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                                                                   Exhibit 10(e)


                             2001 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                                       OF
                          ALLIANCE PHARMACEUTICAL CORP.
                        (as amended through May 8, 2001)


         1.       PURPOSE. The purpose of this Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") is
to provide an additional incentive to, and attract and hold in service,
directors, officers and other employees of the Corporation, and any future
subsidiaries of the Corporation, who are providing, or who are expected to
provide, services which are deemed important to the Corporation. Accordingly,
these persons may be encouraged to acquire stock ownership in, and increase
their commitment to, the Corporation, thereby promoting the interests of the
Corporation and its shareholders. Options granted under the Plan will be
non-qualified stock options which are not intended to satisfy the requirements
of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Internal
Revenue Code") .

         2.       DEFINITIONS. When used in this Plan, unless the context
otherwise requires:

                  (a)      "Board of Directors" or "Board" shall mean the Board
of Directors of the Corporation, as constituted at any time.

                  (b)      "Chairman of the Board" shall mean the person who at
the time shall be Chairman of the Board of Directors.

                  (c)      "Committee" shall mean the Committee hereinafter
described in Section 3.

                  (d)      "Corporation" shall mean Alliance Pharmaceutical
Corp., a New York corporation.

                  (e)      "Eligible Persons" shall mean those persons described
in Section 4 who are potential recipients of Options.

                  (f)      "Fair Market Value" on a specified date shall mean
the closing price at which a Share is traded on the stock exchange, if any, on
which Shares are primarily traded or, if the Shares are not then traded on a
stock exchange, the average of the closing bid and asked prices at which a Share
is traded on the over-the-counter market, as reported on the National
Association of Security Dealers Automated Quotation System, but if no Shares
were traded on such date, then on the last previous date on which a Share was so
traded, or, if none of the above are applicable, the value of a Share as
established by the Committee for such date using any reasonable method of
valuation.

                  (g)      "Options" shall mean the Stock Options granted
pursuant to this Plan.

                  (h)      "Plan" shall mean this 2001 Stock Option Plan of
Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp., as adopted by the Board of Directors on February
22, 2001, as such Plan from time to time may be amended.


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                  (i)      "President" shall mean the person who at the time
shall be the President of the Corporation.

                  (j)      "Share" shall mean a share of common stock, par value
$.01 per share, of the Corporation.

                  (k)      "Subsidiary" shall mean any corporation 50% or more
of whose stock having general voting power is owned by the Corporation, or by
another Subsidiary as herein defined, of the Corporation.

         3.       COMMITTEE. The Plan shall be administered by the Board of
Directors unless the Board of Directors otherwise appoints a committee to
administer the Plan. During any period of time in which the Plan is administered
by the Board of Directors, all references in the Plan to the Committee shall be
deemed to refer to the Board.

         4.       PARTICIPANTS. The class of persons who are potential
recipients of Options granted under this Plan consist of directors and key
employees of the Corporation or a Subsidiary, as determined by the Committee.
The persons to whom Options are granted under this Plan, and the number of
Shares subject to each such Option, shall be determined by the Committee in its
sole discretion, subject, however, to the terms and conditions of this Plan.

         5.       SHARES. Subject to the provisions of Section 13 hereof, the
Committee may grant Options with respect to an aggregate of up to 2,000,000
Shares, all of which Shares may be either Shares held in treasury or authorized
but unissued Shares. The maximum number of Shares which may be the subject of
Options granted to any individual in any calendar year shall not exceed 200,000
Shares. If the Shares that would be issued or transferred pursuant to any Option
are not issued or transferred and cease to be issuable or transferable for any
reason, the number of Shares subject to such Option will no longer be charged
against the limitation provided for herein and may again be made subject to
Options; provided, that with respect to any Option granted to any Eligible
Person who is a "covered employee" as defined in Section 162(m) of the Internal
Revenue Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder that is canceled, the
number of Shares subject to such Option shall continue to count against the
maximum number of Shares which may be the subject of Options granted to such
Eligible Person.

         6.       GRANT OF OPTIONS. Except as described below, the number of any
Options to be granted to any Eligible Person shall be determined by the
Committee in its sole discretion. Options under this Plan may be granted to
officers and directors of the Corporation provided that (i) all officers and
directors of the Corporation, collectively, may not receive more than forty-nine
percent (49%) of the total grants of Options under this Plan; and (ii) all
officers and directors must not constitute more than forty-nine percent (49%) of
the number of participants receiving Options under the Plan. It is intended that
the Plan be a "broadly based plan" within the meaning of the marketplace rules
of The Nasdaq Stock Market and Options will be granted accordingly.

