<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.35

                                   AKORN, INC.
                             2003 STOCK OPTION PLAN


         1. PURPOSE. This Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") is intended to serve as
an incentive to, and to encourage stock ownership by, certain eligible
participants rendering services to Akorn, Inc., a Louisiana corporation, and
certain affiliates as set forth below (the "Corporation"), so that they may
acquire or increase their proprietary interest in the Corporation and to
encourage them to remain in the service of the Corporation.

         2. ADMINISTRATION.

                  2.1 Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Board of
Directors of the Corporation (the "Board of Directors"), or a committee of two
or more members appointed by the Board of Directors (the "Committee") who are
independent directors under Nasdaq Marketplace Rules and an outside director as
defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(e)(3). The Committee shall
select one of its members as Chairman and shall appoint a Secretary, who need
not be a member of the Committee. The Committee shall hold meetings at such
times and places as it may determine and minutes of such meetings shall be
recorded. Acts by a majority of the Committee in a meeting at which a quorum is
present and acts approved in writing by a majority of the members of the
Committee shall be valid acts of the Committee.

                  2.2 Term. If the Board of Directors selects a Committee, the
members of the Committee shall serve on the Committee for the period of time
determined by the Board of Directors and shall be subject to removal by the
Board of Directors at any time. The Board of Directors may terminate the
function of the Committee at any time and resume all powers and authority
previously delegated to the Committee.

                  2.3 Authority. The Committee shall have sole discretion and
authority to grant options under the Plan to eligible participants rendering
services to the Corporation or any "parent" or "subsidiary" of the Corporation
("Parent or Subsidiary"), as defined in Section 424 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), at such times, under such terms and in such
amounts as it may decide. For purposes of this Plan and any Stock Option
Agreement (as defined below), the term "Corporation" shall include any Parent or
Subsidiary, if applicable. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the
Committee shall have complete authority to interpret the Plan, to prescribe,
amend and rescind the rules and regulations relating to the Plan, to determine
the details and provisions of any Stock Option Agreement, to accelerate any
options granted under the Plan and to make all other determinations necessary or
advisable for the administration of the Plan.

                  2.4 Type of Option. The Committee shall have full authority
and discretion to determine, and shall specify, whether the eligible individual
will be granted options intended to qualify as incentive options under Section
422 of the Code ("Incentive Options") or options which are not intended to
qualify under Section 422 of the Code ("Non-Qualified Options"); provided,
however, that Incentive Options shall only be granted to employees of the
Corporation, or a Parent or Subsidiary thereof, and shall be subject to the
special limitations set forth herein attributable to Incentive Options.


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                  2.5 Interpretation. The interpretation and construction by the
Committee of any provisions of the Plan or of any option granted under the Plan
shall be final and binding on all parties having an interest in this Plan or any
option granted hereunder. No member of the Committee shall be liable for any
action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any
option granted under the Plan.

         3. ELIGIBILITY.


                  3.1 General. All directors, officers, employees of and
consultants to the Corporation, or any Parent or Subsidiary relative to the
Corporation's, or any Parent's or Subsidiary's management, operation or
development shall be eligible to receive options under the Plan. The selection
of recipients of options shall be within the sole and absolute discretion of the
Committee. No person shall be granted an Incentive Option under this Plan unless
such person is an employee of the Corporation, or a Parent or Subsidiary on the
date of grant. No person shall be granted an option under this Plan unless such
person has executed, if requested by the Committee, the grant representation
letter set forth on Exhibit "A," as such Exhibit may be amended by the Committee
from time to time. No person shall be granted more than 500,000 options in any
one year period.

                  3.2 Termination of Eligibility.

                           3.2.1 If an optionee ceases to be employed by the
Corporation, or its Parent or Subsidiary, is no longer an officer or member of
the Board of Directors of the Corporation, or no longer performs services for
the Corporation, or its Parent or Subsidiary, for any reason (other than for
"cause," as hereinafter defined, or such optionee's death), any option granted
hereunder to such optionee shall expire three (3) months after the occurrence
giving rise to such termination of eligibility (or one (1) year in the event an
optionee is "disabled," as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code) or upon the
date it expires by its terms, whichever is earlier. Any option that has not
vested in the optionee as of the date of such termination shall immediately
expire and shall be null and void. The Committee shall, in its sole and absolute
discretion, decide, utilizing the provisions set forth in Treasury Regulations
Section 1.421-7(h), whether an authorized leave of absence or absence for
military or governmental service, or absence for any other reason, shall
constitute termination of eligibility for purposes of this Section.

