<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1


================================================================================


                           ESPERION THERAPEUTICS, INC.

                                       and

                                STOCKTRANS, INC.

                                 as Rights Agent




                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                           Dated as of April 18, 2002















================================================================================





<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section                                                                                                        Page
<S>     <C>                                                                                                    <C>


  1.     Certain Definitions......................................................................................2

  2.     Appointment of Rights Agent..............................................................................5

  3.     Issue of Rights Certificates.............................................................................6

  4.     Form of Rights Certificates..............................................................................7

  5.     Countersignature and Registration........................................................................8

  6.     Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated,
         Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates............................................................9

  7.     Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights...........................................10

  8.     Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.....................................................11

  9.     Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock; Registration of Securities...............................12

 10.     Capital Stock Record Date...............................................................................13

 11.     Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights.............................14

 12.     Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares..............................................21

 13.     Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power....................................21

 14.     Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.................................................................24

 15.     Rights of Action........................................................................................25

 16.     Agreement of Rights Holders.............................................................................25

 17.     Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder......................................................26

 18.     Concerning the Rights Agent.............................................................................26

 19.     Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent...............................................27

 20.     Duties of Rights Agent..................................................................................27

 21.     Change of Rights Agent..................................................................................29

 22.     Issuance of New Rights Certificates.....................................................................30

 23.     Redemption, Termination and Periodic Review.............................................................30

</TABLE>


<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<S>     <C>                                                                                                      <C>


24.      Exchange................................................................................................32

25.      Notice of Certain Events................................................................................33

26.      Notices.................................................................................................34

27.      Supplements and Amendments..............................................................................34

28.      Successors..............................................................................................35

29.      Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc...............................................35

30.      Benefits of this Agreement..............................................................................36

31.      Severability............................................................................................36

32.      Governing Law...........................................................................................37

33.      Counterparts............................................................................................37

34.      Descriptive Headings....................................................................................37

Exhibit A         Resolution of the Board of Directors with respect to
                  Series A Junior Participating Preferred Shares................................................A-1

Exhibit B         Form of Rights Certificate....................................................................B-1

Exhibit C         Summary of Rights.............................................................................C-1


</TABLE>

<PAGE>



                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT


                  RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of April 18, 2002 (the
"Agreement"), between ESPERION THERAPEUTICS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and STOCKTRANS, INC., a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Rights
Agent").

                               W I T N E S S E T H

                  WHEREAS, on April 18, 2002 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration
Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right for each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the
Company outstanding at the close of business on April 18, 2002 (the "Record
Date") (which for these purposes shall include all Common Shares presently
entitled to receive dividends) and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as
such number may hereafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section
11(i) hereof) for each Common Share of the Company issued between the Record
Date (whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) and
the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such terms are
hereinafter defined), each Right initially representing the right to purchase
one one-hundredth (1/100) of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined) of the
Company having the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the form of the
Resolution of the Board of Directors attached hereto as Exhibit A (the
"Rights"); and

                  WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has considered
whether approval of this Agreement and the distribution of the Rights is in the
best interests of the Company and all other pertinent factors; and

                  WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has concluded
that approval of this Agreement and the distribution of the Rights is in the
best interests of the Company because the existence of the Rights will help (i)
reduce the risk of coercive two-tiered, front-end loaded or partial offers that
may not offer fair value to all stockholders, (ii) mitigate against market
accumulators who through open market and/or private purchases may achieve a
position of substantial influence or control without paying to selling or
remaining stockholders a fair control premium, (iii) deter market accumulators
who are simply interested in putting the Company into "play," (iv) restrict
self-dealing by a substantial stockholder, and (v) preserve the Board of
Directors' bargaining power and flexibility to deal with third-party acquirors,
to pursue the business strategies of the Company and to otherwise seek to
maximize value for all of the stockholders.

                  NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
mutual agreements herein set forth and intending to be legally bound hereby, the
parties hereby agree as follows:

                  SECTION 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:

                  "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, but shall
not include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, any


                                       2

<PAGE>



Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person
shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of Common
Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of Common Shares
outstanding, increases the proportionate number of Common Shares beneficially
owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding;
provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or
more of the then outstanding Common Shares by reason of Common Shares purchased
by the Company and shall, after the Company announces such share purchases,
become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares, then such Person
shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a
majority of the Board of Directors determines in good faith that a Person who
would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph, has become such inadvertently and without any
intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, and such Person
divests as promptly as practicable after being advised of such determination a
sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an
"Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph, then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for
purposes of this Agreement.

                  "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

                  "Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii) of this Agreement.

                  "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act (as hereinafter defined).

                  A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall
be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:

                           (i) that such Person or any of such Person's
         Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to
         acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after
         the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
         understanding (whether or not in writing) or upon the exercise of
         conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or
         otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
         "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (A) securities
         tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or
         any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
         securities are accepted for payment, purchase or exchange, or (B)
         securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the
         occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C) securities issuable upon the
         exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event
         which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's
         Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to
         Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant
         to Section 11(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with
         respect to any Original Rights;


                                       3

<PAGE>

                            (ii) that such Person or any of such Person's
         Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote
         or dispose of or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant
         to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange
         Act), including without limitation pursuant to any agreement,
         arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing); provided,
         however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of,
         or to "beneficially own," any security under this subparagraph (ii) as
         a result of an oral or written agreement, arrangement or understanding
         to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding:
         (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a public
         proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with,
         the applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under
         the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on
         Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
         report); or

                           (iii) that are beneficially owned, directly or
         indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof)
         with which such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or
         Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or
         not in writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except
         pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in the proviso to
         subparagraph (ii) above) or disposing of any voting securities of the
         Company,

provided, however, that nothing in this definition shall cause a person engaged
in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or
to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such Person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty (40) days after the date of such acquisition.

                  "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

                  "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
Eastern Standard Time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not
a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.

                  "Common Share" shall mean, when used with reference to the
Company, a share of common stock, par value $.001 per share, of the Company and,
to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of Common Shares authorized
to permit the full exercise of the Rights, shares of any other class or series
of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially
similar to the terms of the Common Shares, except that "Common Share" when used
with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the shares of
common stock of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity
securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the
management, of such Person.

                  "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.

                  "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.

                                       4

<PAGE>




                  "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(a) hereof.

                  "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership, limited liability company or other entity.

                  "Preferred Share" shall mean a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Shares, par value $.01 per share, of the Company and, to
the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Shares authorized to permit the full exercise of the
Rights, shares of any other series of Preferred Stock of the Company designated
for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Shares.

                  "Preferred Share Fraction" shall mean one one-hundredth
(1/100) of a Preferred Share.

                  "Qualifying Offer" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.

                  "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, other than a Qualifying Offer..

                  "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses
(x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.

                  "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13 (d) of the Exchange Act) by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.

                  "Subsidiary" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

                  "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d)(i) hereof.

                  "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or
any Section 13 Event.

                  Unless otherwise specified, where reference is made in this
Agreement to sections of, and the General Rules and Regulations under, the
Exchange Act, such reference shall mean such sections and rules as amended from
time to time and any successor provisions thereto.

                  SECTION 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the
terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.

                                       5

<PAGE>


                  SECTION 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.

                  (a) Until the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the
tenth Business Day after a Stock Acquisition Date involving an Acquiring Person
that has become such in a transaction as to which the Board of Directors has not
made the determination referred to in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, or (ii) the
Close of Business on the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date that a tender or exchange offer by
any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person
or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan) is first commenced within the meaning of Rule
14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if, upon
consummation thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more
of the Common Shares then outstanding (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein
referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) beneficial interests in the Rights
will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3)
by the certificates for the Common Shares registered in the names of the holders
of the Common Shares (which certificates for Common Shares shall be deemed also
to be certificates for beneficial interests in the Rights) and not by separate
certificates, and (y) the Rights and beneficial interests therein will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying Common
Shares (including a transfer to the Company). The Company must promptly notify
the Rights Agent of such Distribution Date and request that its transfer agent
provide the Rights Agent with a list of the record holders of the Company's
Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date. As soon as
practicable after the Rights Agent receives such notice and list, the Rights
Agent will send to each record holder of the Common Shares as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, one or more rights certificates, in substantially the
form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights Certificates"), evidencing one Right for
each Common Share so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the
event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per Common Share has been made
pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights
Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding
adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights
Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash
is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights in accordance with Section 14(a)
hereof. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced
solely by such Rights Certificates.

