Document:

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                             INVITROGEN CORPORATION

                                  $500,000,000

                                Principal Amount

                 2 1/4% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2006

                               Purchase Agreement

                                December 5, 2001

                     CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
                                 UBS WARBURG LLC

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                 2 1/4% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2006

                             INVITROGEN CORPORATION

                               PURCHASE AGREEMENT

                                                                December 5, 2001

CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
UBS WARBURG LLC
c/o Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
       Eleven Madison Avenue
       New York, N.Y. 10010-3629

Dear Sirs:

          Invitrogen Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"),
proposes to issue and sell to Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation ("CSFBC")
and UBS Warburg LLC (each an "INITIAL PURCHASER" and, collectively, the "INITIAL
PURCHASERS") an aggregate of $500,000,000 in principal amount of its 2 1/4%
Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2006 (the "FIRM NOTES"), subject to the terms
and conditions set forth herein. The Company also proposes to issue and sell to
the Initial Purchasers not more than an additional $100,000,000 principal amount
of its 2 1/4% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2006 (the "ADDITIONAL NOTES"),
if requested by the Initial Purchasers as provided in Section 2 hereof. The Firm
Notes and the Additional Notes are herein collectively referred to as the
"NOTES". The Notes are to be issued pursuant to the provisions of an indenture
(the "INDENTURE"), to be dated as of the Closing Date (as defined below),
between the Company, and State Street Bank and Trust Company of California,
N.A., as trustee (the "TRUSTEE"), pursuant to which the Notes, as provided
therein, will be convertible at the option of the holders thereof into shares of
the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "COMMON STOCK"). The
Notes and the Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof are herein
collectively referred to as the "SECURITIES". The Securities and the Indenture
are more fully described in the Offering Circular (as hereinafter defined).
Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to
such terms in the Indenture.

     1. OFFERING CIRCULAR. The Notes will be offered and sold to the Initial
Purchasers pursuant to one or more exemptions from the registration requirements
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "ACT"). The Company has
prepared a preliminary offering circular, dated December 5, 2001 (the
"PRELIMINARY OFFERING CIRCULAR") and a final offering circular, dated December
5, 2001 (the "OFFERING CIRCULAR" and together with the Preliminary Offering
Circular and all other documents and reports incorporated therein by reference,
the "OFFERING DOCUMENT"),

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relating to the Notes. The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K most recently
filed with the Commission and all subsequent reports which have been filed by
the Company with the Commission or sent to stockholders pursuant to the Exchange
Act prior to the date hereof are collectively referred to as the "EXCHANGE ACT
REPORTS."

     Upon original issuance thereof, and until such time as the same is no
longer required pursuant to the Indenture, the Notes (and all securities issued
in exchange therefor, in substitution thereof or upon conversion thereof) shall
bear a legend substantially as follows:

     "THIS SECURITY (OR ITS PREDECESSOR) WAS ORIGINALLY ISSUED IN A TRANSACTION
     EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
     (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND THIS SECURITY AND THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
     ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION THEREOF MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE
     TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION
     THEREFROM. EACH PURCHASER OF THIS SECURITY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE
     SELLER OF THIS SECURITY MAY BE RELYING ON THE EXEMPTION FROM THE PROVISIONS
     OF SECTION 5 OF THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144A THEREUNDER.

     THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMPANY THAT (A)
     THIS SECURITY AND THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION
     THEREOF MAY BE OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED, ONLY (I)
     IN THE UNITED STATES TO A PERSON WHOM THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A
     QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES
     ACT) IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A, (II) OUTSIDE
     THE UNITED STATES IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 904
     UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (III) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION
     UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144 THEREUNDER (IF AVAILABLE) OR
     (IV) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES
     ACT, IN EACH OF CASES (I) THROUGH (IV) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE
     SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES, AND (B) THE HOLDER WILL,
     AND EACH SUBSEQUENT HOLDER IS REQUIRED TO, NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THIS
     SECURITY FROM IT OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS REFERRED TO IN (A) ABOVE.

     THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY IS ENTITLED TO THE BENEFITS OF A REGISTRATION
     RIGHTS AGREEMENT (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON
     THE REVERSE HEREOF) AND, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES TO BE BOUND BY
     AND TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SUCH REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT."

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     2. AGREEMENTS TO SELL AND PURCHASE.

          (a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants
contained in this Agreement, and subject to the terms and conditions contained
herein, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Initial Purchasers, and the
Initial Purchasers agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the
Company, the principal amount of Firm Notes set forth opposite its name as set
forth on Schedule A hereto at a purchase price equal to 97.5% of the principal
amount thereof (the "PURCHASE PRICE").

          (b) On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in
this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, (i) the Company agrees
to issue and sell the Additional Notes and (ii) the Initial Purchasers shall
have a right, but not the obligation, to purchase, severally and not jointly,
the Additional Notes, from the Company at the Purchase Price. Additional Notes
may be purchased solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in
connection with the offering of the Firm Notes. The Initial Purchasers may
exercise their right to purchase Additional Notes in whole or in part from time
to time by giving written notice thereof to the Company at any time within 30
days after the date of this Agreement. CSFBC shall give any such notice on
behalf of the Initial Purchasers and such notice shall specify the aggregate
principal amount of Additional Notes to be purchased pursuant to such exercise
and the date for payment and delivery thereof. The date specified in any such
notice shall be a business day (i) no earlier than the Closing Date (as
hereinafter defined), (ii) no later than ten business days after such notice has
been given and (iii) no earlier than two business days after such notice has
been given. If any Additional Notes are to be purchased, each Initial Purchaser,
severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company the principal
amount of Additional Notes which bears the same proportion to the total
principal amount of Additional Notes to be purchased from the Company as the
principal amount of Firm Notes set forth opposite the name of such Initial
Purchaser in Schedule A bears to the total principal amount of Firm Notes.

     3. TERMS OF OFFERING. The Initial Purchasers have advised the Company that
the Initial Purchasers will make offers (the "EXEMPT RESALES") of the Notes
purchased hereunder on the terms set forth in the Offering Circular, as amended
or supplemented, solely to persons whom the Initial Purchaser reasonably believe
to be "qualified institutional buyers" as defined in Rule 144A under the Act
("QIBS") (such persons being referred to herein as the "ELIGIBLE PURCHASERS").
The Initial Purchasers will offer the Notes to Eligible Purchasers initially at
a price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof (plus accrued interest, if
applicable). Such price may be changed at any time without notice.

     Holders (including subsequent transferees) of the Securities will have the
registration rights set forth in the registration rights agreement (the
"REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), to be dated the Closing Date, in substantially
the form of Exhibit A hereto, for so long as such Securities constitute
"TRANSFER RESTRICTED SECURITIES" (as defined in the Registration Rights
Agreement). Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company will
agree to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "COMMISSION")
under the circumstances set forth therein, a shelf registration statement
pursuant to Rule 415 under the Act (the "REGISTRATION STATEMENT") relating to
the resale by certain holders of the Securities and to use its best efforts to
cause such Registration Statement to be declared and remain effective and usable
for the periods specified in the Registration Rights Agreement. This Agreement,
the Indenture, the Notes, and the Registration

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Rights Agreement are hereinafter sometimes referred to collectively as the
"OPERATIVE DOCUMENTS."

     4. DELIVERY AND PAYMENT.

          (a) Delivery of, and payment of the Purchase Price for, the Firm Notes
shall be made at the offices of Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP, 4365 Executive
Drive, Suite 1100, San Diego, California 92121-2189 or such other location as
may be mutually acceptable. Such delivery and payment shall be made at 9:00 a.m.
New York City time, on December 11, 2001 or at such other time on the same date
or such other date as shall be agreed upon by the Initial Purchasers and the
Company in writing. The time and date of such delivery and the payment for the
Firm Notes are herein called the "CLOSING DATE".

          (b) Delivery of, and payment for, any Additional Notes to be purchased
by the Initial Purchasers shall be made at the offices of Gray Cary Ware &
Freidenrich LLP, 4365 Executive Drive, Suite 1100, San Diego, California
92121-2189 at 9:00 a.m. New York City time, on the date specified in the
exercise notice given by CSFBC pursuant to Section 2(b) or such other time on
the same or such other date as the Initial Purchasers and the Company shall
agree in writing. The time and date of delivery and payment for any Additional
Notes are hereinafter referred to as an "OPTION CLOSING DATE."

          (c) One or more of the Notes in definitive global form, registered in
the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of the Depository Trust Company ("DTC"),
having an aggregate principal amount corresponding to the aggregate principal
amount of the Notes (collectively, the "GLOBAL NOTE"), shall be delivered by the
Company to the Initial Purchasers (or as the Initial Purchasers direct) in each
case with any transfer taxes thereon duly paid by the Company against payment by
the Initial Purchasers of the Purchase Price thereof by wire transfer in same
day funds to the order of the Company. The Global Note shall be made available
to the Initial Purchasers for inspection not later than 9:30 a.m., New York City
time, on the business day immediately preceding the Closing Date.

     5. AGREEMENTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company hereby agrees with the Initial
Purchasers as follows:

          (a) To advise the Initial Purchasers promptly and, if requested by the
Initial Purchasers, confirm such advice in writing, (i) of the issuance by any
state securities commission of any stop order suspending the qualification or
exemption from qualification of any Notes for offering or sale in any
jurisdiction designated by the Initial Purchasers pursuant to Section 5(d)
hereof, or the initiation of any proceeding by any state securities commission
or any other federal or state regulatory authority for such purpose and (ii) of
any proposal to amend or supplement the Offering Document and the Company will
not effect such amendment or supplementation without CSFBC's consent, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. If, at any time prior to
the completion of the resale of the Notes by the Initial Purchasers, any event
occurs as a result of which the Offering Document as then amended or
supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, the
Company promptly will notify CSFBC of such event and promptly will prepare, at
its own

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expense, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or
omission. Neither CSFBC's consent to, nor the Initial Purchasers' delivery to
offerees or investors of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a
waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 9. The Company shall use
its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or order suspending
the qualification or exemption of any Notes under any state securities or Blue
Sky laws and, if at any time any state securities commission or other federal or
state regulatory authority shall issue an order suspending the qualification or
exemption of any Notes under any state securities or Blue Sky laws, the Company
shall use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at
the earliest possible time.

          (b) To furnish the Initial Purchasers and those persons identified by
the Initial Purchasers to the Company as many copies of the Preliminary Offering
Circular and the Offering Circular, any documents incorporated by reference
therein, and any amendments or supplements thereto, as the Initial Purchasers
may reasonably request at any time prior to the completion of the resale of the
Notes by the Initial Purchasers. Subject to the Initial Purchasers' compliance
with its representations and warranties and agreements set forth in Section 7
hereof, the Company consents to the use of the Preliminary Offering Circular and
the Offering Circular, any documents incorporated by reference therein, and any
amendments and supplements thereto required pursuant hereto, by the Initial
Purchasers in connection with Exempt Resales.

          (c) If, at any time prior to the completion of the resale of the Notes
by the Initial Purchasers, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a
result of which, in the opinion of counsel to the Initial Purchasers, it becomes
necessary to amend or supplement the Offering Circular in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when such Offering
Circular is delivered to an Eligible Purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the
opinion of counsel to the Initial Purchasers, it is necessary to amend or
supplement the Offering Circular to comply with any applicable law, forthwith to
prepare an appropriate amendment or supplement to such Offering Circular so that
the statements therein, as so amended or supplemented, will not, in the light of
the circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that such
Offering Circular will comply with applicable law, and to furnish to the Initial
Purchasers and such other persons as the Initial Purchasers may designate such
number of copies thereof as the Initial Purchasers may reasonably request.

          (d) Prior to the sale of all Notes pursuant to Exempt Resales as
contemplated hereby, to cooperate with the Initial Purchasers and counsel to the
Initial Purchasers in connection with the registration or qualification of the
Notes for offer and sale to the Initial Purchasers and pursuant to Exempt
Resales under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the
Initial Purchasers may reasonably request and to continue such registration or
qualification in effect so long as required for Exempt Resales and to file such
consents to service of process or other documents as may be necessary in order
to effect such registration or qualification; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the
Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign
corporation in any jurisdiction in which it is not now so qualified or to take
any action that would subject it to general consent to service of process or
taxation other than as to matters and transactions relating to the Preliminary
Offering Circular, the Offering Circular or Exempt Resales, in any jurisdiction
in which it is not now so subject.

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          (e) So long as the Notes are outstanding, (i) to mail or make
generally available as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year to
the record holders of the Notes a financial report of the Company and its
subsidiaries on a consolidated basis (and a similar financial report of all
unconsolidated subsidiaries, if any), all such financial reports to include a
consolidated balance sheet, a consolidated statement of operations, a
consolidated statement of cash flows and a consolidated statement of
shareholders' equity as of the end of and for such fiscal year, together with
comparable information as of the end of and for the preceding year, certified by
the Company's independent public accountants and (ii) to mail or make generally
available as soon as practicable after the end of each quarterly period (except
for the last quarterly period of each fiscal year) to such holders, a
consolidated balance sheet, a consolidated statement of operations and a
consolidated statement of cash flows (and similar financial reports of all
unconsolidated subsidiaries, if any) as of the end of and for such period, and
for the period from the beginning of such year to the close of such quarterly
period, together with comparable information for the corresponding periods of
the preceding year.

