EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of July 31, 2019 (the “Effective Date”) by and between Keith Vendola, (“Employee”), and Rezolute, Inc. (the “Company”).

WHEREAS, the Company wishes to continue to employ Employee in accordance with the terms of this Agreement;

WHEREAS, Employee wishes to accept continued employment with the Company according to the terms of this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, this Agreement shall replace and supersede in its entirety any prior employment agreements or understandings between Employee and the Company (the “Prior Agreement”).

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

1. Employment. The Company hereby continues to employ Employee, and Employee hereby accepts continued employment by the Company, upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement for the period beginning on the Effective Date and ending pursuant to the termination procedures described in Section 4(a) (the “Employment Period”).

2. Position and Duties.

(a) During the Employment Period, Employee shall serve as the Chief Financial Officer, and in connection therewith Employee shall render services to the Company and have the responsibilities and authority which are consistent with Employee’s position, subject to the power and authority of the officers and the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) to expand or limit such duties, responsibilities, functions and authority.

(b) Employee shall report to the Chief Executive Officer (or such other person as shall be designated by the Board). Employee shall perform Employee’s duties and responsibilities to the best of Employee’s abilities in a diligent, trustworthy, businesslike and efficient manner. Employee shall devote Employee’s full business time, energies and attention (except for permitted vacation periods and periods of illness or other temporary incapacity) to the business and affairs of the Company. However, Employee may seek approval for external obligations from the Board by disclosing such activities on the Conflict of Interest Disclosure form attached hereto as Exhibit A. So long as Employee is employed by the Company, Employee shall not, without the prior written consent of the Board, accept other employment or perform other services for compensation or that interfere with Employee’s employment with the Company; provided, however, that Employee may serve as an officer or director of or otherwise participate in purely educational, welfare, social, religious and civic organizations so long as such activities are not in competition with the Company or do not interfere with Employee’s ability to carry out Employee’s duties under this Agreement.

(c) Employee shall comply with all lawful rules, policies, procedures, regulations and administrative directions now or hereafter reasonably established by the Board for employees of the Company.

(d) The Company shall have the right to assign Employee new duties and to change Employee’s title subject to Section 4 of this Agreement.

3. Salary and Benefits.

(a) Salary. During the Employment Period, the Company shall pay Employee a base salary at the annual rate of $365,000, payable in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payment practices subject to required withholdings and taxes (the ”Salary”). Employee may receive increases in Employee’s Salary to the extent such an increase is approved in the sole discretion of the Board.

(b) Bonus. During the Employment Period, Employee will be eligible to receive an annual performance bonus of up to thirty (30%) of Employee’s base salary. Determination of the actual bonus amount shall be based on the Company’s performance as well as Employee’s individual performance for the year. Employee’s discretionary bonus, if any, will be earned on December 31^st of each calendar year. In order to remain eligible to

receive an annual performance bonus, Employee must continue to be employed by the Company, in good standing, through the date that the bonus is earned. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, subsequent to the approval of the board of directors, any bonus amount due to Employee will be paid on or before February 15^th of the year following the date that the bonus was earned.

(c) Benefits. During the Employment Period, Employee shall be entitled to paid vacation (to be scheduled at times mutually agreeable to the Employee and to the needs of the business), paid holidays and to participate in all employee benefit plans of the Company, including without limitation all health insurance plans, retirement plans (including 401(k)), life insurance plans and other perquisite plans and programs (collectively, the “Benefit Plans”) for which employees of Employee’s rank in the Company are generally eligible, in each case consistent with the Company’s then-current practice. The foregoing shall not be construed to require the Company to establish such Benefit Plans or to prevent the modification or termination of such Benefit Plans once established, and no such action or failure thereof shall affect this Agreement. Employee recognizes that the Company and its affiliates have the right, in their sole discretion, to amend, modify or terminate any Benefit Plans without creating any rights in Employee.

(d) Business Expenses. During the Employment Period, the Company shall reimburse Employee for all reasonable business expenses incurred by Employee in the course of performing Employee’s duties under this Agreement; provided such expenses are consistent with the Company’s policies in effect from time to time with respect to travel, entertainment and other business expenses. As a condition to being issued such reimbursements, Employee shall submit to the Company on a timely basis business expense reports, including substantiation in accordance with the Company’s policy as in effect from time to time.

4. Employment Period.

(a) The Employment Period shall begin on the Effective Date and shall continue until Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated in accordance with Section 4(b).

