<PAGE>   1
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 10-K
            (Mark One)

                [X] ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
                     OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                   For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997

                                       OR

              [ ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
                     OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

             For the transition period from__________ to __________
                         Commission file number 0-15847

                          SEQUUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                        <C>
                         DELAWARE                                                        94-3031834
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION              (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
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      960 HAMILTON COURT, MENLO PARK, CA                       94025
   (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)                  (ZIP CODE)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (650) 323-9011

        Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

           Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
                         Common Stock, $0.0001 Par Value
                                (Title of Class)

    Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports
required by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was
required to file such reports, and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days. Yes [X] No [ ]

    Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item
405 of Regulation S-K (Section 229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein,
and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive
proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this
Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K [X].

    The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the
registrant, based upon the closing price of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq
National Market on December 31, 1997, was $ 227,597,578. Solely for the purposes
of this calculation, each officer and director of the registrant is deemed to be
an affiliate.

The number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of December 31, 1997 was
30,601,355.

                       DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

            Document                                   Form 10-K Part

Portions of registrant's definitive Proxy Statement
to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on or prior to April 27, 1998 and to be
used in connection with the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders.                                               III
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                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                            PAGE
Item 1.     BUSINESS.....................................................     1


Item 2.     PROPERTIES...................................................    25


Item 3.     LEGAL PROCEEDINGS............................................    25


Item 4.     SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS..........    25


Item 5.     MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED
            STOCKHOLDER MATTERS..........................................    29

Item 6.     SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA......................................    29


Item 7.     MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
            AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS....................................    29

Item 8.     FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA..................    29


Item 9.     CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON
            ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE..........................    29

Item 10.    DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT...........    30


Item 11.    EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION.......................................    30


Item 12.    SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND
            MANAGEMENT...................................................    30

Item 13.    CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS...............    30


Item 14.    EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES, AND REPORTS
            ON FORM 8-K..................................................    31


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    The statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other statements made
by the Company from time to time that relate to future plans, events or
performance are forward-looking statements which involve risks and
uncertainties. Actual results, events or performance may differ materially from
those anticipated in any forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of
factors, including those set forth under "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in this
Annual Report on Form 10-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The
Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions
to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or
circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events.

                                     PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

OVERVIEW

    SEQUUS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("SEQUUS" or the "Company") is an integrated
pharmaceutical company engaged in the development of therapies for cancer and
other diseases utilizing advanced drug delivery technologies. The Company
focuses on utilizing its proprietary STEALTH liposomes to create new drug
products with improved safety and efficacy profiles. The Company has developed
and is marketing DOXIL, an anticancer drug, and AMPHOTEC, an antifungal drug, in
the United States through its direct sales organization and internationally
through its marketing partners. The Company is currently conducting Phase III
clinical trials of DOXIL in patients with ovarian cancer. A Phase II clinical
trial of DOXIL is also underway in patients with breast cancer as are numerous
Phase I/II trials of DOXIL in the treatment of patients with other solid tumors.
In addition, SEQUUS is currently conducting Phase I and Phase II trials of its
STEALTH cisplatin formulation, SPI-077, for the treatment of cancer.

    Liposomes are microscopic lipid spheres used to encapsulate drugs for
delivery to targeted areas of the body in order to increase efficacy and reduce
toxicity. SEQUUS has created and patented STEALTH liposomes that avoid the
body's natural defense mechanisms and degrade more slowly than conventional
liposomes, thereby significantly increasing circulation time of encapsulated
therapeutic agents in the body. For example, clinical data demonstrate that an
anthracycline encapsulated in STEALTH liposomes (DOXIL) has a circulating
half-life of approximately 55 hours compared to a half-life of approximately
five hours for the other commercially available liposomal anthracycline product.
This long circulation time allows STEALTH liposomes to accumulate in tissues
where new blood vessels are forming, such as tumors and sites of inflammation or
injury, delivering sustained and increased drug concentration to these target
tissues.

    SEQUUS developed DOXIL, a proprietary STEALTH liposome formulation of
doxorubicin, a leading anticancer drug. In November 1995, SEQUUS received
marketing clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA")
for DOXIL for the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma ("KS") in people with AIDS whose
KS has progressed on prior chemotherapy or in patients who are intolerant to
such therapy ("refractory KS"). In December 1995, the Company launched DOXIL in
the United States, using its own marketing and sales team, and achieved domestic
product sales of approximately $20.9 million in 1996 and $ 27.0 million in 1997.
In June 1996, the Company was granted marketing authorization for DOXIL under
the tradename CAELYX in the 15 member states of the European Union ("EU") for
the treatment of first-line and refractory KS in patients with low CD4 counts
and extensive mucocutaneous or visceral disease. The drug may be used as
first-line systemic chemotherapy, or as second-line chemotherapy, in KS patients
with

----------------
    The following trademarks of SEQUUS are used throughout this Annual Report on
Form 10-K: STEALTH(R), AMPHOTEC(TM), AMPHOCIL(TM), DOXIL(R), CAELYX(TM) and
SEQUUS(TM). Tradenames and trademarks appearing in this Annual Report on Form
10-K are the property of their respective holders.


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disease that has progressed with, or in patients who are intolerant to, prior
combination chemotherapy comprising at least two of the following agents: a
Vinca alkaloid, bleomycin, and doxorubicin (or other anthracycline). The Company
has entered into a distribution agreement with Schering-Plough Corporation
("Schering-Plough") under which Schering-Plough has rights to market and sell
CAELYX worldwide, except for the United States, Japan and certain other
countries.

    The Company used another lipid-based delivery technology to develop
AMPHOTEC, a proprietary formulation of a leading antifungal drug, amphotericin
B. In November 1996, SEQUUS received marketing clearance from the FDA for
AMPHOTEC for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis, a life-threatening fungal
infection, in patients where renal impairment or unacceptable toxicity precludes
the use of conventional amphotericin B therapy in effective doses and in
patients who have failed prior amphotericin B therapy. In December 1996, the
Company launched AMPHOTEC in the United States. AMPHOTEC has also received
marketing clearance and is available in over 20 other countries for the
treatment of systemic fungal infections in patients for whom conventional
amphotericin B is contraindicated due to toxicity or renal failure or for whom
previous antifungal therapy was unsuccessful. The Company's strategy is to
commercialize AMPHOTEC in international markets, under the tradename AMPHOCIL,
through distribution partners. The Company has entered into a number of
distribution agreements, including agreements with Zeneca Limited ("Zeneca") and
Bayer, Inc. ("Bayer") in selected countries.

    The Company is developing SPI-077, a proprietary STEALTH liposome
formulation of cisplatin, a widely used anticancer drug. The utility of
conventional cisplatin is limited by a range of potentially serious and
irreversible toxicities. Based upon results from preclinical studies, the
Company believes that SPI-077 may have safety and efficacy advantages over
conventional cisplatin. In December 1996, the Company began a Phase I clinical
trial of SPI-077 in the treatment of solid tumors. The Phase I trial is focused
on determining the maximum tolerated dose of SPI-077 and establishing the
toxicity profile of SPI-077 in patients with advanced malignancies not amenable
to other cancer treatment. The Company recently initiated a Phase II clinical
trial of SPI-077 in patients with lung cancer.

    The Company's research and development efforts focus on developing new
products based on STEALTH liposome technology and expanding the STEALTH
technology platform to create additional methods of drug delivery. Products in
the early development stage include STEALTH liposome formulations of CD4 for
treating people with HIV, a quinolone antibiotic (ciprofloxacin) for treating
life-threatening respiratory tract infections or other severe systemic bacterial
infections, and a radiosensitizing agent for treating cancer. The Company is
also conducting research in the field of oligeonucleotides, small molecules,
peptide and gene delivery using STEALTH liposomes.

TECHNOLOGY

    Liposomes are microscopic spheres composed of lipid membranes surrounding
internal aqueous compartments. When liposomes were first characterized as
potential drug carriers in the mid-1960s, scientists believed that these lipid
vesicles showed promise for improving intravenous drug delivery, theorizing that
liposomes would reduce drug toxicity by delivering entrapped drug to diseased
sites in the body and avoiding healthy tissue. As development of liposome
products progressed, two serious limitations emerged. First, conventional
liposomes were attacked by proteins in the blood, causing rupture and premature
release of entrapped drug into the bloodstream. Second, liposomes that survived
rupture were quickly removed from circulation, primarily by immune cells that
line the ducts of the liver.

    To address these limitations, SEQUUS developed patented liposomes that are
stable in plasma and avoid rapid removal from the bloodstream. This was achieved
by attaching polyethyleneglycol ("PEG") to the surface of the liposomes to form
the Company's proprietary long-circulating STEALTH liposomes. For example,
clinical data demonstrate that an anthracycline encapsulated in STEALTH
liposomes (DOXIL) has a circulating half-life of approximately 55 hours compared
to a half-life of approximately five hours for the other commercially available
liposomal anthracycline product. In addition, STEALTH liposomes are large enough
that they typically do not escape out of the bloodstream and into tissues
through normal, healthy blood vessels. As a consequence, STEALTH liposomes
continue to circulate intact until they reach tissues where new blood vessels
are forming, such as tumors, sites of inflammation, and sites of injury. The
Company's clinical data have demonstrated that the STEALTH liposomes leave the
blood vessels in these locations, accumulate in high amounts, and then slowly
release the encapsulated drug. As a result, the Company believes that STEALTH
liposomes target diseased tissue, where the drugs can have a benefit, and avoid
healthy tissues where the drugs will cause damage. For example, the Company has
shown an up to 53-fold increase of


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DOXIL-delivered doxorubicin in certain tumors as compared to unencapsulated
doxorubicin. An additional significant benefit of STEALTH technology is that
certain molecules which cannot be encapsulated inside a liposome can be attached
to the PEG on the surface of the liposomes. The Company believes that this may
enable it to develop additional drug delivery products using its STEALTH
technology.

    The Company uses additional lipid-based drug delivery technology in the
development of its proprietary products. For example, AMPHOTEC is a novel
lipid-based colloidal dispersion which forms a stable suspension of the active
drug, amphotericin B. The Company believes the stability of the formulation
enables it to reduce manufacturing costs, lengthen shelf-life and ease
preparation of the product prior to administration relative to other lipid-based
products.

BUSINESS STRATEGY

    The Company's strategy is to build an integrated pharmaceutical company
engaged in the development of therapies for cancer and other diseases utilizing
advanced drug delivery technologies. The Company is focusing its near-term
efforts on: (i) commercializing DOXIL and AMPHOTEC in the United States through
its own sales team and in selected international markets through marketing
partners; (ii) developing additional uses and markets for DOXIL and AMPHOTEC by
establishing clinical efficacy in a range of additional indications; (iii)
characterizing the clinical benefit of SPI-077 through an aggressive clinical
development program; (iv) developing new products in the SEQUUS pipeline
utilizing STEALTH liposomes and other proprietary drug delivery technology; (v)
increasing the Company's manufacturing capacity and expanding into additional
production facilities; and (vi) leveraging the STEALTH platform, either alone or
through strategic alliances, to create additional proprietary products and drug
delivery technologies.

PRODUCTS AND PRODUCTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT

    The current status of the Company's principal products, potential products
under development and research projects is discussed below.

  DOXIL

    Doxorubicin is a widely prescribed anthracycline antibiotic used for the
treatment of many different forms of cancer, including breast and ovarian
cancer, leukemias, sarcomas and Hodgkin's disease. Though effective in treating
these and other cancers, doxorubicin may produce irreversible myocardial
toxicity, manifested in its most severe form by life-threatening congestive
heart failure. The risk of developing congestive heart failure increases with
increasing total cumulative doses of doxorubicin in excess of 450 mg/m(2).
Doxorubicin also causes suppression of white blood cell production, which may be
dose limiting, as well as toxicities such as nausea and vomiting and hair loss.
It is believed that the initial rapid uptake by the tissues (both diseased and
healthy) of doxorubicin is a major contributing factor to its toxicities, and in
particular, cardiotoxicity. DOXIL, a long-circulating STEALTH liposome
formulation of doxorubicin, is designed to reduce the toxicities of doxorubicin
by sequestering the drug in the liposomes until it reaches the tumor site (see "
-- Technology"), thereby significantly reducing rapid drug uptake by and
concentration in healthy tissues. The Company conducted a study comparing the
cardiotoxicity of DOXIL in 10 KS patients receiving cumulative doses of
doxorubicin encapsulated in STEALTH liposomes (DOXIL) ranging from 400 mg/m(2)
to greater than 800 mg/m(2) to a matched control group of cancer patients
treated with the same cumulative amount of unencapsulated doxorubicin. Data from
this preliminary study suggest that DOXIL may cause significantly less
cardiotoxicity than unencapsulated doxorubicin.

DOXIL for Treating KS

    People with AIDS have an increased incidence of developing certain cancers.
The most common cancer in this group is KS, a tumor that occurs only rarely in
the general population. The most characteristic features of KS are disfiguring
soft nodules or tumors (usually reddish purple or brown). Such tumors frequently
occur on the surface of the skin, including the face, feet or legs, and can
cause painful swelling or limit mobility. Less frequently, KS involves vital
organs such as the lung where it may cause shortness of breath, and the
gastrointestinal tract where it may cause internal bleeding.


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    In November 1995, SEQUUS received marketing clearance from the FDA for the
use of DOXIL in treating KS patients whose KS has progressed on prior
chemotherapy or in patients who are intolerant to such therapy. In December
1995, the Company launched DOXIL in the United States, using its own marketing
and sales force, and achieved domestic sales of approximately $20.9 million in
1996 and $ 27.0 million in 1997. The marketing clearance for DOXIL was provided
in accordance with the FDA's procedures for Accelerated Approval of New Drugs
for Serious or Life Threatening Illnesses. Accelerated approval regulations
require that an applicant study an investigational drug following product launch
to verify and describe the drug's clinical benefit. This trial is currently
underway. Under FDA accelerated approval regulations, the FDA may withdraw
approval following product launch if the Company fails to show due diligence in
conducting post-marketing studies or if these studies fail to demonstrate
clinical benefit to the FDA's satisfaction.

    In June 1996, the Company received marketing authorization for DOXIL under
the tradename CAELYX in the 15 member states of the EU for both first-line and
second-line treatment of KS in patients with low CD4 counts and extensive
mucocutaneous (skin and mucous membrane) or visceral disease. The drug may be
used as first-line systemic chemotherapy, or as second-line chemotherapy, in KS
patients with disease that has progressed with, or in patients who are
intolerant to, prior combination chemotherapy comprising at least two of the
following agents: a Vinca alkaloid, bleomycin, and doxorubicin (or other
anthracycline). In September 1996, the Company entered into a distribution
agreement with Schering-Plough under which Schering-Plough has the right to
market and sell CAELYX worldwide, except for the United States, Japan and
certain other countries. Schering-Plough has launched CAELYX in certain European
Union Nations.