          (f) So long as the Notes are outstanding, to furnish to the Initial
Purchasers as soon as available, copies of all reports or other communications
furnished by the Company to its security holders or furnished to or filed with
the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of
securities of the Company is listed and such other publicly available
information concerning the Company and/or its subsidiaries as the Initial
Purchasers may reasonably request.

          (g) So long as any of the Notes remain outstanding and during any
period in which the Company is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "EXCHANGE ACT"), to make
available to any holder of Securities in connection with any sale thereof and
any prospective purchaser of such Securities from such holder, the information
("RULE 144A INFORMATION") required by Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Act.

          (h) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are
consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all
reasonable expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the
Company under this Agreement, including: (i) the reasonable fees, disbursements
and expenses of counsel to the Company and accountants of the Company in
connection with the sale and delivery of the Notes to the Initial Purchasers and
pursuant to Exempt Resales, and all other fees and expenses in connection with
the preparation, printing, filing and distribution of the Preliminary Offering
Circular, the Offering Circular and all amendments and supplements to any of the
foregoing (including financial statements), including the mailing and delivering
of copies thereof to the Initial Purchasers and persons designated by them in
the quantities specified herein, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the
transfer and delivery of the Notes to the Initial Purchasers and pursuant to
Exempt Resales, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) all
costs of printing or producing this Agreement, the other Operative Documents and
any other agreements or documents in connection with the offering, purchase,
sale or delivery of the Securities (other than the fees, disbursements and
expenses of counsel to the Initial Purchasers, except as provided in clause (iv)
below), (iv) all expenses in connection with the registration or qualification
of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of
the several states and all costs of printing or producing any preliminary and
supplemental Blue Sky memoranda in connection therewith (including the filing
fees and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Initial Purchasers in
connection with such

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registration or qualification and memoranda relating thereto), (v) the cost of
printing certificates representing the Securities, (vi) all expenses and listing
fees in connection with the application for quotation of the Notes in the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") Automated Quotation
System - PORTAL ("PORTAL"), (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the
Trustee's counsel in connection with the Indenture and the Notes, (viii) the
costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar and/or depositary (including
DTC), (ix) any fees charged by rating agencies for the rating of the Notes, (x)
all costs and expenses of the Registration Statement, as set forth in the
Registration Rights Agreement, (xi) all expenses and listing fees in connection
with the application for listing the Common Stock on the NASDAQ National Market
and (xii) and all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the
obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made
in this Section.

          (i) To use its best efforts to effect the inclusion of the Notes in
PORTAL and to maintain the listing of the Notes on PORTAL for so long as the
Notes are outstanding.

          (j) To obtain the approval of DTC for "book-entry" transfer of the
Notes, and to comply with all of its agreements set forth in the representation
letters of the Company to DTC relating to the approval of the Notes by DTC for
"book-entry" transfer.

          (k) To cause the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes to
be duly included for quotation on the Nasdaq Stock Market's National Market (the
"NASDAQ NATIONAL MARKET") prior to the Closing Date subject to notice of
official issuance. The Company will ensure that such Common Stock remain
included for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market or any other national
securities exchange following the Closing Date for so long as any shares of
Common Stock remain registered under the Exchange Act.

          (l) The Company shall not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell,
sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to
sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or
dispose of, directly or indirectly, or any shares of Common Stock or securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of Common Stock,
including options, warrants or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock
or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale, pledge,
disposition or filing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that
transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences associated with
the ownership of any Common Stock (regardless of whether any of the transactions
described in clause (i) or (ii) is to be settled by the delivery of Common
Stock, or such other securities, in cash or otherwise), except to the Initial
Purchasers pursuant to this Agreement, for a period of 90 days after the Closing
Date without the prior written consent of CSFBC. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
during such period (i) the Company may grant stock options pursuant to the
Company's existing stock option plans or other employee benefit plans, (ii) the
Company may issue shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or
warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof
(including the Notes), and (iii) the Company may issue shares of Common Stock in
connection with acquisitions of companies and businesses. Other than pursuant to
the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company also agrees not to file any
registration statement with the Commission with respect to any shares of Common
Stock, or any registration statement relating to any U. S. dollar-denominated
debt securities issued or guaranteed by us and having a maturity of more than
one year from the date of issue, or any securities convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock for a period of 90

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days after the Closing Date without the prior written consent of CSFBC. The
Company shall, prior to or concurrently with the execution of this Agreement,
deliver an agreement in the form of Schedule C hereto executed by each of the
directors and officers of the Company listed on Schedule D hereto. The Company
agrees that with respect to the transfer of shares of Common Stock by each of
the persons listed on Schedule D, the Company shall not consent to the transfer
of more than an aggregate of 150,000 shares of Common Stock with respect to all
of the persons listed on Schedule D on or prior to 90 days after the date of the
Offering Circular.

          (m) Not to sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise
negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in the Act) that would be
integrated with the sale of the Notes to the Initial Purchasers or pursuant to
Exempt Resales in a manner that would require the registration of any such sale
of the Notes under the Act.

          (n) Not to voluntarily claim, and to actively resist any attempts to
claim, the benefit of any usury laws against the holders of any Notes.

          (o) To comply with all of its agreements set forth in the Registration
Rights Agreement.

          (p) To use its best efforts to do and perform all things required or
necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by it prior to the
Closing Date and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the delivery of the
Notes.

     6. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS OF THE COMPANY. As of the
date hereof, the Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the
Initial Purchasers that:

          (a) The Offering Document does not, and any supplement or amendment to
it will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties contained
in this paragraph (a) shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the
Offering Document (or any supplement or amendment thereto) based upon
information relating to the Initial Purchasers furnished to the Company in
writing by the Initial Purchasers expressly for use therein as set forth in
Section 8(b) hereof. The Initial Purchasers shall not be deemed to have provided
any other information (and therefore are not responsible for any statements or
omissions related to such other information). No stop order preventing the use
of the Preliminary Offering Circular or the Offering Circular, or any amendment
or supplement thereto, or any order asserting that any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement are subject to the registration requirements of
the Act, has been issued.

          (b) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly
incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the corporate power and
authority to carry on its business as described in the Offering Document and to
own, lease and operate its properties, and each is duly qualified and is in good
standing as a foreign corporation authorized to do business in each jurisdiction
in which the nature of its business or its ownership or leasing of property
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would
not have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects,

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financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a "MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT").

          (c) All outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and not
subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

          (d) The entities listed on Schedule B hereto are the only
subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Company. All of the outstanding shares
of capital stock of each of the Company's subsidiaries have been duly authorized
and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and are owned by the
Company, directly or indirectly through one or more subsidiaries (except to the
extent that the Company's direct or indirect ownership is less than 100% as set
forth on Schedule B hereto), free and clear of any security interest, claim,
lien, encumbrance or adverse interest of any nature (each, a "LIEN").

          (e) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company.

          (f) The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, on the
Closing Date, will have been validly executed and delivered by the Company. When
the Indenture has been duly executed and delivered by the Company, the Indenture
will be a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the
Company in accordance with its terms except as (i) the enforceability thereof
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors'
rights generally and (ii) rights of acceleration and the availability of
equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general
applicability. On the Closing Date, the Indenture will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the
"TIA" or "TRUST INDENTURE ACT"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission
applicable to an indenture which is qualified thereunder.

          (g) The Notes have been duly authorized and, on the Closing Date, will
have been validly executed and delivered by the Company. When the Notes have
been issued, executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the
Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Initial Purchasers in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement, the Notes will be entitled to the benefits of
the Indenture and will be valid and binding obligations of the Company,
enforceable in accordance with their terms except as (i) the enforceability
thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting
creditors' rights generally and (ii) rights of acceleration and the availability
of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general
applicability. On the Closing Date, the Notes will conform as to legal matters
to the description thereof contained in the Offering Circular.

          (h) The Notes are convertible into Common Stock in accordance with the
terms of the Indenture; the shares of Common Stock initially issuable upon
conversion of the Notes have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon
such conversion and, when issued upon such conversion, will be validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable, will conform to the description thereof contained
in the Offering Circular and will be duly authorized for listing on the NASDAQ
National Market, subject to notice of official issuance; the Company has the
authorized and outstanding capital stock as set forth in the Offering Circular;
and the stockholders of the

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Company or other holders of the Company's securities have no pre-emptive or
similar rights with respect to the Notes or the Common Stock issuable upon the
Notes.

          (i) The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized by the
Company and, on the Closing Date, will have been duly executed and delivered by
the Company. When the Registration Rights Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered, the Registration Rights agreement will be a valid and binding
agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms except as (i) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and (ii) rights
of acceleration and the availability of equitable remedies may be limited by
equitable principles of general applicability. On the Closing Date, the
Registration Rights Agreement will conform as to legal matters to the
description thereof in the Offering Circular.

          (j) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal
matters to the description thereof contained in the Offering Circular.

          (k) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of
its respective charter or by-laws or in default in the performance of any
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan
agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or their respective property is bound and that is material to the
Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except for such violations or
defaults which, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.

          (l) The execution, delivery and performance of the Operative Documents
by the Company, compliance by the Company with all provisions hereof and thereof
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will
not (i) require any consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or
qualification with, any court or governmental body or agency (except such as may
be required under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states), (ii)
conflict with or constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or a
default under, the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
or any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or
instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property is
bound and that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, (iii) violate or conflict with any applicable law or any rule,
regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court or any governmental body or
agency having jurisdiction over the Company, any of its subsidiaries or their
respective property, (iv) result in the imposition or creation of (or the
obligation to create or impose) a Lien under, any agreement or instrument to
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company
or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property is bound, or (v) result
in the termination, suspension or revocation of any Material Authorization (as
defined below) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or result in any other
impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Material Authorization,
except for such conflicts, breaches, violations, terminations, suspensions,
revocations, Liens or defaults which, singly or in the aggregate, would not have
a Material Adverse Effect.

          (m) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the
Company's knowledge, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is or could be

                                       10
<Page>

(in the case of threatened proceedings) a party or to which any of their
respective property is or could be (in the case of threatened proceeding)
subject, except for such proceedings which, if decided adversely to the Company,
would not result, singly or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.

          (n) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in
fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal
property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its
subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects
except such as are described in the Offering Circular or such as do not
materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use
made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its
subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the
Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and
enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere
with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the
Company and its subsidiaries, in each case except as described in the Offering
Circular.

          (o) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on
reasonable terms, all patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights,
know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable
proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks,
service marks and trade names ("INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY") currently employed by
them in connection with the business now operated by them, except where the
failure to own or possess or otherwise be able to acquire such Intellectual
Property would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of
infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any
of such Intellectual Property which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject
of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse
Effect.

          (p) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers
of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such
amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are
engaged; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) has received
notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that substantial capital
improvements or other material expenditures will have to be made in order to
continue such insurance or (ii) has any reason to believe that it will not be
able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires
or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers at a cost that would not
have a Material Adverse Effect.

          (q) Except as disclosed in the Offering Document, no relationship,
direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its
subsidiaries on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders,
customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries on the other
hand, which would be required by the Act to be described in the Offering
Circular if the Offering Circular were a prospectus included in a registration
statement on Form S-1 file with the Commission.

          (r) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintains a system of
internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i)
transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific
authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted

                                       11
<Page>

accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to
assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences.

          (s) All material tax returns required to be filed by the Company and
each of its subsidiaries in any jurisdiction have been filed, other than those
filings being contested in good faith, and all material taxes, including
withholding taxes, penalties and interest, assessments, fees and other charges
due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the
Company or any of its subsidiaries have been paid, other than those being
contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been provided.

          (t) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has violated any
foreign, federal, state or local law or regulation relating to the protection of
human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or
wastes, pollutants or contaminants ("ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS"), any provisions of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), or any
provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder, except for such violations which, singly or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

          (u) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has such permits,
licenses, consents, exemptions, franchises, authorizations and other approvals
(each, a "MATERIAL AUTHORIZATION") of, and has made all filings with and notices
to, all governmental or regulatory authorities and self-regulatory organizations
and all courts and other tribunals, including without limitation, under any
applicable Environmental Laws, as are necessary to own, lease, license and
operate its respective properties and to conduct its business, except where the
failure to have any such Material Authorization or to make any such filing or
notice would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
Each such Material Authorization is valid and in full force and effect and each
of the Company and its subsidiaries is in compliance with all the terms and
conditions thereof and with the rules and regulations of the authorities and
governing bodies having jurisdiction with respect thereto; and no event has
occurred (including, without limitation, the receipt of any notice from any
authority or governing body) which allows or, after notice or lapse of time or
both, would allow, revocation, suspension or termination of any such Material
Authorization or results or, after notice or lapse of time or both, would result
in any other impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Material
Authorization held by the Company or its subsidiaries; and such Material
Authorizations held by the Company or its subsidiaries contain no restrictions
that are burdensome to the Company or any of its subsidiaries; except where such
failure to be valid and in full force and effect or to be in compliance, the
occurrence of any such event or the presence of any such restriction would not,
singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

          (v) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental
Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures
required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental
Laws or any Material Authorization, any related constraints on operating
activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly
or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

                                       12
<Page>

          (w) The accountants, Arthur Andersen LLP, that have certified the
financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Offering Document
are independent public accountants with respect to the Company, as required by
the Act and the Exchange Act. The historical financial statements, together with
related schedules and notes, set forth in the Offering Document comply as to
form in all material respects with the requirements applicable to registration
statements on Form S-1 under the Act.

