Document:

Letter, dated January 1,2005 from Reliant Pharmaceuticals to Robert R. Ferguson

 Exhibit 10.8 
  
 January 1, 2004 
  
 PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL 
  
 Robert Ferguson III 
 ___________________ 
 ___________________ 
  
 Dear Bob: 
  
 Reliant Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Reliant” or the “Company”), with its headquarter offices at 110 Allen Road in
Liberty Corner, New Jersey 07938, is pleased to extend this “Offer of Employment” to you. 
  
 The following is an outline of the terms of your employment offer: 
  

			
	Initial Start Date:	 	January 1, 2005
		
	Job Title:	 	Chief Financial Officer
		
	Reporting:	 	You will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. In the event that there is no CEO, you will report to the Board of Directors of the Company.
		
	Commitment:	 	Full time.
		
	Base Salary:	 	Your semi-monthly base salary is $13,541.67 payable the 15th and last day of each month (or on such other dates as determined by the Company for payment of base salary to senior executives, but not less frequently than once per month), and is annualized to $325,000, minus the appropriate
taxes and withholdings.
		
	Incentive Bonus Eligibility:	 	As an employee of Reliant, you will be eligible to participate in an incentive compensation plan with a potential range of up to sixty percent (60%) of base salary, which, if earned and
awarded will be paid annually no later than the end of the first quarter of the following year. You must be employed by Reliant at the end of a given calendar year in order to be eligible, and you must also meet specific objectives that are intended
to be established by Reliant in consultation with you.

			
	Temporary Housing and Weekend Travel:	 	For a period not to exceed eight (8) months from the date of your Initial Start Date with Reliant, Reliant will provide suitable temporary housing for you at a location convenient to the
Company’s headquarters or will reimburse you for the reasonable and documented cost of same. In addition, during such period, the Company will reimburse you for the reasonable and documented cost of weekend travel (consistent with the
Company’s travel policy) between the Company’s headquarters and your current residence in                 .
		
	Relocation Allowance:	 	Reliant will reimburse you for reasonable and documented relocation expenses in connection with your move from
                 to New Jersey, including, without limitation, real estate commissions, house hunting trips and moving costs. For the avoidance of doubt, Reliant will
not reimburse you for the purchase price of your new home in New Jersey or for any personal property associated therewith.
		
	Equity Participation:	 	Upon commencement of employment with the Company you will be granted options to acquire 200,000 shares of Reliant Common Stock, with a strike price of $20.00/share. Such options will vest
annually over a period of four (4) years at a rate of 25% per year, and the vesting commencement date for such options will be your first day as a full-time employee of Reliant. In addition to the initial option grant, you will be eligible to
participate in the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan pursuant to which you may be granted options to purchase Common Stock of the Company. Any grant of such options (beyond the initial 200,000) is solely in the discretion of the Company and
subject to approval of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company. Any such options will be granted at no less than fair market value (as determined by the Compensation Committee) as of the date of the grant, will vest
annually over a four (4) year period at a rate of 25% per year and be subject to the other terms and conditions of the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan (as will the initial 200,000 options).
		
	Benefits:	 	During your employment with Reliant, you will be eligible for Reliant’s then current employee benefits program applicable to your position, subject to all plan terms and eligibility
requirements. The benefits for which you may be eligible are more fully described in the applicable plan summaries and related documents. The benefits currently offered to full-time employees include group medical, dental, vision and prescription
coverage, group life and AD&D insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, 401(k) plan, flexible spending account, and select holidays. You will be eligible in accordance with Reliant’s policy for Combined-Time Off of eighteen
(18) days plus two floating holidays.

  

 2 

			
	Termination:	 	If your employment with the Company is terminated by Reliant without “Cause” and you execute a general release of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to Reliant, you will be
entitled to your salary and other benefits accrued through the date of termination, as well as one year base salary compensation and any amounts due to you under the incentive compensation plan (but only to the extent earned and awarded), paid in
accordance with the usual and customary payroll practices established by the Company, and you shall also be entitled to receive medical benefits upon the same terms as active employees of the Company during such one year period. Following such one
year period you will be entitled to enroll in ‘COBRA’ in accordance with applicable law. For purposes of this letter agreement, “Cause” shall mean (i) any act or omission of fraud or dishonesty by you, (ii) your
conviction, or entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to charges of, any felony or other crime involving moral turpitude, (iii) any act or omission by you that is materially injurious to the Company, provided that you shall have 30 days
after written notice from the Company to cure or correct such act or omission (but only if such act or omission can be fully cured or corrected within such 30 days period), (iv) your continuing failure to perform the material duties of your position
after you have been given written notice from the Company and 30 days to cure such failure.
		
	Non-Solicitation:	 	You agree that Reliant has invested substantial time and effort in assembling its present workforce. Accordingly, you covenant and agree that during the term of your employment and for a
period of twelve (12) months following the termination, for any reason, of your employment with the Company, you will not, directly or indirectly, entice or solicit or seek to induce or influence any of the Company’s executives or other key
employees to leave their employment with the Company.
		
	Payments:	 	Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, all payments described in this letter agreement shall be made in accordance with the Company’s normal payroll or reimbursement practices
and shall be subject to withholding to the extent required by applicable law.
	