                           3.2.2 If an optionee ceases to be employed by the
Corporation, or its Parent or Subsidiary, is no longer an officer or member of
the Board of Directors of the Corporation, or no longer performs services for
the Corporation, or its Parent or Subsidiary, and such termination is as a
result of "cause," as hereinafter defined, then all options granted hereunder to
such optionee shall expire on the date of the occurrence giving rise to such
termination of eligibility or upon the date it expires by its terms, whichever
is earlier, and such optionee shall have no rights with respect to any
unexercised options. For purposes of this Plan, "cause" shall mean an optionee's
personal dishonesty, misconduct, breach of fiduciary duty, incompetence,
intentional failure to perform stated obligations, willful violation of any law,
rule, regulation or final cease and desist order, or any material breach of any
provision of this Plan, any Stock Option Agreement or any employment agreement.


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                  3.3 Death of Optionee and Transfer of Option. In the event an
optionee shall die, a vested option may be exercised (subject to the condition
that no option shall be exercisable after its expiration and only to the extent
that the optionee's right to exercise such option had accrued at the time of the
optionee's death) at any time within six months after the optionee's death by
the executors or administrators of the optionee or by any person or persons who
shall have acquired the option directly from the optionee by bequest or
inheritance. Any option that has not vested in the optionee as of the date of
death or termination of employment, whichever is earlier, shall immediately
expire and shall be null and void. No option shall be transferable by the
optionee other than by will or the laws of intestate succession.

                  3.4 Limitation on Incentive Options. No person shall be
granted any Incentive Option to the extent that the aggregate fair market value
of the Stock (as defined below) to which such options are exercisable for the
first time by the optionee during any calendar year (under all plans of the
Corporation as determined under Section 422(d) of the Code) exceeds $100,000.

         4. IDENTIFICATION OF STOCK. The Stock, as defined herein, subject to
the options shall be shares of the Corporation's authorized but unissued or
acquired or reacquired common stock (the "Stock"). The aggregate number of
shares subject to outstanding options shall not exceed 5,000,000 shares of Stock
(subject to adjustment as provided in Section 6). If any option granted
hereunder shall expire or terminate for any reason without having been exercised
in full, the unpurchased shares subject thereto shall again be available for
purposes of this Plan.

         5. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS. Any option granted pursuant to the
Plan shall be evidenced by an agreement ("Stock Option Agreement") in such form
as the Committee shall from time to time determine, which agreement shall comply
with and be subject to the following terms and conditions:

                  5.1 Number of Shares. Each option shall state the number of
shares of Stock to which it pertains.


                  5.2 Option Exercise Price. Each option shall state the option
exercise price, which shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however,
that (i) the exercise price of any Incentive Option shall not be less than the
fair market value of the Stock, as determined by the Committee, on the date of
grant of such option, (ii) the exercise price of any option granted to any
person who owns more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes
of the Corporation's stock, as determined for purposes of Section 422 of the
Code, shall not be less than 110% of the fair market value of the Stock, as
determined by the Committee, on the date of grant of such option, and (iii) the
exercise price of any Non-Qualified Option shall not be less than 85% of the
fair market value of the Stock, as determined by the Committee, on the date of
grant of such option. In the event that the fair market value of the price of
the common stock declines below the price at which the option is granted, the
Committee shall have the discretion and authority to cancel, reduce, or
otherwise modify the price of any unexercised option, including, but not limited
to, a regrant of the option at a new price more commensurate with the fair
market value of the stock. The Committee must receive the approval of the Board
of Directors before any action is taken in accordance with this provision.


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                  5.3 Term of Option. The term of an option granted hereunder
shall be determined by the Committee at the time of grant, but shall not exceed
ten years from the date of the grant. The term of any Incentive Option granted
to an employee who owns more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all
classes of the Corporation's stock, as determined for purposes of Section 422 of
the Code, shall in no event exceed five years from the date of grant. All
options shall be subject to early termination as set forth in this Plan. In no
event shall any option be exercisable after the expiration of its term.