(b) The Employment Period and Employee’s employment hereunder (i) shall terminate upon Employee’s death or permanent disability or incapacity, (ii) may be terminated by the Company at any time with or without Cause (as defined in Section 4(g)), and (iii) may be terminated by Employee at any time with or without Good Reason (as defined in Section 4(h)).

(c) If Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated by the Company for Cause or by Employee without Good Reason during the Employment Period, then Employee shall be entitled to receive only Employee’s accrued, but unpaid Salary through the effective date of Employee’s termination of employment (the “Termination Date”), any reimbursements owed for business expenses validly incurred on or prior to the Termination Date and reimbursable in accordance with Section 3(d), any earned but unpaid Bonuses or other incentive payments approved by the Board but not paid to Employee as of the Termination Date, and any accrued but unpaid benefits due and owing to Employee under the Benefit Plans (the “Accrued Obligations”).  Board approval of the payment of Bonuses or other incentive payments as part of Accrued Obligations shall be subject to the Company’s current financial condition as of the Termination Date.

(d) If Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated without Cause by the Company during the Employment Period, then Employee shall be entitled to receive the Accrued Obligations and, provided Employee signs and does not revoke a general release of claims against the Company and its affiliates on a form acceptable to the Company, and subject to Employee’s compliance with each obligation pursuant to Section 5, Employee shall also be entitled to receive a severance payment in an amount equal to six (6) months’ Salary (the “Severance”), payable in equal monthly installments following the Termination Date; however, in the event that Employee has been employed by the Company for less than 12 months, such Employee shall be entitled to a severance payment equal to three (3) months’ Salary.

(e) If, within 12 months of a Change in Control Event as defined in Section 4(i), Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated (i) by the Company without Cause or (ii) by Employee with Good Reason, then Employee shall be entitled to receive the Accrued Obligations and, provided Employee signs and does not revoke a general release of claims against the Company and its affiliates on a form substantially similar to the form attached to this Agreement, and subject to Employee’s compliance with each post-employment obligation under this Agreement

or any Prior Agreement not superseded by this Agreement, Employee shall also be entitled to receive a severance payment in an amount equal to 12 months’ Salary (the “Severance”), payable in equal monthly installments following the Termination Date and accelerated vesting of any granted but unvested stock options under any relevant Company Stock Option Plan or Agreement provided that before the Employee may terminate employment for Good Reason, the Company must fail to cure within the thirty day period provided in Section 4(h).  The exercise of vested options, including those vested under this Section 4(e), shall be governed by the applicable Stock Option Plan or Agreement.

(f) If Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated as a result of Employee’s death, permanent disability or incapacity during the Employment Period, Employee or Employee’s representatives or beneficiaries shall be entitled to receive only the Accrued Obligations and any rights to continuation of coverage and to benefits under any Benefit Plans required under applicable law.

(g) For purposes of the Agreement, “Cause” shall mean Employee’s (i) commission or conviction of or entering a guilty plea or plea of no contest to any felony or any crime involving moral turpitude, dishonesty, fraud, misrepresentation, embezzlement, theft or sexual harassment, (ii) failure to perform the duties required of Employee by this Agreement, (iii) breach of this Agreement (or any other agreement entered into between Employee and the Company), (iv) dishonesty, fraud or misconduct with respect to the business or affairs of the Company or its affiliates, or any act of embezzlement or other misappropriation, (v) participation in any fraud or dishonesty against or affecting the Company or any subsidiary, affiliate, customer, supplier, client, agent, or employee thereof, (vi) breach of any fiduciary or similar duty owned to the Company or its affiliates, (vii) refusal to carry out the legitimate directives or instructions of the Board (or such other person to whom Employee reports as may be designated from time to time by the Board), or (viii) other act that the Company reasonably determines constitutes misconduct materially detrimental to the Company or any subsidiary, affiliate, customer, supplier, client, agent, or employee thereof, including, but not limited to, unethical practices, dishonesty, disloyalty, or any other acts harmful to the Company.

(h) For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean Employee’s resignation following the initial occurrence (without Employee’s consent) of any of the following, provided Employee has provided the Company with written notice setting forth in reasonable detail the grounds for such resignation within 15 days following such initial occurrence, and provided further the Company has failed to remedy the stated grounds for such resignation within 30 days following its receipt of such notice: (i) the Company substantially reduces Employee’s duties, authority or responsibilities; (ii) the Company substantially reduces the aggregate value of Employee’s Salary or the benefits provided to Employee under the Benefit Plans; (iii) the Company requires that the Employee be based at any office or geographic location more than 75 miles from the Employee’s primary work location; or (iv) any other action or inaction that constitutes a material breach of this Agreement by the Company. A resignation with Good Reason may occur only within 60 days following the expiration of the Company’s 30 day cure period described above.