          (x) The historical financial statements, together with related
schedules and notes forming part of or incorporated by reference into the
Offering Document (and any amendment or supplement thereto), present fairly the
consolidated financial position, results of operations and changes in financial
position of the Company and its subsidiaries on the basis stated or incorporated
by reference in the Offering Document at the respective dates or for the
respective periods to which they apply; such statements and related schedules
and notes have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as
disclosed therein; and the other financial and statistical information and data
set forth or incorporated by reference in the Offering Document (and any
amendment or supplement thereto) are, in all material respects, accurately
presented and prepared on a basis consistent with such financial statements and
the books and records of the Company.

          (y) The PRO FORMA financial information included in the Offering
Document has been prepared on a basis consistent with the historical financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and give effect to assumptions
used in the preparation thereof on a reasonable basis and in good faith and
present fairly the historical and proposed transactions contemplated by the
Preliminary Offering Circular and the Offering Circular.

          (z) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Notes and the application of the net proceeds thereof as described
in the Offering Circular, will not be, an "investment company," as such term is
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

          (aa) Except as set forth in the Offering Document or on Schedule G
hereto, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company
and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a
registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the
Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Notes
registered pursuant to any Registration Statement.

          (bb) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any agent
thereof acting on the behalf of them has taken, and none of them will take, any
action that might cause this Agreement or the issuance or sale of the Notes to
violate Regulation G (12 C.F.R. Part 207), Regulation T (12 C.F.R. Part 220),
Regulation U (12 C.F.R. Part 221) or Regulation X (12 C.F.R. Part 224) of the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

          (cc) No "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" as
such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act (i) has
imposed (or has informed the Company that it is considering imposing) any
condition (financial or otherwise) on the Company's retaining any rating
assigned to the Company, any securities of the Company or (ii) has indicated to
the Company that it is considering (a) the downgrading, suspension, or
withdrawal of, or any

                                       13
<Page>

review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the
possible change in, any rating so assigned or (b) any change in the outlook for
any rating of the Company, or any securities of the Company.

          (dd) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Offering Circular other than as set forth in the Offering Circular
(exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of
this Agreement), (i) there has not occurred any material adverse change or, to
the knowledge of the Company, any development involving a prospective material
adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings,
business, management or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as
a whole, (ii) there has not been any material adverse change or, to the
knowledge of the Company, any development involving a prospective material
adverse change in the capital stock or in the long-term debt of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or
contingent.

          (ee) Each of the Preliminary Offering Circular and the Offering
Circular, as of its date, contains all the information specified in, and meeting
the requirements of, Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Act.

          (ff) When the Notes are issued and delivered pursuant to this
Agreement, the Notes will not be of the same class (within the meaning of Rule
144A under the Act) as any security of the Company that is listed on a national
securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act or that is
quoted in a United States automated inter-dealer quotation system.

          (gg) No form of general solicitation or general advertising (as
defined in Regulation D under the Act) was used by the Company, or any of its
representatives (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to whom the Company makes
no representation) in connection with the offer and sale of the Notes
contemplated hereby, including, but not limited to, articles, notices or other
communications published in any newspaper, magazine, or similar medium or
broadcast over television or radio, or any seminar or meeting whose attendees
have been invited by any general solicitation or general advertising. No
securities of the same class as the Securities have been issued and sold by the
Company within the six-month period immediately prior to the date hereof.

          (hh) Prior to the effectiveness of any Registration Statement, the
Indenture is not required to be qualified under the TIA.

          (ii) No registration under the Act of the Securities is required for
the sale of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers as contemplated hereby or
for the Exempt Resales assuming the accuracy of the Initial Purchasers'
representations and warranties and agreements set forth in Section 7 hereof.

          (jj) The Company, together with its subsidiaries Invitrogen Limited
and Invitrogen K.K. (the foregoing subsidiaries being collectively referred to
as the "MATERIAL SUBSIDIARIES"), on a consolidated basis, represent (i) in
excess of 80% of the revenues of the Company and all of its subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis (the "CONSOLIDATED REVENUES") as set forth on the Company's
Consolidated Statement of Operations for the period ended September 30,

                                       14
<Page>

2001 contained in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed by the Company with
the Commission on November 8, 2001 (the "THIRD QUARTER 10-Q"), and (ii) in
excess of 90% of the total assets of the Company and its subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis (the "CONSOLIDATED ASSETS") as set forth on the Company's
Consolidated Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2001 contained in the Third
Quarter 10-Q. No subsidiary of the Company, other than the Material
Subsidiaries, on an individual basis, represents (i) 5% or greater of the
Consolidated Revenues as set forth on the Company's Consolidated Statement of
Operations for the period ended September 30, 2001 contained in the Third
Quarter 10-Q, or (ii) 5% or greater of the Consolidated Assets as set forth on
the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2001 contained in
the Third Quarter 10-Q.

          (kk) Each certificate signed by any officer of the Company and
delivered to the Initial Purchasers or counsel for the Initial Purchasers
pursuant to the terms hereof shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty
by the Company to the Initial Purchasers as to the matters covered thereby.

          The Company acknowledges that the Initial Purchasers and, for purposes
of the opinions to be delivered to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to Section 9
hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Initial Purchasers will rely
upon the accuracy and truth of the foregoing representations and hereby consents
to such reliance.

     7. INITIAL PURCHASERS' REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. Each Initial
Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to, and agrees
with, the Company:

          (a) Such Initial Purchaser is either a QIB or an IAI, in either case,
with such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as is
necessary in order to evaluate the merits and risks of an investment in the
Notes.

          (b) Such Initial Purchaser (A) is not acquiring the Securities with a
view to any distribution thereof or with any present intention of offering or
selling any of the Securities in a transaction that would violate the Act or the
securities laws of any state of the United States or any other applicable
jurisdiction and (B) will be reoffering and reselling the Securities only to
QIBs in reliance on the exemption from the registration requirements of the Act
provided by Rule 144A.

          (c) Such Initial Purchaser agrees that no form of general solicitation
or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D under the Act) has
been or will be used by such Initial Purchaser or any of its representatives in
connection with the offer and sale of the Securities pursuant hereto, including,
but not limited to, articles, notices or other communications published in any
newspaper, magazine or similar medium or broadcast over television or radio, or
any seminar or meeting whose attendees have been invited by any general
solicitation or general advertising.

          (d) Such Initial Purchaser agrees that, in connection with Exempt
Resales, such Initial Purchaser will solicit offers to buy the Securities only
from, and will offer to sell the Securities only to, Eligible Purchasers. Each
Initial Purchaser further agrees that it will offer to sell the Securities only
to, and will solicit offers to buy the Securities only from (A) Eligible
Purchasers that such Initial Purchaser reasonably believes are QIBs that agree
that (x) the Securities purchased

                                       15
<Page>

by them may be resold, pledged or otherwise transferred within the time period
referred to under Rule 144(k) (taking into account the provisions of Rule 144(d)
under the Act, if applicable) under the Act, as in effect on the date of the
transfer of such Securities, only (I) to the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
(II) to a person whom the seller reasonably believes is a QIB purchasing for its
own account or for the account of a QIB in a transaction meeting the
requirements of Rule 144A under the Act, (III) in an offshore transaction (as
defined in Rule 902 under the Act) meeting the requirements of Rule 904 of the
Act, (IV) in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144 under the Act,
(V) to an Accredited Institution that, prior to such transfer, furnishes the
Trustee a signed letter containing certain representations and agreements
relating to the registration of transfer of such Securities and, if requested by
the Company, an opinion of counsel acceptable to the Company that such transfer
is in compliance with the Act, (VI) in accordance with another exemption from
the registration requirements of the Act (and based upon an opinion of counsel
acceptable to the Company) or (VII) pursuant to an effective registration
statement and, in each case, in accordance with the applicable securities laws
of any state of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction and (y)
they will deliver to each person to whom such Securities or an interest therein
is transferred a notice substantially to the effect of the foregoing.

          (e) Such Initial Purchaser agrees that it will not offer, sell or
deliver any of the Securities in any jurisdiction outside the United States
except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable
laws thereof, and that it will take at its own expense whatever action is
required to permit its purchase and resale of the Securities in such
jurisdictions. Such Initial Purchaser understands that no action has been taken
to permit a public offering in any jurisdiction outside the United States where
action would be required for such purpose.

          Each Initial Purchaser acknowledges that the Company, for purposes of
the opinions to be delivered to each Initial Purchaser pursuant to Section 9
hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Initial Purchasers will rely
upon the accuracy and truth of the foregoing representations and each Initial
Purchaser hereby consents to such reliance.

     8. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.

          (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Initial
Purchaser, its partners, directors and officers and each person, if any, who
controls such Initial Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act,
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
such Initial Purchaser may become subject, under the Act or the Exchange Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Offering Document, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, including any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities arising out of or based upon the
Company's failure to perform its obligations under Section 5(a) of this
Agreement, and will reimburse each Initial Purchaser for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such Initial Purchaser in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as
such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be
liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or
liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement in or

                                       16
<Page>

omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Initial
Purchaser through CSFBC specifically for use therein, it being understood and
agreed that the only such information furnished consists of the information
described as such in subsection (b) below.

          (b) Each Initial Purchaser will severally and not jointly indemnify
and hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers and each person, if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act,
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may
become subject, under the Act or the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in the Offering Document, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to
the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made or not made in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by such Initial Purchaser through
CSFBC specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are
incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information
furnished by any Initial Purchaser consists of the following information in the
Offering Document furnished on behalf of each Initial Purchaser: under the
caption "Plan of Distribution" paragraphs three and eleven and the third
sentence of paragraph ten; provided, however, that the Initial Purchasers shall
not be liable for any losses, claims, damages or liabilities arising out of or
based upon the Company's failure to perform its obligations under Section 5(a)
of this Agreement.

          (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section
of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a
claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under
subsection (a) or (b) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement
thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve
it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than
under subsection (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against
any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement
thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to
the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly
notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such
indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified
party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the
indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the
defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified
party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred
by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the
prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any
pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or
could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such
indemnified party unless such settlement includes (i) an unconditional release
of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject
matter of such action and (ii)

                                       17
<Page>

does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or
failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

          (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable
or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or
(b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other from the offering of the Notes
or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of
the Company on the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand
and the Initial Purchasers on the other shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company bear to the total discounts and commissions
received by the Initial Purchasers from the Company under this Agreement. The
relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the
Company or the Initial Purchasers and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue
statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of
the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of
this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (d).
Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Initial Purchaser
shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total discounts and commissions received by it exceeds the amount of any damages
which such Initial Purchaser has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. The
Initial Purchasers' obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several
in proportion to their respective purchase obligations and not joint.

          (e) The obligations of the Company under this Section shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any
Initial Purchaser within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act; and the
obligations of the Initial Purchasers under this Section shall be in addition to
any liability which the respective Initial Purchasers may otherwise have and
shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act.

     9. CONDITIONS OF INITIAL PURCHASER'S OBLIGATIONS. The several obligations
of the Initial Purchasers to purchase the Firm Notes under this Agreement on the
Closing Date and the Additional Notes, if any, on any Option Closing Date are
subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions.

          (a) All the representations and warranties of the Company contained in
this Agreement shall be true and correct on the Closing Date, or on each Option
Closing Date, if any,

                                       18
<Page>

with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date or on
each Option Closing Date, if any.

          (b) On or after the date hereof, (i) there shall not have occurred any
downgrading, suspension or withdrawal of, nor shall any notice have been given
of any potential or intended downgrading, suspension or withdrawal of, or of any
review (or of any potential or intended review) for a possible change that does
not indicate the direction of the possible change in, any rating of the Company
or any securities of the Company (including, without limitation, the placing of
any of the foregoing ratings on credit watch with negative or developing
implications or under review with an uncertain direction) by any "nationally
recognized statistical rating organization" as such term is defined for purposes
of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, (ii) there shall not have occurred any change,
nor shall any notice have been given of any potential or intended change, in the
outlook for any rating of the Company or any securities of the Company by any
such rating organization and (iii) no such rating organization shall have given
notice that it has assigned (or is considering assigning) a lower rating to the
Notes than that on which the Notes were marketed.

          (c) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Offering Circular other than as set forth in the Offering Circular (exclusive of
any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement),
(i) there shall not have occurred any change or any development involving a
prospective change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings,
business, management or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as
a whole, (ii) there shall not have been any change or any development involving
a prospective change in the capital stock or in the long-term debt of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries shall have incurred any liability or obligation, direct or
contingent, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause 9(c)(i),
9(c)(ii) or 9(c)(iii), in your judgment, is material and adverse and, in your
judgment, makes it impracticable to market the Securities on the terms and in
the manner contemplated in the Offering Circular.