    DOXIL for Treating Solid Tumors

    Many solid tumors are treated by surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a
combination of these therapies. When used appropriately, chemotherapy can
relieve suffering and sometimes prolong life. However, only a very small
percentage of patients with cancer are cured by the use of chemotherapy alone,
although their lives may be extended or the quality of life improved. This is
especially true for common solid tumors such as cancer of the lung, breast,
ovary and colon. However, these patient benefits are often offset by the
considerable toxicity associated with chemotherapy drugs. The side effects
include increased susceptibility to infection due to decreased white blood
cells, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, rash, numbness and tingling of the hands and
feet and increased susceptibility to bleeding due to reduction in platelets. In
almost all cases in which chemotherapy is effective a combination of drugs is
used. Generally drugs are used in combination that have been shown to be
effective individually and have non-overlapping toxicities. Because of the
limited benefits of chemotherapy and severe toxicities, market opportunities
exist for drugs that are more effective, less toxic or both.

    The Company is conducting a number of solid tumor trials. The clinical
results reported are preliminary and may not be indicative of results that may
be obtained in additional clinical trials. There can be no assurance that the
Company will submit NDAs based on the following clinical data or future clinical
data, or that, if submitted, any NDA will be approved. As used below, a
"response" is a reduction in the size of a lesion or tumor by at least 50% and
includes a "complete" response (no measurable tumor remaining).

    -   Ovarian Cancer -- Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer in
        women in the United States according to the American Cancer Society,
        which estimated that the incidence in the United States was
        approximately 26,700 in 1996. Chemotherapy is used both in the
        post-surgical setting to prevent recurrence and to treat advanced
        disease. In 1997, the Company reported on an open label, multi-centered
        Phase II study in patients with advanced ovarian cancer who had failed
        previous therapy with both platinum and paclitaxel. Of the 35 patients
        in the study, nine patients (26%) achieved a response. The median
        progression free interval was 5.7 months, and the median survival was 11
        months (with a range of 1.5 to 24+ months). Thirteen patients
        experienced mucositis (mouth sores) and palmar-plantar erythema
        (reddening of the skin, occasional swelling and pain in the hands, feet
        and other pressure points, and, infrequently, loss of superficial skin).
        The Company conducted confirmatory Phase II trials in the United States
        and Europe and has initiated randomized Phase III trials in patients
        with ovarian cancer.


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    -   Breast Cancer -- Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the
        United States according to the American Cancer Society, which estimated
        that the incidence in the United States was approximately 184,300 in
        1996. Standard therapy may involve a mastectomy (removal of the mammary
        gland), a lumpectomy (removal of the tumor) and radiation therapy and
        chemotherapy, or some combination of these. Among solid tumors, breast
        cancer is generally considered one of the most responsive to
        chemotherapy. The Company has completed a Phase II multi-center trial in
        the U.K. in patients with metastatic breast cancer and a high tumor
        burden using doses of single-agent DOXIL ranging between 45-60 mg/m(2)
        at intervals of three to four weeks. Most of these patients had not
        received prior therapy, but 28 had received adjuvant chemotherapy before
        entering the Company's trial for metastatic breast cancer. The response
        rate in 54 evaluable patients was 32%. This response rate is nearly
        identical to that obtained with single agent doxorubicin or epirubicin
        in a British randomized trial comparing doxorubicin, epirubicin and
        mitoxantrone in a similar patient population. Based on this data, the
        Company has decided to conduct additional clinical trials. The Company
        has completed another trial in patients with refractory breast cancer,
        including patients whose disease had progressed on mitoxantrone.
        Patients with tumors resistant to mitoxantrone are usually unresponsive
        to doxorubicin. In this trial, however, six of 16 patients (37.5%) had
        clinical benefit and objective evidence of tumor shrinkage, and two
        additional patients (12.5%) had a true partial response (reduction in
        the size of the tumor by at least 50%.) The toxicities were similar to
        those seen in the ovarian cancer trial. Palmar-plantar erythema was
        substantially reduced with longer intervals between treatments. The
        Company is conducting additional clinical trials in breast cancer
        patients.

    -   Combination Chemotherapy -- While most cancers are not cured with single
        agent therapy, durable clinical responses are often achieved with
        combination therapy. Drugs with different mechanisms of action and those
        which target different phases of the cell cycle are often combined in an
        attempt to achieve greater activity than that seen with either drug
        alone. Such drugs should have non-overlapping toxicities, so that a
        healthy organ system, with rapidly dividing cells (such as the bone
        marrow), is not exposed to multiple insults and subsequent toxicities.
        In addition, many cancer cells are drug resistant as a result of either
        de novo (intrinsic) or acquired multidrug resistance. In such cases,
        diminished intracellular drug accumulation is evident, and with the use
        of more than one drug in combination, a broader range of coverage of
        resistant cell lines is provided, and the development of new resistant
        cells lines may be slowed or prevented. A number of Phase I/II studies
        of DOXIL in combination with paclitaxel, docetaxel, vinorelbine,
        gemcitabine, cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, carboplatin, or topotecan are
        either underway or planned.

    DOXIL has been studied in several hundred patients with many types of solid
tumors, including those listed above. The side effect from doxorubicin that
limits the amount of drug that may be given, and thus limits the amount of drug
that can reach the tumor, is suppression of the patient's white blood cell
count. For this reason, it is standard medical practice to reduce the dose of
doxorubicin whenever a patient demonstrates very low white blood cell counts
during treatment. In addition, since most of the drugs used to treat cancer have
a similar effect on the white blood cell count, the dose of each drug must be
reduced when several drugs are used together. Based on preliminary clinical
trial results, the Company believes that there is relatively less depression of
the white blood cell counts from treatment with DOXIL compared to doxorubicin.
Instead, the side effects that limit how much DOXIL can be given are mucositis
and palmar-plantar erythema. The Company believes that this difference in the
principal toxicity from using DOXIL compared to doxorubicin reflects the change
in distribution of DOXIL with relatively less going to the bone marrow where
white blood cells are made and more distributed to other areas of the body while
concentrating on the tumor. Because of the long circulation time of DOXIL, the
Company believes variations in palmar-plantar erythema seen in individual
patients may be controlled by increasing the time period between doses rather
than by reducing dose. The Company believes DOXIL is also associated with less
hair loss, nausea and vomiting than might be expected with a conventional dose
schedule of doxorubicin.

  AMPHOTEC

    Systemic fungal infections are serious illnesses with high mortality rates,
which occur primarily in patients whose immune systems have been compromised. In
addition to its prevalence in people with AIDS, the incidence of such infections
is increasing with the more aggressive use of chemotherapeutics for cancer and
immune-suppressive drugs for organ transplants. While over 80,000 species of
fungi have been identified, relatively few are known to infect humans. However,
invasive fungal infections in immunocompromised patients are life-threatening.
Among the most common


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systemic fungal infections that may infect these patients include candidiasis,
aspergillosis, histoplasmosis, and cryptococcal meningitis. Invasive
aspergillosis is generally considered to be one of the most difficult fungal
infections to treat.

    In practice, physicians often begin antifungal therapy when a patient has a
fever that has failed to respond to antibiotics (a "fever of unknown origin" or
"FUO") before a specific fungus can be identified. This is because fungi grow
slowly in the laboratory. Knowledge about which specific fungus has been treated
usually comes some time after treatment has begun, if at all, and this is true
for most clinical trials of antifungal therapy as well.

    Currently, amphotericin B is the standard treatment for patients with severe
fungal infections that do not respond to other drugs, and its use is widespread.
Unlike newer compounds, such as Diflucan, which suppress growth of fungal
infections, amphotericin B kills the fungus. Drugs that suppress growth of
fungal infections depend on the body's immune system to kill the fungus. This
may not be possible if the immune system has been suppressed by chemotherapy or
the disease process. As a result, amphotericin B is considered to be the most
powerful antifungal drug available and is used when other compounds fail.
However, amphotericin B has a number of serious side effects, the most
significant of which is renal toxicity. Patients with severe infections
requiring extensive treatment are at particular risk of developing renal failure
as a result of high cumulative doses of amphotericin B. In many cases, treatment
with amphotericin B must be discontinued because of renal impairment, leaving
the patient with the risk of further fungal infection.

    AMPHOTEC is a novel lipid-based formulation of generic amphotericin B which
the FDA cleared for marketing in November 1996 for the treatment of invasive
aspergillosis in patients where renal impairment or unacceptable toxicity
precludes the use of conventional amphotericin B in effective doses and in
patients where prior systemic antifungal therapy has failed. The Company
believes that AMPHOTEC provides effective therapy while reducing the
dose-limiting toxicities typically associated with conventional amphotericin B.
SEQUUS is further developing AMPHOTEC to treat additional systemic fungal
infections that often afflict immunocompromised patients, such as solid organ
and bone marrow transplant patients receiving immunosuppressant therapy, people
with AIDS, and cancer patients receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

    AMPHOTEC, a one-for-one molecular complex of amphotericin B and cholesteryl
sulfate, is designed to be quickly removed from the bloodstream by macrophage
cells (part of the immune system) that line ducts in the liver, spleen and other
organs. The Company believes that this rapid sequestration of AMPHOTEC in
macrophage cells reduces the amount of drug that enters the kidneys in toxic
levels thereby significantly reducing renal toxicity. Once in the liver cells,
the amphotericin B-cholesteryl sulfate discs are broken apart by intracellular
enzymes and "free" amphotericin B molecules are gradually re-released into the
bloodstream.

    SEQUUS commenced marketing AMPHOTEC in the United States in December 1996
directly through its then 42 person sales team. The product is supplied in 50 mg
and 100 mg vials as a lyophilized powder, which is readily reconstituted with
sterile water in a matter of seconds and is stable upon reconstitution. AMPHOTEC
is stable at room temperature (59 degrees F to 86 degrees F) for approximately
two years. The Company believes that AMPHOTEC has certain competitive advantages
in the United States market when compared to other lipid-based amphotericin B
products. These advantages include AMPHOTEC's clinical profile; its lower
approved dosage requirement, which results in a lower cost per patient day; the
availability of two vial sizes, which reduces waste; the absence of the
necessity for filtration or refrigeration; its pharmaceutically elegant
formulation; and the lack of any negative interaction between AMPHOTEC and
cyclosporine in transplant patients who must receive cyclosporine to keep the
body from rejecting the transplanted organ.

    AMPHOTEC, known internationally as AMPHOCIL, is also available in over 20
countries outside of the United States for the treatment of aspergillosis,
candidiasis and other systemic fungal infections in patients who are refractory
to or intolerant of amphotericin B. The Company has entered into distribution
agreements covering a number of these countries and intends to pursue
distribution arrangements with other strategic partners for other territories in
which it has obtained or is currently pursuing marketing authorization. To date,
the Company has only experienced limited sales of AMPHOCIL in the United States
and in international markets. The Company and its distribution partners are
working with certain countries to meet their requirements for approval, if
possible. If approvals are received, SEQUUS and its distribution partners intend
to negotiate pricing in each of these countries, which the Company believes will
take up to six


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to 12 months following marketing approval. There can be no assurance that
marketing approval will be received for AMPHOCIL in any of these countries. See
" -- Strategic Alliances" and " -- Government Regulation."

  Results of AMPHOTEC Clinical Trials

    The Company is pursuing the further clinical development of AMPHOTEC for a
variety of life-threatening fungal infections. The clinical results reported are
preliminary and may not be indicative of results that may be obtained in
additional clinical trials. There can be no assurance that the Company will
submit additional supplemental NDAs based on the following clinical data or
future clinical data, or that, if submitted, any supplemental NDA will be
approved.

    Aspergillosis. In a retrospective, historical controlled study involving 343
patients with proven or probable invasive aspergillosis infections, 82 patients
treated with AMPHOTEC were compared to a cohort of 261 patients at six cancer or
transplant centers, who had been treated with amphotericin B. The majority of
the patients in both groups had aspergillosis infections in the lung. The data
indicated that in a study with an historical control AMPHOTEC has superior
efficacy (49% vs. 23%) to amphotericin B in patients with proven or probable
aspergillosis, and that the AMPHOTEC-treated group had a higher survival rate at
120 days (50% vs. 28%) than the control group receiving amphotericin B. Of the
amphotericin B patients, 43% developed renal toxicity during therapy while in
the AMPHOTEC treatment group, the renal toxicity rate was 8%.

    Bone Marrow Transplant Patients. Data from a Phase I dose-escalation
clinical trial in 76 bone marrow transplant patients with invasive fungal
infections indicate that AMPHOTEC is safe at doses up to 7.5 mg/kg per day with
demonstrated antifungal activity, no appreciable renal toxicity and manageable
infusion-related side effects. In this study, the investigator reported a
response rate of 55% across all dose levels and infections.

    Fever of Unknown Origin (Febrile Neutropenia). Data from a single
double-blind, randomized multi-center clinical trial comparing AMPHOTEC with
conventional amphotericin B in the empiric treatment of 213 febrile neutropenic
patients indicate that AMPHOTEC was equally effective and significantly less
toxic to the kidney, as compared to conventional amphotericin B, the standard
therapy, in treating this patient population. The data also showed that AMPHOTEC
had a renal safety advantage over amphotericin B when used in conjunction with
common anti-rejection therapy (cyclosporine or tacrolimus) in both adults and
children. This is clinically important because cyclosporine and tacrolimus are
known to have renal toxicity and are widely used in transplant patients, a group
which is at substantial risk of developing life threatening fungal infections.
The Company submitted a supplemental NDA with the FDA in December 1996 to expand
AMPHOTEC's indication to include empiric treatment of neutropenic patients with
fever due to possible fungal infection. In April 1997, the FDA's Antiviral Drugs
Advisory Committee concluded that SEQUUS had submitted adequate evidence of
reduced renal toxicity; however, at the same time, the Committee also concluded
that the evidence submitted was insufficient to conclude that AMPHOTEC and
amphotericin B were equally efficacious in the empiric treatment of neutropenic
patients with fever due to possible fungal infection (commonly referred to as
"fever of unknown origin").