                  (b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit C to each record holder of the Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of the
beneficial interests in the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7
hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing Common Shares in respect
of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with such Common Shares.


                                       6

<PAGE>

                  (c) Except as provided in Section 22 hereof, Rights shall be
issued in respect of all Common Shares that are issued (whether originally
issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) after the Record Date but prior
to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates
representing such Common Shares and all certificates issued after the Record
Date upon the transfer of Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date shall
also be deemed to be certificates for beneficial interests in the associated
Rights, and shall bear the following legend:

                  "This certificate also evidences a beneficial interest in and
         entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights
         Agreement between The Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company")
         and Transfer Agent, a New York corporation (the "Rights Agent") dated
         as of April 18, 2002 (the "Rights Agreement"), and as the same may be
         amended from time to time, the terms of which are hereby incorporated
         herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal
         offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in
         the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
         certificates and beneficial interests therein will no longer be
         evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of
         this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the
         date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a written
         request therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights
         Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or
         becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as
         such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held
         by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may become
         null and void."

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, beneficial
interests in the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone and registered
holders of Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of beneficial
interests in the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such certificates
shall also constitute the transfer of beneficial interests in the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificates.

                  SECTION 4. Form of Rights Certificates.

                  (a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to
purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks
of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate (which do not affect the
duties or responsibilities of the Rights Agent) and as are not inconsistent with
the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market ("Nasdaq")
on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage.
Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights
Certificates, whenever distributed, shall entitle the holders thereof to
purchase such number of Preferred Share Fractions as shall be set forth therein
at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per Preferred Share
Fraction, the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of securities



                                       7



<PAGE>




purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall
be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

                  (b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represents Rights that the Company knows are beneficially
owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring
Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such
Acquiring Person has any continuing oral or written plan, agreement, arrangement
or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the
Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of an oral or written
plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding that has as a primary purpose or
effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and provided that the Company shall
have notified the Rights Agent that this Section 4(b) applies, any Rights
Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer,
exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to
in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:

                  "The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
                  beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring
                  Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as
                  such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly,
                  this Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may
                  become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section
                  7(e) of such Agreement."

                  SECTION 5. Countersignature and Registration.

                  (a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial
Officer, General Counsel, any Vice President or similar officer of the Company,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary
or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights
Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case
any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights Certificates
shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the
Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered
by the Company with the same force and effect as though the Person who signed
such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and
any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by any Person
who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a
proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the
date of the execution of this Agreement any such Person was not such an officer.




                                       8

<PAGE>



                  (b) Following the Distribution Date and upon receipt by the
Rights Agent of the notice and list of record holders of the Rights referred to
in Section 3(a), the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its office
or offices designated pursuant to Section 25 hereof, books for registration and
transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the
names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates, the
Certificate number and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.

                  SECTION 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
                             Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or
                             Stolen Rights Certificates.

                  (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e)
and Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the
Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration
Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling
the registered holder to purchase a like number of Preferred Share Fractions
(or, following a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities, cash or
other assets, as the case may be), as the Rights Certificate or Certificates
surrendered then entitled such holder or former holder in the case of a transfer
to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or
exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in
writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights
Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged
at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever
with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate or
Certificates until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the
certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and
Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.
The Rights Agent shall not be obligated to process the transaction until it has
received evidence that all taxes and charges arising from the transaction have
been paid. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax
or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer,
split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.

                  (b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of
evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction,
of indemnity or security satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company
and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

                                       9



<PAGE>

                  SECTION 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
                             of Rights.

                  (a) Subject to subsection (e), the registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with
payment of the aggregate Purchase Price (except as provided in Section 11(q)
hereof) with respect to the total number of Preferred Share Fractions (or Common
Shares, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which
such surrendered Rights are then exercisable (except as provided in Section
11(q) hereof), at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on April
18, 2012 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the consummation of a transaction
contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof, or (iii) the time at which the Rights are
redeemed or terminated as provided in Section 23 hereof (the earliest of (i),
(ii) and (iii) being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").

                  (b) The Purchase Price for each Preferred Share Fraction
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $50.00, subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof, and
shall be payable in accordance with subsection (c).

                  (c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate
duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised,
of the Purchase Price per Preferred Share Fraction (or Common Shares, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased and an
amount equal to any applicable tax or governmental charge, the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) and Section 14(b) hereof, thereupon promptly
(i)(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or make
available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for the Common Shares)
certificates for the total number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the
Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all of
such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit some or all
of the total number of Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights
hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts representing such number of Preferred Share Fractions as are
to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented
by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary
agent) and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such
request, (ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be
paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii),
after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be
delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder, and (iv), after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of
the Purchase Price (as such amount may be adjusted pursuant to Section 11
hereof) may be made, at the election of the holder of the Rights Certificate,
(x) in cash or by certified bank check or money order payable to the order of
the Company or (y) by delivery of Rights if and to the extent authorized by
Section 11(q) hereof. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other
securities of the Company (including Common Shares), pay cash and/or distribute
other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all
arrangements

                                       10

<PAGE>


necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property are
available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to comply
with this Agreement.

                  (d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate
shall exercise less than all of the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 6 and
Section 14 hereof.

                  (e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any
Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring
Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any
such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently
with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to
either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring
Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person
with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing oral or written plan,
agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B)
a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of
an oral or written plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null
and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of
this Agreement or otherwise; provided, however, that the Rights held by an
Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or the
transferees of such persons referred to above shall not be voided unless the
Acquiring Person in question or an Affiliate or Associate of such Acquiring
Person shall be involved in the transaction giving rise to the Section 11(a)(ii)
Event. The Company shall notify the Rights Agent when this Section 7(e) applies
and shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this
Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but neither the Company
nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of Rights
Certificates or other Person as a result of the Company's failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates
or transferees hereunder.

                  (f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of
any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered
holder shall have (i) properly completed and signed the certificate contained in
the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights
Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall or the Rights Agent
reasonably request.

                  SECTION 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights
Certificates. All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise,
transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company
or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for


                                       11

<PAGE>

cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall
be canceled by it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof
except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The
Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and
the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate
purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof.
The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Rights Certificates to the Company,
or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Rights
Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction
thereof to the Company.

                  SECTION 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock;
                             Registration of Securities.

                  (a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding Rights
as many of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and unissued or treasury
Common Shares and/or other securities) or out of its authorized and issued
shares held in its treasury, which together, shall at all times after the
Distribution Date be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights.

                  (b) So long as the Preferred Shares (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities) issuable
and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any stock
exchange, or quoted on Nasdaq, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause,
from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares and other
securities reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon
official notice of issuance upon such exercise.

                  (c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as
soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, or as soon as is required by law following the
Distribution Date, as the case may be, a registration statement or statements
under the Act, with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form or forms, (ii) cause such registration statement
or statements to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and
(iii) cause such registration statement or statements to remain effective (with
a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier
of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such
securities, and (B) the Expiration Date. The Company will also take such action
as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or
"blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of
the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to
exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first
sentence of this subsection (c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to
prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become effective.
Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating
that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as
a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In
addition, if the Company shall determine that a registration statement is
required following the Distribution Date, the Company may, by issuing a public
announcement, temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until such
time as a registration statement


                                       12

<PAGE>


has been declared effective. The Company shall notify the Rights Agent whenever
it makes a public announcement pursuant to this subsection (c) and give the
Rights Agent a copy of the announcement. Notwithstanding any provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any
jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have
been obtained, nor shall the Rights be exercisable if the exercise thereof shall
not be permitted under applicable law or a registration statement shall not have
been declared effective.