          (d) You shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated
the Closing Date, and on an Option Closing Date, if any, dated such Option
Closing Date, signed by Lyle C. Turner and James R. Glynn, in their capacities
as President and Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer, respectively, of the Company, confirming the matters set
forth in Sections 6(dd), 9(a) and 9(b) and stating that the Company has complied
with all the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions herein contained and
required to be complied with or satisfied on or prior to the Closing Date or
Option Closing Date, as the case may be.

          (e) (A) You shall have received on the Closing Date and each Option
Closing Date, if any, an opinion (satisfactory to you and counsel for the
Initial Purchasers), dated the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, of Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP, counsel for the Company, to
the effect that:

               (i) the Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing
     as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
     incorporation and has

                                       19
<Page>

     the corporate power and authority to carry on its business as described in
     the Offering Document and to own, lease and operate its properties.

               (ii) the Notes have been duly authorized and, when executed and
     authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and
     delivered to and paid for by the Initial Purchasers in accordance with the
     terms of this Agreement, will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture
     and will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in
     accordance with their terms except as (x) the enforceability thereof may be
     limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors'
     rights generally and (y) rights of acceleration and availability of
     equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general
     applicability;

               (iii) the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
     delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the
     Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms
     except as (x) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
     insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and (y)
     rights of acceleration and the availability of equitable remedies may be
     limited by equitable principles of general applicability;

               (iv) the Notes are convertible into shares of Common Stock in
     accordance with the terms of the Indenture; the shares of Common Stock
     initially issuable upon conversion of the Notes have been duly authorized
     and reserved for issuance upon such conversion and, when issued upon such
     conversion, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will
     conform to the description thereof contained in the Offering Circular and
     will be duly authorized for listing on the NASDAQ National Market, subject
     to notice of official issuance; the Company has the authorized capital
     stock as set forth in the Offering Circular; and the stockholders of the
     Company have no pre-emptive or, to the knowledge of such counsel, similar
     rights with respect to the Notes or the Common Stock issuable upon the
     conversion of the Notes;

               (v) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
     delivered by the Company;

               (vi) The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized,
     executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement
     of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
     terms, except as (x) the enforceability thereof may be limited by
     bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights
     generally and (y) rights of acceleration and the availability of equitable
     remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general applicability;

               (vii) the statements under the captions "Description of Notes,"
     "Description of Capital Stock" and "Certain United States Federal Income
     Tax Considerations" in the Offering Circular, insofar as such statements
     constitute a summary of the legal matters or documents referred to therein,
     fairly present in all material respects such legal matters and documents;

                                       20
<Page>

               (viii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
     and the other Operative Documents by the Company, the compliance by the
     Company with all provisions hereof and thereof and the consummation of the
     transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not (i) require any
     consent, approval, Material Authorization or other order of, or
     qualification with, any court or governmental body or agency (except such
     as may be required under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various
     states or for filings required by the Registration Rights Agreement), (ii)
     conflict with or constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions of,
     or a default under, the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of the
     agreements set forth on Schedule E hereto (the "MATERIAL CONTRACTS"), (iii)
     violate or conflict with any applicable law or any rule or regulation, or,
     to such counsel's knowledge, any existing judgment, order or decree of any
     court or any governmental body or agency having jurisdiction over the
     Company or its property, (iv) result in the imposition or creation of (or
     the obligation to create or impose) a Lien under, any of the Material
     Contracts, or (v) to such counsel's knowledge, result in the termination,
     suspension or revocation of any Material Authorization of the Company;

               (ix) except as set forth on Schedule F hereto or in the Offering
     Circular, such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental
     proceedings pending to which the Company is a party or to which its
     property is subject, or threatened with respect to the Company or its
     property;

               (x) the Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering
     and sale of the Notes and the application of the net proceeds thereof as
     described in the Offering Circular, will not be, an "investment company" as
     such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

               (xi) except as set forth on Schedule G hereto or in the Offering
     Circular, to such counsel's knowledge, there are no contracts, agreements
     or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person
     the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the
     Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company
     to include such securities with the Notes registered pursuant to any
     Registration Statement;

               (xii) to such counsel's knowledge, except as set forth on
     Schedule F hereto or in the Offering Circular, the Company has not received
     any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others
     with respect to any of the Company's patent rights, licenses, copyrights,
     know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable
     proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures),
     trademarks, service marks and trade names which has not been resolved;

               (xiii) the Indenture complies as to form in all material respects
     with the requirements of the TIA, and the rules and regulations of the
     Commission applicable to an indenture which is qualified thereunder. It is
     not necessary in connection with the offer, sale and delivery of the Notes
     to the Initial Purchasers in the manner contemplated by this Agreement or
     in connection with the Exempt Resales to qualify the Indenture under the
     TIA; and

                                       21
<Page>

               (xiv) no registration under the Act of the Securities is required
     for the sale of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers as contemplated by
     this Agreement or for the Exempt Resales assuming that (i) each Initial
     Purchaser is a QIB, (ii) the accuracy of, and compliance with, the Initial
     Purchasers' representations and agreements contained in Section 7 of this
     Agreement, and (iii) the accuracy of the representations of the Company set
     forth in Section 6(gg) of this Agreement.

          Such opinion shall also include a statement that such counsel has no
reason to believe that, as of the date of the Offering Circular or as of the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the Offering
Circular and all documents incorporated therein by reference, as amended or
supplemented, if applicable (except for the financial statements and other
financial data included therein or incorporated therein by reference, as to
which such counsel need not express any belief) contains any untrue statement of
a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.

          The opinion of Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP described in Section
9(e)(A) above shall be rendered to you at the request of the Company and shall
so state therein. In giving such statement, Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP may
state that their opinion and belief are based upon their participation in the
preparation of the Offering Circular and any amendments or supplements thereto
and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent
check or verification except as specified.

     (B) You shall have received on the Closing Date and each Option Closing
Date, if any, an opinion (satisfactory to you and counsel for the Initial
Purchasers), dated the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, of John A. Cottingham, General Counsel for the Company, or of foreign
counsel to the Company with respect to certain foreign subsidiaries, to the
effect that:

               (i) each of the Material Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated,
     is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its
     jurisdiction of incorporation and has the corporate power and authority to
     carry on its business as described in the Offering Document and to own,
     lease and operate its properties.

               (ii) each of the Company and its subsidiaries is duly qualified
     and is in good standing as a foreign corporation authorized to do business
     in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or its ownership
     or leasing of property requires such qualification, except where the
     failure to be so qualified would not have a material adverse effect on the
     business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the
     Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

               (iii) all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of
     the Company's subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued and
     are fully paid and non-assessable and, to such counsel's knowledge, other
     than as set forth on Schedule B hereto, are owned of record by the Company,
     free and clear of any Lien;

                                       22
<Page>

               (iv) the statements under the captions "Business--Technology
     Licensing" and "Business--Patents and Proprietary Technologies" in the
     Offering Circular, insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the
     legal matters or documents referred to therein, fairly present in all
     material respects such legal matters and documents;

               (v) to such counsel's knowledge, neither the Company nor any of
     its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter or by-laws and
     neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in default in the
     performance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained
     in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or
     instrument that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
     whole, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by
     which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property
     is bound;

               (vi) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
     and the other Operative Documents by the Company, the compliance by the
     Company with all provisions hereof and thereof and the consummation of the
     transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not (i) require any
     consent, approval, Material Authorization or other order of, or
     qualification with, any court or governmental body or agency (except such
     as may be required under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various
     states or for filings required by the Registration Rights Agreement), (ii)
     conflict with or constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions of,
     or a default under, the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of the
     Company's subsidiaries or any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or
     other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its
     subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
     or their respective property is bound and that is material to the Company
     and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (iii) violate or conflict with any
     applicable law or any rule or regulation, or, to such counsel's knowledge,
     any existing judgment, order or decree of any court or any governmental
     body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company, any of the Material
     Subsidiaries or their respective properties, (iv) result in the imposition
     or creation of (or the obligation to create or impose) a Lien under, any
     agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Material
     Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of the Material
     Subsidiaries or their respective property is bound, or (v) to such
     counsel's knowledge, result in the termination, suspension or revocation of
     any Material Authorization of the Company or any of its subsidiaries;

               (vii) such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental
     proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its
     subsidiaries is or could be (with respect to threatened proceedings) a
     party or to which any of their respective property is or could be (with
     respect to threatened proceedings) subject, which is likely to result,
     singly or in the aggregate, in a material adverse effect on the business,
     prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and
     its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

               (viii) except as set forth on Schedule G hereto or in the
     Offering Circular, to such counsel's knowledge, there are no contracts,
     agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting
     such person the right to require the Company to file a registration
     statement under the Act with respect to any

                                       23
<Page>

     securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such
     securities with the Notes registered pursuant to any Registration
     Statement;

               (ix) to such counsel's knowledge, neither the Company nor any of
     its subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or conflict
     with asserted rights of others with respect to any of the Company's patent
     rights, licenses, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other
     unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information,
     systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names which has
     not been resolved and which, singly or in the aggregate, is likely to
     result in a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial
     condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries,
     taken as a whole;

          Such opinion shall also include a statement that such counsel has no
reason to believe that, as of the date of the Offering Circular or as of the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the Offering
Circular and all documents incorporated therein by reference, as amended or
supplemented, if applicable (except for the financial statements and other
financial data included therein or incorporated therein by reference, as to
which such counsel need not express any belief) contains any untrue statement of
a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.

     The opinion of John A. Cottingham and of the foreign counsel to the Company
described in Section 9(e)(B) above shall be rendered to you at the request of
the Company and shall so state therein.

          (f) The Initial Purchasers shall have received on the Closing Date and
on each Option Closing Date, an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Latham &
Watkins, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers.

          (g) The Initial Purchasers shall have received, at the time this
Agreement is executed and at the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date,
letters dated the date hereof or the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, in the form and substance satisfactory to the Initial
Purchasers from Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public accountants, containing
the information and statements of the type ordinarily included in accountants'
"comfort letters" to the Initial Purchasers with respect to the financial
statements and certain financial information contained in or incorporated by
reference into the Offering Circular.

          (h) The Notes shall have been approved by the NASD for trading and
duly listed in PORTAL.

          (i) The Initial Purchasers shall have received a counterpart,
conformed as executed, of the Indenture which shall have been entered into by
the Company and the Trustee.

          (j) The Company shall have executed the Registration Rights Agreement
and the Initial Purchasers shall have received an original copy thereof, duly
executed by the Company.

                                       24
<Page>

          (k) The Company shall not have failed at or prior to the Closing Date
or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, to perform or comply with any of
the agreements herein contained and required to be performed or complied with by
the Company at or prior to the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case
may be.

     10. EFFECTIVENESS OF AGREEMENT AND TERMINATION. This Agreement may be
terminated at any time on or prior to the Closing Date by the Initial Purchasers
by written notice to the Company if any of the following has occurred: (i) any
change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the
condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of
the Company and its subsidiaries taken as one enterprise which, in the judgment
of a majority in interest of the Initial Purchasers including CSFBC, is material
and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with completion
of the offering or the sale of and payment for the Notes; (ii) any downgrading
in the rating of any debt securities of the Company by any "nationally
recognized statistical rating organization" (as defined for purposes of Rule
436(g) under the Act), or any public announcement that any such organization has
under surveillance or review its rating of any debt securities of the Company
(other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading,
and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating) or any
announcement that the Company has been placed on negative outlook; (iii) any
change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic conditions or
currency exchange rates or exchange controls as would, in the judgment of a
majority in interest of the Initial Purchasers including CSFBC, be likely to
prejudice materially the success of the proposed issue, sale or distribution of
the Notes, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the
secondary market, (iv) any material suspension or material limitation of trading
in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, or any setting of
minimum prices for trading on such exchange, or any suspension of trading of any
securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (v)
any banking moratorium declared by U.S. Federal or New York authorities; (vi)
any major disruption of settlements of securities or clearance services in the
United States or (vii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or
act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by Congress
or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment
of a majority in interest of the Initial Purchasers including CSFBC, the effect
of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or
emergency makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with completion of the
offering or sale of and payment for the Notes.

     If on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any
one or more of the Initial Purchasers shall fail or refuse to purchase the Notes
which it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date and the
aggregate principal amount of the Notes which such defaulting Initial Purchaser
or Initial Purchasers, as the case may be, agreed but failed or refused to
purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of the
Notes to be purchased on such date by all Initial Purchasers, each
non-defaulting Initial Purchaser shall be obligated severally, in the proportion
which the principal amount of the Notes set forth opposite its name in Schedule
A bears to the aggregate principal amount of the Notes which all the
non-defaulting Initial Purchasers, as the case may be, have agreed to purchase,
or in such other proportion as you may specify, to purchase the Notes which such
defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers, as the case may be, agreed
but failed or refused to purchase on such date; PROVIDED that in no event shall
the aggregate principal amount of the Notes which any Initial Purchaser has
agreed to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof be increased pursuant to this
Section 10 by an amount in excess of one-tenth of such principal amount of the
Notes without the written consent of such

                                       25
<Page>

Initial Purchaser. If on the Closing Date, or an Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, any Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers shall fail or refuse to
purchase the Notes and the aggregate principal amount of the Notes with respect
to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal
amount of the Notes to be purchased by all Initial Purchasers and arrangements
satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers and the Company for purchase of such the
Notes are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement will
terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Initial Purchaser
and the Company. In any such case which does not result in termination of this
Agreement, either you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the
Closing Date, or such Option Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no event
for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the
Offering Circular or any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Any
action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Initial
Purchaser from liability in respect of any default of any such Initial Purchaser
under this Agreement.