(i) For purposes of this Agreement, “Change in Control Event” shall mean either the following: (i) sale of substantially all the Company’s assets or (ii) merger, consolidation or reorganization resulting in a change in more than 50% of the board of directors combined with a transfer of majority ownership or equity of the Company.

(j) For purposes of this Agreement, Employee’s permanent disability or incapacity shall be determined in accordance with the Company’s long-term disability insurance policy, if such a policy is then in effect, or, if no such policy is then in effect, then such permanent disability or incapacity shall be deemed to have occurred upon Employee’s inability to perform the essential functions of the position set forth in Section 2(a), after reasonable accommodation by the Company, for a period of at least 180 days, in the aggregate, during any period of 365 calendar days, unless further time is required as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

5. Confidentiality.

(a) Employee will not at any time (whether during or after Employee’s employment with the Company) (x) retain or use for the benefit, purposes or account of Employee or any other person; or (y) disclose, divulge, reveal, communicate, share, transfer or provide access to any person outside the Company (other than its professional advisers who are bound by confidentiality obligations), any non-public, proprietary or confidential information – including without limitation trade secrets, know-how, research and development, software, databases,

inventions, processes, formulae, technology, designs and other intellectual property, information concerning finances, investments, profits, pricing, costs, products, services, vendors, customers, clients, partners, investors, personnel, compensation, recruiting, training, advertising, sales, marketing, promotions, government and regulatory activities and approvals – concerning the past, current or future business, activities and operations of the Company, its subsidiaries or affiliates and/or any third party that has disclosed or provided any of same to the Company on a confidential basis (“Confidential Information”) without the prior written authorization of the Board; provided, that Employee may disclose such information to Employee’s legal and/or financial advisor for the limited purpose of enforcing Employee’s rights under this Agreement so long as Employee requires that such legal and/or financial advisors not disclose such information and Employee shall be liable for any disclosure by such legal and/or financial advisors.

(b) Confidential Information shall not include any information that is: (i) generally known to the industry or the public other than as a result of Employee’s breach of this covenant or any breach of other confidentiality obligations by third parties; (ii) made legitimately available to Employee by a third party without breach of any confidentiality obligation; or (iii) required by applicable law to be disclosed; provided that Employee shall give prompt written notice to the Company of such requirement, disclose no more information than is so required, and cooperate with any attempts by the Company to obtain a protective order or similar treatment.

(c) Employee acknowledges, agrees, and understands that (1) nothing in this Agreement prohibits Employee from reporting to any governmental authority or attorney information concerning suspected violations of law or regulation, provided that Employee does so consistent with 18 U.S.C. 1833, and (2) Employee may disclose trade secret information to a government official or to an attorney and use it in certain court proceedings without fear of prosecution or liability, provided that Employee does so consistent with 18 U.S.C. 1833.

(d) Except as required by applicable law, Employee will not disclose to anyone, other than Employee’s spouse, legal or financial advisors or members of the Company’s senior management, the existence or contents of this Agreement.

(e) Upon termination of Employee’s employment with the Company for any reason, Employee shall: (x) cease and not thereafter commence use of any Confidential Information or intellectual property (including, without limitation, any patent, invention, copyright, trade secret, trademark, trade name, logo, domain name or other source indicator) owned or used by the Company, its subsidiaries or affiliates; (y) immediately return to the Company, at the Company’s option, all originals and copies in any form or medium (including memoranda, books, papers, plans, computer files, letters and other data) in Employee’s possession or control (including any of the foregoing stored or located in Employee’s office, home, laptop or other computer, whether or not Company property) that contain Confidential Information or otherwise relate to the business of the Company, its affiliates and subsidiaries, except that Employee may retain only those portions of any personal notes, notebooks and diaries that do not contain any Confidential Information or are not related to the Company’s business; and (z) notify and fully cooperate with the Company regarding the delivery of any other Confidential Information of which Employee is or becomes aware.

6. Intellectual Property.

(a) If Employee has created, invented, designed, developed, contributed to or improved any works of authorship, inventions, intellectual property, materials, documents or other work product (including, without limitation, research, reports, software, databases, systems, applications, presentations, textual works, content or audiovisual materials) (“Works”), either alone or with third parties, prior to execution of this Agreement, that are relevant to or implicated by this employment (“Prior Works”), Employee hereby grants the Company a perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, assignable, sub-licensable license under all rights and intellectual property rights (including rights under patent, industrial property, copyright, trademark, trade secret, unfair competition and related laws) therein for all purposes in connection with the Company’s current and future business. Employee shall provide the Company with a list of all Prior Works within 15 days of the Effective Date.

