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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.44

                                    AMENDMENT
                                     TO THE
                                 JANUARY 1, 2001
                                    AGREEMENT

This is an Amendment ("Amendment") to the Agreement dated January 1, 2001, as
the same has been previously amended (the "Agreement") by and between
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, a corporation organized under the laws of the
State of Delaware ("BMS") and Boron, LePore & Associates, Inc., a corporation
organized under the laws of the State of Delaware ("BLP").

                                   WITNESSETH:

          WHEREAS, BLP and BMS entered into the Agreement;

          WHEREAS, the Agreement sets forth the services due to be performed by
          BLP and the compensation to be paid by BMS; and

          WHEREAS, the parties have previously amended the Agreement; and

          WHEREAS, BLP and BMS desire to further amend the Agreement as set
          forth below.

          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants contained herein the
          parties hereto, intending to be legally bound hereby, agree to amend
          the Agreement as follows:

I.        Article I.1.l, "Event Type", shall be deleted in its entirety and the
          following substituted in place thereof:

          "Event Type" shall mean one of five (5) categories of Events, namely
          Check-Only, Non-Speaker, BMS Secured Speaker Event, BLP Secured
          Speaker Event and Drive-To Event.

II.       Article I.1.v, "Products", shall be deleted in its entirety and the
          following substituted in place thereof:

          "Products" shall mean all present and any new products within BMS
          pharmaceutical products, excluding those products promoted by the
          Bristol-Myers Squibb Oncology and Virology sales forces unless
          otherwise requested by BMS Contact.

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III.      Article V.1 shall be amended by deleting the first sentence and
          substituting the following sentence in place thereof:

          "In consideration for the performance of the Program Services, Report
          Services and Data Services, BMS agrees to pay to BLP fees in
          accordance with the terms of Schedule 6 attached hereto, which shall
          include performance of Services for a minimum of 10,000 events in
          calendar year 2002."

IV.       Article V.4 shall be deleted in its entirety and the following
          substituted in place thereof:

          Commencing with calendar year 2002 and each year thereafter, BMS shall
          be entitled to cancel or postpone, without charge or incurring any
          additional costs, up to 950 events excluding Check-Only events and
          Marketing Events and Webcast Programs; and 50 Webcast Programs; and
          500 Check-Only events regardless of the timeframe the notice of
          cancellation or postponement is provided to BLP. For all cancellations
          and postponements in a calendar year in excess of the 1,500 total
          events referenced in the preceding sentence, BMS shall pay to BLP the
          actual Pass-through Expenses incurred for the cancelled or postponed
          event at the time the notice of cancellation or postponement is
          provided to BLP and forty (40) percent of the Management Fees
          associated with such cancelled or postponed event. The parties agree
          that, during the period January 1, 2002 through March 31, 2002, they
          may enter into negotiations relating to the Management Fee penalty
          structure for cancelled and postponed events in excess of the 1,500
          total events referenced above.

          All cancellations and postponements of Marketing Programs, will be
          subject to the terms and conditions of Schedule A.1 of the Medical
          Education Services Agreement.

          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in the
          event of the cancellation or postponement of any Program by BMS for
          reasons related to the performance of BLP hereunder, such cancelled or
          postponed Programs shall not be considered as part of the 1,500 events
          referred to above nor shall BMS be obligated to make any payment of a
          Management Fee or any portion thereof as contemplated by this Article.
          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in the
          event of the cancellation or postponement of any Program by BMS, for
          any reason other then gross negligence in the Program Services and
          Program Set-up by BLP, BMS will pay (a) all Pass-through Expenses
          actually incurred by BLP through the date of cancellation or
          postponement related to the cancelled or postponed Meeting, (b) the
          agreed upon price for all Optional Services actually provided or
          related third party expenses incurred by BLP related thereto, and (c)
          the actual costs reasonably incurred in the cancellation or
          postponement of the Program, each in the same manner as provided in
          this Article, to the extent applicable.

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V.        Article V.4.1 shall be deleted in its entirety and the Article number
          shall be "Reserved."

VI.       Article XVI.7 shall be amended to reflect the following notice
          addresses for the parties:

          If to BMS:
                  Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
                  777 Scudders Mill Road
                  Plainsboro, NJ  08536

                  Fax No.: Attention:  BMS Relationship Manager
                                       Legal Department
                                       Category Leader, Medical Education

          If to BLP:
                  Boron, LePore & Associates, Inc.
                  1800 Valley Road
                  Wayne, NJ  07470
                  Fax No.: (973) 709-3200
                  Attention :  President

VII.      Schedules 1 through 11 of the Agreement are hereby deleted in their
          entirety and replaced with the new Schedules 1 through 11 attached
          hereto and are hereby incorporated into this Amendment and the
          Agreement.

