SEC Filing - ReShape Lifesciences

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Form S-3

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 14, 2012

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

ENTEROMEDICS INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Delaware		48-1293684
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

2800 Patton Road

St. Paul, Minnesota 55113

(651) 634-3003

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

Greg S. Lea

Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

2800 Patton Road

St. Paul, Minnesota 55113

(651) 634-3003

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copy to:

Kenneth L. Cutler

Timothy S. Hearn

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1500

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

(612) 340-2600

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Large accelerated filer	¨	Accelerated filer	¨
Non-accelerated filer	¨ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)	Smaller reporting company	þ

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE



Title of each class of securities to be registered	Amount to be registered	Proposed maximum aggregate offering price(3)(8)	Amount of registration fee(4)
Common Stock ($0.01 par value per share)	865,299 shares(1)		(1)
Common Stock ($0.01 par value per share)	1,760,000 shares(2)		(2)
Common Stock ($0.01 par value per share)(5)(6)
Preferred Stock ($0.01 par value per share)(5)
Debt Securities(5)(7)
Securities Warrants(8)
Units(9)
Total		$75,000,000	$8,595

(1)

In accordance with Rule 429 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and, as further described below under the heading “Statement Pursuant to Rule 429(b),” the prospectus contained herein also relates to and will be used in connection with the resale of up to 865,299 shares of common stock covered by the Registration Statements on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-161702 and 333-166011), which were declared effective on September 10, 2009 and May 6, 2010, respectively, that have not yet been sold by the selling stockholders described therein and in the prospectus contained herein.

(2)

In accordance with Rule 429 under the Securities Act, and, as further described below under the heading “Statement Pursuant to Rule 429(b),” the prospectus contained herein also relates to and will be used in connection with the issuance of up to 1,760,000 shares of common stock upon the exercise of warrants covered by the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-166011), which was declared effective on May 6, 2010.

(3)	Not specified as to each class of securities to be registered hereunder pursuant to General Instruction II.D to Form S-3 under the Securities Act. Securities registered hereby may be sold separately or together with other securities registered hereby.

(4)

The registration fee has been calculated in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act. Pursuant to Rule 457(p) under the Securities Act, the registrant is applying $861.73 of the registration fee that relates to the amount of securities unsold by the registrant under the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-166011), filed by the registrant on April 12, 2010, to partially offset the registration fee due hereunder.

(5)

In addition to any common stock, preferred stock and debt securities that may be issued directly under this registration statement, there are being registered hereunder such indeterminate amount of common stock, preferred stock and debt securities as may be issued upon conversion or exchange of preferred stock or debt securities, as the case may be, for which no separate consideration will be received by the registrant.

(6)	The aggregate amount of common stock registered hereunder is limited, solely for purposes of any at-the-market offerings, to that which is permissible under Rule 415(a)(4).

(7)	With respect to debt securities, excluding accrued interest and accrued amortization of discount, if any, to the date of delivery.

(8)	Securities warrants will represent the right to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities.

(9)	Units may consist of two or more of the securities listed in the “Calculation of Registration Fee Table” offered and sold together.

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

STATEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 429(b)

The registrant is filing a single prospectus in this registration statement pursuant to Rule 429 under the Securities Act, in order to satisfy the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder for this offering and the offering registered on previously filed registration statements. Pursuant to Rule 429, the prospectus included in this registration statement relates to: (i) the resale of up to 865,299 shares of the registrant’s common stock previously registered but not sold by certain named selling stockholders under the registrant’s Registration Statements on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-161702 and 333-166011) (the Prior Selling Stockholder Form S-3s), which became effective on September 10, 2009 and May 6, 2010, respectively, and (ii) the issuance of up to 1,760,000 shares of the registrant’s common stock upon the exercise of warrants previously registered and sold under the registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-166011) (the Prior Warrant Form S-3). The combined prospectus in this registration statement, which is a new registration statement, also constitutes a post-effective amendment to the Prior Selling Stockholder Form S-3s and the Prior Warrant Form S-3. Such post-effective amendments shall hereafter become effective concurrently with the effectiveness of this registration statement and in accordance with Section 8(c) of, and Rule 429 under, the Securities Act. An aggregate registration fee of $1,363.36 was paid in connection with the registration of the selling stockholder shares and common stock underlying the warrants on the Prior Selling Stockholder Form S-3s and the Prior Warrant Form S-3.

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

Subject to completion, dated August 14, 2012

PROSPECTUS

LOGO

$75,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Securities Warrants

Units

865,299 Shares of Common Stock

Offered by the Selling Stockholders

1,760,000 Shares of Common Stock

Issuable Upon the Exercise of Warrants

We may from time to time offer to sell any combination of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, securities warrants and units described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. The aggregate initial offering price of all securities sold under this prospectus will not exceed $75,000,000.

In addition, the selling stockholders named in this prospectus may offer and sell up to 865,299 shares of common stock owned by the selling stockholders, at prices and on terms to be determined at or prior to the time of sale. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling stockholders.

We may also issue up to 1,760,000 shares of common stock upon the exercise of warrants previously registered and sold by us in a public offering in September 2011. These warrants have an exercise price of $1.90 per share, do not allow for cashless exercise and are exercisable for five years beginning on September 28, 2011.

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

We and the selling stockholders may from time to time offer and sell our respective securities in the same offering or in separate offerings, to or through underwriters, dealers and agents or directly to purchasers. If any agents or underwriters are involved in the sale of any of these securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will provide the names of the agents or underwriters and any applicable fees, commissions or discounts.

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “ETRM.” On August 10, 2012, the closing price of our common stock as reported on the NASDAQ Capital Market was $3.18 per share.

Investing in our securities involves risks. You should consider carefully the risks and uncertainties set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 3 of this prospectus and in the documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus before making a decision to purchase our securities.

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 , 2012.

TABLE OF CONTENTS


ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			1
ENTEROMEDICS INC.			2
RISK FACTORS			3
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			22
USE OF PROCEEDS			22
RETROACTIVE PRESENTATION FOR CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLE			22
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES			23
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS			24
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK			26
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK			29
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES			31
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES WARRANTS			45
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS			46
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			47
LEGAL MATTERS			48
EXPERTS			48
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			49
INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE			49

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $75,000,000. In addition, this prospectus may be used by the selling stockholders named in this prospectus to offer and sell up to 865,299 shares of our common stock as described under the heading “Selling Stockholders.” Under this prospectus we may also issue up to 1,760,000 shares of our common stock upon the exercise of warrants sold in our September 2011 public offering.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the respective securities that we and the selling stockholders may offer. Each time we sell securities under this shelf registration, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. To the extent that any statement that we make in a prospectus supplement is inconsistent with statements made in this prospectus, the statements made in this prospectus will be deemed modified or superseded by those made in the prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, including all documents incorporated herein or therein by reference, together with additional information described under “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Documents by Reference.”

We have not authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement. This prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of the document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement is delivered or securities are sold on a later date.

Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “EnteroMedics,” and “the Company” refer to EnteroMedics Inc., a Delaware corporation, and our subsidiary.

All references in this prospectus to “$,” “U.S. Dollars” and “dollars” are to United States dollars.

In the United States we have registered trademarks for VBLOC^®, ENTEROMEDICS^® and MAESTRO^®, each registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. In addition, some or all of the marks VBLOC, MAESTRO and ENTEROMEDICS are the subject of either a trademark registration or application for registration in Australia, Brazil, China, the European Community, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland. The trademarks VBLOC, ENTEROMEDICS and MAESTRO SYSTEM ORCHESTRATING OBESITY SOLUTIONS are registered in Mexico. The trademarks VBLOC, ENTEROMEDICS and MAESTRO SYSTEM ORCHESTRATING OBESITY SOLUTIONS are the subject of pending trademark applications in the United Arab Emirates.

ENTEROMEDICS INC.

We are a development stage medical device company with approvals to commercially launch our product in Australia, the European Economic Area and other countries that recognize the European CE Mark. We are focused on the design and development of devices that use neuroblocking technology to treat obesity, metabolic diseases and other gastrointestinal disorders. Our proprietary neuroblocking technology, which we refer to as VBLOC therapy, is designed to intermittently block the vagus nerve using high frequency, low energy, electrical impulses. We have a limited operating history and currently, we only have regulatory approval to sell our product in Australia, the European Economic Area and other countries that recognize the European CE Mark and do not have any other source of revenue. Our initial product is the Maestro System, which uses VBLOC therapy to affect metabolic regulatory control, limit the expansion of the stomach, help control hunger sensations between meals, reduce the frequency and intensity of stomach contractions and produce a feeling of early and prolonged fullness.

Based on our understanding of vagal nerve function and nerve blocking from our preclinical studies and the results of our clinical trials, we believe the Maestro System may offer obese patients a minimally-invasive treatment that has the potential to result in significant and sustained weight loss. We believe that our Maestro System will allow bariatric surgeons to help obese patients who are concerned about the risks and complications associated with currently available restrictive and malabsorptive surgical procedures. In addition, data from our VBLOC-DM2 ENABLE trial outside the United States demonstrate that VBLOC therapy may hold promise in improving obesity-related co-morbidities such as diabetes and hypertension. We are conducting, or plan to conduct, further studies in each of these co-morbidities to assess VBLOC therapy’s potential in addressing multiple indications.

We continue to evaluate the Maestro System in human clinical trials in the United States, Australia, Mexico, Norway and Switzerland. To date, we have not observed any mortality related to our device or any unanticipated adverse device effects in these clinical trials. We have also not observed any long-term problematic clinical side effects in any patients, including in those patients who have been using the Maestro System for more than one year.

In October 2010, we received an unconditional Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) Supplement approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, multicenter pivotal clinical trial, called the ReCharge trial, testing the effectiveness and safety of VBLOC therapy utilizing our second generation Maestro Rechargeable (RC) System. Enrollment and implantation in the ReCharge trial was completed in December 2011 in 233 patients at 10 centers. All patients in the study received an implanted device and were randomized in a 2:1 allocation to treatment or control groups. The control group received a non-functional device during the study period. All patients are expected to participate in a weight management counseling program. The primary endpoints of efficacy and safety will be evaluated at 12 months, or around December 2012. Assuming we achieve favorable results, we plan to use data from the trial to support a premarket approval (PMA) application for the Maestro Rechargeable System. If the FDA grants us approval, we anticipate we will be able to commercialize the Maestro Rechargeable System in the United States in 2014.

If we obtain FDA approval of our Maestro Rechargeable System we intend to market our products in the United States through a direct sales force supported by field technical and marketing managers who provide training, technical and other support services to our customers. Outside the United States we intend to use direct, dealer and distributor sales models as the targeted geography best dictates. To date, we have relied on third-party manufacturers and suppliers for the production of our Maestro System. We currently anticipate that we will continue to rely on third-party manufacturers and suppliers for the production of the Maestro System.

We obtained European CE Mark approval for our Maestro Rechargeable System in March 2011. In January 2012, the final Maestro Rechargeable System components were listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic

Goods (ARTG) by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). We have been working closely with our Australian distributor, Device Technologies Australia Pty Limited (Device Technologies), to bring the Maestro Rechargeable System to the Australian market through a controlled commercial launch and made our first commercial shipment of the Maestro ReChargeable System to Device Technologies in March 2012. We also recently entered into an exclusive, multi-year agreement with Bader Sultan & Brothers Co. W.L.L. (Bader Sultan & Brothers) for commercialization and distribution of the Maestro ReChargeable System in the Gulf Coast Countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and made our first commercial shipments to Bader Sultan & Brothers during the second quarter of 2012. We continue to explore additional select international markets to commercialize the Maestro Rechargeable System.

We were incorporated in Minnesota in December 2002 under the name Beta Medical, Inc. In 2003, we changed our name to EnteroMedics Inc. and in 2004 we reincorporated in Delaware. As of December 31, 2011, we had 33 employees, all of which are located in the United States. Our principal executive offices are located at 2800 Patton Road, St. Paul, Minnesota 55113, and our telephone number is (651) 634-3003.

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risk factors described below, together with the other information included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K before you decide to invest in our securities. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we do not currently believe are important to an investor, if they materialize, also may adversely affect the Company.

Risks Related to our Business and Industry

We are a clinical development stage company with a limited history of operations and approval to sell our product in limited countries outside the United States, and we cannot assure you that we will ever generate revenue or be profitable.

We are a clinical development stage company with a limited operating history upon which you can evaluate our business. Currently, we only have met the regulatory process required to sell our product in Australia and the European Economic Area and do not have any other source of revenue. We completed the first commercial sale of our product outside the United States in the first quarter of 2012, but do not expect to have a commercial sale within the United States until 2014, if at all. We have been engaged in research and development and clinical trials since our inception in 2002 and have invested substantially all of our time and resources in developing our VBLOC therapy, which we intend to commercialize initially in the form of our Maestro Rechargeable System. The success of our business will depend on our ability to obtain additional regulatory approvals to market our Maestro Rechargeable System and any products we may develop in the future and our ability to create product sales, successfully introduce new products, establish our sales force and control costs, all of which we may be unable to do. If we are unable to successfully develop, receive additional regulatory approvals for and commercialize our Maestro Rechargeable System for its indicated use, we may never generate revenue or be profitable and we may have to cease operations. Our lack of a significant operating history also limits your ability to make a comparative evaluation of us, our products and our prospects.

We have incurred losses since inception and we anticipate that we will continue to incur increasing losses for the foreseeable future.

We have incurred losses in each year since our formation in 2002. As of December 31, 2011, we had experienced net losses during the development stage of $176.6 million. Our net loss applicable to common stockholders for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $26.0 million, $17.3 million and $31.9 million, respectively. We have funded our operations to date principally from the sale of our securities and

through the issuance of indebtedness. Development of a new medical device, including conducting clinical trials and seeking regulatory approvals, is a long, expensive and uncertain process. Although we recently met the regulatory process required to sell our Maestro Rechargeable System in Australia and the European Economic Area and commenced commercial sales in the first half of 2012 in Australia and the Middle East, we expect to incur significant sales and marketing expenses prior to recording sufficient revenue to offset these expenses. We expect our general and administrative expenses to increase as we continue to add the infrastructure necessary to support our initial commercial sales, operate as a public company and develop our intellectual property portfolio. For these reasons, we expect to continue to incur significant and increasing operating losses for the next several years. These losses, among other things, have had and will continue to have an adverse effect on our stockholders’ equity and working capital. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with developing new medical devices, we are unable to predict the extent of any future losses or when we will become profitable, if ever.

We will need substantial additional funding and may be unable to raise capital when needed, which would force us to delay, reduce or eliminate our product development programs or liquidate some or all of our assets.

Our operations have consumed substantial amounts of cash since inception. We expect to continue to spend substantial amounts on research and development, including conducting current and future clinical trials for our Maestro System, and initiating the commercialization of our product. Cash used in operations was $19.9 million, $13.7 million and $24.7 million for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. We expect that our cash used in operations will continue to be significant in the upcoming years, and we may need to raise additional capital to continue our research and development programs, commercialize our Maestro Rechargeable System in Australia, the Middle East, other international markets, or the United States, if approved by the FDA, explore other indications for our product, and fund our ongoing operations.

Our future funding requirements will depend on many factors, including:

•

the scope, rate of progress, results and cost of our clinical trials and other research and development activities;

•

the cost and timing of regulatory approvals;

•

the cost and timing of establishing sales, marketing and distribution capabilities;

•

the cost of establishing clinical and commercial supplies of our Maestro Rechargeable System and any products that we may develop;

•

the rate of market acceptance of our Maestro Rechargeable System and VBLOC therapy and any other product candidates;

•

the cost of filing and prosecuting patent applications and defending and enforcing our patent and other intellectual property rights;

•

the cost of defending, in litigation or otherwise, any claims that we infringe third-party patent or other intellectual property rights;

•

the effect of competing products and market developments;

•

the cost of explanting clinical devices;

•

the terms and timing of any collaborative, licensing or other arrangements that we may establish;

•

any revenue generated by sales of our Maestro Rechargeable System or our future products; and

•

the extent to which we invest in products and technologies, although we currently have no commitments or agreements relating to these types of transactions.

Until the time, if ever, when we can generate a sufficient amount of product revenue, we expect to finance our future cash needs through public or private equity offerings, debt financings or corporate collaboration, licensing arrangements and grants, as well as through interest income earned on cash balances.

Additional capital may not be available on terms favorable to us, or at all. If we raise additional funds by issuing equity securities, our stockholders may experience dilution. Debt financing, if available, may involve restrictive covenants or additional security interests in our assets. Any additional debt or equity financing that we complete may contain terms that are not favorable to us or our stockholders. If we raise additional funds through collaboration and licensing arrangements with third parties, it may be necessary to relinquish some rights to our technologies or products, or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to us. If we are unable to raise adequate funds, we may have to delay, reduce the scope of, or eliminate some or all of, our development programs or liquidate some or all of our assets.

We incur significant costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management is required to devote substantial time to compliance initiatives.

As a public company, we incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as rules subsequently implemented by the SEC and NASDAQ have imposed various requirements on public companies, including establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and changes in corporate governance practices. Our management and other personnel devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance initiatives. Moreover, these rules and regulations result in increased legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires, among other things, that we maintain effective internal controls for financial reporting and disclosure. In particular, we are required to perform system and process evaluation and testing of our internal controls over financial reporting to allow management to report on the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting, as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Our testing may reveal deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses. We have incurred and continue to expect to incur significant expense and devote substantial management effort toward ensuring compliance with Section 404. Moreover, if we do not comply with the requirements of Section 404, or if we identify deficiencies in our internal controls that are deemed to be material weaknesses, the market price of our stock could decline and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by NASDAQ, the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which would entail expenditure of additional financial and management resources.

Risks Associated with Development and Commercialization of Our Maestro Rechargeable System

We have not received, and may never receive, approval from the FDA or the regulatory body in any country other than the Australian TGA or the European Community to market our Maestro RC System for the treatment of obesity.

We do not have the necessary regulatory approvals to market our Maestro System in the United States or in any foreign market other than Australia for which the final components of the Maestro Rechargeable System were listed on the ARTG in January 2012, the European Community for which we received CE Mark approval for our Maestro Rechargeable System in March 2011 and other countries which accept these regulatory approvals. We commenced commercialization of our product in Australia and the Middle East in the first half of 2012.

In order to market our Maestro System outside of the United States, we will need to establish and comply with the numerous and varying regulatory requirements of other countries regarding safety and efficacy. Approval procedures vary among countries and can involve additional product testing and additional administrative review periods. The time required to obtain approval in other countries may differ from that

required to obtain FDA approval. The regulatory approval process in other countries may also include all of the risks detailed below regarding FDA approval in the United States. Regulatory approval in one country does not ensure regulatory approval in another, but a failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval in one country may negatively impact the regulatory process in others. While the Maestro Rechargeable System has been listed on the ARTG and has received European CE Marking and we commenced commercial sales in Australia and the Middle East in 2012, we cannot assure you when, or if, we will be able to commence sales in the European Economic Area or other countries outside the United States or obtain approval to market our Maestro System in other countries outside the United States.

We cannot market our product in the United States unless it has been approved by the FDA. The FDA approval process involves, among other things, successfully completing clinical trials and obtaining a premarket approval (PMA). The PMA process requires us to prove the safety and efficacy of our Maestro System to the FDA’s satisfaction. This process can be expensive and uncertain, requires detailed and comprehensive scientific and human clinical data, generally takes one to three years after a PMA application is filed, and notwithstanding the effort and expense incurred, may never result in the FDA granting a PMA approval. Because VBLOC therapy represents a novel way to effect weight loss in the treatment of obesity, and because there is a large population of obese patients who might be eligible for treatment, it is possible that the FDA and other regulatory bodies will review an application for approval of our Maestro System with greater scrutiny, which could cause that process to be lengthier and more involved than that for products without such characteristics. The FDA can delay, limit or deny approval of a PMA application for many reasons, including:

•

our inability to demonstrate safety or effectiveness to the FDA’s satisfaction;

•

the data from our preclinical studies and clinical trials may be insufficient to support approval;

•

the facilities of our third-party manufacturers or suppliers may not meet applicable requirements;

•

our failure or inability to comply with preclinical, clinical or other regulations;

•

our inability to demonstrate through our ongoing clinical trials that the Maestro System causes excess weight loss (EWL) greater than the control therapy;

•

our inability to meet the FDA’s statistical requirements or changes in statistical tests or significance levels the FDA requires for approval of a medical device, including ours; and

•

changes in the FDA approval policies, expectations with regard to the type or amount of scientific data required or adoption of new regulations may require additional data or additional clinical studies.

In addition, recent, widely-publicized events concerning the safety of certain drug, food and medical device products have raised concerns among members of Congress, medical professionals, and the public regarding the FDA’s handling of these events and its perceived lack of oversight over regulated products. The increased attention to safety and oversight issues has resulted in a more cautious approach by the FDA to clearances and approvals for devices such as ours.

We may not obtain the necessary regulatory approvals to market our Maestro System in the United States or additional geographies. Even if we obtain approval, the FDA or other regulatory authorities may require expensive or burdensome post-market testing or controls. Any delay in, failure to receive or maintain, or significant limitation on approval for our Maestro System could prevent us from generating revenue or achieving profitability and we may be forced to cease operations.

The preliminary results of the blinded segment of our EMPOWER trial were not sufficient to support approval of a PMA application, and this has delayed regulatory approval of our Maestro System in the United States.

In September 2009, we completed the blinded segment of our EMPOWER pivotal trial, a randomized, prospective, placebo-controlled multi-center trial of our Maestro System in the United States. Based on our initial

analysis, the EMPOWER trial did not meet its primary and secondary efficacy endpoints in that the weight loss for the treatment arm was not statistically different from the control arm in which therapy was turned off. The study did meet its safety endpoint. The inability to achieve our primary and secondary efficacy endpoints in the EMPOWER trial has delayed our timeline for achieving regulatory approval of the Maestro System in the U.S. and caused us to need additional capital to fund a new pivotal trial. We may never be able to produce sufficient data to support a PMA application with the FDA or commercialize a product in the U.S.

We may be unable to complete ReCharge, a pivotal trial using our second generation Maestro RC System, or other clinical trials, or we may experience significant delays in completing our clinical trials, which could prevent or delay regulatory approval of our Maestro System and impair our financial position.

In October 2010, we obtained an unconditional Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) Supplement for a pivotal trial using our second generation Maestro RC System and completed enrollment and implantation of 233 patients in December 2011. Assuming we achieve favorable results, we plan to use data from that trial to support a PMA application for the Maestro System. Conducting a clinical trial of this size, which involves screening, assessing, testing, treating and monitoring patients at several sites across the country and possibly internationally, and coordinating with patients and clinical institutions, is a complex and uncertain process.

The completion of the trial, and our other ongoing clinical trials, could be delayed, suspended or terminated for several reasons, including:

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ongoing discussions with regulatory authorities regarding the scope or design of our preclinical results or clinical trial or requests for supplemental information with respect to our preclinical results or clinical trial results;

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our failure or inability to conduct the clinical trials in accordance with regulatory requirements;

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sites currently participating in the trial may drop out of the trial, which may require us to engage new sites or petition the FDA for an expansion of the number of sites that are permitted to be involved in the trial;

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patients may not remain in or complete, clinical trials at the rates we expect;

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patients may experience serious adverse events or side effects during the trial, which, whether or not related to our product, could cause the FDA or other regulatory authorities to place the clinical trial on hold;

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clinical investigators may not perform our clinical trials on our anticipated schedule or consistent with the clinical trial protocol and good clinical practices; and

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we may be unable to obtain a sufficient supply of our Maestro System necessary for the timely conduct of the clinical trials.

Although we believe that we have adequate personnel and procedures in place to manage the clinical trial process, the complexity of managing this process while also commercializing our Maestro Rechargeable System outside the United States and fulfilling our disclosure and other obligations to our stockholders, lenders, regulators and other constituents could result in our inadvertently taking actions outside the clinical trial process, which could adversely impact the trial. As is always the case, if the FDA ultimately determined that such actions materially violated the protocol for the trial, the FDA could suspend, terminate or reject the results of the clinical trial and require us to repeat the process.

If our clinical trials are delayed it will take us longer to ultimately commercialize a product and generate revenue in the United States or the delay could result in our being unable to do so. Moreover, our development costs will increase if we have material delays in our clinical trials or if we need to perform more or larger clinical trials than planned.

Even if we obtain the necessary regulatory approvals, our efforts to commercialize our Maestro System may not succeed or may encounter delays which could significantly harm our ability to generate revenue.

Even if we obtain additional regulatory approval to market our Maestro Rechargeable System, as we recently have in Australia and the European Economic Area, our ability to generate revenue will depend upon the successful commercialization of this product. Our efforts to commercialize our Maestro Rechargeable System may not succeed for a number of reasons, including:

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our Maestro System may not be accepted in the marketplace by physicians, patients and third-party payors;

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the price of our Maestro System, associated costs of the surgical procedure and treatment and the availability of sufficient third-party reimbursement for the procedure and therapy implantation and follow-up procedures;

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appropriate reimbursement and/or coding options may not exist to enable billing for the system implantation and follow-up procedures;

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we may not be able to sell our Maestro System at a price that allows us to meet the revenue targets necessary to generate revenue for profitability;

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the frequency and severity of any side effects of our VBLOC therapy;

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physicians and potential patients may not be aware of the perceived effectiveness and sustainability of the results of VBLOC therapy provided by our Maestro System;

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we, or the investigators of our product, may not be able to have information on the outcome of the trials published in medical journals;

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the availability and perceived advantages and disadvantages of alternative treatments;

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any rapid technological change may make our product obsolete;

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we may not be able to have our Maestro System manufactured in commercial quantities or at an acceptable cost;

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we may not have adequate financial or other resources to complete the development and commercialization of our Maestro System or to develop sales and marketing capabilities for our Maestro System; and

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we may be sued for infringement of intellectual property rights and could be enjoined from manufacturing or selling our products.

