Document:

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                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.2

                                                                  EXECUTION COPY

                             FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE
               AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

            This First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights
Agreement is entered into as of December 28, 2000, by and among (i) EpiCept
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), (ii) the persons and
entities listed on Schedule C hereto and certain other persons or entities that
become parties to the Agreement after the date hereof in accordance with Section
21(c) hereof (the "Series C Investors") and (iii) certain other persons and
entities that were parties to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights
Agreement, dated as of January 28, 2000; and the amendments effected herein to
the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement of the Corporation, dated
as of January 28, 2000, are made with the written agreement of the holders of at
least two-thirds in voting power of the outstanding Series B Registrable
Securities and the holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the
outstanding Series A Registrable Securities. The Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement of the Corporation, dated as of January 28, 2000,
is hereby further amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:

               AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

            This Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement (the
"Agreement") is entered into as of January 28, 2000 by and among EpiCept
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"); the persons and
entities listed on Schedule A hereto and certain other persons or entities that
become parties to this Agreement after the date hereof in accordance with
Section 21(a) hereof (the "Series A Investors"); the persons and entities listed
on Schedule B hereto and certain other persons or entities that become parties
to this Agreement after the date hereof in accordance with Section 21(b) hereof
(the "Series B Investors"); effective as of December 28, 2000, the persons and
entities listed on Schedule C hereto and certain other persons or entities that
become parties to this Agreement after December 28, 2000 in accordance with
Section 21(c) hereof (the "Series C Investors," and, together with the Series B
Investors and the Series A Investors, the "Investors"); and Rainer K. Liedtke
("Liedtke") and his wife Hanne Liedtke (Liedtke and his wife being hereinafter
referred to collectively as the "Founders").

            WHEREAS, the Corporation, the Founders and certain of the Series A
Investors are parties to a Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of April 28,
1997 (the "Old Registration Rights Agreement"); and

            WHEREAS, the Corporation, the Founders, the Series A Investors and
the Series B Investors entered into this Agreement as of January 28, 2000; and

            WHEREAS, the Corporation wishes to sell to the Series C Investors
certain shares of its Series C Convertible Preferred Stock (as defined below)
pursuant to the Series C Convertible Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement dated as
of December 28, 2000 (the "Purchase Agreement"); and

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            WHEREAS, as a condition to entering into the Purchase Agreement, the
Series C Investors have required that this Agreement be amended as set forth
herein, and such amendment has been approved by all requisite action of the
Corporation, the Series B Investors and the Series A Investors.

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

      1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall
have the following meanings:

            (a) The term "1934 Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.

            (b) The term "Common Stock" shall mean the Corporation's Common
Stock, par value $.000l per share.

            (c) The term "Founders' Shares" means the three million nine hundred
ninety-nine thousand six hundred seven-eight (3,999,678) shares of Common Stock
held beneficially and of record by the Founders as of the date hereof.

            (d) The term "Preferred Stock" shall mean the Series A Preferred
Stock, the Series B Preferred Stock and the Series C Preferred Stock.

            (e) The term "Series C Holder" means any holder of Series C
Registrable Securities.

            (f) The term "Series B Holder" means any holder of Series B
Registrable Securities.

            (g) The term "Series A Holder" means any holder of Series A
Registrable Securities.

            (h) The term "Holder" means any Series C Holder, any Series B Holder
and any Series A Holder.

            (i) The terms "register," "registered," and "registration" refer to
a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement in
compliance with the Securities Act, and the declaration or ordering of
effectiveness of such registration statement.

            (j) The term "Series A Preferred Stock" shall mean the Corporation's
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $.0001 per share.

            (k) The term "Series B Preferred Stock" shall mean the Corporation's
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $.0001 per share.

            (l) The term "Series C Preferred Stock" shall mean the Corporation's
Series C Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $.0001 per share.

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            (m) The term "Series C Registrable Securities" means (1) the Common
Stock issuable upon conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock, (2) any Common
Stock purchased by a Series C Investor (or its permitted transferees) pursuant
to Section 3.1 of the Amended and Restated Shareholder Rights Agreement (the
"Amended and Restated Shareholder Rights Agreement"), dated as of January 28,
2000, by and among the Corporation and the other parties thereto, as amended and
restated effective as of December 28, 2000 (or Common Stock issuable with
respect to other securities so purchased), (3) up to an aggregate of 750,000
shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of a certain Stock Purchase
Warrant issued on November 30, 2000 to Private Equity US Direct Finance and (4)
any Common Stock of the Corporation issued as a dividend or other distribution
with respect to, or in exchange for or in replacement of, such Series C
Preferred Stock or Common Stock.

            (n) The term "Series B Registrable Securities" means (1) the Common
Stock issuable upon conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock, (2) any Common
Stock purchased by a Series B Investor (or its permitted transferees) pursuant
to Section 3.1 of the Amended and Restated Shareholder Rights Agreement (or
Common Stock issuable with respect to other securities so purchased), (3) up to
an aggregate of 333,333 shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of certain
Stock Purchase Warrants issued on August 2000 to TVM Techno Venture Enterprises
No. III Limited Partnership (now known as TVM III Limited Partnership) ("TVM")
and Alpinvest International B.V. ("Alpinvest") and (4) any Common Stock of the
Corporation issued as a dividend or other distribution with respect to, or in
exchange for or in replacement of, such Series B Preferred Stock or Common
Stock.

            (o) The term "Series A Registrable Securities" means (1) the Common
Stock issuable upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock, (2) any Common
Stock purchased by a Series A Investor (or its permitted transferees) pursuant
to Section 3.1 of the Amended and Restated Shareholder Rights Agreement (or
Common Stock issuable with respect to other securities so purchased), (3) up to
829,901 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the First Exchange
Option Agreement, dated as of December 31, 1997, by and between the Corporation
and tbg Technologie-Beteiligungs-Gesellschaft mbh der Deutschen Ausgleichsbank,
a German limited liability company, (4) up to an aggregate of 99,012 shares of
Common Stock issued upon exercise of certain Stock Purchase Warrants issued on
April 28, 1997 to TVM and Alpinvest, and (5) any Common Stock of the Corporation
issued as a dividend or other distribution with respect to, or in exchange for
or in replacement of, such Series A Preferred Stock or Common Stock.

            (p) The term "Registrable Securities" means the Series C Registrable
Securities, the Series B Registrable Securities and the Series A Registrable
Securities.

            (q) The term "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

            (r) The term "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

            In addition, for purposes of all calculations and notices under this
Agreement, and all other provisions of this Agreement where the context permits,
a holder of Preferred Stock shall be deemed the Holder of the Registrable
Securities issuable upon conversion thereof, and such Preferred Stock shall be
deemed outstanding Registrable Securities hereunder.

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement shall require the
Corporation actually to register any shares of Preferred Stock.

      2. Request for Registration.

            (a) Series C Requests. If at any time after the earlier to occur of
(i) April 28, 2002 and (ii) the date six months after the closing of the
Corporation's first public offering of securities, the Corporation shall receive
a written request (specifying that it is being made pursuant to this Section
2(a)) from one or more Series C Holders that hold, in the aggregate, at least
twenty-five percent (25%) of the then outstanding Series C Registrable
Securities, that the Corporation file a registration statement under the
Securities Act, or a similar document pursuant to any other statute then in
effect corresponding to the Securities Act, covering the registration of at
least the lesser of (x) at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the then
outstanding Series C Registrable Securities or (y) the Series C Registrable
Securities the expected price to the public of which equals or exceeds
$15,000,000, then the Corporation shall promptly notify all other Series C
Holders of such request and shall use its best efforts to cause all Registrable
Securities that Series C Holders have requested be registered to be registered
under the Securities Act.

            Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Corporation shall not be
obligated to effect a registration pursuant to this Section 2(a) during the
period starting with the date sixty (60) days prior to the Corporation's
estimated date of filing of, and ending on a date six (6) months following the
effective date of, a registration statement pertaining to an underwritten public
offering of securities for the account of the Corporation, provided that the
Corporation is actively employing in good faith its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to become effective and that the Corporation's estimate
of the date of filing such registration statement is made in good faith; (ii)
the Corporation shall not be obligated to effect a registration pursuant to this
Section 2(a) within six (6) months after the effective date of a prior
registration under this Section 2(a); (iii) the Corporation shall not be
obligated to effect a registration pursuant to this Section 2(a) within three
(3) months after the effective date of a registration under Sections 2(b) or
(c); (iv) if the Corporation shall furnish to the Series C Holders a certificate
signed by the President of the Corporation stating that in the good faith
judgment of the Board of Directors it would be seriously detrimental to the
Corporation or its shareholders for a registration statement to be filed in the
near future, then the Corporation's obligation to use its best efforts to file a
registration statement shall be deferred for a period not to exceed three (3)
months; and (v) the Corporation may postpone a registration pursuant to this
Section 2(a) for such period of time as may be required to permit the use of
regular audited year-end financial statements with supplemental short period
figures for a period not exceeding six (6) months unless the Series C Holders
agree to bear the costs of any special audit.

            The Corporation shall not be obligated to effect more than two (2)
registrations on behalf of the Series C Holders pursuant to this Section 2(a).

            (b) Series B Requests. If at any time after the earlier to occur of
(i) April 28, 2002 and (ii) the date six months after the closing of the
Corporation's first public offering of securities, the Corporation shall receive
a written request (specifying that it is being made pursuant to this Section
2(b)) from one or more Series B Holders that hold, in the aggregate, at least
twenty-five percent (25%) of the then outstanding Series B Registrable
Securities, that the

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Corporation file a registration statement under the Securities Act, or a similar
document pursuant to any other statute then in effect corresponding to the
Securities Act, covering the registration of at least the lesser of (x) at least
twenty-five percent (25%) of the then outstanding Series B Registrable
Securities or (y) the Series B Registrable Securities the expected price to the
public of which equals or exceeds $10,000,000, then the Corporation shall
promptly notify all other Series B Holders of such request and shall use its
best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities that Series B Holders have
requested be registered to be registered under the Securities Act.

            Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Corporation shall not be
obligated to effect a registration pursuant to this Section 2(b) during the
period starting with the date sixty (60) days prior to the Corporation's
estimated date of filing of, and ending on a date six (6) months following the
effective date of, a registration statement pertaining to an underwritten public
offering of securities for the account of the Corporation, provided that the
Corporation is actively employing in good faith its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to become effective and that the Corporation's estimate
of the date of filing such registration statement is made in good faith; (ii)
the Corporation shall not be obligated to effect a registration pursuant to this
Section 2(b) within six (6) months after the effective date of a prior
registration under this Section 2(b); (iii) the Corporation shall not be
obligated to effect a registration pursuant to this Section 2(b) within three
(3) months after the effective date of a registration under Sections 2(a) or
(c); (iv) if the Corporation shall furnish to the Series B Holders a certificate
signed by the President of the Corporation stating that in the good faith
judgment of the Board of Directors it would be seriously detrimental to the
Corporation or its shareholders for a registration statement to be filed in the
near future, then the Corporation's obligation to use its best efforts to file a
registration statement shall be deferred for a period not to exceed three (3)
months; and (v) the Corporation may postpone a registration pursuant to this
Section 2(b) for such period of time as may be required to permit the use of
regular audited year-end financial statements with supplemental short period
figures for a period not exceeding six (6) months unless the Series B Holders
agree to bear the costs of any special audit.

            The Corporation shall not be obligated to effect more than two (2)
registrations on behalf of the Series B Holders pursuant to this Section 2(b).

            (c) Series A Requests. If at any time after the earlier to occur of
(i) April 28, 2002 and (ii) the date six months after the closing of the
Corporation's first public offering of securities, the Corporation shall receive
a written request (specifying that it is being made pursuant to this Section
2(c)) from one or more Series A Holders that hold, in the aggregate, at least
fifty percent (50%) of the then outstanding Series A Registrable Securities,
that the Corporation file a registration statement under the Securities Act, or
a similar document pursuant to any other statute then in effect corresponding to
the Securities Act, covering the registration of at least the lesser of (x) at
least twenty-five percent (25%) of the then outstanding Series A Registrable
Securities or (y) the Series A Registrable Securities the expected price to the
public of which equals or exceeds $10,000,000, then the Corporation shall
promptly notify all other Series A Holders of such request and shall use its
best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities that Series A Holders have
requested be registered to be registered under the Securities Act.

            Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Corporation shall not be
obligated to effect a registration pursuant to this Section 2(c) during the
period starting with the date sixty (60) days

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prior to the Corporation's estimated date of filing of, and ending on a date six
(6) months following the effective date of, a registration statement pertaining
to an underwritten public offering of securities for the account of the
Corporation, provided that the Corporation is actively employing in good faith
its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective and
that the Corporation's estimate of the date of filing such registration
statement is made in good faith; (ii) the Corporation shall not be obligated to
effect a registration pursuant to this Section 2(c) within six (6) months after
the effective date of a prior registration under this Section 2(c); (iii) the
Corporation shall not be obligated to effect a registration pursuant to this
Section 2(c) within three (3) months after the effective date of a registration
under Sections 2(a) or (b); (iv) if the Corporation shall furnish to the Series
A Holders a certificate signed by the President of the Corporation stating that
in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors it would be seriously
detrimental to the Corporation or its shareholders for a registration statement
to be filed in the near future, then the Corporation's obligation to use its
best efforts to file a registration statement shall be deferred for a period not
to exceed three (3) months; and (v) the Corporation may postpone a registration
pursuant to this Section 2(c) for such period of time as may be required to
permit the use of regular audited year-end financial statements with
supplemental short period figures for a period not exceeding six (6) months
unless the Series A Holders agree to bear the costs of any special audit.

            The Corporation shall not be obligated to effect more than two (2)
registrations on behalf of the Series A Holders pursuant to this Section 2(c).

      3. Corporation Registration. Subject to Section 8 of this Agreement,
if at any time the Corporation proposes to register any of its Common Stock
under the Securities Act in connection with the public offering of such
securities for its own account or for the accounts of shareholders other than
Holders, solely for cash on a form that would also permit the registration of
the Registrable Securities, the Corporation shall, each such time, promptly give
each Holder and the Founders written notice of such determination. Upon the
written request of any Holder or any Founder given within thirty (30) days after
giving of any such notice by the Corporation, the Corporation shall, subject to
the limitations set forth in Section 8(a), use its best efforts to cause to be
registered under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities that each
such Holder has requested be registered and all of the Founders' Shares that any
Founder has requested to be registered.

      4. Obligations of the Corporation. Whenever required under Section
2, 3, or 11 of this Agreement to use its best efforts to effect the registration
of any Registrable Securities, the Corporation shall, as expeditiously as
reasonably possible:

            (a) Prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement with
respect to such Registrable Securities and use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to become and remain effective until the distribution
thereof has been completed; provided, however, that in connection with any
proposed registration intended to permit an offering of any securities from time
to time (i.e., a so-called "shelf registration"), the Corporation shall in no
event be obligated to cause any such registration to remain effective for more
than one hundred eighty (180) days;

            (b) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to
such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection with such
registration statement as

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may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with
respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration
statement;

            (c) Furnish to the Holders such numbers of copies of a prospectus,
including a preliminary prospectus, in conformity with the requirements of the
Securities Act, and such other documents as they may reasonably request in order
to facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities owned by them;

            (d) Use its best efforts to register and qualify the securities
covered by such registration statement under such other securities or "Blue Sky"
laws of such jurisdictions as shall be reasonably appropriate for the
distribution of the securities covered by the registration statement, provided
that the Corporation shall not be required in connection therewith or as a
condition thereto to qualify to do business or to file a general consent to
service of process in any such states or jurisdictions, and further provided
that (anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding with respect to
the bearing of expenses) if any jurisdiction in which the securities shall be
qualified shall require that expenses incurred in connection with the
qualification of the securities in that jurisdiction be borne by selling
shareholders, then such expenses shall be payable by selling shareholders pro
rata, to the extent required by such jurisdiction;

            (e) Provide a transfer agent for the Common Stock no later than the
effective date of the first registration of any Registrable Securities;

            (f) Otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all applicable
rules and regulations of the SEC;

            (g) Use its best efforts either (i) to cause all such Registrable
Securities to be listed on a national securities exchange (if such securities
are not already so listed) and on each additional national securities exchange
on which similar securities issued by the Corporation are then listed, if the
listing of such securities is then permitted under the rules of such exchange,
or (ii) to secure designation of all such Registrable Securities as a NASDAQ
"national market system security" within the meaning of Rule 11Aa2-1 of the SEC
or, failing that, to secure listing on NASDAQ for such Registrable Securities
and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to arrange for at least
two (2) market makers to register as such with respect to Registrable Securities
with the National Association of Securities Dealers;

            (h) Enter into such customary agreements (including an underwriting
agreement in customary form) and take such other actions as the selling Holders
of Registrable Securities shall reasonably request in order to expedite or
facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;

            (i) Make available for inspection by any selling Holder of
Registrable Securities, by any underwriter participating in any disposition to
be effected pursuant to such registration statement and by any attorney,
accountant or other agent retained by any such selling Holder or any such
underwriter, all pertinent financial and other records and pertinent corporate
documents and properties of the Corporation, and cause all of the Corporation's
officers,

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directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any
such selling Holder, underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection
with such registration statement;

            (j) Use every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement or of any
order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus and, if any
such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest reasonable
time; and

            (k) Make such representations and warranties to the selling Holders
of Registrable Securities and the underwriters as are customarily made by
issuers to selling stockholders and underwriters, as the case may be, in primary
underwritten public offerings.