	Although we hope that your employment with us is mutually satisfactory, please note that your employment at Reliant is “at will.” This means that you may resign from
Reliant at any time with or without Cause, and Reliant has the right to terminate your employment relationship with or without Cause at any time. Neither this letter agreement nor any other communication, either written or oral, should be construed
as a contract of employment for any particular duration.
	
	Our offer is contingent on being able to deliver satisfactory evidence of identity and employment eligibility as required by Federal law on your start date. Your employment is also
contingent upon your execution of an employee confidentiality and assignment of invention agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Reliant.

  
 [Signature Page
Follows] 
  

 3 

 Please sign and date this letter agreement in the space indicated and return it to my attention to
evidence your understanding and acceptance of the terms set forth herein. 
  

			
	 Sincerely,

	
	RELIANT PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
		
	 By:
	 	 /s/ Ernest Mario

	 	 	Ernest Mario, Chief Executive Officer

  

	
	 Agreed to and Accepted:

	
	 /s/ Robert Ferguson III

	 Robert Ferguson III

	
	 Date: as of January 1, 2005

  

 4Letter, dated March 30, 2005 from Reliant Pharmaceuticals to Steven B. Ketchum

 Exhibit 10.9 
  
 March 30, 2005 
  
 Mr. Steve Ketchum 
 ___________________ 
 ___________________ 
  
 Dear Steve: 
  
 Reliant Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a
Delaware Corporation (“Reliant”) with primary offices at 110 Allen Road in Liberty Corner, New Jersey 07938, is pleased to extend this “Offer of Employment” to you. 
  
 The following is an outline of the terms of this employment offer: 
  

					
	·	 	Start Date:	 	On or before April 25, 2005. Employment is full-time.
			
	·	 	Job Title:	 	Sr. Vice President, Research and Development
			
	·	 	Base Salary:	 	Your semi-monthly salary is $12,500.00, payable the 15th and
last day of each month, and is annualized to $300,000.00, minus the appropriate taxes and withholdings.
			
	·	 	Incentive Eligibility:	 	As an employee, you will be eligible to participate in our incentive compensation program up to 70% of your annual base salary compensation. Definable objectives are/will be established and
communicated to you.
			
	·	 	Equity Participation:	 	You will be eligible to participate in the Company’s Equity Incentive Option Plan pursuant to which you may be granted an option to purchase up to 200,000 shares of common stock of the
Company. Any grant of such options is solely in the discretion of the Company and subject to approval of the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. The options will be granted at fair market value (as determined by the
Company’s Board of Directors) as of the date of the grant, will vest annually over a four (4) year period and be subject to the other terms and conditions of the Company’s Equity Incentive Option Plan.
			
	·	 	Benefits:	 	During your employment with Reliant, you will be eligible for Reliant’s current employee benefits program applicable to your position, subject to all plan terms and eligibility. The
benefits for which you may be eligible are more fully described in the applicable plan summaries and related documents. The benefits currently offered to full-time employees include group medical, dental, vision and prescription coverage, group life
and AD&D insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, 401(k) plan, flexible spending account, and select holidays. You will be eligible for a Combined-Time Off of eighteen (18) days which will accrue at the rate of 1.5 days per
month. Additional information pertaining to benefits can be found in the enclosed employee packet.

 March 30, 2005 
  
 Page 2 
  

							
	·	  	Sign-on Bonus:	 	You will receive a sign-on bonus of $100,000.00 ninety days after your initial start date. This payment will be minus the appropriate taxes and withholdings.
			
	·	  	Relocation:	 	The Company relocation policy shall apply and details are contained within the new hire package.
			
	·	  	Contingencies:	 	This offer is contingent upon the following:
				
	 	  	 	 	1.	 	your satisfactory completion of a reference check, including a criminal history record information background check.
				
	 	  	 	 	2.	 	satisfactory results of your successful completion of testing for drug abuse.
				
	 	  	 	 	3.	 	your furnishing us with proof of your identity and authorization to work in the United States.
				
	 	  	 	 	4.	 	your execution of a Confidentiality, Non-Compete and Assignment Agreement.
				
	 	  	 	 	5.	 	your completion of all other appropriate forms provided to you during the hiring process.
			
	 	  	 	 	Failure to meet any of these contingencies will make you ineligible for employment.

  
 Although we hope that your employment
with us is mutually satisfactory, please note that your employment at Reliant is “at will.” This means that you may resign from Reliant at any time with or without cause, and Reliant has the right to terminate this employment relationship
with or without cause at any time. Neither this letter nor any other communication, either written or oral, should be construed as a contract of employment for any particular duration. 
  
 We hope that you accept this offer of employment and look forward to your joining us. Please sign and date where indicated and return this
letter to me to evidence your understanding of these terms and acceptance of this offer. This offer shall expire April 5, 2005 if we have not received your written acceptance by then. 
  
 Sincerely, 
  

	
	 /s/ Ernest Mario

	 Ernest Mario

	 CEO and Chairman of the Board

  

					
	 Accepted:
	 	 /s/ Steve Ketchum

	 	Date: April 6, 2005

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