Besides requiring physician adoption, market acceptance of our Maestro System will depend on successfully communicating the benefits of our VBLOC therapy to three additional constituencies involved in deciding whether to treat a particular patient using such therapy: (1) the potential patients themselves; (2) institutions such as hospitals, where the procedure would be performed and opinion leaders in these institutions; and (3) third-party payors, such as private healthcare insurers and governmental payors, such as Medicare and Medicaid in the U.S., and Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) in Australia, which would ultimately bear most of the costs of the various providers and equipment involved in our VBLOC therapy. Marketing to each of these constituencies requires a different marketing approach, and we must convince each of these groups of the efficacy and utility of our VBLOC therapy to be successful.

If our VBLOC therapy, or any other neuroblocking therapy for other gastrointestinal diseases and disorders that we may develop, does not achieve an adequate level of acceptance by the relevant constituencies, we may not generate significant product revenue and may not become profitable. We commenced commercial sales of our Maestro Rechargeable System in Australia and the Middle East in the first half of 2012. The earliest we expect to be able to commercialize our Maestro Rechargeable System in the United States is 2014, if at all. If we

are not successful in the commercialization of our Maestro Rechargeable System for the treatment of obesity we may never generate any revenue and may be forced to cease operations.

We depend on clinical investigators and clinical sites to enroll patients in our clinical trials, and on other third parties to manage the trials and to perform related data collection and analysis, and, as a result, we may face costs and delays that are outside of our control.

We rely on clinical investigators and clinical sites to enroll patients in our clinical trials and other third parties to manage the trials and to perform related data collection and analysis. However, we may not be able to control the amount and timing of resources that clinical sites may devote to our clinical trials. If these clinical investigators and clinical sites fail to enroll a sufficient number of patients in our clinical trials, to ensure compliance by patients with clinical protocols or comply with regulatory requirements, we will be unable to complete these trials, which could prevent us from obtaining regulatory approvals for our product. Our agreements with clinical investigators and clinical trial sites for clinical testing place substantial responsibilities on these parties and, if these parties fail to perform as expected, our trials could be delayed or terminated. If these clinical investigators, clinical sites or other third parties do not carry out their contractual duties or obligations or fail to meet expected deadlines, or if the quality or accuracy of the clinical data they obtain is compromised due to their failure to adhere to our clinical protocols, regulatory requirements or for other reasons, our clinical trials may be extended, delayed or terminated, or the clinical data may be rejected by the FDA, and we may be unable to obtain regulatory approval for, or successfully commercialize, our product.

Assuming we receive regulatory approval for the Maestro System, modifications to the Maestro System may require additional approval from regulatory authorities, which may not be obtained or may delay our commercialization efforts.

The FDA, TGA and European Notified Body require medical device companies to initially make and document a determination of whether or not a modification requires a new approval, supplement or clearance; however, some of these regulatory authorities can review a company’s decision. Any modifications to an approved device that could significantly affect its safety or efficacy, or that would constitute a major change in its intended use could require additional clinical studies and separate regulatory applications. Product changes or revisions will require all the regulatory steps and associated risks discussed above possibly including testing, regulatory filings and clinical study. We may not be able to obtain approval of supplemental regulatory approvals for product modifications, new indications for our product or new products. Delays in obtaining future clearances would adversely affect our ability to introduce new or enhanced products in a timely manner, which in turn would harm our commercialization efforts and future growth.

Our neuroblocking therapy for the treatment of obesity is a unique form of treatment. Physicians may not widely adopt our Maestro System and VBLOC therapy unless they determine, based on experience, long-term clinical data and published peer reviewed journal articles, that VBLOC therapy provides a safe and effective alternative to other existing treatments for obesity.

We believe we are the first and only company currently pursuing neuroblocking therapy for the treatment of obesity. Physicians tend to be slow to change their medical treatment practices because of the time and skill required to learn a new procedure, the perceived liability risks arising from the use of new products and procedures, and the uncertainty of third-party coverage and reimbursement. Physicians may not widely adopt our Maestro System and VBLOC therapy unless they determine, based on experience, long-term clinical data and published peer reviewed journal articles, that the use of our VBLOC therapy provides a safe and effective alternative to other existing treatments for obesity, including pharmaceutical solutions and bariatric surgical procedures.

We cannot provide any assurance that the data collected from our current and planned clinical trials will be sufficient to demonstrate that our VBLOC therapy is an attractive alternative to other obesity treatment

procedures. We rely on experienced and highly trained surgeons to perform the procedures in our clinical trials and both short-and long-term results reported in our clinical trials may be significantly more favorable than typical results of practicing physicians, which could negatively impact rates of adoption of our Maestro System and VBLOC therapy. We believe that published peer-reviewed journal articles and recommendations and support by influential physicians regarding our Maestro System and VBLOC therapy will be important for market acceptance and adoption, and we cannot assure you that we will receive these recommendations and support, or that supportive articles will be published.

If we fail to obtain adequate coding, coverage or payment levels for our product by governmental healthcare programs and other third-party payors, there may be no commercially viable markets for our Maestro System or other products we may develop or our target markets may be much smaller than expected.

Healthcare providers generally rely on third-party payors, including governmental payors, such as Medicare and Medicaid in the U.S., and MSAC in Australia, as well as private healthcare insurers, to adequately cover and reimburse the cost of medical devices. Importantly, third-party payors are increasingly challenging the price of medical products and services and instituting cost containment measures to control or significantly influence the purchase of medical products and services. We expect that third-party payors will continue to attempt to contain or reduce the costs of healthcare by challenging the prices charged for healthcare products and services. If reimbursement for our Maestro System and the related surgery and facility costs is unavailable or limited in scope or amount, or if pricing is set at unsatisfactory levels, market acceptance of our Maestro System will be impaired and our future revenue, if any, would be adversely affected. As such, even if we obtain regulatory clearance or approval for our Maestro System and begin to market it, the availability and level of third-party coverage and reimbursement could substantially affect our ability to commercialize our Maestro System and other products we may develop.

The efficacy, safety, ease of use and cost-effectiveness of our Maestro System and of any competing products will, in part, determine the availability and level of coverage and payment. In particular, we expect that securing coding, coverage and payment for our Maestro System will be more difficult if our clinical trials do not demonstrate a percentage of excess weight loss from a pre-implementation baseline that healthcare providers and obese individuals consider clinically meaningful, whether or not regulatory agencies consider the improvement of patients treated in clinical trials to have been clinically meaningful.

In some international markets, pricing of medical devices is subject to government control. In the United States and international markets, we expect that both government and third-party payors will continue to attempt to contain or reduce the costs of healthcare by challenging the prices charged for healthcare products and services. If payment for our Maestro System and the related surgery and facility costs is unavailable or limited in scope or amount, or if pricing is set at unsatisfactory levels, market acceptance of our Maestro System will be impaired and our future revenue, if any, would be adversely affected.

We cannot predict the likelihood or pace of any significant regulatory or legislative action in any of these areas, nor can we predict whether or in what form healthcare legislation being formulated by various governments will be passed. We also cannot predict with precision what effect such governmental measures would have if they were ultimately enacted into law. However, in general, we believe that such legislative activity will likely continue. If adopted, such measures can be expected to have an impact on our business.

Even if our Maestro System is approved by regulatory authorities, if we or our suppliers fail to comply with ongoing regulatory requirements, or if we experience unanticipated product problems, our Maestro System could be subject to restrictions or withdrawal from the market.

Completion of our clinical trials and commercialization of our Maestro System will require access to manufacturing facilities that meet applicable regulatory standards to manufacture a sufficient supply of our product. We rely solely on third parties to manufacture and assemble our Maestro System, and do not currently plan to manufacture or assemble our Maestro System ourselves in the future.

Any product for which we obtain marketing approval, along with the manufacturing processes, post-approval clinical data and promotional activities for such product, will be subject to continual review and periodic inspections by our European Notified Body and the FDA and other regulatory bodies. In particular we and our manufacturers and suppliers are required to comply with ISO requirements, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), which for medical devices is called the Quality System Regulation (QSR), and other regulations which cover the methods and documentation of the design, testing, production, control, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, storage and shipping of any product for which we obtain marketing approval. The FDA enforces the QSR through inspections, which may be unannounced, and the CE system enforces its certification through inspections and audits as well. We and our third-party manufacturers and suppliers have not yet been inspected by the FDA but our quality system has received certification of compliance to the requirements of ISO 13485:2003 and will have to continue to successfully complete such inspections to maintain regulatory approvals for sales outside the United States and will have to successfully complete such inspections before we receive regulatory approvals for our Maestro System in the United States. Failure by us or one of our manufacturers or suppliers to comply with statutes and regulations administered by the FDA, CE authorities and other regulatory bodies, or failure to adequately respond to any observations, could result in enforcement actions against us or our manufacturers or suppliers, including, restrictions on our product or manufacturing processes, withdrawal of the product from the market, voluntary or mandatory recall, fines, suspension of regulatory approvals, product seizures, injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.

If any of these actions were to occur it would harm our reputation and cause our product sales to suffer. Furthermore, our key component suppliers may not currently be or may not continue to be in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements. If the FDA or any other regulatory body finds their compliance status to be unsatisfactory, our commercialization efforts could be delayed, which would harm our business and our results of operations.

Even if regulatory approval of a product is granted, the approval may be subject to limitations on the indicated uses for which the product may be marketed. If the FDA determines that our promotional materials, training or other activities constitute promotion of an unapproved use, we could be subject to significant liability, the FDA could request that we cease, correct or modify our training or promotional materials or subject us to regulatory enforcement actions. It is also possible that other federal, state or foreign enforcement authorities might take action if they consider our training or other promotional materials to constitute promotion of an unapproved use, which could result in significant fines or penalties under other statutory authorities, such as laws prohibiting false claims for reimbursement.

We will be subject to medical device reporting regulations (MDR) that require us to report to the FDA, TGA, Competent Authorities or other governmental authorities in other countries if our products cause or contribute to a death or serious injury or malfunction in a way that would be reasonably likely to contribute to death or serious injury if the malfunction were to recur. The FDA, TGA and similar governmental authorities in other countries have the authority to require the recall of our products in the event of material deficiencies or defects in design or manufacturing. A government mandated, or voluntary, recall by us could occur as a result of component failures, manufacturing errors or design defects, including defects in labeling. Any recall would divert managerial and financial resources and could harm our reputation with customers. There can be no assurance that there will not be product recalls in the future or that such recalls would not have a material adverse effect on our business. Once the product is approved and implanted in a large number of patients, infrequently occurring adverse events may appear that were not observed in the clinical trials. This could cause health authorities in countries where the product is available to take regulatory action, including marketing suspension and recall.

We may not be successful in our efforts to utilize our VBLOC therapy to treat co-morbidities associated with obesity and other gastrointestinal diseases and disorders.

As part of our long-term business strategy, we plan to research the application of our VBLOC therapy to treat co-morbidities associated with obesity and other gastrointestinal diseases and disorders. Research to identify

new target applications requires substantial technical, financial and human resources, whether or not any new applications for our VBLOC therapy are ultimately identified. We may be unable to identify or pursue other applications of our technology. Even if we identify potential new applications for our VBLOC therapy, investigating the safety and efficacy of our therapy requires extensive clinical testing, which is expensive and time-consuming. If we terminate a clinical trial in which we have invested significant resources, our prospects will suffer, as we will have expended resources on a program that will not provide a return on our investment and missed the opportunity to allocate those resources to potentially more productive uses. We will also need to obtain regulatory approval for these new applications, as well as achieve market acceptance and an acceptable level of reimbursement.

We depend on a limited number of manufacturers and suppliers of various critical components for our Maestro System. The loss of any of these manufacturer or supplier relationships could delay our clinical trials or prevent or delay commercialization of our Maestro System.

We rely entirely on third parties to manufacture our Maestro System and to supply us with all of the critical components of our Maestro System, including our leads, implantable batteries, neuroregulators, transmit coils and controllers. If any of our existing suppliers were unable or unwilling to meet our demand for product components, or if the components or finished products that they supply do not meet quality and other specifications, clinical trials or commercialization of our product could be delayed. Alternatively, if we have to switch to a replacement manufacturer or replacement supplier for any of our product components, we may face additional regulatory delays, and the manufacture and delivery of our Maestro System could be interrupted for an extended period of time, which could delay completion of our clinical trials or commercialization of our Maestro System. In addition, we may be required to use different suppliers or components to obtain regulatory approval from the FDA.

If our device manufacturers or our suppliers are unable to provide an adequate supply of our product following the commencement of commercialization, our growth could be limited and our business could be harmed.

In order to produce our Maestro System in the quantities that we anticipate will be required to meet anticipated market demand, we will need our manufacturers to increase, or scale-up, the production process by a significant factor over our current level of production. There are technical challenges to scaling-up manufacturing capacity and developing commercial-scale manufacturing facilities that may require the investment of substantial additional funds by our manufacturers and hiring and retaining additional management and technical personnel who have the necessary manufacturing experience. If our manufacturers are unable to do so, we may not be able to meet the requirements for the initial commercial launch of the product or to meet future demand, if any. We may also represent only a small portion of our supplier’s or manufacturer’s business and if they become capacity constrained they may choose to allocate their available resources to other customers that represent a larger portion of their business. We currently anticipate that we will continue to rely on third-party manufacturers and suppliers for the production of the Maestro System. If we develop and obtain regulatory approval for our product and are unable to obtain a sufficient supply of our product, our revenue, business and financial prospects would be adversely affected.

If we are unable to establish sales and marketing capabilities or enter into and maintain arrangements with third parties to market and sell our Maestro System, our business may be harmed.

We do not have a sales organization and have no experience as a company in sales, marketing and distribution of our product. We have entered into an agreement with Device Technologies, a third-party distributor in Australia, to commence the commercial sale of our product in Australia and we have entered into an agreement with Bader Sultan & Brothers, a third-party distributor in Kuwait, to commence the commercial sale of our product in the Middle East. To generate sales in Australia and launch the commercialization of our product in other geographic regions we may need to identify and enter into other third-party distributor agreements. There is no assurance that we can do so on economically acceptable terms or that if we do so, that

third party will be successful in selling our product. We will also need to develop a sales and marketing infrastructure or contract with third parties to perform that function before launching the commercialization of our product in markets outside of Australia and the Middle East. Developing a sales force is expensive and time consuming and could delay or limit the success of any product launch. Even if we obtain approval from the FDA to market our Maestro System, we may be unable to develop an effective sales and marketing organization on a timely basis, if at all. If we develop our own sales and marketing capabilities, our sales force will be competing with the experienced and well-funded marketing and sales organizations of our more established competitors. If we are unable to establish our own sales and marketing capabilities, we will need to contract with third parties to market and sell our product. In this event, our profit margins would likely be lower than if we performed these functions ourselves. In addition, we would necessarily be relying on the skills and efforts of others for the successful marketing of our product. If we are unable to establish and maintain effective sales and marketing capabilities, independently or with others, we may not be able to generate product revenue and may not become profitable.

The commercialization of our product in countries outside of the United States will expose our business to certain risks associated with international operations.

We have commenced commercialization of our product internationally, in Australia and the Middle East, and intend to commercialize our product in other international markets in which we obtain necessary regulatory approvals. Conducting international operations will subject us to unique risks, including:

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unfamiliar legal requirements with which we would need to comply;

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fluctuations in currency exchange rates;

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potentially adverse tax consequences, including the complexities of foreign value added tax systems and restrictions on the repatriation of earnings;

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increased financial accounting and reporting burdens and complexities; and

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reduced or varied protection for intellectual property rights in some countries.

The occurrence of any one of these risks could negatively affect our business and results of operations generally. Additionally, operating in international markets requires significant management attention. We cannot be certain that investments required to establish operations in other countries will produce desired levels of revenues or profitability.

We may be unable to attract and retain management and other personnel we need to succeed.

Our success depends on the services of our senior management and other key research and development employees. The loss of the services of one or more of our officers or key employees could delay or prevent the successful completion of our clinical trials and the commercialization of our Maestro System. Upon receiving regulatory approval for our product in the United States, we expect to expand our operations and grow our research and development, product development and administrative operations. Our growth will require hiring a number of qualified clinical, scientific, commercial and administrative personnel. Accordingly, recruiting and retaining such personnel in the future will be critical to our success. There is intense competition from other companies and research and academic institutions for qualified personnel in the areas of our activities. If we fail to identify, attract, retain and motivate these highly skilled personnel, we may be unable to continue our development and commercialization activities.

We may be unable to manage our growth effectively.

Our business strategy entails significant future growth. For example, we will have to expand existing operations in order to conduct additional clinical trials, increase our contract manufacturing capabilities, hire and train new personnel to handle the marketing and sales of our product, assist patients and healthcare providers in obtaining reimbursement for the use of our product and create and develop new applications for our technology. This growth may place significant strain on our management and financial and operational resources. Successful growth is also dependent upon our ability to implement appropriate financial and management controls, systems

and procedures. Our ability to effectively manage growth depends on our success in attracting and retaining highly qualified personnel, for which the competition may be intense. If we fail to manage these challenges effectively, our business could be harmed.

We face the risk of product liability claims that could be expensive, divert management’s attention and harm our reputation and business. We may not be able to obtain adequate product liability insurance.

Our business exposes us to a risk of product liability claims that is inherent in the testing, manufacturing and marketing of medical devices. The medical device industry has historically been subject to extensive litigation over product liability claims. We may be subject to product liability claims if our Maestro System, or any other products we may sell, causes, or appears to have caused, an injury. Claims may be made by consumers, healthcare providers, third-party strategic collaborators or others selling our products.

We have product liability insurance, which covers the use of our Maestro System and VBLOC therapy in our clinical trials and any commercial sales, in an amount we believe is appropriate. Our current product liability insurance may not continue to be available to us on acceptable terms, if at all, and, if available, the coverage may not be adequate to protect us against any future product liability claims. If we are unable to obtain insurance at an acceptable cost and on acceptable terms for an adequate coverage amount, or otherwise to protect against potential product liability claims, we could be exposed to significant liabilities, which may harm our business. A product liability claim, recall or other claim with respect to uninsured liabilities or for amounts in excess of insured liabilities could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. These liabilities could prevent or interfere with our product commercialization efforts. Defending a suit, regardless of merit, could be costly, could divert management attention and might result in adverse publicity, which could result in the withdrawal of, or inability to recruit, clinical trial volunteers or result in reduced acceptance of our Maestro System and VBLOC therapy in the market.

We may be subject to product liability claims even if it appears that the claimed injury is due to the actions of others. For example, we rely on the expertise of surgeons and other associated medical personnel to perform the medical procedure to implant and remove our Maestro System and to perform the related VBLOC therapy. If these medical personnel are not properly trained or are negligent, the therapeutic effect of our Maestro System and VBLOC therapy may be diminished or the patient may suffer critical injury, which may subject us to liability. In addition, an injury that is caused by the negligence of one of our suppliers in supplying us with a defective component that injures a patient could be the basis for a claim against us. A product liability claim, regardless of its merit or eventual outcome, could result in decreased demand for our products; injury to our reputation; diversion of management’s attention; withdrawal of clinical trial participants; significant costs of related litigation; substantial monetary awards to patients; product recalls or market withdrawals; loss of revenue; and the inability to commercialize our products under development.

We may be subject, directly or indirectly, to United States federal and state healthcare fraud and abuse and false claims laws and regulations. Prosecutions under such laws have increased in recent years and we may become subject to such litigation. If we are unable to, or have not fully complied with such laws, we could face substantial penalties.

If we are successful in achieving regulatory approval to market our Maestro System, our operations will be directly, or indirectly through our customers, subject to various state and federal fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and federal False Claims Act. These laws may impact, among other things, our proposed sales, marketing and education programs.

The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, offering, receiving or providing remuneration, directly or indirectly, in exchange for or to induce either the referral of an individual, or the furnishing or arranging for a good or service, for which payment may be made under a federal healthcare program such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Several courts have interpreted the statute’s intent requirement to mean that if any one purpose of an arrangement involving remuneration is to induce

referrals of federal healthcare covered business, the statute has been violated. The Anti-Kickback Statute is broad and, despite a series of narrow safe harbors, prohibits many arrangements and practices that are lawful in businesses outside of the healthcare industry. Penalties for violations of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute include criminal penalties and civil sanctions such as fines, imprisonment and possible exclusion from Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs. Many states have also adopted laws similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, some of which apply to the referral of patients for healthcare items or services reimbursed by any source, not only the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

The federal False Claims Act prohibits persons from knowingly filing, or causing to be filed, a false claim to, or the knowing use of false statements to obtain payment from the federal government. Suits filed under the False Claims Act, known as “qui tam” actions, can be brought by any individual on behalf of the government and such individuals, commonly known as “whistleblowers,” may share in any amounts paid by the entity to the government in fines or settlement. The frequency of filing qui tam actions has increased significantly in recent years, causing greater numbers of medical device, pharmaceutical and healthcare companies to have to defend a False Claim Act action. When an entity is determined to have violated the federal False Claims Act, it may be required to pay up to three times the actual damages sustained by the government, plus civil penalties for each separate false claim. Various states have also enacted laws modeled after the federal False Claims Act.

We are unable to predict whether we could be subject to actions under any of these laws, or the impact of such actions. If we are found to be in violation of any of the laws described above and other applicable state and federal fraud and abuse laws, we may be subject to penalties, including civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from government healthcare reimbursement programs and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations.

We operate in a highly competitive industry that is subject to rapid change. If our competitors are able to develop and market products that are safer or more effective than our products, our commercial opportunities will be reduced or eliminated.

The health care industry is highly competitive, subject to rapid change and significantly affected by new product introductions and other market activities of industry participants. The obesity treatment market in which we operate has grown significantly in recent years and is expected to continue to expand as technology continues to evolve and awareness of the need to treat the obesity epidemic grows. Although we are not aware of any competitors in the neuroblocking market, we face potential competition from pharmaceutical and surgical obesity treatments. Many of our competitors in the obesity treatment field have significantly greater financial resources and expertise in research and development, manufacturing, preclinical testing, clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approvals and marketing approved products than we do. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly if they pursue competing solutions through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies, such as Allergan, Cyberonics, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic or St. Jude Medical. Our competitors may develop and patent processes or products earlier than us, obtain regulatory approvals for competing products more rapidly than we are able to and develop more effective, safer and less expensive products or technologies that would render our products non-competitive or obsolete.

Risks Related to Intellectual Property

If we are unable to obtain or maintain intellectual property rights relating to our technology and neuroblocking therapy, the commercial value of our technology and any future products will be adversely affected and our competitive position will be harmed.

Our commercial success depends in part on our ability to obtain protection in the United States and other countries for our Maestro System and VBLOC therapy by establishing and maintaining intellectual property rights relating to or incorporated into our technology and products. As of December 31, 2011, we had 22 issued U.S. patents, 20 of which pertain to treating gastrointestinal disorders, and 14 U.S. patent applications including one case with a notice of allowance. We have four granted European patents and four granted Australian patents.

We also have 26 national stage patent applications, including applications in Australia, China, India, Europe and Japan. In addition, we are the exclusive licensee to one U.S. patent owned by Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, which is unrelated to our VBLOC therapy. Our pending and future patent applications may not issue as patents or, if issued, may not issue in a form that will provide us any competitive advantage. We expect to incur substantial costs in obtaining patents and, if necessary, defending our proprietary rights. The patent positions of medical device companies, including ours, can be highly uncertain and involve complex and evolving legal and factual questions. We do not know whether we will obtain the patent protection we seek, or that the protection we do obtain will be found valid and enforceable if challenged. If we fail to obtain adequate protection of our intellectual property, or if any protection we obtain is reduced or eliminated, others could use our intellectual property without compensating us, resulting in harm to our business. We may also determine that it is in our best interests to voluntarily challenge a third party’s products or patents in litigation or administrative proceedings, including patent interferences or re-examinations. In the event that we seek to enforce any of our owned or exclusively licensed patents against an infringing party, it is likely that the party defending the claim will seek to invalidate the patents we assert, which, if successful could result in the loss of the entire patent or the relevant portion of our patent, which would not be limited to any particular party. Any litigation to enforce or defend our patent rights, even if we were to prevail, could be costly and time-consuming and could divert the attention of our management and key personnel from our business operations. Even if we were to prevail in any litigation, we cannot assure you that we can obtain an injunction that prevents our competitors from practicing our patented technology. Our competitors may independently develop similar or alternative technologies or products without infringing any of our patent or other intellectual property rights, or may design around our proprietary technologies.

We cannot assure you that we will obtain any patent protection that we seek, that any protection we do obtain will be found valid and enforceable if challenged or that it will confer any significant commercial advantage. U.S. patents and patent applications may also be subject to interference proceedings and U.S. patents may be subject to re-examination proceedings in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and foreign patents may be subject to opposition or comparable proceedings in the corresponding foreign patent offices, which proceedings could result in either loss of the patent or denial of the patent application, or loss or reduction in the scope of one or more of the claims of, the patent or patent application. In addition, such interference, re-examination and opposition proceedings may be costly. Moreover, the U.S. patent laws may change, possibly making it easier to challenge patents. Some of our technology was, and continues to be, developed in conjunction with third parties, and thus there is a risk that such third parties may claim rights in our intellectual property. Thus, any patents that we own or license from others may provide limited or no protection against competitors. Our pending patent applications, those we may file in the future, or those we may license from third parties, may not result in patents being issued. If issued, they may not provide us with proprietary protection or competitive advantages against competitors with similar technology.