  STEALTH Cisplatin (SPI-077)

    Cisplatin is a widely used cytotoxic drug for the treatment of many types of
cancers, including lung, ovarian, head and neck, bladder, melanoma, testicular,
cervical and gastrointestinal. The tumors that respond to cisplatin are usually
relatively insensitive to doxorubicin and vice versa. Although cisplatin is one
of the most active single agents available, its clinical utility is limited by a
range of potentially serious and irreversible toxicities. These toxicities
include bone marrow suppression, nausea and vomiting, kidney damage and nerve
damage. Special precautions to address these toxicities can include
administration of fluids (hydration) and diuretics, and hospitalization of
patients is often required, adding significant cost to cisplatin therapy. The
Company developed a STEALTH liposome formulation of cisplatin, SPI-077, and
conducted multiple studies in in vivo laboratory models. The Company believes
that results of these studies show: (i) as with DOXIL, SPI-077 avoids immune
detection, resulting in a significantly longer circulation time than cisplatin,
(ii) SPI-077 causes less kidney toxicity than comparable doses of cisplatin in
such models, and (iii) SPI-077 has shown meaningful anti-tumor activity and was
more effective than cisplatin in producing a prolonged response to treatment,
with persistent inhibition of tumor growth. The Company initiated a Phase I
safety study of SPI-077 in cancer patients in


                                       7
<PAGE>   10
December 1996. The Phase I study is focused on determining the maximum tolerated
dose of SPI-077 and establishing the toxicity profile of SPI-077 in patients
with advanced malignancies not amenable to other cancer treatment. Recently, the
Company initiated Phase II clinical trials in patients with lung cancer. See
"-- Patents and Trade Secrets."

    The development of new pharmaceutical products is subject to a number of
significant risks. Potential products that appear to be promising at various
stages of development may not receive regulatory approval, reach the market or
achieve widespread use for a number of reasons. For example, DOXIL is being
clinically tested in various types of solid tumors. The Company's clinical data
in treatment of solid tumors are derived from a limited number of patients and
are not necessarily predictive of future results obtained in subsequent clinical
trials. Moreover, even when a drug does demonstrate activity, it may not be
sufficiently efficacious to replace existing therapies. There can be no
assurance that the Company's research and development efforts will be
successful, that any given product will be approved by appropriate regulatory
authorities or that any product candidate under development will be safe,
effective or capable of being manufactured in commercial quantities at an
economical cost, will not infringe the proprietary rights of others or will
achieve market acceptance. There are a number of challenges the Company must
address successfully to develop commercial products in each of its development
programs. The Company's potential products will require significant additional
research and development efforts, including process development and significant
additional clinical testing, prior to any commercial use. There can be no
assurance that the Company will successfully address any of these technological
challenges, or others that may arise in the course of development. In addition,
the Company may not have sufficient resources to commercialize new products
successfully.

    Successful product development requires, among other things, the design and
completion of clinical trials. The rate of completion of the Company's clinical
trials is dependent upon, among other factors, the rate of patient enrollment.
The Company is dependent on third parties, including hospitals and physicians to
conduct clinical trials. In addition, the Company is reliant on Schering-Plough
to conduct certain clinical trials for DOXIL. The Company and Schering-Plough
face intense competition from other companies developing cancer treatments to
enroll a limited number of eligible cancer patients in clinical trials for
oncology products. Delays in planned patient enrollment may result in increased
costs and delays. If the Company is unable to successfully complete its clinical
trials, its business, financial condition and results of operations could be
materially adversely affected.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

    The primary focus of the Company's ongoing product development and research
efforts is to capitalize on the STEALTH liposome technology. This includes
identifying additional therapeutic drugs that can be formulated using the
existing technology and creating advanced applications by attaching therapeutics
to the outside of the STEALTH liposome to expand its possible applications. The
Company is conducting exploratory programs with other companies and, in some
cases, is dependent upon these companies for their technologies. The following
is a summary of the Company's additional research and development projects:

    Liposome-CD4 Technology (SPI-119). The Company has obtained exclusive
worldwide rights to a proprietary liposome-CD4 technology as a potential
HIV/AIDS therapeutic. CD4 is a protein on the surface of T-cells to which the
HIV virus binds in order to infect the cell and replicate. HIV replicates in
T-cells, but in order to enter T-cells the virus must first bind to CD4.
Theoretically, CD4 injected into the blood stream might also bind HIV and, in
this way, prevent the virus from attaching to the T-cells where it can do
damage. Earlier attempts to accomplish this result have not been successful
because unencapsulated CD4 loses its critical three dimensional structure and
also does not accumulate in the lymphatic system. The CD4-liposome complex
behaves as a cell that can bind HIV; existing data indicate that the Company's
STEALTH liposomes accumulate in peripheral lymphatic tissues, such as regional
lymph nodes. Based on preclinical studies, the Company has undertaken
formulation of the liposome-CD4 product.

    STEALTH Quinolones - Ciprofloxacin (SPI-850). Although quinolone antibiotics
are active against a broad spectrum of bacterial infections, including
life-threatening respiratory tract infections, they must be administered two to
four times a day. A long circulating quinolone antibiotic encapsulated in
STEALTH liposomes could be administered once a day, or possibly even less often,
permitting easier administration outside of the hospital. The Company has
formulated and is currently conducting preliminary studies of SPI-850 which is
designed to reduce the frequency of dosing and concentrate the drug at sites of
infection, thereby improving efficacy. The Company is collaborating with Bayer
on these studies.


                                       8
<PAGE>   11
    Radiosensitizers (SPI-40). Studies in cancer patients have shown that
STEALTH liposomes concentrate in tumor tissue. When concentrated in tumors,
radiosensitizing agents may increase the responsiveness of tumors to the
therapeutic effects of radiotherapy. However, to be effective these agents must
concentrate in tumors to a greater extent than in normal tissues, and the agents
must stay in the tumor until the dose of radiotherapy has been administered. The
Company believes that STEALTH liposomes may be an effective way to deliver
radiosensitizers. The Company has formulated and tested two radiosensitizing
agents in preclinical models.

    Additional Research Programs. The Company is conducting research in the
fields of small molecule, peptide and gene delivery using STEALTH liposomes.
Currently, three approaches are being investigated for the intravenous delivery
of genetic material to patients: (i) inject "naked" DNA (genetic material), (ii)
use a viral vector to deliver the DNA, and (iii) encapsulate DNA in liposomes.
The Company is focusing on liposomal delivery, specifically on the use of
STEALTH liposomes to encapsulate and deliver DNA to tumors and other sites of
disease.

    A segment of the biotechnology industry is focusing on the development of
small molecules that may inhibit specific activities within a cell. While
potentially medically useful, small molecules are typically cleared from the
body before reaching the target cells. The Company is developing technology to
bind small molecules to the PEG on STEALTH liposomes for use in the intravenous
delivery of small molecules.

    The Company's research and development expenses for 1997, 1996 and 1995 were
$32.5 million, $27.7 million and $22.7 million, respectively. Such expenses
encompassed all of the Company's product development programs, including DOXIL,
AMPHOTEC and SPI-077 as well as research projects such as CD4 liposomes,
radiosensitizers and gene delivery.

MARKETING AND SALES

    As of January 1, 1998, SEQUUS employed a sales and sales management team of
39 professionals to market DOXIL and AMPHOTEC. This team is experienced in the
sale of pharmaceutical products to physicians, hospitals and clinics, including
managed care providers, and in facilitating reimbursement with third-party
payors. The sales force is deployed in major metropolitan areas for oncology and
infectious disease products. In the second full year of operations in the United
States, the sales team sold approximately $27.0 million of DOXIL and also sold
$3.3 million of AMPHOTEC after its launch in December 1996. However, the Company
faces significant competition for oncology sales professionals and the loss of
certain key sales personnel could adversely impact the sales effort and have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations.

    Outside of the United States, the Company's strategy is to establish
marketing and distribution agreements with pharmaceutical companies, agents or
distributors. Pursuant to this strategy, the Company has entered into a
distribution agreement with Schering-Plough for the distribution of CAELYX in
most major markets outside the United States (except Japan) and has entered into
distribution agreements with a number of corporate partners, agents and
distributors, including Zeneca and Bayer, covering the marketing and
distribution of AMPHOCIL in various international markets. The Company's future
sales of CAELYX and AMPHOCIL outside of the United States will depend to a large
extent on the marketing efforts of its distribution partners, the continuation
of the distribution arrangements, market acceptance of products, availability of
third party reimbursement, as well as the timing of additional approvals,
including pricing approvals, in other countries, if any. Schering-Plough has the
right to terminate the agreement with the Company at any time if certain
clinical results relating to CAELYX are not achieved, if certain adverse events
occur regarding patent matters and in certain other circumstances. If
Schering-Plough or any other distributor were to terminate its agreement with
the Company or be unsuccessful in meeting its sales objectives, the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially
adversely affected. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to
successfully market its products through its direct sales force, partners,
agents, or at all. See " -- Strategic Alliances" and "Item 7 -- Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations --
Overview."


                                       9
<PAGE>   12
MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTION

    The Company's internal manufacturing capabilities are limited to producing
products for preclinical development. The Company is dependent on Ben Venue
Laboratories, Inc. ("Ben Venue"), a United States-based contract manufacturer of
injectable drug products, to manufacture commercial-scale quantities of AMPHOTEC
and DOXIL sufficient to meet the Company's forecasted requirements for research
and for commercial production pursuant to supply agreements. SEQUUS has
developed production technologies for AMPHOTEC and DOXIL which it employs at Ben
Venue. Although the FDA has approved Ben Venue's facility, processes and
procedures for DOXIL and AMPHOTEC, there can be no assurance that Ben Venue and
the Company will continue to meet FDA or product specification standards for the
manufacture of DOXIL and AMPHOTEC or that the Company's manufacturing
requirements can be met in a consistent and timely manner. The Company has
recently retained a second manufacturing site, Gensia Sicor, Inc. for its
products. Only a limited number of contract manufacturers are capable of
manufacturing AMPHOTEC and DOXIL, and any alternative manufacturer would require
regulatory approval to manufacture the product which would likely take several
months. The Company has in the past experienced batch failures in the
manufacturing process. Any batch failures in the future could result in a
material increase in cost of goods sold or in the Company's inability to deliver
products on a timely basis. In addition, the Company may be unable to obtain
sufficient contract manufacturing capacity due to competing demands on the
contract manufacturer's capacity or other reasons. In the event of any
interruption of supply from the contract manufacturer due to regulatory reasons,
significant batch failures, capacity constraints or other causes, there can be
no assurance that the Company could make alternative manufacturing arrangements
on a timely basis, if at all. Such an interruption would have a material adverse
effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
See " -- Government Regulation."

    SEQUUS devotes considerable resources to developing manufacturing
technologies and process controls for its products to achieve and maintain
regulatory approval, suitable shelf-life, stability and ease of use. Such
activities include scaling up production methods, developing quality control
systems, establishing batch-to-batch reproducibility, testing sterilization
methods, establishing reliable sources of raw materials and synthesizing new
proprietary raw materials. Generally, the equipment used in the Company's
processing technologies is commercially available in industrial sizes and is
currently used in pharmaceutical industry operations.

    In the future, SEQUUS may elect to manufacture some or all of its products
internally in lieu of using third-party contract manufacturers. However, the
Company does not currently have a commercial-scale manufacturing facility and,
as a result, an election by the Company to pursue in-house manufacturing would
require the commitment of significant capital and other resources. The Company
currently has no plans to develop a commercial manufacturing facility in-house.
The Company has produced and will continue to endeavor to produce certain of its
products in quantities sufficient for clinical trials in compliance with the
FDA's Good Manufacturing Practices ("GMPs"). However, SEQUUS expects to continue
to use contract manufacturers for final processing and packaging of the clinical
supplies that SEQUUS itself produces.

    On February 15, 1994, the Company entered into a five-year, sole-source
supply agreement with A.L. Laboratories, Inc. ("A.L. Labs") to supply the
Company with amphotericin B for AMPHOTEC. Under the agreement the Company is
required to purchase its forecasted three months requirements. The agreement may
be automatically renewed for one-year periods unless either party provides the
other party with six months notice prior to the expiration of the current term.
The Company agreed to indemnify A.L. Labs for certain liabilities.

    On September 27, 1994, the Company entered into a five-year,
principal-source supply agreement with Meiji Seika Pharma International Ltd.
("Meiji Seika") to supply the Company with doxorubicin for DOXIL. Under the
agreement the Company is required to purchase in yen its forecasted three months
requirements. The agreement may be automatically renewed for one-year periods
unless either party provides the other party with six months notice prior to the
expiration of the current term. The Company agreed to indemnify Meiji Seika for
certain liabilities.

    Although the Company has supply agreements in place with the suppliers of
its key raw materials, including amphotericin B and doxorubicin, the number of
alternative qualified suppliers of key raw materials required for the
manufacture of AMPHOTEC and DOXIL is limited. The disqualification or loss of a
sole-source supplier could have a


                                       10
<PAGE>   13
material adverse effect on the Company because of a delay or inability in
obtaining and qualifying an alternate supplier and the costs and lost revenues
associated with such delays and in finding and qualifying an alternate supplier.
Regulatory requirements applicable to pharmaceutical products tend to make the
substitution of suppliers costly and time consuming. The unavailability of
adequate commercial quantities, the loss of a supplier's regulatory approval,
the inability to develop alternative sources, a reduction or interruption in
supply or a significant increase in the price of materials could impair the
Company's ability to manufacture and market its products which would have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations.

STRATEGIC ALLIANCES

    The Company's strategy for the development, clinical trials, manufacturing
and commercialization of certain of its products includes maintaining and
entering into various strategic alliances with corporate partners, licensors and
others. In addition to the strategic alliances described below, the Company
intends to continue to evaluate arrangements for the in-licensing of technology
and the distribution of AMPHOTEC and DOXIL. There can be no assurance that the
Company will be able to maintain existing strategic alliances, negotiate
strategic alliances in the future on acceptable terms, if at all, or that any
such strategic alliances will be successful. There can be no assurance that any
of the Company's present or future strategic partners will devote sufficient
resources to marketing the Company's products or satisfying its obligations to
the Company.

    Schering-Plough

    In September 1996, SEQUUS announced it entered into a distribution agreement
with Schering-Plough. Under the agreement, Schering-Plough has obtained
exclusive rights to distribute, market and sell CAELYX worldwide, except for the
United States, Japan and certain other countries. Under the terms of the
agreement, SEQUUS will receive payments for product sales to Schering-Plough. In
addition, SEQUUS and Schering-Plough will jointly develop a worldwide clinical
plan for investigating the use of CAELYX in the treatment of solid tumors. Each
party will undertake clinical trials in specific indications, coordinated by a
joint development team. As part of the agreement, Schering-Plough will conduct
certain clinical trials for oncology indications, will apply for regulatory
approval in the Schering-Plough territories for all new indications, and will
assist with pharmacoeconomic studies. The agreement expires in December 2010.
The agreement is subject to termination by Schering-Plough at any time if
certain clinical results are not achieved relating to the development of CAELYX
and in certain other circumstances. The agreement is also subject to termination
by Schering-Plough if certain events occur regarding patent rights and ongoing
patent proceedings which in Schering-Plough's reasonable judgment materially and
adversely impact the development, manufacture, use or sale of CAELYX in the
major European markets. Certain events which permit Schering-Plough to terminate
the agreement are outside the control of the Company.

