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EXHIBIT 10.14.1  


 
  NUVASIVE, INC.
  STOCK ISSUANCE AGREEMENT    
    


        AGREEMENT made as of this            day
of                   200    , by and between
NuVasive, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and                        , Participant in the Corporation's 1998 Stock Option/Stock
Issuance Plan. 


        All
capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning assigned to them in this Agreement or in the attached Appendix. 


        A.    PURCHASE OF SHARES    



        1.    Purchase.    Participant hereby
purchases                        shares of Common Stock (the
"Purchased Shares") pursuant to the provisions of the Stock Issuance Program at the purchase price of $                        per
share (the "Purchase Price"). 


        2.    Payment.    Concurrently with the delivery of this Agreement to the Corporation,
Participant shall pay the Purchase Price for the Purchased Shares in cash or cash equivalent and shall deliver a duly-executed blank Assignment Separate from Certificate (in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit I) with respect to the Purchased Shares. 


        3.    Stockholder Rights.    Until such time as the Corporation exercises the Repurchase Right
or the First Refusal Right, Participant (or any successor in interest) shall have all stockholder rights (including voting, dividend and liquidation rights) with respect to the Purchased Shares,
subject, however, to the transfer restrictions of Articles B and C. 




        B.    SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE    



        1.    Restricted Securities.    The Purchased Shares have not been registered under the 1933
Act and are being issued to Participant in reliance upon the exemption from such registration provided by SEC Rule 701 for stock issuances under compensatory benefit plans such as the Plan.
Participant hereby confirms that Participant has been informed that the Purchased Shares are restricted securities under the 1933 Act and may not be resold or transferred unless the Purchased Shares
are first registered under the Federal securities laws or unless an exemption from such registration is available. Accordingly, Participant hereby acknowledges that Participant is prepared to hold the
Purchased Shares for an indefinite period and that Participant is aware that SEC Rule 144 issued under the 1933 Act which exempts certain resales of unrestricted securities is not presently
available to exempt the resale of the Purchased Shares from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. 


        2.    Disposition of Purchased Shares.    Participant shall make no disposition of the
Purchased Shares (other than a Permitted Transfer) unless and until there is compliance with all of the following requirements: 



          (i)  Participant
shall have provided the Corporation with a written summary of the terms and conditions of the proposed disposition. 


         (ii)  Participant
shall have complied with all requirements of this Agreement applicable to the disposition of the Purchased Shares. 


        (iii)  Participant
shall have provided the Corporation with written assurances, in form and substance satisfactory to the Corporation, that (a) the proposed
disposition does not require registration of the Purchased Shares under the 1933 Act or (b) all appropriate action necessary for compliance with the registration requirements of the 1933 Act or
any exemption from registration available under the 1933 Act (including Rule 144) has been taken. 




        The
Corporation shall not be required (i) to transfer on its books any Purchased Shares which have been sold or transferred in
violation of the provisions of this Agreement or (ii) to treat as the owner of the Purchased Shares, or otherwise to accord voting, dividend or
liquidation rights to, any 








 

transferee
to whom the Purchased Shares have been transferred in contravention of this Agreement. 


        3.    Restrictive Legends.    The stock certificates for the Purchased Shares shall be
endorsed with one or more of the following restrictive legends: 



        "The
shares represented by this certificate have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933. The shares may not be sold or offered for sale in the absence of (a) an
effective registration statement for the shares under such Act, (b) a "no action" letter of the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to such sale or offer or (c) satisfactory
assurances to the Corporation that registration under such Act is not required with respect to such sale or offer." 


        "The
shares represented by this certificate are subject to certain repurchase rights and rights of first refusal granted to the Corporation and accordingly may not be sold, assigned,
transferred, encumbered, or in any manner disposed of except in conformity with the terms of a written agreement
dated                        , 200            between the Corporation
and the registered
holder of the shares (or the predecessor in interest to the shares). A copy of such agreement is maintained at the Corporation's principal corporate offices." 