Non-payment or delay in payment of patent fees or annuities, whether intentional or unintentional, may result in loss of patents or patent rights important to our business. Many countries, including certain countries in Europe, have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner may be compelled to grant licenses to third parties. In addition, many countries limit the enforceability of patents against third parties, including government agencies or government contractors. In these countries, the patent owner may have limited remedies, which could materially diminish the value of the patent. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as do the laws of the United States, particularly in the field of medical products and procedures.

Many of our competitors have significant resources and incentives to apply for and obtain intellectual property rights that could limit or prevent our ability to commercialize our current or future products in the United States or abroad.

Many of our competitors who have significant resources and have made substantial investments in competing technologies may seek to apply for and obtain patents that will prevent, limit or interfere with our

ability to make, use or sell our products either in the United States or in international markets. Our current or future U.S. or foreign patents may be challenged, circumvented by competitors or others or may be found to be invalid, unenforceable or insufficient. Since patent applications are confidential until patents are issued in the United States, or in most cases, until after 18 months from filing of the application, or corresponding applications are published in other countries, and since publication of discoveries in the scientific or patent literature often lags behind actual discoveries, we cannot be certain that we were the first to make the inventions covered by each of our pending patent applications, or that we were the first to file patent applications for such inventions.

If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our proprietary information and know-how, the value of our technology and products could be adversely affected.

In addition to patented technology, we rely on our unpatented proprietary technology, trade secrets, processes and know-how. We generally seek to protect this information by confidentiality agreements with our employees, consultants, scientific advisors and third parties. These agreements may be breached, and we may not have adequate remedies for any such breach. In addition, our trade secrets may otherwise become known or be independently developed by competitors. To the extent that our employees, consultants or contractors use intellectual property owned by others in their work for us, disputes may arise as to the rights in related or resulting know-how and inventions.

Intellectual property litigation is a common tactic in the medical device industry to gain competitive advantage. If we become subject to a lawsuit, we may be required to expend significant financial and other resources and our management’s attention may be diverted from our business.

There has been a history of frequent and extensive litigation regarding patent and other intellectual property rights in the medical device industry, and companies in the medical device industry have employed intellectual property litigation to gain a competitive advantage. Accordingly, we may become subject to patent infringement claims or litigation in a court of law, or interference proceedings declared by the USPTO to determine the priority of inventions or an opposition to a patent grant in a foreign jurisdiction. We may also become subject to claims or litigation seeking payment of royalties based on sales of our product in connection with licensing or similar joint development arrangements with third parties or in connection with claims of patent infringement. The defense and prosecution of intellectual property suits, USPTO interference or opposition proceedings and related legal and administrative proceedings, are both costly and time consuming and could result in substantial uncertainty to us. Litigation or regulatory proceedings may also be necessary to enforce patent or other intellectual property rights of ours or to determine the scope and validity of other parties’ proprietary rights. Any litigation, opposition or interference proceedings, with or without merit, may result in substantial expense to us, cause significant strain on our financial resources, divert the attention of our technical and management personnel and harm our reputation. We may not have the financial resources to defend our patents from infringement or claims of invalidity. An adverse determination in any litigation could subject us to significant liabilities to third parties, require us to seek licenses from or pay royalties to third parties or prevent us from manufacturing, selling or using our proposed products, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects. We are not currently a party to any patent or other litigation.

Our VBLOC therapy or Maestro System may infringe or be claimed to infringe patents that we do not own or license, including patents that may issue in the future based on patent applications of which we are currently aware, as well as applications of which we are unaware. For example, we are aware of other companies that are investigating neurostimulation, including neuroblocking, and of patents and published patent applications held by companies in those fields. While we believe that none of such patents and patent applications are applicable to our products and technologies under development, third parties who own or control these patents and patent applications in the United States and abroad could bring claims against us that would cause us to incur substantial expenses and, if such claims are successfully asserted against us, they could cause us to pay substantial damages, could result in an injunction preventing us from selling, manufacturing or using our proposed products and would divert management’s attention. Because patent applications in many countries such as the United States are maintained under conditions of confidentiality and can take many years to issue, there may be applications now

pending of which we are unaware and which may later result in issued patents that our products infringe. If a patent infringement suit were brought against us, we could be forced to stop our ongoing or planned clinical trials, or delay or abandon commercialization of the product that is subject of the suit.

As a result of patent infringement claims, or to avoid potential claims, we may choose or be required to seek a license from a third party and be required to pay license fees or royalties, or both. A license may not be available at all or on commercially reasonable terms, and we may not be able to redesign our products to avoid infringement. Modification of our products or development of new products could require us to conduct additional clinical trials and to revise our filings with the FDA and other regulatory bodies, which would be time-consuming and expensive. Even if we were able to obtain a license, the rights may be nonexclusive, which could result in our competitors gaining access to the same intellectual property. Ultimately, we could be forced to cease some aspect of our business operations if, as a result of actual or threatened patent infringement claims, we are unable to enter into licenses on acceptable terms. This could harm our business significantly.

Risks Relating to Ownership of Our Common Stock

The trading price of our common stock has been volatile and is likely to be volatile in the future.

The trading price of our common stock has been highly volatile. Further, our common stock has a limited trading history. Since our public offering in November 2007 through February 29, 2012 our stock price has fluctuated from a low of $1.52 to a high of $64.62, as adjusted for the 1-for-6 reverse split of our common stock that was effected on July 9, 2010. The market price for our common stock will be affected by a number of factors, including:

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the denial or delay of regulatory clearances or approvals of our product or receipt of regulatory approval of competing products;

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our ability to accomplish clinical, regulatory and other product development milestones and to do so in accordance with the timing estimates we have publicly announced;

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changes in policies affecting third-party coverage and reimbursement in the United States and other countries;

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changes in government regulations and standards affecting the medical device industry and our product;

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ability of our product, if it receives regulatory approval, to achieve market success;

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the performance of third-party contract manufacturers and component suppliers;

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our ability to develop sales and marketing capabilities;

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actual or anticipated variations in our results of operations or those of our competitors;

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announcements of new products, technological innovations or product advancements by us or our competitors;

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developments with respect to patents and other intellectual property rights;

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sales of common stock or other securities by us or our stockholders in the future;

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additions or departures of key scientific or management personnel;

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disputes or other developments relating to proprietary rights, including patents, litigation matters and our ability to obtain patent protection for our technologies;

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trading volume of our common stock;

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changes in earnings estimates or recommendations by securities analysts, failure to obtain or maintain analyst coverage of our common stock or our failure to achieve analyst earnings estimates;

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public statements by analysts or clinicians regarding their perceptions of our clinical results or the effectiveness of our products;

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decreases in market valuations of medical device companies; and

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general market conditions and other factors unrelated to our operating performance or the operating performance of our competitors.

The stock prices of many companies in the medical device industry have experienced wide fluctuations that have often been unrelated to the operating performance of these companies. Following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation often has been initiated against a company. If class action litigation is initiated against us, we may incur substantial costs and our management’s attention may be diverted from our operations, which could significantly harm our business.

Our inability to comply with the listing requirements of the NASDAQ Capital Market could result in our common stock being delisted, which could affect its market price and liquidity and reduce our ability to raise capital.

We are required to meet certain qualitative and financial tests (including a minimum closing bid price of $1.00 per share for our common stock) to maintain the listing of our common stock on the NASDAQ Capital Market. If we do not maintain compliance with the continued listing requirements for the NASDAQ Capital Market within specified periods and subject to permitted extensions, our common stock may be recommended for delisting (subject to any appeal we would file). If our common stock were delisted, it could be more difficult to buy or sell our common stock and to obtain accurate quotations, and the price of our stock could suffer a material decline. Delisting would also impair our ability to raise capital.

The low trading volume of our common stock may adversely affect the price of our shares.

Although our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market, our common stock has experienced low trading volume. Reported average daily trading volume in our common stock for the three month period ended December 31, 2011, was approximately 46,803 shares. Although we believe that recent offerings will improve the liquidity for our common stock, there is no assurance that the recent offerings will increase the volume of trading in our common stock. Limited trading volume subjects our common stock to greater price volatility and may make it difficult for you to sell your shares at a price that is attractive to you.

Our directors and executive officers hold a significant amount of our outstanding stock and could limit your ability to influence the outcome of key transactions, including changes of control.

Our executive officers and directors and entities affiliated with them beneficially own, in the aggregate (including options and warrants exercisable currently or within 60 days of December 31, 2011), approximately 31.9% of our outstanding common stock. Our executive officers, directors and affiliated entities, if acting together, could be able to influence significantly all matters requiring approval by our stockholders, including the election of directors and the approval of mergers or other significant corporate transactions. The concentration of ownership of our common stock may have the effect of delaying, preventing or deterring a change of control of our company, could deprive our stockholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their common stock as part of a sale of our company and may affect the market price of our common stock. This concentration of stock ownership may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock due to investors’ perception that conflicts of interest may exist or arise.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market by existing stockholders, or the perception that they may occur, could cause our stock price to decline.

Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock by us or by our stockholders, announcements of the proposed sales of substantial amounts of our common stock or the perception that substantial sales may be made, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline. We may issue additional shares of our common

stock in follow-on offerings to raise additional capital or in connection with acquisitions or corporate alliances and we plan to issue additional shares to our employees, directors or consultants in connection with their services to us. All of the currently outstanding shares of our common stock are freely tradable under federal and state securities laws, except for shares held by our directors, officers and certain greater than five percent stockholders, which may be subject to volume limitations. Due to these factors, sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market could occur at any time and could reduce the market price of our common stock.

In addition, certain of our stockholders and warrantholders have rights, subject to some conditions, to require us to file registration statements covering their shares or to include their shares in registration statements that we may file for ourselves or other stockholders. If we were to include in a company-initiated registration statement shares held by those holders pursuant to the exercise of their registration rights, the sale of those shares could impair our ability to raise needed capital by depressing the price at which we could sell our common stock.

Our organizational documents and Delaware law make a takeover of our company more difficult, which may prevent certain changes in control and limit the market price of our common stock.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law contain provisions that may have the effect of deterring or delaying attempts by our stockholders to remove or replace management, engage in proxy contests and effect changes in control. These provisions include:

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the ability of our board of directors to create and issue preferred stock without stockholder approval, which could be used to implement anti-takeover devices;

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the authority for our board of directors to issue without stockholder approval up to the number of shares of common stock authorized in our certificate of incorporation, that, if issued, would dilute the ownership of our stockholders;

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the advance notice requirement for director nominations or for proposals that can be acted upon at stockholder meetings;

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a classified and staggered board of directors, which may make it more difficult for a person who acquires control of a majority of our outstanding voting stock to replace all or a majority of our directors;

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the prohibition on actions by written consent of our stockholders;

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the limitation on who may call a special meeting of stockholders;

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the prohibition on stockholders accumulating their votes for the election of directors; and

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the ability of stockholders to amend our bylaws only upon receiving a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of all outstanding shares then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

In addition, as a Delaware corporation, we are subject to Delaware law, including Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a 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 certain specific requirements are met as set forth in Section 203. These provisions, alone or together, could have the effect of deterring or delaying changes in incumbent management, proxy contests or changes in control.

These provisions also could discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other stockholders to elect directors and take other corporate actions. The existence of these provisions could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock. Some provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may deter third parties from acquiring us, which may limit the market price of our common stock.

We have not paid dividends in the past and do not expect to pay dividends in the future, and any return on investment may be limited to the value of our common stock.

We have never paid dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate paying dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends on our common stock will depend on our earnings, financial condition and other business and economic factors affecting us at such time as our board of directors may consider relevant. Our credit agreement also restricts our ability to pay dividends. If we do not pay dividends, our common stock may be less valuable because a return on your investment will only occur if our stock price appreciates.

Our Board of Directors has the power to issue series of preferred stock and to designate the rights and preferences of these series, which could adversely affect the voting power, dividend, liquidation and other rights of holders of our common stock.

Under our certificate of incorporation, our Board of Directors has the power to issue series of preferred stock and to designate the rights and preferences of those series. Therefore, our Board of Directors may designate a new series of preferred stock with the rights, preferences and privileges that the Board of Directors deems appropriate, including special dividend, liquidation and voting rights. The creation and designation of a new series of preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power, dividend, liquidation and other rights of holders of our common stock and, possibly, any other class or series of stock that is then in existence.

Except for our common stock, there is no public market for the securities that we may offer using this prospectus.

Except for our common shares, no public market exists for the securities that we may offer using this prospectus, and we cannot assure the liquidity of any market that may develop, the ability of the holders of the securities to sell their securities or the price at which the securities may be sold. Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market. We may not apply for listing of any other securities that we may offer using this prospectus on any securities exchange or for quotation through the NASDAQ system. Future trading prices of the securities will depend on many factors including, among others, prevailing interests rates, our operating results and the market for similar securities.

Any debt securities that we may issue could contain covenants that may restrict our ability to obtain financing, and our noncompliance with one of these restrictive covenants could lead to a default on those debt securities and any other indebtedness.

If we issue debt securities covered by this prospectus or any future indebtedness, those securities or future indebtedness may be subject to restrictive covenants, some of which may limit the way in which we can operate our business and significantly restrict our ability to incur additional indebtedness or to issue preferred stock. Noncompliance with any covenants under that indebtedness, unless cured, modified or waived, could lead to a default not only with respect to that indebtedness, but also under any other indebtedness that we may incur. If this were to happen, we might not be able to repay or refinance all of our debt.

If we issue a large amount of debt, it may be more difficult for us to obtain financing, will increase the cost of our debt and may magnify the results of any default under any of our outstanding indebtedness.

The issuance of debt securities could increase our debt-to-equity ratio or leverage, which may in turn make it more difficult for us to obtain future financing. In addition, the issuance of any debt securities will increase the amount of interest we will need to pay, except to the extent that the proceeds from the issuance of debt securities are used to repay other outstanding indebtedness. Finally, our level of indebtedness, and in particular any significant increase in it, may make us more vulnerable if there is a downturn in our business or the economy.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference may contain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business of EnteroMedics. Statements preceded by, followed by or that include words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “continue,” “estimate,” “project,” “believes” or similar expressions are intended to identify some of the forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are included, along with this statement, for purposes of complying with the safe harbor provisions of that Act. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to, among others, the risks and uncertainties described in this prospectus, including under “Risk Factors,” and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Any forward-looking statement contained in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference speaks only as of the date on which the statement is made, and EnteroMedics undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for EnteroMedics to predict all of the factors, nor can EnteroMedics assess the effect of each factor on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities and exercise of warrants under this prospectus to continue work toward regulatory approval of our product in the United States, for international commercialization efforts, for clinical and product development activities and for other working capital and general corporate purposes. The prospectus supplement relating to a particular offering of securities by us will identify the use of proceeds for that offering. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of common stock by the selling stockholders.

RETROACTIVE PRESENTATION FOR CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLE

During the first quarter of 2012, we adopted the accounting standard regarding the presentation of comprehensive income. This standard was issued to increase the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income. We have presented all non-owner changes in stockholders’ equity in two separate, but consecutive statements in our consolidated financial statements. The standard does not change the following: items that must be reported in other comprehensive income, when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income, the requirement to disclose the tax effect for each component of other comprehensive income or how earnings per share is calculated or presented. Our other comprehensive loss relates to changes in unrealized gains (losses) on available for sale investments.

The following presents the retroactive presentation of the accounting standard regarding the presentation of comprehensive income for each of the three years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009:


	2011			2010			2009
Net loss	$	(25,997,322	)	$	(17,347,387	)	$	(31,929,200	)
Change in unrealized gain (loss) on available for sale investments		692			—			(12,988	)

Comprehensive loss	$	(25,996,630	)	$	(17,347,387	)	$	(31,942,188	)

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

Our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each of the years indicated is as follows:


	Year Ended December 31,															Six Months Ended June 30, 2012
	2007			2008			2009			2010			2011			Six Months Ended June 30, 2012
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges		—			—			—			—			—			—
Deficiency of earnings available to cover fixed charges	$	(28,575	)	$	(37,874	)	$	(31,929	)	$	(17,347	)	$	(25,997	)	$	(10,587	)

For purposes of computing these ratios, earnings represent loss before income taxes plus fixed charges and fixed charges represent interest expense, amortization of commitment fees, debt issuance costs and original issue discount and the estimated interest component of rent expense.

In each of the periods presented, there were insufficient earnings available to cover fixed charges. As a result, the ratio of earnings to fixed charges was less than 1.0 for these years. The deficiencies of earnings to fixed charges for these years are presented in the table above.

We have not included a ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends because we do not have any preferred stock outstanding as of the date of this prospectus.

SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

The selling stockholders named in the table below may from time to time offer and sell pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement up to 865,299 shares of our common stock. When we refer to “selling stockholders” in this prospectus, we mean those persons listed in the table below, as well as their transferees, pledgees or donees or their successors.

All of the shares of common stock being registered for resale by the selling stockholders were issued upon conversion of shares of preferred stock issued by us in one or more of the following private placements prior to our initial public offering in November 2007 (the IPO): (i) our Series A Preferred Stock financing, which had multiple closings in 2002 and 2003, (ii) our Series B Preferred Stock financing, which closed in 2005 and (iii) our Series C Preferred Stock financing, which had multiple closings in 2006. All of the shares of preferred stock issued in these private placements automatically converted into shares of our common stock upon the completion of our IPO. All of the selling stockholders’ shares included herein are being registered pursuant to the exercise of certain registration rights held by the selling stockholders. See “Description of Common Stock—Registration Rights.”

The following table sets forth certain information based on information provided to us by or on behalf of the selling stockholders in July 2012. Except as set forth in the table below, none of the selling stockholders has had a material relationship with us within the past three years. The number of shares in the column “Number of Shares Registered for Sale Hereby” represents all of the shares that each selling stockholder may offer under this prospectus. The selling stockholders may sell some, all or none of their shares. In addition, the selling stockholders may have sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of all or a portion of their shares since the date on which they provided the information regarding their shares in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act). For purposes of the table below, we have assumed that the selling stockholders will sell all of their shares offered pursuant to this prospectus and that any other shares of our common stock beneficially owned by the selling stockholders will continue to be beneficially owned.


Selling Stockholders	Number of Shares Beneficially Owned Prior to Offering(1)		Number of Shares Registered for Sale Hereby(2)		Number of Shares to be Owned after Completion of the Offering(3)		Percent of Outstanding Shares to be Owned after Completion of the Offering(4)
Donald C. Harrison, M.D.(5)(8)		563,266		697		500,872		1.3	%
Aberdare II Annex Fund, L.P.(6)		1,202,847		23,513		1,179,334		3.0	%
Aberdare Ventures II (Bermuda), L.P.(6)		4,951		2,670		2,281		*
Aberdare Ventures II, L.P.(6)		238,566		117,741		120,825		*
Bay City Capital Fund IV Co-Investment Fund, L.P.(7)		8,551,857		4,727		8,327,833		21.0	%
Bay City Capital Fund IV, L.P.(7)		8,551,857		219,297		8,327,833		21.0	%
Charter Life Sciences, L.P.(8)		552,362		61,697		490,665		1.2	%
MPM Asset Management Investors 2002 BV3(9)		41,454		5,540		35,914		*
MPM BioVentures III GmbH & Co. Beteiligungs KG(9)		177,310		23,697		153,613		*
MPM BioVentures III L.P.(9)		141,078		18,855		122,223		*
MPM BioVentures III Parallel Fund L.P.(9)		63,391		8,472		54,919		*
MPM BioVentures III-QP L.P.(9)		2,098,250		280,423		1,817,827		4.6	%
Onset V, L.P.(10)		159,789		85,723		74,066		*
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research(11)		298,296		12,247		286,049		*

*	Less than one percent.

(1)

Represents all of the shares beneficially owned by the selling stockholder as of the date of the information provided to us by each holder and includes shares issuable upon the exercise of any warrants and/or stock options owned by the selling stockholder that are exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2012.

(2)	The amounts in this column do not include any shares issuable pursuant to warrants or options, which may be beneficially owned by the selling stockholders as described in footnotes (5) through (11).

(3)

We do not know when or in what amounts the selling stockholders will offer shares for sale, if at all. The selling stockholders may sell any or all of the shares included in and offered by this prospectus. Because the selling stockholders may offer all or some of the shares from time to time pursuant to this prospectus, we cannot estimate the number of shares that will be held by the selling stockholders after completion of the offering. However, for purposes of this table, we have assumed that after completion of the offering, none of the shares included in and covered by this prospectus will be held by the selling stockholders.

(4)	Based on 39,667,121 shares of common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2012.

(5)

Includes 4,655 shares and 6,249 shares issuable pursuant to options, held by Dr. Harrison, which are exercisable currently or within 60 days of June 30, 2012. Dr. Harrison was a member of our Board of Directors from September 2003 through May 5, 2011 and is a Managing Partner of CLS Management, LLC. See footnote (8).

(6)

Paul Klingenstein serves as Manager of Aberdare GP II, which serves as the general partner of Aberdare Ventures II, L.P., which holds 238,566 shares, Aberdare Ventures II (Bermuda), L.P., which holds 4,951 shares, and Aberdare II Annex Fund, L.P., which holds 693,251 shares and 509,596 warrants exercisable currently or within 60 days of June 30, 2012, and has shared voting and investment control with respect to the 936,768 shares and 509,596 warrants exercisable currently or within 60 days of June 30, 2012, and may be deemed to own beneficially such shares. Mr. Klingenstein is a member of our Board of Directors and has sole voting and dispositive power of 58,668 shares.

(7)

Bay City Capital Fund IV, L.P. (Fund IV) holds 4,800,965 shares and 3,554,848 shares issuable pursuant to warrants exercisable currently or within 60 days of June 30, 2012. Bay City Capital Fund IV Co-Investment Fund, L.P. (Co-Investment IV) holds 103,485 shares and 76,623 shares issuable pursuant to warrants exercisable currently or within 60 days of June 30, 2012. Fund IV, Co-Investment IV and Bay City Capital Management IV LLC (Management IV) each have shared voting power and shared dispositive power of a total of 4,904,450 shares and 3,631,471 warrants exercisable currently or within 60 days of June 30, 2012. Bay City Capital LLC (BCC) is the manager of Management IV, which is the general partner of Fund IV and Co-Investment IV. BCC is also an advisor to Fund IV and Co-Invesment IV. Carl Goldfischer, a Managing Director of BCC and a member of Management IV, is a member of our Board of Directors and has sole voting and dispositive power of 15,936 shares.

(8)

CLS Partners, L.P. is the General Partner of Charter Life Sciences, L.P. The General Partner of CLS Partners, L.P. is CLS Management, LLC (CLS Management). The Managing Partners of CLS Management are A. Barr Dolan, Fred M. Schwarzer, Dr. Nelson Teng and Dr. Donald C. Harrison. CLS Management has voting and investment power of the 335,560 shares and 216,802 warrants held by Charter Life Sciences, L.P., which are exercisable currently or within 60 days of June 30, 2012. Dr. Harrison is a member of our Board of Directors and has sole voting and dispositive power of 10,904 shares. See footnote (5).

(9)

MPM BioVentures III, L.P. (BV III) has the sole power to vote and sole power to dispose of 93,424 shares and 47,654 warrants exercisable currently or within 60 days of June 30, 2012, MPM BioVentures III-QP, L.P. (BV III QP) has the sole power to vote and sole power to dispose of 1,389,482 shares and 708,768 warrants exercisable currently or within 60 days of June 30, 2012, MPM BioVentures III Parallel Fund L.P. (BV III PF) has the sole power to vote and sole power to dispose of 41,979 shares and 21,412 warrants exercisable currently or within 60 days of June 30, 2012, MPM BioVentures III GmbH & Co. Beteiligungs KG (BV III KG) has the sole power to vote and sole power to dispose of 117,417 shares and 59,893 warrants exercisable currently or within 60 days of June 30, 2012, and MPM Asset Management Investors 2002 BVIII LLC (AM LLC) has the sole power to vote and sole power to dispose of 27,452 shares and 14,002 warrants. MPM BioVentures III GP, L.P. (BV III GP) and MPM BioVentures III LLC (BV III LLC) each have shared power to vote and shared power to dispose of 1,669,754 shares and 851,729 warrants. BV III GP and BV III LLC are the direct and indirect general partners of BV III QP, BV III, BV III PF and BV III KG. Luke Evnin, Ansbert Gadicke, Nicholas Galakatos, Michael Steinmetz, Kurt Wheeler, Nicholas Simon III, and Dennis Henner each have shared power to vote and shared power to dispose of the shares and

warrants held by these funds. Dr. Evnin and Messrs. Gadicke, Galakatos, Steinmetz, Wheeler, Simon and Henner are each a member of BV III LLC and a manager of AM LLC, and each disclaims beneficial ownership of all such shares except to the extent of his proportionate pecuniary interests therein. Dr. Evnin is a member of our Board of Directors and has sole voting and dispositive power of 15,936 shares.

(10)

Onset V Management, LLC is the General Partner of Onset V, L.P. and has sole voting and investment power over the 159,789 shares held by Onset V, L.P. Terry L. Opdendyk, Robert F. Kuhling, Jr., Susan A. Mason, F. Leslie Bottorff, David A. Lane and Raman Khanna are the Managing Directors of Onset V Management, LLC.

(11)

Includes 20,594 shares held by Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER) and 147,872 shares and 129,830 shares issuable pursuant to warrants exercisable currently or within 60 days of June 30, 2012 held by Mayo Clinic. MFMER and/or its affiliates have existing license agreements and consultant agreements with EnteroMedics, under which they have received equity, royalties and/or other payments from us. MFMER has an existing consulting agreement with one of our officers. In addition, consistent with Mayo conflict-of-interest policies and procedures, Mayo Clinic and/or its affiliates have participated in preclinical and clinical research activities sponsored by us. Harry N. Hoffman, III has voting and dispositive power with respect to these shares.

