Document:

EXHIBIT 10.1

           FOURTH AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

      FOURTH AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated  as  of
June  7,  2000  (this  "Amendment") among LABORATORY  CORPORATION  OF  AMERICA
HOLDINGS,   a  Delaware  corporation (the "Borrower"),  the  banks,  financial
institutions  and  other  institutional lenders (the "Banks")  listed  on  the
signature  pages  hereof, and CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON,  as  administrative
agent (the "Administrative Agent") for the Lenders hereunder.

                            PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

      The  parties hereto (i) have entered into an Amended and Restated Credit
Agreement dated as of March 31, 1997, as amended as of September 30, 1997  and
February  25,  1998  and May 7, 1999 (the "Credit Agreement")  providing  for,
among  other  things, the Lenders to lend to the Borrower up to $1,143,750,000
on  the  terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein and (ii) desire
to  amend  the  Credit  Agreement  in  the  manner  set  forth  herein.   Each
capitalized  term used but not defined herein shall have the meaning  ascribed
thereto in the Credit Agreement.

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

                                   ARTICLE I

                           AMENDMENTS; AMENDMENT FEE

      SECTION 1.01.  Amendment to Covenant Prohibiting Stock Repurchases.  (a)
Section  5.02  (e)(vi) of the Credit Agreement if hereby amended  by  deleting
such subsection and inserting the following in lieu thereof:

          "(vi)   the  Borrower  may redeem shares of the  Borrower  Preferred
     Stock  (other  than shares owned by Roche Holdings or  any  affiliate  of
     Roche  Holdings)   for an aggregate redemption price  of  not  more  than
     $275,000,000 to the extent such Borrower Preferred Stock is not converted
     into Borrower Common Stock on or prior to (A) July 31, 2000 or (B) if  at
     the  time  of  delivery  of  the notice of  redemption  of  the  Borrower
     Preferred  Stock,  the market value of the Borrower Common  Stock  is  at
     least 200% of the conversion price of $27.50 per share of Borrower Common
     Stock, September 29, 2000; provided that if a Committed Borrowing is made
     to  provide  the  funds  for such redemption,  the  Borrower  shall  have
     certified, in a duly executed statement to be attached to the  Notice  of
     Committed  Borrowing delivered to the Administrative Agent in  connection
     with  such  Borrowing as to the amount of such Committed Borrowing  that
     will  be  used  to  pay the redemption price for such Borrower  Preferred
     Stock;"

  (b)  The portion of any Committed Borrowing used for the purpose of redeeming
the  Borrower Preferred Stock is referred to herein as a "Redemption Advance".
The  Credit  Agreement  is  hereby further amended to  provide  that  (i)  the
Applicable  Margin  for Redemption Advances shall equal the Applicable  Margin
for  Revolving  Credit  Advances plus the applicable  Utilization  Margin  (as
defined below);  (ii) the Borrower shall have no right to repay the Redemption
Advances unless all other Revolving Credit Advances have been repaid  in  full
and (iii) the Borrower shall have no right to use the proceeds of any Advances
for the purpose of  repaying any Redemption Advance.

<PAGE>
  (c)  "Utilization Margin"  means the applicable amount set forth on the table
       below:

Aggregate Principal Amount of
Committed Advances to Finance
Redemption of Borrower Preferred Stock       Utilization Margin
--------------------------------------       ------------------

Up to $75 million                                 0%

Greater than $75 million and less                 0.25%
than $150 million

$150 million or greater                           0.50%

      SECTION 1.02.  Amendment to Acquisition Covenant.  Section 5.02  (h)  of
the  Credit  Agreement is hereby amended by inserting after  "$75,000,000"  in
subsection 5.02(h)(iii)(A) the following "(or, if Borrower Preferred Stock has
converted to at least $200,000,000 of Borrower Common Stock (calculated at the
conversion price of $27.50 per share of Borrower Common Stock rather  that  at
the  current  market  value  of  the Borrower  Common  Stock),  $200,000,000);
provided  that the aggregate amount used in any year under this  Section  5.02
(h)(iii)(A)  plus the amount borrowed under this Agreement to fund redemptions
of  Borrower  Preferred Stock permitted under Section  5.02  (e)(vi)  and  not
repaid shall not exceed $275,000,000".