        C.    TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS    



        1.    Restriction on Transfer.    Except for any Permitted Transfer, Participant shall not
transfer, assign, encumber or otherwise dispose of any of the Purchased Shares which are subject to the Repurchase Right. In addition, Purchased Shares which are released from the Repurchase Right
shall not be transferred, assigned, encumbered or otherwise disposed of in contravention of the First Refusal Right or the Market Stand-Off. 


        2.    Transferee Obligations.    Each person (other than the Corporation) to whom the
Purchased Shares are transferred by means of a Permitted Transfer must, as a condition precedent to the validity of such transfer, acknowledge in writing to the Corporation that such person is bound
by the provisions of this Agreement and that the transferred shares are subject to (i) the Repurchase Right, (ii) the First Refusal Right and (iii) the Market
Stand-Off, to the same extent such shares would be so subject if retained by Participant. 


        3.    Market Stand-Off.    



        (a)   In
connection with any underwritten public offering by the Corporation of its equity securities pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the 1933 Act,
including the Corporation's initial public offering, Owner shall not sell, make any short sale of, loan, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option for the purchase of, or otherwise dispose or transfer for
value or otherwise agree to engage in any of the foregoing transactions with respect to, any Purchased Shares without the prior written consent of the Corporation or its underwriters. Such restriction
(the "Market Stand-Off") shall be in effect for such period of time from and after the effective date of the final prospectus for the offering as may be requested by the Corporation or
such underwriters.
In no event, however, shall such period exceed one hundred eighty (180) days and the Market Stand-Off shall in all events terminate two (2) years after the effective date of
the Corporation's initial public offering. 


        (b)   Owner
shall be subject to the Market Stand-Off provided and only if the officers and directors of the
Corporation are also subject to similar restrictions. 


        (c)   Any
new, substituted or additional securities which are by reason of any Recapitalization or Reorganization distributed with respect to the Purchased Shares shall be
immediately subject to the Market Stand-Off, to the same extent the Purchased Shares are at such time covered by such provisions. 




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        (d)   In
order to enforce the Market Stand-Off, the Corporation may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the Purchased Shares until the
end of the applicable stand-off period. 





        D.    REPURCHASE RIGHT    



        1.    Grant.    The Corporation is hereby granted the right (the "Repurchase Right"),
exercisable at any time during the sixty (60)-day period following the date Participant ceases for any reason to remain in Service, to repurchase at the Purchase Price any or all of the
Purchased Shares in which Participant is not, at the time of his or her cessation of Service, vested in accordance with the provisions of the Vesting Schedule set forth in Paragraph D.3 or the
special vesting acceleration provisions of Paragraph D.5 (such shares to be hereinafter referred to as the "Unvested Shares"). 


        2.    Exercise of the Repurchase Right.    The Repurchase Right shall be exercisable by
written notice delivered to each Owner of the Unvested Shares prior to the expiration of the sixty (60)-day exercise period. The notice shall indicate the number of Unvested Shares to be
repurchased and the date on which the repurchase is to be effected, such date to be not more than thirty (30) days after the date of such notice. The certificates representing the Unvested
Shares to be repurchased shall be delivered to the Corporation on or before the close of business on the date specified for the repurchase. Concurrently with the receipt of such stock certificates,
the Corporation shall pay to Owner, in cash or cash equivalents (including the cancellation of any purchase-money indebtedness), an amount equal to the Purchase Price previously paid for the Unvested
Shares which are to be repurchased from Owner. 


        3.    Termination of the Repurchase Right.    The Repurchase Right shall terminate with
respect to any Unvested Shares for which it is not timely exercised under Paragraph D.2. In addition, the Repurchase Right shall terminate and cease to be exercisable with respect to any and
all Purchased Shares in which Participant vests in accordance with the following Vesting Schedule: 



        Participant
shall vest in twenty-five percent (25%) of the Purchased Shares, and the Repurchase Right shall concurrently lapse with respect to those Purchased Shares, upon
Participant's completion of one (1) year of Service measured from                        , 200    .




        Participant
shall vest in the remaining seventy-five percent (75%) of the Purchased Shares, and the Repurchase Right shall concurrently lapse with respect to those Purchased
Shares, in a series of thirty-six (36) successive equal monthly installments upon Participant's completion of each additional month of Service over the thirty-six
(36) month period measured from the date on which the first twenty-five percent (25%) of the Purchased Shares vests hereunder. 




