Exhibit 10.1(c)
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

              JOHN S. NORTH AND AMERICAN BIOGENETIC SCIENCES, INC.

         AGREEMENT,  dated as of the 2nd day of November,  1998,  by and between
AMERICAN BIOGENETIC SCIENCES,  INC., a Delaware  corporation,  having a place of
business at 1375 Akron Street,  Copiague, New York 11726 (hereinafter designated
and referred to as "Company"),  and John S. North,  residing at 7812  Chesapeake
Dr. East, Indianapolis, Indiana 46236 (hereinafter designated and referred to as
"Employee").

         WHEREAS,  the Company desires to employ the Employee in the capacity of
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company; and

         WHEREAS,  Employee is willing to accept such employment by the Company,
all in accordance with provisions hereinafter set forth.

         NOW THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the promises and mutual covenants
herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

         1. Term: The term of this Agreement  shall be for a period of three (3)
years commencing November 16, 1998 and automatically terminating on November 15,
2001,  subject to earlier  termination as provided  herein or unless extended by
mutual  consent of both  parties in writing  four (4) months prior to the end of
the term of this  Agreement or any extension  thereof,  but nothing herein shall
require  the  Company  to  agree to any  specific  term or  condition  or to any
continuation of Employee's employment beyond November 15, 2001.

         2.  Employment:  Subject  to the  terms  and  conditions  and  for  the
compensation  hereinafter  set forth,  the Company  employs the Employee for and
during the term of this Agreement. Employee is hereby employed by the Company as
its President and Chief Executive Officer, his powers and duties of an executive
nature which are appropriate  for a President and Chief Executive  Officer shall
be  determined  only by the  Chairman of the Board or the Board of  Directors or
their duly authorized designee,  from time to time; and the Employee does hereby
accept such  employment and agrees to use his best efforts and to devote all his
normal business time,  during the term of this Agreement,  to the performance of
his duties  faithfully,  diligently  and to the best of his  abilities  upon the
conditions  hereinafter set forth.  Employee shall report to the Chairman of the
Board  and  Board of  Directors  (collectively  hereinafter  referred  to as the
"Board") of the Company.

         3. Compensation:  During the term of this Agreement, the Company agrees
to pay Employee,  and Employee agrees to accept, an annual salary of Two Hundred
and Sixty Thousand  Dollars  ($260,000.00)  per year less all applicable  taxes,
payable  every two  weeks,  for all  services  rendered  by  Employee  hereunder
including  being a Director of the Company if elected to the Board of Directors.
In  addition,  the Employee  shall  receive a one time sign on payment of Twenty
Five Thousand  Dollars  ($25,000)  payable on January 15, 1999,  and an interest
free loan of One Hundred Thousand Dollars  ($100,000) which shall be forgiven as
to  twenty-five  (25%)  every  six (6)  months  provided  Employee  is  still an
Employee.

         4. Expenses:  The Company shall reimburse Employee, not less often than
monthly,  for all reasonable  and actual  business  expenses  incurred by him in
connection  with  his  service  to  the  Company,  upon  submission  by  him  of
appropriate vouchers and expense account reports. The Employee shall have use of
a Company American Express Card for Company business purposes.

         5.  Benefits:  In  addition  to  the  salary  to be  paid  to  Employee
hereunder,  the Company shall provide medical and dental insurance and allow the
Employee to participate in any disability, pension,

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retirement or other  qualified  plans adopted for the benefit of its  employees,
and in accordance with the Company's Plan(s).  The Employee shall be entitled to
a four (4) weeks annual vacation.

         6. Extent of Service:  The Employee  during the term of this  Agreement
shall devote his full normal business time,  attention and energy and render his
best efforts and skill to the business of the Company.