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

The following summary of the terms of the common stock we may offer using this prospectus does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our Fifth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (certificate of incorporation), and Amended and Restated Bylaws (bylaws) copies of which have been previously filed by us with the SEC and are incorporated by reference in this prospectus. See “Incorporation of Documents by Reference.”

General

Our authorized capital stock consists of 125,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share. As of June 30, 2012, we had 39,667,121 shares of common stock outstanding. As of June 30, 2012, we had an aggregate of 3,632,544 shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding stock options granted under our 2003 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended, and an aggregate of 23,387,377 shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding common stock warrants.

The holders of our common stock are generally entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders and do not have any cumulative voting rights. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive proportionally any dividends declared by our Board of Directors, subject to any preferential dividend rights of outstanding preferred stock.

The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of our common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

In the event of our liquidation or dissolution, holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of all debts and other liabilities, subject to the prior rights of any outstanding preferred stock. Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. All outstanding shares of our common stock are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The shares to be issued by us in this offering will be, when issued and paid for, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

Registration Rights

As of the date of this prospectus, certain of our holders of common stock and holders of warrants to purchase common stock have a right to require us to register their shares under the Securities Act under the

circumstances set forth below. After registration pursuant to these rights, these shares will become freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act. The following description of the terms and registration rights provisions of the investor rights agreement is intended as a summary only and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the investor rights agreement which has been previously filed by us with the SEC and is incorporated by reference in this prospectus. See “Incorporation of Documents by Reference.”

Demand Registration Rights. On no more than one occasion during any twelve-month period, the holders of at least 50% of our registrable shares have the right to request that we register all or a portion of the registrable shares then held by the requesting stockholders, provided that the shares requested to be registered have an aggregate value of at least $5.0 million. Such a registration is referred to as a demand registration and we are required to use our best efforts to cause any such demand registration to become effective under the Securities Act. The demand registration rights will cease after we have effected two such demand registrations. In addition to the demand registration rights, the holders of registrable shares will have the right to request that we register on Form S-3 all or a portion of the registrable shares held by them, provided that the holders propose to sell registrable securities at an aggregate price of at least $1.0 million (less any underwriter discounts or fees) pursuant to such registration statement on Form S-3. Such registration is referred to as a Form S-3 registration. We will not be obligated to effect a demand registration or a Form S-3 registration within 180 calendar days of the effective date of an immediately preceding Form S-3 registration of our securities.

Incidental Registration Rights. If we propose to register shares of our common stock under the Securities Act (other than a registration relating solely to the initial public offering of our securities, the sale of securities of participants in our stock option plan, a registration relating to a corporate reorganization or transaction under Rule 145 of the Securities Act, a registration on any form that does not include substantially the same information as would be required to be included in a registration statement covering the sale of registrable securities, or a registration in which the only common stock being registered is common stock issuable upon conversion of debt securities that are also being registered), the holders of registrable shares will have the right to require us to register all or a portion of the registrable shares then held by them. In the event that any registration in which the holders of registrable shares participate pursuant to the registration rights agreement is an underwritten public offering, the number of registrable shares to be included may, in specified circumstances, be limited due to market conditions.

The registration rights described in the investor rights agreement are subject to customary restrictions such as minimums, blackout periods and, if a registration is underwritten, any limitations on the number of shares to be included in the underwritten offering imposed by the managing underwriter. The investor rights agreement also contains customary indemnification and contribution provisions.

All expenses of registration under the investor rights agreement, including the legal fees of one counsel for the holders, but excluding underwriting discounts and commissions will be paid by us. The investor rights agreement is governed by Delaware law.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Delaware Law and Certain Provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

We have elected to be governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which generally will have an anti-takeover effect for transactions not approved in advance by our Board of Directors, including discouraging attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for our common stock. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly-held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that the stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. A “business combination” includes, among other things, a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or did own within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder

status, 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock. Under Section 203, a business combination between a corporation and an interested stockholder is prohibited unless it satisfies one of the following conditions:

•

before the stockholder became interested, the board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

•

upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding, shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers, and employee stock plans, in some instances; or

•

at or after the time the stockholder became interested, the business combination was approved by the board and authorized at a stockholder meeting by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested stockholder.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide for the Board to be divided into three classes of directors serving staggered, three-year terms. The classification of the Board has the effect of requiring at least two annual stockholder meetings, instead of one, to replace a majority of members of the Board. Subject to the rights of the holders of any outstanding series of preferred stock, our certificate of incorporation will authorize only the Board to fill vacancies, including newly created directorships. Accordingly, this provision could prevent a stockholder from obtaining majority representation on the Board by enlarging the Board of Directors and filling the new directorships with its own nominees. Our certificate of incorporation will also provide that directors may be removed by stockholders only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our voting stock.

Under our bylaws, any vacancy on our Board of Directors resulting from an enlargement of our Board or the death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or other cause (other than removal for cause), may only be filled by vote of a majority of our directors then in office, even if less than a quorum. The limitations on the removal of directors and filling of vacancies could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or of discouraging a third party from attempting to acquire, control of us.

The affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of our voting stock is required to amend or repeal or to adopt any provisions inconsistent with any of the provisions of our certificate of incorporation or bylaws described in the prior two paragraphs.

Our certificate of incorporation provides that stockholders may not take any action by written consent in lieu of a meeting and our bylaws limit the business that may be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders to those matters properly brought before the meeting. In addition, our bylaws provide that only our Board of Directors or our chairman may call a special meeting of stockholders. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders must be limited to matters relating to the purpose stated in the notice of the special meeting.

To be “properly brought” before an annual meeting, the proposals or nominations must be:

•

specified in the notice of meeting;

•

brought before the meeting by or at the direction of our Board of Directors; or

•

brought before the meeting by a stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting who has given to our corporate secretary the required advance written notice, in proper form, of the stockholder’s intention to bring that proposal or nomination before the meeting and who was a stockholder of record on the date on which notice is given.

In addition to other applicable requirements, for a stockholder proposal or nomination to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder generally must have given notice in proper

written form to our corporate secretary not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders. In the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or the annual meeting is called for a date that is not within 30 days from the anniversary date of the preceding year’s annual meeting date, written notice by a stockholder in order to be timely must be received not later than the 10th day following the day on which the first public disclosure of the date of the annual meeting was made. Although our bylaws do not give our Board of Directors the power to approve or disapprove stockholder nominations of candidates or proposals regarding other business to be conducted at a special or annual meeting, our bylaws may have the effect of precluding the consideration of some business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed or may discourage or defer a potential acquiror from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us.

Delaware law provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote on any matter is required to amend a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, unless the certificate of incorporation or bylaws require a greater percentage. Our bylaws may be amended or repealed by a majority vote of our Board of Directors, subject to any limitations set forth in the bylaws, and may also be amended or repealed by the stockholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes that all the stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors. The majority stockholder vote would be in addition to any separate class vote that might in the future be required pursuant to the terms of any series of preferred stock that might be outstanding at the time any of these amendments are submitted to stockholders.

Liability Limitations and Indemnification

Our bylaws provide that we must indemnify our directors and officers and that we must advance expenses, including attorneys’ fees, to our directors and officers in connection with legal proceedings, subject to very limited exceptions. In addition, our certificate of incorporation provides that our directors will not be personally liable for monetary damages to us for breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors, except to the extent that the Delaware law statute prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of directors for breaches of fiduciary duty.

These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duties. These provisions may also have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, you may lose some or all of your investment in our common stock if we pay the costs of settlement or damage awards against our directors and officers under these provisions. We believe these provisions, the director and officer insurance we maintain, and the indemnification agreements we have entered into with our directors and officers are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced directors and officers.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Wells Fargo Bank, National Association.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

This section summarizes the general terms and provisions of the preferred stock that we may offer using this prospectus. This section is only a summary and does not purport to be complete. You must look at our certificate of incorporation and the relevant certificate of designations for a full understanding of all the rights and preferences of any series of preferred stock. Our certificate of incorporation and the certificates of designations have been or will be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for information on how to obtain copies.

A prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of any particular series of preferred stock offered under that prospectus supplement, including any of the terms in this section that will not apply to that series of preferred stock, and any special considerations, including tax considerations, applicable to investing in that series of preferred stock.

General

Pursuant to our certificate of incorporation, we currently have authorized 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share. We do not have any shares of preferred stock outstanding as of the date of this prospectus.

Prior to issuance of shares of each series of our undesignated preferred stock, our Board of Directors is required by the Delaware General Corporate Law and our certificate of incorporation to adopt resolutions and file a certificate of designations with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, fixing for each such series the designations, powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the shares of such series. Our Board of Directors could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock with terms and conditions which could have the effect of discouraging a takeover or other transaction which holders of some, or a majority, of such shares might believe to be in their best interests or in which holders of some, or a majority, of such shares might receive a premium for their shares over the then-market price of such shares.

Subject to limitations prescribed by the Delaware General Corporation Law, our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws, our Board of Directors is authorized to fix the number of shares constituting each series of preferred stock and the designations, powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the shares of such series, including such provisions as may be desired concerning voting, redemption, dividends, dissolution or the distribution of assets, conversion or exchange, and such other subjects or matters as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors. Each series of preferred stock that we offer under this prospectus will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable and will not have, or be subject to, any preemptive or similar rights.

The applicable prospectus supplement(s) will describe the following terms of the series of preferred stock in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered:

•

the title and stated value of the preferred stock;

•

the number of shares of the preferred stock offered, the liquidation preference per share and the purchase price of the preferred stock;

•

the dividend rate(s), period(s) and/or payment date(s) or the method(s) of calculation for dividends;

•

whether dividends shall be cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends on the preferred stock shall accumulate;

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the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any, for the preferred stock;

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the provisions for a sinking fund, if any, for the preferred stock;

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the provisions for redemption, if applicable, of the preferred stock;

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any listing of the preferred stock on any securities exchange or market;

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the terms and conditions, if applicable, upon which the preferred stock will be convertible into common stock or another series of our preferred stock, including the conversion price (or its manner of calculation) and conversion period;

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the terms and conditions, if applicable, upon which preferred stock will be exchangeable into our debt securities, including the exchange price, or its manner of calculation, and exchange period;

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voting rights, if any, of the preferred stock;

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a discussion of any material and/or special U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the preferred stock;

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the relative ranking and preferences of the preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs;

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any limitations on issuance of any series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs; and

•

any other specific terms, preferences, rights, limitations or restrictions on the preferred stock.

Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the preferred stock will rank:

•

senior to all classes or series of our common stock, and to all equity securities issued by us the terms of which specifically provide that such equity securities rank junior to the preferred stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of us;

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on a parity with all equity securities issued by us that do not rank senior or junior to the preferred stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of us; and

•

junior to all equity securities issued by us the terms of which do not specifically provide that such equity securities rank on a parity with or junior to the preferred stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of us (including any entity with which we may be merged or consolidated or to which all or substantially all of our assets may be transferred or which transfers all or substantially all of our assets).

As used for these purposes, the term “equity securities” does not include convertible debt securities.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for any series of preferred stock will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Certain Provisions of Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

For a description of some additional provisions of our articles of incorporation and bylaws, see “Description of Common Stock — Anti-Takeover Effects of Delaware Law and Certain Provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.”

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

This section describes the general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer using this prospectus and the related indenture. This section is only a summary and does not purport to be complete. You must look to the relevant form of debt security and the related indenture for a full understanding of all terms of any series of debt securities. The form of debt security and the related indenture have been or will be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for information on how to obtain copies.

A prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of any particular series of debt securities offered under that prospectus supplement, including any of the terms in this section that will not apply to that series, and any special considerations, including tax considerations, applicable to investing in those debt securities. In some instances, certain of the precise terms of debt securities you are offered may be described in a further prospectus supplement, known as a pricing supplement. If information in a prospectus supplement is inconsistent with the information in this prospectus, then the information in the prospectus supplement will apply and, where applicable, supersede the information in this prospectus.

The amount of debt securities we may offer using this prospectus will be limited to the amount of securities described on the cover of this prospectus that we have not already issued or reserved for issuance. We may also

issue debt securities pursuant to the related indentures in transactions that are exempt from the registration requirements of securities laws. We will not consider those debt securities in determining the aggregate amount of securities issued under this prospectus.

Description of Senior Debt Securities

General

This section summarizes the general terms and provisions of the senior debt securities that may be offered by this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the series of the senior debt securities offered under that prospectus supplement and any general terms outlined in this section that will not apply to those senior debt securities. Because this is only a summary, it does not contain all of the details found in the full text of the senior indenture and the senior debt securities. If you would like additional information, you should read the form of senior indenture and the form of senior debt securities.

We will issue the senior debt securities from time to time in one or more series. Senior debt securities issued under the senior indenture will be issued as part of a series that we have established pursuant to the senior indenture. The form of the senior indenture is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and in this section, we include references in parentheses to specific sections of that form of indenture. The debt securities may be issued either separately, together with, upon conversion of or in exchange for other securities.

Ranking

The senior debt securities will be our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank equally and ratably with our other current and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The senior debt securities will be effectively subordinated to all of our secured debt (as to the collateral pledged to secure this debt). As of June 30, 2012, we had $10.0 million secured debt outstanding. The indenture will not limit the total amount of secured or unsecured debt that we may incur.

Terms

The prospectus supplement, including any separate pricing supplement, relating to a series of senior debt securities that we offer using this prospectus will describe the following terms of that series, if applicable:

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the title of the offered senior debt securities;

•

any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the offered senior debt securities;

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the person or persons to whom interest on the offered senior debt securities will be payable if other than the persons in whose names the senior debt securities are registered;

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the date or dates on which the principal of the offered senior debt securities will be payable;

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the rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, and/or the method of determination of the rate or rates at which the offered senior debt securities will bear interest, if any;

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the date or dates from which interest, if any, will accrue, the interest payment dates on which interest will be payable and the regular record date for any interest payable on any interest payment date;

•

the place or places where

–

the principal of or any premium or interest on the offered senior debt securities will be payable;

–

registration of transfer may be effected;

–

exchanges may be effected; and

–

notices and demands to or upon us may be served;

•

the security registrar for the offered senior debt securities and, if such is the case, that the principal of the offered senior debt securities will be payable without presentment or surrender thereof;

•

the period or periods within which, or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which any of the offered senior debt securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at our option;

•

our obligation or obligations, if any, to redeem or purchase any of the offered senior debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or other mandatory redemption provisions or provisions for redemption at the option of the holder, and the period or periods within which, or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which any of the offered senior debt securities will be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to that obligation, and applicable exceptions to the requirements of a notice of redemption in the case of mandatory redemption or redemption at the option of the holder;

•

the denominations in which the offered senior debt securities will be issuable, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

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if other than the currency of the United States, the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on the offered senior debt securities will be payable;

•

if the principal of or any premium or interest on any of the offered senior debt securities will be payable, at the election of us or the holder, in a coin or currency other than in which the offered senior debt securities are stated to be payable, the period or periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which, the election will be made;

•

if the principal of or any premium or interest on the offered senior debt securities will be payable, or will be payable at the election of us or a holder, in securities or other property, the type and amount of securities or other property, or the formula or other method or other means by which the amount will be determined, and the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, any such election may be made;

•

if the amount of payment of principal of or any premium or interest on the offered senior debt securities may be determined with reference to an index or other fact or event ascertainable outside the indenture, the manner in which the amounts will be determined;

•

if other than the principal amount of the offered senior debt securities, the amount which will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity;

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any addition to the events of default applicable to the offered senior debt securities and any addition to our covenants for the benefit of the holders of the offered senior debt securities;

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the terms, if any, pursuant to which the offered senior debt securities may be converted into or exchanged for shares of our capital stock or other securities of any other person;

•

the obligations or instruments, if any, which will be considered to be a security that could be used to satisfy and discharge offered senior debt securities denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars or in a composite currency, pursuant to the procedures discussed in “—Defeasance” below, and any additional or alternative provisions for the reinstatement of our indebtedness in respect of these senior debt securities after its satisfaction and discharge;

•

if the offered senior debt securities will be issued in global form, any limitations on the rights of the holder to transfer or exchange the same or obtain the registration of transfer and to obtain certificates in definitive form in lieu of temporary form, and any and all other matters incidental to such senior debt securities;

•

if the offered senior debt securities will be issuable as bearer securities;

•

any limitations on the rights of the holders of the offered senior debt securities to transfer or exchange the senior debt securities or to obtain the registration of transfer, and if a service charge will be made for the registration of transfer or exchange of the offered senior debt securities, the amount or terms thereof;

•

any exceptions to the provisions governing payments due on legal holidays or any variations in the definition of business day with respect to the offered senior debt securities; and

•

any other terms of the offered senior debt securities, or any tranche thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of the indenture. (Section 301)

Although senior debt securities offered by this prospectus will be issued under the senior indenture, there is no requirement that we issue future senior debt securities under the senior indenture. Accordingly, we may use other indentures or documentation containing different provisions in connection with future issuances of our debt.

We may issue the senior debt securities as original issue discount securities, which will be offered and sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. The prospectus supplement relating to those senior debt securities will describe the federal income tax consequences and other special considerations applicable to them. In addition, if we issue any senior debt securities denominated in foreign currencies or currency units, the prospectus supplement relating to those senior debt securities will also describe any federal income tax consequences and other special considerations applicable to those senior debt securities.

The senior indenture does not contain covenants or other provisions designed to afford holders of senior debt securities protection in the event of a highly-leveraged transaction or a change of control involving us. If this protection is provided for the offered senior debt securities, we will describe the applicable provisions in the prospectus supplement relating to those senior debt securities.

Form, Exchange and Transfer

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement specifies otherwise, we will issue the senior debt securities only in fully registered form without interest coupons and in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. (Sections 201 and 302)

At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the senior indenture and the limitations applicable to global securities, senior debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other senior debt securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount. (Section 305)

Subject to the terms of the senior indenture and the limitations applicable to global securities, holders may present senior debt securities for exchange as provided above and for registration of transfer at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for that purpose. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, no service charge will be required for any registration of transfer or exchange of senior debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge associated with the transfer or exchange. Senior debt securities presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange must (if so required by us, the senior trustee or the security registrar) be duly endorsed or accompanied by an executed written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to us, the senior trustee or the security registrar. (Section 305) Any transfer agent (in addition to the security registrar) initially designated by us for the offered senior debt securities will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. 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. We are required to maintain a transfer agent in each

place of payment for the senior debt securities of a particular series. We may maintain an office that performs the functions of the transfer agent. (Section 602) Unless the applicable prospectus supplement specifies otherwise, the senior trustee will act as security registrar and transfer agent with respect to each series of senior debt securities offered by this prospectus.

We will not be required to execute or register the transfer or exchange of senior debt securities, or any tranche thereof, during a period of 15 days preceding the notice to be given identifying the senior debt securities called for redemption, or any senior debt securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any senior debt securities being redeemed in part. (Section 305)

If a senior debt security is issued as a global security, only the depositary or its nominee as the sole holder of the senior debt security will be entitled to transfer and exchange the senior debt security as described in this prospectus under “—Global Securities.”

Payment and Paying Agent

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, we will pay interest on the offered senior debt securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the senior debt security is registered at the close of business on the regular record date. (Section 307)

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, we will pay the principal of and any premium and interest on the offered senior debt securities at the office of the paying agent or paying agents as we may designate for that purpose from time to time. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, the corporate trust office of the senior trustee in New York, New York will be our sole paying agent for payment for each series of senior debt securities. Any other paying agents initially designated by us for the senior debt securities of a particular series will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts. We are required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the senior debt securities of a particular series. (Section 602)

Any moneys deposited by us with the senior trustee or any paying agent for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any offered senior debt securities which remain unclaimed at the end of two years after the applicable payment has become due and payable will be paid to us. The holder of that senior debt security, as an unsecured general creditor and not as a holder, thereafter may look only to us for the payment. (Section 603)

Redemption

Any terms for the optional or mandatory redemption of the offered senior debt securities will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement with respect to senior debt securities that are redeemable at the option of the holder, the offered senior debt securities will be redeemable only upon notice by mail not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date. If less than all the senior debt securities of a series are to be redeemed, the particular senior debt securities to be redeemed will be selected by the securities registrar by the method as provided for in the terms of the particular series, or in the absence of any such provision, by such method of random selection as the security registrar deems fair and appropriate. (Sections 403 and 404)

Any notice of redemption at our option may state that the redemption will be conditional upon receipt by the paying agent or agents, on or prior to the redemption date, of money sufficient to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on the offered senior debt securities. If sufficient money has not been so received, the notice will be of no force and effect and we will not be required to redeem the senior debt securities. (Section 404)

Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance or Other Transfer

Under the terms of the senior indenture, we may not consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or convey, transfer or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any person, unless:

•

the corporation formed by the consolidation or into which we are merged or the person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, our properties and assets substantially as an entirety is a person organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and assumes our obligations on the senior debt securities and under the senior indenture;

•

immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Event of Default (as defined below) shall have occurred and be continuing; and

•

we have delivered to the senior trustee an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel as provided in the senior indenture. (Section 1101)

Events of Default

Each of the following will constitute an “Event of Default” under the senior indenture with respect to any series of senior debt securities:

•

failure to pay any interest on any senior debt securities of that series within 60 days after the same becomes due and payable;

•

failure to pay principal of or premium, if any, on any senior debt securities of that series within three business days after the same becomes due and payable;

•

failure to perform or breach of any of our other covenants or warranties in the senior indenture (other than a covenant or warranty in the senior indenture solely for the benefit of a series of senior debt securities other than that series) for 60 days after written notice to us by the senior trustee, or to us and the senior trustee by the holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of that series, as provided in the senior indenture;

•

the occurrence of events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization relating to us; and

•

any other Event of Default specified in the applicable prospectus supplement with respect to senior debt securities of a particular series. (Section 801)

An Event of Default with respect to a series of senior debt securities may not necessarily constitute an Event of Default with respect to senior debt securities of any other series issued under the senior indenture.

If an Event of Default with respect to any series of senior debt securities occurs and is continuing, then either the senior trustee or the holders of not less than 33% in principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of that series may declare the principal amount (or if the senior debt securities of that series are original issue discount securities, such portion of the principal amount thereof as may be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement) of all of the senior debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. However, if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to more than one series of senior debt securities, the senior trustee or the holders of not less than 33% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of all such series, considered as one class, may make the declaration of acceleration and not the holders of the senior debt securities of any one of such series. (Section 802) There is no automatic acceleration, even in the event of our bankruptcy or insolvency.

Subject to the provisions of the senior indenture relating to the duties of the senior trustee in case an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the senior trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the senior indenture at the request or direction of any holder, unless the holder has offered to the senior trustee reasonable security or indemnity. (Section 903) Subject to the provisions of the

indemnification of the senior trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding senior 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 senior trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the senior trustee, with respect to the senior debt securities of that series; provided, however, that if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to more than one series of senior debt securities, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of all those series, considered as one class, will have this right, and not the holders of any one series of senior debt securities. (Section 812)

No holder of senior debt securities of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding related to the senior indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or a senior trustee, or for any other remedy thereunder, unless:

•

the holder has previously given written notice to the senior trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the senior debt securities of that series;

•

the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of that series have made written request to the senior trustee, and offered reasonable indemnity to the senior trustee, to institute the proceeding as senior trustee; and

•

the senior trustee has failed to institute the proceeding, and has not received from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of that series a direction inconsistent with such request, within 60 days after the notice, request and offer. (Section 807)

Notwithstanding the provisions described in the immediately preceding paragraph or any other provision of the senior indenture, the holder of any senior debt security will have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal and any premium and interest on that senior debt security and to institute suit for enforcement of any payment, and that right will not be impaired without consent of that holder. (Section 808)

We will be required to furnish to the senior trustee annually, not later than October in each year, a statement by an appropriate officer as to the officer’s knowledge of our compliance with all conditions and covenants under the senior indenture, such compliance to be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice under the indenture. (Section 606)

Right to Cure

At any time after the declaration of acceleration with respect to a series of senior debt securities has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained, the Event or Events of Default giving rise to the declaration of acceleration will, without further act, be deemed to have been waived, and the declaration and its consequences will, without further act, be deemed to have been rescinded and annulled, if:

•

we have paid or deposited with the senior trustee a sum sufficient to pay:

–

all overdue interest, if any, on all senior debt securities of that series;

–

the principal of and premium, if any, on any senior debt securities of that series which have become due, otherwise than by that declaration of acceleration, and interest thereon at the rate or rates prescribed in the senior debt securities;

–

interest upon overdue interest, if any, at the rate or rates prescribed in the senior debt securities, to the extent payment of that interest is lawful; and

–

all amounts due to the senior trustee under the senior indenture; and

•

any other Event of Default with respect to the senior debt securities of that series, other than the non-payment of the principal of the senior debt securities of that series which has become due solely by the declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in the senior indenture. (Section 802)

Modification and Waiver

Without the consent of any holder of senior debt securities, we and the senior trustee may enter into one or more supplemental indentures to the senior indenture for any of the following purposes:

•

to evidence the assumption by any permitted successor to us of our covenants under the senior indenture and the senior debt securities;

•

to add to our covenants or other provisions for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of outstanding senior debt securities or to surrender any right or power conferred upon us by the senior indenture;

•

to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of outstanding senior debt securities;

•

to change or eliminate any provision of the senior indenture or to add any new provision to the senior indenture, provided that if the change, elimination or addition will adversely affect the interests of the holders of any series of senior debt securities in any material respect, that change, elimination or addition will become effective with respect to that series only when the consent of the holders of that series so affected has been obtained or when there is no outstanding senior debt security of that series under the senior indenture;

•

to provide collateral security for the senior debt securities;

•

to establish the form or terms of any series of senior debt securities as permitted by the senior indenture;

•

to provide for the authentication and delivery of bearer securities and coupons appertaining to the bearer securities representing interest, if any, on the bearer securities and for the procedures for the registration, exchange and replacement of those bearer securities and for giving of notice to, and the solicitation of the vote or consent of, the holders of those bearer securities and for any and all other matters incidental to the bearer securities;

•

to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment of a separate or successor senior trustee under the senior indenture with respect to senior debt securities of one or more series and to add or to change any of the provisions of the senior indenture as will be necessary to provide for or to facilitate the administration of the senior indenture by more than one senior trustee;

•

to provide for the procedures required to permit the utilization of a noncertificated system of registration for any series of senior debt securities;

•

to change any place where

–

the principal of and any premium and interest on any senior debt securities will be payable;

–

any senior debt securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange; or

–

notices and demands to or upon us in respect of the senior debt securities and senior indenture may be served; or

•

to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any defective or inconsistent provision or to make or change any other provisions with respect to matters and questions arising under the senior indenture, provided that such action does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of senior debt securities of any series in any material respect. (Section 1201)

The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of any series may waive our compliance with some restrictive provisions of the senior indenture. (Section 607) The holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of any series may waive any past default under the senior indenture with respect to that series, except a default:

•

in the payment of principal, premium or interest; and

•

related to certain covenants and provisions of the senior indenture that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding senior debt security of the series affected. (Section 813)

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if the Trust Indenture Act is amended after the date of the senior indenture in such a way as to require changes to the senior indenture or the incorporation of additional provisions or so as to permit changes to, or the elimination of provisions which, at the date of the senior indenture or at any time thereafter, were required by the Trust Indenture Act to be contained in the senior indenture, the senior indenture will be deemed to have been amended so as to conform to such amendment or to effect such changes or elimination. We and the senior trustee may, without the consent of any holders, enter into one or more supplemental indentures to evidence or effect such amendment. (Section 1201)

Except as provided above, the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the senior debt securities of all series then outstanding, considered as one class, is required for the purpose of adding any provisions to, or changing in any manner, or eliminating any of the provisions of the senior indenture pursuant to one or more supplemental indentures. However, if less than all of the series of outstanding senior debt securities are directly affected by a proposed supplemental indenture, then the consent only of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding senior debt securities of all series so directly affected, considered as one class, will be required. Further, if the senior debt securities of any series have been issued in more than one tranche and if the proposed supplemental indenture directly affects the rights of the holders of one or more, but less than all, tranches, then the consent only of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of all tranches so directly affected, considered as one class, will be required.