                  (d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all
such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (and,
following a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities) delivered upon
exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such
shares or other securities (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly
and validly authorized and issued and, with respect to Preferred Shares, Common
Shares or other shares of capital stock, fully paid and nonassessable.

                  (e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay
when due and payable any and all taxes and governmental charges that may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of
any certificates for a number of Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares or
other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company
shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax that may be payable in
respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other
than, or the issuance or delivery of a number of Preferred Share Fractions (or
Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name
other than that of the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing
Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a
number of Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares or other securities, as
the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the
exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being
payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or
until it has been established to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is
due.

                  SECTION 10. Capital Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose
name any certificate for a number of Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares
or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such
Preferred Share Fractions (or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may
be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon
which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and
payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable taxes and governmental
charges) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the applicable transfer books of the Company are
closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
next succeeding Business Day on which the applicable transfer books of the
Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the
holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a
stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall
not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except
as provided herein.

                                       13
<PAGE>
                  SECTION 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of
                              Shares or Number of Rights.


                  The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares and other
securities covered by each Right and the number of Rights issued (or to be
issued) and outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided
in this Section 11.

                  (a)      (i)   In the event the Company shall at any time
after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on any security of the
Company payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred
Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of
shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of
the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section
7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for
such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, and the number and kind of Preferred Shares or capital stock,
as the case may be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so
that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive, upon payment of the adjusted Purchase Price, the aggregate number and
kind of Preferred Shares or capital stock, as the case may be, that, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Share transfer books were open, such holder would have owned upon such
exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification. If an event occurs which would require an
adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and
shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.

                           (ii)  In the  event  that any  Person,  alone or
together with its Affiliates and Associates, shall, at any time after the Rights
Dividend Declaration Date, become an Acquiring Person unless the event causing
such Person to become an Acquiring Person is a Section 13 Event, or is an
acquisition of Common Shares pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange offer for
all outstanding Common Shares at a price or for consideration and on terms
determined by a majority of the Board of Directors, after receiving advice from
one or more nationally recognized investment banking firms, to be in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders (a "Qualifying Offer"), after
taking into consideration all factors that the Board of Directors deems
relevant, including, without limitation, the long-term prospects and value of
the Company and the prices and terms that the Board of Directors believes, in
good faith, could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold
on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value, then, promptly following
the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, proper provision shall be
made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in Section
7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof
at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, in lieu of a number of Preferred Share Fractions, such number of
Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of Preferred
Share Fractions for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which,
following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the
"Purchase Price" for each Right and for all


                                      14

<PAGE>


purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the current market price (as defined in
and determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Common Share on the date of
such first occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment Shares").

                           (iii)  In the event  that the  number  of Common
Shares that are authorized by the Charter but not outstanding or reserved for
issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are not sufficient
to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing
subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall: (A) determine the
excess of the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a
Right (the "Current Value") over the Purchase Price (such excess, the "Spread"),
and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for
the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash,
(2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Shares of the same or a
different class or other equity securities of the Company (including, without
limitation, preferred shares or units of preferred shares that a majority of the
Board of Directors in office at the time has deemed (based, among other things,
on the dividend and liquidation rights of such preferred shares) to have
substantially the same economic value as Common Shares (such preferred shares,
hereinafter referred to as "common share equivalents")), (4) debt securities of
the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having
an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has
been determined by a majority of the Board of Directors after considering the
advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board
of Directors of the Company; provided, however, if the Company shall not have
made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within
thirty (30) days following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the Company's right of redemption
pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to
herein as the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be
obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without
requiring payment of the Purchase Price, Common Shares (to the extent available)
and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value
equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in
good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be
authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day
period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more
than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that
the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such
additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the "Substitution
Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be
taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii),
the Company shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action
shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and may suspend the
exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in
order to seek any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and
to determine the value thereof. The Company shall make a public announcement
when the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, and again
when such suspension is no longer in effect. The Company shall notify the Rights
Agent of the suspension of the exercisability of the Rights, and provide the
Rights Agent with a copy of such public announcement. For purposes of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Shares shall be the current market
price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Common Share on the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any "common share equivalent"
shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on such date.


                                       15

<PAGE>

                  (b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to holders of any security of the
Company entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring
within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred Shares
(or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred
Shares ("equivalent preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred
Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or per
equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less
than the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per Preferred Share on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date,
plus the number of Preferred Shares that the aggregate offering price of the
total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be
offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price, and
the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on
such record date, plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or
equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In
case such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or
all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration
shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on the Company, the Rights Agent and the holders of
the Rights. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company
shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such
adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and
in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price
shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would then be in effect if such
record date had not been fixed.

                  (c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a
distribution to all holders of Preferred Shares (including any such distribution
made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular
quarterly dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company),
assets (other than a regular quarterly dividend referred to above or dividend
payable in Preferred Shares, but including any dividend payable in stock other
than Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those
referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per Preferred Share on such record date, less the then fair market value
(as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes) of the portion of the cash, assets or
evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or
warrants applicable to a Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be
such current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per
Preferred Share. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made,
the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have
been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.




                                       16

<PAGE>
                  (d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other
than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current
market price" per Common Share on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per Common Share for the thirty (30) consecutive
Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to and not
including such date; and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market price" per Common Share on any date shall
be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per Common Share for the
ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately following and not including such
date; provided, however, that in the event that the current market price per
Common Share is determined during a period following the announcement by the
issuer of such Common Share of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common
Share payable in Common Shares or securities convertible into Common Shares
(other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification
of such Common Shares, and prior to the expiration of the requisite thirty (30)
Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, after the
ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the
"current market price" shall be properly adjusted to take into account
ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each Trading Day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Common Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Common Shares are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Common
Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq
or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Common Shares are
not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Common
Shares selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no
market maker is making a market in the Common Shares, the fair value of such
shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the
principal national securities exchange on which the Common Shares are listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Common
Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Shares are not publicly held or not so
listed or traded, "current market price" per share shall mean the fair value per
share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.

                            (ii)    For the purpose of any  computation
hereunder, the "current market price" per Preferred Share shall be determined in
the same manner as set forth above for the Common Shares in clause (i) of this
Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof). If the current market
price per Preferred Share cannot be determined in the manner provided above or
if the Preferred Shares are not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner
described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "current market price" per
Preferred Share shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to one
hundred (100) (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as
stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the

                                       17

<PAGE>




Common Shares occurring after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the
current market price per Common Share. If neither the Common Shares nor the
Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, "current market
price" per Preferred Share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall
be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive
for all purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the "current market price"
of a Preferred Share Fraction shall be equal to the "current market price" of
one Preferred Share divided by one hundred (100).

                  (e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would
require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided,
however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not
required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any
subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to
the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a Common Share or
one-millionth of a Preferred Share, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the
first sentence of this subsection (e), any adjustment required by this Section
11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three (3) years from the date
of the transaction that mandates such adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration Date.

                  (f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised
shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than
Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares contained in
Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (m) and (q), and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

                  (g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Share
Fractions purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights,
all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

                  (h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i) below, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in subsections (b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
Preferred Share Fractions (calculated to the nearest one-millionth of a
Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of Preferred Share
Fractions covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase
Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.

                  (i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any
adjustment in the number of Preferred Share Fractions purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of


                                       18

<PAGE>



Preferred Share Fractions for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the
number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest
one-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase
Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company
shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,
indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. The Company shall forward a copy of such
public announcement to the Rights Agent. The record date for the adjustment may
be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but,
if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days
later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been
issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section
11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to
holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.

                  (j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of Preferred Share Fractions issuable upon the exercise of
the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price per Preferred Share Fraction and the
number of Preferred Share Fractions that were expressed in the initial Rights
Certificates issued hereunder.

                  (k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated or par value, if any, of the
number of Preferred Share Fractions issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the
Company shall take any corporate action that may, in the opinion of its counsel,
be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue such number
of fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Share Fractions at such adjusted
Purchase Price.

