of the date of this prospectus, we have never declared or paid any preferred stock dividends, and consequently, our ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred share dividends and ratio of earnings to fixed charges are identical.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following description summarizes the most important terms of our capital stock. Because it is only a summary of the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, it does not contain all of the information that may be important to you. For a complete description of the matters set forth in this “Description of Capital Stock,” you should refer to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws and the agreements described under the heading “—Registration Rights” below, each of which are incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and to the applicable provisions of Delaware law.

Authorized Capitalization

Our authorized capital stock consists of 100,000,000 shares of common stock with a $0.001 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a $0.001 par value per share. Our board of directors may establish the rights and preferences of the preferred stock from time to time.

As of June 30, 2018, there were 35,975,493 shares of our common stock outstanding, held by approximately 136 stockholders of record, not including beneficial holders whose shares are held in names other than their own. There are no shares of preferred stock outstanding.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “CDNA.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for the common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A. Its address is 250 Royall Street, Canton, MA 02021, and its telephone number is 1-800-962-4284.

Common Stock

Each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote for each share on all matters to be voted upon by the stockholders. Subject to any preferential rights of any outstanding preferred stock, holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably the dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor. We have never declared or paid any cash dividend on our capital stock and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Our credit agreement with Perceptive Credit Holdings II, LP., or Perceptive, as a lender and administrative agent for the several banks and other financial institutions or entities from time to time party thereto, restricts our ability to pay cash dividends on our common stock, and we may also enter into credit agreements or other borrowing arrangements in the future that will further restrict our ability to declare or pay cash dividends on our common stock. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in our assets remaining after the payment of liabilities and any preferential rights of any outstanding preferred stock.

Holders of our common stock have no preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. The outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of our common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

Voting Rights

Each share of our common stock entitles its holder to one vote in the election of each director. No share of our common stock affords any cumulative voting rights. This means that the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares voting for the election of directors can elect all directors to be elected if they choose to do so, subject to any voting rights granted to holders of any outstanding preferred stock. Generally, except as discussed under the heading “Effect of Certain Provisions of our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws and the Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute” below, all matters to be voted on by stockholders must be approved by a majority of the total voting power of the common stock present in person or represented by proxy at a meeting at which a quorum exists, subject to any voting rights granted to holders of any outstanding preferred stock. Except as otherwise provided by law or in the amended and restated certificate of incorporation (as further discussed under the heading “Effect of Certain Provisions of our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws and the Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute” below), and subject to any voting rights granted to holders of any outstanding preferred stock, amendments to the amended and restated certificate of incorporation must be approved by a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of common stock.

 

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Dividends

Subject to the rights of holders of any outstanding preferred stock, holders of our common stock are entitled to dividends in such amounts and at such times as our board of directors in its discretion may declare out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends. Dividends on our common stock will be paid at the discretion of our board of directors after taking into account various factors, including:

 

   

our financial condition;

 

   

our results of operations;

 

   

our capital requirements and development expenditures;

 

   

our future business prospects; and

 

   

any restrictions imposed by future debt instruments.

Other Rights

On our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, after payment in full of the amounts required to be paid to holders of any outstanding preferred stock, all holders of common stock are entitled to receive the same amount per share with respect to any distribution of assets to holders of shares of common stock.

No shares of common stock are subject to redemption or have preemptive rights to purchase additional shares of our common stock or other securities.

Preferred Stock

Our board of directors is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by Delaware law, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of our preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each series, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences, and rights of the shares of each series and any of its qualifications, limitations or restrictions, in each case without further vote or action by our stockholders. Our board of directors can also increase or decrease the number of shares of any series of preferred stock, but not below the number of shares of that series then outstanding, without any further vote or action by our stockholders. Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company and might adversely affect the market price of our common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock.

Equity Awards

As of June 30, 2018, options to purchase 2,561,458 shares of our common stock with a weighted-average exercise price of $6.57 per share were outstanding and restricted stock units with respect to 896,904 shares of our common stock, with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $8.83 per share, were outstanding.

Warrants

As of June 30, 2018, warrants to purchase an aggregate of 3,328,089 shares of common stock with a weighted-average exercise price of $5.08 per share were outstanding. All outstanding warrants are currently exercisable, except to the extent that they may include a blocker provision, which restricts the exercise of a warrant if, as a result of such exercise, the warrant holder, together with its affiliates and any other person whose beneficial ownership of common stock would be aggregated with the warrant holder’s for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, would beneficially own in excess of 4.9% or 9.9% of our then issued and outstanding shares of common stock (including the shares of common stock issuable upon such exercise), as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of such warrant, and contain provisions for the adjustment of the exercise price in the event of stock dividends, stock splits or similar transactions or, in certain cases, dilutive issuances.

