Initial Registration Statement for Employee Benefit Plan Form S 8

S-8

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 20, 2024

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8



REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

ASPIRA WOMEN'S HEALTH INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Delaware		33-0595156
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)




12117 Bee Caves Road, Building III, Suite 100
Austin, TX		78738
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

ASPIRA WOMEN's HEALTH inc. 2019 stock incentive plan



(Full title of the plan)

Nicole Sandford

Chief Executive Officer and Director

12117 Bee Caves Road, Building III, Suite 100

Austin, Texas 78738

(512) 519-0400

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

Copies to:

Jeffrey J. Fessler, Esq.

Sean F. Reid, Esq.
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112-0015
(212) 653-8700





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


Large accelerated filer		☐		Accelerated filer		☐

Non-accelerated filer		☒		Smaller reporting company		☒

				Emerging growth company		☐



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

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed by Aspira Women's Health Inc. (the "Company") for the purpose of registering an additional 1,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Common Stock") issuable under the Company's 2019 Stock Incentive Plan.

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I will be sent or given to participants in the Plans as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The information required by Part I of Form S-8 to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this registration statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act. In accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission and the instructions to Form 8, such documents are not being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") as part of this registration statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 of the Securities Act. These document(s) and the documents incorporated by reference in the registration statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this form, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents filed by the registrant with the Commission are hereby incorporated by reference in this registration statement:




	(1)	our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on April 1, 2024;
	(2)	the information specifically incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 from our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on April 1, 2024;
	(3)	our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 filed with the SEC on May 15, 2024;
	(4)	our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 filed with the SEC on August 13, 2024;
	(5)	our Current Reports on Form 8-K or 8-K/A filed with the SEC on January 25, 2024 (except for Item 2.02), January 26, 2024 (except for Item 2.02), March 21, 2024, March 25, 2024, April 26, 2024(2), May 14, 2024, June 7, 2024, June 27, 2024, July 2, 2024, July 5, 2024, July 29, 2024,July 31, 2024, and August 2, 2024;
	(6)	the description of our common stock set forth in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on July 6, 2010 (File No. 001-34810), and any amendment or report filed with the SEC for the purpose of updating such description, including Exhibit 4.7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

All reports and other documents filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, other than current reports furnished under Item 2.02 and Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and any exhibits furnished on such form that relate to such items, after the date of this registration statement, and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment that indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or that deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part of this registration statement from the date of filing of such reports and documents.

Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement herein or in any other

subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not constitute a part of this registration statement, except as so modified or superseded.



Item 4. Description of Securities.



Not applicable.



Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.



Not applicable.



Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.



Under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporate Law (the "DGCL"), a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding (i) if such person acted in good faith and in a manner that the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and (ii) with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, if the person had no reasonable cause to believe such conduct was unlawful. In actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, a corporation may indemnify such person against expenses (including attorney's fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner that the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification may be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which that person has been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought determines upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such expense which the Court of Chancery or other such court deems proper. To the extent that such person has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defending any such action, suit or proceeding referred to above, or in defending any claim, issue or matter therein, the person is entitled to indemnification for expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided for or granted pursuant to Section 145 of the DGCL are not exclusive of any other rights of indemnification or advancement of expenses to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled, under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person's official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, and a corporation may purchase and maintain insurance against liabilities asserted against any former or current director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or a person who is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, whether or not the power to indemnify is provided by the statute.

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL permits a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for any breach of the directors duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law, for unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or other distributions, for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit or for any action by or in the right of the corporation. Article VII of the Registrant's Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the "Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation"), provides for such limitation of liability.

Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. Article VII of the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation and Article VI of the Registrant's Amended and Restated Bylaws provide in substance that, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, each director and officer shall be indemnified against reasonable costs and expenses, including attorney's fees, and any liabilities which the person may incur in connection with any action to which the person may be made a party by reason of his or her being or having been a director or officer of the Registrant, a predecessor of the Registrant, or serves or served as a director, officer or employee of another enterprise at the request of the Registrant or any predecessor of the Registrant. The indemnification provided by the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation is not deemed exclusive of or intended in any way to limit any other rights to which any person seeking indemnification may be entitled.

D&O Insurance. The Registrant maintains standard policies of insurance under which coverage is provided to the Registrant's directors and officers against loss arising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act, and to

the Registrant with respect to payments which may be made by the Registrant to such officers and directors pursuant to the above indemnification provision or otherwise as a matter of law.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

No.
 Exhibit No.		Description

4.1		Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Vermillion, Inc. dated January 22, 2010 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on January 25, 2010).

4.2		Certificate of Amendment of Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, effective June 19, 2014 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the Commission on August 14, 2014).

4.3		Certificate of Amendment to Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Vermillion, Inc., dated June 11, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on June 11, 2020).
4.4		Certificate of Amendment to Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Aspira Women's Health Inc, dated February 7, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February 7, 2023).
4.5		Certificate of Amendment to the Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended May 11, 2023(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on May 11, 2023).
4.6		Amended and Restated Bylaws of Aspira Women's Health Inc., effective February 23, 2022(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 of the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the Commission on August 14, 2014).

5.1*		Opinion of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP.

23.1*		Consent of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

23.2*		Consent of BDO USA, P.C., independent registered public accounting firm.

24.1*		Power of Attorney (set forth on the signature page of this registration statement).
99.1		Aspira Women's Health Inc. 2019 Stock Incentive Plan # (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on August 10, 2022).
107*		Filing Fee Table.
*		Filed herewith.
#		Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.





Item 9. Undertakings.



(a) The 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;

(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 Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; and



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

provided, however, that clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those clauses 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, as amended, that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is a part of this 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.

(b) 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 Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) 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 undersigned pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the undersigned has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the undersigned of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the undersigned 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 undersigned will, unless in the opinion of our 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.



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-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Austin, State of Texas, on the 20th day of August, 2024.

/s/

ASPIRA WOMEN'S HEALTH INC.

By		/s/ Nicole Sandford
Name		Nicole Sandford
Title		Chief Executive Officer



POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Nicole Sandford, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or any of his or her substitutes or substitute, 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 below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.





Signature		Title		Date
				
/s/ Nicole Sandford		Chief Executive Officer and Director		August 20, 2024
Nicole Sandford		(Principal Executive Officer)
				
/s/ John Kallassy		Interim Chief Financial Officer		August 20, 2024
John Kallassy		(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)		
				
/s/ Jannie Herchuk		Director		August 20, 2024
Jannie Herchuk
				
/s/ Lynn O'Connor Vos		Director		August 20, 2024
Lynn O'Connor Vos
				
/s/ Celeste Fralick		Director		August 20, 2024
Celeste Fralick
				
/s/ Stefanie Cavanaugh		Director		August 20, 2024
Stefanie Cavanaugh
/s/ Winfred Parnell			
Winfred Parnell		Director		August 20, 2024
				
/s/ John Ragard				
John Ragard		Director		August 20, 2024

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