<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.4

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

                               CURAGEN CORPORATION

                                       and

                     AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY

                                 as Rights Agent

                                    ---------

                          STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                           Dated as of March 27, 2002

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

<PAGE>


                                Table of Contents
                                -----------------

Section                                                                     Page

Section 1. Certain Definitions.................................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.........................................6
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates........................................6
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.........................................8
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration...................................8
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
        Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
        Certificates...........................................................9
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.......9
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates................11
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock......................11
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date.......................................12
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
        Number of Rights......................................................13
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares........20
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
        Earning Power.........................................................21
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares...........................22
Section 15. Rights of Action..................................................24
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders.......................................24
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder................25
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.......................................25
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.........26
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent............................................26
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent............................................28
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates...............................29
Section 23. Redemption and Termination........................................29
Section 24. Exchange..........................................................30
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events..........................................31
Section 26. Notices...........................................................32
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments........................................33
Section 28. Successors........................................................33
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.........33
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement........................................33
Section 31. Severability......................................................34
Section 32. Governing Law.....................................................34
Section 33. Counterparts......................................................34
Section 34. Descriptive Headings..............................................34

Exhibit A -- Form of Certificate of Designation
Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C -- Form of Summary of Rights

<PAGE>

                          STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                          ----------------------------

      STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of March 27, 2002 (the
"Agreement"), between CURAGEN CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the
 ---------
"Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company , as Rights Agent (the
 -------
"Rights Agent").
 ------------

                                   WITNESSETH

      WHEREAS, on March 27, 2002 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"), the
                                       --------------------------------
Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") authorized and declared a
                                        -----
dividend distribution of one Right (a "Right") for each share of Common Stock
                                       -----
(as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on
April 10, 2002 (the "Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance of one Right
                     -----------
(as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions hereof)
for each share of Common Stock of the Company issued (whether originally issued
or delivered from the Company's treasury) between the Record Date and the
Distribution Date, each Right initially representing the right to purchase one
one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock upon
the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");
                                                     ------

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

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

            (a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together
                 ----------------
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock 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, or any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan; provided, however, that (i) if the Board of Directors of the
                  --------  -------
Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person" became the Beneficial Owner of a number of shares of Common
Stock such that the Person would otherwise qualify as an "Acquiring Person"
inadvertently (including, without limitation, because (A) such Person was
unaware that it beneficially owned a percentage of Common Stock that would
otherwise cause such Person to be an "Acquiring Person" or (B) such Person was
aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but had no
actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this
Agreement) and without any intention of changing or influencing control of the
Company, then such Person shall not be deemed to be or to have become an
"Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement unless and until such
Person shall have failed to divest itself, as soon as practicable (as
determined, in good faith, by the Board of Directors of the Company), of
Beneficial Ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that
such Person would no longer otherwise qualify as an "Acquiring Person"; (ii) if,
as of the date hereof or prior to the first public announcement of the adoption
of this Agreement, any Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more
of

<PAGE>

the shares of Common Stock outstanding, such Person shall not be deemed to be or
to become an "Acquiring Person" unless and until such time as such Person shall,
after the first public announcement of the adoption of this Agreement, become
the Beneficial Owner of an additional 1% or more of the shares of Common Stock
outstanding (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by
the Company on the outstanding Common Stock or pursuant to a split or
subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock), unless, upon becoming the
Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock, such Person is not
then the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding; and (iii) no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the
result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company which, by
reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of
shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person
                                         --------  -------
shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding by reason of such share acquisitions by the Company and shall
thereafter become the Beneficial Owner of an additional 1% or more of the shares
of Common Stock outstanding (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution
paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Stock or pursuant to a
split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock), then such Person shall be
deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" unless upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of
such additional shares of Common Stock such Person does not beneficially own 20%
or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. For all purposes of this
Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular
percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock 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 (as
such term is hereinafter defined).

            (b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
                 ---

            (c) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
                 ---------       ---------
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date of
this Agreement (the "Exchange Act"); provided, in the case of any executive
                     ------------
officer of the Corporation, the definitions of "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall
not include any relative of such executive officer other than his or her spouse,
children or grandchildren.

            (d) "Agreement" shall mean this Stockholder Rights Agreement as
                 ---------
originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended
pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof.

            (e) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" and shall be
                                              ----------------
deemed to "beneficially own", any securities:

                  (i) which 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, other rights, warrants or
options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not
                       --------  -------


                                      I-2

<PAGE>

be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own", (A) securities
tendered pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer made by such Person or any
of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for 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 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(a)(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any
Original Rights;

                  (ii) which 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, or any comparable or successor
rule), including 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 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) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) and with respect to
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) of this paragraph (h)) or
disposing of such securities of the Company (a joint filing of a Schedule 13D
under the Exchange Act or any comparable or successor report being deemed to be
conclusive evidence of such an agreement, arrangement or understanding);
provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (h) 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.

            Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership
to the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a
Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the
number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number
of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.

            (f) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
                 -----

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


                                      I-3

<PAGE>

            (h) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
                 -----------------
Connecticut local time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is
                                      --------  -------
not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Connecticut local time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.

            (i) "Common Stock" shall mean the voting common stock, $0.01 par
                 ------------
value per share, of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with
reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital 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.

            (j) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in
                 ------------------------
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

            (k) "Company" shall mean the Person named as the "Company" in the
                --------
first paragraph of this Agreement until a successor corporation shall have
become such or until a Principal Party shall assume, and thereafter be liable
for, all obligations and duties of the Company hereunder, pursuant to the
applicable provisions of this Agreement, and thereafter "Company" shall mean
such successor corporation or Principal Party.

            (l) "Current Market Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
                 --------------------
Section 11(d)(i) hereof.

            (m) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
                 -------------
11(a)(iii) hereof.