     11. MISCELLANEOUS. Notices given pursuant to any provision of this
Agreement shall be addressed as follows: (i) if to the Company to Invitrogen
Corporation, 1600 Faraday Avenue, Carlsbad, California, 92008, attention: Chief
Financial Officer and General Counsel, and (ii) if to the Initial Purchasers,
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation, Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, New
York 10010-3629, Attention: Transactions Advisory Group, or in any case to such
other address as the person to be notified may have requested in writing.

     The respective indemnities, contribution agreements, representations,
warranties and other statements of the Company and the Initial Purchasers set
forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement shall remain operative and in full
force and effect, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities
regardless of (i) any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof,
made by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers; the officers or directors of the
Initial Purchasers, any person controlling the Initial Purchasers, the Company,
the officers or directors of the Company, or any person controlling the Company,
(ii) acceptance of the Securities and payment for them hereunder and (iii)
termination of the Agreement.

     If for any reason the Notes are not delivered by or on behalf of the
Company as provided herein (other than as a result of any termination of this
Agreement pursuant to Section 10), the Company agrees to reimburse the Initial
Purchasers for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements
of counsel) incurred by them Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement,
the Company shall be liable for all expenses which it has agreed to pay pursuant
to Section 5(h) hereof. The Company also agrees to reimburse the Initial
Purchasers and its officers, directors and each person, if any, who controls
such Initial Purchasers within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section
20 of the Exchange Act for any and all fees and expenses (including without
limitation the fees and expenses of counsel) incurred by them in connection with
enforcing their rights under this Agreement (including without limitation its
rights under Section 8).

     Except as otherwise provided, this Agreement has been and is made solely
for the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Company, the Initial
Purchasers, the Initial Purchasers' directors and officers, any controlling
persons referred to herein, the directors of the Company and their respective
successors and assigns, all as and to the extent provided in this Agreement, and
no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this
Agreement. The term "successors

                                       26
<Page>

and assigns" shall not include a purchaser of any of the Securities from the
Initial Purchasers merely because of such purchase.

     This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws
of the State of New York.

     This Agreement may be signed in various counterparts which together shall
constitute one and the same instrument.

                                       27
<Page>

     Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement among
the Company, and the Initial Purchasers.

                            Very truly yours,

                            INVITROGEN CORPORATION

                            By:
                               -------------------------------------------------
                               Name: Lyle C. Turner
                               Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
UBS WARBURG LLC
By:   CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION

By:
   --------------------------------------------------------
   Name:
   Title:

                                       28
<Page>
                                   SCHEDULE A

<Table>
<Caption>
                                                                               Principal Amount
Initial Purchaser                                                                   of Notes
-----------------                                                              -----------------
<S>                                                                                 <C>
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation............................                  $250,000,000
UBS Warburg LLC                                                                      250,000,000
                                                                                     -----------
     Total........................................................                  $500,000,000
                                                                                     -----------
</Table>

                                       29
<Page>

                                   SCHEDULE B

                                  SUBSIDIARIES

PRE-MERGER                         INVITROGEN                           ENTITIES
================================================================================

     1. ETHROG BIOTECHNOLOGY LTD. (Israel)

     2. INVITROGEN B.V.(The Netherlands)

          - NOVEX RELATED SUBSIDIARIES:

            -    Novex Electrophoresis GmbH (Germany)

                 -    Novex Electrophoresis GmbH Subsidiary;

                 -    Serva Electrophoresis GmbH  (Germany)

     3. RESEARCH GENETICS EQUITY INVESTMENTS:

        BioVentures, Inc. (Alabama)

          Gene Express, Inc. (Colorado)

          IntegriDerm, Inc. (Delaware)

     ASIA PACIFIC

     1. INVITROGEN ASIA PACIFIC, INC. (Delaware)

          IVGN Asia Pacific Subsidiary;

          Invitrogen Taiwan Limited (Taiwan)

     2. INVITROGEN AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED (Australia)

          IVGN Australia Subsidiary:

            -  Frimu Pty. Ltd. (Australia)

     3. INVITROGEN HONG KONG LIMITED (Hong Kong)

     4. INVITROGEN K.K. (Japan)

     5. INVITROGEN NEW ZEALAND LIMITED (New Zealand)

          IVGN New Zealand Limited Subsidiary:

            -  Phoenix Chemicals Ltd. (New Zealand)

     6. INVITROGEN SINGAPORE PTE. LTD. (Singapore)

     7. LABORATORY SERVICES LIMITED (New Zealand)

     8. LIFE TECHNOLOGIES MAURITIUS LIMITED (Mauritius)

          LTI Mauritius Subsidiaries:

            -  Life Technologies do Brasil Ltda. (Brazil)

     9. INVITROGEN INDIA PVT. LTD. (India)

                                       30
<Page>

EUROPE

     1. INVITROGEN AB (Sweden)

     2. INVITROGEN A/S (Denmark)

     3. INVITROGEN HOLDINGS (Scotland)

          IVGN Holdings Subsidiaries:

            -  Gibco Leasing Limited (Scotland)

            -  Invitrogen Europe Limited (Scotland)

            IVGN Europe Limited Subsidiaries:

              -  Invitrogen AG (Switzerland)

              -  Invitrogen GmbH (Germany)

              -  Invitrogen Norge AS (Norway)

              -  Invitrogen S.A.R.L. (France)

              -  Life Technologies B.V. (Netherlands)

              -  N.V. Invitrogen S.A. (Belgium)

            -  Invitrogen Limited (Scotland)

            IVGN Limited Subsidiary:

              -  Gibco Bio-Cult Diagnostics Limited (Scot)

            -  Life Technologies (Europe) Limited (Scotland)

     4. INVITROGEN S.A.(Spain)

     5. INVITROGEN S.R.L. (Italy)

AMERICAS

     1. CUSTOM PRIMERS, INC. (California)

          Custom Primers Subsidiary:

            -  ProtoGene Laboratories Inc (California)

     2. INVITROGEN CANADA, INC. (Ontario)

     3. LIFE TECHNOLOGIES ARGENTINA S.A. (Argentina)

     4. LIFE TECHNOLOGIES DO BRASIL LTDA. (Brazil)

     5. LIFE TECHNOLOGIES FOREIGN SALES CORPORATION (Barb)

     6. LIFE TECHNOLOGIES URUGUAY S.A. (Uruguay)

     7. SERUM TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS, INC. (Delaware)

DEXTER ENTITIES

                                       31
<Page>

     1. DEXTER CORPORATION FOUNDATION, INC.(Connecticut)

     2. DEXTER ENVIRONMENTAL ASSURANCE LTD. (Bermuda)

     3. DEXTER EUROPE S.A. (Belgium)

     4. DEXTER HOLDINGS (England)

          Dexter Holdings Subsidiary:

            -  Dexter U.K. Ltd. (England)

               Dexter U.K. Ltd. Subsidiaries:

               -   Dexter Overseas Limited (England)

               -   Dexter Specialty Chemicals Ltd. (England)

               -   Dexter Specialty Materials Ltd. (Scotland)

               -   Kettlebrook Insurance Company, Ltd. (Berm)

     5. DEXTER HOLDINGS B.V. (The Netherlands)

          Dexter Holdings B.V. Subsidiary:

            -  Dexter Europe B.V. (The Netherlands)

     6. DEXTER POWDERS, INC. (Delaware)

     7. DEXTER (RPI), INC. (Delaware)

     8. KETTLEBROOK INSURANCE COMPANY, LTD. (Bermuda)

                                       32
<Page>

                                   SCHEDULE C

                             FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER

                                       33
<Page>

                                   SCHEDULE D

                             DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

Lyle C. Turner
James R. Glynn
Victor N. Nole, Jr.
John A. Cottingham
C. Eric Winzer
John Thompson
L. James Runchey
Donald W. Grimm
Bradley G. Lorimier
David E. McCarty
Thomas H. Adams
Jay M. Short
Raymond V. Dittamore
William J. Mercer
Balakrishnan Iyer

                                       34
<Page>

                                   SCHEDULE E

                               MATERIAL CONTRACTS

1. All contracts and agreements filed by the Company as exhibits to the Exchange
Act Reports

2. Loan Agreement between the State Industrial Development Authority and
Research Genetics, Inc. dated January 1, 1995 and the Credit Agreement between
Research Genetics, Inc. and Southwest Bank of Alabama, National Association,
dated as of January 1, 1995.

                                       35
<Page>

                                   SCHEDULE F

                                   LITIGATION

1.   AVNET INC., ET. AL., V. AMTEL INC., ET. AL. (AKA "LANDFILL & RESOURCE
     RECOVERY SITE"), Civil Action No. 910383, filed with the U.S. District
     Court for the District of Rhode Island

2.   LTI V. CLONTECH LABORATORIES, INC., Civil Action No. AW-96-4080, U.S.
     District Court for the District of Maryland

3.   CLONTECH LABORATORIES, INC. V. LTI, Civil Action No. 98-750, Federal
     District Court, Delaware

4.   SOUTHDOWN INC., ET. AL., V. ALLEN, ET. AL., Civil Action No. 96-J-3300-S,
     filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama,
     Southern Division

5.   DRISCOLL V. DEXTER CORPORATION, Civil Action No. 00 05968015S, filed with
     the Superior Court for the Judicial District of Hartford, Connecticut

6.   INVITROGEN CORPORATION V. ACTIVE MOTIF, ET. AL., filed with the Superior
     Court of California, County of San Diego, Case No. GIN 005289

7.   WILCZAK, HEIDI-Threatened personal injury claim

8.   LYNCH V. INVITROGEN CORPORATION, filed with the Superior Court of
     California, County of San Diego, Case No. GIC 766219

9.   INCYTE GENOMICS, INC. V. INVITROGEN CORPORATION, Case No. 01CV2141LCJAH,
     U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

10.  STRATAGENE V. INVITROGEN CORPORATION, Case No. 01CV23566, U.S. District
     Court for the Southern District of Maryland

11.  DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CONTRACT DISPUTE-Threatened contract action

                                       36
<Page>

                                   SCHEDULE G

                         REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENTS

1. Stock Purchase and Stockholders Agreement dated June 20, 1997, between the
Company and funds affiliated with TA Associates

2. Registration Rights Agreement dated February 2, 2000, between the Company and
the shareholders of Research Genetics, Inc.

3. Registration Rights Agreement dated March 1, 2000 between the Company,
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation and the other initial
purchasers of the Company's 5 1/2% Convertible Notes Due 2007

4. Registration Rights Agreement dated November 21, 2000 between the Company and
Alliance Select Investors Series Biotechnology Portfolio

5. Registration Rights Agreement dated November 21, 2000 between the Company and
funds affiliated with Putnum Investments.