        All
Purchased Shares as to which the Repurchase Right lapses shall, however, remain subject to (i) the First Refusal Right and (ii) the Market Stand-Off. 



        4.    Recapitalization.    Any new, substituted or additional securities or other property
(including cash paid other than as a regular cash dividend) which is by reason of any Recapitalization distributed with respect to the Purchased Shares shall be immediately subject to the Repurchase
Right and any escrow requirements hereunder, but only to the extent the Purchased Shares are at the time covered by such right or escrow requirements. Appropriate adjustments to reflect such
distribution shall be made to the number and/or class of Purchased Shares subject to this Agreement and to the price per share to be paid upon the exercise of the Repurchase Right in order to reflect
the effect of any such Recapitalization upon the Corporation's capital structure; provided, however, that the aggregate purchase price shall remain the
same. 



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        5.    Corporate Transaction.    



        (a)   The
Repurchase Right shall automatically terminate in its entirety, and all the Purchased Shares shall vest in full, immediately prior to the consummation of any
Corporate Transaction, except to the extent the Repurchase Right is to be assigned to the successor entity in such Corporate Transaction. 


        (b)   To
the extent the Repurchase Right remains in effect following a Corporate Transaction, such right shall apply to any new securities or other property (including any
cash payments) received in exchange for the Purchased Shares in consummation of the Corporate Transaction, but only to the extent the Purchased Shares are at the time covered by such right.
Appropriate adjustments shall be made to the price per share payable upon exercise of the Repurchase Right to reflect the effect of the Corporate Transaction upon the Corporation's capital structure;  provided, however, that the aggregate purchase price shall remain the same. The new securities or other property (including any cash payments) issued or
distributed with respect to the Purchased Shares in consummation of the Corporate Transaction shall be immediately deposited in escrow with the Corporation (or the successor entity) and shall not be
released from escrow until Participant vests in such securities or other property in accordance with the same Vesting Schedule in effect for the Purchased Shares. 



        (c)   The
Repurchase Right may also terminate on an accelerated basis, and the Purchased Shares shall immediately vest in full, in accordance with the terms and conditions of
any special addendum attached to this Agreement. 





        E.    RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL    



        1.    Grant.    The Corporation is hereby granted the right of first refusal (the "First
Refusal Right"), exercisable in connection with any proposed transfer of the Purchased Shares in which Participant has vested in accordance with the provisions of Article D. For purposes of
this Article E, the term "transfer" shall include any sale, assignment, pledge, encumbrance or other disposition of the Purchased Shares intended to be made by Owner, but shall not include any
Permitted Transfer. 


        2.    Notice of Intended Disposition.    In the event any Owner of Purchased Shares in which
Participant has vested desires to accept a bona fide third-party offer for the transfer of any or all of such shares (the Purchased Shares subject to such offer to be hereinafter referred to as the
"Target Shares"), Owner shall promptly (i) deliver to the Corporation written notice (the "Disposition Notice") of the terms of the offer, including the purchase price and the identity of the
third-party offeror, and (ii) provide satisfactory proof that the disposition of the Target Shares to such third-party offeror would not be in contravention of the provisions set forth in
Articles B and C. 


        3.    Exercise of the First Refusal Right.    The Corporation shall, for a period of
twenty-five (25) days following receipt of the Disposition Notice, have the right to repurchase any or all of the Target Shares subject to the Disposition Notice upon the same terms
as those specified therein or upon such other terms (not materially different from those specified in the Disposition Notice) to which Owner consents. Such right shall be exercisable by delivery of
written notice (the "Exercise Notice") to Owner prior to the expiration of the twenty-five (25)-day exercise period. If such right is exercised with respect to all the Target
Shares, then the Corporation shall effect the repurchase of such shares, including payment of the purchase price, not more than five (5) business days after delivery of the Exercise Notice; and
at such time the certificates representing the Target Shares shall be delivered to the Corporation. 