Without the consent of each holder of senior debt securities affected by the modification, no supplemental indenture may:

•

change the stated maturity of the principal of or any installment of principal of or interest on, any senior debt security;

•

reduce the principal amount of the senior debt security;

•

reduce the rate of interest on the senior debt security (or the amount of any installment of interest thereon) or change the method of calculating the rate;

•

reduce any premium payable upon redemption of the senior debt security;

•

reduce the amount of the principal of any original issue discount senior security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of maturity;

•

change the coin or currency (or other property) in which any senior debt security or any premium or the interest thereon is payable;

•

impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the stated maturity of any senior debt security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the redemption date);

•

reduce the percentage in principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of any series, or any tranche thereof, required for the authorization of any such supplemental indenture, or required for the authorization of any waiver of compliance with any provision of the senior indenture or any default thereunder and its consequences, or reduce the requirements for quorum or voting; or

•

modify certain of the provisions of the senior indenture relating to supplemental indentures, waivers of certain covenants and waivers of past defaults with respect to the senior debt securities of any series, or any tranche thereof.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of the senior indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of senior debt

securities or one or more tranches thereof, or modifies the rights of the holders of senior debt securities of that series or tranche with respect to such covenant or other provision, will be deemed not to affect the rights under the senior indenture of the holders of the senior debt securities of any other series or tranche. (Section 1202)

The senior indenture provides that in determining whether the holders of the requisite principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver under the senior indenture as of any date, or whether or not a quorum is present at a meeting of holders:

•

senior debt securities owned by us or any other obligor upon the senior debt securities or any affiliate of ours or of such other obligor (unless we, the affiliate or the obligor own all securities outstanding under the senior indenture, or all outstanding senior debt securities of each such series and each such tranche, as the case may be, determined without regard to this clause) will be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding;

•

the principal amount of an original issue discount security that will be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes will be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof, as provided in the senior indenture; and

•

the principal amount of a senior debt security denominated in one or more foreign currencies or a composite currency that will be deemed to be outstanding will be the U.S. dollar equivalent, determined as of such date in the manner prescribed for such senior debt security, of the principal amount of the senior debt security (or, in the case of a senior debt security described in second bullet above, of the amount described in that clause). (Section 101)

If we solicit from holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or other action, we may, at our option, by company order, fix in advance a record date for the determination of holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or other action. If a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or other action may be given before or after that record date, but only the holders of record at the close of business on the record date will be deemed to be holders for the purposes of determining whether holders of the requisite proportion of the outstanding senior debt securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or other action, and for that purpose the outstanding senior debt securities will be computed as of the record date. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or other action of a holder will bind every future holder of the same senior debt security and the holder of every senior debt security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the senior trustee or us in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of that action is made upon the senior debt security. (Section 104)

Defeasance

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement otherwise indicates, any senior debt securities, or any portion of the principal amount thereof, will be deemed to have been paid for purposes of the senior indenture, and, at our election, our entire indebtedness in respect of the senior debt securities will be deemed to have been satisfied and discharged, if there has been irrevocably deposited with the senior trustee or any paying agent (other than us), in trust:

(a)

money in an amount which will be sufficient, or

(b)

eligible obligations (as described below), which do not contain provisions permitting the redemption or other prepaying at the option of the issuer thereof, the principal of and the interest on which when due, without any regard to reinvestment thereof, will provide monies which, together with money, if any, deposited with or held by the senior trustee or the paying agent, will be sufficient, or

(c)

a combination of (a) and (b) which will be sufficient, to pay when due the principal of and any premium and interest due and to become due on the senior debt securities or portions thereof. (Section 701)

For this purpose, unless the applicable prospectus supplement otherwise indicates, eligible obligations include direct obligations of, or obligations unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States, entitled to the benefit of the full faith and credit thereof, and certificates, depositary receipts or other instruments which evidence a direct ownership interest in such obligations or in any specific interest or principal payments due in respect thereof. (Section 101)

Resignation of Senior Trustee

The senior trustee may resign at any time by giving written notice to us or may be removed at any time by act of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of a series. No resignation or removal of the senior trustee and no appointment of a successor senior trustee will become effective until the acceptance of appointment by a successor senior trustee in accordance with the requirements of the senior indenture. So long as no Event of Default or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and except with respect to a senior trustee appointed by act of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities, if we have delivered to the senior trustee a board resolution appointing a successor senior trustee and the successor has accepted the appointment in accordance with the terms of the senior indenture, the senior trustee will be deemed to have resigned and the successor will be deemed to have been appointed as senior trustee in accordance with the senior indenture. (Section 910)

Notices

Notices to holders of senior debt securities will be given by mail to the addresses of the holders as they appear in the security register. (Section 106)

Title

We, the senior trustee and any agent of ours or the senior trustee may treat the person in whose name a senior debt security is registered as the absolute owner (whether or not the senior debt security may be overdue) for the purpose of making payment and for all other purposes. (Section 308)

Governing Law

The senior indenture and the senior debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent the law of any other jurisdiction is mandatorily applicable. (Section 112)

Limitation on Suits

The senior indenture limits a holder’s right to institute any proceeding with respect to the senior indenture, the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy under the senior indenture. (Section 807)

Maintenance of Properties

A provision in the senior indenture provides that we will cause (or, with respect to property owned in common with others, make reasonable effort to cause) all our properties used or useful in the conduct of our business to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order and will cause (or, with respect to property owned in common with others, make reasonable effort to cause) to be made all necessary repairs,

renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements, all as, in our judgment, may be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted. However, nothing in this provision will prevent us from discontinuing, or causing the discontinuance of the operation and maintenance of any of our properties if the discontinuance is, in our judgment, desirable in the conduct of our business. (Section 605)

Global Securities

The senior debt securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, a depositary identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The specific terms of the depositary arrangements with respect to a series of senior debt securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. See “—Global Securities.”

Description of Subordinated Debt Securities

General

This section describes the general terms and provisions of the subordinated debt securities that may be offered by this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the series of the subordinated debt securities offered under that prospectus supplement and any general terms outlined in this section that will not apply to those subordinated debt securities. The provisions of the subordinated indenture are substantially identical in substance to the provisions of the senior indenture, except for the subordination provisions described below, for which there are no counterparts in the senior indenture. See “Description of Debt Securities—Description of Senior Debt Securities.” Because this is only a summary, it does not contain all of the details found in the full text of the subordinated indenture and the subordinated debt securities. If you would like additional information you should read the form of subordinated indenture and the form of subordinated debt securities, which have been or will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. In this section, we include references in parentheses to specific sections of that form of indenture.

Subordination

Subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and subject in right of payment, in the manner and to the extent set forth in the subordinated indenture, to the prior payment in full of all Senior Debt. (Section 1501)

If we make a distribution to our creditors as a result of:

•

a liquidation;

•

a dissolution;

•

winding up;

•

a reorganization;

•

an assignment for the benefit of creditors;

•

marshaling of assets and liabilities; or

•

any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceeding involving us;

then, the holders of Senior Debt will first be entitled to receive payment in full in cash of all obligations due on or to become due on or in respect of all Senior Debt, before the holders of subordinated debt securities are entitled to receive any payment or distribution (“Securities Payments”).

Until the Senior Debt is paid in full, any Securities Payment to which the holders of subordinated debt securities would be entitled will be paid or delivered by us or any other person making the payment or distribution, directly to the holders of Senior Debt for application to all of the Senior Debt then due. (Section 1502)

We may not make any payments on the account of the subordinated debt securities, or on account of the purchase or redemption or other acquisition of the subordinated debt securities, if there has occurred and is continuing a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Senior Debt. (Section 1503)

In the event that the subordinated trustee receives any Securities Payment prohibited by the subordination provisions of the subordinated indenture, the payment will be held by the subordinated trustee in trust for the benefit of, and will immediately be paid over upon written request to, the holders of Senior Debt or their representative or representatives, or the trustee or trustees under any applicable indenture for application to the payment of Senior Debt. (Section 1504) The subordination will not prevent the occurrence of any event of default in respect of the subordinated debt securities.

For purposes of the foregoing, “Securities Payments” will be deemed not to include:

•

a payment or distribution of our stock or securities provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment authorized by an order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction in a reorganization proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy law or of any other corporation provided for by such plan of reorganization or readjustment which stock or securities are subordinated in right of payment to all then outstanding Senior Debt to the same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the subordinated debt securities are so subordinated as provided in the subordinated indenture; or

•

payments of assets from any defeasance trust which have been on deposit for 90 consecutive days without the occurrence of blockage of payment on any series of subordinated debt securities as described above. (Section 1502)

By reason of the subordination of the subordinated debt securities, in the event of our insolvency, holders of Senior Debt may receive more, ratably, and holders of the subordinated debt securities having a claim pursuant to such securities may receive less, ratably, than our other creditors. There may also be interruption of scheduled interest and principal payments resulting from events of default on Senior Debt.

Certain Definitions

Set forth below are certain defined terms used in the subordinated indenture. Please refer to the subordinated indenture for a full definition of all such terms.

“Junior Subordinated Debt” means any indebtedness for money that we have borrowed, created or evidenced by an instrument which expressly provides that the indebtedness for money borrowed is subordinated in right of payment to the subordinated debt securities.

“Senior Debt” means all indebtedness for money that we have borrowed, except

•

indebtedness for money borrowed under the subordinated debt securities and junior subordinated debt securities; and

•

indebtedness for money borrowed (including, without limitation, any Junior Subordinated Debt) created or evidenced by an instrument which expressly provides that the indebtedness for money borrowed is subordinated in right of payment to any other indebtedness for money borrowed by us.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, Senior Debt shall not include:

•

any indebtedness for money borrowed incurred for the purchase of goods or materials or for services obtained in the ordinary course of business (other than with the proceeds of revolving credit borrowings permitted by the subordinated indenture). (Section 101)

Global Securities

We may issue a series of debt securities offered by this prospectus, in whole or in part, in the form of one or more global securities, which will have an aggregate principal amount equal to that of the debt securities represented thereby.

Unless it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual debt securities it represents, a global security may be transferred only as a whole:

•

by the applicable depositary to a nominee of the depositary;

•

by any nominee to the depositary itself or another nominee; or

•

by the depositary or any nominee to a successor depositary or any nominee of the successor.

We will describe the specific terms of the depositary arrangement related to a series of debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement. We anticipate that the following provisions will generally apply to depositary arrangements for our debt securities.

Each global security will be registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and will be deposited with the depositary or its nominee or a custodian. The global security will bear a legend regarding the restrictions on exchanges and registration of transfer referred to below and any other matters as may be provided in the indenture.

As long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered holder of the global security, the depositary or nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner and holder of the debt securities represented by the global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture. Except in limited circumstances, owners of beneficial interests in a global security:

•

will not be entitled to have the global security or any of the underlying debt securities registered in their names;

•

will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of any of the underlying debt securities in definitive form; and

•

will not be considered to be the owners or holders under the indenture relating to those debt securities.

All payments of principal of and any premium and interest on a global security will be made to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the global security representing these debt securities. The laws of some states require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. These limits and laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global security.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited to institutions that have accounts with the depositary or its nominee, which institutions we refer to as the participants, and to persons that may hold beneficial interests through participants. In connection with the issuance of any global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts of debt securities represented by the global security to the accounts of its participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be shown only on, and the transfer of those ownership interests will be effective only through, records maintained by the depositary and its participants. Payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to beneficial interests in a global security may be subject to various policies and procedures adopted by the depositary from time to time. Neither we, the applicable trustee, nor any of our or the applicable trustee’s agents will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the depositary’s or any participant’s records relating to, or for payments made on account of, beneficial interests in a global security, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to beneficial interests.

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES WARRANTS

The following summary of the general terms and provisions of the securities warrants represented by warrant agreements and warrant certificates that we may offer using this prospectus is only a summary and does not purport to be complete. You must look at the applicable forms of warrant agreement and warrant certificate for a full understanding of the specific terms of any securities warrant. The forms of the warrant agreement and the warrant certificate will be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement to which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for information on how to obtain copies.

A prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the securities warrants offered under that prospectus supplement, including any of the terms in this section that will not apply to those securities warrants, and any special considerations, including tax considerations, applicable to investing in those securities warrants.

General

We may issue securities warrants alone or together with other securities offered by the applicable prospectus supplement. The securities warrants may be issued independently or together with any securities and may be attached to or separate from the securities. Each series of securities warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the securities warrants and will not act as an agent or trustee for any holders or beneficial owners of the securities warrants.

The prospectus supplement relating to any securities warrants we offer will describe the specific terms relating to the offering. These terms may include some or all of the following:

•

the offering price;

•

the currencies in which the securities warrants will be offered;

•

the designation, total principal amount, currencies, denominations and terms of the series of debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of the securities warrants;

•

the principal amount of the series of debt securities that may be purchased if a holder exercises the securities warrants and the price at which and currencies in which the principal amount may be purchased upon exercise;

•

the total number of shares that may be purchased if all of the holders exercise the securities warrants and, in the case of securities warrants for the purchase of shares of preferred stock, the designation, total number and terms of the series of preferred stock that can be purchased upon exercise of the securities warrants;

•

the number of shares of preferred stock or common stock that may be purchased if a holder exercises any one securities warrant and the price at which and currencies in which the shares of preferred stock or common stock may be purchased upon exercise;

•

the designation and terms of any series of securities with which the securities warrants are being offered, and the number of securities warrants offered with each security;

•

the date on and after which the holder of the securities warrants can transfer them separately from the related series of securities;

•

the date on which the right to exercise the securities warrants begins and expires;

•

the triggering event and the terms upon which the exercise price and the number of underlying securities that the securities warrants are exercisable into may be adjusted;

•

whether the securities warrants will be issued in registered or bearer form;

•

the identity of any warrant agent with respect to the securities warrants and the terms of the warrant agency agreement with that warrant agent;

•

a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax consequences; and

•

any other terms of the securities warrants.

A holder of securities warrants may:

•

exchange them for new securities warrants of different denominations;

•

present them for registration of transfer, if they are in registered form; and

•

exercise them at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Until the securities warrants are exercised, holders of the warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the underlying securities.

Exercise of Securities Warrants

Each holder of a securities warrant is entitled to purchase the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock or the principal amount of debt securities, as the case may be, at the exercise price described in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the day when the right to exercise terminates (or a later date if we extend the time for exercise), unexercised securities warrants will become void.

Holders of securities warrants may exercise them by

•

delivering to the warrant agent the payment required to purchase the underlying securities, as stated in the applicable prospectus supplement;

•

properly completing and signing the reverse side of their warrant certificate(s), if any, or other exercise documentation; and

•

delivering their warrant certificate(s), if any, or other exercise documentation to the warrant agent within the time specified by the applicable prospectus supplement.

If you comply with the procedures described above, your securities warrants will be considered to have been exercised when warrant agent receives payment of the exercise price. As soon as practicable after you have completed these procedures, we will issue and deliver to you the shares of common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, as the case may be, that you purchased upon exercise. If you exercise fewer than all of the securities warrants represented by a warrant certificate, we will issue to you a new warrant certificate for the unexercised amount of securities warrants.

Amendments and Supplements to Warrant Agreements

We may amend or supplement a warrant agreement or warrant certificates without the consent of the holders of the securities warrants if the changes are not inconsistent with the provisions of the securities warrants and do not adversely affect the interests of the holders.

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

We may, from time to time, issue units comprised of one or more of the other securities described in this prospectus in any combination. A prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the units offered under that prospectus supplement, and any special considerations, including tax considerations, applicable to

investing in those units. You must look at the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable unit agreement for a full understanding of the specific terms of any units. The form of unit agreement will be filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement to which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for information on how to obtain copies.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities or the selling stockholders named herein may sell their common stock from time to time pursuant to underwritten public offerings, negotiated transactions, block trades or a combination of these methods. We may sell the securities or the selling stockholders may sell their common stock, separately or together:

•

through one or more underwriters or dealers in a public offering and sale by them;

•

through agents; and/or

•

directly to one or more purchasers.

We may distribute the securities or the selling stockholders may distribute their common stock 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.

We or the selling stockholders may solicit directly offers to purchase the respective securities being offered by this prospectus. We or the selling stockholders may also designate agents to solicit offers to purchase the respective securities from time to time. We will name in a prospectus supplement any agent involved in the offer or sale of our securities.

If we or the selling stockholders utilize a dealer in the sale of the respective securities being offered by this prospectus, we or the selling stockholders will sell the respective securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale.

If we or the selling stockholders utilize an underwriter in the sale of the respective securities being offered by this prospectus, we will execute an underwriting agreement with the underwriter at the time of sale and we will provide the name of any underwriter in the prospectus supplement that the underwriter will use to make resales of the securities to the public. In connection with the sale of the securities, we or the purchasers of securities for whom the underwriter may act as agent may compensate the underwriter in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions. The underwriter may sell the securities to or through dealers, and the underwriter may compensate those dealers in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions.

We will provide in the applicable prospectus supplement any compensation we or the selling stockholders will pay to underwriters, dealers or agents in connection with the offering of the respective securities, and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers. Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions. We may enter into agreements to indemnify underwriters, dealers and agents against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments they may be required to make in respect thereof.

The securities may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange. To facilitate the offering of securities, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities. This may include over-allotments or short sales of the securities, which involve the sale by persons participating in the offering of more securities than we sold to them. In these circumstances, these persons would cover such over-allotments or short positions by making purchases in the open market or by exercising their over-allotment option. In addition, these persons may stabilize or maintain the price of the securities by bidding for or purchasing securities in the open market or by imposing penalty bids, whereby selling concessions allowed to dealers participating in the offering may be reclaimed if securities sold by them is repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. The transactions may be discontinued at any time.

We or the selling stockholders may authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers by certain purchasers to purchase the respective 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. The contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth any commissions we pay for solicitation of these contracts.

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

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

LEGAL MATTERS

Dorsey & Whitney LLP will issue a legal opinion as to the validity of the securities offered by this prospectus.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements incorporated in this prospectus by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon that report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public through the Internet at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. You may also read and copy any document we file with the SEC 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 further information about its public reference facilities and their copy charges.

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. When used in this prospectus, the term “registration statement” includes amendments to the registration statement as well as the exhibits, schedules, financial statements and notes filed as part of the registration statement. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information in the registration statement. This prospectus omits information contained in the registration statement as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us and the common stock offered by this prospectus, reference is made to the registration statement. Statements herein concerning the contents of any contract or other document are not necessarily complete and in each instance reference is made to the copy of such contract or other document filed with the SEC as an exhibit to the registration statement, each such statement being qualified by and subject to such reference in all respects.

INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with them. This allows us to disclose important information to you by referencing those filed documents. We have previously filed the following documents with the SEC and are incorporating them by reference into this prospectus:

•

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011;

•

Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Form 10-Q/A for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012;

•

Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 26, 2012 (only with respect to Item 8.01), February 21, 2012, April 3, 2012 (two reports), April 17, 2012, May 11, 2012 and July 13, 2012; and

•

the description of our common stock contained in any registration statement on Form 8-A that we have filed, and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating this description.

We also are incorporating by reference any future information filed (rather than furnished) by us with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, after the date of the initial filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and before the effective date of the registration statement and after the date of this prospectus until the termination of the offering. The most recent information that we file with the SEC automatically updates and supersedes more dated information.

You can obtain a copy of any documents which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus or prospectus supplement, except for exhibits which are specifically incorporated by reference into those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at:

EnteroMedics Inc.

2800 Patton Road

St. Paul, Minnesota 55113

Attention: Secretary

(651) 634-3003

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14.

Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth the estimated costs and expenses in connection with the sale and distribution of the securities being registered hereby, other than underwriting discounts and commissions. All of the amounts shown are estimates, except the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registration fee. The expenses listed will be paid by EnteroMedics Inc.


SEC registration fee	$	8,595
Legal fees and expenses		30,000
Printing expenses		15,000
Accountants’ fees and expenses		25,000
Transfer agent and registrar fees		5,000
Blue sky fees and expenses		5,000
Miscellaneous expenses		1,405

Total	$	90,000

Item 15.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Article 6 of the Fifth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (certificate of incorporation), of EnteroMedics Inc. (the Company) provides that no director of the Company shall be personally liable to us or the Company’s stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, notwithstanding any provision of law imposing such liability, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involved intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

Article 8 of the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (bylaws) provides that the Company will indemnify each person who was or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent (all such persons are referred to as an indemnitee), shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company, against all expenses, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if such indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, our best interests, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The Company’s bylaws provide that the Company will indemnify any indemnitee seeking indemnity in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company will indemnify the indemnitee for expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition to the extent not prohibited by law. Such indemnification will only be made if the indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, our best interests, except that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to us, unless a court determines that, despite such adjudication but in view of all of the circumstances, he or she is entitled to indemnification of such expenses. Expenses must be advanced to an indemnitee under certain circumstances.

II-1

As a condition precedent to the right of indemnification, an indemnitee must give the Company notice of the action for which indemnity is sought and the Company must have the right to participate in such action or assume the defense thereof.

Article 8 of the Company’s bylaws further provides that the indemnification provided therein is not exclusive, and provides that no amendment, termination or repeal of the relevant provisions of the Delaware law statute or any other applicable law will diminish the rights of any Indemnitee to indemnification under the Company’s certificate of incorporation.

Section 145 of the Delaware law statute provides that a corporation has the power to indemnify a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation and certain other persons serving at the request of the corporation in related capacities against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlements actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with an action, suit or proceeding to which he or she is or is threatened to be made a party by reason of such position, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful, except that, in the case of actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or other adjudicating court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses that the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

The Company has director and officer insurance providing for indemnification for its directors and officers for certain liabilities and such insurance provides for indemnification of the Company’s directors and officers for liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Item 16.

List of Exhibits

The exhibits filed with this registration statement are set forth on the exhibit index following the signature page and are incorporated by reference in their entirety into this item.

Item 17.

Undertakings

(a)	The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

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

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

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

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

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

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

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

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

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

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:

The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

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

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

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

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

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

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

(d) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the SEC under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of St. Paul, State of Minnesota, on August 14, 2012.


ENTEROMEDICS INC.

By:		/s/ Mark B. Knudson, Ph.D.
		Mark B. Knudson, Ph.D. President and Chief Executive Officer

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Mark B. Knudson and Greg S. Lea, and each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, with the powers of substitution and revocation, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign a Registration Statement on Form S-3, and any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments or any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933) thereto, relating to the offer and sale by EnteroMedics Inc. of up to an aggregate initial offering price of $75,000,000 of its securities and the offer and sale of up to 865,299 shares of common stock by the selling stockholders named in the prospectus and the issuance of up to 1,760,000 shares of common stock upon the exercise of warrants previously registered and sold in the September 2011 public offering, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto such attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming that all such attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.


