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<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Registration No.&nbsp;333-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></b></p>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June&nbsp;29, 2015.</font></b></p>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></b></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549</font></b></p>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">FORM&nbsp;S-8</font></b></p>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">REGISTRATION STATEMENT<br> UNDER<br> THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</font></b></p>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Vericel Corporation</font></b></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)</font></p>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Michigan</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">94-3096597</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(State or other   jurisdiction</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(I.R.S. employer   identification no.)</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">of incorporation or organization)</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">64 Sidney St.</font></b></p>
<p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139</font></b><br> (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Aastrom Biosciences,&nbsp;Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2009 Omnibus Incentive Plan</font></b></p>
<p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Vericel Corporation 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan</font></b><br> (Full title of the plans)</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Dominick C. Colangelo<br> President and Chief Executive Officer <br> Vericel Corporation<br> 64 Sidney St.</font></b></p>
<p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139</font></b><br> (Name and address of agent for service)</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">(617) 588-5554</font></b></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Telephone Number,&nbsp;Including area code, of Agent for Service)</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Copy to:</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Mitchell S. Bloom,&nbsp;Esq.</font></b></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Ryan S. Sansom,&nbsp;Esq.</font></b></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Goodwin Procter LLP</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Exchange Place</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">53 State Street</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Boston, Massachusetts 02109</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Tel: (617)&nbsp;570-1000</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Fax: (617)&nbsp;523-1231</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">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 &#147;large accelerated filer,&#148; &#147;accelerated filer&#148; and &#147;smaller reporting company&#148; in Rule&nbsp;12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Large   accelerated filer&nbsp;</font><font face="Wingdings">o</font></p>    </td>
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<p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Accelerated filer&nbsp;</font><font face="Wingdings">o</font></p>    </td>
<td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.38%;">
<p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Non-accelerated filer&nbsp;</font><font face="Wingdings">o</font></p>    </td>
<td width="22%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:22.16%;">
<p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Smaller reporting&nbsp; </font><font face="Wingdings">x</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="17%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:17.12%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.38%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)</font></p>    </td>
<td width="22%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:22.16%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">company</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE</font></p>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="38%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Proposed</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="15%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Proposed</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="38%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Amount</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">maximum</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="15%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">maximum</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Amount&nbsp;of</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="38%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Title&nbsp;of&nbsp;securities&nbsp;to</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">to&nbsp;be</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">offering&nbsp;price</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="15%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">aggregate</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">registration</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="38%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">be&nbsp;registered</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Registered(1)</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">per&nbsp;share(2)</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="15%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">offering&nbsp;price(2)</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">fee</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="38%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.1pt;text-indent:-10.1pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Common Stock (no   par value)</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.0%;">
<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4,881,634</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.12%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>    </td>
<td width="10%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:10.88%;">
<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3.59</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.12%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>    </td>
<td width="13%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:13.88%;">
<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">17,525,066.06</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.5%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.12%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>    </td>
<td width="10%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:10.86%;">
<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2,257.23</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr height="0">
<td width="269" style="border:none;"></td>
<td width="18" style="border:none;"></td>
<td width="85" style="border:none;"></td>
<td width="18" style="border:none;"></td>
<td width="8" style="border:none;"></td>