        Should
the purchase price specified in the Disposition Notice be payable in property other than cash or evidences of indebtedness, the Corporation shall have the right to pay the
purchase 



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price
in the form of cash equal in amount to the value of such property. If Owner and the Corporation cannot agree on such cash value within ten (10) days after the Corporation's receipt of the
Disposition Notice, the valuation shall be made by an appraiser of recognized standing selected by Owner and the Corporation or, if they cannot agree on an appraiser within twenty (20) days
after the Corporation's receipt of the Disposition Notice, each shall select an appraiser of recognized standing and the two (2) appraisers shall designate a third appraiser of recognized
standing, whose appraisal shall be determinative of such value. The cost of such appraisal shall be shared equally by Owner and the Corporation. The closing shall then be held on the  later of
(i) the fifth (5th) business day following delivery of the Exercise Notice or (ii) the fifth (5th) business day after such
valuation shall have been made. 


        4.    Non-Exercise of the First Refusal Right.    In the event the Exercise Notice
is not given to Owner prior to the expiration of the twenty-five (25)-day exercise period, Owner shall have a period of thirty (30) days thereafter in which to sell or
otherwise dispose of the Target Shares to the third-party offeror identified in the Disposition Notice upon terms (including the purchase price) no more favorable to such third-party offeror than
those specified in the Disposition Notice; provided, however, that any such sale or disposition must not be effected in contravention of the provisions
of Articles B and C. The third-party offeror shall acquire the Target Shares free and clear of the First Refusal Right, but the acquired shares shall remain subject to the provisions of
Article B and Paragraph C.3. In the event Owner does not effect such sale or disposition of the Target Shares within the specified thirty (30)-day period, the First Refusal
Right shall continue to be applicable to any subsequent disposition of the Target Shares by Owner until such right lapses. 


        5.    Partial Exercise of the First Refusal Right.    In the event the Corporation makes a
timely exercise of the First Refusal Right with respect to a portion, but not all, of the Target Shares specified in the Disposition Notice, Owner shall have the option, exercisable by written notice
to the Corporation delivered within five (5) business days after Owner's receipt of the Exercise Notice, to effect the sale of the Target Shares pursuant to either of the following
alternatives: 



          (i)  sale
or other disposition of all the Target Shares to the third-party offeror identified in the Disposition Notice, but in full compliance with the requirements of
Paragraph E.A, as if the Corporation did not exercise the first Refusal Right; or 


         (ii)  sale
to the Corporation of the portion of the Target Shares which the Corporation has elected to purchase, such sale to be effected in substantial conformity with the
provisions of Paragraph E.3. The First Refusal Right shall continue to be applicable to any subsequent disposition of the remaining Target Shares until such right lapses. 




        Owner's
failure to deliver timely notification to the Corporation shall be deemed to be an election by Owner to sell the Target Shares pursuant to alternative (i) above. 


        6.    Recapitalization/Reorganization.    



        (a)   Any
new, substituted or additional securities or other property which is by reason of any Recapitalization distributed with respect to the Purchased Shares shall be
immediately subject to the First Refusal Right, but only to the extent the Purchased Shares are at the time covered by such right. 


        (b)   In
the event of a Reorganization, the First Refusal Right shall remain in full force and effect and shall apply to the new capital stock or other property received in
exchange for the Purchased Shares in consummation of the Reorganization, but only to the extent the Purchased Shares are at the time covered by such right. 




        7.    Lapse.    The First Refusal Right shall lapse upon the  earliest to occur of (i) the first date on which shares
of the Common Stock are held of record by more than five hundred 



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(500) persons,
(ii) a determination made by the Board that a public market exists for the outstanding shares of Common Stock or (iii) a firm commitment underwritten public
offering, pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act, covering the offer and sale of the Common Stock in the aggregate amount of at least ten million dollars ($10,000,000).
However, the Market Stand-Off shall continue to remain in full force and effect following the lapse of the First Refusal Right. 