Signature	Title	Date

/s/ Mark B. Knudson, Ph.D. Mark B. Knudson, Ph.D.	President and Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and Director (principal executive officer)	August 14, 2012

/s/ Greg S. Lea Greg S. Lea	Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer)	August 14, 2012

/s/ Luke Evnin, Ph.D. Luke Evnin, Ph.D.	Director	August 14, 2012

/s/ Catherine Friedman Catherine Friedman	Director	August 14, 2012

/s/ Carl Goldfischer, M.D. Carl Goldfischer, M.D.	Director	August 14, 2012

/s/ Bobby I. Griffin Bobby I. Griffin	Director	August 14, 2012


Signature	Title	Date

/s/ Anthony P. Jansz Anthony P. Jansz	Director	August 14, 2012

/s/ Paul H. Klingenstein Paul H. Klingenstein	Director	August 14, 2012

/s/ Nicholas L. Teti, Jr. Nicholas L. Teti, Jr.	Director	August 14, 2012

/s/ Jon T. Tremmel Jon T. Tremmel	Director	August 14, 2012

EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No.		Description

1.1*		Form of Underwriting Agreement.

3.1		Fifth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Amendment No. 6 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on November 9, 2007 (File No. 333-143265)).

3.2		Certificate of Amendment to the Fifth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 7, 2009 (File No. 1-33818)).

3.3		Certificate of Amendment to the Fifth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 13, 2010 (File No. 1-33818)).

3.4		Certificate of Amendment to the Fifth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 8, 2012 (File No. 1-33818)).

3.5		Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as currently in effect. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to Amendment No. 1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on July 6, 2007 (File No. 333-143265)).

4.1		Form of Common Stock Certificate. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 14, 2007 (File No. 333-143265)).

4.2		Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement, dated as of July 6, 2006, by and between the Company and the parties named therein. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended, filed on May 25, 2007 (File No. 333-143265)).

4.3**		Form of Indenture relating to Senior Debt Securities.

4.4**		Form of Indenture relating to Subordinated Debt Securities.

4.5*		Form of Supplemental Indenture or other instrument establishing the issuance of one or more series of debt securities (including the form of debt security).

4.6*		Form of Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock.

4.7*		Form of Securities Warrant Agreement.

4.8*		Form of Unit Agreement.

5.1**		Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney LLP.

12.1**		Statement re Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.

23.1**		Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

23.2**		Consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 to this registration statement).

24.1**		Power of Attorney (included on signature page to this registration statement).

25.1*		Form T-1, Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 to act as Trustee under the Senior Indenture.

25.2*		Form T-1, Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 to act as Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture.

*	To be filed by amendment or by a report filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and incorporated by reference herein.

**	Filed herewith.

Form of Indenture relating to Senior Debt Securities

Exhibit 4.3

ENTEROMEDICS INC.

[ ], TRUSTEE

SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES

INDENTURE

DATED AS OF

TABLE OF CONTENTS


ARTICLE ONE

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

SECTION 101.	Definitions	1
SECTION 102.	Compliance Certificates and Opinions	7
SECTION 103.	Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee	8
SECTION 104.	Acts of Holders	9
SECTION 105.	Notices, Etc. to Trustee and Company	10
SECTION 106.	Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver	11
SECTION 107.	Conflict with Trust Indenture Act	11
SECTION 108.	Effect of Headings and Table of Contents	12
SECTION 109.	Successors and Assigns	12
SECTION 110.	Separability Clause	12
SECTION 111.	Benefits of Indenture	12
SECTION 112.	Governing Law	12
SECTION 113.	Legal Holidays	12

ARTICLE TWO

SECURITY FORMS

SECTION 201.	Forms Generally	13
SECTION 202.	Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication	13

ARTICLE THREE

THE SECURITIES

SECTION 301.	Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series	14
SECTION 302.	Denominations	17
SECTION 303.	Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating	17
SECTION 304.	Temporary Securities	19
SECTION 305.	Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange	20
SECTION 306.	Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities	21
SECTION 307.	Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved	22
SECTION 308.	Persons Deemed Owners	23
SECTION 309.	Cancellation by Security Registrar	23
SECTION 310.	Computation of Interest	24
SECTION 311.	Payment to Be in Proper Currency	24


ARTICLE FOUR

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

SECTION 401.	Applicability of Article	24
SECTION 402.	Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee	24
SECTION 403.	Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed	25
SECTION 404.	Notice of Redemption	25
SECTION 405.	Securities Payable on Redemption Date	26
SECTION 406.	Securities Redeemed in Part	27

ARTICLE FIVE

SINKING FUNDS

SECTION 501.	Applicability of Article	27
SECTION 502.	Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities	27
SECTION 503.	Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund	28

ARTICLE SIX

COVENANTS

SECTION 601.	Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest	28
SECTION 602.	Maintenance of Office or Agency	29
SECTION 603.	Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust	29
SECTION 604.	Corporate Existence	31
SECTION 605.	Maintenance of Properties	31
SECTION 606.	Annual Officer’s Certificate as to Compliance	31
SECTION 607.	Waiver of Certain Covenants	31

ARTICLE SEVEN

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

SECTION 701.	Satisfaction and Discharge of Securities	32
SECTION 702.	Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture	34
SECTION 703.	Application of Trust Money	34

ARTICLE EIGHT

EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

SECTION 801.	Events of Default	35
SECTION 802.	Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment	36
SECTION 803.	Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee	37
SECTION 804.	Trustee May File Proofs of Claim	38
SECTION 805.	Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities	38
SECTION 806.	Application of Money Collected	39
SECTION 807.	Limitation on Suits	39


SECTION 808.	Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest	40
SECTION 809.	Restoration of Rights and Remedies	40
SECTION 810.	Rights and Remedies Cumulative	40
SECTION 811.	Delay or Omission Not Waiver	40
SECTION 812.	Control by Holders of Securities	41
SECTION 813.	Waiver of Past Defaults	41
SECTION 814.	Undertaking for Costs	41
SECTION 815.	Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws	42

ARTICLE NINE

THE TRUSTEE

SECTION 901.	Certain Duties and Responsibilities	42
SECTION 902.	Notice of Defaults	43
SECTION 903.	Certain Rights of Trustee	43
SECTION 904.	Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities	45
SECTION 905.	May Hold Securities	45
SECTION 906.	Money Held in Trust	45
SECTION 907.	Compensation and Reimbursement	45
SECTION 908.	Disqualification; Conflicting Interests	46
SECTION 909.	Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility	46
SECTION 910.	Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor	46
SECTION 911.	Acceptance of Appointment by Successor	48
SECTION 912.	Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business	49
SECTION 913.	Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company	50
SECTION 914.	Co-trustees and Separate Trustees	50
SECTION 915.	Appointment of Authenticating Agent	51

ARTICLE TEN

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

SECTION 1001.	Lists of Holders	53
SECTION 1002.	Reports by Trustee and Company	53

ARTICLE ELEVEN

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR OTHER TRANSFER

SECTION 1101.	Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms	54
SECTION 1102.	Successor Corporation Substituted	54

iii



ARTICLE TWELVE

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

SECTION 1201.	Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders	55
SECTION 1202.	Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders	56
SECTION 1203.	Execution of Supplemental Indentures	58
SECTION 1204.	Effect of Supplemental Indentures	58
SECTION 1205.	Conformity With Trust Indenture Act	58
SECTION 1206.	Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures	58
SECTION 1207.	Modification Without Supplemental Indenture	58

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

MEETINGS OF HOLDERS; ACTION WITHOUT MEETING

SECTION 1301.	Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called	59
SECTION 1302.	Call, Notice and Place of Meetings	59
SECTION 1303.	Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings	60
SECTION 1304.	Quorum; Action	60
SECTION 1305.	Attendance at Meetings; Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings	61
SECTION 1306.	Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings	62
SECTION 1307.	Action Without Meeting	62

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

SECTION 1401.	Liability Solely Corporate	62

SIGNATURES		64

ENTEROMEDICS INC.

RECONCILIATION AND TIE BETWEEN TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939

AND INDENTURE, DATED AS OF


Trust Indenture Act Section		Indenture Section

§310	(a)(1)	909
	(a)(2)	909
	(a)(3)	914(b)
	(a)(4)	Not Applicable
	(b)	908
		910
§311	(a)	913
	(b)	913
	(c)	913
§312	(a)	1001
	(b)	1001
	(c)	1001
§313	(a)	1002
	(b)	1002
	(c)	1002
	(d)	1002
§314	(a)	1002
	(a)(4)	606
	(b)	Not Applicable
	(c)(1)	102
	(c)(2)	102
	(c)(3)	Not Applicable
	(d)	Not Applicable
	(e)	102
§315	(a)	901
		903
	(b)	902
	(c)	901
	(d)	901
	(e)	814
§316	(a)	812
		813
	(a)(1)(A)	812
	(a)(1)(B)	813
	(a)(2)	Not Applicable
	(b)	808
§317	(a)(1)	803
	(a)(2)	804
	(b)	603
§318	(a)	107

INDENTURE, dated as of between ENTEROMEDICS INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Company”), having its principal office at 2800 Patton Road, St. Paul, Minnesota 55113 and [ ], a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, having its principal corporate trust office at [ ], as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”).

RECITAL OF THE COMPANY

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (herein called the “Securities”), to be issued in one or more series as contemplated herein, and all acts necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company have been performed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires, capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in Article One of this Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of series thereof, as follows:

ARTICLE ONE

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

SECTION 101. Definitions

For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all terms used herein without definition which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term “generally accepted accounting principles” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States at the date of such computation or, at the election of the Company from time to

time, at the date of the execution and delivery of this Indenture; provided, however, that in determining generally accepted accounting principles applicable to the Company, the Company shall, to the extent required, conform to any order, rule or regulation of any administrative agency, regulatory authority or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company; and

(d) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.

Certain terms, used principally in Article Nine, are defined in that Article.

“Act”, when used with respect to any Holder of a Security, has the meaning specified in Section 104.

“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or through one or more intermediaries, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

“Authenticating Agent” means any Person (other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) authorized by the Trustee to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate one or more series of Securities.

“Authorized Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer or any other duly authorized officer of the Company.

“Board of Directors” means either the board of directors of the Company or any committee thereof duly authorized to act in respect of matters relating to this Indenture.

“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

“Business Day”, when used with respect to a Place of Payment or any other particular location specified in the Securities or this Indenture, means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, which is not a day on which banking institutions or trust companies in such Place of Payment or other location are generally authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed, except as may be otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301.

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the date of execution and delivery of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body, if any, performing such duties at such time.

“Company” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person.

“Company Request” or “Company Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer and delivered to the Trustee.

“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office at the date of execution and delivery of this Indenture is located at .

“corporation” means a corporation, association, company, joint stock company or business trust.

“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 307.

“Discount Security” means any Security which provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 802, and “interest” with respect to a Discount Security means interest, if any, borne by such Security at a Stated Interest Rate.

“Dollar” or “$” means a dollar or other equivalent unit in such coin or currency of the United States as at the time shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

“Eligible Obligations” means:

(a) with respect to Securities denominated in Dollars, Government Obligations; or

(b) with respect to Securities denominated in a currency other than Dollars or in a composite currency, such other obligations or instruments as shall be specified with respect to such Securities, as contemplated by Section 301.

“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 801.

“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or of any State or Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia or of any county, municipality or other political subdivision of any thereof, or any department, agency, authority or other instrumentality of any of the foregoing.

“Government Obligations” means:

(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the timely payment of principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States entitled to the benefit of the full faith and credit thereof; and

(b) certificates, depositary receipts or other instruments which evidence a direct ownership interest in obligations described in clause (a) above or in any specific interest or principal payments due in respect thereof; provided, however, that the custodian of such obligations or specific interest or principal payments shall be a bank or trust company (which may include the Trustee or any Paying Agent) subject to Federal or state supervision or examination with a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000; and provided, further, that except as may be otherwise required by law, such custodian shall be obligated to pay to the holders of such certificates, depositary receipts or other instruments the full amount received by such custodian in respect of such obligations or specific payments and shall not be permitted to make any deduction therefrom.

“Holder” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register.

“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed and delivered and as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 301.

“Interest Payment Date”, when used with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

“Maturity”, when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in such Security or in this Indenture, whether at the Stated Maturity, by declaration of acceleration, upon call for redemption or otherwise.

“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by an Authorized Officer and delivered to the Trustee.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel for the Company, or other counsel acceptable to the Trustee.

“Outstanding”, when used with respect to Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a) Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

(b) Securities deemed to have been paid in accordance with Section 701; and

(c) Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 306 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it and the Company that such Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser or purchasers in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company;

provided, however, that in determining whether or not the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Securities Outstanding under this Indenture, or the Outstanding Securities of any series or Tranche, have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or whether or not a quorum is present at a meeting of Holders of Securities,

(x) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor (unless the Company, such Affiliate or such obligor owns all Securities Outstanding under this Indenture, or all Outstanding Securities of each such series and each such Tranche, as the case may be, determined without regard to this clause (x)) shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver or upon any such determination as to the presence of a quorum, only Securities which the Trustee knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded; provided, however, that Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor;

(y) the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 802; and

(z) the principal amount of any Security which is denominated in a currency other than Dollars or in a composite currency that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of Dollars which could have been purchased by the principal amount (or, in the case of a Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date determined as set forth below of the amount determined as provided in (y) above) of such currency or composite currency evidenced by such Security in each such case certified to the Trustee in an Officer’s Certificate, based (1) on the average of the mean of the buying and selling spot rates quoted by three banks which are members of the New York Clearing House Association selected by the Company in effect at 11:00 A.M. (New York time) in The City of New York on the fifth Business Day preceding any such determination or (2) if on such fifth Business Day it shall not be possible or practicable to obtain such quotations from such three banks, on such other quotations or alternative methods of determination which shall be as consistent as practicable with the method set forth in (1) above;

provided, further, that, in the case of any Security the principal of which is payable from time to time without presentment or surrender, the principal amount of such Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding at any time for all purposes of this Indenture shall be the original principal amount thereof less the aggregate amount of principal thereof theretofore paid.

“Paying Agent” means any Person, including the Company, authorized by the Company to pay the principal of and premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Securities on behalf of the Company.

“Periodic Offering” means an offering of Securities of a series from time to time any or all of the specific terms of which Securities, including without limitation the rate or rates of interest, if any, thereon, the Stated Maturity or Maturities thereof and the redemption provisions, if any, with respect thereto, are to be determined by the Company or its agents upon the issuance of such Securities.

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or unincorporated organization or any Governmental Authority thereof.

“Place of Payment”, when used with respect to the Securities of any series, or Tranche thereof, means the place or places, specified as contemplated by Section 301, at which, subject to Section 602, principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of such series or Tranche are payable.

“Predecessor Security” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be deemed (to the extent lawful) to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security.

“Redemption Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

“Redemption Price”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.

“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Securities of any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 301.

“Required Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 311.

“Responsible Officer”, when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer of the Trustee assigned by the Trustee to administer its corporate trust matters.

“Securities” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means any securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

“Security Register” and “Security Registrar” have the respective meanings specified in Section 305.

“Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Securities of any series means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 307.

Stated Interest Rate on, or the effective cost to the Company of, any other indebtedness the Company’s obligations in respect of which are evidenced or secured in whole or in part by such Security.

“Stated Maturity”, when used with respect to any obligation or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date on which the principal of such obligation or such installment of principal or interest is stated to be due and payable (without regard to any provisions for redemption, prepayment, acceleration, purchase or extension).

“Tranche” means a group of Securities which (a) are of the same series and (b) have identical terms except as to principal amount and/or date of issuance.

“Trust Indenture Act” means, as of any time, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or any successor statute, as in effect at such time.

“Trustee” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series.

“United States” means the United States of America, its Territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its political jurisdiction.

SECTION 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions

Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall, if requested by the Trustee, furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that each Person signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of each such Person, such Person has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable such Person to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such Person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

SECTION 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which such Officer’s Certificate or opinion are based are erroneous. Any such certificate or Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Whenever, subsequent to the receipt by the Trustee of any Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate, Opinion of Counsel or other document or instrument, a clerical, typographical or other inadvertent or unintentional error or omission shall be discovered therein, a new document or instrument may be substituted therefor in corrected form with the same force and effect as if originally filed in the corrected form and, irrespective of the date or dates of the actual execution and/or delivery thereof, such substitute document or instrument shall be deemed to have been executed and/or delivered as of the date or dates required with respect to the document or instrument for which it is substituted. Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, if any such corrective document or instrument indicates that action has been taken by or at the request of the Company which could not have been taken had the original document or instrument not contained such error or omission, the action so taken shall not be invalidated or otherwise rendered ineffective but shall be and remain in full force and effect, except to the extent that such action was a result of willful misconduct or bad faith. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Securities issued under the authority of such defective document or instrument shall nevertheless be the valid obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of this Indenture equally and ratably with all other Outstanding Securities, except as aforesaid.

SECTION 104. Acts of Holders

(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing or, alternatively, may be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article Thirteen, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments and so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 901) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 1306.

(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof or may be proved in any other manner which the Trustee and the Company deem sufficient. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than such signer’s individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of such signer’s authority.

(c) The principal amount (except as otherwise contemplated in clause (y) of the proviso to the definition of Outstanding) and serial numbers of Securities held by any Person, and the date of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(d) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or other Act of a Holder shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.

or on behalf of a Holder may be revoked with respect to any or all of such Securities by written notice by such Holder or any subsequent Holder, proven in the manner in which such instrument was proven.

(f) Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, authenticated and delivered after any Act of Holders may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any action taken by such Act of Holders. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to such action may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series or Tranche.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from Holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, by Company Order, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on the record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of the Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of the record date.

SECTION 105. Notices, Etc. to Trustee and Company

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with, the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company, or the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder, shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and delivered personally to an officer or other responsible employee of the addressee, or transmitted by facsimile transmission, telex or other direct written electronic means to such telephone number or other electronic communications address as the parties hereto shall from time to time designate, or transmitted by registered mail, charges prepaid, to the applicable address set opposite such party’s name below or to such other address as either party hereto may from time to time designate:

If to the Trustee, to:

[Name of Trustee]

[Address]

Attention: [Officer]

Telephone: [ ]

Facsimile: [ ]

If to the Company, to:

EnteroMedics Inc.

2800 Patton Road

St. Paul, Minnesota 55113

Attention: [Chief Executive Officer]

Telephone: (651) 634-3003

Facsimile: (651) 789-2758

Any communication contemplated herein shall be deemed to have been made, given, furnished and filed if personally delivered, on the date of delivery, if transmitted by facsimile transmission, telex or other direct written electronic means, on the date of transmission, and if transmitted by registered mail, on the date of receipt.

SECTION 106. Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver

Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given, and shall be deemed given, to Holders if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at the address of such Holder as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice.

In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice to Holders by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders.

Any notice required by this Indenture may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event otherwise to be specified therein, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

SECTION 107. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by, or is otherwise governed by, any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such other provision shall control; and if any provision hereof otherwise conflicts with the Trust Indenture Act, the Trust Indenture Act shall control.

SECTION 108. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

The Article and Section headings in this Indenture and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

SECTION 109. Successors and Assigns

All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company and Trustee shall bind their respective successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

SECTION 110. Separability Clause

In case any provision in this Indenture or the Securities shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

SECTION 111. Benefits of Indenture

Nothing in this Indenture or the Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, their successors hereunder and the Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

SECTION 112. Governing Law

This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

SECTION 113. Legal Holidays

In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities other than a provision in Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, or in the Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate which establishes the terms of the Securities of such series or Tranche, which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section) payment of interest or principal and premium, if any, need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment, except that if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day in each case with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at the Stated Maturity, and, if such payment is made or duly provided for on such Business Day, no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity, as the case may be, to such Business Day.

ARTICLE TWO

SECURITY FORMS

SECTION 201. Forms Generally

The definitive Securities of each series shall be in substantially the form or forms thereof established in the indenture supplemental hereto establishing such series or in a Board Resolution establishing such series, or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to such supplemental indenture or Board Resolution, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities. If the form or forms of Securities of any series are established in a Board Resolution or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a Board Resolution, such Board Resolution and Officer’s Certificate, if any, shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 303 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, the Securities of each series shall be issuable in registered form without coupons. The definitive Securities shall be produced in such manner as shall be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution thereof.

SECTION 202. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

The Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the form set forth below:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within mentioned Indenture.


[Name of Trustee], Trustee

By:
Authorized Officer

ARTICLE THREE

THE SECURITIES

SECTION 301. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

The Securities may be issued in one or more series. Prior to the authentication and delivery of Securities of any series there shall be established by specification in a supplemental indenture or in a Board Resolution, or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a supplemental indenture or a Board Resolution:

(a) the title of the Securities of such series (which shall distinguish the Securities of such series from Securities of all other series);

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 406 or 1206 and, except for any Securities which, pursuant to Section 303, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);

(c) the Person or Persons (without specific identification) to whom interest on Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable on any Interest Payment Date, if other than the Persons in whose names such Securities (or one or more Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest;

(d) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, is payable or any formula or other method or other means by which such date or dates shall be determined, by reference to an index or other fact or event ascertainable outside of this Indenture or otherwise (without regard to any provisions for redemption, prepayment, acceleration, purchase or extension);

(e) the rate or rates at which the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall bear interest, if any (including the rate or rates at which overdue principal shall bear interest, if different from the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest prior to Maturity, and, if applicable, the rate or rates at which overdue premium or interest shall bear interest, if any), or any formula or other method or other means by which such rate or rates shall be determined, by reference to an index or other fact or event ascertainable outside of this Indenture or otherwise; the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue; the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on such Securities on any Interest Payment Date;

(f) the place or places at which or methods by which (1) the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable, (2) registration of transfer of Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be effected, (3) exchanges of Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be effected and (4) notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, and this Indenture may be served; the Security Registrar and any Paying Agent or Agents for such series or Tranche; and if such is the case, that the principal of such Securities shall be payable without presentment or surrender thereof;

(g) the period or periods within which, or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company and any restrictions on such redemptions, including but not limited to a restriction on a partial redemption by the Company of the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, resulting in delisting of such Securities from any national exchange;

(h) the obligation or obligations, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, pursuant to any sinking fund or other mandatory redemption provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and applicable exceptions to the requirements of Section 404 in the case of mandatory redemption or redemption at the option of the Holder;

(i) the denominations in which Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be issuable if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

(j) the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable (if other than in Dollars);

(k) if the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in a coin or currency other than that in which the Securities are stated to be payable, the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made;

(l) if the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be payable, or are to be payable at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in securities or other property, the type and amount of such securities or other property, or the formula or other method or other means by which such amount shall be determined, and the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, any such election may be made;

(m) if the amount payable in respect of principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be determined with reference to an index or other fact or event ascertainable outside of this Indenture, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined to the extent not established pursuant to clause (e) of this paragraph;

(n) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 802;

(o) any Events of Default, in addition to those specified in Section 801, with respect to the Securities of such series, and any covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, in addition to those set forth in Article Six;

(p) the terms, if any, pursuant to which the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be converted into or exchanged for shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company or any other Person;

(q) the obligations or instruments, if any, which shall be considered to be Eligible Obligations in respect of the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, denominated in a currency other than Dollars or in a composite currency, and any additional or alternative provisions for the reinstatement of the Company’s indebtedness in respect of such Securities after the satisfaction and discharge thereof as provided in Section 701;

(r) if the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be issued in global form, (1) any limitations on the rights of the Holder or Holders of such Securities to transfer or exchange the same or to obtain the registration of transfer thereof, (2) any limitations on the rights of the Holder or Holders thereof to obtain certificates therefor in definitive form in lieu of temporary form and (3) any and all other matters incidental to such Securities;

(s) if the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be issuable as bearer securities, any and all matters incidental thereto which are not specifically addressed in a supplemental indenture as contemplated by clause (g) of Section 1201;

(t) to the extent not established pursuant to clause (r) of this paragraph, any limitations on the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, to transfer or exchange such Securities or to obtain the registration of transfer thereof; and if a service charge will be made for the registration of transfer or exchange of Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, the amount or terms thereof;

(u) any exceptions to Section 113, or variation in the definition of Business Day, with respect to the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof; and

(v) any other terms of the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture.

With respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the indenture supplemental hereto or the Board Resolution which establishes such series, or the Officer’s Certificate pursuant to such supplemental indenture or Board Resolution, as the case may be, may provide general terms or parameters for Securities of such series and provide either that the specific terms of Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be specified in a Company Order or that such terms shall be determined by the Company or its agents in accordance with procedures specified in a Company Order as contemplated by clause (b) of Section 303.

SECTION 302. Denominations

Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, the Securities of each series shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.

SECTION 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, the Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer and may have the corporate seal of the Company affixed thereto or reproduced thereon and attested by any other Authorized Officer. The signature of any or all of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile.

Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at the time of execution Authorized Officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities.