                  (l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
of the number of Preferred Share Fractions and other capital stock or securities
of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of
Preferred Share Fractions and other capital stock or securities of the Company,
if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect
prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to
such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's
right to receive such additional shares (fractional or

                                       19

<PAGE>



otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such
adjustment, and the Company shall also deliver a copy of such bill or instrument
to the Rights Agent.

                  (m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of
Directors of the Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i)
consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii) issuance wholly for
cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price, (iii)
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms
are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (iv) stock dividends
or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11,
hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be
taxable to such stockholders.

                  (n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any
time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or
(iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other person or persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect that would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale, the stockholders of the Person who
constitute, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.

                  (o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26
hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such
action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish
substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.

                  (p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare
a dividend on the outstanding Common Shares payable in Common Shares, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common
Shares into a smaller number of shares, the number of Rights associated with
each Common Share then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter but prior
to the Distribution Date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number
of Rights thereafter associated with each Common Share following any such event
shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated
with each Common Share immediately prior to such event by a fraction the
numerator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding


                                       20

<PAGE>



immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.

                  (q) In the event that the Rights become exercisable following
a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Company, by action of a majority of the Board of
Directors, may authorize that the Rights, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, either
(i) will only be, or (ii) may, at the option of the holder entitled to exercise
the Rights be, exercisable for, in either case 50% of the Common Shares (or cash
or other securities or assets to be substituted for the Adjustment Shares
pursuant to subsection (a)(iii)) that would otherwise be purchasable under
subsection (a), in consideration of the surrender to the Company of the Rights
so exercised and without other payment of the Purchase Price. Rights exercised
under this subsection (q) shall be deemed to have been exercised in full and
shall be canceled.

                  SECTION 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number
of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section
13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment and a brief, reasonably detailed statement of the facts and
computations accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights
Agent, and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Shares and the Common
Shares, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each
holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each
holder of a certificate representing Common Shares) in accordance with Section
25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall have no duty with
respect to and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment
unless and until it shall have received such a certificate.

                  SECTION 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
                              Assets or Earning Power.

                  (a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date,
directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with
and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y)
any person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or
into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such
consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding Common Shares shall be
changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or
cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer
(or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets, operating income, cash flow or earning
power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or
Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in
each such case and except as contemplated by subsection (d), proper provision
shall be made so that:

                             (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in
         Section 7(e) hereof or subsection (e), shall thereafter have the right
         to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the




                                    21

<PAGE>
         then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this
         Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
         non assessable and freely tradable Common Shares of the Principal Party
         (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens,
         encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall
         be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current
         Purchase Price by the number of Preferred Share Fractions for which a
         Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
         Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior
         to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number
         of such shares for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
         the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price
         in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence), and (2) dividing
         that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13
         Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and
         for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the current market price
         (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per Common Share of
         such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13
         Event;

                            (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable
         for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all of the
         obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;

                           (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed
         to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that
         the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal
         Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event;

                            (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps
         (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number
         of its Common Shares) in connection with the consummation of any such
         transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof
         shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in
         relation to its Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise
         of the Rights; and

                             (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
         shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13
         Event.

                  (b) "Principal Party" shall mean

                           (i)   in the case of any transaction described in
         clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of subsection (a), the Person
         that is the issuer of any securities into which Common Shares of the
         Company are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no
         securities are so issued, the Person that is the other party to such
         merger or consolidation; and

                           (ii)  in the case of any transaction described in
         clause (z) of the first sentence of subsection (a), the Person that is
         the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
         transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions;

provided, however, that in the case of either (i) or (ii) above, (1) if the
Common Shares of such Person are not at such time and have not been continuously
over the preceding twelve (12)


                                       22


<PAGE>

month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is
a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Shares of which are
and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person,
and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more
than one Person, the Common Shares of two or more of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of the Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value.

                  (c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of authorized shares of its Common Shares that have not been issued or
reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance
with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal
Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of
any Section 13 event, the Principal Party will

                           (i)   prepare and file a registration statement under
         the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
         exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best
         efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as
         soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a
         prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
         Expiration Date;

                           (ii)  use its best efforts to qualify or register the
         Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under
         blue sky laws of such jurisdiction, as may be necessary or appropriate;
         and

                           (iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical
         financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates
         that comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on
         Form 10 under the Exchange Act.

The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the
Rights that have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become
exercisable solely in the manner described in Section 13(a).

                  (d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, Section 13 (other than this subsection (d)) shall not be applicable
to, and the term "Section 13 Event" shall not include, a transaction described
in subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is
consummated with a Person, or Persons who acquired Common Shares pursuant to a
Qualifying Offer pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) (or a wholly owned Subsidiary of
any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per Common Share offered in such
transaction is not less than the price per Common Share paid to all holders of
Common Shares whose shares were purchased pursuant to such tender offer or
exchange offer, and (iii) the form of consideration being offered to the
remaining holders of Common Shares pursuant to such transaction is the same as
the form of consideration paid pursuant to such tender or exchange offer. Upon
consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this subsection (d), all
Rights hereunder shall expire.


                                       23

<PAGE>


                  (e) In the event that the Rights become exercisable under
subsection (a) (except as provided in subsection (d)), the Company, by action of
a majority of the Board of Directors, may authorize that the Rights either (i)
will only be or (ii) may, at the option of the Principal Party be, exercisable
for, 50% of the Common Shares of the Principal Party that would otherwise be
purchasable under subsection (a), in consideration of the surrender to the
Principal Party, as the successor to the Company under subsection (a)(ii), of
the Rights so exercised and without other payment of the Purchase Price. Rights
exercised under this subsection (e) shall be deemed to have been exercised in
full and shall be canceled.

                  SECTION 14.  Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.

                  (a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p)
hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates that evidence fractional Rights. In
lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of
the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would
otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of this subsection (a), the
current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional
Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for
any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale
takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices,
regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on
any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported by Nasdaq or such other system then in use or, if on any such date
the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such
date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of
the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company shall be used.

                  (b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractional Preferred Shares, except in each case for fractions which
are integral multiples of Preferred Shares. In lieu of fractional Preferred
Shares that are not integral multiples of Preferred Shares, the Company may pay
to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a Preferred Share. For purposes of this subsection (b),
the current market value of one Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a
Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

                  (c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares upon exercise
of the Rights or to distribute


                                       24

<PAGE>


certificates that evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of fractional
Common Shares, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights
Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount
in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one Common
Share. For purposes of this subsection (c), the current market value of one
Common Share shall be the closing price of one Common Share (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.

                  (d) Whenever a payment for fractional Rights or fractional
shares is to be made by the Rights Agent, the Company shall (i) promptly prepare
and deliver to the Rights Agent a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail
the facts related to such payment and the process and/or formulas utilized in
calculating such payments, and (ii) provide sufficient monies to the Rights
Agent in the form of fully collected funds to make such payments. The Rights
Agent shall be fully protected in relying on such certificate and shall have no
duty with respect to and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any payment
for fractional Rights or fractional shares under this Section 4 unless and until
it shall have received such a certificate and sufficient monies.

                  (e) The holder of a Right or a beneficial interest in a Right
by the acceptance thereof expressly waives his right to receive any fractional
Rights or any fractional Common Shares upon exercise of a Right, except as
permitted by this Section 14.

                  SECTION 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior
to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights or beneficial interests
therein, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights or
beneficial interests therein would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.

                  SECTION 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a
Right or a beneficial interest in a Right, by accepting the same, consents and
agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other such holder
that:

                  (a) prior to the Distribution Date, beneficial interests in
the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common
Shares;

                  (b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or
accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms
and certificates fully executed;



                                       25

<PAGE>

                  (c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the
Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common
Share certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Share certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be required to be affected by any
notice to the contrary; and

                  (d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to
any holder of a Right or a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a
result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement
by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree,
judgment or ruling (whether interlocutory or final) issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency
or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated
or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree, judgment or ruling lifted or otherwise
overturned as soon as possible.

                  SECTION 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to
vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of
Preferred Share Fractions or any other securities of the Company (including the
Common Shares) that may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in Section 24 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.