         7.  Restrictive  Covenant:  (A)  Employee  acknowledges  that  (i)  the
business in which the Company is engaged is intensely  competitive  and that his
employment  by the Company will require that he have access to and  knowledge of
confidential information of the Company,  including, but not limited to, certain
of the Company's confidential plans for the creation, acquisition or disposition
of products,  expansion plans, product development plans,  financial status, and
plans and personnel information and trade secrets, which are of vital importance
to the success of the Company's business; (ii) the direct or indirect disclosure
of any such confidential information to existing or potential competitors of the
Company  would place the Company at a competitive  disadvantage  and would cause
damage,  financial and otherwise,  to the Company's  business;  and (iii) by his
training,  experience and expertise, some of his services to the Company will be
special and unique.  (B) Employee agrees that, during the term of this Agreement
and for a period of one (1) year after the  termination  of this  Agreement,  he
will not  directly or  indirectly  become  affiliated  as an officer,  director,
employee  or  consultant  or as a  substantial  security  holder  with any other
company or entity in a business which is directly  competitive with any business
then being conducted by the Company or its  subsidiaries  within the Continental
United  States or in countries  abroad  participating  in the  Company's  Global
Network.  For the  purpose  hereof,  "substantial  security  holder"  shall mean
ownership, directly or indirectly, of more than 5% of any class of securities of
a company or partnership interest in any partnership.

         8. Discoveries, etc.:

         [A] The Company shall be the owner,  without further  compensation,  of
all  rights  of  every  kind in and  with  respect  to any  reports,  materials,
inventions, processes,  discoveries,  improvements,  modifications,  know-how or
trade  secrets  hereafter  made,  prepared,  invented,   discovered,   acquired,
suggested  or reduced to practice  (hereinafter  designated  and  referred to as
"Property Rights") by Employee in connection with Employee's  performance of his
duties pursuant to this Agreement,  and the Company shall be entitled to utilize
and dispose of such in such manner as it may determine.

         [B] The Employee agrees to and shall promptly disclose to the Board all
Property Rights (whether or not patentable) made,  discovered or conceived of by
him, alone or with others,  at any time during his employment  with the Company.
Any such Property Rights will be the sole and exclusive property of the Company,
and Employee will execute any assignments requested by the Company of his right,
title or interest in any such Property  Rights.  In addition,  the Employee will
also provide the Company with any other  instruments  or documents  requested by
the  Company,  at the  Company's  expense,  as may be  necessary or desirable in
applying for and obtaining patents with respect thereto in the United States and
all foreign countries. The Employee also agrees to cooperate with the Company in
the  prosecution  or defense of any patent claims or  litigation or  proceedings
involving  inventions,  trade  secrets,   trademarks,   services  marks,  secret
processes,  discoveries  or  improvements,  whether or not he is employed by the
Company at the time.

         9. Confidential Information:  Employee recognizes and acknowledges that
the  Company,  through the  expenditure  of  considerable  time and money,  will
acquire, has developed and will continue to develop in the future,  information,
skills, confidential information,  know-how,  formulae,  technical expertise and
methods  relating to or forming part of the Company's  services and products and
conduct of its business, and that the same are confidential and proprietary, and
are "trade  secrets" of the Company.  Employee  understands and agrees that such
trade secrets give or may give the Company a significant  competitive advantage.
Employee  further  recognizes that the success of the Company depends on keeping
confidential  both the trade secrets already developed or to be acquired and any
future developments of trade secrets.  Employee understands that in his capacity
with the Company he will be entrusted  with knowledge of such trade secrets and,
in recognition of the importance  thereof and in consideration of his employment
by the Company  hereunder,  agrees that he will not,  without the consent of the
Board, make any disclosure of trade secrets now or hereafter possessed

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by the Company to any person,  partnership,  corporation or entity either during
or after the term  hereunder,  except to such  employees  of the  Company or its
subsidiaries or affiliates, if any, as may be necessary in the regular course of
business and except as may be required pursuant to any court order,  judgment or
decision  from any  court of  competent  jurisdiction.  The  provisions  of this
Section shall continue in full force and effect  notwithstanding any termination
of this Agreement.

         10.  Irreparable  Harm:  Employee  agrees that any breach or threatened
breach by Employee of provisions  set forth in Sections seven (7), eight (8) and
nine (9) of this  Agreement,  would cause the Company  irreparable  harm and the
Company may obtain injunctive  relief against such actual or threatened  conduct
and without the necessity of a bond.