                  5.4 Method of Exercise. An option shall be exercised by
written notice to the Corporation by the optionee (or successor in the event of
death) and execution by the optionee of an exercise representation letter in the
form set forth on Exhibit "B," as such Exhibit may be amended by the Committee
from time to time. Such written notice shall state the number of shares with
respect to which the option is being exercised and designate a time, during
normal business hours of the Corporation, for the delivery thereof ("Exercise
Date"), which time shall be at least 30 days after the giving of such notice
unless an earlier date shall have been mutually agreed upon. At the time
specified in the written notice, the Corporation shall deliver to the optionee
at the principal office of the Corporation, or such other appropriate place as
may be determined by the Committee, a certificate or certificates for such
shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation may postpone delivery of
any certificate or certificates after notice of exercise for such reasonable
period as may be required to comply with any applicable listing requirements of
any securities exchange. In the event an option shall be exercisable by any
person other than the optionee, the required notice under this Section shall be
accompanied by appropriate proof of the right of such person to exercise the
option.

                  5.5 Medium and Time of Payment. The option exercise price
shall be payable in full on or before the option Exercise Date in any one of the
following alternative forms:

                           5.5.1 Full payment in cash or certified bank or
cashier's check;

                           5.5.2 Subject to Section 5.5.7 hereof, a Promissory
Note (as defined below);

                           5.5.3 Full payment in shares of Stock having a fair
market value on the Exercise Date in the amount equal to the option exercise
price;

                           5.5.4 Subject to Section 5.5.7 hereof, through a
special sale and remittance procedure pursuant to which the optionee shall
concurrently provide irrevocable written instruction to (a) a
Corporation-designated brokerage firm to effect the immediate sale of the
purchased shares and remit to the Corporation, out of the sale proceeds
available on the settlement date pursuant to an irrevocable assignment by the
optionee, sufficient funds to cover the aggregate exercise price payable for the
purchased shares plus all applicable Federal, state and local income and
employment taxes required to be withheld by the Corporation by reason of such
exercise and (b) the Corporation to deliver the certificates for the purchased
shares directly to such brokerage firm in order to complete the sale.

                           5.5.5 A combination of the consideration set forth in
Sections 5.5.1, through 5.5.4 equal to the option exercise price; or


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                           5.5.6 Any other method of payment complying with the
provisions of Section 422 of the Code with respect to Incentive Options,
provided the terms of payment are established by the Committee at the time of
grant and any other method of payment established by the Committee with respect
to Non-Qualified Options.

                           5.5.7 Notwithstanding the foregoing, the methods of
payment described in Section 5.5.2 and Section 5.5.4 shall not be available to
any optionee classified as "a director or executive officer (or equivalent
thereof)" within the meaning of Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
("Sarbanes-Oxley") at the time of the exercise, unless such optionee provides to
the Corporation a written opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Corporation
that the proposed medium of payment is not prohibited by Sarbanes-Oxley.

                  5.6 Fair Market Value. The fair market value of a share of
Stock on any relevant date shall be determined in accordance with the following
provisions:

                           5.6.1 If the Stock at the time is neither listed nor
admitted to trading on any stock exchange nor traded in the over-the-counter
market, then the fair market value shall be determined by the Committee after
taking into account such factors as the Committee shall deem appropriate.

                           5.6.2 If the Stock is not at the time listed or
admitted to trading on any stock exchange but is traded in the over-the-counter
market, the fair market value shall be the mean between the highest bid and
lowest asked prices (or, if such information is available, the closing selling
price) of one share of Stock on the date in question in the over-the-counter
market, as such prices are reported by the National Association of Securities
Dealers through its NASDAQ system or any successor system. If there are no
reported bid and asked prices (or closing selling price) for the Stock on the
date in question, then the mean between the highest bid and lowest asked prices
(or the closing selling price) on the last preceding date for which such
quotations exist shall be determinative of fair market value.

                           5.6.3 If the Stock is at the time listed or admitted
to trading on any stock exchange, then the fair market value shall be the
closing selling price of one share of Stock on the date in question on the stock
exchange determined by the Committee to be the primary market for the Stock, as
such price is officially quoted in the composite tape of transactions on such
exchange. If there is no sale of Stock on such exchange on the date in question,
then the fair market value shall be the closing selling price on the exchange on
the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.