The Trustee shall authenticate and deliver Securities of a series, for original issue, at one time or from time to time in accordance with the Company Order referred to below, upon receipt by the Trustee of:

(a) the instrument or instruments establishing the form or forms and terms of such series, as provided in Sections 201 and 301;

(b) a Company Order requesting the authentication and delivery of such Securities and, to the extent that the terms of such Securities shall not have been established in an indenture supplemental hereto or in a Board Resolution, or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a supplemental indenture or Board Resolution, all as contemplated by Sections 201 and 301, either (1) establishing such terms or (2) in the case of Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, specifying procedures, acceptable to the Trustee, by which such terms are to be established (which procedures may provide, to the extent acceptable to the Trustee, for authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions from the Company or any agent or agents

thereof, which oral instructions are to be promptly confirmed electronically or in writing), in either case in accordance with the instrument or instruments delivered pursuant to clause (a) above;

(d) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that:

(1) the form or forms of such Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

(2) the terms of such Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

(3) such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will have been duly issued under this Indenture and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits provided by this Indenture, and enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement, to laws relating to or affecting generally the enforcement of creditors’ rights, including, without limitation, bankruptcy and insolvency laws and to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law);

provided, however, that, with respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive such Opinion of Counsel only once at or prior to the time of the first authentication of such Securities (provided that such Opinion of Counsel addresses the authentication and delivery of all Securities of such series) and that in lieu of the opinions described in clauses (2) and (3) above Counsel may opine that:

(x) when the terms of such Securities shall have been established pursuant to a Company Order or Orders or pursuant to such procedures (acceptable to the Trustee) as may be specified from time to time by a Company Order or Orders, all as contemplated by and in accordance with the instrument or instruments delivered pursuant to clause (a) above, such terms will have been duly authorized by the Company and will have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement, to laws relating to or affecting generally the enforcement of creditors’ rights, including, without limitation, bankruptcy and insolvency laws and to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

With respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the authorization by the Company of any of such Securities, the form and terms thereof and the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof, upon the Opinion of Counsel and other documents delivered pursuant to Sections 201 and 301 and this Section, as applicable, at or prior to the time of the first authentication of Securities of such series unless and until such opinion or other documents have been superseded or revoked or expire by their terms. In connection with the authentication and delivery of Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall be entitled to assume that the Company’s instructions to authenticate and deliver such Securities do not violate any rules, regulations or orders of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Company.

If the form or terms of the Securities of any series have been established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate as permitted by Sections 201 or 301, the Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issuance of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, no Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee or its agent by manual signature, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder to the Company, or any Person acting on its behalf, but shall never have been issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Security Registrar for cancellation as provided in Section 309 together with a written statement (which need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel) stating that such Security has never been issued and sold by the Company, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits hereof.

SECTION 304. Temporary Securities

in lieu of which they are issued, with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities; provided, however, that temporary Securities need not recite specific redemption, sinking fund, conversion or exchange provisions.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, after the preparation of definitive Securities of such series or Tranche, the temporary Securities of such series or Tranche shall be exchangeable, without charge to the Holder thereof, for definitive Securities of such series or Tranche upon surrender of such temporary Securities at the office or agency of the Company maintained pursuant to Section 602 in a Place of Payment for such Securities. Upon such surrender of temporary Securities, the Company shall, except as aforesaid, execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor definitive Securities of the same series and Tranche, of authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

Until exchanged in full as hereinabove provided, temporary Securities shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of the same series and Tranche and of like tenor authenticated and delivered hereunder.

SECTION 305. Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange

The Company shall cause to be kept in each office designated pursuant to Section 602, with respect to the Securities of each series or any Tranche thereof, a register (all registers kept in accordance with this Section being collectively referred to as the “Security Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Securities of such series or Tranche and the registration of transfer thereof. The Company shall designate one Person to maintain the Security Register for the Securities of each series on a consolidated basis, and such Person is referred to herein, with respect to such series, as the “Security Registrar.” Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company may designate one or more of its offices as an office in which a register with respect to the Securities of one or more series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, shall be maintained, and the Company may designate itself the Security Registrar with respect to one or more of such series. The Security Register shall be open for inspection by the Trustee and the Company at all reasonable times.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of such series or Tranche at the office or agency of the Company maintained pursuant to Section 602 in a Place of Payment for such series or Tranche, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same series and Tranche, of authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

All Securities delivered upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company, the Trustee or the Security Registrar) be duly endorsed or shall be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee or the Security Registrar, as the case may be, duly executed by the Holder thereof or such Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, no service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 304, 406 or 1206 not involving any transfer.

The Company shall not be required to execute or to provide for the registration of transfer of or the exchange of (a) Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, during a period of 15 days immediately preceding the date notice is to be given identifying the serial numbers of the Securities of such series or Tranche called for redemption or (b) any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.

SECTION 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series and Tranche, and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (a) evidence to their satisfaction of the ownership of and the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (b) such security or indemnity as may be reasonably required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security is held by a Person purporting to be the owner of such Security, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same series and Tranche, and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other reasonable expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

Every new Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone other than the Holder of such new Security, and any such new Security shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.

SECTION 307. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, interest on any Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Any interest on any Security of any series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the related Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a date (herein called a “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date

of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall promptly cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of Securities of such series at the address of such Holder as it appears in the Security Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date.

(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 305, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

SECTION 308. Persons Deemed Owners

The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Security is registered as the absolute owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and premium, if any, and (subject to Sections 305 and 307) interest, if any, on such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

SECTION 309. Cancellation by Security Registrar

All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Security Registrar, be delivered to the Security Registrar and, if not theretofore canceled, shall be promptly canceled by the Security Registrar. The Company may at any time deliver to the Security Registrar for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever or which the Company shall not have issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Security Registrar. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities canceled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All canceled Securities held by the Security Registrar shall be disposed of in accordance with a Company Order delivered to the Security Registrar and the Trustee, and the Security Registrar shall promptly deliver a certificate of disposition to the Trustee and the Company unless, by a Company Order, similarly delivered, the

Company shall direct that canceled Securities be returned to it. The Security Registrar shall promptly deliver evidence of any cancellation of a Security in accordance with this Section 309 to the Trustee and the Company.

SECTION 310. Computation of Interest

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months and on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed within any month in relation to the deemed 30 days of such month.

SECTION 311. Payment to Be in Proper Currency

In the case of the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, denominated in any currency other than Dollars or in a composite currency (the “Required Currency”), except as otherwise specified with respect to such Securities as contemplated by Section 301, the obligation of the Company to make any payment of the principal thereof, or the premium, if any, or interest, if any, thereon, shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender by the Company, or recovery by the Trustee, in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the Trustee timely holding the full amount of the Required Currency then due and payable. If any such tender or recovery is in a currency other than the Required Currency, the Trustee may take such actions as it considers appropriate to exchange such currency for the Required Currency. The costs and risks of any such exchange, including without limitation the risks of delay and exchange rate fluctuation, shall be borne by the Company, the Company shall remain fully liable for any shortfall or delinquency in the full amount of Required Currency then due and payable, and in no circumstances shall the Trustee be liable therefor except in the case of its negligence or willful misconduct.

ARTICLE FOUR

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

SECTION 401. Applicability of Article

Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of such series or Tranche) in accordance with this Article.

SECTION 402. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

elsewhere in this Indenture or (b) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officer’s Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition.

SECTION 403. Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed

If less than all the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected by the Security Registrar from the Outstanding Securities of such series or Tranche not previously called for redemption, by such method as shall be provided for any particular series or Tranche, or, in the absence of any such provision, by such method of random selection as the Security Registrar shall deem fair and appropriate and which may, in any case, provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of such series or Tranche or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Securities of such series or Tranche of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of such series or Tranche; provided, however, that if, as indicated in an Officer’s Certificate, the Company shall have offered to purchase all or any principal amount of the Securities then Outstanding of any series, or any Tranche thereof, and less than all of such Securities as to which such offer was made shall have been tendered to the Company for such purchase, the Security Registrar, if so directed by Company Order, shall select for redemption all or any principal amount of such Securities which have not been so tendered.

The Security Registrar shall promptly notify the Company and the Trustee in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected to be redeemed in part, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

SECTION 404. Notice of Redemption

Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 106 to the Holders of the Securities to be redeemed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

(c) if less than all the Securities of any series or Tranche are to be redeemed, the identification of the particular Securities to be redeemed and the portion of the principal amount of any Security to be redeemed in part,

(d) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date, will become due and payable upon each such Security to be redeemed and, if applicable, that interest thereon will cease to accrue on and after said date,

(e) the place or places where such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any, unless it shall have been specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to such Securities that such surrender shall not be required,

(f) that the redemption is for a sinking or other fund, if such is the case, and

(g) such other matters as the Company shall deem desirable or appropriate.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities in accordance with Section 301, with respect to any notice of redemption of Securities at the election of the Company, unless, upon the giving of such notice, such Securities shall be deemed to have been paid in accordance with Section 701, such notice may state that such redemption shall be conditional upon the receipt by the Paying Agent or Agents for such Securities, on or prior to the date fixed for such redemption, of money sufficient to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Securities and that if such money shall not have been so received such notice shall be of no force or effect and the Company shall not be required to redeem such Securities. In the event that such notice of redemption contains such a condition and such money is not so received, the redemption shall not be made and within a reasonable time thereafter notice shall be given, in the manner in which the notice of redemption was given, that such money was not so received and such redemption was not required to be made, and the Paying Agent or Agents for the Securities otherwise to have been redeemed shall promptly return to the Holders thereof any of such Securities which had been surrendered for payment upon such redemption.

Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company, and any notice of non-satisfaction of a condition for redemption as aforesaid, shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Security Registrar in the name and at the expense of the Company. Notice of mandatory redemption of Securities shall be given by the Security Registrar in the name and at the expense of the Company.

SECTION 405. Securities Payable on Redemption Date

Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, and the conditions, if any, set forth in such notice having been satisfied, the Securities or portions thereof so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless, in the case of an unconditional notice of redemption, the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any) such Securities or portions thereof, if interest-bearing, shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with such notice, such Security or portion thereof shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that no such surrender shall be a condition to such payment if so specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to such Security; and

provided, further, that except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to such Security, any installment of interest on any Security the Stated Maturity of which installment is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holder of such Security, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the related Regular Record Date according to the terms of such Security and subject to the provisions of Section 307.

SECTION 406. Securities Redeemed in Part

Upon the surrender of any Security which is to be redeemed only in part at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or such Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing), the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security, without service charge, a new Security or Securities of the same series and Tranche, of any authorized denomination requested by such Holder and of like tenor and in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.

ARTICLE FIVE

SINKING FUNDS

SECTION 501. Applicability of Article

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of such series or Tranche.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment”, and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment”. If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 502. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of the series or Tranche in respect of which it was made as provided for by the terms of such Securities.

SECTION 502. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

payment; provided, however, that no Securities shall be applied in satisfaction of a mandatory sinking fund payment if such Securities shall have been previously so applied. Securities so applied shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such mandatory sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.

SECTION 503. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

Not less than 45 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying:

(a) the amount of the next succeeding mandatory sinking fund payment for such series or Tranche;

(b) the amount, if any, of the optional sinking fund payment to be made together with such mandatory sinking fund payment;

(d) the portion, if any, of such aggregate sinking fund payment which is to be satisfied by the payment of cash;

(e) the portion, if any, of such aggregate sinking fund payment which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of such series or Tranche pursuant to Section 502 and stating the basis for such credit and that such Securities have not previously been so credited, and the Company shall also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered.

If the Company shall not deliver such Officer’s Certificate, the next succeeding sinking fund payment for such series or Tranche shall be made entirely in cash in the amount of the mandatory sinking fund payment. Not less than 40 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 403 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 404. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 405 and 406.

ARTICLE SIX

COVENANTS

SECTION 601. Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest

The Company shall pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of each series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.

SECTION 602. Maintenance of Office or Agency

The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for the Securities of each series, or any Tranche thereof, an office or agency where payment of such Securities shall be made, where the registration of transfer or exchange of such Securities may be effected and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of each such office or agency and prompt notice to the Holders of any such change in the manner specified in Section 106. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency in respect of Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, payment of such Securities shall be made, registration of transfer or exchange thereof may be effected and notices and demands in respect thereof may be served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent for all such purposes in any such event.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies with respect to the Securities of one or more series, or any Tranche thereof, for any or all of the foregoing purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series or Tranche, no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency for such purposes in each Place of Payment for such Securities in accordance with the requirements set forth above. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee, and prompt notice to the Holders in the manner specified in Section 106, of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, any office or agency required by this Section may be maintained at an office of the Company, in which event the Company shall perform all functions to be performed at such office or agency.

SECTION 603. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on any of such Securities, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal and premium or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of any failure by the Company (or any other obligor on such Securities) to make any payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Securities, deposit with such Paying Agents sums sufficient (without duplication) to pay the principal and premium or interest so becoming due, such sums to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium or interest, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of any failure by it so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, other than the Company or the Trustee, to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided;

(b) give the Trustee notice of any failure by the Company (or any other obligor upon such Securities) to make any payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such failure, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent and furnish to the Trustee such information as it possesses regarding the names and addresses of the Persons entitled to such sums.

The Company may at any time pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent and, if so stated in a Company Order delivered to the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of Article Seven; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal and premium, if any, or interest, if any, has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or, if then held by the Company, shall be discharged from such trust; and, upon such payment or discharge, the Holder of such Security shall, as an unsecured general creditor and not as a Holder of an Outstanding Security, look only to the Company for payment of the amount so due and payable and remaining unpaid, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such payment to the Company, may at the expense of the Company cause to be mailed, on one occasion only, notice to such Holder that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such mailing, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be paid to the Company.

SECTION 604. Corporate Existence

Subject to the rights of the Company under Article Eleven, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence.

SECTION 605. Maintenance of Properties

The Company shall cause (or, with respect to property owned in common with others, make reasonable effort to cause) all its properties used or useful in the conduct of its business to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order and shall cause (or, with respect to property owned in common with others, make reasonable effort to cause) to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements thereof, all as, in the judgment of the Company, may be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted; provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall prevent the Company from discontinuing, or causing the discontinuance of, the operation and maintenance of any of its properties if such discontinuance is, in the judgment of the Company, desirable in the conduct of its business.

SECTION 606. Annual Officer’s Certificate as to Compliance

Not later than October 1 in each year, commencing October 1, , the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate which need not comply with Section 102, executed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, as to such officer’s knowledge of the Company’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture, such compliance to be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice under this Indenture.

SECTION 607. Waiver of Certain Covenants

The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in (a) Section 602 or any additional covenant or restriction specified with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, as contemplated by Section 301 if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series and Tranches with respect to which compliance with Section 602 or such additional covenant or restriction is to be omitted, considered as one class, shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition and (b) Section 604, 605 or Article Eleven if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of Securities Outstanding under this Indenture shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition; but, in the case of (a) or (b), no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

ARTICLE SEVEN

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

SECTION 701. Satisfaction and Discharge of Securities

Any Security or Securities, or any portion of the principal amount thereof, shall be deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this Indenture, and the entire indebtedness of the Company in respect thereof shall be deemed to have been satisfied and discharged, if there shall have been irrevocably deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company), in trust:

(a) money in an amount which shall be sufficient, or

(b) in the case of a deposit made prior to the Maturity of such Securities or portions thereof, Eligible Obligations, which shall not contain provisions permitting the redemption or other prepayment thereof at the option of the issuer thereof, the principal of and the interest on which when due, without any regard to reinvestment thereof, will provide moneys which, together with the money, if any, deposited with or held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent, shall be sufficient, or

to pay when due the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, due and to become due on such Securities or portions thereof on or prior to Maturity; provided, however, that in the case of the provision for payment or redemption of less than all the Securities of any series or Tranche, such Securities or portions thereof shall have been selected by the Security Registrar as provided herein and, in the case of a redemption, the notice requisite to the validity of such redemption shall have been given or irrevocable authority shall have been given by the Company to the Trustee to give such notice, under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee; and provided, further, that the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee and such Paying Agent:

(x) if such deposit shall have been made prior to the Maturity of such Securities, a Company Order stating that the money and Eligible Obligations deposited in accordance with this Section shall be held in trust, as provided in Section 703;

(y) if Eligible Obligations shall have been deposited, an Opinion of Counsel that the obligations so deposited constitute Eligible Obligations and do not contain provisions permitting the redemption or other prepayment at the option of the issuer thereof, and an opinion of an independent public accountant of nationally recognized standing, selected by the Company, to the effect that the requirements set forth in clause (b) above have been satisfied; and

(z) if such deposit shall have been made prior to the Maturity of such Securities, an Officer’s Certificate stating the Company’s intention that, upon delivery of such Officer’s Certificate, its indebtedness in respect of such Securities or portions thereof will have been satisfied and discharged as contemplated in this Section.

Upon the deposit of money or Eligible Obligations, or both, in accordance with this Section, together with the documents required by clauses (x), (y) and (z) above, the Trustee shall, upon receipt of a Company Request, acknowledge in writing that the Security or Securities or portions thereof with respect to which such deposit was made are deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this Indenture and that the entire indebtedness of the Company in respect thereof has been satisfied and discharged as contemplated in this Section. In the event that all of the conditions set forth in the preceding paragraph shall have been satisfied in respect of any Securities or portions thereof except that, for any reason, the Officer’s Certificate specified in clause (z) shall not have been delivered, such Securities or portions thereof shall nevertheless be deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this Indenture, and the Holders of such Securities of portions thereof shall nevertheless be no longer entitled to the benefits of this Indenture or of any of the covenants of the Company under Article Six (except the covenants contained in Sections 602, 603 and 604) or any other covenants made in respect of such Securities or portions thereof as contemplated by Section 301, but the indebtedness of the Company in respect of such Securities or portions thereof shall not be deemed to have been satisfied and discharged prior to Maturity for any other purpose, and the Holders of such Securities or portions thereof shall continue to be entitled to look to the Company for payment of the indebtedness represented thereby; and, upon Company Request, the Trustee shall acknowledge in writing that such Securities or portions thereof are deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this Indenture.

If payment at Stated Maturity of less than all of the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, is to be provided for in the manner and with the effect provided in this Section, the Security Registrar shall select such Securities, or portions of principal amount thereof, in the manner specified by Section 403 for selection for redemption of less than all the Securities of a series or Tranche.

In the event that Securities which shall be deemed to have been paid for purposes of this Indenture, and, if such is the case, in respect of which the Company’s indebtedness shall have been satisfied and discharged, all as provided in this Section do not mature and are not to be redeemed within the sixty (60) day period commencing with the date of the deposit of moneys or Eligible Obligations, as aforesaid, the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, give a notice, in the same manner as a notice of redemption with respect to such Securities, to the Holders of such Securities to the effect that such deposit has been made and the effect thereof.

Notwithstanding that any Securities shall be deemed to have been paid for purposes of this Indenture, as aforesaid, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee in respect of such Securities under Sections 304, 305, 306, 403, 404, 406, 503 (as to notice of redemption), 602, 603, 907, 909, 910 and 915 and this Article Seven shall survive.

The Company shall pay, and shall indemnify the Trustee or any Paying Agent with which Eligible Obligations shall have been deposited as provided in this Section against, any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against such Eligible Obligations or the principal or interest received in respect of such Eligible Obligations, including, but not limited to, any such tax payable by any entity deemed, for tax purposes, to have been created as a result of such deposit.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, (a) if, at any time after a Security would be deemed to have been paid for purposes of this Indenture, and, if such is the case, the

Company’s indebtedness in respect thereof would be deemed to have been satisfied or discharged, pursuant to this Section (without regard to the provisions of this paragraph), the Trustee or any Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall be required to return the money or Eligible Obligations, or combination thereof, deposited with it as aforesaid to the Company or its representative under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, such Security shall thereupon be deemed retroactively not to have been paid and any satisfaction and discharge of the Company’s indebtedness in respect thereof shall retroactively be deemed not to have been effected, and such Security shall be deemed to remain Outstanding and (b) any satisfaction and discharge of the Company’s indebtedness in respect of any Security shall be subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 603.

SECTION 702. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

This Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect (except as hereinafter expressly provided), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

(a) no Securities remain Outstanding hereunder; and

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company;

provided, however, that it, in accordance with the last paragraph of Section 701, any Security, previously deemed to have been paid for purposes of this Indenture, shall be deemed retroactively not to have been so paid, this Indenture shall thereupon be deemed retroactively not to have been satisfied and discharged, as aforesaid, and to remain in full force and effect, and the Company shall execute and deliver such instruments as the Trustee shall reasonably request to evidence and acknowledge the same.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as aforesaid, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee under Sections 304, 305, 306, 403, 404, 406, 503 (as to notice of redemption), 602, 603, 907, 909, 910 and 915 and this Article Seven shall survive.

Upon satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as provided in this Section, the Trustee shall assign, transfer and turn over to the Company, subject to the lien provided by Section 907, any and all money, securities and other property then held by the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities other than money and Eligible Obligations held by the Trustee pursuant to Section 703.

SECTION 703. Application of Trust Money

amount thereof in respect of which such deposit was made, all subject, however, to the provisions of Section 603; provided, however, that, so long as there shall not have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default, any cash received from such principal or interest payments on such Eligible Obligations, if not then needed for such purpose, shall, to the extent practicable, be invested in Eligible Obligations of the type described in clause (b) in the first paragraph of Section 701 maturing at such times and in such amounts as shall be sufficient to pay when due the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, due and to become due on such Securities or portions thereof on and prior to the Maturity thereof, and interest earned from such reinvestment shall be paid over to the Company as received, free and clear of any trust, lien or pledge under this Indenture except the lien provided by Section 907; and provided, further, that, so long as there shall not have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default, any moneys held in accordance with this Section on the Maturity of all such Securities in excess of the amount required to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, then due on such Securities shall be paid over to the Company free and clear of any trust, lien or pledge under this Indenture except the lien provided by Section 907, and provided, further, that if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, moneys to be paid over to the Company pursuant to this Section shall be held until such Event of Default shall have been waived or cured.

ARTICLE EIGHT

EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

SECTION 801. Events of Default

“Event of Default”, wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events:

(a) failure to pay interest, if any, on any Security of such series within 60 days after the same becomes due and payable; or

(b) failure to pay the principal of or premium, if any, on any Security of such series within three Business Days after its Maturity; or

(c) failure to perform, or breach of, any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance of which or breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of one or more series of Securities other than such series) for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee, or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder, unless the Trustee, or the Trustee and the Holders of a principal amount of Securities of such series not less than the principal amount of Securities the Holders of which gave such notice, as the case may be, shall agree in writing to an extension of such period prior to its expiration; provided, however, that the Trustee, or the Trustee and the Holders of such principal amount of Securities of such series, as the case may be, shall be deemed to have agreed to an extension of such period if corrective action is initiated by the Company within such period and is being diligently pursued; or

(d) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (1) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or (2) a decree or order adjudging the Company a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition by one or more Persons other than the Company seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company under any applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official for the Company or for any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order shall have remained unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

(e) the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in a case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by it to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the authorization of such action by the Board of Directors; or

(f) any other Event of Default specified with respect to Securities of such series.

SECTION 802. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding, then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 33% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal amount (or, if any of the Securities of such series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified in the terms thereof as contemplated by Section 301) of all of the Securities of such series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon receipt by the Company of notice of such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) shall become immediately due and payable; provided, however, that if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to more than one series of Securities, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 33% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all such series, considered as one class (and not the Holders of the Securities of any one of such series), may make such declaration of acceleration.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of any series shall have been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due shall have been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Event or Events of Default giving rise to such declaration of acceleration shall, without further act, be deemed to have been waived, and such declaration and its consequences shall, without further act, be deemed to have been rescinded and annulled, if

(a) the Company shall have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay

(1) all overdue interest on all Securities of such series;

(2) the principal of and premium, if any, on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities;

(3) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities;

(4) all amounts due to the Trustee under Section 907; and

(b) any other Event or Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 813.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

SECTION 803. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

If an Event of Default described in clause (a) or (b) of Section 801 shall have occurred and be continuing, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of the series with respect to which such Event of Default shall have occurred, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and premium, if any, and interest, if any, and, to the extent permitted by law, interest on premium, if any, and on any overdue principal and interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover any amounts due to the Trustee under Section 907.

If the Company shall fail to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

SECTION 804. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for amounts due to the Trustee under Section 907) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amounts due it under Section 907.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

SECTION 805. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

SECTION 806. Application of Money Collected

Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or premium, if any, or interest, if any, upon presentation of the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money shall have been collected and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 907;

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities for principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, respectively; and

Third: To the Company.

SECTION 807. Limitation on Suits

No Holder shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

(a) such Holder shall have previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

(b) the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series in respect of which an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, considered as one class, shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity shall have failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request shall have been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series in respect of which an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, considered as one class;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such Holders.

SECTION 808. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and (subject to Section 307) interest, if any, on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

SECTION 809. Restoration of Rights and Remedies

If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding shall have been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, and Trustee and such Holder shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

SECTION 810. Rights and Remedies Cumulative

Except as otherwise provided in the last paragraph of Section 306, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

SECTION 811. Delay or Omission Not Waiver

No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

SECTION 812. Control by Holders of Securities

If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing in respect of a series of Securities, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall 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 Securities of such series; provided, however, that if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to more than one series of Securities, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all such series, considered as one class, shall have the right to make such direction, and not the Holders of the Securities of any one of such series; and provided, further, that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture, and could not involve the Trustee in personal liability in circumstances where indemnity would not, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, be adequate, and

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.

SECTION 813. Waiver of Past Defaults

The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security of such series, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Section 1202 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any and all Events of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

SECTION 814. Undertaking for Costs

to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series in respect of which such suit may be brought, considered as one class, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security on or after the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date).

SECTION 815. Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws

The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

ARTICLE NINE

THE TRUSTEE

SECTION 901. Certain Duties and Responsibilities

(a) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series,

(1) the Trustee undertakes to perform, with respect to Securities of such series, such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

(2) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may, with respect to Securities of such series, conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

(b) In case an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee shall exercise, with respect to Securities of such series, such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that

(1) this clause (c) shall not be construed to limit the effect of clause (a) of this Section;

(2) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;

(3) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any one or more series, as provided herein, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(4) no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.

SECTION 902. Notice of Defaults

The Trustee shall give notice of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series to the Holders of Securities of such series in the manner and to the extent required to do so by the Trust Indenture Act, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that in the case of any default of the character specified in clause (c) of Section 801, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 75 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become, an Event of Default.

