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                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT



          EMPLOYMENT   AGREEMENT   made   this  1st  day  of   September,   1996
("Agreement"),  by and between  SENETEK,  PLC, having a place of business at 62A
Weldon Parkway,  Maryland Heights,  Missouri 63048  (hereinafter  referred to as
"EMPLOYER")  and ANTHONY J.  CATALDO,  residing at 63 North East  Village  Road,
Concord, New Hampshire 03301 (hereinafter referred to as "EMPLOYEE").

                              W I T N E S S E T H :

          WHEREAS, the EMPLOYER is engaged in the business of developing various
biomedical products in the areas of male sexual dysfunction and age-related skin
disorders, as well as the manufacture and distribution of a wide range of health
and cosmetic beauty products; and

          WHEREAS, the EMPLOYER wishes to employ EMPLOYEE and EMPLOYEE wishes to
be employed by EMPLOYER in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in
this Agreement;

                                 --------------

          NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises
and  other  good and  valuable  consideration,  the  receipt  of which is hereby
acknowledged, it is mutually agreed as follows:

          FIRST:  The EMPLOYER does hereby employ,  engage and hire the EMPLOYEE
as Chairman of the Board of Directors  and Chief  Executive  Officer of EMPLOYER
for a period of two years  commencing  September 1, 1996 and terminating  August
30, 1998,  subject to the provisions  stated herein ("Term").  The duties of the
EMPLOYEE  shall  include,  but not be limited  to,  assisting  the  EMPLOYER  in
managing its relationship  with current and potential  investors,  obtaining the
support  of a  well-established,  well-known  market-maker  for  the  EMPLOYER's
securities and obtaining financing for EMPLOYER.

          SECOND:  The  EMPLOYEE  agrees  that he will at all times  faithfully,
industriously and to the best of his ability, experience and talent, perform all
of the duties that may be  required of and from him  pursuant to the express and
implicit term hereof.

          THIRD:  The EMPLOYER shall pay to the EMPLOYEE and the EMPLOYEE agrees
to  accept  from  the  EMPLOYER  in full  payment  for the  EMPLOYEE's  services
hereunder,  compensation  at the rate of  $250,000  per year of the  Term.  Such
payments shall be paid pursuant to the procedures regularly established, as they
may be



                                       
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amended, by the EMPLOYER during the course of the term of this Agreement.

          FOURTH:  Upon  the due  execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement,
EMPLOYER shall grant to EMPLOYEE stock options to purchase: (a) 500,000 ordinary
shares of the EMPLOYER at an exercise price of $1.25 per share upon the EMPLOYEE
obtaining the support of a  well-known,  well-established  market-maker  for the
EMPLOYER's  securities;  (b) 150,000  ordinary  shares at the exercise  price of
$1.50 per share at the end of the first year of this Agreement;  and (c) 150,000
options  at an  exercise  price of $4.00  at the end of the  second  year of the
Agreement. Subject to all securities and other applicable laws, the Company will
use reasonable  efforts to register under a Form S-8 Registration  Statement all
stock options granted to EMPLOYEE,  or EMPLOYEE will shall have cost-free demand
registration  rights on two occasions for the underlying  shares.  EMPLOYEE will
also have reasonable  piggy-back  registration  rights for the shares underlying
these options. All stock options are exercisable over a period of the greater of
three  (3)  years  from  the  date  of  grant  and one (1)  year  following  the
termination of this Agreement.

          FIFTH: EMPLOYEE may act as a consultant for other companies, provided,
such  arrangement  does not  interfere  with the business of EMPLOYER,  does not
directly or indirectly compete with EMPLOYER, does not cause any loss of time in
EMPLOYEE's  duties with  EMPLOYER,  and does not interfere  with the  EMPLOYEE's
ability  to  diligently  and  faithfully  serve  and  endeavor  to  further  the
EMPLOYER's interest. EMPLOYER recognizes that EMPLOYEE is currently a consultant
for the other companies listed on Schedule A hereto. In the event that EMPLOYEE,
during the term of the  Agreement,  wishes to act as a  consultant  to any other
company,  EMPLOYEE  will notify  EMPLOYER in writing  and  EMPLOYEE  must obtain
EMPLOYER's written consent,  which will not be unreasonably  withheld.  EMPLOYER
represents  and warrants  that this  Agreement  has been  ratified,  adopted and
confirmed by the Board of Directors of EMPLOYER.