        F.    SPECIAL TAX ELECTION    



        1.    Section 83(b) Election.    Under Code Section 83, the excess of the Fair
Market Value of the Purchased Shares on the date any forfeiture restrictions applicable to such shares lapse over the Purchase Price paid for such shares will be reportable as ordinary income on the
lapse date. For this purpose, the term "forfeiture restrictions" includes the right of the Corporation to repurchase the Purchased Shares pursuant to the Repurchase Right. Participant may elect under
Code Section 83(b) to be taxed at the time the Purchased Shares are acquired, rather than when and as such Purchased Shares cease to be subject to such forfeiture restrictions. Such election
must be filed with the Internal Revenue Service within thirty (30) days after the date of this Agreement. Even if the Fair Market Value of the Purchased Shares on the date of this Agreement
equals the Purchase Price paid (and thus no tax is payable), the election must be made to avoid adverse tax consequences in the future. THE FORM FOR MAKING THIS ELECTION IS
ATTACHED AS EXHIBIT II HERETO. PARTICIPANT UNDERSTANDS THAT
FAILURE TO MAKE THIS FILING WITHIN THE APPLICABLE THIRTY (30)-DAY PERIOD WILL RESULT IN THE RECOGNITION OF ORDINARY INCOME AS THE FORFEITURE RESTRICTIONS LAPSE. 


        2.    FILING RESPONSIBILITY.    PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT IS
PARTICIPANT'S SOLE RESPONSIBILITY, AND NOT THE CORPORATION'S, TO FILE A TIMELY ELECTION UNDER CODE SECTION 83(b), EVEN IF PARTICIPANT REQUESTS THE CORPORATION OR ITS REPRESENTATIVES TO MAKE THIS
FILING ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.




        G.    GENERAL PROVISIONS    



        1.    Assignment.    The Corporation may assign the Repurchase Right and/or the First Refusal
Right to any person or entity selected by the Board, including (without limitation) one or more stockholders of the Corporation. 



        2.    No Employment or Service Contract.    Nothing in this Agreement or in the Plan shall
confer upon Participant any right to continue in Service for any period of specific duration or interfere with or otherwise restrict in any way the rights of the Corporation (or any Parent or
Subsidiary employing or retaining Participant) or of Participant, which rights are hereby expressly reserved by each, to terminate Participant's Service at any time for any reason, with or without
cause. 


        3.    Notices.    Any notice required to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and
shall be deemed effective upon personal delivery or upon deposit in the U.S. mail, registered or certified, postage prepaid and properly addressed to the party entitled to such notice at the address
indicated below such party's signature line on this Agreement or at such other address as such party may designate by ten (10) days advance written notice under this paragraph to all other
parties to this Agreement. 


        4.    No Waiver.    The failure of the Corporation in any instance to exercise the Repurchase
Right or the First Refusal Right shall not constitute a waiver of any other repurchase rights and/or rights of first refusal that may subsequently arise under the provisions of this Agreement or any
other agreement between the Corporation and Participant. No waiver of any breach or condition of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach or condition, whether
of like or different nature. 



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        5.    Cancellation of Shares.    If the Corporation shall make available, at the time and
place and in the amount and form provided in this Agreement, the consideration for the Purchased Shares to be repurchased in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, then from and after such
time, the person from whom such shares are to be repurchased shall no longer have any rights as a holder of such shares (other than the right to receive payment of such consideration in accordance
with this Agreement). Such shares shall be deemed purchased in accordance with the applicable provisions hereof, and the Corporation shall be deemed the owner and holder of such shares, whether or not
the certificates therefor have been delivered as required by this Agreement. 




        H.    MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS    



        1.    Governing Law.    This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with,
the laws of the State of [                        ] without resort to that State's conflict-of-laws rules. 


        2.    Participant Undertaking.    Participant hereby agrees to take whatever additional action
and execute whatever additional documents the Corporation may deem necessary or advisable in order to carry out or effect one or more of the obligations or restrictions imposed on either Participant
or the Purchased Shares pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement. 


        3.    Agreement is Entire Contract.    This Agreement constitutes the entire contract between
the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement is made pursuant to the provisions of the Plan and shall in all respects be construed in conformity with the terms of the
Plan. 


        4.    Counterparts.    This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. 


        5.    Successors and Assigns.    The provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit
of, and be binding upon, the Corporation and its successors and assigns and upon Participant, Participant's assigns and the legal representatives, heirs and legatees of Participant's estate, whether
or not any such person shall have become a party to this Agreement and have agreed in writing to join herein and be bound by the terms hereof. 