 

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Registration Rights

On July 3, 2017, we entered into a registration rights agreement, as amended, pursuant to which we agreed, among other things, that we would file with the SEC a Registration Statement under the Securities Act that covers the resale of the shares issued and issuable pursuant to the Third Amendments to Conditional Share Purchase Agreements and Conversion Agreements, dated July 1, 2017 that we entered into with each of Midroc Invest AB, FastPartner AB and Xenella Holding AB. We filed such registration statement on August 25, 2017, as amended on December 1, 2017, and the registration statement was declared effective on December 8, 2017.

On March 15, 2017, we entered into a registration rights agreement with certain accredited investors in connection with the sale of the senior secured debentures and warrants to purchase 1,250,000 shares of common stock, pursuant to which we agreed, among other things, that we would file with the SEC a Registration Statement under the Securities Act that covers the resale of (i) the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion or redemption of the senior secured debentures and (ii) the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants. We filed such registration statement on April 26, 2017, and the registration statement was declared effective on May 11, 2017. Pursuant to the anti-dilution adjustments in the warrants issued on March 15, 2017, the number of shares subject to the warrants was adjusted on July 3, 2017 and again on October 10, 2017. The warrants are currently exercisable for an aggregate of 1,338,326 shares of common stock. As of March 27, 2018, all of the senior secured debentures were fully converted into shares of our common stock.

On June 15, 2016, we entered into a securities purchase agreement, or the June SPA, with certain accredited investors in connection with the sale and issuance of an additional approximately $8.0 million worth of Units. The June SPA also provided that we file with the SEC, by no later than August 1, 2016, a Registration Statement under the Securities Act that covers the resale of (i) the shares of common stock, (ii) the shares of common stock into which the Series A Preferred is convertible and (iii) the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants, in each case as issued pursuant to the June SPA. On June 16, 2016, each share of Series A Preferred was converted into one share of the common stock. We filed a Registration Statement registering the shares of common stock issued and issuable pursuant to the April SPA and the June SPA for resale on May 27, 2016, as amended on June 15, 2016, June 30, 2016 and August 25, 2017, and the Registration Statement was most recently declared effective on September 8, 2017.

On April 12, 2016, we entered into a securities purchase agreement, or the April SPA with certain accredited investors in connection with the sale and issuance of approximately $14.2 million worth of units, or Units, each Unit comprised of: (i) one share of common stock, (ii) five shares of our Series A Mandatorily Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, or the Series A Preferred, and (iii) three warrants, each to purchase one share of common stock upon exercise of such warrants. The April SPA also provided that we file with the SEC, by no later than May 30, 2016, a Registration Statement under the Securities Act that covers the resale of (A) the shares of common stock, (B) the shares of common stock into which the Series A Preferred is convertible, and (C) the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants, in each case as issued pursuant to the April SPA.

Effect of Certain Provisions of our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws and the Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute

Certain provisions of Delaware law, along with certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws, may have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another person from acquiring control of our company and could make the following transactions more difficult:

 

   

acquisition of us by means of a tender offer;

 

   

acquisition of us by means of a proxy contest or otherwise; or

 

   

removal of our incumbent officers and directors.

These provisions, summarized below, are expected to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to promote stability in our management. These provisions are also designed, in part, to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of our company to first negotiate with our board of directors. However, these provisions could have the effect of deferring hostile takeovers or delaying, discouraging or preventing attempts to acquire us, which could deprive our stockholders of opportunities to sell their shares of common stock at prices higher than prevailing market prices.

 

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Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws include a number of provisions that could deter hostile takeovers or delay or prevent changes relating to the control of our board of directors or management team, including the following:

 

   

Board of Directors Vacancies. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws authorize only our board of directors to fill vacant directorships, including newly created seats. In addition, the number of directors constituting our board of directors can be set only by a resolution adopted by a majority vote of our entire board of directors. These provisions would prevent a stockholder from increasing the size of our board of directors and then gaining control of our board of directors by filling the resulting vacancies with its own nominees. This makes it more difficult to change the composition of our board of directors and promotes continuity of management.

 

   

Classified Board. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our board of directors is classified into three classes of directors. A third party may be discouraged from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company as it is more difficult and time consuming for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors on a classified board of directors.

 

   

Stockholder Action; Special Meeting of Stockholders. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our stockholders may not take action by written consent, but may only take action at annual or special meetings of our stockholders. As a result, a holder controlling a majority of our capital stock would not be able to amend our amended and restated bylaws or remove directors without holding a meeting of our stockholders called in accordance with our amended and restated bylaws. Our amended and restated bylaws further provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by a majority of our board of directors, the Chairperson of our board of directors, our Chief Executive Officer or our President, thus prohibiting a stockholder (in the capacity as a stockholder) from calling a special meeting. These provisions might delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for stockholders controlling a majority of our capital stock to take any action, including the removal of directors.