6. The Registration Rights Agreement to be delivered by the Company pursuant to
Sections 3 and 9(j) hereof.

                                       37
<Page>

                                    EXHIBIT A

                      FORM OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                                     38<Page>

                                   INVITROGEN

                       401(k) SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT PLAN

   (As Amended and Restated Effective as of January 1, 2002, unless specified
                                   otherwise)

<Page>

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

<Table>
<Caption>
                                                                                                               PAGE
<S>        <C>                                                                                                    <C>
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................1

ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS.............................................................................................2

   1.1.    Account or Accounts....................................................................................2
   1.2.    Administrative Committee or Committee..................................................................2
   1.3.    Affiliate..............................................................................................2
   1.4.    Beneficiary............................................................................................2
   1.5.    Board..................................................................................................2
   1.6.    Break in Service.......................................................................................2
   1.7.    Code...................................................................................................2
   1.8.    Company................................................................................................3
   1.9.    Company Stock Account..................................................................................3
   1.10.   Compensation...........................................................................................3
   1.11.   Disabled Participant...................................................................................3
   1.12.   Effective Date.........................................................................................3
   1.13.   Elective Contributions.................................................................................4
   1.14.   Employee...............................................................................................4
   1.15.   Employer...............................................................................................4
   1.16.   Employer Matching Contributions........................................................................4
   1.17.   Employer Profit Sharing Contributions..................................................................4
   1.18.   ERISA..................................................................................................4
   1.19.   ESOP Account...........................................................................................4
   1.20.   Highly Compensated Employee............................................................................4
   1.21.   Hour of Service........................................................................................5
   1.22.   Investment Fund........................................................................................5
   1.23.   Invitrogen Plan Stock Account..........................................................................6
   1.24.   Non-Highly Compensated Employee........................................................................6
   1.25.   Normal Retirement Date.................................................................................6
   1.26.   Participant............................................................................................6
   1.27.   Part-Time Employee.....................................................................................6
   1.28.   PAYSOP.................................................................................................6
   1.29.   PAYSOP Account.........................................................................................6
   1.30.   Plan...................................................................................................6
   1.31.   Plan Year..............................................................................................6
   1.32.   Pre-1985 Contributions Account.........................................................................6
   1.33.   Post Doctoral Fellow...................................................................................6
   1.34.   Supplemental Matching Contribution.....................................................................6
</Table>

                                       -i-
<Page>

<Table>
<S>        <C>                                                                                                   <C>
   1.35.   Telephone Response System..............................................................................6
   1.36.   Temporary Employee.....................................................................................7
   1.37.   Trust or Trust Fund....................................................................................7
   1.38.   Trustee................................................................................................7
   1.39.   Valuation Date.........................................................................................7
   1.40.   Year of Vesting Service................................................................................7

ARTICLE 2 PARTICIPATION...........................................................................................7

   2.1.    General Participation Requirement......................................................................7
   2.2.    Re-employment Rules....................................................................................7

ARTICLE 3 CONTRIBUTIONS...........................................................................................7

   3.1.    Participants' Elective Contributions...................................................................7
   3.2.    Discretionary Qualified Nonelective Employer Contributions.............................................8
   3.3.    Employer Matching Contributions........................................................................8
   3.4.    Supplemental Matching Contribution.....................................................................8
   3.5.    Discretionary Employer Profit Sharing Contributions....................................................8
   3.6.    Forfeitures............................................................................................9
   3.7.    Voluntary After-Tax Contributions......................................................................9
   3.8.    Transfers from Other Plans.............................................................................9
   3.9.    Rollover Contributions.................................................................................9
   3.10.   Distribution of Excess Deferrals......................................................................10
   3.11.   Return of Contributions...............................................................................10
   3.12.   Uniformed Service Reemployment Rights.................................................................10
   3.13.   Limitations...........................................................................................10

ARTICLE 4 LIMITATIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS...........................................................................11

   4.1.    Statutory Nondiscrimination Requirements..............................................................11
   4.2.    Modification of Contribution Elections................................................................12
   4.3.    Excess Elective Contributions.........................................................................13
   4.4.    Excess Employer Matching Contributions................................................................13
   4.5.    Other Limitations on Contributions and Benefits.......................................................13

ARTICLE 5 ACCOUNTS AND INVESTMENT FUNDS..........................................................................14

   5.1.    Maintenance of Accounts...............................................................................14
   5.2.    Adjustment of Accounts................................................................................14
   5.3.    Establishment of Investment Funds.....................................................................14
   5.4.    Investment Directions.................................................................................15
   5.5.    Company Stock Accounts................................................................................15

ARTICLE 6 ELIGIBILITY FOR AND DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS...........................................................15
</Table>

                                      -ii-
<Page>

<Table>
<S>        <C>                                                                                                   <C>
   6.1.    Normal Retirement or Total Disability.................................................................15
   6.2.    Other Termination of Employment.......................................................................15
   6.3.    Forfeitures...........................................................................................16
   6.4.    Method and Timing of Payment..........................................................................16
   6.5.    Required Commencement of Benefits.....................................................................16
   6.6.    Cashout of Small Benefits.............................................................................16
   6.7.    Death.................................................................................................17
   6.8.    Rollover Rights.......................................................................................17
   6.9.    Distributions Upon Corporate Transactions.............................................................18

ARTICLE 7 WITHDRAWALS............................................................................................19

   7.1.    In-Service Withdrawals................................................................................19
   7.2.    Hardship Withdrawals..................................................................................19
   7.3.    Withdrawal Requests...................................................................................20

ARTICLE 8 LOANS TO PARTICIPANTS..................................................................................20

   8.1.    Application for Loans.................................................................................20
   8.2.    Limitations on Loans..................................................................................21
   8.3.    Interest on Loans.....................................................................................21
   8.4.    Repayment of Loans....................................................................................21
   8.5.    Security for Loans....................................................................................22

ARTICLE 9 TOP HEAVY PROVISIONS...................................................................................23

   9.1.    Effect of Top Heavy Status............................................................................23
   9.2.    Definitions and Special Rules.........................................................................23

ARTICLE 10 ADMINISTRATION OF PLAN................................................................................24

   10.1.   Organization of Administrative Committee and Procedural Matters.......................................24
   10.2.   Powers of Administrative Committee....................................................................24
   10.3.   Operation of Administrative Committee.................................................................24
   10.4.   Resignation or Removal................................................................................25
   10.5.   Records and Reports...................................................................................25
   10.6.   Expenses..............................................................................................25
   10.7.   Indemnification.......................................................................................25
   10.8.   Claim for Benefits....................................................................................25
   10.9.   Review of Denied Claims...............................................................................26
   10.10.  Lost Participants.....................................................................................26

ARTICLE 11 TRUST FUND............................................................................................26
</Table>

                                      -iii-
<Page>

<Table>
<S>        <C>                                                                                                   <C>
   11.1.   General...............................................................................................26
   11.2.   No Diversion..........................................................................................26
   11.3.   Benefits Provided Solely by Trust Fund................................................................26
   11.4.   Employer Securities...................................................................................26
   11.5.   Appointment of Investment Manager.....................................................................27

ARTICLE 12 AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION............................................................................27

   12.1.   Invitrogen May Amend Plan.............................................................................27
   12.2.   Withdrawal of Participating Employer..................................................................28
   12.3.   Termination...........................................................................................28
   12.4.   Distributions Upon Termination........................................................................28
   12.5.   Statutory Merger/Consolidation Rule...................................................................28

ARTICLE 13 ADOPTION OF PLAN BY AFFILIATE.........................................................................28

   13.1.   Adoption Procedure....................................................................................28
   13.2.   Effect of Adoption by Affiliate.......................................................................29

ARTICLE 14 MISCELLANEOUS.........................................................................................29

   14.1.   No Rights Conferred...................................................................................29
   14.2.   Benefits Limited to Trust Fund........................................................................29
   14.3.   Spendthrift Provision.................................................................................29
   14.4.   Payment to Minors or Incompetents.....................................................................30
   14.5.   Headings..............................................................................................30
   14.6.   Severability..........................................................................................30
   14.7.   Use of Electronic Media...............................................................................30
   14.8.   Conversion............................................................................................30
   14.9.   Construction..........................................................................................30

APPENDIX A Amendment to Invitrogen 401(k) Savings Plan...........................................................32

APPENDIX B Amendment to Dexter 401(k) Savings Plan...............................................................36

APPENDIX C Amendment to the  Employees' Savings and Profit Sharing  Retirement  Income Trust of Dexter
           Corporation  and Dexter Corporation Nonwoven Materials-Plan Portion...................................42

APPENDIX D EGTRRA Plan Amendments................................................................................48
</Table>

                                      -iv-
<Page>

                  INVITROGEN 401(k) SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT PLAN

                                  INTRODUCTION

     The Life Technologies, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan was amended and
restated, effective January 1, 1985, to add a cash or deferred arrangement
qualified under Code Section 401(k), and its name was changed to the Life
Technologies, Inc. Extra Savings Plan. The Life Technologies, Inc. Tax Credit
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the "PAYSOP") was merged with and into the Life
Technologies, Inc. Extra Savings Plan as of December 31, 1993. The Life
Technologies, Inc. Extra Savings Plan, including the provisions relating to the
PAYSOP, was amended and restated in its entirety, effective as of January 1,
1989. The Life Technologies, Inc. Extra Savings Plan was again amended and
restated, effective as of the Merger Date (as hereinafter defined), (i) to
embody operational changes adopted to comply with requirements imposed under
recent legislation, (ii) to incorporate amendments adopted since January 1,
1989, (iii) to reflect the merger of Life Technologies, Inc. into Invitrogen
Corporation ("Invitrogen") on or about September 14, 2000 (the "Merger Date"),
pursuant to which Life Technologies, Inc. became a separate operating division
of Invitrogen, and (iv) to remove all restrictions on reallocating amounts
contributed as Company Stock into other Investment Funds, thereby terminating
the PAYSOP and ESOP features of the Life Technologies, Inc. Extra Savings Plan.

     The Life Technologies, Inc. Extra Savings Plan is again amended and
restated, effective as of January 1, 2002, unless specified otherwise (i) to
reflect the merger of the Invitrogen Corporation 401(k) Salary Savings Plan (the
"Invitrogen 401(k) Plan"), Dexter 401(k) Savings Plan (the "Dexter 401(k)
Plan"), The Employees' Savings and Profit Sharing Retirement Income Trust of
Dexter Corporation and Dexter Corporation, Nonwoven Materials (the "Dexter
ESPRIT Plan") with and into the Life Technologies, Inc. Extra Savings Plan as of
January 1, 2002, (ii) to reflect the transfer of assets and liabilities from the
Novex 401(k) Employee Stock Ownership Plan and Trust Agreement (the "Novex
401(k) ESOP") to the Life Technologies, Inc. Extra Savings Plan as of January 1,
2002, (iii) to reflect the transfer of assets and liabilities from the Research
Genetics, Inc. 401(k) Plan (the "Research Genetics 401(k) Plan") to the Life
Technologies, Inc. Extra Savings Plan as of January 1, 2002, (iv) to embody
operational changes to the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan, Dexter 401(k) Plan and Dexter
ESPRIT Plan that were adopted to comply with requirements imposed under recent
legislation that is collectively referred to as GUST, (v) to reflect the
requirements imposed by the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 ("CRA")
(vi) to reflect certain provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief
Reconciliation Act of 2001 ("EGTRRA"), in accordance with sample plan amendments
set forth in Internal Revenue Service Notice 2001-57, the EGTRRA amendments are
intended as good faith compliance with the requirements of EGTRRA and are to be
construed in accordance with EGTRRA and guidance issued thereunder, (vii) to
reflect certain design changes effective as of January 1, 2002, and (viii) to
reflect the change in name to the Invitrogen 401(k) Savings and Investment Plan
(the "Plan").

                                       1
<Page>

     Participants in the Plan who retired or terminated their employment prior
to the Effective Date shall look solely to the prior version of the Plan for
their benefits, if any, payable in accordance with the applicable provisions of
such prior versions, except as such provisions may be modified by provisions of
this Plan document with a different effective date. Participants in the
Invitrogen 401(k) Plan, Dexter 401(k) Plan, Dexter ESPRIT Plan, Novex 401(k)
ESOP, and Research Genetics 401(k) Plan who retired or terminated their
employment prior to the Effective Date, shall look solely to the prior
applicable plan document for their benefits, if any, payable in accordance with
the applicable provisions of such prior plan documents, except as such
provisions may be modified by provisions of this Plan document with a different
effective date.

                                    ARTICLE 1

                                   DEFINITIONS

Wherever used herein, the masculine includes the feminine, the singular includes
the plural, and the following terms have the following meanings unless a
different meaning is clearly required by the context.

     1.1. ACCOUNT OR ACCOUNTS means any one or more of the bookkeeping accounts
established and maintained hereunder, representing a Participant's interest in
the Trust Fund. Effective January 1, 2002, the Plan shall have the following
types of contribution accounts: Pre-Tax, After-Tax, Match, Profit Sharing,
PAYSOP, ESOP, Catch-Up, and Rollover.

     1.2. ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OR COMMITTEE means the committee appointed
hereunder to administer the Plan.

     1.3. AFFILIATE means any entity (whether or not incorporated) the employees
of which, by reason of its relationship with Invitrogen, are required to be
aggregated with employees of Invitrogen under Section 414(b), 414(c), 414(m) or
414(o) of the Code, but only to the extent of the applicable requirement.

     1.4. BENEFICIARY means any person entitled to receive benefits under the
Plan by reason of the death of a Participant, former Participant or Beneficiary.

     1.5. BOARD means the Board of Directors of Invitrogen.

     1.6. BREAK IN SERVICE means a Plan Year during which an individual does not
complete more than 500 Hours of Service. Solely for the purpose of determining
whether a Break in Service occurs, an individual who is absent from work because
of the individual's pregnancy, the birth of the individual's child, the adoption
of a child by the individual, or the care of the individual's newborn or newly
adopted child, will be credited with the Hours of Service which would otherwise
have been credited in the Plan Year in which the absence from work begins if
such crediting is necessary to prevent a Break in Service in that Plan Year or,
if not, in the following Plan Year.

     1.7. CODE means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

                                       2
<Page>

     1.8. COMPANY means Life Technologies, a separate operating division of
Invitrogen. Effective January 1, 2002, the term "Company" means the Invitrogen
Corporation.

     1.9. COMPANY STOCK ACCOUNT means the Account which reflects a Participant's
interest in (i) the Pre-1985 Contributions Account; (ii) the PAYSOP Account;
(iii) the ESOP Account; and (iv) the Invitrogen Plan Stock Account. For the
purposes hereof, the term Company Stock shall mean the common stock of
Invitrogen held in a Company Stock Account. Each Participant (or Beneficiary)
shall be entitled to direct the Plan as to the manner in which shares of Company
Stock allocated to such Participant's (or Beneficiary's) Company Stock Account
shall be voted. Shares for which Participant directions are not received shall
be voted in accordance with the terms of the Trust.