<td width="77" style="border:none;"></td>
<td width="18" style="border:none;"></td>
<td width="8" style="border:none;"></td>
<td width="98" style="border:none;"></td>
<td width="18" style="border:none;"></td>
<td width="8" style="border:none;"></td>
<td width="77" style="border:none;"></td>
<td width="7" style="border:none;"></td>   </tr> </table>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .25in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Pursuant to Rule&nbsp;416(a)&nbsp;promulgated under the Securities Act, this registration statement also covers any additional securities that may become issuable under the Aastrom Biosciences,&nbsp;Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2009 Omnibus Incentive Plan or the Vericel Corporation 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, each as amended from time to time, by reason of any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction.</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .25in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Estimated pursuant to Rule&nbsp;457 promulgated under the Securities Act solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee and based upon the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock on June&nbsp;26, 2015, as reported on the NASDAQ Stock Market.</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade align="left" style="color:#010101;"></div>
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<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">EXPLANATORY NOTE</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">This Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8 is being filed by Vericel Corporation, formerly known as Aastrom Biosciences,&nbsp;Inc., (the &#147;Company&#148; or the &#147;Registrant&#148;) for the purpose of registering (i)&nbsp;3,881,634 shares of Common Stock, no par value per share (&#147;Common Stock&#148;) of the Registrant reserved for issuance under the Aastrom Biosciences,&nbsp;Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2009 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the &#147;2009 Plan&#148;) and (ii)&nbsp;1,000,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Vericel Corporation 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the &#147;2015 Plan&#148;). The reservation of such shares was approved by the Company&#146;s shareholders on each of: (i)&nbsp;November&nbsp;21, 2014 at a special meeting of shareholders for the 2009 Plan and (ii)&nbsp;May&nbsp;12, 2015 at the annual meeting of shareholders for the 2015 Plan.&nbsp; Following the registration of the shares of Common Stock under this Registration Statement, a total of (i)&nbsp;4,489,134 shares of Common Stock will be registered under the 2009 Plan and (ii)&nbsp;1,000,000 shares of Common Stock will be registered under the 2015 Plan. The Company had previously registered a total of 607,500 shares of Common Stock under the 2009 Plan (after giving effect to the 1-for-20 reverse stock split that was effected on October&nbsp;16, 2013) pursuant to its Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8, File No 333-187346.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The securities subject to this Registration Statement are of the same class of the Registrant for which the Registrant previously filed a Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the &#147;Securities Act&#148;). Accordingly, the contents of the Registrant&#146;s Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8, File No.&nbsp;333-163832, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#147;Commission&#148;) on December&nbsp;18, 2009, Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8, File No.&nbsp;333-174758, as filed with the Commission on June&nbsp;7, 2011,&#160; and Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8, File No.&nbsp;333-187346, as filed with the Commission on March&nbsp;18, 2013, are hereby incorporated by reference pursuant to General Instruction E to Form&nbsp;S-8.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PART&nbsp;I</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION&nbsp;10(a)&nbsp;PROSPECTUS</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 1.&nbsp;&nbsp; Plan Information.</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The documents containing the information specified in this Item&nbsp;1 will be sent or given to participants as specified by Rule&nbsp;428(b)(1)&nbsp;under the Securities Act. In accordance with the rules&nbsp;and regulations of the Commission and the instructions to Form&nbsp;S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule&nbsp;424 under the Securities Act.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 2.&nbsp;&nbsp; Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The documents containing the information specified in this Item&nbsp;2 will be sent or given to participants as specified by Rule&nbsp;428(b)(1)&nbsp;under the Securities Act. In accordance with the rules&nbsp;and regulations of the Commission and the instructions to Form&nbsp;S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule&nbsp;424 under the Securities Act.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PART&nbsp;II</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Company hereby incorporates by reference in this Registration Statement the following documents previously filed by the Company with the Commission:</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 34.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(a)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>The Company&#146;s Annual Report on Form&nbsp;10-K for the year ended December&nbsp;31, 2014, as filed with the Commission on March&nbsp;25, 2015;</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 34.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(b)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>The Company&#146;s Quarterly Report on Form&nbsp;10-Q for the period ended March&nbsp;31, 2015, as filed with the Commission on May&nbsp;14, 2015;</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 34.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(c)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>The Company&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K filed&#160; with the Commission on January&nbsp;7, 2015, March&nbsp;23, 2015, March&nbsp;25, 2015, May&nbsp;14, 2015, May&nbsp;15, 2015 and June&nbsp;11, 2015, respectively;</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 34.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(d)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a)&nbsp;or 15(d)&nbsp;of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the &#147;Exchange Act&#148;), since December&nbsp;31, 2014;</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 34.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(e)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Audited special purpose combined financial statements of the Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Business included as Exhibit&nbsp;99. 1 in our report on Form&nbsp;8-K, filed with the SEC on June&nbsp;2, 2014, as amended on June&nbsp;16, 2014, August&nbsp;29, 2014 and June&nbsp;29, 2015;</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 34.