            (n) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
                 -----------------
3(a) hereof.

            (o) "Equivalent Preferred Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in
                 --------------------------
Section 11(b) hereof.

            (p) "Exchange Act" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1(c)
                 ------------
hereof.

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

            (r) "Final Expiration Date" shall mean the close of business on
                 ---------------------
March 27, 2012.

            (s) "Initial Exercise Price" shall be $150.
                 ----------------------

            (t) "Nasdaq" shall mean the National Association of Securities
                 ------
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System.

            (u) "Original Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
                 ---------------
1(f)(i) hereof.

            (v) "Person" shall mean any natural person, firm, association,
                 ------
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust or other entity or
organization.


                                      I-4

<PAGE>

            (w) "Preferred Stock" shall mean the Series A Junior Participating
                 ---------------
Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company having the terms set
forth in the form of certificate of designation attached hereto as Exhibit A.
                                                                   ---------

            (x) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
                 ---------------
13(b) hereof.

            (y) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
                 --------------
4(a) hereof.

            (z) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble
                 -----------
of the Agreement.

            (aa) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
                  ----------------
23(a) hereof.

            (bb) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of
                  ------
the Agreement.

            (cc) "Rights Agent" shall mean the Person named as the "Rights
                  ------------
Agent" in the first paragraph of this Agreement until a successor Rights Agent
shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, and
thereafter "Rights Agent" shall mean such successor Rights Agent. If at any time
there is more than one Person appointed by the Company as Rights Agent pursuant
to the applicable provisions of this Agreement, "Rights Agent" shall mean and
include each such Person.

            (dd) "Rights Certificates" shall have the meaning set forth in
                  -------------------
Section 3(a) hereof.

            (ee) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the meaning set
                  --------------------------------
forth in the preamble of this Agreement.

            (ff) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean the event described in
                  -----------------------
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

            (gg) "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set
                  ------------------------------
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

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

            (ii) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
                  ------
hereof.

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

            (kk) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person,
                  ----------
including the Company, any corporation of which an amount of voting securities
sufficient to elect at least a


                                      I-5

<PAGE>

majority of the directors of such corporation is Beneficially Owned, directly or
indirectly, by such Person, or which is otherwise controlled by such Person.

            (ll) "Substitute Consideration" shall have the meaning set forth in
                  ------------------------
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

            (mm) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in
                  -------------------
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

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

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

      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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Rights Agent shall
have no duty to supervise, and in no event shall be liable for, the acts or
omissions of any such Co-Rights Agent.

      Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.
                 ----------------------------

            (a) Until the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth day
after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after the Stock
Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the Close of Business on the
Record Date) or (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day (or, if
such tenth Business Day occurs before the Record Date, the Close of Business on
the Record Date), or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board
of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, after
the date that a tender offer or exchange offer, or an intention to make a tender
offer 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 published or
sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof for the maximum
number of shares that may be purchased thereunder, such Person would be the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding
(the earlier of (i) or (ii) being herein referred to as the "Distribution
                                                             ------------
Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph
----
(b) of this Section 3) by the certificates for the Common Stock registered in
the names of the holders of the Common Stock (which certificates for Common
Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate
certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with
the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to
the Company). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date and upon
receipt of all necessary information, the Rights Agent will send by first-class,
insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of
the Close of Business on the Distribution Date (other than to any Acquiring
Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights
certificates,


                                      I-6

<PAGE>

in the form specified in Section 4 hereof (the "Rights Certificates"),
                                                -------------------
evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to
adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number of
Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to this Agreement, 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. 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, by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each
                   ---------
record holder of the Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Record Date
(other than to any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person) at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as of the
Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such
certificates for the Common Stock together with the Summary of Rights and the
registered holders of the Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of
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 shares of Common Stock, with or without a copy of
the Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificates.

            (c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock
that are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company's treasury) after
the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date. Rights shall also be issued to the extent provided in Section
22 in respect of all shares of Common Stock which are issued (whether originally
issued or from the Company's treasury) after the Distribution Date and prior to
the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock in
respect of which Rights are issued pursuant to the first sentence of this
Section 3(c) shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and commencing
as soon as reasonably practicable following the date hereof shall bear the
following legend:

            This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
            certain Rights as set forth in the Stockholder Rights Agreement
            between CuraGen Corporation (the "Company") and American Stock
            Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent") dated as of March 27,
            2002 (the "Rights Agreement"), 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 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 of an Acquiring
            Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights


                                      I-7

<PAGE>

            Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or
            by any subsequent holder, will 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, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the omission of a legend shall not affect the
enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of any holder of the
Rights.

      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 (but which do not affect the
rights, 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 trading market
on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage.
Subject to the provisions hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed,
shall be dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders
thereof to purchase such number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price per share set forth therein
(such exercise price per one one-hundredth of a share hereinafter referred to as
the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon
     --------------
the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment as provided herein.

      Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
                 ---------------------------------

            (a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chief Executive Officer and President, Chief Financial Officer or
any Vice President, 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.


                                      I-8

<PAGE>

            (b) Following the Distribution Date and receipt by the Rights Agent
of all necessary information, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at
its office designated as the appropriate place for surrender of Rights
Certificates upon exercise or transfer, 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 Rights
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 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 one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a
Triggering Event, Common Stock, 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 properly completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment set forth on the reverse side of each 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 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person
entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Certificates, as the case may be, as so
requested. 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. The Rights Agent shall
have no duty or obligation to take any action under any Section of this
Agreement which requires the payment by a Rights holder of applicable taxes and
governmental charges unless and until the Rights Agent is satisfied that all
such taxes and/or charges have been paid.

            (b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
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, at the Company's or the Right Agent's
request, 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.

      Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
                 -------------------------------------------------------------


                                      I-9

<PAGE>

            (a) Except as otherwise provided herein, the registered holder of
any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby 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 set forth on the reverse side
thereof and the certificate contained therein completed and 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 with respect to the total
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities,
cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights
are then exercisable, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the Final Expiration
Date, (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are
             ---------------
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof (the earliest of (i), (ii) or (iii)
being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
                                 ---------------

            (b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be the
Initial Exercise Price, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with
paragraph (c) below.

            (c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side
thereof and the certificate contained therein completed and duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase
Price per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities,
cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set forth below and
an amount equal to any applicable tax or charge, the Rights Agent shall, subject
to Section 20(k) hereof, promptly (i) requisition from any transfer agent of the
shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the
transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the total number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company
hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such
requests, (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, 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 reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in
cash or by certified check, cashier's check or bank draft payable to the order
of the Company. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other
securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, pay cash or distribute other
property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all
arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash or other property are
available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to comply
with this Agreement. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the
occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights, such number
of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be
issued.

            (d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing the Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be
issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or


                                      I-10

<PAGE>

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 14 hereof.

            (e) 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) duly and 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 or the Rights Agent shall 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 cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled 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
cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case
shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

      Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
                 ---------------------------------------------

            (a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its
authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock or other securities or out of its
authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement including Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights.

            (b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock or other securities) issuable and
deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause all shares
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
Triggering Event in which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with this Agreement, a
registration statement under the Act, with respect to the Common Stock or other
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii)
cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable
after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain
effective (with a prospectus at all


                                      I-11

<PAGE>

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 Section
9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement and permit it to become effective. In addition, if the
Company shall determine that a registration statement is required following the
Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the
Rights until such time as a registration statement has been declared effective.
Upon any suspension of the exercisability of the Rights referred to in this
Section 9(c), 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. The Company
shall promptly provide the Rights Agent with copies of such announcements.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable and shall be void so long as held by a holder in any
jurisdiction where the requisite qualification to the issuance to such holder,
or the exercise by such holder, of the Rights in such jurisdiction shall not
have been obtained or be obtainable, 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 one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time
of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the
Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and 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 one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock
(or Common Stock or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of
Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any tax or charge
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
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock 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 one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock 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 or charge shall have been
paid (any such tax or charge being payable by the holder of such Rights
Certificates at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the
Company's satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due.

      Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
                  ---------------------------
certificate for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock 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 Stock (or Common Stock or other securities, as the case
may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the


                                      I-12

<PAGE>

date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable taxes or
charges) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
                   --------  -------
payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock or other
securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such
Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and
such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock or other securities, as the case may be)
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.

      Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
                  ----------------------------------------------------------
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by
----------------
each Right and the number of Rights 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 the Preferred Stock payable in shares
of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine
the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue
any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock
(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) 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
shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such
date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that if a holder of Rights after such
time were to exercise that number of Rights (or fraction thereof) which would
result in the aggregate amount of the Purchase Price payable upon such exercise
(at the Purchase Price then in effect) being equal to the amount of the Purchase
Price payable prior to such time upon exercise of a Right, he would be entitled
to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other
capital stock, as the case may be, which, if a Right had been exercised
immediately prior to such time and at a time when the Preferred Stock transfer
books (or other capital stock transfer books, as the case may be) of the Company
were open, he would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive
by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an
event occurs that 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) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person (the first occurrence of such event being
referred to hereinafter as the "Section 11(a)(ii) Event"), then (A) the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
the Section 11(a)(ii) Event multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
such Section 11(a)(ii) Event, whether or not such Right was then exercisable,
and (B) each holder of a Right, except as otherwise provided in this Section


                                      I-13

<PAGE>

11(a)(ii) and Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the Purchase Price (as so
adjusted), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of shares
of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock as shall equal the
result obtained by dividing the Purchase Price (as so adjusted) by 50% of the
Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event; provided,
                                                                   --------
however, that the Purchase Price (as so adjusted) and the number of shares of
-------
Common Stock so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall, following the Section
11(a)(ii) Event, be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance
with Section 11(f) hereof. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, however, from and after the Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights that
are beneficially owned by (x) any Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or
Associate of any Acquiring Person), (y) a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or
any such Affiliate or Associate) who becomes a transferee after the Section
11(a)(ii) Event or (z) a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or any such
Affiliate or Associate) who became a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Section 11(a)(ii) Event pursuant to either (I) a transfer from the Acquiring
Person to holders of its equity securities or to any Person with whom it has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (II) a transfer which the Board of Directors has determined is part of
a plan, arrangement or understanding which has the purpose or effect of avoiding
the provisions of this paragraph, and subsequent transferees of such Persons,
shall be void without any further action and any holder of such Rights shall
thereafter have no rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights under any
provision of this Agreement. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to
ensure that the provisions of this Section 11(a)(ii) are complied with, but
shall have no liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a
result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder. From and after
the Section 11(a)(ii) Event, no Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to
Section 3 or Section 6 hereof that represents Rights that are or have become
void pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph, and any Right Certificate
delivered to the Rights Agent that represents Rights that are or have become
void pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph shall be canceled. From and
after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13(a) hereof, any Rights
that theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii)
shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and not
pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii).