         11.  Return of Company  Property:  Employee  agrees that  following the
termination of his  employment  for any reason,  he shall return all property of
the Company which is then in or thereafter comes into his possession, including,
but not limited to, documents, contracts, agreements, plans, photographs, books,
notes, electronically stored data and all copies of the foregoing as well as any
other materials or equipment supplied by the Company to the Employee.

         12.      Termination:

         [A] Death: In the event of the Employee's  death during the term of his
employment,  this Agreement shall automatically  terminate on the date of death,
and  Employee's  estate shall be entitled to payment of Employee's  salary until
date of death.

         [B]  Disability:  In the event the  Employee,  by reason of physical or
mental  incapacity,  shall  be  disabled  for a  period  of  at  least  two  (2)
consecutive  months  in any of the  years  of this  Agreement  or any  extension
hereof,  the Company shall have the option at any time thereafter,  to terminate
Employee's  employment and to terminate this Agreement;  such  termination to be
effective  ten  (10)  days  after  the  Company  gives  written  notice  of such
termination to the Employee,  and all obligations of the Company hereunder shall
cease upon the date of such termination.  "Incapacity" as used herein shall mean
the  inability  of the Employee to perform his normal  duties as  President  and
Chief Executive Officer.


         [C]      Company's Rights To Terminate This Agreement:

                  [a] The Company shall have the right, before the expiration of
the  term of this  Agreement,  to  terminate  this  Agreement  and to  discharge
Employee for cause (hereinafter "Cause"), and all compensation to Employee shall
cease to accrue upon  discharge of the  Employee for Cause.  For the purposes of
this Agreement,  the term "Cause" shall mean the Employee's (i) violation of the
Company's  written  policy or  directions  of the  Board  which  directions  are
consistent  with  normally  acceptable  business  practices  or the  failure  to
observe,  or the  failure or refusal to perform any  obligations  required to be
performed in accordance with this  Agreement.  (ii) admission or conviction of a
serious crime involving  moral  turpitude or (iii) if the Board  determines that
employee has committed a demonstrable act (or omission) of malfeasance seriously
detrimental to this Company.

                  [b] If the Company,  elects to terminate Employee's employment
for Cause,  under  Section 12 [C] [a](i),  the Company shall first give Employee
written  notice  and a period of ten (10) days to cure such  Cause,  and if such
Cause is not cured in said ten (10) days,  such  termination  shall be effective
five (5) days after the Company gives written notice of such  termination to the
Employee.  In the event of a termination of the Employee's  employment for Cause
in  accordance  with the  provisions  of  Section 12 [C][a]  (ii) or (iii),  the
Company shall have no further obligation to the Employee, except for the payment
of salary through the date of such termination from employment.

         [D]      Termination Without Cause by the Company:
                                                                         

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                  [a]  The  Company  shall  have  the  right  to  terminate  the
Agreement without cause on thirty (30) days' written notice to the Employee.

                  [b] In the event  the  Agreement  is  terminated  pursuant  to
subsection  12 [D][a],  the Company  shall pay the  Employee  his then  existing
compensation  for twelve (12) months  payable  monthly  commencing  with the day
following the day the notice  becomes  effective and Employee shall be available
for on call  consulting  services  during such one year period at no  additional
compensation.  If during such one year period Employee enters into an employment
relationship or provides consultation  services,  with a third party then (i) no
further  compensation shall be due to Employee hereunder and (ii) Employee shall
no longer be required to provide on call consulting services.

         13. Travel:  Employee  agrees to work out of the offices of the Company
in  Copiague,  New York,  and spend so much of his normal  business  time at the
other facilities of the Company,  as is necessary to properly fulfill his duties
as its President and Chief  Executive  Officer.  Employee  agrees to relocate to
Long  Island,  New York and maintain an  apartment  or home.  In  addition,  the
Employee  agrees that to the extent  required he shall travel both  domestically
and internationally for the Company.

         14. Waiver:  Any waiver by either party of a breach of any provision of
this  Agreement  shall not operate as or be  construed  as a waiver of any other
breach or default hereof.

         15.  Governing  Law:  The  validity of this  Agreement or of any of the
provisions  hereof shall be  determined  under and  according to the laws of the
State of New York,  and this  Agreement  and its  provisions  shall be construed
according to the laws of the State of New York  without  reference to its choice
of law rules.

         16. Notice:  Any notice required to be given pursuant to the provisions
of this  Agreement  shall be in writing and by registered or certified  mail and
mailed to the following addresses:

                           Company:         American Biogenetic Sciences, Inc.
                                            1375 Akron Street
                                            Copiague, New York 11726
                                            Attention: Alfred J. Roach
                                            Chairman

                           Employee:        John S. North
                                            7812 Chesapeake Dr. East
                                            Indianapolis, Indiana 46236

         17.  Assignment:  The  Employee's  assignment of this  Agreement or any
interest  herein,  or any  monies  due or to  become  due by reason of the terms
hereof,  without the prior written  consent of the Company  shall be void.  This
Agreement  shall be binding  upon the Company,  its  successors  (including  any
transferee of the good will of the Company) or assigns.

         18.  Miscellaneous:  This Agreement  contains the entire  understanding
between the parties hereto and supersedes all other oral and written  agreements
or understandings  between them. No modification or addition hereto or waiver or
cancellation  of any provision  shall be valid except in writing  signed by both
parties.

         19. Obligations of a Continuing Nature: It is expressly  understood and
agreed that the covenants,  agreements and restrictions undertaken by or imposed
on Employee  hereunder,  which are stated to exist or continue after termination
of Employee's employment with the Company, shall exist and continue.

         20.  Severability:  Employee  agrees  that  if any  of  the  covenants,
agreements or restrictions on the part of Employee are held to be invalid by any
court of competent  jurisdiction,  such holding will not  invalidate  any of the
other  covenants,  agreements  and/or  restrictions  herein  contained  and such
invalid provisions shall


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be severable so that the invalidity of any such  provision  shall not invalidate
any others.  Moreover,  if any one or more of the  provisions  contained in this
Agreement  shall be held to be  excessively  broad as to  duration,  activity or
subject,  such provisions shall be construed by limiting and reducing them so as
to be enforceable to the maximum extent allowed by applicable law.

         21.  Representation:  Employee  represents and warrants that he has the
legal right to enter into this  Agreement and to perform all of the  obligations
on his part to be performed  hereunder in accordance  with its terms and that he
is not a party  to any  agreement  or  understanding,  written  or  oral,  which
prevents  him  from  entering  into  this  Agreement  or  performing  all of his
obligations  hereunder.  In the  event of a  breach  of such  representation  or
warranty on his part or if there is any other legal  impediment  which  prevents
him from  entering  into this  Agreement or  performing  all of his  obligations
hereunder,  the Company  shall have the right to  terminate  this  Agreement  in
accordance with Section 12[C][a]; in which event the "Cause" shall not be deemed
curable under Section  12[C][b],  and Employee will save harmless the Company in
the event of legal action by former employers for injunction relief or damages.


         22. Stock  Option:  Employee  and the Company  agree to execute a stock
option  agreement  that Employee  shall have a right to purchase an aggregate of
300,000  shares of Class A Common  Stock of the Company in  accordance  with the
Company's  Stock Option Plan ("Plan"),  exercisable at the rate of 25% per year.
The options will be exercisable at the price of $.25 per share. The options will
be subject to all of the terms and  conditions  of the Plan and Employee  hereby
agrees to all such terms and conditions.  The Company will have an annual review
for the issuance of additional  Stock  Options to the  Employee.  If the Company
terminates  the  Agreement  prior to the term hereof  without  Cause per Section
12[C], the Employee shall retain all of the above Stock Options granted.

         23.  Descriptive  Headings:  The  headings  contained  herein  are  for
reference  purposes  only  and  shall  not in any  way  affect  the  meaning  or
interpretation of this Agreement.

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

                                       AMERICAN BIOGENETIC SCIENCES, INC.

                                       By:  /s/ Alfred J. Roach
                                           -------------------------------------
                                                Alfred J. Roach
                                                Chairman and CEO

                                       By: /s/  John S. North
                                           -------------------------------------
                                                John S. North
                                                Employee