VIII.     Exhibits 1, 2 and 4 of the Agreement are hereby deleted in their
          entirety and replaced with the new Exhibits 1, 2 and 4 attached hereto
          and are hereby incorporated into this Amendment and the Agreement.

          This Amendment together with the Agreement, as previously amended,
constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject
matter contained therein, and together, supersede and replace any and all prior
and contemporaneous understandings, arrangements and agreements, whether oral or
written, with respect to the subject matter.

          Except as otherwise amended hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect as presently written, and the rights, duties, liabilities and
obligations of the parties hereto, as presently constituted, will continue in
full effect.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Amendment to be executed by
their duly authorized representatives, effective this 19th day of December,
2001.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company                   Boron, LePore & Associates, Inc.

By: /s/ Richard J. Lane                        By: /s/ Patrick LePore
    --------------------------------               ------------------

Name: Richard J. Lane                          Name: Patrick Lepore

Title: President & Executive V.P.              Title: CEO

Date: 12/19/01                                 Date: 12/18/01

By:
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Name:
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Title:
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Date:
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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Date:
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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.45

                               AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

     Agreement (this "Agreement"), dated as of July 1, 2001, between Boron,
LePore & Associates, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Anthony
J. Cherichella (the "Executive").

                                   WITNESSETH

     WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive are parties to an Employment
Agreement dated as of May 1, 2000 (the "Employment Agreement");

     WHEREAS, capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined
herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Employment Agreement; and

     WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive hereby desire to amend certain terms
of the Employment Agreement.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Executive
hereby agree as follows:

     Section 1. Section 6(e) is hereby amended by adding the following language
after the words "change of control" at the end of the second sentence and before
the word "Notwithstanding" at the beginning of the third sentence: "In addition
to any other benefits to which Executive may be entitled in accordance with the
Company's then existing severance policies, the Company shall, for a period of
eighteen (18) months commencing upon the termination of the Executive, continue
to provide family medical and dental insurance coverage to Executive,
Executive's spouse and Executive's dependents, on the same terms and conditions
as though Executive had remained employed. In the event Executive's
participation in any medical or dental insurance plan is barred, the Company
shall arrange to provide Executive with benefits substantially equivalent to
those which Executive would otherwise have received had his participation not
been barred."

     Section 2. The language currently existing as Section 10 "Assignability;
Change of Control" is hereby amended by making such language Section 10(a). The
following is to be inserted immediately following said Section 10(a) and before
Section 11:

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     (b) Gross-Up Payments.

         (i) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event it shall be determined that any compensation, payment or distribution by
the Company to or for the benefit of the Executive, whether paid or payable or
distributed or distributable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or
otherwise, other than amounts payable solely under Section 4(b), but including
amounts paid under Sections 6 or 10 calculated with reference to Section 4(b),
(the "Severance Payments"), would be subject to the excise tax imposed by
Section 4999 of the Code, or any interest or penalties are incurred by the
Executive with respect to such excise tax (such excise tax, together with any
such interest and penalties, are hereinafter collectively referred to as the
"Excise Tax"), then the Executive shall be entitled to receive an additional
payment (a "Gross-Up Payment") such that the net amount retained by the
Executive, after deduction of any Excise Tax on the Severance Payments, any
Federal, state, and local income tax, employment tax and Excise Tax upon the
payment provided by this subsection, and any interest and/or penalties assessed
with respect to such Excise Tax, shall be equal to the Severance Payments.

         (ii) Subject to the provisions of Subparagraph 10(b)(iii), all
determinations required to be made under this Subparagraph 10(b), including
whether a Gross-Up Payment is required and the amount of such Gross-Up Payment,
shall be made by Arthur Andersen LLP or any other nationally recognized
accounting firm selected by the Company (the "Accounting Firm"), which shall
provide detailed supporting calculations both to the Company and the Executive
within fifteen (15) business days of the date of the Executive's termination, if
applicable, or at such earlier time as is reasonably requested by the Company or
the Executive. For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment,
the Executive shall be deemed to pay federal income taxes at the highest
marginal rate of federal income taxation applicable to individuals for the
calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made, and state and local
income taxes at the highest marginal rates of individual taxation in the state
and locality of the Executive's residence on the date of the Executive's
termination, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes which could be
obtained from deduction of such state and local taxes. The initial Gross-Up
Payment, if any, as determined pursuant to this Subparagraph 10(b)(ii), shall be
paid to the applicable tax authorities on behalf of the Executive within five
(5) days of the receipt of the Accounting Firm's determination. If the
Accounting Firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable by the Executive, the
Company shall furnish the Executive with an opinion of counsel that failure to
report the Excise Tax on the Executive's applicable federal income tax return
would not result in the imposition of a negligence or similar penalty. Any
determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and the
Executive. As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999 of
the Code at the time of the initial determination by the Accounting Firm
hereunder, it is possible that Gross-Up Payments which will not have been made
by the Company should have been made (an "Underpayment"). In the event that the
Company exhausts its remedies pursuant to Subparagraph 10(b)(iii) and the
Executive thereafter is required to make a payment of any Excise Tax, the
Accounting Firm shall determine the amount of the Underpayment that has
occurred, consistent with the calculations required to be made hereunder, and
any such Underpayment, and any interest and penalties imposed on the
Underpayment and required to be paid by the

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Executive in connection with the proceedings described in Subparagraph
10(b)(iii), shall be promptly paid by the Company to or for the benefit of the
Executive.