                  SIXTH:  Subject to Paragraph  FIFTH, the EMPLOYEE shall devote
all of his working time,  attention,  knowledge and skill solely and exclusively
to the business and interest of the EMPLOYER. The EMPLOYEE expressly agrees that
he will not, during the term hereof or for two (2) years from the termination of
this  Agreement,  be involved  directly or indirectly,  in any form,  fashion or
manner, as a partner, officer,  director,  stockholder,  advisor,  consultant or
employee  in any other  business  similar  to or in any way  competing  with the
business of the EMPLOYER.  Nothing herein  contained shall,  however,  limit the
rights of the EMPLOYEE to own up to 35% of the capital stock or other securities
of any  corporation  whose  stock or  securities  are  publicly  owned or traded
regularly on a public exchange or in the over-the-counter  market, or to prevent
the EMPLOYEE from investing financially in, or limiting the EMPLOYEE's rights to
invest  financially  in, other  businesses  not allied with or



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competing  with the business of the EMPLOYER,  as long as EMPLOYEE  continues to
devote  all of his  working  time,  attention,  knowledge  and skill  solely and
exclusively to the business and interest of the EMPLOYER.

          SEVENTH:  During  the  course  of  EMPLOYEE's  employment  under  this
Agreement,  and for five (5) years thereafter,  the EMPLOYEE specifically agrees
that he will not, at any time, in any fashion,  form or manner,  either directly
or indirectly,  use,  divulge,  disclose or  communicate to any person,  firm or
corporation,   in  any  manner  whatsoever,   any  confidential  or  proprietary
information of any kind, nature or description  concerning any matters affecting
or relating to the business of the  EMPLOYER,  including,  without  limiting the
generality of the foregoing, any of its customers, its manner of operations, its
plans, its ideas, processes,  programs, its intellectual property or other data,
information or materials of any kind,  nature or  description  without regard to
whether  any or all of the  foregoing  matters  shall  be  deemed  confidential,
material or important.  The parties  hereto  stipulate  that as between them the
same are important, material,  confidential and gravely affect the effective and
successful  conduct of the business of the EMPLOYER and its good will,  and that
any breach of the terms of this paragraph is a material breach  thereof,  except
where  the  EMPLOYEE  shall  be  acting  on  behalf  of the  EMPLOYER.  EMPLOYEE
understands  and agrees that in the event that  EMPLOYEE  violates the terms and
conditions as stated in this paragraph, that he will be subject to an injunction
and  damages,  and  understands  and agrees  that  EMPLOYER's  remedy to prevent
further or continued  damages will  include a petition  for  injunctive  relief.
EMPLOYEE  expressly   acknowledges  that  the  restrictions  contained  in  this
paragraph are reasonable and are properly  required for the adequate  protection
of the EMPLOYER's interests.

          EMPLOYEE  further  understands  and agrees that EMPLOYER,  in entering
into this Agreement, is relying upon EMPLOYEE's representation and warranty that
all trade  secrets and other  proprietary  information  of EMPLOYER will be kept
strictly  confidential  by EMPLOYEE  and not  utilized by EMPLOYEE in any manner
whatsoever  other than on  EMPLOYER's  behalf  during  the course of  EMPLOYEE's
employment with EMPLOYER.

          EIGHTH:  Employee agrees that during the term of this  Agreement,  and
for two (2) years after  termination  hereof,  he shall not,  for himself or any
third  party,  directly  or  indirectly  divert or  attempt  to divert  from the
EMPLOYER or its  subsidiaries or affiliates any business of any kind in which it
is engaged or employ,  solicit for  employment,  or recommend for employment any
person  employed by the EMPLOYER or by any of its  subsidiaries  or  affiliates,
during the period of such person's  employment and for a period of two (2) years
thereafter.  EMPLOYEE expressly  acknowledges that the restrictions contained in
this  paragraph  are  reasonable  and are  properly  required  for the  adequate
protection of the EMPLOYER's interests.



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          NINTH:  It is expressly  understood  and agreed that the terms of this
Agreement, except for Paragraphs SIXTH, SEVENTH and EIGHTH, may be terminated by
the  EMPLOYER  prior  to  August  30,  1998  upon the  occurrence  of any of the
following events:

          (a)  Automatically  and without notice upon the death of the EMPLOYEE;
it is also understood that EMPLOYEE will be entitled to six months' salary which
will be payable to his estate;

          (b) Persistent  absenteeism on the part of the EMPLOYEE,  which in the
reasonably  judgment of the Board of  Directors of the Company is having or will
have a material adverse effect on the performance of the EMPLOYEE's duties under
this Agreement;