                  Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prohibit the
issuance of Options at different times to the same person.


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                  An Option shall be evidenced by a written Option agreement in
a form approved by the Committee. An Option agreement signed by the Chairman of
the Board or the President or a Vice President of the Corporation, and dated the
day of grant, or such later date as the Committee in its sole discretion, shall
determine, shall be tendered to each person to whom an Option is granted, except
that such Option agreement shall be deemed rescinded and have no effect if the
Option holder, within a specified period, does not sign an unqualified
acceptance, in such form as the Committee has prescribed, of such Option
agreement.

         7.       PURCHASE PRICE. The purchase price per Share of the Shares to
be purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option shall be fixed by the
Committee at the time of grant; provided however, that the purchase price per
Share shall not in any event be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a
Share on the date of grant of the Option.

         8.       DURATION OF OPTIONS. The duration of any Option granted under
this Plan shall be for a period of ten years from the date upon which the Option
is granted or such lesser period as the Committee may determine at the time of
grant.

         9.       EXERCISE OF OPTIONS. Except as otherwise provided herein,
Options, after the grant thereof, shall be exercisable by the holder at such
rate and times as may be fixed by the Committee; provided, however, that no
Options may be exercised for less than 100 Shares at a time, unless the grant is
for a number of Shares not evenly divisible by 100, in which case the final
exercise may be for the remaining Shares.

                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, all or any part of any
remaining unexercised Options granted to any person may be exercised in the
following circumstances: (a) subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof,
immediately upon (but prior to the expiration of the term of the Option) the
holder's cessation of employment or service due to retirement from the
Corporation and all Subsidiaries on or after his 65th birthday, (b) subject to
the provisions of Section 12 hereof, upon the disability (to the extent and in a
manner as shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion) or death
of the holder, or (c) upon the occurrence of such special circumstance or event
as in the opinion of the Committee merits special consideration.

                  An Option shall be exercised by the delivery of a written
notice duly signed by the holder thereof to such effect ("Exercise Notice"),
together with the full purchase price of the Shares purchased pursuant to the
exercise of the Option, to the Chairman of the Board or an officer of the
Corporation appointed by the Chairman of the Board for the purpose of receiving
the same. Payment of the full purchase price shall be made as follows: (i) in
cash or by check payable to the order of the Corporation which amount payable
includes all applicable withholding taxes; (ii) by including in the Exercise
Notice an order to a designated broker to sell part or all of the Shares and to
deliver sufficient proceeds to the Corporation to pay the full purchase price of
the Shares and all applicable withholding taxes; (iii) if specifically
authorized by the Committee and the purchaser is an employee at the time of
purchase, by payment in cash of at least $.01 per Share and all applicable
withholding taxes, with the remainder of the Option price being borrowed from
the Corporation as described below; or (iv) by such other methods as the
Committee may permit from time to time. In the case described in clause (iii)
above, the Corporation, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, will lend
to such purchaser an


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amount up to the excess of the full Option price of the Shares purchased over
the cash payment, but not more than the excess of such price over the par value
of such Shares, such loan to be evidenced by the purchaser's delivery to the
Corporation of his or her unconditional promissory note to pay the amount of the
loan within five years in such manner as is determined by the Committee. Any
such note: (i) shall be dated the date of the Exercise Notice of the Option,
(ii) shall provide for the payment of equal installments of principal, (iii)
shall provide for quarterly payment of interest on such indebtedness at such
rate as the Committee may determine, which cannot be less than the prime rate
and (iv) shall be in such form and contain such other provisions as the
Committee may determine from time to time. In connection with any such loan, the
purchaser shall deposit with the pledge to the Corporation the certificate or
certificates evidencing all of the Shares so purchased, to be held by the
Corporation as collateral security for such loan. If the employment of the
purchaser is terminated by reason of death, any unpaid balance of such
indebtedness shall become due and payable one year after the date of the death,
but not later than five years after the date of purchase, unless otherwise
determined by the Committee. If the employment of the purchaser is terminated
for any reason other than death, any unpaid balance of such indebtedness shall
become immediately due and payable on such date of termination, unless otherwise
determined by the Committee. Cash dividends paid on Shares held by the
Corporation as security shall be paid to the purchaser. Voting rights and other
shareholder's rights with respect to all Shares shall vest in the purchaser
although the Shares are held by the Corporation as security. Upon default in the
payment of principal or interest on a loan provided for in this paragraph, the
Corporation, to the extent then permitted by law and without demand or notice to
the debtor, may sell any pledged Shares for the benefit of the debtor and apply
the net proceeds of such sale to the then unpaid principal and interest on such
loan, and any remainder of such proceeds shall be paid to the debtor.