SECTION 903. Certain Rights of Trustee

Subject to the provisions of Section 901 and to the applicable provisions of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order, or as otherwise expressly provided herein, and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officer’s Certificate;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any Holder pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holder shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall (subject to applicable legal requirements) be entitled to examine, during normal business hours, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder; and

(h) except as otherwise provided in Section 801(a) or (b), the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series for which it is acting as Trustee unless either (1) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of the Event of Default or (2) written notice of such Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company, any other obligor on such Securities or by any Holder of such Securities.

SECTION 904. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

The recitals contained herein and in the Securities (except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication) shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

SECTION 905. May Hold Securities

Each of the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company or the Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 908 and 913, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other agent.

SECTION 906. Money Held in Trust

Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds, except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on or investment of any money received by it hereunder except as expressly provided herein or otherwise agreed with, and for the sole benefit of, the Company.

SECTION 907. Compensation and Reimbursement

The Company shall

(a) pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except to the extent that any such expense, disbursement or advance may be attributable to its negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith; and

(c) indemnify the Trustee and hold it harmless from and against, any loss, liability or expense reasonably incurred by it arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder or the performance of its duties hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent any such loss, liability or expense may be attributable to its negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such other than property and funds held in trust under Section 703 (except as otherwise provided in Section 703). “Trustee” for purposes of this Section shall include any predecessor Trustee; provided, however, that the negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of any Trustee hereunder shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee hereunder.

SECTION 908. Disqualification; Conflicting Interests

If the Trustee shall have or acquire any conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, it shall either eliminate such conflicting interest or resign to the extent, in the manner and with the effect, and subject to the conditions, provided in the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. For purposes of Section 310(b)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act and to the extent permitted thereby, the Trustee, in its capacity as trustee in respect of the Securities of any series, shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest arising from its capacity as trustee in respect of the Securities of any other series.

SECTION 909. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be

(a) a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States, any State or Territory thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority, or

(b) if and to the extent permitted by the Commission by rule, regulation or order upon application, a corporation or other Person organized and doing business under the laws of a foreign government, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 or the Dollar equivalent of the applicable foreign currency and subject to supervision or examination by authority of such foreign government or a political subdivision thereof substantially equivalent to supervision or examination applicable to United States institutional trustees, and, in either case, qualified and eligible under this Article and the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of such supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

SECTION 910. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 911.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 911 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Trustee and to the Company.

(d) If at any time:

(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 908 after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder for at least six months, or

(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 909 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder, or

(3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (A) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or (B) subject to Section 814, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder for at least six months may, on behalf of itself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause (other than as contemplated in clause (B) in clause (d) of this Section), with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 911. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 911,

become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 911, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of itself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(f) So long as no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become, an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and except with respect to a Trustee appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, if the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee (1) a Board Resolution appointing a successor Trustee, effective as of a date specified therein, and (2) an instrument of acceptance of such appointment, effective as of such date, by such successor Trustee in accordance with Section 911, the Trustee shall be deemed to have resigned as contemplated in subsection (b) of this Section, the successor Trustee shall be deemed to have been appointed by the Company pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section and such appointment shall be deemed to have been accepted as contemplated in Section 911, all as of such date, and all other provisions of this Section and Section 911 shall be applicable to such resignation, appointment and acceptance except to the extent inconsistent with this clause (f).

(g) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Securities of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its corporate trust office.

SECTION 911. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

(a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of all series, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of all sums owed to it, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.

(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of all sums owed to it, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

(c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any instruments which fully vest in and confirm to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in clause (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

SECTION 912. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

SECTION 913. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

If the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities (other than by reason of a relationship described in Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act), the Trustee shall be subject to any and all applicable provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company or such other obligor. For purposes of Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the term “cash transaction” means any transaction in which full payment for goods or securities sold is made within seven days after delivery of the goods or securities in currency or in checks or other orders drawn upon banks or bankers and payable upon demand;

(b) the term “self-liquidating paper” means any draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation which is made, drawn, negotiated or incurred by the Company or such obligor for the purpose of financing the purchase, processing, manufacturing, shipment, storage or sale of goods, wares or merchandise and which is secured by documents evidencing title to, possession of, or a lien upon, the goods, wares or merchandise or the receivables or proceeds arising from the sale of the goods, wares or merchandise previously constituting the security, provided the security is received by the Trustee simultaneously with the creation of the creditor relationship with the Company or such obligor arising from the making, drawing, negotiating or incurring of the draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation.

SECTION 914. Co-trustees and Separate Trustees

At any time or times, for the purpose of meeting the legal requirements of any applicable jurisdiction, the Company and the Trustee shall have power to appoint, and, upon the written request of the Trustee or of the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the Securities then Outstanding, the Company shall for such purpose join with the Trustee in the execution and delivery of all instruments and agreements necessary or proper to appoint, one or more Persons approved by the Trustee either to act as co-trustee, jointly with the Trustee, or to act as separate trustee, in either case with such powers as may be provided in the instrument of appointment, and to vest in such Person or Persons, in the capacity aforesaid, any property, title, right or power deemed necessary or desirable, subject to the other provisions of this Section. If the Company does not join in such appointment within 15 days after the receipt by it of a request so to do, or if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee alone shall have power to make such appointment.

Should any written instrument or instruments from the Company be required by any co-trustee or separate trustee so appointed to more fully confirm to such co-trustee or separate trustee such property, title, right or power, any and all such instruments shall, on request, be executed, acknowledged and delivered by the Company.

Every co-trustee or separate trustee shall, to the extent permitted by law, but to such extent only, be appointed subject to the following conditions:

(a) the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered, and all rights, powers, duties and obligations hereunder in respect of the custody of securities, cash and other personal property held by, or required to be deposited or pledged with, the Trustee hereunder, shall be exercised solely, by the Trustee;

(b) the rights, powers, duties and obligations hereby conferred or imposed upon the Trustee in respect of any property covered by such appointment shall be conferred or imposed upon and exercised or performed either by the Trustee or by the Trustee and such co-trustee or separate trustee jointly, as shall be provided in the instrument appointing such co-trustee or separate trustee, except to the extent that under any law of any jurisdiction in which any particular act is to be performed, the Trustee shall be incompetent or unqualified to perform such act, in which event such rights, powers, duties and obligations shall be exercised and performed by such co-trustee or separate trustee;

(c) the Trustee at any time, by an instrument in writing executed by it, with the concurrence of the Company, may accept the resignation of or remove any co-trustee or separate trustee appointed under this Section, and, if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee shall have power to accept the resignation of, or remove, any such co-trustee or separate trustee without the concurrence of the Company. Upon the written request of the Trustee, the Company shall join with the Trustee in the execution and delivery of all instruments and agreements necessary or proper to effectuate such resignation or removal. A successor to any co-trustee or separate trustee so resigned or removed may be appointed in the manner provided in this Section;

(d) no co-trustee or separate trustee hereunder shall be personally liable by reason of any act or omission of the Trustee, or any other such trustee hereunder; and

(e) any Act of Holders delivered to the Trustee shall be deemed to have been delivered to each such co-trustee and separate trustee.

SECTION 915. Appointment of Authenticating Agent

The Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to the Securities of one or more series, or any Tranche thereof, which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series or Tranche issued upon original issuance, exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof or pursuant to Section 306, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States, any State or Territory thereof or the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000

and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Trustee agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section, and the Trustee shall be entitled to be reimbursed for such payments, in accordance with, and subject to the provisions of Section 907.

The provisions of Sections 308, 904 and 905 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an appointment with respect to the Securities of one or more series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series or Tranche may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication substantially in the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within mentioned Indenture.


, Trustee

By:
As Authenticating Agent

By:
Authorized Signatory

If all of the Securities of a series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested by the Company in writing (which writing need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), shall appoint, in accordance with this Section and in accordance with such procedures as shall be acceptable to the Trustee, an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE TEN

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

SECTION 1001. Lists of Holders

Semiannually, not later than March 1 and September 1 in each year, commencing March 1, , and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee information as to the names and addresses of the Holders, and the Trustee shall preserve such information and similar information received by it in any other capacity and afford to the Holders access to information so preserved by it, all to such extent, if any, and in such manner as shall be required by the Trust Indenture Act; provided, however, that no such list need be furnished so long as the Trustee shall be the Security Registrar.

SECTION 1002. Reports by Trustee and Company

Not later than July 15 in each year, commencing July 15, , the Trustee shall transmit to the Holders and the Commission a report, dated as of the next preceding May 15, with respect to any events and other matters described in Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, in such manner and to the extent required by the Trust Indenture Act. The Trustee shall transmit to the Holders and the Commission, and the Company shall file with the Trustee (within 30 days after filing with the Commission in the case of reports which pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act must be filed with the Commission and furnished to the Trustee) and transmit to the Holders, such other information, reports and other documents, if any, at such times and in such manner, as shall be required by the Trust Indenture Act.

ARTICLE ELEVEN

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR OTHER TRANSFER

SECTION 1101. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other corporation, or convey or otherwise transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, unless

(a) the corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety shall be a Person organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all Outstanding Securities and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness for borrowed money which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, or other transfer or lease and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transactions have been complied with.

SECTION 1102. Successor Corporation Substituted

Upon any consolidation by the Company with or merger by the Company into any other corporation or any conveyance, or other transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety in accordance with Section 1101, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities Outstanding hereunder.

ARTICLE TWELVE

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

SECTION 1201. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

Without the consent of any Holders, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company herein and in the Securities, all as provided in Article Eleven; or

(b) to add one or more covenants of the Company or other provisions for the benefit of all Holders or for the benefit of the Holders of, or to remain in effect only so long as there shall be Outstanding, Securities of one or more specified series, or one or more specified Tranches thereof, or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or

(d) to change or eliminate any provision of this Indenture or to add any new provision to this Indenture; provided, however, that if such change, elimination or addition shall adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series or Tranche Outstanding on the date of such indenture supplemental hereto in any material respect, such change, elimination or addition shall become effective (1) with respect to such series or Tranche only pursuant to the provisions of Section 1202 hereof or (2) when no Security of such series or Tranche remains Outstanding; or

(e) to provide collateral security for all but not part of the Securities; or

(f) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series or Tranche as contemplated by Sections 201 and 301; or

(g) to provide for the authentication and delivery of bearer securities and coupons appertaining thereto representing interest, if any, thereon and for the procedures for the registration, exchange and replacement thereof and for the giving of notice to, and the solicitation of the vote or consent of, the holders thereof, and for any and all other matters incidental thereto; or

(h) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a separate or successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of clause (b) of Section 911; or

(i) to provide for the procedures required to permit the Company to utilize, at its option, a non-certificated system of registration for all, or any series or Tranche of, the Securities; or

(j) to change any place or places where (1) the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all or any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable, (2) all or any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, may be surrendered for registration of transfer, (3) all or any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, may be surrendered for exchange and (4) notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of all or any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, and this Indenture may be served; or

(k) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other changes to the provisions hereof or to add other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture, provided that such other changes or additions shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series or Tranche in any material respect.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if the Trust Indenture Act as in effect at the date of the execution and delivery of this Indenture or at any time thereafter shall be amended and

(x) if any such amendment shall require one or more changes to any provisions hereof or the inclusion herein of any additional provisions, or shall by operation of law be deemed to effect such changes or incorporate such provisions by reference or otherwise, this Indenture shall be deemed to have been amended so as to conform to such amendment to the Trust Indenture Act, and the Company and the Trustee may, without the consent of any Holders, enter into an indenture supplemental hereto to effect or evidence such changes or additional provisions; or

(y) if any such amendment shall permit one or more changes to, or the elimination of, any provisions hereof which, at the date of the execution and delivery hereof or at any time thereafter, are required by the Trust Indenture Act to be contained herein, this Indenture shall be deemed to have been amended to effect such changes or elimination, and the Company and the Trustee may, without the consent of any Holders, enter into an indenture supplemental hereto to evidence such amendment hereof.

SECTION 1202. Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders

With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of all series then Outstanding under this Indenture, considered as one class, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to, or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of, this Indenture; provided, however, that if there shall be Securities of more than one series Outstanding hereunder and if a proposed supplemental indenture shall directly

affect the rights of the Holders of Securities of one or more, but less than all, of such series, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series so directly affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided, further, that if the Securities of any series shall have been issued in more than one Tranche and if the proposed supplemental indenture shall directly affect the rights of the Holders of Securities of one or more, but less than all, of such Tranches, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all Tranches so directly affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided, further, that no such supplemental indenture shall:

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon (or the amount of any installment of interest thereon) or change the method of calculating such rate or reduce any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of the principal of a Discount Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 802, or change the coin or currency (or other property), in which any Security or any premium or the interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity of any Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date), without, in any such case, the consent of the Holder of such Security, or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series or any Tranche thereof, the consent of the Holders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of the Holders of which is required for any waiver of compliance with any provision of this Indenture or of any default hereunder and its consequences, or reduce the requirements of Section 1304 for quorum or voting, without, in any such case, the consent of the Holders of each Outstanding Security of such series or Tranche, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 607 or Section 813 with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, or except to increase the percentages in principal amount referred to in this Section or such other Sections or to provide that other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby; provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of clause (b) of Section 911 and clause (h) of Section 1201.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or of one or more Tranches thereof, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series or Tranches with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series or Tranche.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof. A waiver by a Holder of such Holder’s right to consent under this Section shall be deemed to be a consent of such Holder.

SECTION 1203. Execution of Supplemental Indentures

In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 901) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, immunities or liabilities under this Indenture or otherwise.

SECTION 1204. Effect of Supplemental Indentures

Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby. Any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article may restate this Indenture in its entirety, and, upon the execution and delivery thereof, any such restatement shall supersede this Indenture as theretofore in effect for all purposes.

SECTION 1205. Conformity With Trust Indenture Act

Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

SECTION 1206. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series or Tranche.

SECTION 1207. Modification Without Supplemental Indenture

If the terms of any particular series of Securities shall have been established in a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a Board Resolution as contemplated by Section 301, and not in an indenture supplemental hereto, additions to, changes in or the elimination of any of such terms may be effected by means of a supplemental Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate, as the case may be, delivered to, and accepted by, the Trustee; provided, however,

that such supplemental Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate shall not be accepted by the Trustee or otherwise be effective unless all conditions set forth in this Indenture which would be required to be satisfied if such additions, changes or elimination were contained in a supplemental indenture shall have been appropriately satisfied. Upon the acceptance thereof by the Trustee, any such supplemental Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate shall be deemed to be a “supplemental indenture” for purposes of Section 1204 and 1206.

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

MEETINGS OF HOLDERS; ACTION WITHOUT MEETING

SECTION 1301. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called

A meeting of Holders of Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series or Tranches.

SECTION 1302. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings

(a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, for any purpose specified in Section 1301, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, as the Trustee shall determine, or, with the approval of the Company, at any other place. Notice of every such meeting, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) If the Trustee shall have been requested to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, by the Company or by the Holders of 33% in aggregate principal amount of all of such series and Tranches, considered as one class, for any purpose specified in Section 1301, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have given the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series and Tranches in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or in such other place as shall be determined or approved by the Company, for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

(c) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, shall be valid without notice if the Holders of all Outstanding Securities of such series or Tranches are present in person or by proxy and if

representatives of the Company and the Trustee are present, or if notice is waived in writing before or after the meeting by the Holders of all Outstanding Securities of such series, or by such of them as are not present at the meeting in person or by proxy, and by the Company and the Trustee.

SECTION 1303. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings

To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series or Tranches, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series or Tranches by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to attend any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series or Tranche shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

SECTION 1304. Quorum; Action

The Persons entitled to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of the series and Tranches with respect to which a meeting shall have been called as hereinbefore provided, considered as one class, shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of Holders of Securities of such series and Tranches; provided, however, that if any action is to be taken at such meeting which this Indenture expressly provides may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series and Tranches, considered as one class, the Persons entitled to vote such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series and Tranches, considered as one class, shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum within one hour of the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series and Tranches, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for such period as may be determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any such adjourned meeting, such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for such period as may be determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such adjourned meeting. Except as provided by clause (e) of Section 1305, notice of the reconvening of any meeting adjourned for more than 30 days shall be given as provided in clause (a) of Section 1302 not less than ten days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series and Tranches which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by Section 1202, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of the series and Tranches with respect to which such meeting shall have been called, considered as one class; provided, however, that, except as so limited, any resolution with respect to any action which this Indenture expressly provides may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding

Securities of such series and Tranches, considered as one class, may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series and Tranches, considered as one class.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of the series and Tranches with respect to which such meeting shall have been held, whether or not present or represented at the meeting.

SECTION 1305. Attendance at Meetings; Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings

(a) Attendance at meetings of Holders of Securities may be in person or by proxy; and, to the extent permitted by law, any such proxy shall remain in effect and be binding upon any future Holder of the Securities with respect to which it was given unless and until specifically revoked by the Holder or future Holder of such Securities before being voted.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities in regard to proof of the holding of such Securities and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 104 or other proof.

(c) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders as provided in clause (b) of Section 1302, in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series and Tranches calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series and Tranches represented at the meeting, considered as one class.

(d) At any meeting each Holder or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $1 principal amount of Securities held or represented by him; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security or proxy.

(e) Any meeting duly called pursuant to Section 1302 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series and Tranches represented at the meeting, considered as one class; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

SECTION 1306. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings

The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities, of the series and Tranches with respect to which the meeting shall have been called, held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 1302 and, if applicable, Section 1304. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

SECTION 1307. Action Without Meeting

In lieu of a vote of Holders at a meeting as hereinbefore contemplated in this Article, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action may be made, given or taken by Holders by written instruments as provided in Section 104.

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND

DIRECTORS

SECTION 1401. Liability Solely Corporate

No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Securities, or any part thereof, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, or of the indebtedness represented thereby, or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement under this Indenture, against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation (either directly or through the Company or a predecessor or successor corporation), whether by virtue of any constitutional provision, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly agreed and understood that this Indenture and all the Securities are solely corporate obligations, and that no personal liability whatsoever

shall attach to, or be incurred by, any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation (either directly or indirectly through the Company or any predecessor or successor corporation), because of the indebtedness hereby authorized or under or by reason of any of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any of the Securities or to be implied herefrom or therefrom, and that any such personal liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as part of the consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of the Securities.

This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.


ENTEROMEDICS INC.

By:

[NAME OF TRUSTEE], TRUSTEE

By:

Form of Indenture relating to Subordinated Debt Securities

Exhibit 4.4

ENTEROMEDICS INC.

[ ], TRUSTEE

SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES

INDENTURE

DATED AS OF

TABLE OF CONTENTS


ARTICLE ONE

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

SECTION 101.	Definitions	1
SECTION 102.	Compliance Certificates and Opinions	8
SECTION 103.	Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee	8
SECTION 104.	Acts of Holders	9
SECTION 105.	Notices, Etc. to Trustee and Company	11
SECTION 106.	Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver	11
SECTION 107.	Conflict with Trust Indenture Act	12
SECTION 108.	Effect of Headings and Table of Contents	12
SECTION 109.	Successors and Assigns	12
SECTION 110.	Separability Clause	12
SECTION 111.	Benefits of Indenture	12
SECTION 112.	Governing Law	12
SECTION 113.	Legal Holidays	13

ARTICLE TWO

SECURITY FORMS

SECTION 201.	Forms Generally	13
SECTION 202.	Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication	14

ARTICLE THREE

THE SECURITIES

SECTION 301.	Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series	14
SECTION 302.	Denominations	17
SECTION 303.	Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating	17
SECTION 304.	Temporary Securities	20
SECTION 305.	Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange	20
SECTION 306.	Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities	21
SECTION 307.	Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved	22
SECTION 308.	Persons Deemed Owners	23
SECTION 309.	Cancellation by Security Registrar	23
SECTION 310.	Computation of Interest	24
SECTION 311.	Payment to Be in Proper Currency	24

ARTICLE FOUR

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

SECTION 401.	Applicability of Article	24


SECTION 402.	Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee	25
SECTION 403.	Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed	25
SECTION 404.	Notice of Redemption	25
SECTION 405.	Securities Payable on Redemption Date	26
SECTION 406.	Securities Redeemed in Part	27

ARTICLE FIVE

SINKING FUNDS

SECTION 501.	Applicability of Article	27
SECTION 502.	Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities	28
SECTION 503.	Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund	28

ARTICLE SIX

COVENANTS

SECTION 601.	Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest	29
SECTION 602.	Maintenance of Office or Agency	29
SECTION 603.	Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust	29
SECTION 604.	Corporate Existence	31
SECTION 605.	Maintenance of Properties	31
SECTION 606.	Annual Officer’s Certificate as to Compliance	31
SECTION 607.	Waiver of Certain Covenants	31

ARTICLE SEVEN

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

SECTION 701.	Satisfaction and Discharge of Securities	32
SECTION 702.	Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture	34
SECTION 703.	Application of Trust Money	35

ARTICLE EIGHT

EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

SECTION 801.	Events of Default	35
SECTION 802.	Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment	36
SECTION 803.	Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee	37
SECTION 804.	Trustee May File Proofs of Claim	38
SECTION 805.	Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities	39
SECTION 806.	Application of Money Collected	39
SECTION 807.	Limitation on Suits	39
SECTION 808.	Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest	40
SECTION 809.	Restoration of Rights and Remedies	40
SECTION 810.	Rights and Remedies Cumulative	40


SECTION 811.	Delay or Omission Not Waiver	41
SECTION 812.	Control by Holders of Securities	41
SECTION 813.	Waiver of Past Defaults	41
SECTION 814.	Undertaking for Costs	42
SECTION 815.	Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws	42

ARTICLE NINE

THE TRUSTEE

SECTION 901.	Certain Duties and Responsibilities	42
SECTION 902.	Notice of Defaults	43
SECTION 903.	Certain Rights of Trustee	44
SECTION 904.	Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities	45
SECTION 905.	May Hold Securities	45
SECTION 906.	Money Held in Trust	45
SECTION 907.	Compensation and Reimbursement	45
SECTION 908.	Disqualification; Conflicting Interests	46
SECTION 909.	Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility	46
SECTION 910.	Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor	47
SECTION 911.	Acceptance of Appointment by Successor	48
SECTION 912.	Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business	49
SECTION 913.	Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company	50
SECTION 914.	Co-trustees and Separate Trustees	50
SECTION 915.	Appointment of Authenticating Agent	51

ARTICLE TEN

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

SECTION 1001.	Lists of Holders	53
SECTION 1002.	Reports by Trustee and Company	53

ARTICLE ELEVEN

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR OTHER TRANSFER

SECTION 1101.	Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms	54
SECTION 1102.	Successor Corporation Substituted	54

ARTICLE TWELVE

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

SECTION 1201.	Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders	55
SECTION 1202.	Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders	56
SECTION 1203.	Execution of Supplemental Indentures	58
SECTION 1204.	Effect of Supplemental Indentures	58
SECTION 1205.	Conformity With Trust Indenture Act	58

iii


SECTION 1206.	Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures	58
SECTION 1207.	Modification Without Supplemental Indenture	58

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

MEETINGS OF HOLDERS; ACTION WITHOUT MEETING

SECTION 1301.	Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called	59
SECTION 1302.	Call, Notice and Place of Meetings	59
SECTION 1303.	Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings	60
SECTION 1304.	Quorum; Action	60
SECTION 1305.	Attendance at Meetings; Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings	61
SECTION 1306.	Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings	62
SECTION 1307.	Action Without Meeting	62

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

SECTION 1401.	Liability Solely Corporate	62

ARTICLE FIFTEEN

SUBORDINATION

SECTION 1501.	Agreement to Subordinate	63
SECTION 1502.	Distribution on Dissolution, Liquidation and Reorganization	63
SECTION 1503.	No Payment When Senior Debt In Default	64
SECTION 1504.	Payment to Holders of Senior Debt	64
SECTION 1505.	Subrogation	65
SECTION 1506.	Payment on Securities Permitted	66
SECTION 1507.	Authorization of Holders to Trustee to Effect Subordination	66
SECTION 1508.	No Waiver of Subordination Provisions	66
SECTION 1509.	Trustee as Holder of Senior Debt	67
SECTION 1510.	Notices to Trustee	67
SECTION 1511.	No Fiduciary Duty by Trustee to Holders of Senior Debt	67
SECTION 1512.	Paying Agent Treated as Trustee	67

SIGNATURES		69

ENTEROMEDICS INC.

RECONCILIATION AND TIE BETWEEN TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939

AND INDENTURE, DATED AS OF


Trust Indenture Act Section		Indenture Section

§310	(a)(1)	909
	(a)(2)	909
	(a)(3)	914(b)
	(a)(4)	Not Applicable
	(b)	908
		910
§311	(a)	913
	(b)	913
	(c)	913
§312	(a)	1001
	(b)	1001
	(c)	1001
§313	(a)	1002
	(b)	1002
	(c)	1002
	(d)	1002
§314	(a)	1002
	(a)(4)	606
	(b)	Not Applicable
	(c)(1)	102
	(c)(2)	102
	(c)(3)	Not Applicable
	(d)	Not Applicable
	(e)	102
§315	(a)	901
		903
	(b)	902
	(c)	901
	(d)	901
	(e)	814
§316	(a)	812
		813
	(a)(1)(A)	812
	(a)(1)(B)	813
	(a)(2)	Not Applicable
	(b)	808
§317	(a)(1)	803
	(a)(2)	804
	(b)	603
§318	(a)	107

RECITAL OF THE COMPANY

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

ARTICLE ONE

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

SECTION 101. Definitions

For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all terms used herein without definition which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

date of the execution and delivery of this Indenture; provided, however, that in determining generally accepted accounting principles applicable to the Company, the Company shall, to the extent required, conform to any order, rule or regulation of any administrative agency, regulatory authority or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company; and