    International Distribution of AMPHOCIL

    The Company has entered into a number of arrangements with distributors and
agents for the marketing and distribution of its AMPHOCIL product in
international markets. In certain instances, the distributor is also assisting
the Company in preparing regulatory filings and, in countries where marketing
clearance has been granted, obtaining pricing approvals. The Company has granted
distribution rights to the following parties for the respective territories:
Zeneca in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal,
Sweden and the U.K.; Prodesfarma, S.A. in Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg; TORREX
Pharma G.m.b.H. in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia;
Gamida-MedEquip Limited in Israel;  Bayer in Canada; CritiCare Laboratories Pvt.
Ltd. in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.; and Lemery, S.A. de C.V. of
Mexico City, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gensia Sicor Inc. (Nasdaq:GNSA), for
Mexico and Central America..

    In-Licensing of Technology

    The Company has entered into licensing agreements with third parties
covering proprietary technologies used in the production of the Company's
products. Under these agreements, the Company is obligated to pay royalties upon
product sales and to make other payments. The Company is currently in
discussions with one of its licensors regarding the interpretation of the
financial terms of a license agreement. Such agreements also contain provisions
requiring the


                                       11
<PAGE>   14
Company to pursue market development for the licensed technologies in order for
the Company to maintain its license rights. There can be no assurance that the
Company will fulfill its obligations under any of these agreements and any such
failure could result in the loss of the Company's rights under the agreement.

PATENTS AND TRADE SECRETS

    SEQUUS currently owns or controls 58 United States patents, which expire at
various times between 1998 and 2013, including seven claiming various aspects of
the Company's long-circulating STEALTH liposomes, which expire at various times
between 2006 and 2013. SEQUUS has filed numerous patent applications on
inventions claiming specific liposome compositions and methods of use, liposome
processing methods, drug/lipid compositions, and surface-modified liposomes and
methods. SEQUUS has also filed corresponding foreign patent applications with
respect to certain of its key technologies and owns or controls foreign
counterpart applications and issued patents in various countries with respect to
its most important United States patents and pending applications. SEQUUS
intends to file additional patent applications, when appropriate, relating to
improvements in its technologies and other specific inventions and products that
it develops.

    There has been increasing litigation in the biomedical, biotechnology and
pharmaceutical industries with respect to the manufacture, use and sale of new
therapeutic products that are the subject of conflicting patent rights. A
substantial number of patents relating to liposomes have been issued to, or are
controlled by, other public and private entities, including academic
institutions. In addition, others, including competitors of SEQUUS, have filed
applications for, or have been issued patents or may obtain additional patents
and proprietary rights relating to products or processes competitive with those
of SEQUUS. The patent positions of pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical,
biotechnology and drug delivery companies, including SEQUUS, are uncertain and
involve complex legal and factual issues. Additionally, the coverage claimed in
a patent application can be significantly reduced before the patent is issued.
As a consequence, the Company does not know whether any of its patent
applications will result in the issuance of patents or whether any of the
Company's existing patents will provide significant proprietary protection or
will be circumvented or invalidated. Since patent applications in the United
States are maintained in secrecy until patents issue, and since publication of
discoveries in the scientific or patent literature often lag behind actual
discoveries, the Company cannot be certain that it was the first inventor of
inventions covered by its pending patent applications or that it was the first
to file patent applications for such inventions. Moreover, the Company may have
to participate in interference proceedings to determine priority of invention,
which could result in substantial cost to the Company, even if the eventual
outcome is favorable to the Company. There can be no assurance that any patents
owned or controlled by the Company will protect SEQUUS against infringement
litigation or afford commercially significant protection of the Company's
technology. Almost none of the Company's patents has been tested in court to
determine their validity and scope. Moreover, the patent laws of foreign
countries differ from those of the United States and the degree of protection,
if any, afforded by foreign patents may, therefore, be different.

    The Company has in the past been a party to litigation regarding
intellectual property rights. In prior litigation in the Patents County Court in
the U.K., a suit brought by NeXstar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("NeXstar") alleging
that the Company's anticancer drug, DOXIL, infringes NeXstar's EPO Patent No.
0,179,444 was settled by the parties dropping their respective claims against
one another. The U.K. Patent Court dismissed all claims in the case with
prejudice.

    The Company has a practice of monitoring patents and other developments in
the liposome field. To the extent that the Company becomes aware of patents of
other parties which the Company's processes or products might infringe, it is
the Company's practice to seek review of such patents by the Company's patent
counsel. With respect to DOXIL, the Company is aware of United States Patent No.
5,077,056 (the "056 Patent") of The Liposome Company ("TLC") relating to the
loading of therapeutic drugs into liposomes. The Company's patent counsel has
rendered an opinion that DOXIL would not infringe any valid claim of this
patent. International equivalent patents to the 056 Patent issued to TLC are now
undergoing opposition proceedings in the European and Japanese patent offices
and the Company is party to such proceedings. Adverse results in such opposition
proceedings could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations. The Company is also aware of
recently issued United States Patent No. 5,562,925 (the "925 Patent") covering
therapeutic cisplatin compositions held by Research Corporation Technologies
Inc., which the Company believes has been licensed exclusively to Bristol-Myers
Squibb Company ("Bristol-Myers"). The Company's patent counsel has rendered an
opinion that its STEALTH cisplatin formulation would not infringe any


                                       12
<PAGE>   15
valid claims of the 925 Patent. The Company is also aware of TLC's United States
Patent No. 5,008,050 relating to reducing liposome size by extrusion, and
NeXstar's United States Patent No. 5,435,989 relating to targeting of liposomes
to solid tumors. The Company's patent counsel has rendered an opinion that DOXIL
would not infringe any valid claim of either of these patents. The Company is
also aware of United States Patent Nos. 4,426,330 and 4,534,899 assigned to
Lipid Specialties, Inc., relating to conjugates of phospholipids and
polyethyleneglycol. The Company's patent counsel has rendered an opinion that
DOXIL would not infringe any valid claims of these patents.

    In November 1991, SEQUUS received a letter from TLC bringing to the
Company's attention TLC's United States Patent Number 5,059,591 for "Reduced
Toxicity" (the "591 Patent") containing claims directed to amphotericin B/sterol
compositions and their method of use. Subsequently, the Company's patent counsel
delivered an opinion to the Company that, among other things, AMPHOTEC does not
infringe any valid claim of the 591 Patent. The Company has not received any
further written correspondence with respect to this issue. However, no assurance
can be given that TLC will not make a claim against SEQUUS with respect to the
591 Patent, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's ability
to commercialize AMPHOTEC.

    Even if the Company's patent counsel renders advice that the Company's
products do not infringe any valid claim under such patents, there can be no
assurance that any third party will not commence litigation to enforce such
patents. The Company has been required to defend itself in patent litigation in
the past and the uncertainties inherent in any other lawsuit that may be
commenced in the future with respect to any alleged patent infringement by the
Company make the outcome of any such litigation difficult to predict. If another
Company were to successfully bring legal actions against the Company claiming
patent or other intellectual property right infringements, in addition to any
liability for damages, the Company could be enjoined by a court from selling
such product or processes or might be required to obtain a license to
manufacture or sell the affected product or process. There can be no assurance
that the Company would prevail in any such action or that the Company could
obtain any license required under such patent on acceptable terms, if at all.
Any litigation, whether or not resolved in favor of the Company, could be
expensive and time-consuming, could consume substantial management resources,
could have a material adverse effect on the Company's distribution arrangements
and could otherwise have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations.

    The Company relies on unpatented trade secrets and proprietary know-how to
protect certain aspects of its production and other technologies. Although
SEQUUS has entered into confidentiality agreements with its employees,
consultants, representatives and other business associates, there can be no
assurance that trade secrets and know-how will remain undisclosed or that
similar trade secrets or know-how will not be independently developed by others.

GOVERNMENT REGULATION

    Regulation by governmental authorities in the United States and other
countries is a significant consideration in all aspects of the clinical
development, production and marketing of the Company's products and in its
on-going research and development activities. In order to clinically test,
produce and sell products for human therapeutic use, mandatory procedures and
safety standards established by the FDA and comparable agencies in foreign
countries must be followed. SEQUUS prepares and files regulatory documents
required to begin clinical trials, recruits and monitors clinical investigators,
analyzes and synthesizes clinical trial data and prepares and files documents
requesting approval to sell pharmaceutical products. Whether undertaken by
SEQUUS or an agent or collaborator of SEQUUS, the regulatory approval process
for new products generally takes several years and involves the expenditure of
substantial resources. There can be no assurance that any such approvals will be
granted on a timely basis, if at all.

    The standard process required by the FDA before a pharmaceutical agent may
be marketed in the United States includes: (i) laboratory and preclinical tests,
(ii) submission to the FDA of an application for use of an investigational new
drug, which must become effective before clinical trials may commence, (iii)
adequate and well-controlled clinical trials to establish the safety and
efficacy of the drug in its intended application, (iv) submission to the FDA of
a NDA with respect to a drug or a Product License Application ("PLA") and an
Establishment License Application ("ELA") with respect to a biologic, and (v)
FDA approval of the NDA or PLA/ELA prior to any commercial sale or shipment of
the drug or biologic. In addition to obtaining FDA approval for each product,
each domestic drug manufacturing establishment must be registered or licensed by
the FDA. Domestic and foreign manufacturing establishments are subject to
inspections by the FDA and by other federal, state and local agencies and must
comply with GMPs as appropriate for


                                       13
<PAGE>   16
production. If a product is approved under the FDA procedures for Accelerated
Approval of New Drugs for Serious or Life-Threatening Illnesses, such approval
is subject to the additional requirement that, following product launch, a
company continue to study the drug to verify and describe its clinical benefit.
Under these FDA Accelerated Approval Procedures, the FDA may withdraw approval
if the company fails to show due diligence in conducting post-marketing clinical
trials or if these clinical trials fail to demonstrate clinical benefit to the
FDA's satisfaction.

    Clinical trials are typically conducted in three sequential phases, which
phases may overlap. In Phase I, the initial introduction of a drug to humans,
the drug is tested for safety (adverse effects), dosage tolerance, absorption,
distribution, metabolism and excretion. Phase II involves studies in a limited
patient population to determine the efficacy of the drug for specific targeted
indications, dosage tolerance and optimal dosage, and possible adverse effects
and safety risks. When a product is found to show clinical effectiveness and to
have an acceptable safety profile in Phase II evaluations, Phase III trials are
undertaken to evaluate further its clinical efficacy and to test further for
safety within an expanded patient population at geographically dispersed
clinical study sites.

    There can be no assurance that, after the results of the Phase III clinical
trials have been announced, the FDA will not disagree with the design of the
Phase III clinical trial protocols. In addition, the FDA inspects and reviews
clinical trial sites, informed consent forms, data from the clinical trial
sites, including case report forms and record keeping procedures, and the
performance of the protocols by clinical trial personnel to determine compliance
with good clinical practice. The FDA also examines whether there was bias in the
conduct of clinical trials. The conduct of clinical trials is complex and
difficult, especially in Phase III. There can be no assurance that the design or
performance of the Phase III clinical trial protocols will be successful.

    Upon accepting a company's NDA for filing, the FDA generally convenes an
advisory committee to review clinical trial results and make a non-binding
recommendation concerning the drug's approval. After considering the advisory
committee recommendation and other information, the FDA may or may not issue an
approvable letter. This letter sets out the specific terms and conditions that
the company must satisfy in order to receive final FDA approval to market.

    Even if regulatory approvals for the Company's product candidates are
obtained, the Company, its products and the facilities used for manufacturing
the Company's products are subject to continual review and periodic inspection.
Each United States drug manufacturing establishment must be registered with the
FDA. Domestic manufacturing establishments are subject to biannual inspections
by the FDA and must comply with the FDA's GMP regulations. To supply drug
products for use in the United States, foreign manufacturing establishments must
comply with the FDA's GMP regulations and are subject to periodic inspection by
the FDA or by regulatory authorities in those countries under reciprocal
agreements with the FDA. In complying with GMP regulations, manufacturers must
expend funds, time and effort in the area of production and quality control to
ensure full technical compliance. The FDA stringently applies regulatory
standards for manufacturing. If violations of applicable regulations are noted
during these inspections, the Company may be restrained from continued marketing
of the product manufactured until such violations are corrected.

    Labeling and promotional activities are regulated by the FDA. The Company
must also report certain adverse events involving its drugs to the agency under
regulations issued by the FDA. The FDA may require post-marketing testing and
surveillance programs to monitor a drug's efficacy and side effects. Results of
the post-marketing programs may prevent or limit the further marketing of a
product.

    Failure to comply with applicable requirements can result in, among other
things, warning letters, fines, injunctions, civil penalties, recall or seizure
of products, total or partial suspension of production, refusal of the
government to grant approvals, withdrawal of approvals and criminal prosecution
of the Company and employees.

    Sales of pharmaceutical products outside of the United States are subject to
regulatory requirements that vary widely from country to country and that often
include approval of the price at which a product may be sold. In the EU
countries, a company may seek product marketing authorization in other member
countries with the sponsorship of the country which first granted marketing
approval under procedures of the Committee on Proprietary and Medicinal Products
("CPMP"). Since the CPMP is an advisory committee, its vote is not binding on
member countries.


                                       14
<PAGE>   17
    SEQUUS is also subject to regulation under numerous federal, state and local
laws regarding, among other things, occupational safety, laboratory practices,
the use and handling of radioisotopes and hazardous chemicals, prevention of
illness and injury, environmental protection and hazardous substance control.
The Company's research and development involves the controlled use of hazardous
materials and chemical compounds. There can be no assurance that the Company's
safety procedures for handling and disposing of such materials will comply with
the standards prescribed by federal, state and local regulations or that it will
not be subject to the risk of accidental contamination or injury from these
materials. In the event of such an accident, the Company could be held liable
for any damages that result and any such liability could materially adversely
affect the Company.