      SECTION  1.03.  Amendment to Debt Covenant. (a) Section 5.02(j)  of  the
Credit  Agreement  is  hereby  amended by adding  the  following  new  Section
5.02(j)(xiii).

           "(xiii)  the Company's 8.5% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2012
(as  described  in  the  Rights  Offering Registration  Statement)  issued  in
exchange  for  the  Borrower Series A Preferred Stock in a  maximum  principal
amount of $220,000,000."

          (b)  Such Section 5.02(j) is also amended to make conforming changes
in  the punctuation by deleting "and" after the semicolon in subsection  (xi),
and  deleting the period at the end of subsection (xii) and inserting ";  and"
in lieu thereof.

     SECTION  1.04.   Amendment Fee.  The effectiveness of this  Amendment  is
subject  to  the  receipt by the Administrative Agent  of  an  amendment  fee,
payable  to  the  Administrative Agent for ratable  distribution  to  each
Lender which has executed this Amendment (each, a "Consenting Lender"), in  an
amount equal to 0.15% times (A) the aggregate outstanding principal amount  of
the  Committed Advances held by the Consenting Lenders as of the  date  hereof
plus  (B)  the aggregate unused Revolving Credit Commitments of the  Consenting
Lenders as of the date hereof.

                                     ARTICLE II

                        REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

          SECTION 2.01.  Representations and Warranties of the Borrower.  The
Borrower represents and  warrants as follows:

          (a)  The Borrower is a corporation duly organized, validly existing
and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

          (b)  The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this
Amendment  are within its corporate powers, have been duly authorized  by
all necessary corporate action, and do not contravene the   Borrower's charter
or by-laws.

          (c)  No authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice
to or filing with, any  governmental authority or regulatory body is required
for  the  due execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this
Amendment.

<PAGE>
          (d)  This Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by the
Borrower.  This Amendment is the legal, valid and binding obligation
of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower, in accordance with its
terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforceability of creditors'
rights generally and by general principles of equity.

          (e)  The representations and warranties contained in Section 4.01 of
the Credit Agreement are correct in all material aspects on and as of the
date hereof, as though made on and as of the date thereof.

           (f)   No  event has occurred and is continuing which constitutes  a
Default.

                                  ARTICLE III

                                 MISCELLANEOUS

           SECTION 3.01.  Governing Law.  This Amendment shall be governed by,
and  construed  in accordance with, the laws of the  State  of  New  York,
without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof.

           SECTION 3.02.  Execution in Counterparts.  This Amendment  may
be  executed in any number of counterparts and by any combination  of  the
parties  hereto in separate counterparts, each of which counterparts shall  be
an  original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page  to this
Amendment  by facsimile  shall be effective  as  delivery  of  a  manually
executed counterpart of this Amendment.

           SECTION 3.03.  Effect on the Credit Agreement.  Upon execution  and
delivery  of this Amendment, each reference in the Credit Agreement  to  "this
Agreement",  "hereunder", "hereof", "herein", or words of  like  import  shall
mean  and  be a reference to the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby and  each
reference  to  the Credit Agreement in any Loan Document (as  defined  in  the
Credit  Agreement) shall mean and be a reference to the Credit  Agreement,  as
amended  hereby.  Except as expressly modified hereby, all of  the  terms  and
conditions  of the Credit Agreement shall remain unaltered and in  full  force
and  effect.  This Amendment is subject to the provisions of Section  8.01  of
the Credit Agreement.

<PAGE>
           Each of the undersigned has caused this Amendment to be executed by
its  respective officer or officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the  date
first written above.