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(f)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>The description of the rights to purchase shares of our Series&nbsp;A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;8-A, filed with the SEC on August&nbsp;12, 2011, including any amendment or report for the purpose of updating such description; and</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-20.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(g)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>The description of the Company&#146;s Common Stock contained in the Registrant&#146;s registration statement on S-1 dated November&nbsp;1, 1996, filed with the Commission pursuant to Section&nbsp;12 of Exchange Act, including any amendment thereto or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-20.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">All documents subsequently filed with the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Sections&nbsp;13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d)&nbsp;of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered herein have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Any statement contained herein, or in a document all or a portion of which is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 4.&nbsp;&nbsp; Description of Securities.</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not applicable.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 5.&nbsp;&nbsp; Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not applicable.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 6.&nbsp;&nbsp; Indemnification of Directors and Officers.</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Sections&nbsp;561 through 571 of the Michigan Business Corporation Act (the &#147;MBCA&#148;) authorize a corporation to grant or a court to award, indemnity to directors, officers, employees and agents in terms sufficiently broad to permit such indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities (including reimbursement for expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the &#147;Bylaws&#148;) provide that the Company shall, to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the MBCA, or other applicable law, indemnify a director or officer who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, against expenses, including actual and reasonable attorneys&#146; fees, and amounts paid in settlement incurred in connection with the action or suit, if the indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Company or its shareholders. The Bylaws also authorize the Company to advance expenses incurred by any officer or director of the Company in defending any proceeding prior to the final disposition of such proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the agent to repay such amount unless it shall be determined ultimately that the agent is entitled to be indemnified.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Bylaws also authorize the Company to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company against any liability asserted against or incurred by such person in such capacity or arising out of such person&#146;s status as such, regardless of whether the Company would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of the MBCA.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Company has entered into an indemnification agreement with each of its directors (the &#147;Agreement&#148;).&nbsp; The Agreement provides that the Company will indemnify each director to the fullest extent permitted by law for claims arising in his capacity as a director of the Company, provided that such director acted in good faith and in a manner that he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the Company&#146;s best interests and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. In the event that the Company does not assume the defense of a claim against a director, the Company is required to advance such director&#146;s expenses in connection with his defense, provided that the director undertakes to repay all amounts advanced if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.&nbsp; A copy of the form of Agreement is filed as Exhibit&nbsp;10.1 to the Registrant&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K filed on August&nbsp;31, 2010 and is incorporated herein by reference.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Section&nbsp;209 of the MBCA permits a Michigan corporation to include in its Articles of Incorporation a provision eliminating or limiting a director&#146;s liability to a corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for breaches of</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">fiduciary duty. Section&nbsp;209 of the MBCA provides, however, that liability for any of the following may not be eliminated: the amount of a financial benefit received by a director to which he or she is not entitled, intentional infliction of harm on the corporation or the shareholders, a violation of Section&nbsp;551 of the MBCA, or an intentional criminal act. The Company&#146;s Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, include a provision which eliminates, to the fullest extent permitted by the MBCA, director liability for monetary damages for breaches of fiduciary duty, except under the circumstances required to be excepted under the MBCA as described above.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Company has obtained director and officer liability insurance for the benefit of its directors and officers.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 7.&nbsp;&nbsp; Exemption From Registration Claimed.</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not applicable.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 8.&nbsp;&nbsp; Exhibits.</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">See the Exhibit&nbsp;Index which is incorporated into this Item 8 by reference.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 9.&nbsp;&nbsp; Undertakings.</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1)&nbsp;To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:31.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(i)&nbsp;To include any prospectus required by Section&nbsp;10(a)(3)&nbsp;of the Securities Act;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:31.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(ii)&nbsp;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&nbsp;424(b)&nbsp;if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the &#147;Calculation of Registration Fee&#148; table in the effective registration statement; and</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:31.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(iii)&nbsp;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; <u>provided</u>, <u>however</u>, that paragraphs (1)(i)&nbsp;and (1)(ii)&nbsp;do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or Section&nbsp;15(d)&nbsp;of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)&nbsp;That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, 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.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(3)&nbsp;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.