 

   

Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations. Our amended and restated bylaws provide advance notice procedures for stockholders seeking to bring business before our annual meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders. Our amended and restated bylaws also specify certain requirements regarding the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions might preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders if the proper procedures are not followed. We expect that these provisions may also discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.

 

   

No Cumulative Voting. The General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or the DGCL, provides that stockholders may cumulate votes in the election of directors if the corporation’s certificate of incorporation allows for such mechanism. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting.

 

   

Directors Removed Only for Cause. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that stockholders may remove directors only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% in voting power of our stock entitled to vote thereon.

 

   

Amendment of Charter Provisions. Any amendment of the above provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, with the exception of the ability of our board of directors to issue shares of preferred stock and designate any rights, preferences and privileges thereto, would require approval by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of our then outstanding common stock.

 

   

Issuance of Undesignated Preferred Stock. Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock with rights and preferences, including voting rights, designated from time to time by our board of directors. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock would enable our board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of our company by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or other means.

Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL regulating corporate takeovers. In general, those provisions prohibit a public Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

 

   

the transaction is approved by the board of directors before the date the interested stockholder attained that status;

 

   

upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced; or

 

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on or after the date of the transaction, the transaction is approved by the board of directors and authorized at a meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

In general, Section 203 of the DGCL defines a business combination to include the following:

 

   

any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder;

 

   

any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation involving the interested stockholder;

 

   

subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder;

 

   

any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or

 

   

the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.

In general, Section 203 of the DGCL defines an interested stockholder as any entity or person beneficially owning, or who within three years prior to the time of determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by any such entity or person.

A Delaware corporation may opt out of this provision by express provision in its original certificate of incorporation or by amendment to its certificate of incorporation or bylaws approved by its stockholders. However, we have not opted out of, and do not currently intend to opt out of, this provision. The statute could prohibit or delay mergers or other takeover or change in control attempts and, accordingly, may discourage attempts to acquire our company.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

We may issue debt securities from time to time, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any debt securities offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. Unless the context requires otherwise, whenever we refer to the indenture, we also are referring to any supplemental indentures that specify the terms of a particular series of debt securities.

We will issue the debt securities under the indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the indenture. The indenture will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or the Trust Indenture Act. We have filed the form of indenture as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and supplemental indentures and forms of debt securities containing the terms of the debt securities being offered will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or will be incorporated by reference from reports that we file with the SEC.

The following summary of material provisions of the debt securities and the indenture is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements and any related free writing prospectuses we authorize for use in connection with a specific offering of debt securities, as well as the complete indenture that contains the terms of the debt securities.

General Matters

The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue. It provides that we may issue debt securities up to the principal amount that we may authorize and in any currency or currency unit that we may designate. Except for the limitations on consolidation, merger and sale of all or substantially all of our assets contained in the indenture, the terms of the indenture do not contain any covenants or other provisions designed to give holders of any debt securities protection against changes in our operations or financial condition or transactions involving us.

We may issue the debt securities issued under the indenture as “discount securities”, which means they may be sold at a discount below their stated principal amount. These debt securities, as well as other debt securities that are not issued at a discount, may be issued with “original issue discount”, or OID, for U.S. federal income tax purposes because of interest payment and other characteristics or terms of the debt securities. Material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to debt securities issued with OID will be described in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of debt securities being offered, including:

 

   

the title of the series of debt securities;

 

   

any limit upon the aggregate principal amount that may be issued;

 

   

the maturity date or dates;

 

   

the form of the debt securities of the series;

 

   

the applicability of any guarantees;

 

   

whether or not the debt securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt;

 

   

whether the debt securities rank as senior debt, senior subordinated debt, subordinated debt or any combination thereof, and the terms of any subordination;

 

   

if the price (expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount thereof) at which the debt securities will be issued is a price other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount thereof payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof, or if applicable, the portion of the principal amount of such debt securities that is convertible into another security or the method by which any such portion shall be determined;

 

   

the interest rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates;

 

   

our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period;

 

   

if applicable, the date or dates after which, or the period or periods during which, and the price or prices at which, we may, at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions and the terms of those redemption provisions;

 

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the date or dates, if any, on which, and the price or prices at which we are obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund or analogous fund provisions or otherwise, to redeem, or at the holder’s option to purchase, the series of debt securities and the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities are payable;

 

   

the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

 

   

any and all terms, if applicable, relating to any auction or remarketing of the debt securities of that series and any security for our obligations with respect to such debt securities and any other terms which may be advisable in connection with the marketing of debt securities of that series;

 

   

whether the debt securities of the series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of a global security or securities; the terms and conditions, if any, upon which such global security or securities may be exchanged in whole or in part for other individual securities, and the depositary for such global security or securities;