      5. Furnish Information. It shall be a condition precedent to the
obligations of the Corporation to take any action pursuant to this Agreement
with respect to the registration of any Holder's Registrable Securities and any
Founders' Shares that such Holder or Founder shall furnish to the Corporation
such information regarding themselves, the Registrable Securities or Founders'
Shares held by them, and the intended method of disposition of such securities,
as the Corporation shall reasonably request and as shall be required in
connection with the action to be taken by the Corporation.

      6. Expenses of Demand Registration. All expenses incurred in connection
with any registration pursuant to Section 2 (excluding underwriters' discounts
and commissions), including, without limitation, all registration and
qualification fees, printers' and accounting fees, fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Corporation, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of one
special counsel for the selling Holders, shall be borne by the Corporation.

      7. Corporation Registration Expenses. All expenses (excluding
underwriters' discounts and commissions) incurred in connection with any
registration pursuant to Section 3, including, without limitation, any
additional registration and qualification fees and any additional fees and
disbursements of counsel to the Corporation that result from the inclusion of
securities held by the selling Holders or Founders in such registration and the
reasonable fees and disbursements of one special counsel for the selling Holders
or Founders, shall be borne by the Corporation; provided, however, that if the
registration is exclusively for the account of selling shareholders and does not
include any securities to be sold for the account of the Corporation, the
selling Holders or Founders shall bear their proportionate share of the expenses
incurred in connection with such registration (provided all shareholders
registering shares thereunder bear their proportionate share of such expenses),
except expenses which the Corporation would have incurred whether or not the
securities held by the selling Holders or Founders were included in such
registration (including, without limitation, the expense of preparing normal
audited or unaudited financial statements).

      8. Underwriting Requirements.

            (a) In connection with any offering under Section 3 involving an
underwriting of shares being issued by the Corporation, the Corporation shall
not be required to include any Holder's Registrable Securities or any Founders'
Shares in such underwriting unless such Holder or Founder accepts the terms of
the underwriting as agreed upon between the Corporation and

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the underwriters selected by it, and then only in such quantity as will not, in
the reasonable opinion of the underwriters, jeopardize the success of the
offering by the Corporation. If the total amount of securities that all Holders
and Founders request to be included in an underwritten offering under Section 3
exceeds the amount of securities that the underwriters reasonably believe
compatible with the success of the offering, no Founders' Shares and no other
securities of any shareholder except Registrable Securities of Holders shall be
included in such offering unless all Registrable Securities which the Holders
have requested to be included are included, and the Corporation shall only be
required to include in the offering so many of the Registrable Securities of the
Holders as the underwriters reasonably believe will not jeopardize the success
of the offering (the Registrable Securities so included to be apportioned pro
rata among the selling Holders according to the total amount of Registrable
Securities owned by such selling Holders, or in such other proportions as shall
mutually be agreed to by such selling Holders).

            (b) With respect to any underwriting of shares to be registered
under Section 2, or any underwriting of shares to be registered under Section
11, the selling Holders who initiate the request for registration shall have the
right to designate the managing underwriter or underwriters, subject to the
consent of the Corporation. In connection with any underwritings of shares to be
registered under Section 3, the Corporation shall have the right to designate
the managing underwriter or underwriters, subject to the consent of the Holders
of a majority of the Registrable Securities participating in the underwriting.
In any such case, such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

      9. Delay of Registration. No Holder or Founder shall have any right to
take any action to restrain, enjoin, or otherwise delay any registration as the
result of any controversy that might arise with respect to the interpretation or
implementation of this Agreement.

      10. Indemnification. In the event any Registrable Securities are included
in a registration statement under this Agreement:

            (a) To the extent permitted by law, the Corporation will indemnify
and hold harmless each Holder requesting or joining in a registration, any
underwriter (as defined in the Securities Act) for it, and each person, if any,
who controls any such Holder or underwriter within the meaning of the Securities
Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to
which they may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based on any untrue or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in such registration statement, including, without
limitation, any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained therein or
any amendments or supplements thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or
arise out of any violation by the Corporation of any rule or regulation
promulgated under the Securities Act applicable to the Corporation and relating
to action or inaction required of the Corporation in connection with any such
registration; and will reimburse each such Holder, such underwriter, or
controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them
in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage,
liability, or action, provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained
in this Section 10(a) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such
loss, claim, damage, liability or action if such settlement is effected

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without the consent of the Corporation (which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed) nor shall the Corporation be liable in any such case for
any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action to the extent that it arises
out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission made in connection with such registration
statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus, or amendments or
supplements thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished expressly for use in connection with such registration by any such
Holder, underwriter or controlling person.

            (b) To the extent permitted by law, each Holder and each Founder
requesting or joining in a registration will indemnify and hold harmless the
Corporation, each of its directors, each of its officers who has signed the
registration statement, each person, if any, who controls the Corporation within
the meaning of the Securities Act, and any underwriter for the Corporation
(within the meaning of the Securities Act) against any losses, claims, damages
or liabilities to which the Corporation or any such director, officer,
controlling person or underwriter may become subject, under the Securities Act
or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
in respect thereto) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in such registration
statement, including any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained
therein or any amendments or supplements thereto, or arise out of or are based
upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in such
registration statement, preliminary prospectus or final prospectus, or
amendments or supplements thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished by such Holder or Founder expressly for use in
connection with such registration; and will reimburse the Corporation or any
such director, officer, controlling person or underwriter for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however,
that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 10(b) shall not apply to
amounts paid in settlement of any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action
if such settlement is effected without the consent of such Holder or Founder
(which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and provided
further that no Holder or Founder shall have any liability under this Section
10(b) in excess of the net proceeds after tax actually received by such Holder
or Founder in the relevant public offering.

            (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 10 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party
under this Section 10, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof and the indemnifying party shall have the right to
participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly
with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume the defense
thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the parties. The failure to notify
an indemnifying party promptly of the commencement of any such action, if
prejudicial to his ability to defend such action, shall relieve such
indemnifying party of any liability to the indemnified party under this Section
10, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve him of
any liability that he may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under
this Section 10.

                                       10
<PAGE>

            (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 10 is
required by its terms but is for any reason held to be unavailable to or
otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 10(a)
or 10(b) in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses
referred to herein, then each applicable indemnifying party shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of any losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to herein (i) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Corporation, the Holders and the Founders from the offering of securities or
(ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of
the Corporation, the Holders and the Founders in connection with the statements
or omissions described in such Section 10(a) or 10(b) which resulted in such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The respective relative benefits received by the
Corporation, the Holders and the Founders shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total price paid to the Corporation, the Holders and the
Founders, respectively, for the securities sold by them in the offering. The
relative fault of the Corporation, the Holders and the Founders shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Corporation, the Holders
or the Founders and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims,
damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include,
subject to the limitations set forth in this Section 10, any legal or other fees
or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating
or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 10(c) with
respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for
contribution is to be made under this Section 10(d); provided, however, that no
additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice
has been given under subsection (c) for purposes of indemnification. The
Corporation, the Holders and the Founders agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 were determined solely by
pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take
account of the equitable considerations referred to in this paragraph.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10(d), no Holder or Founder shall
be required to contribute an amount in excess of the net proceeds after tax
actually received by such Holder or Founder in the relevant public offering. No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

      11. Registrations on Form S-3.

            (a) If (i) the Corporation shall receive a written request
(specifying that it is being made pursuant to this Section 11) from one or more
Holders that hold, in the aggregate, at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the
then outstanding Series A Registrable Securities, Series B Registrable
Securities or Series C Registrable Securities, as applicable, that the
Corporation file a registration statement on Form S-3 (or any successor form to
Form S-3 regardless of its designation) for a public offering of Registrable
Securities the reasonably anticipated aggregate price to the public of which
would equal or exceed Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000), and (ii)
the Corporation is a registrant entitled to use Form S-3 to register such

                                       11
<PAGE>

shares, then the Corporation shall use its best efforts to cause such shares to
be registered on Form S-3 (or any successor form to Form S-3).

            (b) All expenses (excluding underwriters' discounts and commissions)
incurred in connection with the first two (2) registrations requested pursuant
to Section 11(a), including, without limitation, all registration,
qualification, printing, and accounting fees, and fees and disbursements of one
special counsel to the selling Holders and counsel to the Corporation, shall be
borne by the Corporation.

            All such expenses for registrations pursuant to Section 11(a) after
the first two such registrations shall be borne by the Corporation, except that
the selling Holders shall pay all fees of their legal counsel, if any, in
connection therewith.

            (c) The Holders' rights to registration under this Section 11 are in
addition to, and not in lieu of, their rights to registration under Sections 2
and 3 of this Agreement.

      12. Limitation on Corporation Offerings. The Corporation shall not
register securities for sale for its own account (or, except as permitted by
Section 14, any securities other than Registrable Securities) in any
registration requested pursuant to Section 2 or 11 unless permitted to do so by
the written consent of the Holders of more than two-thirds (2/3) of the
Registrable Securities as to which registration has been requested. The
Corporation may not cause any other registration of securities for its own
account (other than a registration effected solely to implement an employee
benefit plan) which would become effective less than six (6) months after the
effective date of any registration requested pursuant to Section 2 or 11 to be
initiated after receiving such request.

      13. Reports Under the 1934 Act. With a view to making available to the
Holders the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act and any
other rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit a Holder to sell
securities of the Corporation to the public without registration, the
Corporation agrees to use its best efforts to:

            (a) make and keep public information available, as those terms are
understood and defined in Rule 144, at all times subsequent to ninety (90) days
after the effective date of the first registration statement covering an
underwritten public offering filed by the Corporation;

            (b) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other
documents required of the Corporation under the Securities Act and the 1934 Act;
and

            (c) furnish to any Holder forthwith upon request a written statement
by the Corporation that it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule
144 (at any time after ninety (90) days after the effective date of said first
registration statement filed by the Corporation), and of the Securities Act and
the 1934 Act (at any time after it has become subject to such reporting
requirements), a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the
Corporation, and such other reports and documents so filed by the Corporation as
may be reasonably requested in availing any such holder to take advantage of any
rule or regulation of the SEC permitting the selling of any such securities
without registration.

                                       12
<PAGE>

      14. Limitations in Connection with Future Grants of Registration Rights.
Without the prior written consent of the Holders of at least two-thirds in
voting power of then outstanding Series B Registrable Securities and the then
outstanding Series A Registrable Securities, and the prior written consent of
the Holders of at least sixty percent (60%) in voting power of the then
outstanding Series C Registrable Securities, the Corporation shall not grant
rights to cause the Corporation to register any of its securities to any person
or entity.

      15. Transfer of Registration Rights. The registration rights of any Holder
(and of any permitted transferee of any Holder or its permitted transferees)
under this Agreement with respect to any Registrable Securities may be
transferred to any Affiliate of such Holder or such permitted transferee, or to
any transferee who acquires (otherwise than in a registered public offering) at
least five percent (5%) of the Registrable Securities held by such Holder as of
the date hereof, provided, however, that the Corporation is given written notice
by the Holder at the time of such transfer stating the name and address of the
transferee and identifying the securities with respect to which the rights under
this Agreement are being assigned. For such purpose, an "Affiliate" of any
Holder (or any such transferee) means any general or limited partner of any
Holder (or transferee) that is a partnership, or any person or entity that,
directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is
controlled by, or is under common control with, such Holder or transferee.

      16. Mergers, Etc. The Corporation shall not, directly or indirectly, enter
into any merger, consolidation or reorganization in which the Corporation shall
not be the surviving corporation unless the proposed surviving corporation
shall, prior to such merger, consolidation or reorganization, agree in writing
to assume the obligations of the Corporation under this Agreement, and for that
purpose references hereunder to "Registrable Securities" shall be deemed to be
references to the securities which the Holders would be entitled to receive in
exchange for Registrable Securities under any such merger, consolidation or
reorganization; provided, however, that the provisions of this Agreement shall
not apply in the event of any merger, consolidation or reorganization in which
the Corporation is not the surviving corporation if the Holders of Registrable
Securities are entitled to receive in exchange therefor (i) cash, or (ii)
securities of the acquiring corporation which may be immediately sold to the
public without registration under the Securities Act.

      17. Stand-Off Agreement. Each Holder and each Founder, if requested by the
Corporation and the managing underwriter of an offering by the Corporation of
Common Stock or other securities of the Corporation pursuant to a registration
statement under the Securities Act, shall agree not to sell publicly or
otherwise transfer or dispose of any Registrable Securities, Founders' Shares or
other securities of the Corporation held by such Holder or Founder for a
specified period of time (not to exceed 180 days) following the effective date
of such registration statement; provided, that:

            (a) such agreement shall apply only to the first registration
statement covering Common Stock or other securities to be sold on the
Corporation's behalf to the public in an underwritten offering; and

            (b) all persons who hold shares of Common Stock, or securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock,
which in the aggregate

                                       13
<PAGE>

represent one percent (1%) or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding, and all officers and directors of the Corporation, enter into
agreements in the same terms.

            The covenant contained in this Section 17 is in addition to any
market stand-off covenant contained in any other agreement between the
Corporation and any Holder or Founder.

      18. Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications
hereunder ("Notices") to any party shall be contained in a written instrument
addressed to such party at the address set forth below or such other address as
may hereafter be designated in writing by the addressee to the addressor listing
all parties and shall be deemed given (a) when delivered in person or duly sent
by fax showing confirmation of receipt, (b) three days after being duly sent by
first class mail postage prepaid (other than in the case of Notices to or from
any non-U.S. resident, which Notices must be sent in the manner specified in
clause (a) or (c)), or (c) two days after being duly sent by DHL, Federal
Express or other recognized express international courier service:

            (a) if to the Corporation, to:

                        EpiCept Corporation
                        270 Sylvan Avenue
                        Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
                        Attention:  President
                        Fax:  (201) 837-0200

                        with a copy to:

                        Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
                        250 Park Avenue
                        New York, NY 10177
                        Attn:  Lowell S. Lifschultz, Esq.
                        Fax:  (212) 661-0989

            (b) if to the Series C Investors, to their respective addresses set
forth on the signature pages of the Series C Convertible Preferred Stock
Purchase Agreement, or, in the case of persons or entities becoming parties
hereto in accordance with Section 21(c), to their respective addresses set forth
on the signature page hereto with a copy to:

                        KLegal, Solicitors
                        Ludgate House
                        107-111 Fleet Street
                        London EC4A 2AB
                        Attn:  Mr. David White
                        Fax:  011-44-207-694-2501

            (c) if to the Series B Investors, to their respective addresses set
forth on the signature pages of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock
Purchase Agreement dated as of January 28, 1999 (the "Series B Stock Purchase
Agreement"), or, in the case of persons or

                                       14
<PAGE>

entities becoming parties hereto in accordance with Section 21(b), to their
respective addresses set forth on the signature page hereto, with a copy to:

                        Foley, Hoag & Eliot LLP
                        One Post Office Square
                        Boston, MA 02109
                        Attn:  David R. Pierson, Esq.
                        Fax:  (617) 832-7000

            (d) if to the Series A Investors, to their respective addresses set
forth on the signature pages of the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock
Purchase Agreement dated as of April 28, 1997, or, in the case of persons or
entities becoming parties hereto in accordance with Section 21(a), to their
respective addresses set forth on the signature page hereto, with a copy to:

                        Foley, Hoag & Eliot LLP
                        One Post Office Square
                        Boston, MA 02109
                        Attn:  David R. Pierson, Esq.
                        Fax:  (617) 832-7000

            (e) if to the Founders, to their addresses set forth on the
signature page to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement dated
as of January 28, 2000.

      19. Miscellaneous.

            (a) This Agreement states the entire agreement of the parties
concerning the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior agreements,
written or oral, between or among them concerning such subject matter.

            (b) This Agreement may be amended, and compliance with any provision
of this Agreement may be omitted or waived, only by the written agreement of the
Corporation, the Holders of at least sixty percent (60%) in voting power of the
then outstanding Series C Registrable Securities, the Holders of at least
two-thirds in voting power of the then outstanding Series B Registrable
Securities, and the Holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the then
outstanding Series A Registrable Securities.

            (c) This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced
in accordance with, the substantive laws of the State of Delaware, without
regard to its principles of conflicts of laws.

            (d) This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts,
each such counterpart shall be deemed to be an original instrument, and all such
counterparts together shall constitute but one agreement. Any such counterpart
may contain one or more signature pages.

      20. Effect on Old Registration Rights Agreement. This Agreement shall
supersede the Old Registration Rights Agreement, which shall be of no further
force or effect.

                                       15
<PAGE>

      21. Accession.

            (a) tbg-Technologie-Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH der Deutschen
Ausgleichsbank, if it becomes a holder of Series A Preferred Stock or Series A
Registrable Securities, shall automatically become a party to this Agreement by
executing and delivering to the Corporation a counterpart signature page to this
Agreement in the form of Exhibit A hereto, and shall thereupon be deemed a
"Series A Investor" for all purposes of this Agreement.

            (b) Any Additional Investor as defined in the Series B Stock
Purchase Agreement and IKB Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, if it becomes a holder
of Series B Preferred Stock, shall automatically become a party to this
Agreement by executing and delivering to the Corporation a counterpart signature
page to this Agreement in the form of Exhibit B hereto, and shall thereupon be
deemed a "Series B Investor" for all purposes of this Agreement.

            (c) Any Additional Investor as defined in the Stock Purchase
Agreement, if it becomes a holder of Series C Preferred Stock, shall
automatically become a party to this Agreement by executing and delivering to
the Corporation a counterpart signature page to this Agreement in the form of
Exhibit C hereto, and shall thereupon be deemed a "Series C Investor" for all
purposes of this Agreement.

                  [remainder of page intentionally left blank]

                                       16
<PAGE>

            IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Investors, the Founders and the Corporation
have executed this Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement as of the
date first written above.

                                        EPICEPT CORPORATION

                                        By:   /s/ Peter Golikov
                                            -------------------------
                                              Peter Golikov
                                              President

SIGNATURE PAGE TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

<PAGE>

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                        Series C Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series C Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this 28th day of December, 2000.

                                           John Lucas
                                       ---------------------------------
                                       (print name)

                                        By:  /s/ J. Lucas
                                            ------------------------------

                                        Title:____________________________

                                        Address: 20 East 84th Street
                                                 New York, NY 10028

<PAGE>

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                        Series C Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series C Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this 28th day of December, 2000.

                              PRIVATE EQUITY US DIRECT FINANCE
                              ---------------------------------------------
                              (print name)
                              BY: Vontobel Private Equity Management Cayman
                              ITS: Sole Director

                              By: /s/ Clive Munyard
                                 -------------------------------------------

                              Title: Executive Director

                              Address:    P.O. BOX 30846 SMB
                                          Grand Pavilion Commercial Centre
                                          Grand Cayman
                                          Cayman Islands

<PAGE>

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                        Series C Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series C Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this 28th day of December, 2000.

                                    Alpinvest International B.V.
                                    -------------------------------------------
                                    (print name)

                                    By:  /s/ J.M. Davids   /s/ R. Boesaard
                                       ----------------------------------------

                                    Title: its authorized signatories

                                    Address:    P.O. Box 75304
                                                1070 AH Amsterdam
                                                The Netherlands

<PAGE>

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                        Series C Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series C Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this 28th day of December, 2000.

                                   Peter Arthur Neil Bailey
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                   (print name)

                                   By: /s/ Peter Arthur Neil Bailey
                                      --------------------------------------

                                   Title:   Director

                                   Address:    La Motte Chambers
                                               St. Helier
                                               Jersey, C.I.

                                   Signed on behalf of MERLIN GENERAL
                                   PARTNER II LIMITED as general partner of THE
                                   MERLIN BIOSCIENCES FUND L.P. and as
                                   managing  partner of THE MERLIN
                                   BIOSCIENCES FUND GbR.

<PAGE>

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                        Series C Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series C Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this 28th day of December, 2000.

                                     TVM III LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

                                     By:  TVM Techno Venture Management No. III
                                     Limited Partnership, its General Partner

                                     By:  TVM Management Corporation,
                                            Its General Partner

                                     By: /s/ John J. DiBello
                                         --------------------------------------
                                              John J. DiBello

<PAGE>

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                   Additional Series C Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series C Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this 28th day of December, 2000.

                                                TVM IV GmbH & Co. KG

                                                /s/ John J. DiBello
                                                ---------------------------
                                                By:  John J. DiBello

                                                and

                                                /s/ Peter L. Levin
                                                ---------------------------
                                                By:  Dr. Peter L. Levin

<PAGE>

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                        Series C Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series C Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this 28th day of December, 2000.

                                                 Dietrich Wacther
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                 (print name)

                                                 By: /s/ Dietirch Wacther
                                                     -----------------------

                                                 Title: CEO

                                                 Address: Gold Zack AG
                                                          Reiterweg 12
                                                          58636 Iserlohn

<PAGE>

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                        Series C Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series C Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this 28th day of December, 2000.

                                              Pharmed Holding GmbH
                                              ---------------------------
                                              (print name)

                                              By: /s/ Rainer K. Liedtke
                                                  ------------------------

                                              Title: President

                                              Address: D-8027 Grunwald Munich
                                                       POB 1306
                                                       Germany

<PAGE>

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                        Series C Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series C Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this 28th day of December, 2000.

                                           Dr. Gerhard Waldheim
                                           ---------------------------
                                           (print name)

                                           By: /s/ Gerhard Waldheim
                                               -----------------------

                                           Title:
                                                 -----------------------
                                           Address: Immanuel Kanstr. 12B
                                                    D - 61350 Bad Homburg
                                                    Germany

<PAGE>

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                        Series C Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series C Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this 28th day of December, 2000.

                                                    Hans Dichand
                                           ----------------------------
                                           (print name)

                                           By: /s/ Hans Dichand
                                               ------------------------

                                           Title:
                                                 ----------------------
                                           Address:  Kaasgrabengasse 110
                                                     A- 1190 Wien
                                                     Austria

<PAGE>

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                        Series C Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series C Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this 28th day of December, 2000.

                               KB LUX VENTURE CAPITAL FUND
                               11, rue Aldringen, L-1118 Luxembourg
                               -----------------------------------------
                               (print name)

                               By: /s/ Philippe Auquier    /s/ Jean Weynandt
                                   ------------------------------------------

                               Title: Administrateur Administrateur

                               Address: _______________________________________
                               ________________________________________________
                               ________________________________________________

<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT A

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                   Additional Series A Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series A Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this __ day of ___________, 200_.

                                     __________________________________________
                                     (print name)

                                     By: ______________________________________

                                     Title: ___________________________________

                                     Address: _________________________________
                                     __________________________________________
                                     __________________________________________

<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT B

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                   Additional Series B Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series B Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this __ day of ___________, 200_.

                                     __________________________________________
                                     (print name)

                                     By: ______________________________________

                                     Title: ___________________________________

                                     Address: _________________________________
                                     __________________________________________
                                     __________________________________________

<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT C

                               EPICEPT CORPORATION

               Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

                   Additional Series C Investor Signature Page

            By executing this page in the space provided, the undersigned hereby
agrees (i) that it is a "Series C Investor" as defined in the Amended and
Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 28, 2000, among
EpiCept Corporation and the "Investors" and "Founders" as defined therein (the
"Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement"), (ii) that it is a party
to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement for all purposes and
(iii) that it is bound by all terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated
Registration Rights Agreement.

            EXECUTED this __ day of ___________, 200_.

                                     __________________________________________
                                     (print name)

                                     By: ______________________________________

                                     Title: ___________________________________

                                     Address: _________________________________
                                     __________________________________________
                                     __________________________________________

<PAGE>

                                   Schedule A

                               Series A Investors

TVM III Limited Partnership
Alpinvest International B.V.
Gerhard Waldheim
Hans Dichand
Pharmed Dr. Liedtke GmbH

<PAGE>

                                   Schedule B

                               Series B Investors

TVM III Limited Partnership
Alpinvest International B.V.
Friedrich Dieckell
Claus Dieckell
Michael Dieckell
Hellmut Kirchner
KB Lux Venture Capital Fund
IKB Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH
EpiCept GmbH
Erik Hornnaess
Vivian W. Day
Dr. Ernst-Gunter Afting

<PAGE>

                                   Schedule C

                              Schedule C Investors

TVM IV GmbH & Co. KG
KB Lux Venture Capital Fund
Alpinvest International B. V.
Gold Zack
Hans Dichand
Dr. Gerhard Waldheim
Private Equity US Direct Finance
John Lucas
Merlin General Partner II Limited (in its capacities as general partner of The
                                   Merlin Biosciences Fund L.P. and as managing
                                   partner of The Merlin Biosciences Fund GbR)<PAGE>
                                                                     Exhibit 4.3

NEITHER THIS NOTE NOR ANY SECURITIES THAT MAY BE ISSUED UPON CONVERSION HEREOF
HAVE BEEN REGISTERED OR QUALIFIED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED,
OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. SUCH SECURITIES MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR
OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF UNLESS THEY HAVE BEEN SO REGISTERED AND QUALIFIED OR
EVIDENCE IS FURNISHED TO THE COMPANY TO THE EFFECT THAT REGISTRATION AND
QUALIFICATION IS NOT REQUIRED.

                THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CONVERTIBLE TERM NOTE

                               DUE APRIL 30, 2005

                                                    Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
$[       ]                                                As of November 4, 2002

      For value received, EpiCept Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), hereby promises to pay to the order of [NAME OF HOLDER] (hereinafter
referred to as the "Payee") the principal sum of $           (the "Maximum
Principal Amount"), or so much thereof as shall have been advanced by Payee to
the Company, with interest from the date hereof on the unpaid balance at the
rate of 8% per annum, such interest to accrue on a daily basis from time to time
from the date hereof until the date on which this Third Amended and Restated
Convertible Term Note (this "Note") is paid in full. This Note is one of a
series of notes being issued on the date hereof or that hereafter may be issued
to certain investors in the aggregate maximum principal amount of $5,000,000
(this Note, together with such other notes shall be collectively referenced to
as the "Convertible Notes"). As additional consideration for the Payee's loan to
the Company of up to the Maximum Principal Amount, the Company issued to the
Payee a certain Preferred Stock Purchase Warrant of even date herewith (as
amended and/or restated, the "Stock Purchase Warrant," and collectively with all
other Stock Purchase Warrants issued to other holders of Convertible Notes, the
"Stock Purchase Warrants"). Subject to the conversion provisions set forth in
Section 5 and Section 6, all outstanding principal and accrued interest under
this Note shall become due and payable on April 30, 2005.

      1. Further Advances. On the date hereof, the Payee has advanced to the
Company only a portion of the Maximum Principal Amount. The Company may from
time to time request additional advances under the Convertible Notes. Such
requests shall be made in writing by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company
and shall be directed to TVM IV GmbH & Co. KG ("TVM"), Merlin General Partner II
Limited as general partner of the Merlin Biosciences Fund L.P. and as managing
partner of the Merlin Biosciences Fund GbR ("Merlin") and Private Equity US
Direct Finance ("Private Equity Holding"). Each such request for an additional
advance shall also contain a detailed explanation of the reasons the additional
advance is required and a certification by the Company's Chief Executive Officer
that no Event of Default (as defined below) has occurred. Each such request
shall be made no later than 5 business days prior to the
<PAGE>
date on which the Company requires the requested amount. Should TVM and Merlin
each agree that an additional advance should be made, TVM and Merlin shall
together send a notice to each holder of a Convertible Note indicating that
portion of the Maximum Principal Amount of their Convertible Notes that TVM and
Merlin have agreed shall be advanced to the Company, which, for the avoidance of
doubt, may be for a lesser amount than that originally requested by the Company
(it being understood that each holder will thereby become obligated to advance
an equal proportion of the maximum principal amount of his Convertible Note).
Upon such notices from time to time transmitted by TVM and Merlin in accordance
with the terms of this Note, the Payee agrees to make additional advances to the
Company, provided, that the aggregate amount of all advances by the Payee shall
not exceed the Maximum Principal Amount. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Payee, at any time and from time to time, upon 5 business days notice (delivered
in the manner prescribed in the Subscription Agreement pursuant to which the
Note was purchased) to the Company and each other person or entity that holds
one or more of the Convertible Notes, may advance to the Company any amount up
to that amount that, together with all amounts previously advanced to the
Company by the Payee, equals the Maximum Principal Amount. Each such advance
shall be made by wire transfer to the Company's account within three business
days after receipt by the Payee of the notice from TVM and Merlin specified
above. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, no additional
advances shall be made under the Convertible Notes unless on or before November
30, 2002, the date of maturity of that certain loan from IKB Venture Capital
GmbH to EpiCept GmbH (formerly known as Pharmed Labs GmbH) dated on or about
April 13, 1998 has been extended to April 30, 2004, unless TVM, Merlin and
Private Equity Holding shall unanimously waive or extend the period for
compliance with this provision.

      2. Payments. Principal and interest shall be payable in lawful money of
the United States of America, by wire transfer to a bank account designated by
the Payee or by bank check delivered to the principal office of the Payee or at
such other place as the Payee may designate from time to time in writing to the
Company.

      3. Prepayment.

            (a) The Company shall have the right at its option at any time to
prepay this Note without premium or penalty, provided, that the Company notifies
the Payee of the date that it intends to make payment on this Note not less than
twenty (20) days prior to such date so as to provide the Payee the opportunity
to convert this Note into capital stock of the Company and, provided, further,
that the Company may not prepay this Note in anticipation of an Extraordinary
Event (as defined below). Any prepayment of this Note shall be accompanied by
the interest accrued on the prepaid principal amount.

            (b) Notwithstanding anything in this Note to the contrary, if not
sooner prepaid or converted in accordance with the terms hereof, upon the
consummation of a Qualified Public Offering (as such term is defined in the
Current Charter (defined in Section 6 below)), the entire principal amount of
this Note and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon shall be prepaid by the
Company, without notice to or the consent of the Payee, with proceeds from such
offering.

                                       2
<PAGE>
      4. Principal Amount; Grid Notation. The unpaid principal balance of this
Note at any time shall be the total amount advanced by the Payee to the Company,
less the total amount of principal payments made hereon by the Company. The date
and amount of each such advance and each payment on account of the principal of
this Note may be endorsed by the Payee on the grid attached to and made part of
this Note, and when so stated shall represent evidence thereof in the absence of
manifest error. Any failure by the Payee to so endorse shall in no way mitigate
or discharge the obligation of the Company to repay any advances actually made.

      5. Next Round Conversion. If the Company consummates a convertible
preferred stock financing with gross proceeds to the Company of at least
$10,000,000 (including the principal and accrued interest under the Convertible
Notes) and pursuant to which investors in such financing receive securities
representing a percentage of the Company's capital stock on a fully-diluted
basis immediately after the consummation of such financing equal to no more than
the Maximum Percentage of the Company (as defined below) (assuming for the
purpose of such calculation the exercise and/or conversion of all options,
warrants, preferred stock and other convertible securities) (a "Qualifying
Financing"), then, simultaneously with the closing of such Qualifying Financing,
the outstanding principal and accrued interest on this Note shall be converted
into shares of the new series of convertible preferred stock of the Company (the
"Next Round Preferred Stock") which is authorized by the Company in connection
with the Qualifying Financing. The terms of the Next Round Preferred Stock shall
be subject to negotiation by the Company and the purchasers of Next Round
Preferred Stock in the Qualifying Financing, including the Payee, and shall be
subject to the unanimous approval of each of TVM, Merlin and Private Equity
Holding. Such conversion shall occur at the lower of (i) the lowest price per
share paid by any purchaser in the Qualifying Financing and (ii) the price per
share calculated so as to assure that, immediately following such conversion of
each such Convertible Note, the shares of the Company's common stock, $0.0001
par value per share (the "Common Stock"), issuable upon conversion of the Next
Round Preferred Stock bears a proportion to the total number of shares of the
Common Stock outstanding or issuable upon exercise and/or conversion of all
options, warrants, preferred stock (including the Next Round Preferred Stock)
and other convertible securities then outstanding equal to the outstanding
principal and accrued interest on all of the Convertible Notes divided by the
sum of the outstanding principal and accrued interest on all of the Convertible
Notes and $20,000,000.00. To effect such conversion, the Payee shall on or
before the closing of the Qualifying Financing become a party to all agreements
between the Company and the purchasers of the Next Round Preferred Stock which
set forth the terms and conditions of such purchase and the Payee shall be
entitled to all the rights granted to the purchasers thereunder and subject to
any restrictions or obligations imposed generally on such purchasers. As used in
this Note, the term "Maximum Percentage of the Company" shall mean the quotient
(expressed as a percentage) obtained by dividing the aggregate consideration
paid for Next Round Preferred Stock (including the aggregate outstanding
principal and accrued interest of the Convertible Notes (the "Next Round
Consideration"), by the sum of (a) the Next Round Consideration and (b)
$15,000,000.00.

      6. Optional Conversion. So long as the Company does not consummate a
Qualifying Financing prior thereto, at any time hereinafter upon the unanimous
written election (the "Optional Conversion Election") of TVM, Merlin and Private
Equity Holding to effect the conversion of all of the Convertible Notes, the
outstanding principal and accrued interest on this

                                       3
<PAGE>
Note shall be converted into shares of a new series of the convertible preferred
stock of the Company (the "Optional Conversion Preferred Stock"), at a price per
share calculated so as to assure that, immediately following such conversion of
the Convertible Notes, the shares of the Common Stock issuable upon conversion
of the Optional Conversion Preferred Stock bears a proportion to the total
number of shares of the Company's Common Stock outstanding or issuable upon
exercise and/or conversion of all options, warrants (excluding all Stock
Purchase Warrants), preferred stock (including the Optional Conversion Preferred
Stock) and other convertible securities then outstanding equal to the
outstanding principal and accrued interest on all of the Convertible Notes
divided by the sum of the outstanding principal and accrued interest on all of
the Convertible Notes and $20,000,000.00. Such conversion shall occur as soon as
reasonably practicable after the delivery of the Optional Conversion Election.
The terms of the Optional Conversion Preferred Stock shall be subject to
negotiation by the Company and the holders of the Convertible Notes, including
the Payee, but in any event shall (a) provide that (1)upon any liquidation or
deemed liquidation event (as described in Section 1 of Article FOURTH of the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation as amended and/or restated from time to
time (the "Current Charter")) holders of Optional Convertible Preferred Stock
shall be entitled to receive on account of each of their shares of Optional
Convertible Preferred Stock first out of the assets of the Company available to
holders of the Company's capital stock, an amount not less than three (3) times
the amount per share at which the Convertible Notes are converted into Optional
Conversion Preferred Stock and (2) provide the Optional Convertible Preferred
Stock with so-called "full ratchet anti-dilution protection," and (b) be subject
to the unanimous approval of each of TVM, Merlin and Private Equity Holding. To
effect such conversion, the Company and the Payee shall become parties to all
ordinary and customary agreements necessary to fully set forth the terms and
conditions of such purchase and to provide the Payee with all the rights, and
subject the Payee to all of the restrictions or obligations, granted to or
imposed on the holders of the Optional Conversion Preferred Stock in connection
with their purchase thereof, as such rights, restrictions and obligations may
have been amended from time to time. Promptly after the delivery by TVM, Merlin
and Private Equity Holding of the Optional Conversion Election, the Company
shall use its best efforts to cause to be taken all corporate action necessary
to amend its Certificate of Incorporation to authorize the shares of Optional
Conversion Preferred Stock issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes and
the exercise of all Stock Purchase Warrants and the shares of Common Stock
issuable upon conversion of such shares of Optional Conversion Preferred Stock
and to effect all other changes to the Company's Certificate of Incorporation as
may be required.

      7. Payment Upon Liquidation. At the unanimous election of TVM, Merlin and
Private Equity Holding, upon the occurrence of an Extraordinary Event, the
holder hereof shall be entitled to receive an amount in full satisfaction of
this Note, such amount to be paid out of the assets of the Company before any
payments are made on account of any capital stock of the Company, equal to three
(3) times the principal amount of this Note, plus all interest accrued on this
Note. The Company shall not incur any obligation (except with respect to its
issuance of Convertible Notes) outside of its ordinary course of business after
the date hereof that would be have priority over the obligation described
herein, except with the unanimous consent of TVM, Merlin and Private Equity
Holding. The Company shall not participate in an Extraordinary Event without
notifying the Payee of its intention to so participate in such Extraordinary
Event at least 10 business days prior to such Extraordinary Event. As used in
this Note, the term

                                       4
<PAGE>
"Extraordinary Event" means (a) a merger, consolidation, share exchange or other
form of corporate reorganization involving the Company in which the stockholders
of the Company immediately before such merger, consolidation, share exchange or
other corporate reorganization dispose of in excess of fifty percent (50%) of
the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company; (b) any transaction or
series of related transactions in which (i) all or substantially all of the
assets of the Company are sold, or (ii) in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the
shares of Common Stock (assuming conversion of all convertible securities) is
issued transferred to any person (other than in a Qualifying Financing); or (c)
any event that would trigger payments to the holders of any series of the
Preferred Stock under Section 1(c) of Article FOURTH of the Current Charter in
the absence of the prescribed vote of the holders of such series to the
contrary.

      8. Cancellation of Note. Upon conversion of this Note, in accordance with
Sections 5 or 6 hereunder, all rights with respect to this Note shall terminate,
whether or not the Note has been surrendered for cancellation, and the Company
will be forever released from its obligation under this Note, except its
obligation under Sections 5 or 6 herein.

      9. Events of Default.

            If any of the following events ("Events of Default") shall occur:

            (a) A final judgment or settlement shall be rendered against or
agreed to by the Company or any of its subsidiaries for the payment of money
that, after deducting the amount of any insurance proceeds paid or payable to or
on behalf of the Company or such subsidiary in connection with such judgment or
settlement, as the case may be, is in excess of $50,000, and such judgment shall
remain undischarged for a period of thirty (30) days, during which period
execution shall not effectively be stayed, or such settlement shall remain
unpaid for a period of thirty (30) days after the agreed payment date unless
such delay has been agreed to by the other party. If a dispute exists with
respect to the liability of any insurance underwriter under any insurance policy
of the Company or such subsidiary, no deduction under this subsection shall be
made for any portion of the insurance proceeds that are the subject of such
dispute;

            (b) The Company or any of its subsidiaries shall (i) voluntarily
terminate operations or apply for or consent to the appointment of, or the
taking of possession by, a receiver, custodian, trustee or liquidator of it or
of all or a substantial part of its assets, (ii) admit in writing its inability,
or be generally unable, to pay its debts as the debts become due, (iii) make, or
enter into negotiations to make, a general assignment for the benefit of its
creditors, (iv) commence a voluntary case under the Federal Bankruptcy Code of
the United States (as now or hereafter in effect), (v) file a petition (relating
to itself) seeking to take advantage of any other law relating to bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, winding-up, or composition or adjustment of debts,
(vi) fail to controvert in a timely and appropriate manner, or acquiesce in
writing to, any petition filed against it in an involuntary case under the
Federal Bankruptcy Code of the United States or other applicable bankruptcy law
or (vii) take any corporate action for the purpose of effecting any of the
foregoing;

            (c) Without its application, approval or consent, a proceeding shall
be commenced, in any court of competent jurisdiction, seeking in respect of the
Company or any of

                                       5
<PAGE>
its subsidiaries the liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding-up, or
composition or readjustment of debt, the appointment of a trustee, receiver,
liquidator or the like of such entity or of all or any substantial part of its
assets, or other like relief in respect of such entity under any law relating to
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, winding-up, or composition or adjustment
of debts; and, if the proceeding is being contested in good faith by such
entity, the same shall continue undismissed, or unstayed and in effect for any
period of forty-five (45) consecutive days, or an order for relief against such
entity shall be entered in any case under the Federal Bankruptcy Code of the
United States or other applicable bankruptcy law;

            (d) Any foreclosure or other proceedings shall be commenced to
enforce, execute or realize upon any lien, encumbrance, attachment, trustee
process, mortgage or security interest for payment of an amount in excess of
$50,000 against the Company or any of its subsidiaries;

            (e) There shall occur any default not cured within the applicable
grace period under any instrument or agreement evidencing any indebtedness in
excess of $50,000 for money borrowed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries;

            (f) There shall occur any acceleration or any default not cured
within the applicable grace period under any of the agreements relating to the
loans to the Company or EpiCept GmbH from IKB Venture Capital GmbH or
Technologie-Beteiligungs-Gesellschaft mbH der Deutschen Ausgleichsbank;

            (g) There shall occur, in the reasonable opinion TVM, Merlin and
Private Equity Holding, any material adverse change in the financial condition
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries as compared to the Company's condition
on the date hereof;

            (h) There shall occur any merger, consolidation, share exchange or
other form of corporate reorganization involving the Company in which the
stockholders of the Company immediately before such merger, consolidation, share
exchange or other corporate reorganization dispose of in excess of fifty percent
(50%) of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company;

            (i) There shall occur any transaction or series of related
transactions in which (i) all or substantially all of the assets of the Company
are sold, or (ii) in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the shares of Common Stock
(assuming conversion of all convertible securities) is issued transferred to any
person (other than in a Qualifying Financing or a Qualified Public Offering); or

            (j) There shall occur any event that will trigger payments to the
holders of any series of the Preferred Stock under Section 1(c) of Article
FOURTH of the Current Charter in the absence of the prescribed vote of the
holders of such series to the contrary;

then, upon the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Notes then outstanding (the
"Majority Holders") at any time thereafter when such Event of Default is
continuing, if such Event of Default or any other Event of Default shall have
not been waived by the Majority Holders, the Payee may by notice to the Company
declare

                                       6
<PAGE>
this Note due and payable, upon which an amount equal to three (3) times the
principal amount of this Note, plus all interest accrued on this Note any other
amounts owing hereunder immediately shall be due and payable, and the same shall
forthwith become immediately due and payable without presentment, demand,
protest, notice or other formality of any kind, all of which are hereby
expressly waived; provided, however, that notwithstanding the above, if there
shall occur an Event of Default under clause (b) or (c) above, then an amount
equal to three (3) times the principal amount of this Note, plus all interest
accrued on this Note any other amounts owing hereunder, shall be immediately due
and payable without the necessity of any action by the Majority Holders or the
Payee, or notice to the Company. The Company shall notify Payee forthwith and in
any event within one (1) business day of the occurrence of any Event of Default.

      10. Transfer and Exchange of Note.

            (a) Transfer. Subject to evidence of compliance with the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, (the "Securities Act"), and applicable state securities
laws, this Note may be transferred or succeeded to by any person; provided,
however, that the Company is given written notice at the time of such transfer
stating the name and address of the transferee.

            (b) Exchange. Upon surrender of this Note for transfer or exchange,
a new note or new notes of the same tenor dated the date to which interest has
been paid on the surrendered Note and in an aggregate principal amount equal to
the unpaid principal amount of the Note so surrendered will be issued to, and
registered in the name of, the transferee or transferees. The Company may treat
the person in whose name this Note is registered, as the owner hereof and the
Payee hereunder for the purpose of receiving payment and for all other purposes.

      11. Compliance with Securities Act. The Payee, by acceptance hereof,
agrees that this Note is being acquired for investment for its own account and
not with a view towards its distribution and that the Payee will not offer, sell
or otherwise dispose of this Note or shares of capital stock of the Company
issued upon conversion of this Note except under circumstances which will not
result in a violation of the Securities Act and applicable state securities
laws. The Payee represents that he/she/it is an "accredited investor" within the
meaning of Rule 501 promulgated under the Securities Act, and shall promptly
notify the Company if at any time prior to June 30, 2003 such Payee is no longer
an "accredited investor."

      12. Miscellaneous.

            (a) Expenses. The Company agrees to reimburse and indemnify the
Payee for all costs and expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees) incurred
by the Payee (i) in connection with the preparation of the Convertible Notes,
the Stock Purchase Warrants and the transactions contemplated by such notes and
warrants and (ii) in collecting payment hereof and in otherwise enforcing
compliance herewith.

            (b) Binding Benefit. This Note, and the obligations and rights of
the parties hereunder, shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the
parties hereto and their respective

                                       7
<PAGE>
successors and assigns. Each of the holders of the Convertible Notes is an
intended third party beneficiary of the obligations of the Payee hereunder.

            (c) No Waiver. No delay or omission on the part of the Payee in
exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of such right or of any
other right of the Payee, nor shall any delay, omission or waiver on any
occasion be deemed a bar to, or waiver of, the same or any other right on any
future occasion.

            (d) Waivers by the Company. The undersigned and every indorser or
guarantor of this Note, regardless of the time, order or place of signing,
waives presentment, demand, protest and notice of every kind and assents to any
one or more extensions or postponements of the time of payment or any other
indulgences, to any substitutions, exchanges or releases of collateral available
to the Payee, if any, and to the additions or releases of any other parties or
persons primarily or secondarily liable.

            (e) Rights of Action; Remedies. All rights of action with respect to
this Note are vested in the Payee, and the Payee may enforce against the Company
its right to convert this Note into shares of capital stock of the Company in
the manner provided in this Note. The Company stipulates that the remedies at
law of the Payee in the event of any default or threatened default by the
Company in the performance of or compliance with any of the terms of this Note
are not and will not be adequate, and that such terms may be specifically
enforced by a decree for the specific performance of any agreement contained
herein or by an injunction against a violation of any of the terms hereof or
otherwise.

            (f) Loss or Mutilation. Upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the
Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Note and, if
requested in the case of any such loss, theft or destruction, upon delivery of
an indemnity agreement or security reasonably satisfactory to the Company, or,
in the case of any such mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this
Note, the Company at its expense will execute and deliver, in lieu hereof, a new
note of like tenor.

            (g) Amendments and Waivers; Supercedes Prior Notes. No provision of
this Note may be amended or waived except with the unanimous written consent of
TVM, Merlin, Private Equity Holding and the Company, and any amendment or waiver
of this Note and the other Convertible Notes made with such consent shall be
binding on all holders of the Convertible Notes (including this Note); provided,
however, that (i) no amendment or waiver respecting the amount of payment of
principal or interest on this Note shall be made without the written consent of
the holder of this Note, and (ii) the holder of this Note may waive any right or
benefit hereunder, but only as to itself, by its written consent. By
countersigning this Note on the signature page hereof, the undersigned consents
and agrees to all amendments to the Second Amended Note (defined below), the
First Amended Note (defined below) and the Original Note (defined below)
contained in this Note. This Note supercedes and replaces a certain (i) Second
Amended and Restated Convertible Term Note of even date herewith (the "Second
Amended Note"), (ii) Amended and Restated Convertible Term Note of even date
herewith (the "First Amended Note") and (ii) Convertible Term Note of even date
herewith (the "Original Note"), each issued by the Company to the Payee and
Payee acknowledges that the Second Amended

                                       8
<PAGE>
Note, the First Amended Note and the Original Note are no longer outstanding or
obligations of the Company.

            (h) Governing Law. All rights and obligations under this Note shall
be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the substantive
laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its principles of conflicts of
laws.

            (i) Pari Passu. The Convertible Notes rank equally and ratably
without priority over one another. No payment, including prepayment, shall be
made hereunder unless payment, including any prepayment, is made with respect to
the other Convertible Notes in an amount which bears the same ratio to the then
outstanding unpaid principal amount of such other Convertible Notes as the
payment made hereon bears to the then outstanding unpaid principal amount of
this Note.

                  [REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

                                       9
<PAGE>
      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Note as of the date
first above written.

                                        EPICEPT CORPORATION

                                        By:
                                           -------------------------------------
                                                                     (signature)

                                        Name: Robert W. Cook
                                              ----------------------------------

                                        ----------------------------------------
                                                                       (printed)

                                        Its: Chief Financial Officer
                                             -----------------------------------

                                        ----------------------------------------
                                                                         (title)

ACCEPTED AND AGREED:

[NAME OF HOLDER]

By:
   -------------------------------------
                             (signature)

Name:
     -----------------------------------
                               (printed)

Title:
      ----------------------------------
                                 (title)

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