    The Company's business may be materially adversely affected by the
continuing efforts of worldwide governmental and third-party payors to contain
or reduce the costs of health care in general and drugs in particular. For
example, in most international markets, including markets the Company is seeking
to enter, pricing of prescription pharmaceuticals is subject to government price
controls. In these markets, once marketing approval is received, pricing
negotiation could take another six to 12 months or longer. In the United States,
there has been, and there may continue to be, federal and state proposals to
implement similar government price controls. In addition, an increasing emphasis
on managed care and consolidation of hospital purchasing in the United States
has and will continue to put pressure on pharmaceutical pricing. Such proposals,
if adopted, and such initiatives could decrease the price that the Company
receives for any current or future products and thereby have a material adverse
effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
Further, to the extent that such proposals or initiatives have a material
adverse effect on pharmaceutical companies that are collaborators or prospective
collaborators for certain of the Company's products, the Company's ability to
commercialize its products may be materially adversely affected. In addition,
price competition may result from competing product sales, attempts to gain
market share or introductory pricing programs, which would have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of
operations.

    The Company's ability to commercialize DOXIL, AMPHOTEC and other products
may depend in part on the extent to which reimbursement for such products and
related treatments will be available from government health administration
authorities, private health insurers and other third-party payors. Significant
uncertainty exists as to the reimbursement status of newly approved health care
products, and third-party payors are increasingly challenging the prices charged
for medical products and services. There can be no assurance that any
third-party insurance coverage will be available to patients for any of the
Company's products. Government and other third-party payors are increasingly
attempting to contain health care costs by limiting both coverage and the level
of reimbursement for new therapeutic products, and by refusing, in some cases,
to provide coverage or reimbursement for indications as to which the FDA has not
granted marketing clearance. Moreover, reimbursement may be denied even for
FDA-approved indications. If adequate coverage and reimbursement levels are not
provided by the government and third-party payors for the Company's products,
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations would be
materially adversely affected.

COMPETITION

    Generally, competition in the pharmaceutical field is based on such factors
as product performance, safety, acceptance by doctors, patient compliance,
available reimbursement, patent protection, ease of use, price and marketing
efforts. The Company believes that earlier entry into a market is an advantage
for a new drug, but it also believes that clinical benefits and
pharmacoeconomics are important to a product's success.

    The Company's current and potential products compete with existing and new
drugs offered by or under development by pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies. Many of these companies, both in the United States and
in international markets, are developing products based on improved drug
delivery technologies and novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancer,
infectious diseases and other indications targeted by the Company. Some of these
companies are active in liposome and lipid-based research and product
development and many have financial and technical resources and production and
marketing capabilities substantially greater than those of the Company. In
addition, many of these companies have significantly greater experience than the
Company in preclinical and clinical development activities, in obtaining
regulatory approval, and in manufacturing and marketing biopharmaceutical
products.


                                       15
<PAGE>   18
    A number of large pharmaceutical companies, including Bristol-Myers and
Pfizer Inc., have established strong market positions for oncology and
infectious diseases. For example, AMPHOTEC competes with traditional
amphotericin B therapy, which is currently produced and marketed by
Bristol-Myers and others. The Company also faces competition from two companies
specializing in liposome drug delivery, NeXstar and TLC, both of which have
received regulatory approvals for products competitive with the Company's
products. In some cases, the competing liposomal products have been able to
obtain significant market share in certain territories by being the first to
market, have been introduced at lower prices than the Company's competing
products, or have received marketing clearance covering a broader range of
indications than the Company's competing products. For example, TLC recently
received FDA clearance to market its amphotericin B lipid formulation for
treating a broader range of indications than the indications for which AMPHOTEC
has received marketing clearance.

    SEQUUS believes that competition in pharmaceutical products and in drug
delivery will continue to be intense as new products enter the market and
advanced technologies become available for drug discovery and development.
Existing products or new products developed by the Company's competitors may be
more effective, or be more effectively marketed and sold, than any that have
been or may be developed by the Company. Competitive products may render the
Company's technology and products obsolete or noncompetitive prior to the
Company's recovery of research, development or commercialization expenses
incurred with respect to any such products which could have a material adverse
effect on the Company's business, financial condition or results of operations.

EMPLOYEES

    As of December 31, 1997, SEQUUS had 260 full-time employees, of whom 29 hold
Ph.D. or M.D. degrees, 173 are engaged in research, development, clinical and
regulatory affairs and pilot manufacturing, 59 are engaged in sales and
marketing and 28 work primarily in finance, human resources and administration.
The Company from time to time also hires temporary employees and consultants in
all areas of the Company's operations.

    The Company's success depends largely upon its ability to attract and retain
qualified personnel in the research, development and commercialization of
pharmaceutical products. The Company faces competition for such personnel from
other companies, academic institutions and other organizations. There can be no
assurance that the Company will be successful in hiring or retaining such
personnel.

    None of the Company's employees is represented by a union, and SEQUUS
considers its relations with its employees to be good.


                                       16
<PAGE>   19
RISK FACTORS

    The statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other statements made
by the Company from time to time that relate to future plans, events or
performance are forward-looking statements which involve risks and
uncertainties. Actual results, events or performance may differ materially from
those anticipated in any forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of
factors, including those set forth below and elsewhere in this Annual Report on
Form 10-K. The following risk factors should be considered carefully in
evaluating the Company and its business by the Company's stockholders and by
prospective investors in the Company.

UNCERTAINTY OF MARKET ACCEPTANCE

    The Company's future financial performance depends on revenues from and
market acceptance of DOXIL in the United States and international markets. To
date, DOXIL can only be promoted for KS and cannot be promoted for the treatment
of solid tumors. In order for the Company to promote DOXIL for any solid tumor
indications, it must establish the clinical benefit of DOXIL in clinical trials
for each tumor type and gain regulatory clearance to market for such use. The
Company does not expect sales of DOXIL to grow significantly, if at all, for KS
in the United States because the population of persons with KS is relatively
small and may decline, particularly if recent developments in the treatment of
AIDS are successful and decrease the incidence of KS. In the United States, the
Company is prohibited from marketing DOXIL for indications other than refractory
KS. Physicians and patients are often limited in their use of pharmaceutical
products for indications that have not been cleared by the FDA, as reimbursement
by third-party payors for off-label use may be unavailable. There can be no
assurance that clinical trials will demonstrate that DOXIL is safe and
efficacious for the treatment of solid tumors, that the Company will receive
regulatory approval for any solid tumor indications or that the Company will be
able to achieve reimbursement for or market acceptance in the treatment of solid
tumors with DOXIL.

    The Company is also dependent on market acceptance of AMPHOTEC in the United
States and in international markets. To date, the Company has had very limited
sales of AMPHOTEC in the United States and in international markets. In
addition, the Company faces intense competition and price pressure in the United
States and in many international markets, where a competing liposomal
amphotericin B product has been on the market for a number of years and another
was recently introduced. A number of factors may limit the market acceptance of
DOXIL and AMPHOTEC and any other products developed by the Company, including
the timing of regulatory approval and market entry relative to competitive
products, the availability of alternate therapies, the price of the Company's
products relative to alternative therapies, the availability of third-party
reimbursement and the extent of marketing efforts by third-party distributors or
agents retained by the Company, as well as the success of the marketing efforts
by the Company's sales team. In addition, therapeutic products based on liposome
or lipid-based technology have become commercially available only in the last
few years. As a result, unanticipated side effects or unfavorable publicity
concerning any product incorporating liposome or lipid-based technologies could
have an adverse effect on the Company's ability to obtain physician, patient or
third-party payor acceptance and to sell the Company's products. There can be no
assurance that physicians, patients or third-party payors will accept liposome
products or any of the Company's products as readily as traditional forms of
medication or at all. See "Business -- Products and Products Under Development."

INTENSE COMPETITION; UNCERTAINTY OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE

    The Company's current and potential products compete with existing and new
drugs offered by or under development by pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies. Many of these companies, both in the United States and
international markets, are developing products based on improved drug delivery
technologies as well as novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancer,
infectious diseases and other indications targeted by the Company. Some of these
companies are active in liposome and lipid-based research and product
development, and many have financial and technical resources and production and
marketing capabilities substantially greater than those of the Company. In
addition, many of these companies have significantly greater experience than the
Company in preclinical and clinical development activities, in obtaining
regulatory approval, and in manufacturing and marketing biopharmaceutical
products.


                                       17
<PAGE>   20
    A number of large pharmaceutical companies, including Bristol-Myers and
Pfizer Inc., have established strong market positions for oncology and
infectious diseases. For example, AMPHOTEC competes with traditional
amphotericin B therapy, which is currently produced and marketed by
Bristol-Myers and others. The Company also faces competition from two companies
specializing in liposome drug delivery, NeXstar and TLC, both of which have
received regulatory approvals in the United States and internationally for
products competitive with the Company's products. In some cases, the competing
liposomal products have been able to obtain significant market share in certain
territories by being the first to market, have been introduced at lower prices
than the Company's competing products, or have received marketing clearance
covering a broader range of indications than the Company's competing products.
For example, TLC recently received FDA clearance to market its amphotericin B
lipid formulation for treating a broader range of indications than the
indications for which AMPHOTEC has received marketing clearance.

    SEQUUS believes that competition in pharmaceutical products and in drug
delivery will continue to be intense as new products enter the market and
advanced technologies become available for drug discovery and development.
Existing products or new products developed by the Company's competitors may be
more effective, or be more effectively marketed and sold, than any that have
been or may be developed by the Company. Competitive products may render the
Company's technology and products obsolete or noncompetitive prior to the
Company's recovery of research, development or commercialization expenses
incurred with respect to any such products, which could have a material adverse
effect on the Company's business, financial condition or results of operations.
See "Business -- Competition."

LIMITED MARKETING AND SALES EXPERIENCE; DEPENDENCE ON THIRD-PARTY DISTRIBUTORS
AND AGENTS

    The Company has limited experience marketing and selling its products. The
Company currently markets and sells its products in the United States with a
recently expanded sales team of 39 people. The Company's ability to generate
future revenue in the United States is dependent on the success of its direct
sales team in marketing DOXIL and AMPHOTEC. Future development of its marketing
and sales organization may require significant additional expenditures,
management resources and time. In addition, the loss of certain key sales
personnel could adversely affect the sales effort and have a material adverse
effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
Several biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies have recently expanded their
sales forces, particularly in the field of oncology, which has increased
competition for experienced personnel. Furthermore, if the Company enters into
marketing partnerships with other companies to augment its own sales
organization, the Company's margins on these products would be significantly
reduced.

    In September 1996, the Company announced an exclusive arrangement with
Schering-Plough under which Schering-Plough has rights to market and sell DOXIL
worldwide, under the tradename CAELYX, except for the United States, Japan and
certain other countries. The Company has also entered into distribution
agreements with a number of corporate partners covering the marketing and
distribution of AMPHOCIL in various international markets. The Company's future
sales of CAELYX and AMPHOCIL outside of the United States will depend upon the
success of marketing efforts by Schering-Plough and other distribution partners,
the continuation of existing distribution arrangements, market acceptance of the
products, availability of third-party reimbursement, as well as the timing of
additional approvals, including pricing approvals, in other countries, if any.
Schering-Plough has the right to terminate the agreement with the Company at any
time if certain clinical results relating to CAELYX are not achieved, if certain
adverse events occur regarding patent matters and in certain other
circumstances. If Schering-Plough or any other distributor were to terminate its
agreement with the Company or be unsuccessful in meeting its sales objectives,
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations could be
materially adversely affected. There can be no assurance that the Company will
be able to successfully market its products through its sales team, partners,
agents or at all. See "Business -- Marketing and Sales", " -- Strategic
Alliances" and "Item 7 -- Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations."


                                       18
<PAGE>   21
DEPENDENCE ON THIRD-PARTY MANUFACTURING AND SOLE-SOURCE SUPPLIERS; MANUFACTURING
RISKS

    The Company's internal manufacturing capabilities are limited to producing
products for preclinical development. The Company is dependent on Ben Venue to
manufacture commercial-scale quantities of AMPHOTEC and DOXIL pursuant to supply
agreements. There can be no assurance that Ben Venue will continue to meet FDA
or product specification standards or that the Company's manufacturing
requirements can be met in a consistent and timely manner. Only a limited number
of contract manufacturers are capable of manufacturing AMPHOTEC and DOXIL, and
any alternative manufacturer would require regulatory approval to manufacture
the product which would likely take several months, if at all. The Company has
recently retained a second manufacturing site, Gensia Sicor, Inc. for its
products. The Company has in the past experienced batch failures in the
manufacturing process for AMPHOTEC and DOXIL. Any batch failures in the future
could result in a material increase in cost of goods sold or in the Company's
inability to deliver products on a timely basis. In addition, the Company may be
unable to obtain sufficient contract manufacturing capacity due to competing
demands on the contract manufacturer's capacity or other reasons. In the event
of any interruption of supply from the contract manufacturer due to regulatory
reasons, significant batch failures, capacity constraints or other causes, there
can be no assurance that the Company could make alternative manufacturing
arrangements on a timely basis, if at all. Such an interruption would have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations.

    The Company relies on certain suppliers of key raw materials to provide an
adequate supply of such materials for production of finished products. Certain
materials are purchased from single sources. In particular, amphotericin B and
doxorubicin are currently each supplied to the Company by single sources, and
the number of alternative sources is limited. The Company has a sole-source
supply agreement with Meiji Seika, which expires in 1999, to supply the Company
with doxorubicin for DOXIL. The Company also has a sole-source supply agreement
with A.L. Labs, which expires in 1999, to supply the Company with amphotericin B
for AMPHOTEC. There can be no assurance that these suppliers will not terminate
their supply agreements at the end of the initial term or that the doxorubicin
or the amphotericin B supplied under these agreements will continue to meet FDA
requirements applicable to DOXIL or AMPHOTEC, which could delay or prevent
future sales of DOXIL or AMPHOTEC, if any, by the Company. The number of
alternative qualified suppliers of key raw materials required for the
manufacture of DOXIL and AMPHOTEC is limited. The disqualification or loss of a
sole-source supplier could have a material adverse effect on the Company because
of a delay or inability in obtaining and qualifying an alternate supplier and
the costs associated with such delay and in finding and qualifying an alternate
supplier. Regulatory requirements applicable to pharmaceutical products tend to
make the substitution of suppliers costly and time consuming. The unavailability
of adequate commercial quantities, the termination of existing supply
arrangements, the loss of a supplier's regulatory approval, the inability to
develop alternative sources, a reduction or interruption in supply or a
significant increase in the price of materials could impair the Company's
ability to manufacture and market its products which would have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of
operations. See "Business -- Strategic Alliances" and " -- Manufacturing and
Production."