 

   

if applicable, the provisions relating to conversion or exchange of any debt securities of the series and the terms and conditions upon which such debt securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, including the conversion or exchange price, as applicable, or how it will be calculated and may be adjusted, any mandatory or optional (at our option or at the holders’ option) conversion or exchange features, the applicable conversion or exchange period and the manner of settlement for any conversion or exchange;

 

   

if other than the full principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of debt securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof;

 

   

additions to or changes in the covenants applicable to the particular debt securities being issued, including, among others, the consolidation, merger or sale covenant;

 

   

additions to or changes in the events of default with respect to the securities and any change in the right of the trustee or the holders to declare the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, with respect to such securities to be due and payable;

 

   

additions to or changes in or deletions of the provisions relating to covenant defeasance and legal defeasance;

 

   

additions to or changes in the provisions relating to satisfaction and discharge of the indenture;

 

   

additions to or changes in the provisions relating to the modification of the indenture both with and without the consent of the holders of the debt securities issued under the indenture;

 

   

the currency of payment of the debt securities if other than U.S. dollars and the manner of determining the equivalent amount in U.S. dollars;

 

   

whether interest will be payable in cash or additional debt securities at our or the holders’ option and the terms and conditions upon which the election may be made;

 

   

the terms and conditions, if any, upon which we will pay amounts in addition to the stated interest, premium, if any, and principal amounts of the debt securities of the series to any holder that is not a “United States person” for federal tax purposes;

 

   

any restrictions on transfer, sale or assignment of the debt securities of the series; and

 

   

any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities, any other additions or changes in the provisions of the indenture, and any terms that may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations.

Conversion or Exchange Rights

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock or our other securities. We will include provisions as to settlement upon conversion or exchange and whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of shares of our common stock or our other securities that the holders of the series of debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.

Consolidation, Merger or Sale

Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the indenture will not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of our assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety. However, any successor to or acquirer of such assets (other than a subsidiary of ours) must assume all of our obligations under the indenture or the debt securities, as appropriate.

 

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Events of Default under the Indenture

Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the following are events of default under the indenture with respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:

 

   

if we fail to pay any installment of interest on any series of debt securities, as and when the same shall become due and payable, and such default continues for a period of 90 days; provided, however, that a valid extension of an interest payment period by us in accordance with the terms of any indenture supplemental thereto shall not constitute a default in the payment of interest for this purpose;

 

   

if we fail to pay the principal of, or premium, if any, on any series of debt securities as and when the same shall become due and payable whether at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or otherwise, or in any payment required by any sinking or analogous fund established with respect to such series; provided, however, that a valid extension of the maturity of such debt securities in accordance with the terms of any indenture supplemental thereto shall not constitute a default in the payment of principal or premium, if any;

 

   

if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant or agreement contained in the debt securities or the indenture, other than a covenant specifically relating to another series of debt securities, and our failure continues for a period of 90 days after we receive written notice of such failure, requiring the same to be remedied and stating that such is a notice of default thereunder, from the trustee or holders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series; and

 

   

if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur.

If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, other than certain specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, by notice to us in writing, and to the trustee if notice is given by such holders, may declare the unpaid principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest, if any, of such series of debt securities immediately due and payable. If certain specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur with respect to us, the principal amount and accrued interest, if any, of each issue of debt securities then outstanding shall be due and payable without any notice or other action on the part of the trustee or any holder.

The holders of a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of an affected series may waive any default or event of default with respect to the series and its consequences, except defaults or events of default regarding payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, unless we have cured the default or event of default in accordance with the indenture. Any waiver shall cure the default or event of default.

Subject to the terms of the indenture, if an event of default under an indenture shall occur and be continuing, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the applicable series of debt securities, unless such holders have offered the trustee reasonable indemnity. The holders of a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series, provided that:

 

   

the direction so given by the holder is not in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture; and

 

   

subject to its duties under the Trust Indenture Act, the trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the holders not involved in the proceeding.

A holder of the debt securities of any series will have the right to institute a proceeding under the indenture or to appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies, only if:

 

   

the holder has given written notice to the trustee of a continuing event of default with respect to that series;

 

   

the holders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made a written request;

 

   

such holders have offered to the trustee indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred by the trustee in compliance with the request; and

 

   

the trustee does not institute the proceeding, and does not receive from the holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series other conflicting directions within 90 days after the notice, request and offer.

These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of debt securities if we default in the payment of the principal of, or the premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities.

 

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We will periodically file statements with the trustee regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the indenture.