BORROWER:           LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS

                    By:/s/  WESLEY R. ELINGBURG
                    -----------------------------
                       Name:  Wesley R. Elingburg
                       Title: CFO/EVP/Treasurer

ADMINISTRATIVE           CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON,
         AGENT:          as Administrative Agent

                    By: /s/ KARL M. STUDER
                        ---------------------
                        Name:  Karl M. Studer
                        Title: Director

                    By: /s/  JULIA P. KINGSBURY
                       ------------------------
                       Name:  Julia P. Kingbury
                       Title: Vice President

                    CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON

                    By: /s/ KARL M. STRUDER
                        ----------------------
                        Name:  Karl M. Struder
                        Title: Director

                    By: /s/  ROLAND ISLES
                        ----------------------
                        Name:  Roland Isles
                        Title: Associate

                          BANK OF AMERICA NATIONAL TRUST AND
                          SAVINGS ASSOCIATION (As successor by
                          merger to Bank of America Illinois)

                     By: /s/  MARTY V.MITCHELL
                         -------------------------
                         Name:  Marty V. Mitchell
                         Title: Principal

                    BNP PARIBAS (f/k/a BANQUE NATIONALE DE PARIS)

                         By: /s/  BONNIE G. EISENSTAT
                             --------------------------
                             Name:  Bonnie G. Eisenstat
                             Title: Vice President

                         By: /s/  RICHARD PACE
                             -------------------
                             Name:  Richard Pace
                             Title: Vice President
                                    Corporate Banking Divisior

                     BAYERISCHE LANDESBANK GIROZENTRALE

                     By: /s/  HEREWARD DRUMMOND
                         ------------------------
                         Name:  Hereward Drummond
                         Title: Senior Vice President

                     By: /s/  ALEXANDER KOHNERT
                         ------------------------
                         Name:  Alexander Kohnert
                         Title: First Vice President

                       THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK

                     By: /s/  PETER M. HAYES
                         ---------------------
                         Name:  Peter M. Hayes
                         Title: Vice President

                       CREDIT LYONNAIS (NEW YORK BRANCH)

                      By: /s/  JOHN C. OBERLE
                          ---------------------
                          Name:  John C. Oberle
                          Title: Vice President

                       DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH
                            and/or CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH

                       By: /s/ PETER LUDWIG SCHRICKEL
                           --------------------------
                           Name:  Peter Ludwig Schrickel
                           Title: Director

                       By: /s/  STEPHANIE STROHE
                           ----------------------
                           Name:  Stephanie Strohe
                           Title: Associate

                            FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK

                        By: /s/  ANN M. DODD
                            ------------------
                            Name:  Ann M. Dodd
                            Title: Senior Vice President

                   THE FUJI BANK, LTD. (NEW YORK BRANCH)

                        By: /s/  YUJI TANAKA
                            ------------------
                            Name:  Yuji Tanaka
                            Title: Vice President & Manager

                        SOCIETE GENERALE

                         By: /s/  BETTY BURG
                            ----------------
                            Name:  Betty Burg
                            Title: Director

                         By: /s/  ALEXANDER S. LUDWIG
                             --------------------------
                             Name:  Alexander S. Ludwig
                             Title: Associate

                          THE SUMITOMO BANK, LIMITED
                              (NEW YORK BRANCH)

                          By: /s/  SURESH TATA
                              ------------------
                              Name:  Suresh Tata
                              Title: Senior Vice President

                         WACHOVIA BANK, N.A., formerly known
                          as Wachovia Bank of Georgia, N.A.

                           By: /s/  B. BRANTLEY ECHOLS
                               -------------------------
                               Name:  B. Brantley Echols
                               Title: Senior Vice President

               WESTDEUTSCHE LANDESBANK GIROZENTRALE

                           By: /s/  RICHARD J. PEARSE
                               ------------------------
                               Name:  Richard J. Pearse
                               Title: Executive Director

                           By: /s/  ELISABETH R. WILDS
                               --------------------------
                               Name:  Elisabeth R. Wilds
                               Title: Manager

                      COMMERZBANK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT,
                     New York and Grand Cayman branches