        6.    Tax Implications.    Participant understands that the fair value of the shares received
pursuant to this Agreement, as determined by the Corporation's board of directors, will be reportable as ordinary income and be subject to withholding on the same basis as compensation paid in cash.
PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE CORPORATION HAS NOT PROVIDED TAX OR OTHER ADVICE WITH REGARD TO ANY TAX ISSUES, AND THAT PARTICIPANT IS NOT RELYING ON THE CORPORATION FOR ANY SUCH ADVICE IN
CONNECTION WITH THE PURCHASE OF THE PURCHASED SHARES. 



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        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement on the day and year first indicated above. 



	 	 	NUVASIVE, INC.
	

 	
 	

By:	
 	

 
	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	Title:	 	 
	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	Address:	 	 
	 	 	 	 	

	

 	
 	

 	
 	


	

 	
 	

PARTICIPANT
	

 	
 	

Address:	
 	

 
	 	 	 	 	

	

 	
 	

 	
 	











SPOUSAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT  


        The undersigned spouse of Participant has read and hereby approves the foregoing Stock Issuance Agreement. In consideration of the Corporation's granting
Participant the right to acquire the Purchased Shares in accordance with the terms of such Agreement, the undersigned hereby agrees to be irrevocably bound by all the terms of such Agreement,
including (without limitation) the right of the
Corporation (or its assigns) to purchase any Purchased Shares in which Participant is not vested at the time of his or her cessation of Service. 



	 	 	
PARTICIPANT'S SPOUSE
	

 	
 	

Address:	
 	

 
	 	 	 	 	

	

 	
 	











EXHIBIT I  


 ASSIGNMENT SEPARATE FROM CERTIFICATE  


        FOR VALUE RECEIVED                        hereby sell(s),
assign(s) and transfer(s) unto NuVasive, Inc. (the "Corporation"),                        
(            )
shares of the Common Stock of the Corporation standing in his or her name on the books of the Corporation represented by Certificate
No.                        herewith and do(es) hereby irrevocably
constitute and appoint                        Attorney to transfer the said stock on the books of the Corporation with full power
of substitution in the premises. 


Dated:            




	 	 	Signature	 	 
	 	 	 	 	






        Instruction:    Please do not fill in any blanks other than the signature line. Please sign exactly as you would like your name
to appear on the issued stock certificate. The purpose of this assignment is to enable the Corporation to exercise the Repurchase Right without requiring additional signatures on the part of
Participant. 







EXHIBIT II  


 SECTION 83(b) TAX ELECTION  







SECTION 83(b) TAX ELECTION  


        This statement is being made under Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, pursuant to Treas. Reg. Section 1.83-2. 


	(1)
	The
taxpayer who performed the services is: 



Name:

Address:

Taxpayer Ident. No.: 



	(2)
	The
property with respect to which the election is being made is                        shares of the common stock of NuVasive,
 Inc.



	(3)
	The
property was issued on                        , 200    .



	(4)
	The
taxable year in which the election is being made is the calendar year 200    .



	(5)
	The
property is subject to a repurchase right pursuant to which the issuer has the right to acquire the property at the original purchase price if for any reason taxpayer's service
with the issuer terminates. The issuer's repurchase right lapses in a series of annual and monthly installments over a four (4)-year period ending
on                        , 200    .



	(6)
	The
fair market value at the time of transfer (determined without regard to any restriction other than a restriction which by its terms will never lapse) is $            per
share.



	(7)
	The
amount paid for such property is $            per share.



	(8)
	A
copy of this statement was furnished to NuVasive, Inc. for whom taxpayer rendered the services underlying the transfer of property.



	(9)
	This
statement is executed on                        , 200    . 






	
 Spouse (if any)	 	
 Taxpayer





        This election must be filed with the Internal Revenue Service Center with which taxpayer files his or her Federal income tax returns and must be made within
thirty (30) days after the execution date of the Stock Issuance Agreement. This filing should be made by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested. Participant must retain two
(2) copies of the completed form for filing with his or her Federal and state tax returns for the current tax year and an additional copy for his or her records.