Modification of Indenture; Waiver

Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, we and the trustee may change an indenture without the consent of any holders with respect to specific matters, including, but not limited to, the following:

 

   

to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the indenture or in the debt securities of any series;

 

   

to comply with the provisions described above under “—Consolidation, Merger or Sale”;

 

   

to provide for uncertificated debt securities in addition to or in place of certificated debt securities;

 

   

to add to our covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions such new covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of debt securities, to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and the continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an event of default or to surrender any right or power conferred upon us in the indenture;

 

   

to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of debt securities, as set forth in the indenture;

 

   

to make any change that does not adversely affect the interests of any holder of debt securities of any series in any material respect;

 

   

to provide for the issuance of, and to establish the form and terms and conditions of, the debt securities of any series as provided above under “—General Matters”, to establish the form of any certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of the indenture or any series of debt securities, or to add to the rights of the holders of any series of debt securities;

 

   

to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment under any indenture by a successor trustee; or

 

   

to comply with any requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of any indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.

In addition, under the indenture, the rights of holders of a series of debt securities may be changed by us and the trustee with the written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series that is affected. However, unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, we and the trustee may make the following changes only with the consent of each holder of any outstanding debt securities affected:

 

   

extending the fixed maturity of any debt securities of any series;

 

   

reducing the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or reducing any premium payable upon the redemption of any series of debt securities; or

 

   

reducing the percentage of debt securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver.

Discharge

The indenture provides that we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities, except for specified obligations, including, but not limited to, the following obligations to:

 

   

provide for payment;

 

   

register the transfer or exchange of debt securities of the series;

 

   

replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities of the series;

 

   

pay principal of and premium and interest on any debt securities of the series;

 

   

maintain paying agencies;

 

   

hold monies for payment in trust;

 

   

recover excess money held by the trustee;

 

   

compensate and indemnify the trustee; and

 

   

appoint any successor trustee.

 

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In order to exercise our rights to be discharged, we must deposit with the trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all the principal of, and any premium, if any, and interest on, the debt securities of the series on the dates payments are due.

Form, Exchange and Transfer

We will issue the debt securities of each series only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The indenture provides that we may issue debt securities of a series in temporary or permanent global form and as book-entry securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, or another depositary named by us and identified in the applicable prospectus supplement with respect to that series. To the extent the debt securities of a series are issued in global form and as book-entry, a description of terms relating to any book-entry securities will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the indenture and the limitations applicable to global securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holder of the debt securities of any series can exchange the debt securities for other debt securities of the same series, in any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

Subject to the terms of the indenture and the limitations applicable to global securities set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the debt securities may present the debt securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security registrar, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose. Unless otherwise provided in the debt securities that the holder presents for transfer or exchange, we will impose no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.

We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement the security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar, that we initially designate for any debt securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.

If we elect to redeem the debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:

 

   

issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any debt securities of that series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the date of mailing of a notice of redemption of any debt securities that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the date of the mailing; or

 

   

register the transfer of or exchange any debt securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except for the unredeemed portion of any debt securities we are redeeming in part.

Information Concerning the Trustee

The trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under an indenture, undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in the applicable indenture. Upon an event of default under an indenture, the trustee must use the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to this provision, the trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given to it by the indenture at the request of any holder of debt securities unless it is offered reasonable security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur.

Payment and Paying Agents

Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make payment of the interest on any debt securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities, are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest.

We will pay principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities of a particular series at the office of the paying agents designated by us, except that, unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make interest payments by check that we will mail to the holder or by wire transfer to certain holders. Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will designate the corporate trust office of the trustee as our sole paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement any other paying agents that we initially designate for the debt securities of a particular series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.

 

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All money we pay to a paying agent or the trustee for the payment of the principal of, or any premium or interest on, any debt securities that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of the debt security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.

Governing Law

The indenture and the debt securities, and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to the indenture or the debt securities, will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the Trust Indenture Act is applicable.

Perceptive Credit Agreement

On April 17, 2018, we entered into a Credit Agreement and Guaranty, or the Perceptive Credit Agreement, with Perceptive as a lender and administrative agent for the several banks and other financial institutions or entities from time to time party to the Perceptive Credit Agreement for an initial term loan of $15.0 million, or the Tranche A Term Loan, with a second tranche of $10.0 million available at our option, subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions, or the Tranche B Term Loan, and, together with the Tranche A Term Loan, the Term Loan. In connection with the Perceptive Credit Agreement, we entered into a Security Agreement with Perceptive, as administrative agent, or the Security Agreement. The Security Agreement provides that the Term Loan is secured by substantially all of our assets and a pledge of 65% of the equity interests of CareDx International AB. The Term Loan accrues interest per annum at 9.00%, or the Applicable Margin, plus the greater of the one-month LIBOR or 1.5%. Payments under the Perceptive Credit Agreement are interest-only until the first principal payment is due on April 30, 2021, followed by monthly payments of principal and interest through the scheduled maturity date on April 17, 2023. We may prepay the Term Loan, in whole or in part at any time, subject to a prepayment fee.