                           By: /s/  HARRY P. YERGEY
                               ----------------------
                               Name:  Harry P. Yergey
                               Title: Senior Vice President & Manager

                           By: /s/  SUBASH R. VISWANATHAN
                               ----------------------------
                               Name:  Subash R. Viswanathan
                               Title: Vice President

                           BBL INTERNATIONAL (U.K.) LIMITED

                           By: /s/  G.R.M. WALKER
                               --------------------
                               Name:  G.R.M. Walker
                               Title: Authorised Signatory

                           By: /s/  C.F. WRIGHT
                               ------------------
                               Name:  C.F. Wright
                               Title: Authorised Signatory

                    UBS AG, Stamford Branch

                          By: /s/  HARRY WELTEN
                              --------------------
                              Name:  Harry Welton
                              Title: Director

                          By: /s/  DOROTHY MCKINLEY
                              -----------------------
                              Name:  Dorothy McKinley
                              Title: Director
                                     Loan Portfolio Support, US

<PAGE><PAGE>

                          PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                         Contact:  Dan Spiegelman
                                    SVP & Chief Financial Officer
                                                     650/812-9509
                                                               or
                                                 Christopher Chai
                                            Treasurer & Director,
                                               Investor Relations
                                                     650/812-9560

         CV THERAPEUTICS AMENDS STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN

     PALO  ALTO,  CA (July 21, 19992000) - CV Therapeutics,  Inc.
(Nasdaq: CVTX) announced that its Board of Directors had approved
amendments  to its previously-approved Stockholder  Rights  Plan.
The  amendments  approved  by  the Board  included  lowering  the
trigger percentage from a 20 percent ownership interest to  a  15
percent ownership interest.

     The  Rights Plan, as amended, is designed to enable all  CVT
stockholders to realize the full value of their investment and to
provide for fair and equal treatment for all stockholders in  the
event  that an unsolicited attempt is made to acquire  CVT.   The
Rights  Plan, as amended, is intended as a means to guard against
abusive takeover tactics and is not in response to any particular
proposal.

     The  rights    were  distributed  to  CVT  stockholders   in
February  1999 as a non-taxable dividend and expire in ten  years
from  February  23,  1999,  the  Record  Date.   The  rights  are
exercisable only if a person or group acquires 15 percent or more
of  CVT  Common Stock or announces a tender offer of CVT's Common
Stock.   If a person acquires 15 percent or more of CVT's  Common
Stock,  all rightsholders except the potential buyer are entitled
to  acquire  CVT Common Stock at a discount.  The  effect  is  to
discourage  acquisitions of more than 15 percent of CVT's  Common
Stock without negotiations with the CVT Board of Directors.

     The  rights trade with CVT's Common Stock, unless and  until
they  are separated upon the occurrence of certain future events.
The  rights  distribution was   not taxable to the  stockholders,
and the amendment of the Stockholder Rights Plan is similarly not
taxable  to  the  stockholders.  CVT's  Board  of  Directors  may
terminate the Rights Plan, as amended, at any time or redeem  the
rights  prior to the time a person acquires more than 15  percent
of CVT Common Stock.

<PAGE>

     In  addition  to historical information, this press  release
contains  forward-looking  statements  that  involve  risks   and
uncertainties,  including,  but  not  limited  to   uncertainties
related  to  the  Company's early stage  of  development.   These
factors  are more fully discussed in the Company's Annual  Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999.

     CV Therapeutics, Inc., headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, is  a
biopharmaceutical company focused on the application of molecular
cardiology to the discovery, development and commercialization of
novel,  small  molecule drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular
diseases.  CVT is currently conducting clinical trials for two of
its  products.  Ranolazine, the first in a new class of compounds
known  as partial fatty acid oxidation (pFOX) inhibitors for  the
potential  treatment of angina, is in Phase III clinical  trials.
CVT-510,  an  A1  adenosine receptor agonist, for  the  potential
treatment of atrial arrhythmias, is in Phase II clinical  trials.
For  more information, please visit CV Therapeutics' web site  at
www.cvt.com.

                              -end-

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