UNCERTAINTY OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

    The development of new pharmaceutical products is subject to a number of
significant risks. Potential products that appear to be promising at various
stages of development may not receive regulatory approval, reach the market or
achieve widespread use for a number of reasons. For example, DOXIL is being
clinically tested in various types of solid tumors. The Company's clinical data
in treatment of solid tumors are derived from a limited number of patients and
are not necessarily predictive of future results obtained in subsequent clinical
trials. Moreover, even when a drug does demonstrate activity, it may not be
sufficiently efficacious to replace existing therapies. There can be no
assurance that the Company's research and development efforts will be
successful, that any given product will be approved by appropriate regulatory
authorities or that any product candidate under development will be safe,
effective or capable of being manufactured in commercial quantities at an
economical cost, will not infringe the proprietary rights of others or will
achieve market acceptance.

    There are a number of challenges the Company must address successfully to
develop commercial products in each of its development programs. The Company's
potential products will require significant additional research and development
efforts, including process development and significant additional clinical
testing, prior to any commercial use. There can


                                       19
<PAGE>   22
be no assurance that the Company will have sufficient resources or will
successfully address any of these technological challenges, or others that may
arise in the course of development. See "Business -- Products and Products Under
Development" and " --  Government Regulation."

NO ASSURANCE OF REGULATORY APPROVALS; UNCERTAINTY OF GOVERNMENT REGULATION

    The production and marketing of the Company's products are subject to
rigorous manufacturing requirements, preclinical testing and clinical trials and
approval by the FDA, by comparable agencies in other countries and by state
regulatory authorities prior to marketing. The process of conducting clinical
trials and obtaining regulatory approval for a product typically takes a number
of years and involves substantial expenditures. In addition, product approvals
may be withdrawn or limited for noncompliance with regulatory standards or the
occurrence of unforeseen problems following initial marketing. The Company has
received regulatory clearance in the United States for the commercial sale of
only two of its products, DOXIL and AMPHOTEC, and such clearance is only for
limited indications. The Company may encounter significant delays or excessive
costs in its efforts to secure and maintain necessary approvals or licenses.
Future federal, state, local or foreign legislative or administrative acts could
also prevent or delay regulatory approval of the Company's products. There can
be no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain or maintain the
necessary approvals for manufacturing or marketing the Company's products for
current or expanded indications or that the data it obtains in clinical trials
will be sufficient to establish the safety and efficacy of its products. Even if
the Company obtains regulatory approval for any particular product, there can be
no assurance that it will be economically feasible for the Company to
commercialize its products. In addition, identification of certain side effects
after a drug is on the market or the occurrence of manufacturing problems could
cause subsequent withdrawal of approval, reformulation of the drug, additional
preclinical testing or clinical trials, and changes in labeling of the product.
Failure to obtain or maintain requisite governmental approvals, failure to
obtain approvals of the clinically intended uses or the identification of side
effects could delay or preclude the Company from further developing particular
products or from marketing its products, or could limit the commercial use of
its products, which would have a material adverse effect on the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations.

    The Company's regulatory clearances to market DOXIL in the United States for
refractory KS and in certain European countries for first-line and refractory KS
were based on extensive clinical data. In 1996, the Company submitted data from
its two randomized clinical trials to the FDA to obtain clearance to market
DOXIL as a first-line therapy. The FDA has informed the Company that it would
require additional information that addresses the methodology of assessing the
response rates seen in the trials in order to approve DOXIL for a first-line
indication. The Company is currently re-analyzing its existing clinical data,
analyzing data not previously submitted, and considering expanding ongoing
trials, if necessary, to support a first-line indication. There can be no
assurance that the Company will provide such data to the FDA or that any such
submission would result in clearance for a KS first-line indication. The
marketing clearance for DOXIL in the United States was provided in accordance
with the FDA's procedures for Accelerated Approval of New Drugs for Serious or
Life-Threatening Illnesses. Accelerated approval regulations require that an
applicant study an investigational drug following product launch to verify and
describe the drug's clinical benefit. The Company is conducting a post-marketing
clinical trial designed to meet accelerated approval requirements. Under FDA
accelerated approval regulations, the FDA may withdraw approval following
product launch if the Company fails to show due diligence in conducting the
post-marketing clinical trial or if this clinical trial fails to demonstrate
clinical benefit to the FDA's satisfaction. There can be no assurance that the
Company will be able to conduct a satisfactory post-marketing clinical trial or
that the results will be satisfactory to the FDA. If the Company is unable to
successfully complete the post-marketing clinical trials or if the results are
not satisfactory to the FDA, the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations could be materially adversely affected. See "Business --
Government Regulation."

    The Company is also subject to regulation under numerous federal, state and
local laws regarding, among other things, occupational safety, laboratory
practices, the use and handling of radioisotopes and hazardous chemicals,
prevention of illness and injury, environmental protection and hazardous
substance control. Failure to comply with such regulations could have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of
operations.


                                       20
<PAGE>   23
UNCERTAINTIES RELATED TO CLINICAL TRIALS

    Before obtaining regulatory approvals for the commercial sale of any of its
products under development, the Company must demonstrate through preclinical
studies and clinical trials that the product is safe and efficacious for use in
each target indication. The results from preclinical studies and early clinical
trials may not be predictive of results that will be obtained in large-scale
testing, and there can be no assurance that the Company's clinical trials will
demonstrate the safety and efficacy of any products or will result in marketable
products. For example, the Company has only conducted clinical trials for the
use of DOXIL in certain solid tumors on a limited number of patients. The
Company must conduct additional clinical testing in larger patient populations
to expand the indications for DOXIL. Many pharmaceutical and drug delivery
companies have suffered significant setbacks in advanced clinical trials, even
after obtaining promising results in earlier trials.

    The rate of completion of the Company's clinical trials is dependent upon,
among other factors, the rate of patient enrollment. The Company is dependent on
third parties including hospitals and physicians to conduct the clinical trials.
In addition, the Company is reliant on Schering-Plough to conduct certain
clinical trials for the use of DOXIL in treatment of solid tumors. There is
substantial competition to enroll patients in clinical trials for oncology
products. Delays in planned patient enrollment can result in increased costs and
delays. If the Company is unable to successfully complete its clinical trials,
its business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially
adversely affected. See "Business -- Products and Products Under Development,"
"-- Strategic Alliances" and " -- Government Regulation."

UNCERTAINTY OF FUTURE FINANCIAL RESULTS; FLUCTUATIONS IN OPERATING RESULTS

    The Company's quarterly operating results depend upon a variety of factors,
including the price, volume and timing of sales of the Company's approved
products; variations in payments under collaborative agreements, including
royalties, fees and other contract revenues; the availability of third-party
reimbursement; and the regulatory approvals of new products, or expanded
labeling of existing products. The Company's quarterly operating results may
also fluctuate significantly depending on other factors, including the timing of
the expansion of clinical trials for DOXIL and AMPHOTEC and the level of
clinical trials for SP1-077; changes in the Company's level of research and
development; changes in manufacturing capabilities; and variations in gross
margins of the Company's products which may be caused by cost increases from
third-party manufacturers, availability and cost of raw materials, competitive
pricing pressures and the mix between product sales in the United States and
sales to the Company's international marketing partners. In addition, sales of a
product in any given period, including the quarter in which a new product is
initially introduced to the market, may include a significant amount of orders
for inventory by distributors and wholesalers and may not necessarily be
indicative of actual demand for that product by physicians and patients. There
can be no assurance that distributors or wholesalers will be able to forecast
demand for product accurately. Fluctuations in operating results will occur to
the extent that demand by physicians and patients does not meet distributors' or
wholesalers' expectations. The Company expects quarter to quarter fluctuations
to continue in the future. In addition, the Company expects operating expenses
to increase in 1998, and there can be no assurance that the Company's revenues
will not decline or that the Company will ever achieve profitability. See "Item
7 -- Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations."

RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH INTERNATIONAL SALES

    There are significant challenges and risks to the Company associated with
selling products and conducting business in international markets, including,
but not limited to, varying government regulation of pharmaceutical products,
varying third-party and government reimbursement policies, uncertain
intellectual property protections, delays in establishing international
distribution channels and difficulties in collecting international accounts
receivable. The Company does not have extensive experience in international
sales and is relying on third parties to address these markets. The Company's
international business and financial performance could also be adversely
affected by matters such as currency controls, tariff regulations, foreign
duties and taxes, pricing controls and regulations and difficulties in obtaining
export licenses. In addition, the Company's products are priced in the currency
of the country in which such products are sold. Accordingly, the prices of such
products in dollars will vary as the value of the dollar fluctuates against such
local currencies. Increases in the value of the dollar against such currencies,
therefore, will reduce the dollars realized by the Company on the sale of its
products. The Company does not presently engage in any hedging or other
transactions intended to manage the risks


                                       21
<PAGE>   24
relating to foreign currency exchange rates or interest rate fluctuations.
However, the Company may in the future undertake such transactions if it
determines that it is advisable to offset such risks, although no assurance can
be given that these efforts will be successful.

UNCERTAINTY OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRICING AND REIMBURSEMENT

    The Company's business may be materially adversely affected by the
continuing efforts of worldwide governmental and third-party payors to contain
or reduce the costs of health care in general and drugs in particular. For
example, in most international markets, including markets the Company is seeking
to enter, pricing of prescription pharmaceuticals is subject to government price
controls. In these markets, once marketing approval is received, pricing
negotiation could take another six to 12 months or longer. In the United States
there have been, and there may continue to be, federal and state proposals to
implement similar government price controls. In addition, an increasing emphasis
on managed care and consolidation of hospital purchasing in the United States
has and will continue to put pressure on pharmaceutical pricing. Such proposals,
if adopted, and such initiatives could decrease the price that the Company
receives for any current or future products and thereby have a material adverse
effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
Further, to the extent that such proposals or initiatives have a material
adverse effect on pharmaceutical companies that are collaborators or prospective
collaborators for certain of the Company's products, the Company's ability to
commercialize its products may be materially adversely affected. In addition,
price competition may result from competing product sales, attempts to gain
market share or introductory pricing programs, which would have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of
operations.

    The Company's ability to commercialize DOXIL, AMPHOTEC and other products
may depend in part on the extent to which reimbursement for such products and
related treatments will be available from government health administration
authorities, private health insurers and other third-party payors. Significant
uncertainty exists as to the reimbursement status of newly approved health care
products, and third-party payors are increasingly challenging the prices charged
for medical products and services. There can be no assurance that any
third-party insurance coverage will be available to patients for any of the
Company's products. Government and other third-party payors are increasingly
attempting to contain health care costs by limiting the level of reimbursement
for new therapeutic products, and by refusing, in some cases, to provide
coverage or reimbursement for indications for which the FDA has not granted
marketing clearance. Moreover, reimbursement may be denied even for FDA-approved
indications. If adequate coverage and reimbursement levels are not provided by
the government and third-party payors for the Company's products, the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations would be materially
adversely affected. See "Business -- Government Regulation."

PRODUCT LIABILITY

    Testing, manufacturing, marketing and use of the Company's products will
entail substantial risk of product liability. The Company currently maintains
product liability insurance in an amount of $10 million per occurrence and $10
million in the aggregate. A single product liability claim could exceed the $10
million coverage limit, and there is a possibility of multiple claims. There can
be no assurance that the amount of insurance the Company has obtained against
the risk of product liability will be adequate, that the amount of such
insurance can be renewed at acceptable cost or at all, or that the amount and
scope of any coverage obtained will be adequate to protect the Company in the
event of a successful product liability claim. The Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected by
one or more successful product liability claims.

    In addition, with respect to the sale of products in the United States, the
Company believes it has significantly greater risk in connection with product
liability claims due to the greater frequency of lawsuits and higher claims paid
in courts in the United States as opposed to most other countries. The Company
is required by government regulations to test its products even after they have
been sold and used by patients. As a result of such tests, the Company may be
required to, or may determine that it should, recall products when such products
have already been sold. Such testing and any product recalls could increase the
Company's potential exposure to product liability claims and may have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of
operations.


                                       22
<PAGE>   25
UNCERTAINTIES REGARDING PATENTS AND TRADE SECRETS

    There has been increasing litigation in the biomedical, biotechnology and
pharmaceutical industries with respect to the manufacture, use and sale of new
therapeutic products that are the subject of conflicting patent rights. A
substantial number of patents relating to liposomes have been issued to, or are
controlled by, other public and private entities, including academic
institutions. In addition, others, including competitors of SEQUUS, have filed
applications for, or have been issued patents or may obtain additional patents
and proprietary rights relating to products or processes competitive with those
of SEQUUS. The patent positions of pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical,
biotechnology and drug delivery companies, including SEQUUS, are uncertain and
involve complex legal and factual issues. Additionally, the coverage claimed in
a patent application can be significantly reduced before the patent is issued.
As a consequence, the Company does not know whether any of its patent
applications will result in the issuance of patents or whether any of the
Company's existing patents will provide significant proprietary protection or
will be circumvented or invalidated. Since patent applications in the United
States are maintained in secrecy until patents issue, and since publication of
discoveries in the scientific or patent literature often lag behind actual
discoveries, the Company cannot be certain that it was the first inventor of
inventions covered by its pending patent applications or that it was the first
to file patent applications for such inventions. Moreover, the Company may have
to participate in interference proceedings to determine priority of invention,
which could result in substantial cost to the Company, even if the eventual
outcome is favorable to the Company. There can be no assurance that any patents
owned or controlled by the Company will protect SEQUUS against infringement
litigation or afford commercially significant protection of the Company's
technology. Almost none of the Company's patents has been tested in court to
determine their validity and scope. Moreover, the patent laws of foreign
countries differ from those of the United States and the degree of protection,
if any, afforded by foreign patents may therefore be different.

    The Company has in the past been a party to litigation regarding
intellectual property rights. In prior litigation in the Patents County Court in
the U.K., a suit brought by NeXstar alleging that the Company's anticancer drug,
DOXIL, infringes NeXstar's EPO Patent No. 0,179,444 was settled by the parties
dropping their respective claims against one another. The U.K. Patent Court
dismissed all claims in the case with prejudice.