                  SECTION 18.  Concerning the Rights Agent.

                  (a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the preparation, execution,
delivery, amendment, administration and execution of this Agreement and the
exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to
indemnify the Rights Agent and its directors, officers, employees and agents,
for and to hold each of them harmless against, any loss, liability, damage,
judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense, incurred
without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the
Rights Agent or any such indemnified party, for any action taken, suffered or
omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance or administration
of this Agreement or the exercise of its duties hereunder, including without
limitation the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in
the premises.



                                       26

<PAGE>

                  (b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement or in the
exercise of its duties hereunder in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or
certificate for Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument
of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter,
notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document
believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary,
verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.

                  SECTION 19.  Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
                               Rights Agent.

                  (a) Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the
stockholder services or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such Person would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 21 hereof.

                  (b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.

                  SECTION 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations, and only the duties and obligations,
expressly imposed by this Agreement (and no implied duties or obligations) upon
the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders
of Rights Certificates or beneficial interests in the Rights, by their
acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

                  (a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the advice or written opinion of such
counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights
Agent, and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of, any
action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with
such advice or opinion.

                  (b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and
the determination of "current market price") be proved or established by the
Company prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, such fact
or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically
prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a
certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief
Financial Officer, General Counsel,


                                       27

<PAGE>



any Vice President or similar officer of the Company and delivered to the Rights
Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization and protection to the
Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of
any action taken, suffered or omitted in good faith by it under the provisions
of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

                  (c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its
own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct; provided, however that
the Rights Agent shall not be liable for special, indirect, incidental or
consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever, even if the Rights Agent
has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage.

                  (d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.

                  (e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any liability or
responsibility in respect of the validity of any provision of this Agreement or
the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights
Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate
(except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any
breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement
or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment
required under the provisions of this Agreement or responsible for the manner,
method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of
facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the
exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice of any
such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Common
Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as
to whether any Common Shares or Preferred Shares will, when so issued, be
validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

                  (f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.

                  (g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
any one of the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial
Officer, General Counsel, any Vice President or similar officer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and such instructions shall be full authorization and protection for the
Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of
any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in
accordance with instructions of any such officer. The Rights Agent may
conclusively rely on the most recent instructions provided to it by any such
officer.

                  (h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, affiliate, director,
officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the
Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniary interested in any
transaction in which the Company may be



                                      28

<PAGE>




interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as
fully and freely as though it were not the Rights Agent under this Agreement and
none of such actions shall constitute a breach of trust. Nothing herein shall
preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or
for any other Person or legal entity.

                  (i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company or any other Person
resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, absent gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct in the selection and continued
employment thereof.

                  (j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability
in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its
rights if it believes that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification
against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

                  (k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to
the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form
of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either
not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.

                  SECTION 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon thirty (30) days' prior written notice mailed to the Company and
to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and Preferred Shares by registered
or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' prior written notice mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common
Shares and Preferred Shares, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders
of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign
or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall
appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate
for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a Person organized, doing business and
in good standing under the laws of the United States or of any state, having a
principal office in the State of New York, that is authorized by law to exercise
stockholder services and stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority and that has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least
$50,000,000 or (b) an Affiliate of any such Person. After appointment, the
successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to


                                       29

<PAGE>



the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Shares and Preferred Shares and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates
or, prior to the Distribution Date, to the registered holders of the Common
Shares. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency and trust created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the
resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be.

                  SECTION 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or
class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance, sale or delivery of Common Shares
following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the
Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to Common Shares so issued, sold or
delivered pursuant to the exercise of stock options, stock appreciation rights,
grants or awards outstanding on the Distribution Date under any benefit plan or
arrangement for employees or directors, or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of securities outstanding on the Record Date or hereinafter issued by
the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate
by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing
the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale;
provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and
to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance
would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the
Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii)
no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.

                  SECTION 23.  Redemption, Termination and Periodic Review.

                  (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth
business day following a Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition
Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the Close of Business on the
tenth day following the Record Date), or (ii) the Close of Business on the Final
Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at
a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately
adjusted to reflect any

                                       30

<PAGE>



stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption
Price") and the Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price either in
Common Shares (based on the "current market price", as defined in Section
11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Shares at the time of redemption) or cash;
provided, however, if the Board of Directors of the Company authorizes
redemption of the Rights in either of the circumstances set forth in clauses (i)
and (ii) of this proviso, then such authorization shall require the concurrence
of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company; and
provided further, however, that if, following the occurrence of a Stock
Acquisition Date and following the expiration of the right of redemption
hereunder but prior to any Triggering Event, (i) an Acquiring Person shall have
transferred or otherwise disposed of a number of Common Shares in one
transaction or series of transactions, not directly or indirectly involving the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, which did not result in the occurrence of a
Triggering Event or the Company shall have issued additional equity securities,
in either instance such that such Person is thereafter a Beneficial Owner of 15%
or less of the outstanding Common Shares, and (ii) there is no other Acquiring
Person immediately following the occurrence of the event described in clause
(i), then the right of redemption shall be reinstated and thereafter be subject
to the provisions of this Section 23. Notwithstanding anything contained in this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right
of redemption hereunder has expired.

                  (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, without any notice, or
further action, any right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only
right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption
Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the action of the Board of
Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice
of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding
Rights by, in the case of notice to holders, mailing such notice to all such
holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the registry books of
the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of
the Transfer Agent for the Common Shares. Any notice that is mailed in the
manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives
the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the
payment of the Redemption Price will be made.

                  (c) A specially designated committee of the Board of Directors
or an existing committee composed of only independent non-employee directors of
the Board of Directors, such as the audit committee, (the "Committee") shall
review this Agreement in order to consider whether the maintenance of this
Agreement continues to be in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders. The Committee shall conduct such review periodically when, as, and
in such manner as the Committee deems appropriate, after giving due regard to
all relevant circumstances; provided, however, that the Committee shall take
such action at least every three years. Following each such review, the
Committee will report its conclusions to the full Board of Directors, including
any recommendation in light thereof as to whether this Agreement should be
modified or whether the Rights should be redeemed or terminated; provided,
however, that no recommendation to redeem the Rights may be made after the tenth
business day following a Stock Acquisition Date; provided further, however, that
no recommendation to terminate the Rights may be made at any time after (i) the
existence of an Acquiring Person or (ii) the date that a tender or exchange
offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the

                                       31

<PAGE>



Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first commenced within
the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof
such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Shares of Common
Stock then outstanding, except with respect to a transaction as to which the
Board of Directors has made the determination referred to in Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof. Each member of the Committee shall be an independent, non-employee
director of the Company. The Committee is authorized to retain such legal
counsel, financial advisors and other advisors as it deems appropriate in order
to assist it in carrying out its responsibilities under this Section 23(c).

                  (d) Upon the recommendation of the Committee to terminate the
Rights, the Board of Directors shall take action to order the termination of the
Rights. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the termination of the Rights, without any notice, or further action,
the Rights will terminate. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors
ordering the termination of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such
termination to the Rights Agent and the beneficial owners of the Rights by
mailing such notice to all such owners at each such owner's last address as it
appears on the registry books of the Transfer Agent for the Common Shares. Any
notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the beneficial owner receives the notice.

                  SECTION 24.  Exchange.

                  (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part
of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights
that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)
hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Company's Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange
at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any
Person organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.

                  (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the
Rights Agent of any such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of
any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses
as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is
mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method
by which the exchange of the


                                       32

<PAGE>



Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial
exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange
shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights
which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held
by each holder of Rights.

                  (c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares authorized and not outstanding to permit any exchange of Rights as
contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall take all such
action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance
upon exchange of the Rights.

                  (d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, there shall be paid to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the
purposes of this subsection (d), the current market value of a whole Common
Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to
the second sentence of Section 11(d) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.

                  SECTION 25.  Notice of Certain Events.