                  5.7 Promissory Note. Subject to the requirements of applicable
state or Federal law or margin requirements, payment of all or part of the
purchase price of the Stock may be made by delivery of a full recourse
promissory note ("Promissory Note"). The Promissory Note shall be executed by
the optionee, made payable to the Corporation and bear interest at such rate as
the Committee shall determine, but in no case less than the minimum rate which
will not cause under the Code (i) interest to be imputed, (ii) original issue
discount to exist, or (iii) any other similar results to occur. Unless otherwise
determined by the Committee, interest on the Note shall be payable in quarterly
installments on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year. A
Promissory Note shall contain such other terms


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and conditions as may be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that
the full principal amount of the Promissory Note and all unpaid interest accrued
thereon shall be due not later than five years from the date of exercise. The
Corporation may obtain from the optionee a security interest in all shares of
Stock issued to the optionee under the Plan for the purpose of securing payment
under the Promissory Note and may retain possession of the stock certificates
representing such shares in order to perfect its security interest.

                  5.8 Rights as a Shareholder. An optionee or successor shall
have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any Stock underlying any option
until the date of the issuance to such optionee of a certificate for such Stock.
No adjustment shall be made for dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in
cash, securities or other property) or distributions or other rights for which
the record date is prior to the date such Stock certificate is issued, except as
provided in Section 6.

                  5.9 Modification, Extension and Renewal of Options. Subject to
the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee may modify, extend or renew
outstanding options granted under the Plan, or accept the surrender of
outstanding options (to the extent not exercised) and authorize the granting of
new options in substitution therefor.

                  5.10 Vesting and Restrictions. The Committee shall have
complete authority and discretion to set the terms, conditions, restrictions,
vesting schedules and other provisions of any option in the applicable Stock
Option Agreement and shall have complete authority to require conditions and
restrictions on any Stock issued pursuant to this Plan; provided, however, that
except with respect to options granted to officers or directors of the
Corporation, options granted pursuant to this Plan shall be exercisable or
"vest" at the rate of at least 20% per year over the 5-year period beginning on
the date the option is granted. Options granted to officers and directors shall
become exercisable or "vest," subject to subject to the condition of continued
employment and/or continued service on the Board of Directors, as appropriate.
The maximum vesting period for options granted to officers or directors will be
ten years from the date of grant.

                  5.11 Other Provisions. The Stock Option Agreements shall
contain such other provisions, including without limitation, restrictions or
conditions upon the exercise of options, as the Committee shall deem advisable.

         6. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION.

                  6.1 Subdivision or Consolidation. Subject to any required
action by shareholders of the Corporation, the number of shares of Stock covered
by each outstanding option, and the exercise price thereof, shall be
proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued
shares of Stock of the Corporation resulting from a subdivision or consolidation
of shares, including, but not limited to, a stock split, reverse stock split,
recapitalization, continuation or reclassification, or the payment of a stock
dividend (but only on the Stock) or any other increase or decrease in the number
of such shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Corporation. Any
fraction of a share subject to option that would otherwise result from an
adjustment pursuant to this Section shall be rounded downward to the next full
number of shares without other compensation or consideration to the holder of
such option.


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                  6.2 Capital Transactions. Upon a sale or exchange of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, a merger or consolidation in
which the Corporation is not the surviving corporation, a merger, reorganization
or consolidation in which the Corporation is the surviving corporation and
shareholders of the Corporation exchange their stock for securities or property,
a liquidation of the Corporation, or similar transaction as determined by the
Committee ("Capital Transaction"), this Plan and each option issued under this
Plan, whether vested or unvested, shall terminate, unless such options are
assumed by a successor corporation in a merger or consolidation, immediately
prior to such Capital Transaction; provided, however, that unless the
outstanding options are assumed by a successor corporation in a merger or
consolidation, subject to terms approved by the Committee, all optionees will
have the right, during the 15 days prior to such Capital Transaction, to
exercise all vested options. The Corporation shall, subject to any nondisclosure
provisions, attempt to provide optionees at least 15 days notice of the option
termination date. The Committee may (but shall not be obligated to) (i)
accelerate the vesting of any option or (ii) apply the foregoing provisions,
including but not limited to termination of this Plan and options granted
pursuant to the Plan, in the event there is a sale of 51% or more of the stock
of the Corporation in any two year period or a transaction similar to a Capital
Transaction.