The Perceptive Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and restrictive covenants and representations and warranties, including financial reporting obligations and limitations on indebtedness, liens, fundamental changes, acquisitions, investments, dividends or distributions, corporate changes, asset sales, affiliate transactions, material agreements, licenses, sale and leaseback transactions, hazardous materials, accounting, compliance with laws and reimbursement of certain expenses of Perceptive. The Perceptive Credit Agreement also contains other customary provisions, such as expense reimbursement and confidentiality obligations, as well as indemnification rights for the benefit of Perceptive.

The Perceptive Credit Agreement provides for customary events of default, including, among other things, nonpayments of principal, interest and other amounts, inaccuracies in representations and warranties, failure to comply with covenants, defaults on other material indebtedness, bankruptcy or insolvency, judgments, changes of control or impairments of Perceptive’s security interests. Upon the occurrence of an event of default and following any applicable cure periods, if any, the Applicable Margin shall automatically increase 3.00% per annum, or the Default Rate. The Default Rate may be applied to the outstanding loan balances, and Perceptive may declare all outstanding obligations immediately due and payable and take such other actions as set forth in the Perceptive Credit Agreement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

The following description, together with the additional information we may include in the applicable prospectus supplements and free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, which may consist of warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities and may be issued in one or more series.

Warrants may be issued independently or together with common stock, preferred stock or debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement, and may be attached to or separate from those securities. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus we authorize for use in connection with the specific offering. The terms of any warrants offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below.

We will file as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of warrant agreement, if any, including a form of warrant certificate, that describes the terms of the particular series of warrants we are offering. The following summaries of material provisions of the warrants and the warrant agreements are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the warrant agreement and warrant certificate applicable to the particular series of warrants that we may offer under this prospectus. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements related to the particular series of warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as any related free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering, and the complete warrant agreements and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the warrants.

General Matters

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms relating to a series of warrants being offered, including:

 

   

the title of such securities;

 

   

the offering price or prices and aggregate number of warrants offered;

 

   

the currency or currencies for which the warrants may be purchased;

 

   

if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security;

 

   

if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable;

 

   

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

 

   

in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one warrant and the price at which, and currency in which, this principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

   

in the case of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock, as the case may be, purchasable upon the exercise of one warrant and the price at which, and the currency in which, these shares may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

   

the effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business on the warrant agreements and the warrants;

 

   

the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants;

 

   

the terms of any rights to force the exercise of the warrants;

 

   

any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants;

 

   

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

 

   

the manner in which the warrant agreements and warrants may be modified;

 

   

a discussion of any material or special United States federal income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants;

 

   

the terms of the securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; and

 

   

any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of or restrictions on the warrants.

 

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Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including:

 

   

in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the right to receive payments of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities purchasable upon exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture; or

 

   

in the case of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the right to receive dividends, if any, or, payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise voting rights, if any.

Exercise of Warrants

Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the securities that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement at the exercise price that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to the specified time on the expiration date that we set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.

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

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

Governing Law

Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the warrants and warrant agreements, and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to the warrants or warrant agreements, will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants

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

Warrant Agreement Will Not Be Qualified Under Trust Indenture Act

No warrant agreement will be qualified as an indenture, and no warrant agent will be required to qualify as a trustee, under the Trust Indenture Act. Therefore, holders of warrants issued under a warrant agreement will not have the protection of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to their warrants.

Calculation Agent

Calculations relating to warrants may be made by a calculation agent, an institution that we appoint as our agent for this purpose. The prospectus supplement for a particular warrant will name the institution that we have appointed to act as the calculation agent for that warrant as of the original issue date for that warrant. We may appoint a different institution to serve as calculation agent from time to time after the original issue date without the consent or notification of the holders.

 

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The calculation agent’s determination of any amount of money payable or securities deliverable with respect to a warrant will be final and binding in the absence of manifest error.

Outstanding Warrants

As of June 30, 2018, warrants to purchase an aggregate of 3,328,089 shares of our common stock with a weighted-average exercise price of $5.08 per share were outstanding. For additional information about our outstanding warrants, see the information under the heading “Warrants” in the section of this prospectus entitled “Description of Capital Stock”.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

We may issue units consisting of any combination of the other types of securities offered under this prospectus in one or more series. We may evidence each series of units by unit certificates that we will issue under a separate agreement. We may enter into unit agreements with a unit agent. Each unit agent will be a bank or trust company that we select. We will indicate the name and address of the unit agent in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of units.

The following description, together with the additional information included in the applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the general features of the units that we may offer under this prospectus. You should read any prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus we authorize for use in connection with a specific offering of units, as well as the complete unit agreements that contain the terms of the units. Specific unit agreements will contain additional important terms and provisions and we will file as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from another report that we file with the SEC, the form of each unit agreement relating to units offered under this prospectus.