            (iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which
are authorized by the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, 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 value of the shares of Common Stock issuable
upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value"), and (B) with respect to each
                                   -------------
Right, (subject to Section 11(a)(ii)) make adequate provision to substitute,
upon the exercise of a Right and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1)
cash, (2), a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of
shares, of preferred stock which the Board has deemed to have the same value as
shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock being referred to herein
as "Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other
    ------------------------
assets, or (6) any combination


                                      I-14

<PAGE>

of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, as
adjusted (less the amount of any reduction in the Purchase Price), where such
aggregate value has been determined by the Board based upon the advice of a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board; 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 first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (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, shares of Common
Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares or
cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. For purposes of the preceding
sentence, the term "Spread" shall mean the excess of (i) the Current Value over
                    ------
(ii) the Purchase Price. If the number of shares of Common Stock that are
authorized by the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended,
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 any
Rights and the Board determines in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
additional shares of Common Stock 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 thirty (30) day
period, as it may be extended, shall be referred to as the "Substitution
                                                            ------------
Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be
------
taken pursuant to the preceding provisions of this Section 11(a)(iii), the
Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, that such action
shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the
exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in
order to seek any authorization of additional shares or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such provisions and to
determine the value thereof. In the event of 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 and the Company shall promptly provide the
Rights Agent copies of such announcements. For purposes of this Section
11(a)(iii), the value of each share of Common Stock shall be the Current Market
Price per share of the Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or per unit
value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the Current Market
Price per share of the Common Stock on such date.

            (b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights (other than the Rights), options or warrants to all holders of Preferred
Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within
forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock, shares
having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred
Stock ("Equivalent Preferred Stock") or securities convertible into Preferred
        --------------------------
Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or
per share of Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion price per share,
if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock)
less than the Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) 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 shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of


                                      I-15

<PAGE>

shares of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock (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 shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the
number of additional shares of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock 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 noncash consideration shall
be as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the
Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock 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, options
or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which 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 Stock (including any such distribution made in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a
regular quarterly or other periodic cash dividend out of the earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in
Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other than
Preferred Stock) 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 per share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, less the fair market value (as
determined in good faith by the Board whose determination shall be described in
a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent
and the holders of the Rights) 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 share of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be
such Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof). 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.

            (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 share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the thirty (30)
consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to but not including such date, and
for the purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the
Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be
the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the
ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately following but not including such
date; provided, however, that in the event that the Current Market Price per
      --------  -------
share of the Common Stock is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) any dividend or
distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such Common Stock or
securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other than Rights), or
(B) any


                                      I-16

<PAGE>

subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Common Stock, 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 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 on, the principal
national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or
admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock 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 Stock selected by the
Board. If on any such date no market maker is making a market in the Common
Stock, the fair value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by
the Board shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the
                                   -----------
principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are
listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the
shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is 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 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 share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner
as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d)
(other than the last sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per share of
Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the
Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described
in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the Current Market Price per share of
Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100 (as
such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock
dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after
the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the Current Market Price per share of
the Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is
publicly held or so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share of the
Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith
by the Board, 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 one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock shall be equal to the Current Market Price of one share of
Preferred Stock divided by 100.

                  (iii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the value
of any securities or assets other than Common Stock or Preferred Stock shall be
the fair value as determined in good faith by the Board or by a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board, which determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes.


                                      I-17

<PAGE>

            (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 one percent (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 share of Common Stock
or other share or one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may
be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(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 which 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 Stock, 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 Stock contained in
Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m) hereof, and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Stock 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 one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock 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) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result
of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, 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
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock obtained by (i) multiplying (x)
the number of one one-hundredths of a share 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 shares of Preferred Stock 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 one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock 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-ten-thousandth) 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


                                      I-18

<PAGE>

made, and shall promptly give the Rights Agent a copy of such announcement. The
record date 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 one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per share and the number of
shares which 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 par value of the shares of Common Stock
issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate
action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the
Company may validly and legally issue, fully paid and nonassessable, such number
of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock 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 (and shall give prompt written
notice of such election to the Rights Agent) until the occurrence of such event
the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock 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 or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

            (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 shall determine to be
advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred
Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less
than the Current Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of
Preferred Stock or securities


                                      I-19

<PAGE>

which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of
Preferred Stock, (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 Stock 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, (ii) merge
with or into any other Person, 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 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 constitutes, 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 27 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 shares of 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, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock 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 share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of
which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
following the occurrence of such event.

      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 statement of the computations and facts accounting for
such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer
agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, 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
shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent
shall be fully protected in relying on any


                                      I-20

<PAGE>

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 certificate.

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

            (a) In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event (i) the Company shall consolidate with or shall merge
into any other Person, (ii) any Person shall merge with and into the Company and
the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and,
in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Stock shall be changed
into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or of the
Company) or cash or any other property, or (iii) the Company shall sell or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise
transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50%
or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any other Person (other than the Company or one or more
wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company), then upon the first occurrence of
such event, proper provision shall be made so that: (A) each holder of a Right
(other than Rights which have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof)
shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the
Purchase Price (as theretofore adjusted in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of shares of
Preferred Stock or Common Stock of the Company, such number of validly
authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of
Common Stock 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 equal the result obtained by dividing the Purchase Price (as
theretofore adjusted in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) by 50% of the
current per share market price of the Common Stock of such Principal Party
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of
such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; provided, however, that the
                                              --------  -------
Purchase Price (as theretofore adjusted in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) and the number of shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party so
receivable upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to further adjustment as
appropriate in accordance with Section 11(f) hereof to reflect any events
occurring in respect of the Common Stock of such Principal Party after the
occurrence of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) such Principal
Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such
Section 13 Event, all 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
shares of its common stock) 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
shares of common stock 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-21

<PAGE>

                  (i)   in the case of any transaction described in clause (x)
                        or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof,
                        the Person that is the issuer of any securities into
                        which shares of Common Stock 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 Section 13(a) hereof, 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 any such case, (1) if the common stock of such Person
--------  -------
is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12)
month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is
a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the common stock of which is
and has 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 stock 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 stock 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 stock which 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; and

                  (ii) 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 which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become
exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a) hereof.

      Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
                  ---------------------------------------


                                      I-22

<PAGE>

            (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. If the Company
determines not to issue fractional Rights, there shall be paid in lieu thereof
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
Section 14(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 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. 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 shall be used.