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant&#146;s annual report pursuant to Section&nbsp;13(a)&nbsp;or Section&nbsp;15(d)&nbsp;of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan&#146;s annual report pursuant to Section&nbsp;15(d)&nbsp;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 <i>bona fide </i>offering thereof.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:16.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.</font></p>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SIGNATURES</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form&nbsp;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 Cambridge, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on&#160; June&nbsp;29, 2015.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">VERICEL CORPORATION</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By:</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Dominick C.   Colangelo</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Dominick C. Colangelo</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">President and Chief   Executive Officer</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">POWER OF ATTORNEY</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We, the undersigned officers and directors of Vericel Corporation, hereby severally constitute and appoint Dominick C. Colangelo and Gerard Michel, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys, with full power to sign for us in our names in the capacities indicated below, any amendments to this Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8 (including post-effective amendments), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and generally to do all things in our names and on our behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable Vericel Corporation, to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or any of them, to said Registration Statement and all amendments thereto.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on&#160; June&nbsp;29, 2015.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Signature</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Title</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Dominick C. Colangelo</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">President and Chief Executive Officer, Director</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Dominick C. Colangelo</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Principal Executive Officer)</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Gerard Michel</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Corporate   Development</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Gerard Michel</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Robert L. Zerbe, M.D.</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chairman of the Board of Directors</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Robert L. Zerbe, M.D.</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Alan L. Rubino</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Alan L. Rubino</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Heidi Hagen</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Heidi Hagen</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Steven Gilman</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Steven Gilman</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Kevin McLaughlin</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Kevin McLaughlin</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Paul Wotton</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:33.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Paul Wotton</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.08%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="64%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:64.84%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;">5<a name="PB_5_131046_2897"></a></p>
<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade align="left" style="color:#010101;"></div>
</div>
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<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">EXHIBIT&nbsp;INDEX</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.1</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Restated Articles of   Incorporation of the Company, filed as Exhibit&nbsp;4.1 to the Company&#146;s   Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange   Commission on December&nbsp;17, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference   (File No.&nbsp;000-22025).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.2</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Certificate of   Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, filed as   Exhibit&nbsp;3.2 to the Company&#146;s Post-Effective Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to   Form&nbsp;S-1 filed on March&nbsp;31, 2010 and incorporated herein by   reference (File No.&nbsp;333-160044).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.3</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Certificate of   Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, filed as   Exhibit&nbsp;3.1 to the Company&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K, filed on   March&nbsp;25, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference (File   No.&nbsp;000-22025).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.4</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Certificate of   Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, filed as   Exhibit&nbsp;3.1 to the Company&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K, filed on   October&nbsp;10, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference (File   No.&nbsp;001-35280).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.5</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Certificate of Amendment   to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, filed as   Exhibit&nbsp;3.2 to the Company&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K, filed on   October&nbsp;10, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference (File   No.&nbsp;001-35280).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.6</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Certificate of   Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, filed as   Exhibit&nbsp;3.1 to the Company&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K, filed on   November&nbsp;24, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference (File   No.&nbsp;001-35280).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.7</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Certificate of   Designation, Preferences and Rights, of the Company classifying and   designating the Series&nbsp;A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred   Stock, attached as Exhibit&nbsp;3.1 to the Company&#146;s Current Report on   Form&nbsp;8-A filed on August&nbsp;12, 2011, incorporated herein by reference.</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.8</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Bylaws, as amended,   filed as Exhibit&nbsp;3.1 to the Company&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-K   filed on November&nbsp;12, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference (File   No.