EXHIBIT III  


 1998 STOCK OPTION/STOCK ISSUANCE PLAN  










   APPENDIX  


        The following definitions shall be in effect under the Agreement: 


        A.    Agreement shall mean this Stock Issuance Agreement. 


        B.    Board shall mean the Corporation's Board of Directors. 


        C.    Code shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. 


        D.    Common Stock shall mean the Corporation's common stock. 



        E.    Corporate Transaction shall mean either of the following stockholder-approved transactions: 



          (i)  a
merger or consolidation in which securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Corporation's outstanding securities
are transferred to a person or persons different from the persons holding those securities immediately prior to such transaction, or 



         (ii)  the
sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Corporation's assets in complete liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation. 




        F.     Corporation shall mean NuVasive, Inc., a Delaware corporation. 


        G.    Disposition Notice shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Paragraph E.2. 



        H.    Exercise Notice shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Paragraph E.3. 


        I.     Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on any relevant date, prior to the initial public offering of the Common
Stock, shall be determined by the Plan Administrator after taking into account such factors as it shall deem appropriate. 


        J.     First Refusal Right shall mean the right granted to the Corporation in accordance with Article E. 



        K.    Market Stand-Off shall mean the market stand-off restriction specified in Paragraph C.3. 


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


        M.   Owner shall mean Participant and all subsequent holders of the Purchased Shares who derive their chain of ownership
through a Permitted Transfer from Participant. 


        N.    Parent shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation) in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the
Corporation, provided each corporation in the unbroken chain (other than the Corporation) owns, at the time of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined
voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain. 


        O.    Participant shall mean the person to whom shares are issued under the Stock Issuance Program. 



        P.     Permitted Transfer shall mean (i) a gratuitous transfer of the Purchased Shares, provided
and only if Participant obtains the Corporation's prior written consent to such transfer, (ii) a transfer of title to the Purchased Shares effected pursuant to
Participant's will or the laws of intestate succession following Participant's death or (iii) a transfer to the Corporation in pledge as security for any purchase-money indebtedness incurred by
Participant in connection with the acquisition of the Purchased Shares. 



        Q.    Plan shall mean the Corporation's 1998 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan attached hereto as Exhibit III. 


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        R.    Plan Administrator shall mean either the Board or a committee of the Board acting in its capacity as administrator of the
Plan. 


        S.     Purchase Price shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Paragraph A.1. 


        T.     Purchased Shares shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Paragraph A.1. 


        U.    Recapitalization shall mean any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination of shares, exchange of shares
or other change affecting the Corporation's outstanding Common Stock as a class without the Corporation's receipt of consideration. 



        V.     Reorganization shall mean any of the following transactions: 



          (i)  a
merger or consolidation in which the Corporation is not the surviving entity, 


         (ii)  a
sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Corporation's assets, 


        (iii)  a
reverse merger in which the Corporation is the surviving entity but in which the Corporation's outstanding voting securities are transferred in whole or in part to a
person or persons different from the persons holding those securities immediately prior to the merger, or 


        (iv)  any
transaction effected primarily to change the state in which the Corporation is incorporated or to create a holding company structure. 




        W.    Repurchase Right shall mean the right granted to the Corporation in accordance with Article D. 



        X.    SEC shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission. 


        Y.    Service shall mean the Participant's performance of services for the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) in the
capacity of an employee, subject to the control and direction of the employer entity as to both the work to be performed and the manner and method of performance, a non-employee member of
the board of directors or an independent consultant. 


        Z.    Stock Issuance Program shall mean the Stock Issuance Program under the Plan. 



        AA. Subsidiary shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with
the Corporation, provided each corporation (other than the last corporation) in the unbroken chain owns, at the time of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain. 


        AB. Target Shares shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Paragraph E.2. 



        AC. Vesting Schedule shall mean the vesting schedule specified in Paragraph D.3 pursuant to which Participant is to
vest in the Purchased Shares in a series of installments over the Participant's period of Service. 


        AD. Unvested Shares shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Paragraph D.1. 


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NUVASIVE, INC. STOCK ISSUANCE AGREEMENT