            (b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares
of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates that evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates, with
regard to which such fractional shares of Preferred Stock would otherwise be
issuable, 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 one-hundredth
of a share of Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current
market value of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one
one-hundredth of the closing price per share of Common Stock (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) on 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 shares of Common Stock upon exercise
of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, 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 share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section
14(c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.


                                      I-23

<PAGE>

            (d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.

            (e) 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 prices 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 upon such a 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 any Section of this
Agreement relating to the payment of fractional Rights or fractional shares
unless and until the Rights Agent shall have received such a certificate and
sufficient monies.

            Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
                        ----------------
this Agreement, other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent in
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), 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 Stock), 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, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights 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, by
                  ---------------------------
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:

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

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

            (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 Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or


                                      I-24

<PAGE>

writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate
made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last
sentence of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, 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 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 or ruling 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 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 one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which 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 25 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 and administration of this Agreement and the exercise and
performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the
Rights Agent for, and to hold it 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 (each as determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment,
decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction) for any action taken,
suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and
administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The costs
and expenses incurred in enforcing this right of indemnification shall be paid
by the Company. The provisions of this Section 18 and Section 20 below shall
survive the termination of this Agreement, the exercise or expiration of the
Rights and the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent.


                                      I-25

<PAGE>

            (b) The Rights Agent shall be authorized and protected and shall
incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by
it in connection with its acceptance and administration of this Agreement in
reliance upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Common Stock 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. The Rights Agent shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any event of which it was supposed to receive notice thereof
hereunder, and the Rights Agent shall be fully protected and shall incur no
liability for failing to take any action in connection therewith unless and
until it has received such notice in writing.

      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
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. In case at the
time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this
Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the counter-signature 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 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.

            (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 only the
                  ----------------------
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement (and no implied duties and
obligations) upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the
Company and the holders of Rights Certificates, 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 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


                                      I-26

<PAGE>

or in respect of, any action taken, suffered or omitted by it 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 to take 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 Chief Executive Officer and President, the Chief
Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer,
the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary 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 to be taken 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 (each as determined by a
final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent
jurisdiction). Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the
Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, indirect, consequential or
incidental loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to
lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of
such loss or damage. Any liability of the Rights Agent under this Agreement will
be limited to the amount of fees paid by the Company to the Rights Agent.

            (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 responsibility or have
any liability in respect of the validity 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 Section 11 or Section 13 hereof 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 receipt of a
certificate describing any such adjustment furnished in accordance with Section
12); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or
warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock to
be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether
any shares of Common Stock 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


                                      I-27

<PAGE>

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 the
Chief Executive Officer and President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice
President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any
Assistant Treasurer 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 to 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 accordance with instructions of 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 pecuniarily interested in
any transaction in which the Company may be 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. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.

            (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 resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct absent gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct
(each as determined by a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling
of a court of competent jurisdiction) 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 assured to it.

            (k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the form of
assignment or the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse thereof,
as the case may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative
response to clause 1 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' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, 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' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock
and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the


                                      I-28

<PAGE>

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 any registered 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 and doing business under the laws of the United States or any
state thereof in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise
stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or
state authority and which 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 a
Person described in clause (a) of this sentence. 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 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 Stock and Preferred Stock, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates.
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 the Board 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 or
sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date (other than upon
exercise of a Right) and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights,
the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold
pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or
arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities, notes,
warrants or debentures issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if
deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board, 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 and Termination.
                  --------------------------


                                      I-29

<PAGE>

            (a) The Board may, at its option, at any time prior to a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights
at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter
referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be
                    ----------------
made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board
of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.

            (b) The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in
cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the Current Market Price as defined in
Section 11(d) hereof, of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any
other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board.

            (c) Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering the redemption
of the Rights, and without any further action and without any notice, the 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 ordering the redemption of the
Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent in
writing and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by 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 Stock. 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 the redemption will state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.

      Section 24. Exchange. (a) At any time after a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the
                  --------
Board may, at its option, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and
exercisable Rights (which (i) shall not include Rights that have become null and
void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and (ii) shall include, without
limitation, any Rights issued after the Distribution Date in connection with the
exercise of options pursuant to any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of
one share of Common Stock 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 Board of Directors shall not be empowered to
effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any
of its Subsidiaries, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries 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 shares of Common Stock then outstanding. From and after
the occurrence of a Section 13 Event, any Rights that theretofore have not been
exchanged pursuant to this Section 24(a) shall thereafter be exercised only in
accordance with Section 13 and may not be exchanged pursuant to this Section
24(a).

            (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board electing to exchange
any Rights pursuant to Section 24(a) and without any further action and without
any notice, the right to exercise such Rights will terminate and thereafter the
only right of the holders of such Rights shall be to receive that number of
shares of Common Stock equal to the number of such Rights


                                      I-30

<PAGE>

held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly
thereafter give written notice of such exchange to the Rights Agent and the
holders of the Rights to be exchanged in the manner set forth in Section 26;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall
--------  -------
not affect the validity of such exchange. 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 shares of Common Stock 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 Section 11(a)(ii)) held by each
holder of Rights.

            (c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute Common Stock Equivalents (as defined in Section
11(a)(iii)) for shares of Common Stock exchangeable for Rights, at the initial
rate of one Common Stock Equivalent for each share of Common Stock, as
appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in dividend, liquidation and
voting rights of Common Stock Equivalents pursuant to the terms thereof, so that
each Common Stock Equivalent delivered in lieu of each share of Common Stock
shall have essentially the same dividend, liquidation and voting rights as one
share of Common Stock.

            (d) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which are
authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation but not outstanding or
reserved for issuance are not sufficient to permit an exchange of Rights as
contemplated by this Section 24, the Company shall take all such action as may
be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock for issuance upon
exchange of the Rights.