                  (a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional
Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights
or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares
(other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding
Preferred Shares), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with
any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or other transfer (or
to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of more than 50% of the
assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole)
to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its
Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent
and to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place
and the date of participation therein by the holders of Preferred Shares, if any
such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any
action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to
the record date for determining holders of Preferred Shares for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days
prior to the date of the taking of such

                                       33

<PAGE>



proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of Preferred
Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.

                  (b) Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (i) the
Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Shares shall be
deemed thereafter to refer to Common Shares and/or, if appropriate, other
securities.

                  SECTION 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:

                           Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
                           3621 South State Street
                           695 KMS Place
                           Ann Arbor, MI 48108
                           Attention: Christine K. Ballman

Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

                           StockTrans, Inc.
                           44 West Lancaster Avenue
                           Ardmore, PA 19003
                           Attention:  Gina M. Hardin

                           Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights
Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date to the holder of certificates
representing Common Shares) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.

                  SECTION 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the
Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27,
the Company may and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of certificates representing Common Shares. From and after the
Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27,
the Company may and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights
Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement
any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any
other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder,
or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner that the

                                       34

<PAGE>



Company may deem necessary or desirable and that shall not adversely affect the
interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person); provided, this Agreement may
not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this
sentence, (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such
time as the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless
such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the
rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights (other than an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person). Upon the
delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company that states
that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of
this Section 27, and if requested by the Rights Agent, an opinion of counsel,
the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) no supplement or
amendment shall be made that changes the Redemption Price, lowers the Purchase
Price or changes the number of Preferred Share Fractions for which a Right is
exercisable, (ii) any supplement or amendment shall require the concurrence of a
majority of the Board of Directors if: (x) such supplement or amendment occurs
on or after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or (y) such
supplement or amendment occurs on or after the date of a change, resulting from
a proxy or consent solicitation, in a majority of the directors in office at the
commencement of such solicitation if any Person who is a participant in such
solicitation has stated (or, if upon the commencement of such solicitation, a
majority of the Board of Directors of the Company has determined in good faith)
that such Person (or any of its Affiliates or Associates) intends to take, or
may consider taking, any action that would result in such Person becoming an
Acquiring Person or that would cause the occurrence of a Triggering Event
unless, concurrent with such solicitation, such Person (or one or more of its
Affiliates or Associates) is making a cash tender offer pursuant to a Schedule
14D-1 (or any successor form) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
for all outstanding Common Shares not beneficially owned by such Person (or by
its Affiliates or Associates), and (iii) no supplement or amendment that changes
or increases the obligations and duties of the Rights Agent under this Agreement
shall be effective without the consent of the Rights Agent; provided, however,
that at any time prior to (i) the existence of an Acquiring Person or (ii) the
date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is
first commenced within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the Exchange Act, if upon
consummation thereof such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of
the Shares of Common Stock then outstanding, except with respect to a
transaction as to which the Board of Directors has made the determination
referred to in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company may, and the Rights Agent
shall, if the Company so directs, amend this Agreement to increase the Purchase
Price, accelerate or extend the Final Expiration Date. Prior to the Distribution
Date, the interests of the beneficial owners of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Shares.

                  SECTION 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of
this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.

                  SECTION 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of Common Shares outstanding at

                                       35

<PAGE>



any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular
percentage of such outstanding Common Shares of which any Person is the
Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule
13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The
Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority
to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in
the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right
and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights, to
amend or supplement the Agreement, or to terminate the Rights). All such
actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for
purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that
are done or made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and
binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all
other Persons, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to
the holders of the Rights. For purposes of this Agreement, the Rights Agent
shall be allowed to assume that all such actions, calculations, interpretations
and determinations have been done or made by the Board in good faith.

                  SECTION 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior
to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Shares) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Shares).

                  SECTION 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable for any purpose or under
any set of circumstances or as applied to any Person, such invalid, void or
unenforceable term, provision, covenant or restriction shall continue in effect
to the maximum extent possible for all other purposes, under all other
circumstances and as applied to all other Persons; and the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of Business on the
tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Without limiting the foregoing, if any provisions requiring that a determination
be made by less than the entire Board (or at a time or with the concurrence of a
group of directors consisting of less than the entire Board) is held by a court
of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, such determination shall then be made by the Board in accordance
with applicable law and the Company's certificate of incorporation and bylaws.



                                       36

<PAGE>

                  SECTION 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each
Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under
the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such jurisdiction applicable to
contracts made and to be performed entirely within such jurisdiction; except
that all provisions regarding the rights, duties and obligations of the Rights
Agent shall by governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the
State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely
within such jurisdiction.

                  SECTION 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes
be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.

                  SECTION 34. Descriptive Headings.  Descriptive  headings of
the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and
shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.




                                       37



<PAGE>


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

                               ESPERION THERAPEUTICS, INC.

                                 By:  /s/ Roger S. Newton
                                      -------------------------------------
                                      Name:  Roger S. Newton, Ph.D.
                                      Title: President and Chief Executive
                                             Officer

                               STOCKTRANS, INC.


                                 By:  /s/ Gina M. Hardin
                                      -------------------------------------
                                      Name:  Gina M. Hardin
                                      Title: Vice President, Operations




                                       38




<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S>               <C>                                                                                           <C>


Exhibit A         Resolution of the Board of Directors with respect to
                  Series A Junior Participating Preferred Shares................................................A-1

Exhibit B         Form of Rights Certificate....................................................................B-1

Exhibit C         Summary of Rights.............................................................................C-1

</TABLE>



                                       39
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT A

                     RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
                           ESPERION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
                          ESTABLISHING AND DESIGNATING
                 Series A Junior Participating Preferred Shares
                       AS A SERIES OF THE PREFERRED STOCK


                  RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority expressly vested in
the Board of Directors of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (the "Company") by Article
Fourth of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, the Board
of Directors hereby fixes and determines the voting rights, designations,
preferences, qualifications, privileges, limitations, restrictions, options,
conversion rights and other special or relative rights of a series of the
Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, which shall consist of 500,000 shares
and shall be designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Shares (the
"Series A Preferred Shares").

Special Terms of the Series A Preferred Shares

                  SECTION 1. Dividends and Distributions.

                  (a) The rate of dividends payable per share of Series A
Preferred Shares on the first day of January, April, July and October in each
year or such other quarterly payment date as shall be specified by the Board of
Directors (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after
the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of the Series A Preferred
Shares, shall be (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (i)
$10.00 or (ii) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
one hundred (100) times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends,
and one hundred (100) times the aggregate per share amount (payable in cash,
based upon the fair market value at the time the non-cash dividend or other
distribution is declared or paid as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a
dividend payable in shares of common stock of the Company, par value $.001 per
share (the "Common Stock"), or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or
fraction of a share of the Series A Preferred Shares. Dividends on the Series A
Preferred Shares shall be paid out of funds legally available for such purpose.
In the event the Company shall at any time after April 18, 2002 (the "Rights
Dividend Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares, then in each such case the amounts to which holders of Series A
Preferred Shares were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (ii)
of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying each such amount by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.



                                      A-1
<PAGE>

                  (b) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding Series A Preferred Shares from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
next preceding the date of issue of such Series A Preferred Shares, unless the
date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to
accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the
determination of holders of Series A Preferred Shares entitled to receive a
quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of
which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such
quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear
interest. Dividends paid on the Series A Preferred Shares in an amount less than
the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such
shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such
shares at the time outstanding.

                  SECTION 2. Voting Rights. In addition to any other voting
rights required by law, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall have the
following voting rights:

                  (a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series A Preferred Shares shall entitle the holder thereof
to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the
Company. In the event the Company shall at any time after the Rights Declaration
Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock,
(ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each
such case the number of votes per share to which holders of Series A Preferred
Shares were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by
multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                  (b) In the event that dividends upon the Series A Preferred
Shares shall be in arrears to an amount equal to six full quarterly dividends
thereon, the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares shall become entitled to
the extent hereinafter provided to vote noncumulatively at all elections of
directors of the Company, and to receive notice of all stockholders' meetings to
be held for such purpose. At such meetings, to the extent that directors are
being elected, the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares voting as a class
shall be entitled solely to elect two members of the Board of Directors of the
Company; and all other directors of the Company shall be elected by the other
stockholders of the Company entitled to vote in the election of directors. Such
voting rights of the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares shall continue
until all accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon shall have been paid or funds
sufficient therefor set aside, whereupon all such voting rights of the holders
of shares of such series shall cease, subject to being again revived from time
to time upon the reoccurrence of the conditions described above as giving rise
thereto.