    The Company has a practice of monitoring patents and other developments in
the liposome field. To the extent that the Company becomes aware of patents of
other parties which the Company's processes or products might infringe, it is
the Company's practice to seek review of such patents by the Company's patent
counsel. With respect to DOXIL, SEQUUS is aware of TLC's United States Patent
No. 5,077,056 (the "056 Patent") relating to the loading of therapeutic drugs
into liposomes. The Company's patent counsel has rendered an opinion that DOXIL
would not infringe any valid claim of this patent. International equivalent
patents to the 056 Patent issued to TLC are now undergoing opposition
proceedings in the European and Japanese patent offices and the Company is party
to such proceedings. Adverse results in such opposition proceedings could have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and
results of operations. The Company is also aware of recently issued United
States Patent No. 5,562,925 (the "925 Patent") covering therapeutic cisplatin
compositions held by Research Corporation Technologies Inc., which the Company
believes has been licensed exclusively to Bristol-Myers. The Company's patent
counsel has rendered an opinion that its STEALTH cisplatin formulation would not
infringe any valid claims of the 925 Patent. The Company is also aware of TLC's
United States Patent No. 5,008,050 relating to reducing liposome size by
extrusion, and NeXstar's United States Patent No. 5,435,989 relating to
targeting of liposomes to solid tumors. The Company's patent counsel has
rendered an opinion that DOXIL would not infringe any valid claim of either of
these patents. The Company is also aware of United States Patent Nos. 4,426,330
and 4,534,899 assigned to Lipid Specialties, Inc., relating to conjugates of
phospholipids and polyethyleneglycol. The Company's patent counsel has rendered
an opinion that DOXIL would not infringe any valid claims of these patents.

    In November 1991, the Company received a letter from TLC bringing to the
Company's attention TLC's United States Patent No. 5,059,591 for "Reduced
Toxicity" (the "591 Patent") containing claims directed to amphotericin B/sterol
compositions and their method of use. Subsequently, the Company's patent counsel
delivered an opinion to the Company that, among other things, AMPHOTEC does not
infringe any valid claim of the 591 Patent. The Company has not received any
further written correspondence with respect to this issue. However, no assurance
can be given that TLC will not make a claim against SEQUUS with respect to the
591 Patent, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's ability
to commercialize AMPHOTEC.


                                       23
<PAGE>   26
    Even if the Company's patent counsel renders advice that the Company's
products do not infringe any valid claim under such patents, there can be no
assurance that any third party will not commence litigation to enforce such
patents. The Company has been required to defend itself in patent litigation in
the past and uncertainties inherent in any other lawsuit that may be commenced
in the future with respect to any alleged patent infringement by the Company
make the outcome of any such litigation difficult to predict. If another company
were to successfully bring legal actions against the Company claiming patent or
other intellectual property right infringements, in addition to any liability
for damages, the Company could be enjoined by a court from selling such products
or processes or might be required to obtain a license to manufacture or sell the
affected product or process. There can be no assurance that the Company would
prevail in any such action or that the Company could obtain any license required
under any such patent on acceptable terms, if at all. Any litigation, whether or
not resolved in favor of the Company, could be expensive and time-consuming,
could consume substantial management resources, could have a material adverse
effect on the Company's product distribution arrangements and could otherwise
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition
and results of operations.

    The Company relies on unpatented trade secrets and proprietary know-how to
protect certain aspects of its production and other technologies. Although
SEQUUS has entered into confidentiality agreements with its employees,
consultants, representatives and other business associates, there can be no
assurance that trade secrets and know-how will remain undisclosed or that
similar trade secrets or know-how will not be independently developed by others.
See "Business -- Strategic Alliances" and " -- Patents and Trade Secrets."

HISTORY OF OPERATING LOSSES; NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FINANCING

    The Company has incurred losses in each year since its inception and has
accumulated approximately $174.2 million in net losses through December 31,
1997, including a net loss of $23.6 million in the fiscal year ended December
31, 1997. There can be no assurance that revenues from product sales or other
sources will be sufficient to fund operations or that the Company will achieve
profitability or positive cash flow. Additional financing may be required to
fund the Company's continuing operations and product and business development
activities in the form of debt or equity securities or bank financing. There can
be no assurance that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at
all. The unavailability of such financing could delay or prevent the
development, testing, regulatory approval, manufacturing or marketing of some or
all of the Company's products and could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, financial conditions or results of operations. See "Item 7
-- Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations."

DEPENDENCE ON KEY PERSONNEL; MANAGEMENT TRANSITION

    The Company's success depends largely upon its ability to attract and retain
qualified scientific, medical, engineering, manufacturing, sales and marketing
and management personnel. The Company faces competition for such personnel from
other companies, academic institutions, government entities and other
organizations. There can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in
hiring or retaining such personnel. Three of the key executive officers of the
Company have joined the management team in the past two years. The new
management team will face significant challenges in transitioning the Company
from research and development to manufacturing and marketing of the Company's
products that have received regulatory approval. There can be no assurance that
the management team can successfully manage the transition of the Company's
business. See "Business -- Employees" and"

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

    As with many biopharmaceutical companies, the Company's research and
development involves the controlled use of hazardous materials and chemical
compounds. There can be no assurance that the Company's safety procedures for
handling and disposing of such materials will comply with the standards
prescribed by federal, state and local regulations or that it will not be
subject to the risk of accidental contamination or injury from these materials.
In the event of such an accident, the Company could be held liable for any
damages that result and any such liability could materially adversely affect the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. See "Business
-- Government Regulation."


                                       24
<PAGE>   27
VOLATILITY OF STOCK PRICE

    The market price of the Company's securities, like the stock prices of many
publicly traded biopharmaceutical companies, has been and may continue to be
highly volatile. A variety of events, both concerning and unrelated to the
Company and the biopharmaceutical industry, such as the level of sales of the
Company's products, problems with clinical development of the Company's
potential products, announcements of technological innovations, regulatory
developments or new commercial products by the Company or its competitors,
government regulation, delays or other developments relating to regulatory
approvals, developments or disputes relating to patent or proprietary rights,
comments and reports by securities analysts, product liability claims, as well
as period-to-period fluctuations in the Company's financial results, may have a
significant negative impact on the market price of the Company's securities.
"Item 5 -- Market for Registrant's Equity and Related Stockholder Matters."


ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

 As of December 31, 1997, the Company leased approximately 158,544 square feet
of laboratory, office and warehouse space in Menlo Park, California under leases
that expire in April 2003 and approximately 4,080 square feet of office space in
London under a lease that expires in December 2003. Rent expense for 1997 was
approximately $1,856,000

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

    The Company is not party to any legal proceedings. See "Item 1 -- Business
-- Patents and Trade Secrets."

ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

      No matters were submitted to a vote of security holders during the fourth
quarter of the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997.


                                       25
<PAGE>   28
SUPPLEMENTAL ITEM.     DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

    Information with respect to the executive officers and directors of the
Company as of February 1, 1998 is set forth below:

            NAME                    AGE        POSITION WITH THE COMPANY
I. Craig Henderson, M.D. .........   56  Chairman of the Board and Chief
                                         Executive Officer
Joseph J. Vallner, Ph.D. .........   51  Executive Vice President, Chairman
                                         of Operating Committee
Kenneth D. Cunningham, M.D. ......   49  Vice President of Clinical
                                         Development and Medical Director
Peter K. Working, Ph.D. ..........   49  Vice President for Research &
                                         Development
Edward L. Jacobs..................   51  Senior Vice President of  Commercial
                                         Operations
Aron F. Stein ....................   39  Vice President for Regulatory Affairs
Anthony A. Huang, Ph.D. ..........   45  Vice President for Product
                                         Development
Francis J. Martin, Ph.D. .........   49  Vice President and Chief Scientific
                                         Officer
Sally A. Davenport................   62  Corporate Secretary
Anthony T. Hendrickson............   44  Corporate Controller and Principal
                                         Accounting Officer
Robin D. Campbell ................   43  Director
Robert G. Faris(1)(2).............   59  Director
Richard C.E. Morgan(1)(2).........   53  Director
E. Donnall Thomas, M.D.(1)(2).....   77  Director

----------
(1) Member of the Compensation and Plan Committee of the Board of Directors.

(2) Member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.

    The Company's By-laws authorize the Board of Directors to set the number of
directors, which is currently fixed at five.

    All directors hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and
until their successors have been elected. Officers are appointed to serve,
subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors, until their successors are
appointed.

    I. Craig Henderson, M.D. has been Chief Executive Officer of the Company
since June 1995 and Chairman of the Board since July 1995 and has served as a
director of the Company since July 1993. Since July 1995, Dr. Henderson has been
an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at University of California, San Francisco.
From 1992 until July 1995, he served as Professor of Medicine, Chief of Medical
Oncology and Director of Clinical Cancer Programs at the University of
California, San Francisco. From 1989 to 1992 he served as a member and, for most
of this time, as Chairman of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee of the FDA.
From 1974 to 1992, Dr. Henderson held an academic appointment at Harvard Medical
School, most recently as Associate Professor of Medicine. Dr. Henderson founded
the Breast Evaluation Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 1980 and
served as its director until 1992. He received an M.D. degree from Columbia
University.

    Joseph J. Vallner, Ph.D. joined the Company in February 1992 as Vice
President for Development and was appointed Senior Vice President for Research
and Development in April 1995. From 1986 to 1992, Dr. Vallner was Director,
Corporate Technology Transfer, of Syntex. While at Syntex, he also performed
various pharmaceutical development functions ranging from drug design and
development to responsibility for regulatory filings with the FDA. Before
joining Syntex, Dr. Vallner was a Group Leader with G.D. Searle, where he
supervised pharmaceutical formulation development and development of new drug
delivery systems. From 1974 to 1984, Dr. Vallner was Associate Professor of
Pharmaceutics at the University of Georgia. Dr. Vallner received a Ph.D. in
Pharmaceutics from the University of Wisconsin.


                                       26
<PAGE>   29
      Kenneth D. Cunningham, M.D. has been Vice President of Clinical
Development and Medical Director since June 1997. From 1996 to 1997, Dr.
Cunningham served as European Medical Director for International Operations in
the SEQUUS European office, worked with the DOXIL development group in the U.S.,
and participated in the SEQUUS-Schering-Plough Joint Development Team. Prior to
joining SEQUUS in 1996, Dr. Cunningham was with Glaxo Wellcome where he held
several clinical positions including Director of Infectious Diseases, Worldwide
Medical Affairs; Head of Infection & Oncology, International Medical Affairs;
and Senior Research Physician, Infection and Oncology, Clinical Research. Dr.
Cunningham also worked at Warner Lambert as a Pharmaceutical Physician and a
Clinical Assistant in Oncology and has several years of experience working in a
hospital setting. Dr. Cunningham received his medical degree form St. Mary's
Hospital Medical School, Paddington, London, United Kingdom. His specialty
training was in Pediatric Oncology.

      Edward L. Jacobs joined SEQUUS in November 1997 as Senior Vice President
of Commercial Operations. Mr. Jacobs has a long career in oncology marketing
both in major pharmaceutical companies and, more recently, in smaller companies
closer to the size of SEQUUS. He was at Adria Laboratories (now merged into
Pharmacia Upjohn) for eight years as Business Director of the Oncology Products
Division. More recently he has served as President and CEO of Trilex
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and General Manager of oncology services for Syncor
International and Vice President Marketing and Commercial Development at NeoRx
Corporation.

      Anthony H. Huang, Ph.D. has been Vice President of Product Development of
the Company since April 1995. He has served in various technical capacities with
the Company for the last 14 years, including Senior Director, Formulations from
1993 to 1995 and Director, Formulations from 1986 to 1993. Before joining the
Company, he was a Research Investigator at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak
Ridge, Tennessee. Dr. Huang received a Ph.D. degree in Pharmacology from the
University of California, San Francisco.

      Francis J. Martin, Ph.D. was appointed Vice President and Chief Scientific
Officer of the Company in July 1994. From October 1986 he served as Vice
President for Research and Principal Scientist, with responsibility for guiding
and coordinating the Company's internal and extramural research activities for
STEALTH liposome products. From 1981 to 1986, Dr. Martin served the Company in
various capacities, including Director of Liposome Research and Formulations and
was the Technical Director of the Company's former joint venture,
Cooper-Lipotech. Dr. Martin received a Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry from
Northwestern University.

      Aron F. Stein, Ph.D. joined SEQUUS in April 1997. Previously he was with
Pfizer Central Research, where he held several management positions, most
recently as Director of Drug Regulatory Affairs Liaison, with responsibility for
the operations, management and administration of worldwide regulatory strategies
for developmental drug candidate programs, regulatory submissions, and
interactions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Prior to joining Pfizer
in 1991, Dr. Stein served as manager for drug regulatory affairs at Du Pont
Merck Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Stein received his Ph.D. degree in toxicology from
Texas A&M University and subsequently served as an NIH Fellow in toxicology at
the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas.

      Peter K. Working, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., has been Vice President for Research
and Development since August 1997. He previously served as Vice President of
Preclinical Research since April 1995. From 1994 to 1995, he served as Senior
Director of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and from 1992 to 1994 as Director of
Pharmacology and Toxicology of the Company. From 1988 to 1992, Dr. Working was a
Senior Experimental Toxicologist at Genentech, Inc. From 1984 to 1988, he was a
Staff Scientist in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Toxicology at the
Chemistry Industry Institute of Toxicology in Research Triangle Park, North
Carolina, where he was a Post-Doctoral Fellow from 1982 to 1984. He was
board-certified in toxicology in 1989. Dr. Working received a Ph.D. degree in
Human Anatomy from the University of California at Davis.

      Sally A. Davenport is a Company founder and has served as the the
Company's Corporate Secretary since the Company's inception. She has been
responsible for various administrative and corporate functions since 1981,
including human relations, investor and public relations, and public company
reporting. Ms. Davenport received a B.S. degree in Technical Journalism from
Iowa State University.

      Anthony T. Hendrickson has served as Corporate Controller and Chief
Accounting Officer since April 1997. Mr. Hendrickson joins SEQUUS from Lanier
Worldwide where he served as director of finance and administration of a U.S.


                                       27
<PAGE>   30
operating division. Previously he was a senior manager at KPMG-Peat Marwick.
From 1980 to 1993, Mr. Hendrickson held several managerial positions in the
accounting, tax and finance departments of Syntex Corporation, a multi-national
pharmaceutical company headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Mr. Hendrickson
received an MBA in Finance and Management from Ohio State University in
Columbus, Ohio.

      Robin D. Campbell, Ph.D. was appointed director of the Company in February
1998. Dr. Campbell currently is Vice President of Asia-Pacific/Latin America
Operations at Amgen, Inc. where he is responsible for Amgen's marketing,
development and finance operations in Australia, Canada, China and Japan. Dr.
Campbell leads an initiative to open new markets in Mexico and Latin America in
the near future. Dr. Campbell is also responsible for managing the contracts and
relationships with corporate partners in the Asia-Pacific/Latin America region.
He has worked for Amgen since 1989, beginning as a Product Manager with Neupogen
Marketing and subsequently serving as Associate Director of International
Marketing, and Associate Director, Director and Senior Director of Product
Development. Prior to his tenure at Amgen, Dr. Campbell served in several
positions at Ciba-Geigy Corporation, most notably as Product Manager of
Cardiovascular Products.