&nbsp;000-22025).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.9</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Shareholder Rights   Agreement, dated as of August&nbsp;11, 2011, between the Company and   Continental Stock Transfer&nbsp;&amp; Trust Company, as Rights Agent,   attached as Exhibit&nbsp;4.3 to the Company&#146;s Current Report on Form&nbsp;8-A   filed on August&nbsp;12, 2011, incorporated herein by reference (File   No.&nbsp;001-35280) (File No.&nbsp;001-35280).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.10</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Amendment to   Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated as of March&nbsp;9, 2012, between the   Company and Continental Stock Transfer&nbsp;&amp; Trust Company, as Rights   Agent, attached as Exhibit&nbsp;4.1 to the Company&#146;s Current Report on   Form&nbsp;8-K filed on March&nbsp;9, 2012, incorporated herein by reference   (File No.&nbsp;001-35280).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5.1*</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Opinion of Dykema   Gossett PLLC.</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">23.1*</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Consent of   PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP,&nbsp;Independent Registered Public Accounting   Firm.</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">23.2*</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Consent of   PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP,&nbsp;Independent Registered Public Accounting   Firm.</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">23.3*</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;Consent of Dykema   Gossett PLLC (included in Exhibit&nbsp;5.1 hereto).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">24.1*</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Power of Attorney   (included in signature pages&nbsp;to this Registration Statement).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">99.1</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Second Amended and   Restated Aastrom Biosciences,&nbsp;Inc. 2009 Omnibus Incentive Plan, attached   as Appendix&nbsp;II to the Company&#146;s Proxy Statement filed on   October&nbsp;21, 2014, incorporated herein by reference (File   No.&nbsp;001-35280).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="92%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:92.26%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="6%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">99.2</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.76%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Vericel Corporation   2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, attached as Appendix&nbsp;I to the   Company&#146;s Proxy Statement filed on March&nbsp;25, 2015, incorporated herein   by reference (File No.&nbsp;001-35280).</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">* Filed herewith.</font></p>
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "Vericel Corp", "cik": "0000887359", "assigned-sic": "2836", "irs-number": "943096597", "state-of-incorporation": "MI", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-205338", "film-number": "15958876"}, "business-address": {"street1": "64 SIDNEY ST.", "city": "CAMBRIDGE", "state": "MA", "zip": "02139", "phone": "7349305555"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "64 SIDNEY ST.", "city": "CAMBRIDGE", "state": "MA", "zip": "02139"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "AASTROM BIOSCIENCES INC", "date-changed": "19960428"}}
Registration No. 333-
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 29, 2015.
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Vericel Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Michigan
94-3096597
(State or other   jurisdiction
(I.R.S. employer   identification no.)
of incorporation or organization)
64 Sidney St.
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2009 Omnibus Incentive Plan
Vericel Corporation 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
(Full title of the plans)
Dominick C. Colangelo
President and Chief Executive Officer
Vericel Corporation
64 Sidney St.
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
(Name and address of agent for service)
(617) 588-5554
(Telephone Number, Including area code, of Agent for Service)
Copy to:
Mitchell S. Bloom, Esq.
Ryan S. Sansom, Esq.
Goodwin Procter LLP
Exchange Place
53 State Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Tel: (617) 570-1000
Fax: (617) 523-1231
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. (Check one):
Large   accelerated filer
o
Accelerated filer
o
Non-accelerated filer
o
Smaller reporting
x
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
company
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Proposed
Proposed
Amount
maximum
maximum
Amount of
Title of securities to
to be
offering price
aggregate
registration
be registered
Registered(1)
per share(2)
offering price(2)
fee
Common Stock (no   par value)
4,881,634
$
3.59
$
17,525,066.06
$
2,257.23
(1)
Pursuant to Rule 416(a) promulgated under the Securities Act, this registration statement also covers any additional securities that may become issuable under the Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2009 Omnibus Incentive Plan or the Vericel Corporation 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, each as amended from time to time, by reason of any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction.
(2)
Estimated pursuant to Rule 457 promulgated under the Securities Act solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee and based upon the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock on June 26, 2015, as reported on the NASDAQ Stock Market.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed by Vericel Corporation, formerly known as Aastrom Biosciences, Inc., (the "Company" or the "Registrant") for the purpose of registering (i) 3,881,634 shares of Common Stock, no par value per share ("Common Stock") of the Registrant reserved for issuance under the Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2009 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "2009 Plan") and (ii) 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Vericel Corporation 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "2015 Plan"). The reservation of such shares was approved by the Company's shareholders on each of: (i) November 21, 2014 at a special meeting of shareholders for the 2009 Plan and (ii) May 12, 2015 at the annual meeting of shareholders for the 2015 Plan.  Following the registration of the shares of Common Stock under this Registration Statement, a total of (i) 4,489,134 shares of Common Stock will be registered under the 2009 Plan and (ii) 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock will be registered under the 2015 Plan. The Company had previously registered a total of 607,500 shares of Common Stock under the 2009 Plan (after giving effect to the 1-for-20 reverse stock split that was effected on October 16, 2013) pursuant to its Registration Statement on Form S-8, File No 333-187346.