         (iii) The Executive shall notify the Company in writing of any claim by
the Internal Revenue Service that, if successful, would require the payment by
the Company of the Gross-up Payment. Such notification shall be given as soon as
practicable but no later than ten (10) business days after the Executive knows
of such claim and shall apprise the Company of the nature of such claim and the
date on which such claim is requested to be paid. The Executive shall not pay
such claim prior to the expiration of the thirty (30) day period following the
date on which he gives such notice to the Company (or such shorter period ending
on the date that any payment of taxes with respect to such claim is due). If the
Company notifies the Executive in writing prior to the expiration of such period
that it desires to contest such claim, provided that the Company has set aside
adequate reserves to cover the Underpayment and any interest and penalties
thereon that may accrue, the Executive shall:

               (A) give the Company any information reasonably requested by the
          Company relating to such claim,

               (B) take such action in connection with contesting such claim as
          the Company shall reasonably request in writing from time to time,
          including, without limitation, accepting legal representation with
          respect to such claim by an attorney selected by the Company,

               (C) cooperate with the Company in good faith in order effectively
          to contest such claim, and

               (D) permit the Company to participate in any proceedings relating
          to such claim; provided, however, that the Company shall bear and pay
          directly all costs and expenses (including additional interest and
          penalties) incurred in connection with such contest and shall
          indemnify and hold the Executive harmless, on an after-tax basis, for
          any Excise Tax or income tax, including interest and penalties with
          respect thereto, imposed as a result of such representation and
          payment of costs and expenses. Without limitation on the foregoing
          provisions of this Subparagraph 10(b)(iii), the Company shall control
          all proceedings taken in connection with such contest and, at its sole
          option, may pursue or forego any and all administrative appeals,
          proceedings, hearings and conferences with the taxing authority in
          respect of such claim and may, at its sole option, either direct the
          Executive to pay the tax claimed and sue for a refund or contest the
          claim in any permissible manner, and the Executive agrees to prosecute
          such contest to a determination before any administrative tribunal, in
          a court of initial jurisdiction and in one or more appellate courts,
          as the Company shall determine; provided, however, that if the Company
          directs the Executive to pay such claim and sue for a refund, the
          Company shall advance the amount of such payment to the Executive on
          an interest-free basis and shall indemnify and hold the Executive
          harmless, on an after-tax basis, from any Excise Tax or income tax,
          including interest or penalties with respect thereto, imposed with

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          respect to such advance or with respect to any imputed income with
          respect to such advance; and further provided that any extension of
          the statute of limitations relating to payment of taxes for the
          taxable year of the Executive with respect to which such contested
          amount is claimed to be due is limited solely to such contested
          amount. Furthermore, the Company's control of the contest shall be
          limited to issues with respect to which a Gross-Up Payment would be
          payable hereunder and the Executive shall be entitled to settle or
          contest, as the case may be, any other issues raised by the Internal
          Revenue Service or any other taxing authority.

          Section 3. If, after the receipt by the Executive of an amount
advanced by the Company pursuant to Subparagraph 10(b)(iii), the Executive
becomes entitled to receive any refund with respect to such claim, the Executive
shall (subject to the Company's complying with the requirements of Subparagraph
10(b)(iii)) promptly pay to the Company the amount of such refund (together with
any interest paid or credited thereon after taxes applicable thereto). If, after
the receipt by the Executive of an amount advanced by the Company pursuant to
Subparagraph 10(b)(iii), a determination is made that the Executive shall not be
entitled to any refund with respect to such claim and the Company does not
notify the Executive in writing of its intent to contest such denial of refund
prior to the expiration of thirty (30) days after such determination, then such
advance shall be forgiven and shall not be required to be repaid and the amount
of such advance shall offset, to the extent thereof, the amount of Gross-Up
Payment required to be paid.

          (v) Except as expressly provided for in this Agreement, all other
provisions of the Employment Agreement shall be unaffected by this Agreement and
shall remain in full force and effect. By execution of this Agreement, the
Company shall not be deemed to have compromised or waived any of its rights
under the Employment Agreement.

                  [Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

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         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as an instrument under seal and attested, all as of the day and
year first above written.

                                              BORON, LePORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.

                                              By: /s/ Steven M. Freeman
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                       Name: Steven M. Freeman
                                                       Title: President & COO

                                              /s/ Anthony J. Cherichella
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Anthony J. Cherichella

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