            (e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares
of Common Stock or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay
to the registered holders of Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock. For purposes of this Section 24(e), the current market value of a
whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price per share of Common Stock
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) on 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 Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred
Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), 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


                                      I-31

<PAGE>

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 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 each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible, 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 or 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 the shares of Preferred Stock, 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 the shares of Preferred Stock 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 proposed action or the
date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock,
whichever shall be the earlier.

            (b) In case any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or Section 13 Event shall
occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable
thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate and to the Rights Agent,
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) or Section 13 hereof and (ii) all
references in the preceding paragraph to Common Stock shall, to the extent
appropriate, also be deemed thereafter to refer to 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) or by facsimile transmission as follows:

            CuraGen Corporation
            555 Long Wharf Drive
            11th Floor
            New Haven, CT 06511
            Attention: Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the
                       Board

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) or by facsimile transmission as follows:

            American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
            59 Maiden Lane
            New York, NY 10038


                                      I-32

<PAGE>

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
shares of Common Stock) 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. Except as provided in the
                  --------------------------
penultimate sentence of this Section 27, for so long as the Rights are then
redeemable, the Company may in its sole and absolute discretion, and the Rights
Agent shall if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this
Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of the Rights. At
any time when the Rights are no longer redeemable, except as provided in 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, provided that no such supplement or amendment
                                   --------
may (a) adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights as such (other
than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person),
(b) cause this Agreement again to become amendable other than in accordance with
this sentence or (c) cause the Rights again to become redeemable.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no
supplement or amendment shall be made which changes the Redemption Price. Upon
the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which
states that the supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this
Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment,
provided that any supplement or amendment that does not amend Sections 18, 19,
--------
20 or 21 hereof in a manner adverse to the Rights Agent shall become effective
immediately upon execution by the Company, whether or not also executed by the
Rights Agent.

      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 shares of
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the provisions of the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(l)(i) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board 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 or to amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations which are done or made by the Board in good
faith, shall be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent,
the holders of the Rights and all other Persons.

      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


                                      I-33

<PAGE>

Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of
the Common Stock) 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 Stock).

      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, 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.

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

      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.

              [THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]


                                      I-34

<PAGE>

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Stockholder Rights
Agreement to be duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be
hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

Attest:                                 CURAGEN CORPORATION

    /s/ Elizabeth A. Whayland               /s/ Jonathan M. Rothberg
   ----------------------------------      -------------------------------------
    Elizabeth A. Whayland                   Jonathan M. Rothberg, Ph.D.
    Director of Financial                   Chief Executive Officer, President
    Management and Secretary                and Chairman of the Board


Attest:                                 AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER
                                        & TRUST COMPANY

    /s/ Susan Silber                        /s/ Herbert J. Lemmer
   ----------------------------------      -------------------------------------
    Susan Silber                            Herbert J. Lemmer
    Assistant Secretary                     Vice President


                                      I-35

<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT A

                           CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION

                  SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

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

                                ($.01 Par Value)
                                       of
                               CURAGEN CORPORATION

                         Pursuant to Section 151 of the
                General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

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

      CuraGen Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the "Corporation"), in
accordance with the provisions of Section 103 thereof, DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:

      FIRST: That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of
Directors by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation filed
on March 23, 1998 and as amended on May 25, 2000, the Board of Directors of the
Corporation at a meeting of the Board of Directors on March 27, 2002, adopted
the following resolutions creating a series of 1,000,000 shares of Preferred
Stock, $.01 par value per share, designated as Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock:

      RESOLVED:   That pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of
                  Directors of this Corporation in accordance with the
                  provisions of Article FOURTH, Section B of its Restated
                  Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, a series of
                  Preferred Stock of the Corporation (the "Series A Junior
                  Participating Preferred Stock") be, and it hereby is, created,
                  and that the designation and amount thereof and the voting
                  powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and
                  other special rights of the shares of the Series A Junior
                  Participating Preferred Stock, and the qualifications,
                  limitations or restrictions thereof, shall be as follows:

      Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
                 ----------------------
designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the number of
shares constituting such series shall be 1,000,000. Such number of shares may be
increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided,
                                                                --------
however, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Junior
-------
Participating Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then
outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of
outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any
outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock.


                                      A-1

<PAGE>

      Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
                 ---------------------------

            (A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series
of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders
of Common Stock, $.01 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), of the
Corporation, and of any other junior stock, shall be entitled to receive, when,
as and if declared by the Board of Directors, out of funds of the Corporation
legally available for the payment of dividends, quarterly dividends payable in
cash on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 in each year (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 Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater
of (a) $1.00 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, 100 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100
times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends
or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of 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 Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock or effect a subdivision, combination or
consolidation of the outstanding Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise
than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or
lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to
which holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock were
entitled immediately prior to such event under 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.

            (B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock) and the Corporation
shall pay such dividend or distribution on the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock before the dividend or distribution declared on the Common Stock
is paid or set apart; provided, however, that, in the event no dividend or
                      --------  -------
distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period
between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

            (C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, 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


                                      A-2

<PAGE>

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 shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock 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 shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock 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. The Board of
Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a
dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more
than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

      Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Junior
                 -------------
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

            (A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the
holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or
effect a subdivision, combination of consolidation of the outstanding Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then
in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock 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) Except as otherwise provided herein, by law, or in any other
Certificate of Designation creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar
stock, the holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the
Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all
matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

            (C) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six (6)
quarterly dividends thereon, the occurrence of such contingency shall mark the
beginning of a period (herein called a "default period") which shall extend
until such time when all accrued and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly
dividend periods and for the current quarterly dividend period on all shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have been
declared and paid or set apart for payment. During each default period, all
holders of Preferred Stock (including holders of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock) with dividends in arrears in an amount equal to
six (6) quarterly dividends thereon, voting as a class, irrespective of series,
shall have the right to elect two (2) Directors.