                  6.3 Adjustments. To the extent that the foregoing adjustments
relate to stock or securities of the Corporation, such adjustments shall be made
by the Committee, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding
and conclusive.

                  6.4 Ability to Adjust. The grant of an option pursuant to the
Plan shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Corporation to make
adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations or changes of its capital or
business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate, sell or
transfer all or any part of its business or assets.

                  6.5 Notice of Adjustment. Whenever the Corporation shall take
any action resulting in any adjustment provided for in this Section, the
Corporation shall forthwith deliver notice of such action to each optionee,
which notice shall set forth the number of shares subject to the option and the
exercise price thereof resulting from such adjustment.

                  6.6 Limitation on Adjustments. Any adjustment, assumption or
substitution of an Incentive Option shall comply with Section 425 of the Code,
if applicable.

         7. NONASSIGNABILITY. Options granted under this Plan may not be sold,
pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner other than by will or by the laws
of intestate succession, and may be exercised during the lifetime of an optionee
only by such optionee. Any transfer in violation of this Section shall void such
option, and any Stock Option Agreement entered into by the optionee and the
Corporation regarding such transferred option shall be void and have no further
force or effect. No option shall be pledged or hypothecated in any way, nor
shall any option be subject to execution, attachment or similar process.

         8. NO RIGHT OF EMPLOYMENT. Neither the grant nor exercise of any option
nor anything in this Plan shall impose upon the Corporation or any other
corporation any obligation to employ or continue to employ any optionee. The
right of the Corporation and any


                                        7

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other corporation to terminate any employee shall not be diminished or affected
because an option has been granted to such employee.

         9. TERM OF PLAN. This Plan is effective on the date the Plan is adopted
by the Board of Directors and options may be granted pursuant to the Plan from
time to time within a period of ten (10) years from such date, or the date of
any required shareholder approval required under the Plan, if earlier.
Termination of the Plan shall not affect any option theretofore granted.

         10. AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN. The Board of Directors of the Corporation
may, subject to any required shareholder approval, suspend, discontinue or
terminate the Plan, or revise or amend it in any respect whatsoever with respect
to any shares of Stock at that time not subject to options.

         11. APPLICATION OF FUNDS. The proceeds received by the Corporation from
the sale of Stock pursuant to options may be used for general corporate
purposes.

         12. RESERVATION OF SHARES. The Corporation, during the term of this
Plan, shall at all times reserve and keep available such number of shares of
Stock as shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.

         13. NO OBLIGATION TO EXERCISE OPTION. The granting of an option shall
not impose any obligation upon the optionee to exercise such option.

         14. APPROVAL OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS. The Plan shall not
take effect until approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. This
Plan shall be approved by a vote of the shareholders within 12 months from the
date of approval by the Board of Directors. In the event such shareholder vote
is not obtained, all options granted hereunder, whether vested or unvested,
shall be null and void. Further, any stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of
any options under this Agreement may not count for purposes of determining
whether shareholder approval has been obtained.

         15. WITHHOLDING TAXES. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary in
this Plan or any Stock Option Agreement, the exercise of any option shall be
conditioned upon payment by such optionee in cash, or other provisions
satisfactory to the Committee, of all local, state, federal or other withholding
taxes applicable, in the Committee's judgment, to the exercise or to later
disposition of shares acquired upon exercise of an option.

         16. PARACHUTE PAYMENTS. Any outstanding option under the Plan may not
be accelerated to the extent any such acceleration of such option would, when
added to the present value of other payments in the nature of compensation which
becomes due and payable to the optionee would result in the payment to such
optionee of an excess parachute payment under Section 280G of the Code. The
existence of any such excess parachute payment shall be determined in the sole
and absolute discretion of the Committee.

         17. SECURITIES LAWS COMPLIANCE. Notwithstanding anything contained
herein, the Corporation shall not be obligated to grant any option under this
Plan or to sell, issue or effect any transfer of any Stock unless such grant,
sale, issuance or transfer is at such time effectively (i) registered or exempt
from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as


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amended (the "Act"), and (ii) qualified or exempt from qualification under the
California Corporate Securities Law of 1968 and any other applicable state
securities laws. As a condition to exercise of any option, each optionee shall
make such representations as may be deemed appropriate by counsel to the
Corporation for the Corporation to use any available exemption from registration
under the Act or qualification under any applicable state securities law.