     1.10. COMPENSATION with respect to any Participant means, effective January
1, 1997, total compensation reportable by an Employer for the calendar year on
the Participant's Wage and Tax Statement (Form W-2) as remuneration for the
personal service of the Participant to an Employer. Notwithstanding the
preceding sentence, however, Compensation shall not include any of the following
items (even if includable in gross income): bonuses, reimbursements or other
expense allowances, fringe benefits (cash and noncash), moving expenses,
deferred compensation, the value of a non-qualified stock option, and welfare
benefits, except that amounts not currently includable in income by reason of
the application of Code Sections 125 or 402(e)(3) shall be included.
Notwithstanding the preceding, however, Compensation for purposes of
nondiscrimination testing under Section 4.1 shall be compensation required to be
reported under Code Sections 6041 and 6051, currently shown as Wages, tips,
other compensation in Box 1 of form W-2.

          In addition to other applicable limitations set forth in the Plan, and
notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, the annual
Compensation of each Participant taken into account under the Plan shall not
exceed $170,000, as adjusted pursuant to Code Section 401(a)(17)(B) (the annual
compensation limit). The adjustment in effect for a calendar year applies to any
period, not exceeding 12 months, over which Compensation is determined
(determination period) beginning in such calendar year. If a determination
period consists of fewer than 12 months, the annual compensation limit shall be
multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of months in the
determination period and the denominator of which is 12.

          If Compensation for any prior determination period is taken into
account in determining a Participant's benefits accruing in the current Plan
Year, the Compensation for that prior determination period is subject to the
annual compensation limit in effect for that prior determination period.

     1.11. DISABLED PARTICIPANT means a Participant who is eligible to receive
total and permanent disability benefits under the Social Security Act, unless
specified otherwise in an Appendix attached hereto. A Participant who becomes a
Disabled Participant while an Employee shall continue to be credited with Hours
of Service for purposes of determining Years of Vesting Service until the
earliest to occur of his Normal Retirement Age (or, if later, the fifth
anniversary of the onset of the disability), his recovery from the disability,
his date of death, or the date he elects to receive a complete distribution of
his accounts. The Administrative

                                       3
<Page>

Committee may require a Disabled Participant to submit evidence of his continued
disability at any time.

     1.12. EFFECTIVE DATE means January 1, 2002, unless specified otherwise.

     1.13. ELECTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS means 401(k) contributions for a Participant
pursuant to the Participant's salary reduction election.

     1.14. EMPLOYEE means an individual who performs services for an Employer in
an employer-employee relationship, other than (i) an individual who is a
nonresident alien and who receives no income from sources within the United
States; (ii) an individual who is performing services as an independent
contractor or consultant, regardless of whether such individual is later
determined to be an "employee" by court of law or regulatory agency will not be
Employees for purposes of the Plan, and (iii) members of a collective bargaining
unit and who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, which agreement
does not specifically provide for coverage of such employee. Individuals who are
leased employees within the meaning of Section 414(n)(2) of the Code and who are
not in an employer-employee relationship with an Employer will not be deemed
Employees for purposes of the Plan Effective January 1, 2002, individuals who
are leased employees within the meaning of Section 414(n)(2) of the Code will be
considered Employees of the Employer.

     1.15. EMPLOYER means the Company and any Affiliate which adopts the Plan
with the consent of the Board.

     1.16. EMPLOYER MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS means matching contributions made by
an Employer with respect to Participants' Elective Contributions in accordance
with Section 3.3 of the Plan.

     1.17. EMPLOYER PROFIT SHARING CONTRIBUTIONS means contributions (other than
qualified nonelective contributions and Employer Matching Contributions) made by
an Employer in accordance with Section 3.5 of the Plan.

     1.18. ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended.

     1.19. ESOP ACCOUNT means a Participant's Account established and maintained
to hold the Company Stock received as a result of the transfer of the assets and
liabilities of the Novex 401(k) ESOP to the Plan.

     1.20. HIGHLY COMPENSATED EMPLOYEE means, effective January 1, 1997, any
Employee who during the PRECEDING Plan Year:

          (1) was at any time a 5% owner (as defined in Section 416(i)(1) of the
Code) of an Employer or any Affiliate; or

          (2) received compensation from the Company and Affiliates in excess of
$80,000 (as adjusted under the Code).

                                       4
<Page>

          With respect to the Plan Year, the term "Highly Compensated Employee"
also means any Employee who meets the requirements of paragraph (i) above during
such Plan Year, and any former Employee who terminated prior to the Plan Year
and who was a Highly Compensated Employee for the Plan Year in which his
termination of employment occurred or for any Plan Year ending on or after his
55th birthday.

          For the purposes of this Section, the term "compensation" shall mean
the Employee's compensation for purposes of applying the Code Section 415
limitations, plus, to the extent otherwise excluded, the Employee's Elective
Contributions and elective or salary reduction contributions pursuant to a
cafeteria plan under Code Section 125, but subject to the limitation of Code
Section 401(a)(17).

          The identification of Highly Compensated Employees under this Section
shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Section 414(q) of the Code
and the Regulations thereunder.

     1.21. HOUR OF SERVICE means the sum of:

          (1) each hour for which an individual is directly or indirectly paid
or entitled to payment by the Company or an Affiliate for the performance of
services;

          (2) each hour for which an individual is paid or entitled to payment
directly or indirectly by the Company or an Affiliate on account of his or her
absence due to vacation, holiday, illness, incapacity (including disability),
layoff, jury duty, military duty or leave of absence, provided, however, that an
individual shall be credited with no more than 501 Hours of Service in respect
of any continuous period of absence; and

          (3) any additional hours for which back pay is awarded or agreed to by
an Employer, irrespective of mitigation of damages, which additional hours will
be credited to the period or periods to which the award or agreement pertains
rather than the period in which the award, agreement or payment is made (limited
to 501 hours for a period during which the individual did not or would not have
performed duties).

          The provisions of Section 2530.200(b)-2 of the regulations issued by
the Department of Labor are incorporated herein by reference for purposes of
computing and crediting Hours of Service, provided that an Employee shall be
credited with 190 Hours of Service for each month in which the Employee would be
required to be credited with one Hour of Service thereunder. No Hours of Service
will be taken into account in respect of a period described in Section
2500.200b-2(b)(3) of the Department of Labor regulations. If an individual
incurs five consecutive Breaks in Service before having any vested interest in
his or her Account attributable to Employer contributions, then his or her Hours
of Service prior to the Break in Service will be disregarded for all purposes
hereof relating to vesting and eligibility to participate in Employer
contributions after the Break in Service.

     1.22. INVESTMENT FUND means any one or more of the separate investment
funds designated by the Administrative Committee for investment of the assets of
the Trust Fund (including, without limitation, each separate fund maintained by
a registered investment company, if any, selected by the Administrative
Committee).

                                       5
<Page>

     1.23. INVITROGEN PLAN STOCK ACCOUNT means a Participant's Account
established and maintained to hold Company Stock received as a result of the
merger of the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan with and into the Plan.

     1.24. NON-HIGHLY COMPENSATED EMPLOYEE means an Employee who is eligible to
participate in the Plan and who is not a Highly Compensated Employee.

     1.25. NORMAL RETIREMENT DATE means the date on which an Employee attains
age 65.

     1.26. PARTICIPANT means an Employee participating in the Plan in accordance
with the provisions hereof.

     1.27. PART-TIME EMPLOYEE means an Employee who is regularly-scheduled to
work twenty (20) hours or less than twenty (20) hours per week), other than
those part-time Employees who are credited with one thousand (1,000) Hours of
Service in the twelve (12) consecutive month period measured from the date the
part-time Employee completes his first Hour of Service or any Plan Year which
begins after the date the part-time Employee completes his first Hour of
Service.

     1.28. PAYSOP means the Life Technologies, Inc. Tax Credit Employee Stock
Ownership Plan.

     1.29. PAYSOP ACCOUNT means a Participant's Account established and
maintained to hold Company Stock received as a result of the merger of the
PAYSOP with and into the Plan.

     1.30. PLAN means the plan as set forth herein and any amendments thereto,
which is intended to be a profit-sharing plan.

     1.31. PLAN YEAR means each twelve-month period beginning January 1 and
ending December 31.

     1.32. PRE-1985 CONTRIBUTIONS ACCOUNT means the Account which reflects a
Participant's interest in the Trust Fund, if any, derived from Pre-1985
Contributions, which are contributions, exclusive of contributions to the
PAYSOP, made in respect of Plan Years commencing before January 1, 1985.

     1.33. POST DOCTORAL FELLOW means an Employee who has recently completed a
doctoral program and has been hired for a limited period of time, not to exceed
two (2) years, in conjunction with a post doctoral research program of an
institution of higher education.

     1.34. SUPPLEMENTAL MATCHING CONTRIBUTION means a supplemental Employer
Matching Contribution, in accordance with Section 3.4 of the Plan.

     1.35. TELEPHONE RESPONSE SYSTEM means the telephone response system, if
any, maintained by the Trustee, or an affiliate thereof, for purposes of the
Plan and Trust and by means of which a Participant may make or provide certain
elections, authorizations, directions, and instructions under the Plan and
Trust. All elections, authorizations, directions, and instructions made by a
Participant by means of the Telephone Response System shall be

                                       6
<Page>

processed by the Trustee or its affiliates only after the identity of the
Participant is verified by use of a personal identification number furnished by
the Trustee or its affiliate and shall be subject to and become effective in
accordance with the rules of the Telephone Response System as prepared by the
Trustee or its affiliates and in effect from time to time.

     1.36. TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE means an Employee who is performing services under
an arrangement where the period of employment is expected to be 365 days or
less.

     1.37. TRUST OR TRUST FUND or means the trust established and maintained to
hold the assets of the Plan.

     1.38. TRUSTEE means the person or persons (including a corporation)
appointed and acting as trustee of the Trust.

     1.39. VALUATION DATE means the last day of each calendar quarter and such
other date or dates as the Administrative Committee (acting in its absolute
discretion and in a nondiscriminatory manner) may determine for valuing any one
or more of the Investment Funds or the Trust Fund.

     1.40. YEAR OF VESTING SERVICE means a Plan Year in which an individual is
credited with at least 1,000 Hours of Service for the Company or an Affiliate,
whether or not as an Employee, excluding Hours of Service before the individual
reaches age 18. Service with Dexter Corporation, Life Technologies, Novex, and
Research Genetics, Inc., prior to acquisition by the Company, will be counted as
Years of Vesting Service.

                                    ARTICLE 2

                                  PARTICIPATION

     2.1. GENERAL PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENT. An Employee, except an Employee who
is a Temporary Employee, Part-Time Employee or a Post Doctoral Fellow, is
eligible to participate in the Plan on the later of (a) the day the Employee is
first employed by an Employer, or (b) the date the Employee reaches age 21.
Effective January 1, 2002, leased employees within the meaning of Section
414(n)(2) of the Code are eligible to participate in the Plan.

     2.2. RE-EMPLOYMENT RULES. A former Employee who was a Participant and who
again becomes an Employee will again become a Participant on the date on which
he or she again completes an Hour of Service as an Employee; provided, however,
that, with respect to Employer contributions, a nonvested former Participant
whose prior Hours of Service are permanently disregarded (under the definition
of "Hour of Service") will be treated as a new Employee when he or she resumes
employment and again completes an Hour of Service.

                                    ARTICLE 3

                                  CONTRIBUTIONS

     3.1. PARTICIPANTS' ELECTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS.

                                       7
<Page>

          (a) SALARY REDUCTION ELECTION. Each Employee who is a Participant may
elect the percentage of his or her Compensation to be withheld by the Employer
on a before-tax basis and contributed to the Trust as an Elective Contribution.
The designated percentage must be at least 1% and may not be more than 15%. The
total amount of a Participant's Elective Contributions for a calendar year may
not exceed the limitation provided by Section 402(g)(1) of the Code.

          (b) CONTRIBUTION TO TRUST. The Employer will pay Elective
Contributions to the Trustee as soon as practicable, but in any event within 15
days after they are withheld from Participants' pay. Each Participant's Elective
Contributions will be credited to his or her Account in accordance with the
provisions hereof.

          (c) PROCEDURAL RULES. Salary reduction elections must be made
according to procedures established by the Administrative Committee, and such
elections may be submitted, modified, revoked, or suspended at such times, and
in accordance with such procedures, as may be prescribed or permitted by the
Administrative Committee acting in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner. A
Participant's election will terminate when the Participant ceases to be an
Employee, and a new withholding election must be filed if he or she wishes to
resume Elective Contributions after again becoming an Employee.

     3.2. DISCRETIONARY QUALIFIED NONELECTIVE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS. For any
Plan Year, an Employer, acting in its sole discretion, may contribute to the
Trust for allocation to the Account(s) of one or more Non-Highly Compensated
Employees an amount necessary to enable the Plan to satisfy Section 401(k)(3) of
the Code for such Plan Year. Any such contributions will be treated as Elective
Contributions for all purposes hereof except for the purpose of determining
eligibility for, and the amount of any Employer Matching Contributions.