The securities subject to this Registration Statement are of the same class of the Registrant for which the Registrant previously filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). Accordingly, the contents of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8, File No. 333-163832, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on December 18, 2009, Registration Statement on Form S-8, File No. 333-174758, as filed with the Commission on June 7, 2011,  and Registration Statement on Form S-8, File No. 333-187346, as filed with the Commission on March 18, 2013, are hereby incorporated by reference pursuant to General Instruction E to Form S-8.
PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
Item 1.   Plan Information.
The documents containing the information specified in this Item 1 will be sent or given to participants as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. In accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission and the instructions to Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act.
Item 2.   Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.
The documents containing the information specified in this Item 2 will be sent or given to participants as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. In accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission and the instructions to Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
The Company hereby incorporates by reference in this Registration Statement the following documents previously filed by the Company with the Commission:
(a)
The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, as filed with the Commission on March 25, 2015;
(b)
The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2015, as filed with the Commission on May 14, 2015;
(c)
The Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed  with the Commission on January 7, 2015, March 23, 2015, March 25, 2015, May 14, 2015, May 15, 2015 and June 11, 2015, respectively;
(d)
All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), since December 31, 2014;
(e)
Audited special purpose combined financial statements of the Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Business included as Exhibit 99. 1 in our report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on June 2, 2014, as amended on June 16, 2014, August 29, 2014 and June 29, 2015;
(f)
The description of the rights to purchase shares of our Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the SEC on August 12, 2011, including any amendment or report for the purpose of updating such description; and
(g)
The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the Registrant's registration statement on S-1 dated November 1, 1996, filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 12 of Exchange Act, including any amendment thereto or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.
All documents subsequently filed with the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered herein have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.
Any statement contained herein, or in a document all or a portion of which is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.
Item 4.   Description of Securities.
Not applicable.
Item 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
Not applicable.
Item 6.   Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Sections 561 through 571 of the Michigan Business Corporation Act (the "MBCA") authorize a corporation to grant or a court to award, indemnity to directors, officers, employees and agents in terms sufficiently broad to permit such indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities (including reimbursement for expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act.
The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the "Bylaws") provide that the Company shall, to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the MBCA, or other applicable law, indemnify a director or officer who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, against expenses, including actual and reasonable attorneys' fees, and amounts paid in settlement incurred in connection with the action or suit, if the indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Company or its shareholders. The Bylaws also authorize the Company to advance expenses incurred by any officer or director of the Company in defending any proceeding prior to the final disposition of such proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the agent to repay such amount unless it shall be determined ultimately that the agent is entitled to be indemnified.
The Bylaws also authorize the Company to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company against any liability asserted against or incurred by such person in such capacity or arising out of such person's status as such, regardless of whether the Company would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of the MBCA.
The Company has entered into an indemnification agreement with each of its directors (the "Agreement").  The Agreement provides that the Company will indemnify each director to the fullest extent permitted by law for claims arising in his capacity as a director of the Company, provided that such director acted in good faith and in a manner that he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the Company's best interests and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. In the event that the Company does not assume the defense of a claim against a director, the Company is required to advance such director's expenses in connection with his defense, provided that the director undertakes to repay all amounts advanced if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.  A copy of the form of Agreement is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 31, 2010 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Section 209 of the MBCA permits a Michigan corporation to include in its Articles of Incorporation a provision eliminating or limiting a director's liability to a corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for breaches of
2
fiduciary duty. Section 209 of the MBCA provides, however, that liability for any of the following may not be eliminated: the amount of a financial benefit received by a director to which he or she is not entitled, intentional infliction of harm on the corporation or the shareholders, a violation of Section 551 of the MBCA, or an intentional criminal act. The Company's Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, include a provision which eliminates, to the fullest extent permitted by the MBCA, director liability for monetary damages for breaches of fiduciary duty, except under the circumstances required to be excepted under the MBCA as described above.