                                      A-3

<PAGE>

                  (ii) During any default period, such voting right of the
holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be exercised
initially at a special meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this
Section 3(C) or at any annual meeting of stockholders, and thereafter at annual
meetings of stockholders, provided that neither such voting right nor the right
of the holders of any other series of Preferred Stock, if any, to increase, in
certain cases, the authorized number of Directors shall be exercised unless the
holders of ten percent (10%) in number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
shall be present in person or by proxy. The absence of a quorum of the holders
of Common Stock shall not affect the exercise by the holders of Preferred Stock
of such voting right. At any meeting at which the holders of Preferred Stock
shall exercise such voting right initially during an existing default period,
they shall have the right, voting as a class, to elect Directors to fill such
vacancies, if any, in the Board of Directors as may then exist up to two (2)
Directors or, if such right is exercised at an annual meeting, to elect two (2)
Directors. If the number which may be so elected at any special meeting does not
amount to the required number, the holders of the Preferred Stock shall have the
right to make such increase in the number of Directors as shall be necessary to
permit the election by them of the required number. After the holders of the
Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect Directors in any
default period and during the continuance of such period, the number of
Directors shall not be increased or decreased except by vote of the holders of
Preferred Stock as herein provided or pursuant to the rights of any equity
securities ranking senior to or pari passu with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock.

                  (iii) Unless the holders of Preferred Stock shall, during an
existing default period, have previously exercised their right to elect
Directors, the Board of Directors may order the calling of a special meeting of
the holders of Preferred Stock, which meeting shall thereupon be called by the
Chairman of the Board or the President of the Corporation. Notice of such
meeting and of any annual meeting at which holders of Preferred Stock are
entitled to vote pursuant to this paragraph (C)(iii) shall be given to each
holder of record of Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to him at
his last address as the same appears on the books of the Corporation. Such
meeting shall be called for a time not earlier than 10 days and not later than
60 days after such order or request. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
paragraph (C)(iii), no such special meeting shall be called during the period
within 60 days immediately preceding the date fixed for the next annual meeting
of the stockholders.

                  (iv) In any default period, the holders of Common Stock, and
other classes of stock of the Corporation if applicable, shall continue to be
entitled to elect the whole number of Directors until the holders of Preferred
Stock shall have exercised their right to elect two (2) Directors voting as a
class, after the exercise of which right (x) the Directors so elected by the
holders of Preferred Stock shall continue in office until their successors shall
have been elected by such holders or until the expiration of the default period,
and (y) any vacancy in the Board of Directors may (except as provided in
paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3) be filled by vote of a majority of the
remaining Directors theretofore elected by the holders of the class of stock
which elected the Director whose office shall have become vacant. References in
this paragraph (C) to Directors elected by the holders of a particular class of
stock shall include Directors elected by such Directors to fill vacancies as
provided in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.


                                      A-4

<PAGE>

                  (v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period, (x)
the right of the holders of Preferred Stock as a class to elect Directors shall
cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the holders of Preferred Stock
as a class shall terminate, and (z) the number of Directors shall be such number
as may be provided for in the certificate of incorporation or by-laws
irrespective of any increase made pursuant to the provisions of paragraph
(C)(ii) of this Section 3 (such number being subject, however, to change
thereafter in any manner provided by law or in the certificate of incorporation
or bylaws). Any vacancies in the Board of Directors effected by the provisions
of clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may be filled by a majority of
the remaining Directors.

            (D) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law,
holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special
voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they
are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for
taking any corporate action.

      Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
                 --------------------

            (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends on distributions
payable on the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends
and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not:

                  (i) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock;

                  (ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends
or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which
the holders of all such shares are then entitled;

                  (iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation/dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase
or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of
any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock;

                  (iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock
ranking on a parity with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as
determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such
terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual
dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective
series and classes, shall


                                      A-5

<PAGE>

determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the
respective series or classes.

            (B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of
this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.

      Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Junior Participating
                 -----------------
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition
thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but
unissued shares of 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, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein.

      Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution on Winding Up. (A) Upon any
                 --------------------------------------
liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior
thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall have received $150 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of
such payment (the "Series A Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment of
the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional
distributions shall be made to the holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of
Common Stock shall have received an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment")
equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation
Preference by (ii) 100 (as appropriately adjusted as set forth in subparagraph C
below to reflect such events as stock splits, stock dividends and
recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock) (such number in clause (ii),
the "Adjustment Number"). Following the payment of the full amount of the Series
A Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in respect of all outstanding
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and Common Stock,
respectively, holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and
holders of shares of Common Stock shall receive their ratable and proportionate
share of the remaining assets to be distributed in the ratio of the Adjustment
Number to 1 with respect to such Preferred Stock and Common Stock, on a per
share basis, respectively.

            (B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and
the liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred Stock, if any,
which rank on a parity with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such
parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In the
event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment
in full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be
distributed ratably to the holders of Common Stock.


                                      A-6

<PAGE>

            (C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay
any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event shall
be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment 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.

            (D) Neither the consolidation, merger or other business combination
of the Corporation with or into any other corporation the sale, lease, exchange
or conveyance of all or any part of the property, assets or business of the
Corporation shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Corporation for purposes of this Section 6.

      Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation 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 shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock 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 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 Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, 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 Junior Participating Preferred Stock
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 denomination of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

      Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Junior Participating
                 -------------
Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.

      Section 9. Ranking. The Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
                 -------
shall rank junior to all other series of the Corporation'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 10. Amendment. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
                  ---------
Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner which would materially
alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent of the
outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting
together as a single class.


                                      A-7

<PAGE>

      Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A Junior Participating Preferred
                  -----------------
Stock 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 to have the benefit of all
other rights of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.

              [THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]


                                      A-8

<PAGE>

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said CuraGen Corporation has caused this Certificate
of Designation to be signed by its duly authorized officer this ____ day of
______, 2002.