If we offer any units, certain terms of that series of units will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, including, without limitation, the following, as applicable:

 

   

the title of the series of units;

 

   

identification and description of the separate constituent securities comprising the units;

 

   

the price or prices at which the units will be issued;

 

   

the date, if any, on and after which the constituent securities comprising the units will be separately transferable;

 

   

a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the units; and

 

   

any other terms of the units and their constituent securities.

 

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LEGAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

We can issue securities in registered form or in the form of one or more global securities. We describe global securities in greater detail below. We refer to those persons who have securities registered in their own names on the books that we or any applicable trustee or depositary maintain for this purpose as the “holders” of those securities. These persons are the legal holders of the securities. We refer to those persons who, indirectly through others, own beneficial interests in securities that are not registered in their own names, as “indirect holders” of those securities. As we discuss below, indirect holders are not legal holders, and investors in securities issued in book-entry form or in street name will be indirect holders.

Book-Entry Holders

We may issue securities in book-entry form only, as we will specify in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means securities may be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a financial institution that holds them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, which are referred to as participants, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the securities on behalf of themselves or their customers.

Only the person in whose name a security is registered is recognized as the holder of that security. Global securities will be registered in the name of the depositary or its participants. Consequently, for global securities, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the securities, and we will make all payments on the securities to the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the securities.

As a result, investors in a global security will not own securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the securities are issued in global form, investors will be indirect holders, and not legal holders, of the securities.

Street Name Holders

We may terminate a global security in certain situations, as described under “—Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated”, or issue securities that are not issued in global form. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their securities in their own names or in “street name”. Securities held by an investor in street name would be registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution that the investor chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest in those securities through an account he or she maintains at that institution.

For securities held in street name, we or any applicable trustee or depositary will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the securities are registered as the holders of those securities, and we or any such trustee or depositary will make all payments on those securities to them. These institutions pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold securities in street name will be indirect holders, not holders, of those securities.

Legal Holders

Our obligations, as well as the obligations of any applicable trustee or third party employed by us or a trustee, run only to the legal holders of the securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect holder of a security or has no choice because we are issuing the securities only in global form.

For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the legal holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or notice even if that legal holder is required, under agreements with its participants or customers or by law, to pass the payment or notice along to the indirect holders but does not do so. Similarly, we may want to obtain the approval of the holders to amend an indenture, to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of our obligation to comply with a particular provision of an indenture, or for other purposes. In such an event, we would seek approval only from the legal holders, and not the indirect holders, of the securities. Whether and how the legal holders contact the indirect holders is up to the legal holders.

 

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Special Considerations for Indirect Holders

If you hold securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form because the securities are represented by one or more global securities or in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:

 

   

how it handles securities payments and notices;

 

   

whether it imposes fees or charges;

 

   

how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required;

 

   

whether and how you can instruct it to send you securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future;

 

   

how it would exercise rights under the securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and

 

   

if the securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters.

Global Securities

A global security is a security that represents one or any other number of individual securities held by a depositary. Generally, all securities represented by the same global securities will have the same terms.

Each security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we issue to, deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, will be the depositary for all securities issued in book-entry form.

A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary, its nominee or a successor depositary, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under “—Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated”. As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and legal holder of all securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that does. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a legal holder of the security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.

If the prospectus supplement for a particular security indicates that the security will be issued as a global security, then the security will be represented by a global security at all times unless and until the global security is terminated. If termination occurs, we may issue the securities through another book-entry clearing system or decide that the securities may no longer be held through any book-entry clearing system.

Special Considerations for Global Securities

As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not recognize an indirect holder as a holder of securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.

If securities are issued only as global securities, an investor should be aware of the following:

 

   

an investor cannot cause the securities to be registered in his or her name, and cannot obtain non-global certificates for his or her interest in the securities, except in the special situations described below;

 

   

an investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the securities, as described above;

 

   

an investor may not be able to sell interests in the securities to some insurance companies and to other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form;

 

   

an investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in the global security in circumstances where certificates representing the securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective;

 

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the depositary’s policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in the global security;

 

   

we and any applicable trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s actions or for its records of ownership interests in the global security, nor will we or any applicable trustee supervise the depositary in any way;

 

   

the depositary may, and we understand that DTC will, require that those who purchase and sell interests in the global security within its book-entry system use immediately available funds, and your broker or bank may require you to do the same; and

 

   

financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in the global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the securities.

There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any of those intermediaries.

Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated

In a few special situations described below, a global security will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for physical certificates representing those interests. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in securities transferred to their own names, so that they will be direct holders. The rights of holders and street name investors are described above.