          (c)  Deliberate  and wilful  failure to perform  normal  services  and
duties  required  of  EMPLOYEE  pursuant  to  this  Agreement,   except  if  the
performance of such duties or services would result in a violation of EMPLOYEE's
fiduciary  responsibility  to  the  Company  and  its  shareholders  or  is in a
violation of applicable laws;

          (d) any wilful act or failure to act, which in the reasonable  opinion
of the Board, is in bad faith and to the material detriment of the EMPLOYER;

          (e) Conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude or dishonesty;

          (f) Total or partial  disability of the EMPLOYEE for a period of three
(3)  consecutive  months or  ninety  (90)  days in the  aggregate  so that he is
prevented from  satisfactorily  performing a substantial part of his duties;  it
being further  understood and agreed that any proceeds received by EMPLOYER from
a policy of disability  benefits  insurance or any other proceeds  received from
any Federal,  State or Municipal  agency of  government  will be credited to the
amount of compensation paid to EMPLOYEE by EMPLOYER; and

          (g) Fraudulent misconduct of the EMPLOYEE.

          In the  event  of a  material  change  in the  Board of  Directors  of
EMPLOYER (other than with the  acknowledgment of EMPLOYEE) or the wilful failure
of the Company to fulfill its material  obligations  under this Agreement,  upon
thirty  (30) days  written  notice by EMPLOYEE to  EMPLOYER,  EMPLOYEE  may also
terminate this Agreement, except that Paragraphs SIXTH, SEVENTH and EIGHTH shall
survive for the terms set forth in such paragraphs.

          TENTH:  EMPLOYER agrees that EMPLOYEE will be entitled during the Term
to all fringe benefits in effect for executive officers of the EMPLOYER, such as
Blue Cross/Blue Shield and



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Major  Medical  insurance  benefits  which are afforded to key  employees of the
EMPLOYER.

          ELEVENTH:  This  Agreement  contains  the total and  entire  agreement
between the parties and shall,  as of the effective  date hereof,  supersede any
and all other agreements between the parties.  The parties acknowledge and agree
that neither of them has made any representations  that are not specifically set
forth herein and each of the parties hereto acknowledge that he or it has relied
upon his or its own judgment in entering into the same.

          TWELFTH:  The  parties  hereto  do  further  agree  that no  waiver or
modification  of this  Agreement or of any  covenant,  condition  or  limitation
herein  contained,  shall be valid,  unless in writing and duly  executed by the
party  to be  charged  therewith  and that no  evidence  of any  proceedings  or
litigation  between  either of the  parties  arising  out of or  affecting  this
Agreement or the rights and  obligations of any party  hereunder  shall be valid
and binding unless such waiver or modification is in writing, duly executed, and
the parties  further  agree that the  provisions  of this  paragraph  may not be
waived except as herein set forth.

          THIRTEENTH:  The parties  hereto agree that it is their  intention and
covenant that this Agreement and the performance hereunder shall be construed in
accordance  with and under the laws of the State of Missouri  and that the terms
hereof may be enforced in any court of competent  jurisdiction  in an action for
specific performance which may be instituted under this Agreement.

          FOURTEENTH:  EMPLOYER indemnifies and holds harmless EMPLOYEE from any
claims  of any  type  against  EMPLOYER  that  arise  prior  to the  date of the
commencement of this Agreement.

          FIFTEENTH:  EMPLOYEE warrants and represents to EMPLOYER that EMPLOYEE
has had sufficient and adequate  opportunity to consult with Employee's  counsel
concerning  the within  agreement and is aware that EMPLOYER is relying upon the
within representation concerning entering into the agreement herein.

          SIXTEENTH:  All notices  required or  permitted  to be given by either
party  hereunder  shall be in writing  and  mailed by  registered  mail,  return
receipt requested and by regular mail to the other party addressed as follows:

          If to EMPLOYER at:            SENETEK, PLC
                                        62A Weldon Parkway
                                        Maryland Heights, Missouri  63043

          If to EMPLOYEE at:            63 North East Village Road
                                        Concord, New Hampshire  03301


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          Any notice mailed as provided  above shall be deemed  completed on the
date of receipt, or five (5) days from the postmark on said postal receipt.

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the parties have hereunto set their hands
and seals the day, month and year first above written.

                                               SENETEK, PLC

                                            By: /s/ Gerlof Homan
                                                /s/ Anthony J. Cataldo  
                                                  
                                                ANTHONY J. CATALDO




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                                   SCHEDULE A

The companies for which EMPLOYEE provides consulting services are:

                                      None