                  Within a reasonable time after the exercise of an Option, the
Corporation shall cause to be delivered to the person entitled thereto, a
certificate for the Shares purchased pursuant to the exercise of the Option,
subject to the deposit of such certificate as collateral security for a loan as
described in the preceding paragraph. If the Option shall have been exercised
with respect to less than all of the Shares subject to the Option, the
Corporation shall maintain records indicating the number of Shares with respect
to which the Option remains available for exercise and, absent manifest error,
the Corporation's records shall be determinative.

                  In lieu of the foregoing option exercise payment methods, the
Option holder may deliver with the Exercise Notice (A) shares of the
Corporation's Common Stock owned by the holder having a Fair Market Value
calculated as of the date of the Option exercise equal to the sum of (i) the
aggregate Option exercise price of the Shares with respect to which such Option
or portion is being exercised and (ii) applicable withholding taxes, duly
endorsed for transfer to the Corporation, or (B) written instructions to
withhold shares of the Corporation's Common Stock issuable to the holder upon
exercise of the Option being exercised, having a Fair Market Value calculated as
of the date of the Option exercise equal to the sum of (i) the aggregate Option
exercise price of the Shares with respect to which such Option or portion is
being exercised (including the Shares to be withheld) and (ii) applicable
withholding taxes.


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                  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or of any
Option, no Option granted pursuant to the Plan may be exercised at any time when
the Option or the granting or exercise thereof violates any law or governmental
order or regulation.

         10.      CONSIDERATION FOR OPTIONS. The Corporation shall obtain such
consideration for the grant of an Option as the Committee in its discretion may
determine.

         11.      RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY OF OPTIONS. Options shall not
be transferable otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and
distribution or as provided in this Section 11. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Committee may, in its discretion, authorize a transfer of all or a portion
of any Option, other than an Option which is intended to qualify as an incentive
stock option, by the initial holder to (i) the spouse, children, stepchildren,
grandchildren or other family members of the initial holder ("Family Members"),
(ii) a trust or trusts for the exclusive benefit of such Family Members, (iii) a
corporation or partnership in which such Family Members and the initial holder
are the only shareholders or partners, (iv) a former spouse of the initial
holder pursuant to a "domestic relations order" as defined in Section 414(p) of
the Internal Revenue Code, or (v) such other persons or entities which the
Committee may permit; provided, however, that subsequent transfers of such
Options shall be prohibited except by will or the laws of descent and
distribution. Any transfer of such an Option shall be subject to such terms and
conditions as the Committee shall approve, including that such Option shall
continue to be subject to the terms and conditions of the Option and of the Plan
as amended from time to time. The events of termination of employment or service
under Section 12 shall continue to be applied with respect to the initial
holder, following which a transferred Option shall be exercisable by the
transferee only to the extent and for the periods specified under Section 12.

         12.      TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. All or any part of any Option, to
the extent unexercised, shall terminate immediately: (i) in the case of an
employee, upon the cessation or termination for any reason of the holder's
employment by the Corporation or any Subsidiary, or (ii) in the case of a
director who is not an employee, upon the holder's ceasing to serve as a
director of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, except that the holder shall have
until the end of the tenth business day following the cessation of his
employment with the Corporation or its Subsidiaries or his service as a director
of the Corporation or its Subsidiaries, and no longer, to exercise any
unexercised Option that he could have exercised on the day on which such
employment or service terminated; provided, that such exercise must be
accomplished prior to the expiration of the term of such Option. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if the cessation of employment or service is due to retirement on
or after attaining the age of sixty-five (65) years, or to disability (to an
extent and in a manner as shall be determined in each case by the Committee in
its sole discretion) or to death, the holder or the representative of the estate
of a deceased holder shall have the privilege of exercising the Options which
are unexercised at the time of such retirement, or of such disability or death;
provided, however, that such exercise must be accomplished prior to the
expiration of the term of such Option and (a) within three months of the
holder's retirement or disability, or (b) within six months of the holder's
death, as the case may be. If the employment or service of any Option holder
with the Corporation or its Subsidiaries shall be terminated because of the
Option holder's violation of the duties of such employment or service with the
Corporation or its Subsidiaries as he may from time to time have, the existence
of which violation shall be determined by the Board in its sole discretion
(which


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determination by the Board shall be conclusive), all unexercised Options of such
Option holder shall terminate immediately upon such termination of the holder's
employment or service with the Corporation or its Subsidiaries, and an Option
holder whose employment or service with the Corporation or its Subsidiaries is
so terminated, shall have no right after such termination to exercise any
unexercised Option he might have exercised prior to the termination of his
employment or service with the Corporation or its Subsidiaries.