The Company has obtained director and officer liability insurance for the benefit of its directors and officers.
Item 7.   Exemption From Registration Claimed.
Not applicable.
Item 8.   Exhibits.
See the Exhibit Index which is incorporated into this Item 8 by reference.
Item 9.   Undertakings.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(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% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; and
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
provided
,
however
, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, 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.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 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.
3
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
4
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, 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 Cambridge, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on  June 29, 2015.
VERICEL CORPORATION
By:
/s/ Dominick C.   Colangelo
Dominick C. Colangelo
President and Chief   Executive Officer
POWER OF ATTORNEY
We, the undersigned officers and directors of Vericel Corporation, hereby severally constitute and appoint Dominick C. Colangelo and Gerard Michel, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys, with full power to sign for us in our names in the capacities indicated below, any amendments to this Registration Statement on Form S-8 (including post-effective amendments), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and generally to do all things in our names and on our behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable Vericel Corporation, to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or any of them, to said Registration Statement and all amendments thereto.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on  June 29, 2015.
Signature
Title
/s/ Dominick C. Colangelo
President and Chief Executive Officer, Director
Dominick C. Colangelo
(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Gerard Michel
Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Corporate   Development
Gerard Michel
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
/s/ Robert L. Zerbe, M.D.
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Robert L. Zerbe, M.D.
/s/ Alan L. Rubino
Director
Alan L. Rubino
/s/ Heidi Hagen
Director
Heidi Hagen
/s/ Steven Gilman
Director
Steven Gilman
/s/ Kevin McLaughlin
Director
Kevin McLaughlin
/s/ Paul Wotton
Director
Paul Wotton
5
EXHIBIT INDEX
4.1
Restated Articles of   Incorporation of the Company, filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's   Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange   Commission on December 17, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference   (File No. 000-22025).
4.2
Certificate of   Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, filed as   Exhibit 3.2 to the Company's Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to   Form S-1 filed on March 31, 2010 and incorporated herein by   reference (File No. 333-160044).
4.3
Certificate of   Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, filed as   Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on   March 25, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference (File   No. 000-22025).
4.4
Certificate of   Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, filed as   Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on   October 10, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference (File   No. 001-35280).
4.5
Certificate of Amendment   to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, filed as   Exhibit 3.2 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on   October 10, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference (File   No. 001-35280).
4.6
Certificate of   Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, filed as   Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on   November 24, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference (File   No. 001-35280).
4.7
Certificate of   Designation, Preferences and Rights, of the Company classifying and   designating the Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred   Stock, attached as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's Current Report on   Form 8-A filed on August 12, 2011, incorporated herein by reference.
4.8
Bylaws, as amended,   filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K   filed on November 12, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference (File   No. 000-22025).
4.9
Shareholder Rights   Agreement, dated as of August 11, 2011, between the Company and   Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent,   attached as Exhibit 4.3 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-A   filed on August 12, 2011, incorporated herein by reference (File   No. 001-35280) (File No. 001-35280).
4.10
Amendment to   Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated as of March 9, 2012, between the   Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights   Agent, attached as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Current Report on   Form 8-K filed on March 9, 2012, incorporated herein by reference   (File No. 001-35280).
5.1*
Opinion of Dykema   Gossett PLLC.
23.1*
Consent of   PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting   Firm.
23.2*
Consent of   PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting   Firm.
23.3*
Consent of Dykema   Gossett PLLC (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereto).
24.1*
Power of Attorney   (included in signature pages to this Registration Statement).
99.1
Second Amended and   Restated Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. 2009 Omnibus Incentive Plan, attached   as Appendix II to the Company's Proxy Statement filed on   October 21, 2014, incorporated herein by reference (File   No. 001-35280).
99.2
Vericel Corporation   2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, attached as Appendix I to the   Company's Proxy Statement filed on March 25, 2015, incorporated herein   by reference (File No. 001-35280).
* Filed herewith.
6