(b) If Employee creates, invents, designs, develops, contributes to or improves any Works, either alone or with third parties, at any time during Employee’s employment by the Company and within the scope of such employment and/or with the use of any Company resources (“Company Works”), Employee shall promptly and fully disclose the same to the Company and hereby irrevocably assigns, transfers and conveys, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, all rights and intellectual property rights therein (including rights under patent,

industrial property, copyright, trademark, trade secret, unfair competition and related laws) to the Company to the extent ownership of any such rights does not vest originally in the Company.

(c) Employee agrees to keep and maintain adequate and current written records (in the form of notes, sketches, drawings and any other form or media requested by the Company) of all Company Works. The records will be available to and remain the sole property and intellectual property of the Company at all times.

(d) Employee shall take all requested actions and execute all requested documents (including any licenses or assignments required by a government contract) at the Company’s expense (but without further remuneration) to assist the Company in validating, maintaining, protecting, enforcing, perfecting, recording, patenting or registering any of the Company’s rights in the Prior Works and Company Works. If the Company is unable for any other reason to secure Employee’s signature on any document for this purpose, then Employee hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Company and its duly authorized officers and agents as Employee’s agent and attorney in fact, to act for and in Employee’s behalf and stead to execute any documents and to do all other lawfully permitted acts in connection with the foregoing.

(e) Employee shall not improperly use for the benefit of, bring to any premises of, divulge, disclose, communicate, reveal, transfer or provide access to, or share with the Company any confidential, proprietary or non-public information or intellectual property relating to a former employer or other third party without prior written permission of such third party. Employee shall comply with all relevant policies and guidelines of the Company regarding the protection of confidential information and intellectual property and potential conflicts of interest. Employee acknowledges that the Company may amend any such policies and guidelines from time to time, and that Employee remains at all times bound by their most current version that has been communicated to Employee.

(f) In accordance with Sections 2870 and 2872 of the California Labor Code, this Section 6 does not require Employee to assign or offer to assign to the Company any Works that Employee developed entirely on his or her own time without using the Company’s equipment, supplies, facilities or trade secret information, except for those inventions that either (i) relate at the time of conception or reduction to practice of the invention to the Company’s business, or actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development of the Company, or (ii) result from any work performed by Employee for the Company.  To the extent a provision in this Agreement purports to require Employee to assign any Works otherwise excluded from being required to be assigned pursuant to this Section 6(f), the provision is against the public policy of the State of California and is unenforceable.  Employee bears the burden of proving that any Works created by Employee should be excluded pursuant to this Section 6(f).

7. Enforcement. If, at the time of enforcement of Section 5 or Section 6, a court holds that the restrictions stated herein are unreasonable under circumstances then existing, the parties hereto agree that the maximum period or scope reasonable under such circumstances shall be substituted for the stated period or scope. It is specifically understood and agreed that any breach of the provisions of Section 5 or Section 6 are likely to result in irreparable injury to the Company and the parties hereto agree that money damages would be an inadequate remedy for any such breach. Therefore, in the event of a breach or threatened breach of Section 5 or Section 6, the Company or its successors or assigns shall, in addition to other rights and remedies existing in their favor, be entitled to specific performance and/or injunctive or other relief in order to enforce, or prevent any violations of, Section 5 or Section 6.

8. Return of Company Property. At the termination of the Employment Period and at any other time upon the request of the Company, Employee shall deliver to the Company any and all of the Company’s documents, plans, records, computer tapes, software, drawings, notes, memoranda, specifications, devices (including, without limitation, any cellular phone or computer), and formulas relating to the Company’s business, together with all copies thereof, which is in the possession of Employee.

9. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Employee and the Company and their respective heirs, successors and permitted assigns. Neither party may assign any of its rights or assign or delegate any of its obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other party hereto; provided, however, that the Company shall be permitted to assign this Agreement to any successor to all or substantially all of its assets that agrees in writing to assume all of the Company’s obligations hereunder.

10. Notices. All notices, demands or other communications to be given or delivered under or by reason of the provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (a) on the date established by the sender as having been delivered personally, (b) on the date delivered by a private courier as

established by the sender by evidence obtained from such courier, (c) on the date sent by facsimile or e‑mail transmission (with acknowledgement of complete transmission), or (d) on the fifth day after the date mailed, by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. Notices, demands or communications to any party hereto will, unless another address is specified in writing pursuant to this Section 8, be sent to the addresses on file with the Company.

11. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be valid under applicable law; but, if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

12. Complete Agreement. This Agreement embodies the complete agreement and understanding between the parties with respect to Employee’s employment with the Company and supersedes and preempts any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties, written or oral, which may have related to Employee’s employment with the Company in any way, excluding any Prior Agreement as defined above.

13. Signatures; Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument. For purposes hereof, a facsimile signature, portable document format (.pdf) signature or signature sent by electronic transmission will be considered an original signature.

14. Governing Law. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of California, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions (whether of the State of California or any other jurisdiction).

15. Survival. The provisions of Section 5, Section 6, Section 7, Section 8, Section 9, Section 10, Section 11, Section 12, Section 14, this Section 15, Section 17, Section 18, Section 20, Section 21, and Section 22 shall survive the termination of Employee’s employment and the termination of this Agreement for any reason.

16. Tax Withholdings. The Company shall deduct or withhold from any amounts owing from the Company to Employee any federal, state, local or foreign withholding taxes, excise tax, or employment taxes imposed with respect to Employee’s compensation or other payments from the Company or Employee’s ownership interest in the Company, if any (including, without limitation, wages, bonuses, dividends, the receipt or exercise of equity options and/or the receipt or vesting of restricted equity).

17. Headings; No Strict Construction. The headings of the paragraphs and sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed a part of or affect the construction or interpretation of any provision hereof. The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties hereto to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any party.

18. Employee’s Cooperation. During the Employment Period and thereafter, Employee shall, subject to the Company reimbursing Employee for out-of-pocket expenses, cooperate with the Company in any internal investigation or administrative, regulatory or judicial proceeding as reasonably requested by the Company (including, without limitation, Employee being available to the Company upon reasonable notice for interviews and factual investigations, appearing at the Company’s request to give testimony without requiring service of a subpoena or other legal process, volunteering to the Company all pertinent information and turning over to the Company all relevant documents which are or may come into Employee’s possession, all at times and on schedules that are reasonably consistent with Employee’s other permitted activities and commitments).

19. Corporate Opportunity. During the Employment Period, Employee shall submit to the Board all business, commercial and investment opportunities or offers presented to Employee or of which Employee becomes aware which relate to the business of the Company at any time during the Employment Period (“Corporate Opportunities”). Unless approved by the Board, Employee shall not accept or pursue, directly or indirectly, any Corporate Opportunities on Employee’s own behalf.

20. Section 409A Compliance. The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Agreement comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and

guidance promulgated thereunder (collectively, “Code Section 409A”) and, accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, this Agreement shall be interpreted to be in compliance therewith. To the extent that any provision hereof is modified in order to comply with Code Section 409A, such modification shall be made in good faith and shall, to the maximum extent reasonably possible, maintain the original intent and economic benefit to Employee and the Company of the applicable provision without violating the provisions of Code Section 409A. In no event whatsoever shall the Company be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalty that may be imposed on Employee by Code Section 409A or damages for failing to comply with Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, a termination of employment shall be deemed to have occurred at the time such termination constitutes a “separation from service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits in connection with a termination of employment and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean a “separation from service.” Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, in no event shall any payment under this Agreement that constitutes “deferred compensation” for purposes of Code Section 409A be subject to offset by any other amount unless otherwise permitted by Code Section 409A.

21. Amendment and Waiver. The provisions of this Agreement may be amended or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and Employee, and no course of conduct or failure or delay in enforcing the provisions of this Agreement shall affect the validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement.

22. Read and Understood. Employee has read this Agreement carefully and understands each of its terms and conditions. Employee has sought independent legal counsel of Employee’s choice to the extent Employee deemed such advice necessary in connection with the review and execution of this Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

The Company:

Rezolute, Inc.

By:__________________________________

Nevan Elam

CEO

Employee:

_____________________________________

Keith Vendola

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT/DISCLOSURE FORM

1.   CONFLICTING ORGANIZATIONS

I am a director, trustee, officer, representative of, or have a financial or beneficial interest in the following organizations that have or may have a conflict with the interests of the Company:

Organization and Title or Interest:

 

  

2.   CONFLICTING ACTIVITIES/OBLIGATIONS

I am involved in no activity or transaction, nor am I a party to any contract involving interests that are or could be found to be adverse to the Company, except for the following:

 

   

3.   CONFLICTING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES/COMMITMENTS

I have not committed to, nor am I pursuing, any business opportunity that does or might adversely affect the Company, except for the following:

 

  

4.   OTHER POTENTIAL CONFLICTS

Any other concerns I may have regarding actual or potential conflicts of interest are listed below: