Document:

<PAGE>

                                                                     Exhibit 4.8

                              CONSULTING AGREEMENT
                              --------------------

         CONSULTING AGREEMENT between Genius Products, Inc. (the "COMPANY") and
Dennis Levin ("CONSULTANT"), dated as of May 16, 2001

         WHEREAS, the Company wishes to retain the services of Consultant and
Consultant wishes to provide consulting services to the company, (the
"SERVICES") for a period of 3 months;

         NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants set forth
herein and for other good and valuable consideration the adequacy and
sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as
follows:

         SECTION 1. SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY CONSULTANT. As of the date
hereof, Consultant shall spend a minimum of 2 days each week in the corporate
offices. The Consultant will also be available for Services the other remaining
3 days of the week.

         SECTION 2. PAYMENT BY THE COMPANY. The Company shall pay the Consultant
on the last day of each four-week period in company shares for Services. The
Company shall pay the Consultant shares equal in value to $8,000 per month
divided by the volume weighted average closing price for the previous 20 days.
The company shall issue or cause to be issued free-trading shares to Consultant.

         The Company shall reimburse or pay directly any reasonable expenses
related to the performance of the Consultants duties. These expenses will be
paid upon receipt of documentation. Such expenses will include travel,
telephone, and other pre-approved items.

         SECTION 3. OBLIGATIONS OF CONSULTANT. Consultant shall (I) not engage
         in any act that the Company determines in its sole discretion may be
         deemed to be in competition with the Company; (ii) treat as
         confidential all Company information disclosed to him by the Company;
         and Consultant shall return all such information to the Company at the
         end of this agreement in whatever form such information such may exist;
         (iii) perform all work for the Company to the highest professional
         standards. Consultant shall be responsible for the payment of all his
         federal, state, local income, social security, and FICA taxes.
         Consultant acknowledges that the relationship with the Company is one
         of an independent contractor and not one of employment.

                  SECTION 4. TERM AND TERMINATION. Either party may terminate
         the Agreement on 30 days prior written notice, and if not so terminated
         the Agreement will expire on August 16, 2001.

                  SECTION 5. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by
         and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California
         without regard to conflict of laws principles. The parties hereby
         submit to the state and federal courts in San Diego County, California,
         and wave all defense to venue or that the forum is inconvenient. THE
         PARTIES WAVE THEIR RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN CONNECTION WITH ANY
         PROCEEDINGS ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT.

<PAGE>

                  SECTION 6. MISCELLANEOUS. This Agreement may be executed in
         counter parts all of which together shall constitute one and the same
         instrument. The parties may execute the Agreement by Facsimile. This
         Agreement supercedes all previous oral and written agreements and
         negotiations relating to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may
         not be modified except by an instrument in writing executed in by the
         parties. This Agreement shall inure to the successors and assigns of
         each party except that no party may assign any of its obligations
         hereunder without the written consent of the other party. In any
         proceedings brought hereunder the loosing party shall pay all the
         attorneys' fees and expenses of the other party occurred in such
         proceedings.

                  IN WITNESS HEREOF, the parties have executed this Consulting
Agreement on the date first written above.

                  GENIUS PRODUCTS, INC.

                  /s/ Michael Meader

                  /s/ Dennis Levin
                  Dennis Levin<PAGE>
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.9

                              CONSULTING AGREEMENT

         CONSULTING AGREEMENT between Genius Products, Inc (the "Company") and
Pete Wilson ("Consultant"), dated as of July 24, 2001 (the "Agreement").

         WHEREAS, the Company wishes to retain the services of Consultant and
Consultant wishes to provide consulting services to the Company (the "Services")
for a period of 6 months;

         NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants set forth
herein and for other good and valuable consideration the adequacy and
sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as
follows:

SECTION 1.          SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY CONSULTANT. As of the date
                    hereof, Consultant shall aid Company in all matters relating
                    to financial reporting, planning for strategic marketing and
                    other such services as required by the Company from time to
                    time.

SECTION 2.          PAYMENT BY THE COMPANY. In lieu of a monthly retainer, the
                    Company will issue to Consultant non-qualified stock options
                    to acquire a total of 125,000 shares at a price of $0.80 per
                    share. The shares underlying the options will be registered
                    by the Company on an S-8 Registration Statement.

SECTION 3.          OBLIGATIONS OF CONSULTANT. Consultant shall (1) not engage
                    in any act that the Company determines in its sole
                    discretion may be deemed to be in competition with the
                    Company, (2) treat as confidential all Company information
                    disclosed to him by the Company, and Consultant shall return
                    all such information to the Company at the end of this
                    agreement in whatever form such information such may exist,
                    and (3) perform all work for the Company to the highest
                    professional standards. Consultant shall be responsible for
                    the payment of all his federal, state, local income, social
                    security, and FICA taxes. Consultant acknowledges that the
                    relationship with the Company is one of an independent
                    contractor and not one of employment.

SECTION 4.          TERM AND TERMINATION. Either party may terminate the
                    Agreement on 30 days' prior written notice, and if not so
                    terminated the Agreement will expire on January 15, 2002.

SECTION 5.          GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and
                    construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
                    California without regard to conflict of laws principles.
                    The parties hereby submit to the state and federal courts in
                    San Diego County, California, and waive all defenses to
                    venue or that the forum is inconvenient

<PAGE>

                    THE PARTIES WAIVE THEIR RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN
                    CONNECTION WITH ANY PROCEEDINGS ARISING OUT OF THIS
                    AGREEMENT.

SECTION 6.          MISCELLANEOUS. This Agreement may be executed in
                    counterparts, all of which together shall constitute one and
                    the same instrument. The parties may execute the Agreement
                    by facsimile. This Agreement supersedes all previous oral
                    and written agreements and negotiations relating to the
                    subject matter hereof. This Agreement may not be modified
                    except by an instrument in writing executed by the parties.
                    This Agreement shall inure to the successors and assigns of
                    each party except that no party may assign any of its
                    obligations hereunder without the written consent of the
                    other party. In any proceedings brought hereunder the losing
                    party shall pay all the attorneys' fees and expenses of the
                    other party incurred in such proceedings.

         IN WITNESS HEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement on the date
first written above.

                                     GENIUS PRODUCTS, INC

                                     By: /S/ LARRY BALABAN
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Larry Balaban, Executive Vice President

                                         /S/ PETE WILSON
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Pete Wilson

                                       2<PAGE>

                                                                     Exhibit 4.1

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

                            ORCHID BIOSCIENCES, INC.

                                      and

                    AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY

                                as Rights Agent

                                   _________

                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                           Dated as of July 27, 2001

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>

                               Table of Contents
                               -----------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Section                                                                                                                         Page
<S>                                                                                                                             <C>

Section 1.  Certain Definitions...............................................................................................     1
Section 2.  Appointment of Rights Agent.......................................................................................     5
Section 3.  Issue of Rights Certificates......................................................................................     6
Section 4.  Form of Rights Certificates.......................................................................................     7
Section 5.  Countersignature and Registration.................................................................................     8
Section 6.  Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
            Certificates......................................................................................................     9
Section 7.  Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.....................................................    10
Section 8.  Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates...............................................................    12
Section 9.  Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.....................................................................    12
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date.......................................................................................    13
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights.......................................    14
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares........................................................    22
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power..............................................    23
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares...........................................................................    25
Section 15. Rights of Action..................................................................................................    26
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders.......................................................................................    26
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder................................................................    27
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.......................................................................................    27
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.........................................................    28
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent............................................................................................    28
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent............................................................................................    30
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates...............................................................................    31
Section 23. Redemption and Termination........................................................................................    31
Section 24. Exchange..........................................................................................................    32
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events..........................................................................................    33
Section 26. Notices...........................................................................................................    34
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments........................................................................................    35
Section 28. Successors........................................................................................................    35
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.........................................................    35
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement........................................................................................    36
Section 31. Severability......................................................................................................    36
Section 32. Governing Law.....................................................................................................    36
Section 33. Counterparts......................................................................................................    36
Section 34. Descriptive Headings..............................................................................................    36

Exhibit A -- Form of Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock
Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C -- Form of Summary of Rights
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                                ----------------

     RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of July 27, 2001 (the "Agreement"), between
                                                       ---------
ORCHID BIOSCIENCES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and AMERICAN
                                                       -------
STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
                                                      ------------

                                   WITNESSETH

     WHEREAS, on May 16, 2001 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"), the
                                    --------------------------------
Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") authorized and declared a
                                        -----
dividend distribution of one Right (a "Right") for each share of Common Stock
                                       -----
(as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on
May 31, 2001 (the "Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance of one Right
                   -----------
(as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of
Section 11(a)(i) hereof) for each share of Common Stock of the Company issued
(whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) between the
Record Date and the Distribution Date, each Right initially representing the
right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth (the
"Rights");
 ------

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

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

          (a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together
               ----------------
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not
include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of
the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an
"Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of Common Stock by the
Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the
proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more
of the Common Stock of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if
                                                     --------  -------
a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Stock of
the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and
shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of
any additional Common Stock of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to
be an "Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board determines
in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as
defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become
such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a
sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer
be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of
this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring
Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.

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

          (c) "Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
               -----------------
11(a)(ii)(D) hereof.

          (d) "Adverse Person" shall mean any Person declared to be an Adverse
               --------------
Person by the Board upon determination that the criteria set forth in Section
11(a)(ii)(D) hereof apply to such Person.

          (e) "Adverse Person Event" shall mean the determination by the Board,
               --------------------
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)(D) hereof, that a Person is an Adverse Person.

          (f) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
               ---------       ---------
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").
                                                      ------------

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

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

               (i)  which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, owns or has the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time)
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in
writing, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, other
rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
                                           --------  -------
shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own", (A)
securities tendered pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer made by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, or (B) securities issuable
upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, or (C) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the
occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights were acquired by such Person or
any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or
pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the "Original Rights") or
                                                    ---------------
pursuant to Section 11(a)(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with
respect to any Original Rights;

               (ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or has
"beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General
Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, or any comparable or successor
rule), including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding,
whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed
                           --------  -------
the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own", any security under this
subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding to
vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding:  (A) arises
solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable provisions
of the General Rules and Regulations under the

                                       2
<PAGE>

Exchange Act, and (B) is not then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D
under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or

               (iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person
(or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing, for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in
the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (h)) or disposing of any
voting securities of the Company (a joint filing of a Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act or any comparable or successor report being deemed to be conclusive
evidence of such an agreement, arrangement or understanding); provided, however,
                                                              --------  -------
that nothing in this paragraph (h) shall cause a Person engaged in business as
an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own", any securities acquired through such Person's participation
in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the expiration of forty
(40) days after the date of such acquisition.

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

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

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

          (k) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New
               -----------------
York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
                              --------  -------
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Princeton, New Jersey time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.

          (1) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, $.001 par value per
               ------------
share, of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to
any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person
with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity
interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.

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

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

                                       3
<PAGE>

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

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

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

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

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

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

          (u)  "Final Amendment Date" shall mean the earlier of the Distribution
                --------------------
Date or the occurrence of an Adverse Person Event.)

          (v)  "Final Expiration Date" shall mean the close of business on May
                ---------------------
16, 2011.

          (w)  "Initial Exercise Price" shall be $40.
                ----------------------

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

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

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

          (aa) "Preferred Stock" shall mean the Series A Junior Participating
                ---------------
Preferred Stock, $.001 par value per share, of the Company having the terms set
forth in the form of certificate of designation attached hereto as Exhibit A,
                                                                   ---------
and, to the extent that there is not a sufficient number of shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of
the Rights, any other series of Preferred Stock, $.001 par value, of the Company
designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms
of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.

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

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

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

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

                                       4
<PAGE>

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

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

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

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

          (jj) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
                -----------------------
Section 11(a)(ii)(A), (B), (C) or (D) hereof.

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

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

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

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

          (oo) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, including
                ----------
the Company, any corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient
to elect at least a majority of the directors of such corporation is
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or which is
otherwise controlled by such Person.

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

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

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

     Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
                ---------------------------
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Stock) in

                                       5
<PAGE>

accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby
accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such Co-
Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable.

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

          (a) Until the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth day
after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after the Stock
Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the Close of Business on the
Record Date), (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day (or, if such
tenth Business Day occurs before the Record Date, the Close of Business on the
Record Date), or such specified or unspecified later date on or after the Record
Date as may be determined by action of a majority of the Board, after the date
that a tender offer or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is
first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation
thereof for the maximum number of shares that may be purchased thereunder, such
Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding or (iii) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day
after an Adverse Person Event (the earliest of (i), (ii) and (iii) being herein
referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced
                    -----------------
(subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be
certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying
shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by first-
class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock
as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such
holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights certificates, in
the form specified in Section 4 hereof (the "Rights Certificates"), evidencing
                                             -------------------
one Right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as
provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per
share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(a)(i) hereof, at the
time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company shall make the
necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a)
hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights
are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional rights. As of and
after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.

          (b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company
will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form attached
hereto as Exhibit C, by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder
          ---------
of the Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the
address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to
certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for the
Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common Stock shall also be the
registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the transfer of any certificates
representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been

                                       6
<PAGE>

issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such
shares of Common Stock.

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

          This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
          certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Orchid
          BioSciences, Inc. (the "Company") and American Stock Transfer & Trust
          Company (the "Rights Agent") dated as of July 27, 2001 (the "Rights
          Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by
          reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of
          the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
          Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and
          will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail
          to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as
          in effect on the date of mailing, without charge, promptly after
          receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances set
          forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any
          Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person
          or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse
          Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether
          currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent
          holder, may become null and void.

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.

     Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
                ---------------------------

          (a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and
of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially
in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of
                         ---------
identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange or trading market on which the Rights
may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the
provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates,
whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date and on their face
shall

                                       7
<PAGE>

entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price per
share set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of
                              --------------
securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price
thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

          (b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a), Section
11(i) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an
Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person
or an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person or an Adverse Person) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
or Adverse Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or
an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person
or an Adverse Person) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the
Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person becoming such and receives such Rights
pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the
Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person to holders of equity interests in such
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing) regarding the transferred Rights or
(B) a transfer which the Board has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing) that has as a primary purpose or
effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued
pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement
or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence,
shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:

          The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
          beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person,
          Adverse Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or
          Adverse Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement).
          Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby
          may become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section
          7(e) of such Agreement.

The provisions of this Section 7(e) hereof shall be operative whether or not the
foregoing legend is contained on any such Rights Certificate.

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

          (a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company
by its President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or any Vice
President, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, which shall be attested by
the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned.
In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the
Company by

                                       8
<PAGE>

any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate,
shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate,
although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person
was not such an officer.

          (b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its office designated as the appropriate place for
surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for
registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such
books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights
Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights
Certificates, the Rights Certificate number and the date of each of the Rights
Certificates.

     Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
                ------------------------------------------------------
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

          (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and
Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution
Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date, any
Rights Certificate or Certificates (other than Rights Certificates representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof or that have been
exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined
or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the
registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate
or Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the
case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer,
split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make
such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the
Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither
the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action
whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights
Certificate or Certificates until the registered holder shall have completed and
signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment set forth on the
reverse side of each such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such
additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former
Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall
reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b),
Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person
entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Certificates, as the case may be, as so
requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax
or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer,
split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.

          (b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company
and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

                                       9
<PAGE>

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

          (a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase set
forth on the reverse side thereof and the certificate contained therein
completed and duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate
Purchase Price with respect to the total number of one one-hundredths of a share
of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may
be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the
earliest of (i) the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the time at which the Rights are
redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date"), (iii) the
                                                ---------------
time at which the Rights expire pursuant to Section 13(d) hereof or (iv) the
time at which the Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof (the
earliest of (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) being herein referred to as the "Expiration
                                                                      ----------
Date").
----

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

          (c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side
thereof and the certificate contained therein completed and duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase
Price per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities,
cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set forth below and
an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject
to Section 20(k) hereof, promptly (i) requisition from any transfer agent of the
shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the
transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the total number of one one-
hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby
authorizes its transfer agent to comply with such requests, (ii) requisition
from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional
shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such
certificates, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver
such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified
bank check or money order payable to the order of the Company. In the event that
the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of
the Company, pay cash or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other
securities, cash or other property are available for distribution by the Rights
Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require prior
to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights, such
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Common Stock would be
issued.

                                       10
<PAGE>

          (d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing the Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be
issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14
hereof.

          (e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the first occurrence of an event described in Section 11(a)(ii)(A) or
(C) and from and after the Close of Business on the tenth day after the
occurrence of an event described in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) or (D), any Rights
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an Associate
or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, which the Board, in its
sole discretion, determines is or was involved in or caused or facilitated,
directly or indirectly, such Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (ii) a transferee of any
such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate
of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person) who becomes a transferee after such
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of any
such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate
of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person) who becomes a transferee prior to
or concurrently with such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person to holders of equity
interests in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or to any Person with whom
such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) regarding the
transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board has determined is part of a
plan, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) which has as a
primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null
and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any
rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of
this Agreement or otherwise. No Rights Certificate shall be issued at any time
upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be
void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or
to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Rights
Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person
whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be
cancelled.  The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the
provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but
shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or other Person as
a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person or any of their Affiliates, Associates or transferees
hereunder.

          (f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported
transfer or exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered
holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form
of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate
surrendered for such assignment or exercise, and (ii) provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.

                                       11
<PAGE>

     Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates. All Rights
                ---------------------------------------------------
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case
shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

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

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

          (b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock or other securities) issuable and
deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange or automated quotation system, the Company shall use its
best efforts to cause all shares reserved for such issuance to be so listed upon
official notice of issuance upon such exercise.

          (c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Triggering Event in which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with this Agreement, a
registration statement under the Act, with respect to the securities purchasable
upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration
statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and
(iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus
at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the
date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and
(B) the Expiration Date. The Company will also take such action as may be
appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky"
laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights.
The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety
(90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this
Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement and permit it to become effective. In addition, if the
Company shall determine that a registration statement is required following the
Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the
Rights until such time as a registration statement has been declared effective.
Upon any suspension of the exercisability of the Rights referred to in this
Section 9(c), the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public

                                       12
<PAGE>

announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable and shall be void so long as held by a holder in any
jurisdiction where the requisite qualification to the issuance to such holder,
or the exercise by such holder, of the Rights in such jurisdiction shall not
have been obtained or be obtainable, the exercise thereof shall not be permitted
under applicable law or a registration statement shall not have been declared
effective.

          (d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action
as may be necessary to ensure that all one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time
of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the
Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.

          (e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due
and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges that may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of
any certificates for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock or other securities, as the case may be) upon the
exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any
transfer tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of
Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock or
other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than that of,
the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered
for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of one one-
hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock or other securities,
as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the
exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being
payable by the holder of such Rights Certificates at the time of surrender) or
until it has been established to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is
due.

     Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
                 ---------------------------
certificate for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the
exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of
record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock or other
securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such
Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and all
applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such
                                     --------  -------
surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are
closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day
on which the Preferred Stock (or other securities, as the case may be) transfer
books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced
thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate, as such, shall not be entitled to
any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the
Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote,
to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive
rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of
the Company, except as provided herein.

                                       13
<PAGE>

     Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
                 ----------------------------------------------------------
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by
----------------
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.

          (a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in shares
of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine
the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue
any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock
(including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or
merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except
as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the
Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of
the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the
number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may
be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder
of any Rights exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon
payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of
shares of Preferred Stock or other capital stock, as the case may be, which, if
such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such time and at a time when
the Preferred Stock transfer books (or other capital stock transfer books, as
the case may be) of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such
exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification. If an event occurs that would require an
adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and
shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.

          (ii)  In the event:

                (A) any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any
Acquiring Person, at any time after the date of this Agreement, directly or
indirectly, (1) shall merge into the Company or otherwise combine with the
Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
merger or combination and the Common Stock of the Company shall remain
outstanding and unchanged, (2) shall merge or otherwise combine with any
Subsidiary of the Company, (3) shall, in one transaction or a series of
transactions, transfer any assets to the Company or to any of its Subsidiaries
in exchange (in whole or in part) for shares of Common Stock, for shares of
other equity securities of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or for
securities exercisable for or convertible into shares of equity securities of
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company (Common Stock or otherwise) or
otherwise obtain from the Company, with or without consideration, any additional
shares of equity securities of the Company or securities exercisable for or
convertible into shares of such equity securities of the Company (other than
pursuant to a pro rata distribution to all holders of Common Stock or upon the
exercise of a convertible security of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company in accordance with its terms), (4) shall sell, purchase, lease,
exchange, mortgage,

                                       14
<PAGE>

pledge, transfer or otherwise acquire or dispose of, in one transaction or a
series of transactions, to, from or with (as the case may be) the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, assets on terms and conditions less favorable to the
Company than the Company would be able to obtain in arm's length negotiations
with an unaffiliated third party, other than pursuant to a transaction set forth
in Section 13(a) hereof, (5) shall sell, purchase, lease, exchange, mortgage,
pledge, transfer or otherwise acquire or dispose of in one transaction or a
series of transactions, to, from or with (as the case may be) the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries assets having an aggregate fair market value of more than
$1,000,000, other than pursuant to a transaction set forth in Section 13(a)
hereof and other than pursuant to a transaction or series of transactions that
have been approved by the Board, (6) shall receive any compensation from the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than compensation for full-time
employment as a regular employee at rates in accordance with the Company's (or
its Subsidiaries') past practices, or (7) shall receive the benefit, directly or
indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder and except if resulting from
a requirement of law or governmental regulation), of any loans, advances,
guarantees, pledges or other financial assistance or any tax credits or other
tax advantages provided by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or

                (B) any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), alone or together with
any Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall, at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of
the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, unless the event causing the 15%
threshold to be crossed is a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, or
is an acquisition of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an
exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on
terms determined by the Board, after receiving advice from one or more
investment banking firms, to be (a) at a price that is fair to stockholders
(taking into account all factors which such members of the Board deem relevant
including, without limitation, prices which could reasonably be achieved if the
Company or its assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum
value) and (b) otherwise in the best interest of the Company and its
stockholders, or

                (C) during such time as there is an Acquiring Person, there
shall be any reclassification of securities (including any reverse stock split),
or recapitalization of the Company, or any merger or consolidation of the
Company with any of its Subsidiaries or any other transaction or series of
transactions involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (whether or not
with or into or otherwise involving an Acquiring Person), other than a
transaction or transactions to which the provisions of Section 13(a) hereof
apply (whether or not with or into or otherwise involving an Acquiring Person),
which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing by more than 1% the
proportionate share of the outstanding shares of any class of equity securities
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which is directly or indirectly
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any
Acquiring Person, or

                (D) the Board shall declare any Person to be an Adverse Person,
upon a determination that such Person, alone or together with its Affiliates and
Associates, has, at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become
the Beneficial Owner of an amount of Common Stock which the Board determines to
be substantial (which amount shall in no event be less than 15% of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding) and the Board, after reasonable inquiry and
investigation, which may include a review of the public record regarding such
Person and any information such directors may request from such Person and
consultation with such persons as such directors shall deem appropriate, that
(1) such Beneficial Ownership by

                                       15
<PAGE>

such Person is intended to cause the Company to repurchase the Common Stock
beneficially owned by such Person or to cause pressure on the Company to take
action or enter into a transaction or series of transactions intended to provide
such Person with short-term financial gain under circumstances where such
directors determine that the best long-term interests of the Company and its
stockholders would not be served by taking such action or entering into such
transactions or series of transactions at that time or (2) such Beneficial
Ownership is causing or is reasonably likely to cause a material adverse impact
(including, but not limited to, impairment of relationships with customers,
impairment of the Company's ability to maintain its competitive position or
impairment of the Company's business reputation or ability to deal with
government agencies) on the business or prospects of the Company,

          then, immediately upon the occurrence of any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii)(A) or (C) hereof, and upon the Close of Business ten (10) days
after the occurrence of any event described in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) or (D)
hereof, each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in Section 7(e)
hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof at the
then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in
lieu of a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock, such
number of shares of Common Stock of the Company that equals the result obtained
by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was or would have
been exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, whether or not such Right was then exercisable, and (y)
dividing that product (which, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter
be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of
                       --------------
this Agreement) by 50% of the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of such first
occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment Shares").
                                        -----------------

     (iii)  In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which are
authorized by the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of
the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the
Company shall (A) determine the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the
exercise of a Right (the "Current Value"), and (B) with respect to each Right
                          -------------
(subject to Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate provision to substitute, upon
the exercise of a Right and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash,
(2), a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of
shares, of preferred stock which the Board has deemed to have the same value as
shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock, the "Common Stock
                                                             ------------
Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any
-----------
combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current
Value, as adjusted (less the amount of any reduction in the Purchase Price),
where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board based upon the
advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board;

provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to
--------  -------
deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the
later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the first
date on which the Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a)
expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section
                                                                   -------
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon
----------------------
the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the
Purchase Price, shares of Common

                                       16
<PAGE>

Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares or
cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. The term "Spread" shall mean
                                                            ------
the excess of (i) the Current Value over (ii) the Purchase Price. If the number
of shares of Common Stock that are authorized by the Company's Restated
Certificate of Incorporation but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for
purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of any Rights and the Board determines in good faith that it is
likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for
issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set
forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety
(90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company
may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares
(such period, as it may be extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the extent
                                          -------------------
that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the
preceding provisions of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all
outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until
the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of
additional shares or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made
pursuant to such provisions and to determine the value thereof. In the event of
any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that
the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a
public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For
purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of each Adjustment Share shall be
the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock (as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof) on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share
or per unit value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the
Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock on such date.

          (b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights (other than the Rights), options or warrants to all holders of Preferred
Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within
forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock, shares
having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred
Stock ("Equivalent Preferred Stock") or securities convertible into Preferred
        --------------------------
Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or
per share of Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion price per share,
if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock)
less than the Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock or
Equivalent Preferred Stock (or the aggregate initial conversion price of the
convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such Current Market
Price, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred
Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional shares of
Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock to be offered for subscription or
purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible). In case such subscription price may be paid by delivery
of consideration part or all of which may be in a form other than cash, the
value of such noncash consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the
Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent

                                       17
<PAGE>

and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held for
the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of
any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are
not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

          (c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to
all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a
regular quarterly or other periodic cash dividend out of the earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in
Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other than
Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to
in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record
date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, less the fair market value (as
determined in good faith by the Board whose determination shall be described in
a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of
Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such Current Market Price
per share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof).
Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is
fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.

          (d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market
Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the thirty (30)
consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date, and for the purposes of
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market
Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the ten (10)
consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however,
                                                          --------  -------
that in the event that the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock is
determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Common Stock of (A) any dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in
shares of such Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common
Stock (other than Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and prior to the expiration of the
requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth
above, after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the
record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in
each such case, the Current Market Price shall be properly adjusted to take into
account ex-dividend or post record date trading. The closing price for each day
shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading
or, if the shares of Common

                                       18
<PAGE>

Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange,
the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other
system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of Common Stock are not
quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices
as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Common Stock
selected by the Board. If on any such date no market maker is making a market in
the Common Stock, the fair value of such shares on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day
                                                 -----------
on which the principal national securities exchange on which the shares of
Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not
publicly held or not so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share shall
mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes.

              (ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the Current
Market Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner
as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d)
(other than the last sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per share of
Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the
Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described
in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the Current Market Price per share of
Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100 (as
such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock
dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after
the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the Current Market Price per share of
the Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is
publicly held or so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share of the
Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith
by the Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with
the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes of
this Agreement, the Current Market Price of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock shall be equal to the Current Market Price of one share of
Preferred Stock divided by 100.

          (e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in
the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e)
--------  -------
are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in
any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made
to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock
or other share or one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may
be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or
(ii) the Expiration Date.

          (f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred
Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of
any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to

                                       19
<PAGE>

adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in
Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m) hereof, and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares; provided, however,
that the Company shall not be liable for its inability to reserve and keep
available for issuance upon exercise of the Rights pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
a number of shares of Common Stock greater than the number then authorized by
the Company's Certificate of Incorporation but not outstanding or reserved for
other purposes.

          (g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

          (h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided
in Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result
of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock obtained by (i) multiplying (x)
the number of one one-hundredths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior
to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the
Purchase Price.

          (i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in
the number of shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a
Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the number of
Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such
adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of
Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one-ten-
thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior
to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately
after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public
announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the
record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase
Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public
announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of
the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as
promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights
Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to
be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the
Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and
upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates
evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be

                                       20
<PAGE>

distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.

          (j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per share and the number of
shares which were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.

          (k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the then par value of the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate
action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the
Company may validly and legally issue such number of one one-hundredths of a
share of fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase
Price.

          (1) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
                                                                       --------
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
-------
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

          (m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in its good faith judgment the Board shall determine to be
advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred
Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less
than the Current Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of
Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible into or
exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock dividends, or (v)
issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11,
hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be
taxable to such stockholders.

          (n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of
the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii)
sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or

                                       21
<PAGE>

Persons (other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the
time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any
charter or bylaw provisions or rights, warrants or other instruments or
securities outstanding or agreements in effect that would substantially diminish
or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y)
prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or
sale, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the
"Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a
 ---------------
distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates
and Associates. The Company shall not consummate any consolidation, merger, sale
or transfer described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the prior sentence unless
prior thereto the Company and such other Person shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement evidencing compliance
with this Section 11(n).

          (o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Sections 23, 24 or 27 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it
is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

          (p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration
Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the
outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of
which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
following the occurrence of such event.

          (q) The failure by the Board to declare a Person to be an Adverse
Person following such Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the
outstanding Common Stock shall not imply that such Person is not an Adverse
Person or limit the Board's right at any time in the future to declare such
Person to be an Adverse Person.

     Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
                 ----------------------------------------------------------
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof,
the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a
brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to
the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate representing shares of
Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be
fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein
contained.

                                       22
<PAGE>

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

          (a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly
or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into,
any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing
or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section
11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and
the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger,
all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or
exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other
property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of
its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a
series of related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than
50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as
a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of
the Company in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section
11(o) hereof),

          then, and in each such case and except as contemplated in Section
13(d) hereof, proper provision shall be made so that:  (i) each holder of a
Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly
authorized and issued, fully paid, nonassessable and freely tradable shares of
Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), which
shall not be subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or
other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately
prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event,
multiplying the number of such one one-hundredths of a share for which a Right
was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first
occurrence), and (2) dividing that product (which, following the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price"
                                                               --------------
for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the Current
Market Price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the
Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section
13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall
assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of
the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall
                                                        -------
thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically
intended that, subject to clause (v) below, the provisions of Section 11 hereof
shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a
Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including,
but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its
Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may
be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common
Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the
provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first
occurrence of any Section 13 Event.

                                       23
<PAGE>

          (b)  "Principal Party" shall mean
                ---------------

               (i)  in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
                    (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the
                    Person that is the issuer of any securities into which
                    shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted in such
                    merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued,
                    the Person that is the other party to such merger or
                    consolidation; and

               (ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of
                    the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that
                    is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets or
                    earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or
                    transactions;

provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person
--------  -------
is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12)
month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is
a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is
and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person;
(2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than
one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value; and (3)
in case such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed
by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same
Person, the rules set forth in (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the
chains of ownership having an interest in such joint venture as if such party
were a "Subsidiary" of both or all of such joint ventures and the Principal
Parties in each such chain shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section
13 in the same ratio as their direct or indirect interests in such Person bear
to the total of such interests.

          (c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved for
issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this
Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall
have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any Section
13 Event, the Principal Party will:

               (i)  prepare and file a registration statement under the Act,
with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after such
filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date;

               (ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and
the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws
of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate; and

                                       24
<PAGE>

               (iii)  deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates that comply in all
respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange
Act.

The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event
shall occur at the same time as, or at any time after, the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised
shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a)
hereof.

          (d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs
(x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a
Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer
or exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which complies with
the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof (or a wholly owned subsidiary of
any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per share of Common Stock offered in
such transaction is not less than the price per share of Common Stock paid to
all holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares were purchased pursuant to
such tender offer or exchange offer, and (iii) the form of consideration being
offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock pursuant to such
transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such
tender offer or exchange offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction
contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.

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

          (a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights,
except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates that evidence fractional Rights. If the Company
determines not to issue fractional Rights, there shall be paid in lieu thereof
to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of this
Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing
price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which
such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price of
the Rights for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal
national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to
trading, or if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of
the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by
Nasdaq or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are
not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights
selected by the Board. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board shall be used.

                                       25
<PAGE>

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

          (c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall
not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of
the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay
to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of one share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section
14(c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.

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

     Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
                 ----------------
Agreement, other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent in Section 18
hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance
of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.

     Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
                 ---------------------------
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:

                                       26
<PAGE>

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

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

          (c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be required to be affected by any
notice to the contrary; and

          (d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder
of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as soon as possible.

     Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder,
                 --------------------------------------------------
as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any
time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall
anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer
upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.

     Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
                 ---------------------------

          (a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful

                                       27
<PAGE>

misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the
Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability in the premises.

          (b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability
for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights
Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other
paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and,
where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.

     Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
                 ---------------------------------------------------------

          (a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to
the corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent,
shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the
execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the
parties hereto; provided, however, that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
counter-signature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.

          (b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned
but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its
prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name
or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall
have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.

     Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties
                 ----------------------
and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

          (a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

                                       28
<PAGE>

          (b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person and the determination of Current Market Price) be proved or established
by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or
matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically
prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a
certificate signed by the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief
Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer,
the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the
Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights
Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions
of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

          (c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

          (d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights
Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.

          (e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect
of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except
the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or
Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such
adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any
such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Rights Certificates after receipt of a certificate describing any such
adjustment furnished in accordance with Section 12); nor shall it by any act
hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to
be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether
any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

          (f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.

          (g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice
President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any
Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any
action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with
instructions of any such officer.

                                       29
<PAGE>

          (h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.

          (i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care was exercised in the
                       --------  -------
selection and continued employment thereof.

          (j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.

          (k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the form of
assignment or the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse thereof,
as the case may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative
response to clause 1 or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further
action with respect to such requested exercise of transfer without first
consulting with the Company.

     Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
                 ----------------------
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock
and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by any registered
holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights
Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a corporation organized and
doing business under the laws of the United States or any state thereof in good
standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or
stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or
state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a
combined capital and surplus of

                                       30
<PAGE>

at least $50,000,000 or (b) an affiliate of a corporation described in clause
(a) of this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be
vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had
been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for this purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to
the registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

     Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
                 -----------------------------------
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as
may be approved by the Board to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property
purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with the provisions
of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of
shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date (other than upon exercise
of a Right) and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company
(a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to
the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon
the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities, notes, warrants or
debentures issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed
necessary or appropriate by the Board, issue Rights Certificates representing
the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale;
provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and
--------  -------
to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance
would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the
Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii)
no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.

     Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
                 --------------------------

          (a) The Board may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of
(i) the Close of Business on the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date
(or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date,
the close of business on the tenth day following the Record Date), or (ii) the
Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as such amount may be
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price" ). The redemption of the
                                ----------------
Rights by the Board may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with
such conditions as the Board in its sole discretion may establish.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
until such time as the Company's right of redemption set forth in the first
sentence of this Section 23(a) has expired.

                                       31
<PAGE>

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

          (c) Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering the redemption
of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the
Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights
shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. Promptly after
the action of the Board ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall
give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then
outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each holder's
last address as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior
to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the Transfer Agent for the
Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price
will be made.

          (d) In the event of a redemption of the Rights in accordance with this
Agreement, the Company may, at its option, discharge all of its obligations with
respect to the Rights by (i) issuing a press release announcing the manner of
redemption of the Rights in accordance with this Agreement and (ii) mailing
payment of the Redemption Price to the registered holders of the Rights at their
last addresses as they appear on the registry books of the Rights Agent or,
prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the Transfer Agent of
the Common Stock, and, upon such action, all outstanding Rights and Rights
Certificates shall be null and void without any further action by the Company.

     Section 24. Exchange. (a) At any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring
                 --------
Person or an Adverse Person, the Board may, at its option, exchange all or part
of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which (i) shall not include
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 7(e) and (ii) shall include,
without limitation, any Rights issued after the Distribution Date in connection
with the exercise of options pursuant to any employee benefit plan of the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company) for shares of Common Stock at an
exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the
"Exchange Ratio" ) . Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board shall not be
---------------
empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the
Company, any of its Subsidiaries, any employee benefit plan of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries or any Person organized, appointed or established by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding.

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

                                       32
<PAGE>

by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly
thereafter give notice of such exchange to the Rights Agent and the holders of
the Rights to be exchanged in the manner set forth in Section 26; provided,
                                                                  ---------
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
-------
affect the validity of such exchange. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange
of the shares of Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of
any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than
Rights which have become void pursuant to Section 7(e)) held by each holder of
Rights.

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

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

          (e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Common Stock or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay
to the registered holders of Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock. For purposes of this Section 24(e), the current market value of a
whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price per share of Common Stock
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) on the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.

     Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
                 ------------------------

          (a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred
Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or
merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in
a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale
or other transfer (or to permit

                                       33
<PAGE>

one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, of more than 50% of the assets
or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person or Persons (other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in
one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or
(v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, then,
in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the
purposes of such stock dividend or distribution of rights or warrants, or the
date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer,
liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, if any
such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any
action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to
the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least
twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the
date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock,
whichever shall be the earlier.

          (b) In case any Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, then, in any such
case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible, and in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify
the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section
11(a)(ii) hereof and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred
Stock shall, to the extent appropriate, also be deemed thereafter to refer to
other securities.

     Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
                 -------
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to
or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:

          Orchid BioSciences, Inc.
          303 College Road East
          Princeton, NJ  08540
          Attention: President

Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

          American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
          59 Maiden Lane
          New York, New York 10038
          Attention: Corporate Trust

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made

                                       34
<PAGE>

if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the
address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.

     Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. At any time prior to the Final
                 --------------------------
Amendment Date, and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27, the
Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of
certificates representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the Final
Amendment Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27, the
Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates
in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder or
(iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the
Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the
interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person,
an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of such Person); provided,
                                                                --------
however, that this Agreement may not be supplemented or amended, (A) whether
-------
before or after the Final Amendment Date, to lengthen a time period relating to
when the Rights may be redeemed or to modify the ability (or inability) of the
Continuing Directors to redeem the Rights, in either case at such time as the
Rights are not then redeemable or (B) after the Final Amendment Date, to
lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, any other time period
unless such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or
clarifying the rights of or the benefits to the holders of Rights (other than
any Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an Associate or Affiliate of such
Person). Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the
Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance
with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such
supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to
the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made which changes the
Redemption Price. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders
of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of Common
Stock.

     Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
                 ----------
by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to
the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.

     Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. For
                 ---------------------------------------------------------
all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the provisions of the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(l)(i) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board shall have the exclusive power
and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or
advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without
limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for
the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not
redeem the Rights, to declare that a Person is an Adverse Person or to amend the
Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations
(including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all

                                       35
<PAGE>

omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in
good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the
Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not
subject any member of the Board of Directors of the Company to any liability to
the holders of the Rights.

     Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
                 --------------------------
construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole
and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date,
registered holders of the Common Stock).

     Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
                 ------------
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated,
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
--------  -------
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board determines
in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this
Agreement would materially and adversely affect the purpose or effect of this
Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be
reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the tenth day
following the date of such determination by the Board.

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

     Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
                 ------------
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.

     Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
                 --------------------
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

             [THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

                                       36
<PAGE>

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

Attest:                             ORCHID BIOSCIENCES, INC.

By: /s/ Kevin Nash                  By: /s/ Donald R. Marvin
   --------------------------          --------------------------
   Name:  Kevin Nash, Esquire          Name:  Donald R. Marvin
   Title: Executive Director,          Title: Senior Vice President,
          Legal Affairs                       Chief Operating Officer
                                              and Chief Financial

Attest:                             AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER &
                                    TRUST COMPANY

By: /s/ Susan Silber                By: /s/ Herbert J. Lemmer
   --------------------------          --------------------------
   Name:  Susan Silber                  Name:  Herbert J. Lemmer
   Title: Assistant Secretary           Title: Vice President

                                      37
<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT A
                                                                       ---------

                          CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS

                 SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

                          ___________________________

                              ($0.001 Par Value)
                                      of
                           ORCHID BIOSCIENCES, INC.

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

                          ___________________________

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

     FIRST: That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors
by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation filed on May 10,
2000, as amended, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, by written consent
dated May 16, 2001, adopted the following resolutions creating a series of
1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share, designated as
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock:

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

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

                                      A-1
<PAGE>

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

          (A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series
of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders
of Common Stock, $.001 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), of the
Corporation, and of any other junior stock, shall be entitled to receive, when,
as and if declared by the Board of Directors, out of funds of the Corporation
legally available for the payment of dividends, quarterly dividends payable in
cash on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 in each year (each such
date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"),
commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance
of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater
of (a) $1.00 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, 100 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100
times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends
or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock
or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification
or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock or effect a subdivision, combination or
consolidation of the outstanding Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise
than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or
lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to
which holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock were
entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding
sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

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

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

                                      A-2
<PAGE>

the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall
begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of
issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date
for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall
begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than
the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such
shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such
shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for
the determination of holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution
declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than 60 days prior to the
date fixed for the payment thereof.

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

          (A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the
holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or
effect a subdivision, combination of consolidation of the outstanding Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then
in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

          (B) Except as otherwise provided herein, by law, or in any other
Certificate of Designation creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar
stock, the holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the
Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all
matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

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

                                      A-3
<PAGE>

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

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

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

                                      A-4
<PAGE>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

                                      A-5
<PAGE>

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

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

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

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

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

                                      A-6
<PAGE>

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

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

     Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter
                --------------------------
into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the
shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision
for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of
stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case
may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or
exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the
exchange or change of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denomination of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

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

     Section 9. Ranking. The Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
                -------
rank junior to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series shall provide otherwise.

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

                                      A-7
<PAGE>

     Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A Junior Participating Preferred
                 -----------------
Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights,
receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all
other rights of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.

     RESOLVED: That the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief
               Financial Officer, or any Senior Vice President and the Secretary
               or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation be, and they hereby
               are, authorized and directed, in the name and on behalf of the
               Corporation, to file the Certificate of Designations in
               accordance with the provisions of the Delaware General
               Corporation Law and to take such actions as they may deem
               necessary or appropriate to carry out the intent of the foregoing
               resolution.

     SECOND: That the aforesaid resolutions were duly and validly adopted in
accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 151 of the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation and By-Laws of the Corporation.

                                      A-8
<PAGE>

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said Orchid BioSciences, Inc. has caused this
Certificate of Designation to be signed by its duly authorized officer this ____
day of July, 2001.

                                    ORCHID BIOSCIENCES, INC.

                                    By ___________________________________

                                      A-9
<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT B
                                                                       ---------

                         [Form of Rights Certificate]

Certificate No. R-                                              _________ Rights

     NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MAY 16, 2011 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.01 PER
RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON, AN ADVERSE
PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN ADVERSE PERSON
(AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF
SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.  [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS
CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN
ACQUIRING PERSON, AN ADVERSE PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING
PERSON OR ADVERSE PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT).
ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH
AGREEMENT.]*

                               Rights Certificate

                            ORCHID BIOSCIENCES, INC.

     This Rights Certificate certifies that ____________________, or registered
assigns, is the registered holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the holder thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of July 27, 2001 (the "Rights
Agreement"), between Orchid BioSciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent"), to
purchase from the Company after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement) and at any time prior to the Expiration Date (as such
term is defined in the Rights Agreement) at the office on offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one one-
hundredth of a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of
$40.00 per one one-hundredth of a share (the "Purchase Price"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election
to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which may be
purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per
share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of July 27, 2001,
based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. The Company reserves
the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term
is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights be exercised so that
only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.

--------------
* If applicable, insert this portion of the legend and delete preceding
  sentence.

                                      B-1
<PAGE>

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

     Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, if the Rights evidenced
by this Rights Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an
Adverse Person or an Affiliate on Associate of an Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of any
such Associate on Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person), or
(iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a
transferee of a person who, concurrently with or after such transfer, became an
Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or an Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person), such Rights shall become null and void
and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and
after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.

     As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and
kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events.

     This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal offices of the
Company and are also available upon written request to the Company.

     This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised.

     Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of
business on the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock
Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of
business on the tenth day following the Record Date), and (ii) the Final
Expiration Date.

     No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise of
any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock), but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

                                      B-2
<PAGE>

     No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred
Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.

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

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

Dated:

ATTEST:                             ORCHID BIOSCIENCES, INC.

_____________________________       By: _____________________________________
Secretary                               President and Chief Executive Officer

Countersigned:

AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY

By: _________________________
    Authorized Signature

                                      B-3
<PAGE>

                 [Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]

                              FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
                              ------------------

               (To be executed by the registered holder if such
              holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)

FOR VALUE RECEIVED _____________________________________________________________

hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto _______________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
                 (Please print name and address of transferee)

this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint __________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.

Dated:

                                    ___________________________________________
                                    Signature

Signature Guaranteed:
<PAGE>

                                  Certificate
                                  -----------

     The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

     (1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an
Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse
Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement);

     (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person.

Dated:

                                    ____________________________________________
                                    Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

                                    NOTICE
                                    ------

     The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond
to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

                                       2
<PAGE>

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

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

To:  ORCHID BIOSCIENCES, INC.:

     The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of
and delivered to:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
                        (Please print name and address)

     If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
                        (Please print name and address)

Dated:

                                    ___________________________________________
                                    Signature Guaranteed:
<PAGE>

                                  Certificate
                                  -----------

     The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

     (1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person,
an Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or an
Adverse Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement);

     (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person.

Dated:

                                    ___________________________________________
                                    Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

                                    NOTICE
                                    ------

     The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

                                       2
<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT C
                                                                       ---------

                 SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERRED STOCK

     On May 16, 2001, the Board of Directors of Orchid BioSciences, Inc. (the
"Company") declared a dividend of one preferred stock purchase right (a "Right")
for each outstanding share of the Company's Common Stock to stockholders of
record at the close of business on May 31, 2001 (the "Record Date"). Each Right
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of
a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, $.001 par value per
share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a purchase price of $40.00 in cash (the
"Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the
Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent.

     Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates will
be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a
Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of more than 15% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock
Acquisition Date"), (ii) 10 business days following the commencement of a tender
offer or exchange offer that may result in a person or group beneficially owning
15% or more of such outstanding shares of Common Stock or (iii) 10 business days
after the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") shall declare any
Person to be an Adverse Person, upon a determination that such Person, alone or
together with its affiliates and associates, has become the Beneficial Owner of
an amount of Common Stock which the Board determines to be substantial (which
amount shall in no event be less than 15% of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding) and the Board determines, after reasonable inquiry and
investigation, including consultation with such persons as such directors shall
deem appropriate, that (a) such beneficial ownership by such person is intended
to cause the Company to repurchase the Common Stock beneficially owned by such
person or to cause pressure on the Company to take action or enter into a
transaction or series of transactions intended to provide such person with
short-term financial gain under circumstances where such directors determine
that the best long-term interests of the Company and its stockholders would not
be served by taking such action or entering into such transaction or series of
transactions at that time or (b) such beneficial ownership is causing or is
reasonably likely to cause a material adverse impact (including, but not limited
to, impairment of relationships with customers, impairment of the Company's
ability to maintain its competitive position or impairment of the Company's
business reputation or ability to deal with government agencies) on the business
or prospects of the Company.

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

right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as defined
below) that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights may be exercised so
that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.

     The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at the close of business on May 16, 2011, unless earlier redeemed by the Company
as described below.

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

     In the event that the Board determines that a person is an Adverse Person
or, at any time following the Distribution Date, (i) the Company is the
surviving corporation in a merger with an Acquiring Person and its Common Stock
is not changed or exchanged, (ii) a Person becomes the beneficial owner of more
than 15% of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock (except pursuant to an
offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which the Board determines to
be fair to, and otherwise in the best interests of, the Company and its
stockholders), (iii) an Acquiring Person engages in one or more "self-dealing"
transactions as set forth in the Rights Agreement, or (iv) during such time as
there is an Acquiring Person, an event occurs which results in such Acquiring
Person's ownership interest being increased by more than 1% (e.g., a reverse
stock split), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive,
upon exercise, that number of shares of Common Stock (or, in certain
circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) which equals
the exercise price of the Right divided by one-half of the current market price
(as defined in the Rights Agreement) of the Common Stock at the date of the
occurrence of the event. However, Rights are not exercisable following the
occurrence of any of the events set forth above until such time as the Rights
are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth below. Notwithstanding any
of the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in
this paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified
in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Adverse Person will be null and void. The events set forth in this paragraph are
referred to as "Section 11(a) (ii) Events."

     In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i)
the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction in
which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a merger which
follows an offer determined by the Board of Directors to be fair as described in
clause (ii) of the second preceding paragraph), or (ii) more than 50% of the
Company's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right
(except Rights which previously have been voided as set forth above) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, that number of shares of
common stock of the acquiring company which equals the exercise price of the
Right divided by one-half of the current market price (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) of such common stock at the date of the occurrence of the

                                       2
<PAGE>

event. The events set forth in this paragraph and in the second preceding
paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering Events."

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

     The Purchase Price payable, and the number of units of Preferred Stock or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than
the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution
to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).

     With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) will be
issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior to the date
of exercise.

     In general, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at
any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date, at a price of $.01
per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed
appropriate by the Board).  Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering
redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the $.01 per Right redemption price.

     Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for
common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above.

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

     A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A
copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This
summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
incorporated herein by reference.

                                       3

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