         13.      ADJUSTMENT PROVISION. If prior to the complete exercise of any
Option there shall be declared and paid a stock dividend upon the Shares or if
the Shares shall be split up, converted, exchanged, reclassified, or in any way
substituted for, then the Option, to the extent that it has not been exercised,
shall entitle the holder thereof upon the future exercise of the Option to such
number and kind of securities or cash or other property subject to the terms of
the Option to which he would have been entitled had he actually owned the Shares
subject to the unexercised portion of the Option at the time of the occurrence
of such stock dividend, split-up, conversion, exchange, reclassification or
substitution, and the aggregate purchase price upon the future exercise of the
Option shall be the same as if the originally optioned Shares were being
purchased thereunder.

                  Any fractional shares or securities issuable upon the exercise
of the Option as a result of such adjustment shall be payable in cash based upon
the Fair Market Value of such shares or securities at the time of such exercise.
If any such event should occur, the number of Shares with respect to which
Options remain to be issued, or with respect to which Options may be reissued,
shall be adjusted in a similar manner.

                  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, in the event
of a recapitalization, merger, consolidation, rights offering, reorganization,
liquidation, or other change in the Corporation's corporate structure or
outstanding Shares, the Committee may make such equitable adjustments to the
number of Shares and class of shares available hereunder as it shall deem
appropriate to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights.

         14.      ISSUANCE OF SHARES AND COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES ACT. The
Corporation may postpone the issuance and delivery of Shares pursuant to the
grant or exercise of any Option until (a) the admission of such Shares to
listing on any stock exchange on which Shares of the Corporation of the same
class are then listed, and (b) the completion of such registration or other
qualification of such Shares under any State or Federal law, rule or regulation
as the Corporation shall determine to be necessary or advisable. Any holder of
an Option shall make such representations and furnish such information as may,
in the opinion of counsel for the Corporation, be appropriate to permit the
Corporation, in the light of the then existence or non-existence with respect to
such Shares of an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of
1933, as from time to time amended (the "Securities Act"), to issue the Shares
in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act or any comparable act.
The Corporation shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to legend any
Shares which may be issued pursuant to the grant or exercise of any Option, or
may issue stop transfer orders in respect thereof.

         15.      INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING. If the Corporation or a Subsidiary
shall be required to withhold any amounts by reason of any Federal, State or
local tax rules or regulations in respect


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of the issuance of Shares pursuant to the exercise of any Option, the
Corporation or the Subsidiary shall be entitled to deduct and withhold such
amounts from any cash payments to be made to the holder of such Option. In any
event, the holder shall make available to the Corporation or Subsidiary,
promptly when requested by the Corporation or such Subsidiary, sufficient funds
to meet the requirements of such withholding; and the Corporation or Subsidiary
shall be entitled to take and authorize such steps as it may deem advisable in
order to have such funds made available to the Corporation or Subsidiary out of
any funds or property due or to become due to the holder of such Option.

         16.      ADMINISTRATION AND AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN. Except as
hereinafter provided, the Board of Directors or the Committee may at any time
withdraw or from time to time amend the Plan as it relates to, and the terms and
conditions of, any Option not theretofore granted, and the Board of Directors or
the Committee, with the consent of the affected holder of an Option, may at any
time withdraw or from time to time amend the Plan as it relates to, and the
terms and conditions of, any outstanding Option. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Corporation may not amend the Plan to modify the restrictions on granting
Options to officers and directors set forth in Section 6 hereof unless permitted
by law and applicable exchange rules. Options issued hereunder will not be
re-priced by lowering the Option exercise price of a previously granted award,
or by cancellation of outstanding Options with subsequent replacement, or
re-grant of Options with lower exercise prices.

                  Determinations of the Committee as to any question which may
arise with respect to the interpretation of the provisions of the Plan and
Options shall be final. The Committee may authorize and establish such rules,
regulations and revisions thereof not inconsistent with the provisions of the
Plan, as it may deem advisable to make the Plan and Options effective or provide
for their administration, and may take such other action with regard to the Plan
and Options as it shall deem desirable to effectuate their purpose.

         17.      NO RIGHT OF EMPLOYMENT OR SERVICE. Nothing contained herein or
in an Option shall be construed to confer on any Eligible Person any right to be
continued in the employ or service of the Corporation or any Subsidiary or
derogate from any right of the Corporation and any Subsidiary to retire, request
the resignation of or discharge such Eligible Person (without or with pay), at
any time, with or without cause.

         18.      FINAL ISSUANCE DATE. No Option shall be granted under the Plan
after February 22, 2011.


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