A global security will terminate when the following special situations occur:

 

   

if the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global security and we do not appoint another institution to act as depositary within 90 days;

 

   

if we notify any applicable trustee that we wish to terminate that global security; or

 

   

if an event of default has occurred with regard to securities represented by that global security and has not been cured or waived.

The applicable prospectus supplement may also list additional situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of securities covered by the prospectus supplement. When a global security terminates, the depositary, and neither we nor any applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities from time to time pursuant to underwritten public offerings, direct sales to the public, “at the market” offerings, negotiated transactions, block trades or a combination of these methods. We may sell the securities to or through underwriters or dealers, through agents, or directly to one or more purchasers. We may distribute securities from time to time in one or more transactions:

 

   

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

 

   

at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

   

at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or

 

   

at negotiated prices.

A prospectus supplement or supplements (and any related free writing prospectus that we may have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering) will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including, to the extent applicable:

 

   

the name or names of the underwriters, if any;

 

   

the purchase price of the securities or other consideration therefor, and the proceeds, if any, we will receive from the sale;

 

   

any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us;

 

   

any agency fees or underwriting discounts and other items constituting agents’ or underwriters’ compensation;

 

   

any public offering price;

 

   

any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers; and

 

   

any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed.

Only underwriters named in the prospectus supplement will be underwriters of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement.

If underwriters are used in the sale, they will acquire the securities for their own account and may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement. We may offer the securities to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or by underwriters without a syndicate. Subject to certain conditions, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement, other than securities covered by any over-allotment option. Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers may change from time to time. We may use underwriters with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe in the prospectus supplement, naming the underwriter, the nature of any such relationship.

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

We may authorize agents or underwriters to solicit offers by certain types of institutional investors to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. We will describe the conditions to these contracts and the commissions we must pay for solicitation of these contracts in the prospectus supplement.

We may provide agents and underwriters with indemnification against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the agents or underwriters may make with respect to these liabilities. Agents and underwriters may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.

All securities we may offer, other than common stock, will be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters may make a market in these securities, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We cannot guarantee the liquidity of the trading markets for any securities.

Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum price. Syndicate-covering or other short-covering transactions involve purchases of the securities, either through

 

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exercise of the over-allotment option or in the open market after the distribution is completed, to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a stabilizing or covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.

Any underwriters that are qualified market makers on the Nasdaq Global Market may engage in passive market making transactions in the common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the common stock. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded. Passive market making may stabilize the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

In compliance with guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, the maximum consideration or discount to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker dealer may not exceed 8% of the aggregate amount of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the securities offered by this prospectus, and any supplement thereto, will be passed upon for us by Paul Hastings LLP, Palo Alto, California.

EXPERTS

Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are a reporting company and file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities being offered under this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits to the registration statement. For further information with respect to us and the securities being offered under this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as a part of the registration statement. You may read and copy the registration statement, as well as our reports, proxy statements and other information, at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information about the operation of the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including CareDx, Inc. The SEC’s Internet site can be found at http://www.sec.gov.

 

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows 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 documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus contain important information that you should read about us.

The following documents are incorporated by reference into this prospectus:

 

  (a)

The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, filed with the SEC on March 22, 2018;

 

  (b)

The Registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 30, 2018;

 

  (c)

The Registrant’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for (i) the quarter ended March 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on May 10, 2018, and (ii) the quarter ended June 30, 2018, filed with the SEC on August 9, 2018;

 

  (d)

The Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on (i) March 1, 2018, (ii) April 16, 2018, (iii) April 18, 2018, (iv) May 8, 2018, (v) June 26, 2018, (vi) June 28, 2018, and (vii) August 6, 2018; and

 

  (e)

The description of the Registrant’s common stock set forth in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-36536), filed with the SEC on July 11, 2014, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

We also incorporate by reference any future filings (other than current reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits filed on such form that are related to such items unless such Form 8-K expressly provides to the contrary) made with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, including those made after the date of the initial filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and prior to effectiveness of such registration statement, until we file a post-effective amendment that indicates the termination of the offering of the securities made by this prospectus and will become a part of this prospectus from the respective dates that such documents are filed with the SEC. Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes hereof or of the related prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated 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.

The documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus are also available on our corporate website at www.caredx.com under the heading “Investors.” Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of this prospectus, and you should not consider information on our website to be part of this report unless specifically incorporated herein by reference. You may obtain copies of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus from us free of charge by requesting them in writing or by telephone at the following address:

CareDx, Inc.

3260 Bayshore Boulevard

Brisbane, CA 94005

Attn: Investor Relations

Telephone Number: (415) 287-2300

 

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2,000,000 Shares

 

LOGO

Common Stock

 

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

Jefferies   Piper Jaffray

 

 

Co-Manager

Craig-Hallum Capital Group

 

 

November     , 2018