                                        CURAGEN CORPORATION


                                        By _____________________________________
                                           Jonathan M. Rothberg,
                                           Chief Executive Officer, President
                                           and Chairman of the Board


                                      A-9

<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT B
                                                                       ---------

                          [FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE]

Certificate No. R-                                              _________ Rights

      NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MARCH 27, 2012 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE
COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT
$0.01 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 WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID.

                               Rights Certificate

                               CURAGEN CORPORATION

      This Rights Certificate certifies that ____________________, or registered
assigns, is the registered holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the holder thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Stockholder Rights Agreement, dated as of March 27, 2002 (the
"Rights Agreement"), between CuraGen Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent"), to
purchase from the Company after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement) and at any time prior to the Expiration Date (as such
term is defined in the Rights Agreement) at the office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one
one-hundredth of a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a
purchase price of $150 per one one-hundredth of a share (the "Purchase Price"),
upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of
Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which may be
purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per
share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of ______________,
based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. The Company reserves
the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term
is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights be exercised so that
only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.

      Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have
the meanings assigned to such terms in the Rights Agreement.

      Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, if the Rights evidenced
by this Rights Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (ii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person),
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 Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person), such Rights shall become null
and void and no holder hereof


                                      B-1

<PAGE>

shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence
of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.

      As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and
kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities which 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.

      This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions 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 circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the office of the Company and are
also available upon written request to the Company.

      This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office or offices 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 one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock 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 redeemed by the Company at the option of the Board at a
redemption price of $0.01 per Right at any time prior to a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event.

      No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise
of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral-multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock), 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 shares of Preferred Stock
or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable 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 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 the
Rights Agreement), or to 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.


                                      B-2

<PAGE>

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

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed under its corporate seal by its authorized officers.

Dated:

ATTEST:                                 CURAGEN CORPORATION

__________________________________      By: ____________________________________
Name:                                       Jonathan M. Rothberg,
Title:                                      Chairman of the Board, Chief
                                            Executive Officer and President


Countersigned:

AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER &
TRUST COMPANY

By: ______________________________
    Authorized Signature


                                      B-3

<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-4

<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 an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement); and

      (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [_]
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 signature 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-5

<PAGE>

                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
                          ----------------------------

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

To:   CURAGEN CORPORATION:

      The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares or portion thereof
of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person which 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 insert social security
or other identifying number

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
                         (Please print name and address)

      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 insert social security
or other identifying number

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
                         (Please print name and address)

Dated:


                                        ________________________________________
                                        Signature Guaranteed:


                                      B-6

<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 an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in
the Rights Agreement); and

      (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [_]
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 signature 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-7

<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT C
                                                                       ---------

                  SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERRED STOCK

      On March 27, 2002 the Board of Directors of CuraGen Corporation (the
"Company") declared a dividend of one preferred stock purchase right (a "Right")
for each outstanding share of the Company's voting common stock, $.01 par value
(the "Common Stock") to stockholders of record at the close of business on April
10, 2002 (the "Record Date"). Each Right entitles the registered holder to
purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, $.01 par value per share (the "Preferred Stock"),
at a purchase price of $150 in cash (the "Purchase Price"), subject to
adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a
Stockholder Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent.

      Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate certificates for Rights
will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a
"Distribution Date" will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 days following a
public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons
(an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire,
beneficial ownership of more than 20% or more of the outstanding shares of the
Company's Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date") or (ii) 10 business days
following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that may result
in a person or group beneficially owning 20% or more of the outstanding shares
of the Company's Common Stock.

      Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the
Rights), (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and
will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new
Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date will contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for
transfer of any certificates for Common Stock outstanding, even without such
notation, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented by such certificate.

      The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at the close of business on March 27, 2012, unless earlier redeemed or exchanged
by the Company as described below.

      As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will be mailed to holders of
record of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date
(other than to any Acquiring Person or any associate or affiliate of an
Acquiring Person) and, thereafter, such separate Rights Certificates alone will
represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by the Board and except in
connection with shares of Common Stock issued upon the exercise of employee
stock options, issuances under other employee stock benefit plans or upon the
conversion of convertible securities issued after the Distribution Date, only
shares of Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with
Rights.

      In the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, also known as a
"Section 11(a)(ii) Event", each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right
to receive, upon exercise, that


                                      C-1

<PAGE>

number of shares of Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property
or other securities of the Company) which equals the exercise price of the Right
divided by one-half of the current market price (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) of the Common Stock at the date of the occurrence of the event.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, all Rights that are, or (under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by an
Acquiring Person will be null and void.

      In the event that, at any time following a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (i)
the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or
(ii) more than 50% of the Company's assets or earning power is sold or
transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have been
voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which
equals the exercise price of the Right divided by one-half of the current market
price (as defined in the Rights Agreement) of such common stock at the date of
the occurrence of the event. The events set forth in this paragraph and in the
preceding paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering Events."

      At any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Board
may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person which
have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of
Common Stock, or one Common Stock Equivalent (as defined in the Rights
Agreement), per Right (subject to adjustment).

      The Purchase Price payable, and the number of units of Preferred Stock or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than
the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution
to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(excluding regular quarterly cash 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 fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) will be
issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior to the date
of exercise.

      In general, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part,
at any time before a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, at a price of $.01 per Right
(payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the
Board). Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering redemption of the
Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights
will be to receive the $.01 per Right redemption price. The redemption price is
payable in cash, stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board.

      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


                                      C-2

<PAGE>

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 Common Stock (or
other consideration) of the Company or for common stock of the acquiring company
as set forth above.

      Subject to certain exceptions, any of the provisions of the Rights
Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such
time as the Rights are no longer redeemable.

      A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company.
This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
incorporated herein by reference.


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