         18. RESTRICTIVE LEGENDS. The certificates representing the Stock issued
upon exercise of options granted pursuant to this Plan will bear any legends
required by applicable securities laws as determined by the Committee.

         19. NOTICES. Any notice to be given under the terms of the Plan shall
be addressed to the Corporation in care of its Secretary at its principal
office, and any notice to be given to an optionee shall be addressed to such
optionee at the address maintained by the Corporation for such person or at such
other address as the optionee may specify in writing to the Corporation.

         As adopted by the Board of Directors on November 6, 2003.
























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<PAGE>




                        AKORN INC 2003 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                                    EXHIBIT A
                           GRANT REPRESENTATION LETTER




Neill E. Shanahan, Vice President,
Human Resources
Akorn, Inc.
2500 Millbrook Drive
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089-4694

         Re:  2003 Stock Option Plan

Dear Mr. Shanahan:

This letter is delivered to Akorn, Inc., a Louisiana corporation (the
"Corporation"), in connection with the grant to _______________________ (the
"Optionee") of an option (the "Option") to purchase _____________ shares of
common stock of the Corporation (the "Stock") pursuant to the Akorn, Inc. 2003
Stock Option Plan originally dated _________________, 2003 (the "Plan"). The
Optionee understands that the Corporation's receipt of this letter executed by
the Optionee is a condition to the Corporation's willingness to grant the Option
to the Optionee.

The Optionee acknowledges that the grant of the Option by the Corporation is in
lieu of any and all other promises of the Corporation to the Optionee, whether
written or oral, express or implied, regarding the grant of options or other
rights to acquire Stock. Accordingly, in anticipation of the grant of the
Option, the Optionee hereby relinquishes all rights to such other rights, if
any, to acquire stock of the Corporation.

In addition, the Optionee makes the following representations and warranties
with the understanding that the Corporation will rely upon them.

         1. The Optionee acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan and
Agreement. The Optionee has carefully reviewed the Plan and Agreement.

         2. The Optionee acknowledges receipt of a prospectus regarding the
Plan, if requested, which includes the information required by Section (a)(1) of
Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933.

         3. The Optionee understands and acknowledges that the Option and the
Stock are subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

         4. The Optionee understands and agrees that, at the time of exercise of
any part of the Option for Stock, the Optionee may be required to provide the
Corporation with additional representations, warranties and/or covenants similar
to those contained in this letter.



<PAGE>




         5. The Optionee is a resident of the State of _______________________.

         6. The Optionee will notify the Corporation immediately of any change
in the above information which occurs before the Option is exercised in full by
the Optionee.



SIGNED


________________________________________________________________________________

Optionee


________________________________________________________________________________

Print Name


________________________________________________________________________________

Date







<PAGE>




                        AKORN INC. 2003 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                                    EXHIBIT B
                          NOTICE OF INTENT TO EXERCISE

Steven Koulogeorge, Controller
Akorn, Inc.
2500 Millbrook Drive
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089-4694

Dear Mr. Koulogeorge,

Please be advised that I seek to exercise options to purchase _________ shares
of Akorn Inc. stock, pursuant to the Options Grant number________
dated__________________ at the price of _____ per share. This notice is
delivered to Akorn, Inc., a Louisiana corporation, pursuant to the Akorn, Inc.
2003 Stock Option Plan, originally dated November 6, 2003.

I understand that employees of the Company responsible for authorizing and
processing this transaction will do so at their earliest convenience, but that
there may be delays following receipt of this letter due to normal business
activities and that the Company cannot guarantee immediate authorization and
processing. I hereby freely waive any and all claims for damages of any kind
that may result from any delay in processing this transaction.

Furthermore, I represent and agree as follows:

         1. I acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Plan and Agreement and have
            carefully reviewed the Plan and Agreement.

         2. I am a resident of the State of __________________________.

         3. If I am an "affiliate" (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities
            Act of 1933) of the Corporation at the time I desire to sell any
            Akorn stock, I will be subject to certain restrictions under, and
            will comply with all of the requirements of, applicable federal and
            state securities laws.

SIGNED

________________________________________________________________________________
Name                                                                   Date


________________________________________________________________________________

Print Name


________________________________________________________________________________
Address                                                                Phone