      Robert G. Faris has served as a director of the Company since March 1985.
Since 1990, he has been President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of the
Polish American Enterprise Fund, which invests United States government funds in
Poland. From 1971 to 1987, he served as President of Alan Patricof Associates,
Inc., an investment advisor to venture capital partnerships, and from 1987 to
1990, Mr. Faris was a private investor.

      Richard C.E. Morgan has served as a director of the Company since May 30,
1990. Since January 1996, Mr. Morgan has been a partner of Jackson Hole
Management Inc., a venture capital firm which is the successor company to the
Asset Management Division of Wolfensohn Partners, L.P. Since 1986, he has been a
general partner of Wolfensohn Partners L.P., a venture capital limited
partnership, and the general partner of Wolfensohn Associates L.P. From 1984 to
1986, he served as an executive of James D. Wolfensohn, Inc., and from 1977 to
1984, he served as General Manager of The Schroder Strategy Group and director
of J. Henry Schroder Wagg & Co. Ltd. (London). He is a director of
Lasertechnics, Inc., a printing systems company, Celgene Corporation, a
biotechnology company, Quidel Corporation, a medical diagnostics company, and
Indigo N.V., a printing systems company.

      E. Donnall Thomas, M.D. has served as a director of the Company since May
27, 1993. Dr. Thomas serves as Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee of
Cell Therapeutics, Inc. He is also Professor Emeritus of Medicine, University of
Washington School of Medicine in Seattle and a member of the Fred Hutchinson
Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Dr. Thomas previously served, from 1974 to
1989, as Director of Medical Oncology and Director of Clinical Research Programs
at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and, from 1963 to 1985, he headed
the Division of Oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine in
Seattle. Dr. Thomas received the Nobel Prize in Medicine and the Presidential
Medal of Science in 1990. He received an M.D. degree from Harvard Medical
School.


                                       28
<PAGE>   31
PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

(a) MARKET INFORMATION

    The Company's Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the
symbol SEQU. The table below sets forth the high and low sales prices for the
Company's Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq National Market for each
calendar quarter within 1997 and 1996. These over-the-counter quotations reflect
inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commissions, and may
not necessarily represent the sales prices in actual transactions.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          HIGH       LOW
                                          ----       ---
<S>                                     <C>        <C>
1997:
        Fourth Quarter................  $ 9 5/8    $ 6 5/8
        Third Quarter.................    8 31/32    5 1/2
        Second Quarter................    8 5/16     5 3/8
        First Quarter.................    16 3/8     7 1/8
1996:
        Fourth Quarter................  $ 17       $ 12 1/4
        Third Quarter.................    20 1/8     11 1/2
        Second Quarter................    22 1/2     13 3/4
        First Quarter.................    19 1/2     12 3/8
</TABLE>


(b) HOLDERS

    As of December 31, 1997, there were approximately 438 holders of record of
the Company's Common Stock.

(c) DIVIDENDS

      The Company has not paid any cash dividends on its Common Stock since its
inception and does not anticipate paying any dividends on the Common Stock in
the foreseeable future. The Company's future dividend policy will be determined
by its Board of Directors based on many factors, including results of
operations, capital requirements and general business conditions.


ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

        Selected financial data are shown in Exhibit 13 to this Annual Report on
        Form 10-K.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS
        OF OPERATIONS

        Management's discussion analysis of financial condition and results of
        operation appears in Exhibit 13 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

        Financial Statements appear in Exhibit 13 to this Annual Report on Form
        10-K.

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND
        FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

        Not  applicable.


                                       29
<PAGE>   32
                                    PART III


ITEM 10. DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

         The Company incorporates by reference the information set forth under
the captions "Election of Directors" and "Compliance with Section 16A of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934" in the Company's Proxy Statement to be filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than April 30, 1998, and
to be mailed to stockholders in connection with the Company's Annual Meeting of
Stockholders (the "Proxy Statement"). Certain information relating to executive
officers of the Company appears in Part I, Item 4A of this Annual Report on
Form 10-K.

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

         The Company incorporates by reference the information set forth under
the caption "Executive Compensation" of the Proxy Statement.


ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

         The Company incorporates by reference the information set forth under
the caption "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management " of
the Proxy Statement.


ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

         The Company incorporates by reference the information set forth under
the caption "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions " of the Proxy
Statement.


                                       30
<PAGE>   33
                                     PART IV

ITEM 14. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

(a) 1. AND 2. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE

    The following documents appear in Exhibit 13 to this Annual Report on Form
10-K and are filed as part hereof.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     PAGE
                                                                                     ----
<S>                                                                                  <C>
Report of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors...................................  43
Balance Sheets at December 31, 1997 and 1996........................................  44
Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995 ......  45
Statement of Stockholders' Equity for the three years ended December 31, 1997 ......  46
Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994 ......  47
Notes to Financial Statements.......................................................  48

Schedule II -- Valuation and Qualifying Accounts....................................  59

</TABLE>

    All other schedules are omitted because they are not required or the
required information is included in the financial statements or notes thereto.

3. EXHIBITS:


 3.1        Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended (1)

 3.2        By-Laws (2)

10.1*       1982 Employee Stock Option Plan (As Amended) (3)

10.1.1*     1987 Employee Stock Option Plan (4)

10.1.2*     1987 Consultant Stock Option Plan (4)

10.1.4*     Employee Stock Purchase Plan (4)

10.1.5*     401(k) Plan and Adoption Agreement for 401(k) Plan (3)

10.1.6*     LTI Flex Elect Section 125 Cafeteria Plan (3)

10.1.7*     1990 Director Stock Option Plan (4)

10.2.1      Lease Agreement between Lincoln Menlo IV & V Associates Limited and
            the Company dated February 13, 1996 for 960 and 978 Hamilton Court,
            Menlo Park, California. (5)

10.2.2      Lease Agreement between Lincoln Menlo IV & V Associates Limited and
            the Company dated February 13, 1996 for 1050, 1080 and 1098 Hamilton
            Court, Menlo Park, California. (5)

10.2.3      Lease Agreement between Lincoln Menlo III Associates Limited and the
            Company dated May 1, 1995 for 1180 Hamilton Court, Menlo Park,
            California. (5)

10.2.4      Lease Agreement between Lincoln Menlo VI and the Company dated
            February 1, 1996 for 1360 Willow Road, Menlo Park, California. (5)

10.4*       Employment Agreement dated as of June 30, 1983, between the Company
            and Sally A. Davenport (2)

10.5        Forms of Confidentiality Agreements entered into by Employees,
            Consultants and Advisors of the Company (2)

10.12       Common Stock and Warrant Purchase agreement between the Company and
            David Blech dated as of January 25, 1990 (6)

10.14**     Agreement between Zeneca Limited and the Company relating to
            "Amphocil" dated August 12, 1993, as amended as of March 1, 1994 and
            July 12, 1994 (7)

10.15**     Manufacturing and Supply Agreement between Ben Venue Laboratories,
            Inc. ("Ben Venue") and the Company relating to DOXIL dated January
            1, 1993 (7)

10.16**     Manufacturing and Supply Agreement between Ben Venue and the Company
            relating to AMPHOCIL dated January 1, 1993 (7)


                                       31
<PAGE>   34
10.17**     Supply Agreement between Meiji Seika Pharma International LTD and
            the Company relating to Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, USP dated
            September 27, 1994 (7)

10.18**     Supply Agreement between A.L. Laboratories and the Company relating
            to Amphotericin B, USP dated February 15, 1994 (7)

10.20       Employment Agreement between the Company and I. Craig Henderson
            dated June 26, 1995 (8)

10.21       Employment Agreement between the Company and L. Scott Minick dated
            June 26, 1995 (8)

10.22**     Distribution Agreement between Schering-Plough Ltd. and the Company
            dated August 29, 1996 (9)

13          1997 Annual Report to Security Holders

23.1        Consent of Independent Auditors

24          Power of Attorney - See page 34

27          Financial Data Schedule

 *     Management or Compensatory plan or arrangement.

**     Confidential treatment requested.

(1) Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
    Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed on February 6, 1997 (File No.
    333-21235) and incorporated herein by reference.

(2) Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
    Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 33-13332) and incorporated
    herein by reference.

(3) Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1988 and
    incorporated herein by reference.

(4) Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal years ended December 31, 1995 and
    incorporated herein by reference.

(5) Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
    Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 1996
    and incorporated herein by reference.

(6) Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1990 and
    incorporated herein by reference.

(7) Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
    Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the fiscal year ended December
    31, 1994 and incorporated herein by reference.

(8) Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
    Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 1995 and
    incorporated herein by reference.

(9) Filed as an Exhibit to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as
    amended, for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 1996 and incorporated
    herein by reference.

(b) REPORTS ON FORM 8-K.

    No reports on Form 8-K were filed during the quarter ended December 31,
1997.


                                       32
<PAGE>   35
                                   SIGNATURES

    Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Form 10-K to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


                               SEQUUS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Date: March 31, 1998
                               By: /s/      I. CRAIG HENDERSON, M.D.
                                  ----------------------------------------------
                                            I. Craig Henderson, M.D.
                                            Chairman and Chief Executive Officer


                                       33
<PAGE>   36
                      POWER OF ATTORNEY TO SIGN AMENDMENTS

    KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below does hereby constitute and appoint I. Craig Henderson and Sally A.
Davenport, and each of them, with full power of substitution and full power to
act without the other, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to act for
him in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all
amendments to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and to file the same, with all
exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises
in order to effectuate the same as fully, to all intents and purposes, as they
or he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, may lawfully do or cause do be
done by virtue hereof.

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this
report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.


          SIGNATURE                         TITLE                      DATE


    /s/ I. CRAIG HENDERSON     Chairman of the Board, Chief       March 31, 1998
 ---------------------------   Executive Officer (Principal
   I. Craig Henderson, M.D.    Executive and Financial
                               Officer)




  /s/ ANTHONY T. HENDRICKSON   Corporate Controller               March 31, 1998
 ---------------------------   (Principal Accounting Officer)
      Anthony Hendrickson



     /s/ ROBERT G. FARIS       Director                           March 31, 1998
 ---------------------------
        Robert G. Faris



   /s/ RICHARD C.E. MORGAN     Director                           March 31, 1998
 ---------------------------
      Richard C.E. Morgan



    /s/ E. DONNALL THOMAS      Director                           March 31, 1998
 ---------------------------
    E. Donnall Thomas, M.D.



    /s/ ROBIN D. CAMPBELL      Director                           March 31, 1998
 ---------------------------
   Robin D. Campbell, Ph.D


                                       34
<PAGE>   37


                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit
Number         Description
-------        -----------
<S>            <C>
 3.1           Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended(1)
 3.2           By-Laws(2)
10.1*          1982 Employee Stock Option Plan (As Amended)(3)
10.1.1*        1987 Employee Stock Option Plan(4)
10.1.2*        1987 Consultant Stock Option Plan(4)
10.1.4*        Employee Stock Purchase Plan(4)
10.1.5*        401(k) Plan and Adoption Agreement for 401(k) Plan(3)
10.1.6*        LTI Flex Elect Section 125 Cafeteria Plan(3)
10.1.7*        1990 Director Stock Option Plan(4)
10.2.1         Lease Agreement between Lincoln Menlo IV & V Associates Limited
               and the Company dated February 13, 1996 for 960 and 978 Hamilton
               Court, Menlo Park, California.(5)
10.2.2         Lease Agreement between Lincoln Menlo IV & V Associates Limited
               and the Company dated February 13, 1996 for 1050, 1080 and 1098
               Hamilton Court, Menlo Park, California(5)
10.2.3         Lease Agreement between Lincoln Menlo III Associates Limited and
               the Company dated May 1, 1995 for 1180 Hamilton Court, Menlo
               Park, California(5)
10.2.4         Lease Agreement between Lincoln Menlo IV and the Company dated
               February 1, 1996 for 1360 Willow Road, Menlo Park, California(5)
10.4*          Employment Agreement dated as of June 30, 1983, between the
               Company and Sally A. Davenport(2)
10.5           Forms of Confidentiality Agreements entered into by Employees,
               Consultants and Advisors of the Company(2)
10.12          Common Stock and Warrant Purchase agreement between the Company
               and David Blech dated as of January 25, 1990(6)
10.14**        Agreement between Zeneca Limited and the Company relating to
               "Amphocil" dated August 12, 1993, as amended as of March 1, 1994
               and July 12, 1994(7)
10.15**        Manufacturing and Supply Agreement between Ben Venue
               Laboratories, Inc. ("Ben Venue") and the Company relating to
               DOXIL dated January 1, 1993(7)
10.16**        Manufacturing and Supply Agreement between Ben Venue and the
               Company relating to AMPHOCIL dated January 1, 1993(7)
10.17**        Supply Agreement between Meiji Seika Pharma International LTD and
               the Company relating to Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, USP dated
               September 27, 1994(7)
10.18**        Supply Agreement between A.L. Laboratories and the Company
               relating to Amphotericin B, USP dated February 15, 1994(7)
10.20          Employment Agreement between the Company and J. Craig Henderson
               dated June 26, 1995(8)
10.21          Employment Agreement between the Company and L. Scott Minick
               dated June 26, 1995(8)
10.22**        Distribution Agreement between Schering-Plough Ltd. and the
               Company dated August 29, 1996(9)
13             1997 Annual Report to Security Holders
23.1           Consent of Independent Auditors
24             Power of Attorney--See page 34
27             Financial Data Schedule
</TABLE>

 *   Management or Compensatory plan or arrangement.
**   Confidential treatment requested.

(1)  Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
     Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed on February 6, 1997 (File No.
     333-21235) and incorporated herein by reference.

(2)  Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
     Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 33-13332) and incorporated
     herein by reference.

(3)  Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
     Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1988 and
     incorporated herein by reference.

(4)  Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
     Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal years ended December 31, 1995
     and incorporated herein by reference.

(5)  Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
     Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 1996
     and incorporated herein by reference.

(6)  Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
     Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1990 and
     incorporated herein by reference.

(7)  Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
     Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the fiscal year ended
     December 31, 1994 and incorporated herein by reference.

(8)  Filed as an Exhibit with corresponding Exhibit Number to the Company's
     Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 1995
     and incorporated herein by reference.

(9)  Filed as an Exhibit to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as
     amended, for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 1996 and incorporated
     herein by reference.