                  At any time when such right to elect directors separately as a
class shall have so vested, the Company may, and upon the written request of the
holders of record of not less than 15% of the then outstanding total number of
shares of all the Series A Preferred Shares having the right to elect directors
in such circumstances shall, call a special meeting of holders of such Series A
Preferred Shares for the election of directors. In the case of such a written
request, such



                                      A-2
<PAGE>

special meeting shall be held within ninety (90) days after the delivery of such
request, and, in either case, at the place and upon the notice provided by law
and in the Bylaws of the Company; provided, that the Company shall not be
required to call such a special meeting if such request is received less than
one hundred twenty (120) days before the date fixed for the next ensuing annual
or special meeting of stockholders of the Company. Upon the mailing of the
notice of such special meeting to the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares,
or, if no such meeting be held, then upon the mailing of the notice of the next
annual or special meeting of stockholders for the election of directors, the
number of directors of the Company shall be increased to the extent, but only to
the extent, necessary to provide sufficient vacancies to enable the holders of
such Series A Preferred Shares to elect the two directors hereinabove provided
for, and all such vacancies shall be filled only by vote of the holders of such
Series A Preferred Shares as hereinabove provided. Whenever the number of
directors of the Company shall have been increased, the number as so increased
may thereafter be further increased or decreased in such manner as may be
permitted by the Bylaws and without the vote of the holders of Series A
Preferred Shares, provided that no such action shall impair the right of the
holders of Series A Preferred Shares to elect and to be represented by two
directors as herein provided.

                  So long as the holders of Series A Preferred Shares are
entitled hereunder to voting rights, any vacancy in the Board of Directors
caused by the death or resignation of any director elected by the holders of
Series A Preferred Shares, shall, until the next meeting of stockholders for the
election of directors, in each case be filled by the remaining director elected
by the holders of Series A Preferred Shares having the right to elect directors
in such circumstances.

                  Upon termination of the voting rights of the holders of Series
A Preferred Shares, the terms of office of all persons who shall have been
elected directors of the Company by vote of the holders of Series A Preferred
Shares or by a director elected by such holders shall forthwith terminate.

         (c) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company, as amended, or by law, the holders of Series A
Preferred Shares and the holders of Common Stock (and the holders of shares of
any other series or class entitled to vote thereon) shall vote together as one
class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Company.

                  SECTION 3. Reacquired Shares. Any Series A Preferred Shares
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company in any manner whatsoever shall be
retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares
shall upon their cancellation become authorized but un-issued Preferred Stock
and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by
resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors.

                  SECTION 4. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. In the
event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Company, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to
receive the greater of (a) $40.00 per share, plus accrued dividends to the date
of distribution, whether or not earned or declared, or (b) an amount per share,
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100
times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of Common
Stock. In the event the



                                      A-3
<PAGE>

Company shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of
Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount
to which holders of Series A Preferred Shares were entitled immediately prior to
such event pursuant to clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                  SECTION 5. Consolidation, Merger, Etc. In case the Company
shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in
which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock
or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the Series
A Preferred Shares shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in
an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth) equal to one hundred (100) times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.
In the event the Company shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i)
declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each
such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the
exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Shares shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                  SECTION 6. No Redemption. The Series A Preferred Shares shall
not be redeemable.

                  SECTION 7. Ranking. The Series A Preferred Shares shall rank
junior to all other series of the Company's Preferred Stock as to the payment of
dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any such series
shall provide otherwise.

                  SECTION 8. Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Shares may be
issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to
such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends,
participate in distributions and have the benefit of all other rights of holders
of Series A Preferred Shares.




                                      A-4
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT B

                          [FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE]



Certificate No.  R-______________                             ___________ Rights


         NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE FINAL EXPIRATION DATE (AS DEFINED IN THE
         RIGHTS AGREEMENT REFERRED TO BELOW) OR AFTER EARLIER TERMINATION OR
         REDEMPTION BY THE COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE
         OPTION OF ESPERION THERAPEUTICS, INC. AT $.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS
         SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS
         BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE
         OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS
         AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND
         VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE
         BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR
         AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE
         DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
         AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE
         CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(E) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]*

---------------
*        The bracketed portion of the legend shall be inserted only if
         applicable and shall replace the preceding sentence.



                                      B-1
<PAGE>
                           ESPERION THERAPEUTICS, INC.

                               RIGHTS CERTIFICATE


                  This certifies that ___________________, or registered
assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of April 18, 2002 (the "Rights
Agreement"), between Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and StockTrans, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Rights
Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M., Eastern
Standard Time on the Expiration Date at the office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent,
one-hundredth (1/100) of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Share") of the Company, at a
purchase price (the "Purchase Price") of $50.00 per one one-hundredth (1/100) of
a Preferred Share (such fraction, a "Preferred Share Fraction"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election
to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. Except as provided in
Sections 11(q) and 13(e) of the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price shall be
paid, at the option of the Company, in cash or shares of common stock of the
Company, par value $.001 per share (the "Common Shares"), having an equivalent
value. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number
of Preferred Share Fractions that may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set
forth above, and the Purchase Price per Preferred Share Fraction set forth
above, are the number and Purchase Price as of April 18, 2002, based on the
Preferred Shares as constituted at such date.

                  Except as otherwise provided in the Rights Agreement, upon the
occurrence of any Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or Associate or Affiliate or Associate of any
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a
transferee of any Acquiring Person (of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii), under
certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a
person who, after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no
such holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and
after the occurrence of any such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.

                  As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and
the number and kind of Preferred Shares or other securities that may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events,
including Triggering Events and a Section 11(a)(ii) Event.

                  This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
covenants and restrictions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, covenants and
restrictions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of
the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder
of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates,
which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the
exercisability of such Rights under the specific



                                      B-2
<PAGE>

circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement
are on file at the above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are also
available upon written request to the Company.

                  This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights
Certificates, upon surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of Preferred Share Fractions as the Rights
evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered shall
have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be
exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof
another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights
not exercised.

                  Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may be (i) redeemed by the Company at its option
at a redemption price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the
Close of Business (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) on (A) the
tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such time period may be
extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), or (B) the Final Expiration Date; or
(ii) terminated by the Company at its option at any time prior to the earlier of
the Close of Business on (A) the Stock Acquisition Date, (B) the date that a
tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary
of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of
the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first commenced within
the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, except with respect
to a transaction as to which the Board of Directors has not made the
determination referred to in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, or (C) the Final
Expiration Date.

                  No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of a Preferred Share, which may, as the election of the
Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

                  No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote
or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Preferred Shares
or of any other securities of the Company (including Common Shares) that may at
any time be issued on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the
Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company including any right to
(i) vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, (ii) give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, (iii) receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or (iv) receive
dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in
the Rights Agreement.

                  This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for
any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.



                                      B-3
<PAGE>

         WITNESS the signature of the proper officers of the Company and its
corporate seal.

                                          ESPERION THERAPEUTICS, INC.


Dated as of ______________                By:
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Name:
                                             Title:



ATTEST



_____________________________________
Secretary


Countersigned

STOCKTRANS, INC.


By:
   ----------------------------------
   Authorized Signature



                                      B-4
<PAGE>

                  [FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE]


                               FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

                (To be executed by the registered holder if such
               holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)


FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto ___________________________________________________
                              (Please print name and address of transferee)

_________________________________________________________________
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ___________________ Attorney,
to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named
Company, with full power of substitution.

Dated: _________________, ____


                                            -----------------------
                                            Signature


Signature Guaranteed:



                                      B-5
<PAGE>

                                   Certificate

                  The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that:

                  (1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold,
assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);

                  (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, the undersigned [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.

Dated:  ________________, ____              ___________________________
                                            Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

                                     NOTICE


         The signatures to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.




                                      B-6
<PAGE>

                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

                  (To be executed if holder desires to exercise
                 Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)

To: ESPERION THERAPEUTICS, INC.

                  The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or Common Shares or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person that may be issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued
in the name of and delivered to:


___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________
Please print name and address

___________________________________
Please print social security
or other identifying number


                  If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced
by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such
Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________
Please print name and address

___________________________________
Please print social security
or other identifying number

Dated:  _____________, ____


                                            -------------------------
                                            Signature

Signature Guaranteed:



                                      B-7
<PAGE>
                                   Certificate


                  The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that

                  (1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are
[ ] are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as
such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement); and

                  (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, the undersigned [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.

Dated:  _____________, ____                 _________________________
                                            Signature

Signature Guaranteed:


                                     NOTICE

                  The signatures to the foregoing Election to Purchase and
Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.



                                      B-8
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT C

                                SUMMARY OF RIGHTS


                  On April 18, 2002 the Board of Directors of ESPERION
THERAPEUTICS, INC. (the "Company") approved the Rights Agreement and the
declaration of a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding share
of common stock, $.001 par value (the "Common Stock") of the Company to
stockholders of record at the close of business on April 18, 2002 (the "Record
Date"). Each Right will entitle the registered holder to purchase from the
Company one one-hundredth (1/100) of a share (a "Preferred Share Fraction") of
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Shares, par value $.01 per share
(the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a Purchase Price of $50.00. The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in the Rights Agreement.

                  Initially, ownership of the Rights will be evidenced by the
Common Stock certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate
Rights Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the
Common Stock on the "Distribution Date," the earlier of (i) ten (10) business
days following the first public announcement that a person or group of persons
together with all affiliates and associates (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired
beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the then-outstanding Common Stock (the
"Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) ten (10) business days following the
commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that, if consummated, would
result in a person or group of persons together with all affiliates and
associates beneficially owning 15% or more of the then-outstanding Common Stock.
Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common
Share certificates, (ii) new Common Share certificates issued after the Record
Date will contain a legend evidencing the rights and (iii) the surrender for
transfer of any certificates for the Common Stock outstanding will also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock
represented by such certificate.

                  The Rights will not be exercisable until the Distribution Date
and will expire at the close of business on the date that is ten years after the
Record Date unless earlier redeemed or terminated by the Company or unless a
transaction under Section 13(d) of the Rights Agreement has occurred.

                  As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, only Common Stock issued after the Record Date and prior
to the Distribution Date will include legends evidencing the Rights.

                  Except in the circumstances described below, after the
Distribution Date each Right will be exercisable for a Preferred Share Fraction.
Each Preferred Share Fraction will carry voting and dividend rights that are
intended to mirror the voting and dividend rights of one share of Common Stock.
The voting and dividend rights of the Preferred Shares will be subject to
adjustment in the event of dividends, subdivisions and combinations with respect
to the Common Stock of the Company. In lieu of issuing certificates for
Preferred Share Fractions that


                                      C-1
<PAGE>

are less than an integral multiple of one Preferred Share (i.e., 100 Preferred
Share Fractions comprise one Preferred Share), the Company will pay cash
representing the current market value of the Preferred Share Fractions.

                  In the event that at any time following the Stock Acquisition
Date, a Person becomes an Acquiring Person other than pursuant to a tender offer
or exchange offer that provides fair value to all stockholders and therefore has
been deemed by the Board of Directors to be a "Qualifying Offer," each holder of
a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, shares of
Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities
of the Company or the acquiring entity) having a value equal to two times the
exercise price of the Right. In lieu of requiring payment of the Purchase Price
upon exercise of the Rights following any such event, the Company may permit the
holders to surrender the Rights, in which event they will be entitled to receive
Common Stock (and other property, as the case may be) with a value equal to 50%
of what could be purchased by payment of the full Purchase Price.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of an event
described in the first sentence of this paragraph, all Rights that are, or
(under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) have been,
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person who was involved in the transaction
giving rise to any such event, will be null and void. However, the Rights will
not be exercisable following the occurrence of any of the events set forth above
until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set
forth below.

                  For example, if the Rights are exercisable at an exercise
price of $50.00 per Right, each Right not otherwise voided following an event
set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to purchase
$100.00 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above) for
$50.00. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of $20 at such
time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase five shares
of Common Stock for $50.00. Alternatively, the Company could permit the holder
to surrender each Right in exchange for two and one-half shares of Common Stock
(with a value of $50.00) without the payment of any consideration other than the
surrender of the Right.

                  In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition
Date, (i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a
merger that is described in or that follows a Qualifying Offer), or (ii) 50% or
more of the Company's assets or earning power are sold or transferred, each
holder of a Right (except Rights that previously have been voided as set forth
above) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common stock of
the acquiring company having a value equal to approximately two times the
exercise price of the Right. Again, provision may be made to permit surrender of
the Rights in exchange for one-half of the value otherwise purchasable. The
events set forth in this paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are
referred to as the "Triggering Events."

                  To preserve the intended dilutive effect of the Rights, the
Company may increase the Purchase Price at any time prior to the time a person
becomes an Acquiring Person or before a person or group commences a tender or
exchange offer that, if consummated, would result in that person or group
beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding Common Stock. In addition,
the Purchase Price and the number of Preferred Share Fractions or other
securities or property issuable upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to



                                      C-2
<PAGE>

prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision,
combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Shares, (ii) if holders of the
Preferred Shares are granted certain rights or warrants to subscribe for
Preferred Shares or convertible securities at less than the current market price
of the Preferred Shares, or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the
Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular
quarterly dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those
referred to above).

                  With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the
Purchase Price. No Preferred Share Fractions will be issued and, in lieu
thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the
Preferred Shares on the last trading date prior to the date of the exercise.

                  At any time until ten (10) days following the Stock
Acquisition Date, the Board of Directors can redeem the Rights in whole, but not
in part, at a price of $.01 per Right. The ten (10) day redemption period
between the Stock Acquisition Date and the Distribution Date can be extended by
the Board of Directors so long as the Rights are still redeemable. Immediately
upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the
Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the $.01 redemption price.

                  The Rights Agreement calls for the Board of Directors to
appoint only independent non-employee directors to a newly created committee of
the Board of Directors or to an existing committee composed of only independent
non-employee directors, such as the audit committee (the "Committee"). The
Committee will review the Rights Agreement at least once every three years to
determine whether the Rights Agreement should be modified or whether the Rights
should be redeemed or terminated. The Committee is authorized to retain legal
counsel and financial and other advisors to assist it in making its periodic
determinations.

                  Upon the recommendation of the Committee, the Rights may be
terminated by the Board of Directors at any time until the earliest of (i) the
time a person becomes an Acquiring Person or (ii) the time a person or group
commences a tender or exchange offer that, if consummated, would result in that
person or group beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding Common Stock
or (iii) the Final Expiration Date, which, if not accelerated or extended by the
Board of Directors as permitted under the Rights Agreement, is the tenth
anniversary of the Board of Directors' approval of the Rights Agreement.

                  Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the
Rights become exercisable for Preferred Shares (or Common Stock or other
consideration) of the Company or for common stock of the acquiring company as
set forth above.

                  Before the Distribution Date, the Board of Directors would be
able to amend the provisions of the Rights Agreement in almost any respect at
any time except as discussed below and except that, after a person becomes an
Acquiring Person or the commencement of a tender or exchange offer that, if
consummated, would result in a person owning 15% or more of the



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company's common stock, the Board may not amend the Rights Agreement to increase
the exercise price of the rights or accelerate or extend the Final Expiration
Date.

                  After the Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights
Agreement can be amended by the Board of Directors in order to cure any
ambiguity, to make changes that do not adversely affect the interests of holders
of Rights (excluding the interests of any Acquiring Person), or to shorten or
lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; provided, however, that no
amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption can be made at such
time as the Rights are not redeemable.

                  The Board of Directors may never, at any time, amend the
Rights Agreement to (i) change the redemption price of the rights, (ii) reduce
the exercise price of the rights, or (iii) change the responsibilities of the
Rights Agent without its consent.







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