     3.3. EMPLOYER MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS. The Employer shall make an Employer
Matching Contribution equal to 50% of each Participant's Elective Contributions
up to 6% of Compensation, for an aggregate Employer Matching Contribution not to
exceed 3% of a Participant's Compensation for a Plan Year. Employer Matching
Contributions shall be paid to the Trustee in cash and credited to Participants'
accounts as of the end of each payroll period.

     3.4. SUPPLEMENTAL MATCHING CONTRIBUTION. For each Plan Year beginning on or
after January 1, 1999, the Employer shall make a supplemental Employer Matching
Contribution to each Participant who, for such Plan Year, has received Employer
Matching Contributions under Section 3.3 in an amount that is less than 50% of
his Elective Contributions and is also less than 3% of his Compensation. Each
such Participant shall receive a Supplemental Matching Contribution in an amount
equal to the difference between the lesser of (A) 50% of the Participant's
Elective Contributions or (B) 3% of his Compensation and the amount of the
Employer Matching Contributions allocated the Participant under Section 3.3.

     3.5. DISCRETIONARY EMPLOYER PROFIT SHARING CONTRIBUTIONS. In addition to
any other contributions under the Plan, the Employer may declare and contribute
to the Trust for each Plan Year a discretionary non-matching contribution in
such amount (if at all) as the Employer, acting in its sole discretion, may
determine. The Employer Profit Sharing Contribution for a Plan Year (if any)
will be allocated as soon as practicable after the amount thereof is declared

                                       8
<Page>

and paid to the Trustee among the Accounts of those Participants who are
Employees on the last day of that Plan Year and who have completed at least
1,000 Hours of Service during the Plan Year in the proportion that each such
Participant's Compensation for the Plan Year bears to the total Compensation of
all such Participants for the Plan Year.

     3.6. FORFEITURES. If a Participant forfeits any part of his or her interest
in the Trust, the amount of the forfeiture shall be applied to reduce Employer
Matching Contributions or Profit Sharing Contributions, as directed by the
Administrative Committee. Forfeitures remaining unallocated for the Plan Year
after application of the preceding sentence shall be allocated as an additional
Profit Sharing Contribution.

     3.7. VOLUNTARY AFTER-TAX CONTRIBUTIONS. No Participant after-tax
contributions may be made or accepted under the Plan. After-tax contributions to
the Dexter 401(k) Plan and Dexter ESPRIT Plan were permitted prior to December
31, 2001.

     3.8. TRANSFERS FROM OTHER PLANS. Subject to the provisions of applicable
law, the Administrative Committee may permit assets of another plan that is
qualified under Code Section 401(a) (a "qualified plan") including, without
limitation, any other qualified plan maintained by the Company or an Affiliate,
to be transferred to the Trust to be held and administered in accordance with
the provisions hereof and of the Trust Agreement. The plan administrator and/or
plan trustee of a transferor plan will furnish a breakdown of the assets being
transferred so that those assets can be properly allocated to corresponding
Accounts established hereunder. The Administrative Committee shall take such
action as may be necessary or appropriate in order to separately account for the
assets of a transferor plan, including, without limitation, the creation and
maintenance of separate PAYSOP Accounts to reflect the Company Stock transferred
for a Participant from the PAYSOP and to otherwise facilitate compliance with
Section 409 of the Code with respect to the holding and disposition of such
stock. The accrued benefits of a transferor plan's participants and the optional
forms of benefit available to those participants with respect to the transferred
assets will be preserved hereunder to the extent required by the provisions of
applicable law. If assets are transferred to the Trust from the trustee of a
trust maintained under another plan and if a determination is subsequently made
that the transferor plan is not qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code or
that the asset transfer is otherwise not permissible, then the assets so
transferred, together with earnings (or reduced by losses), will be returned and
will be deemed to have been held by the Trustee in separate trust and not as
part of the Trust Fund.

     3.9. ROLLOVER CONTRIBUTIONS. A Participant may rollover to the Plan all or
part of his interest in another qualified plan or an Individual Retirement
Account qualified under Code Section 408 ("IRA") that was used solely as a
conduit for funds from another qualified plan, but only if all of the following
requirements are met:

          (1) The amount is rolled over to the Plan no later than the sixtieth
day after the distribution was made from the other plan or IRA;

          (2) The amount rolled over does not include any amounts contributed by
the Participant on an after-tax basis;

                                       9
<Page>

          (3) The rollover is in the form of cash; and

          (4) The distribution is an "eligible rollover distribution," within
the meaning of Code Section 402(c)(4), and the Participant executes a
certification to this effect.

          The Plan may also accept the Participant's benefits from another
qualified plan in the form of a "direct transfer," within the meaning of Code
Section 401(a)(31). The Plan shall account for a direct transfer in the same
manner as a rollover and shall obtain a certification from the Participant that
the amounts constitute an eligible rollover distribution.

          Amounts contributed pursuant to this Section may be segregated from
other Plan assets. The Trustee shall separately account for gains and losses on
these assets, and all amounts which the Trustee accepts shall, along with any
earnings allocated to them, be fully vested at all times.

     3.10. DISTRIBUTION OF EXCESS DEFERRALS. If, on or before March 1 of any
year, a Participant notifies the Administrative Committee that all or part of
the Elective Contributions made for his or her benefit during the preceding
taxable year represents an excess deferral within the meaning of Section 402(g)
of the Code, then the Administrative Committee will cause the amount of such
excess deferral to be distributed to the Participant by the April 15 following
such notification.

     3.11. RETURN OF CONTRIBUTIONS. Unless otherwise expressly provided by the
Board, each contribution to the Plan is conditioned on its deductibility under
Code Section 404 for the year for which it is made. If a contribution by an
Employer to the Trust is (a) made by reason of a good faith mistake of fact, or
(b) believed by the Employer to be deductible under Section 404 of the Code, but
the deduction is disallowed, then the Administrative Committee shall direct the
Trustee to return to the Contributing Employer the amount of the mistaken or
nondeductible contribution. In no event may the return of an Employer
contribution cause the value of a participant's interest in the Trust to be
reduced to an amount which is less than the amount it would have been had the
mistaken or nondeductible contribution not been made. The return of a
contribution hereunder must be made within one year after the mistaken
contribution is made or the deduction is disallowed, as the case may be.

     3.12. UNIFORMED SERVICE REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS. Notwithstanding any provision
of the Plan to the contrary, effective December 12, 1994, contributions,
benefits, and service credit with respect to "qualified military service," which
shall mean any services in the uniformed services (as defined in chapter 43 of
title 38 of the United States Code) by any individual if such individual is
entitled to reemployment rights under such chapter with respect to such service,
will be provided in accordance with Section 414(u) of the Code. In addition,
loan repayments will be suspended under the Plan as permitted under Section
414(u)(4) of the Code for Participants on a leave of absence for qualified
military service."

     3.13. LIMITATIONS. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan, contributions
to the Plan shall not exceed any limitation set forth in Article 4.

                                       10
<Page>

                                    ARTICLE 4

                          LIMITATIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS

     4.1. STATUTORY NONDISCRIMINATION REQUIREMENTS.

          (a) ELECTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS. Effective January 1, 1997, Elective
Contributions for a Plan Year must satisfy either of the following tests:

               (1) the average of the individual ratios (expressed as
percentages) of Elective Contributions to Compensation (the "deferral
percentages") for the Plan Year for all Participants who are Highly Compensated
Employees is not more than 125% of the average of the deferral percentages for
the immediately preceding Plan Year of all Participants who are Non-Highly
Compensated Employees; or

               (2) the average of the deferral percentages for all Participants
who are Highly Compensated Employees is not more than twice the average of the
deferral percentages for the immediately preceding Plan Year of all Participants
who are Non-Highly Compensated Employees, and the average of the deferral
percentages for all Participants who are Highly Compensated Employees does not
exceed the average of the deferral percentages for the immediately preceding
Plan Year of all Non-Highly Compensated Employees by more than 2 percentage
points.

          Subject to the provisions of applicable law, the Administrative
Committee may treat Employer Matching Contributions for a Plan Year as Elective
Contributions if and to the extent such treatment would enable the Plan to
satisfy the provisions of this Section for the Plan Year and solely for that
purpose. However, for purposes of these tests, the deferral percentage of a
Highly Compensated Employee for the Plan Year who is eligible to have Elective
Contributions and Employer Contributions allocated to his account under two or
more arrangements described in Section 401(k) of the Code that are maintained by
an Employer or an Affiliate shall be determined as if such Elective
Contributions and Employer Contributions were made under a single arrangement.
In the event that this Plan satisfies (or must satisfy) the requirements of
Section 401(k), 401(a)(4), or 410(b) of the Code only if aggregated with one or
more other plans, or if one or more other plans satisfy the requirements of such
Sections of the Code only if aggregated with the Plan, then this Section shall
be applied by determining the deferral percentages of eligible Employees as if
all such plans were a single plan.

          (b) EMPLOYER MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS. Effective January 1, 1997,
Employer Matching Contributions for a Plan Year must satisfy either of the
following tests:

               (1) the average of the individual ratios (expressed as
percentages) of the Employer Matching Contributions to Compensation (the
"contribution percentages") for the Plan Year for all Participants who are
Highly Compensated Employees is not more than 125% of the average of the
contribution percentages for the immediately preceding Plan Year of all
Participants who are Non-Highly Compensated Employees; or

                                       11
<Page>

               (2) the average of the contribution percentages for all
Participants who are Highly Compensated Employees is not more than twice the
average of the contribution percentages for the immediately preceding Plan Year
of all Participants who are Non-Highly Compensated Employees, and the average of
the contribution percentages for all Highly Compensated Employees does not
exceed the average of the contribution percentages for the immediately preceding
Plan Year of all Participants who are Non-Highly Compensated Employees by more
than 2 percentage points.

          Subject to the provisions of applicable law, the Administrative
Committee may treat Elective Contributions for a Plan Year as Employer Matching
Contributions if and to the extent such treatment would enable the Plan to
satisfy the provisions of this Section and solely for that purpose.

          (c) LIMIT ON MULTIPLE USE.

               (1) Effective January 1, 1997, notwithstanding the provisions of
Article 3 or the foregoing provisions of this Article, if, after the application
of Subsections (a) and (b), the sum of the deferral percentages and the
contribution percentages for the group of Employees who are eligible to
participate in the Plan exceeds the aggregate limit (as defined in Subsection
(2) of this Section), then the contributions made for such Plan Year for Highly
Compensated Employees will be reduced so that the aggregate limit is not
exceeded. Such reductions shall be made first in Elective Contributions (but
only to the extent that they are not matched by Employer Matching Contributions)
and then in Employer Matching Contributions. Reductions in contributions shall
be made in the manner provided in Section 4.3 or 4.4 as applicable. The amount
by which each such Highly Compensated Employee's contribution dollar amount is
reduced shall be treated as an excess Elective Contribution or an excess
Employer Matching Contribution as applicable. For the purposes of this Section,
the deferral percentage and contribution percentage of the Highly Compensated
Employees are determined after any reductions required to meet those tests under
Section 4.3 or 4.4. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, no
reduction shall be required by this Subsection if either the deferral percentage
of the Highly Compensated Employees for the current Plan Year does not exceed
1.25 multiplied by the deferral percentage of the non-Highly Compensated
Employees for the preceding Plan Year, or the contribution percentage of the
Highly Compensated Employees for the current Plan Year does not exceed 1.25
multiplied by the contribution percentage of the non-Highly Compensated
Employees for the preceding Plan Year.

               (2) For purposes of this Section, the term "aggregate limit"
means the sum of (a) 125% of the greater of the deferral percentage or the
contribution percentage of the non-Highly Compensated Employees for the
preceding Plan Year and (b) the lesser of (a) 200% of, or (b) two (2) plus, the
lesser of such actual deferral percentage or contribution percentage. If it
would result in a larger aggregate limit, the word "lesser" is substituted for
the word "greater" in clause (a) of this Subsection, and the word "greater" is
substituted for the word "lesser" the second place such word appears in clause
(b) of this Subsection.

     4.2. MODIFICATION OF CONTRIBUTION ELECTIONS. The Administrative Committee
may modify a Participant's salary reduction election in order to enable the Plan
to satisfy the limitations of applicable law with respect to Elective
Contributions and Employer Matching

                                       12
<Page>

Contributions, including the limitations prescribed by Sections 401(k)(3),
401(m), 402(g)(1) and 415 of the Code. The modification of a Participant's
election may not result in increased Elective Contributions for the Participant
without his or her consent.

     4.3. EXCESS ELECTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS. In the event that excess contributions
(as such term is hereinafter defined) are made to the Trust for any Plan Year,
then, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the last day of the
following Plan Year, such excess contributions (and any income allocable
thereto) shall be distributed to the Highly Compensated Employees on the basis
of the respective portions of the excess contributions attributable to each such
Employee. For the purposes of this Subsection, the term "excess contributions"
shall mean, for any Plan Year, the excess of (a) the aggregate amount of
Elective Contributions actually paid to the Trust on behalf of Highly
Compensated Employees for such Plan Year over (b) the maximum amount of such
Elective Contributions permitted for such Plan Year under Section 4.1,
determined by reducing Elective Contributions made on behalf of Highly
Compensated Employees beginning with the Highly Compensated Employee with the
highest dollar amount of Elective Contributions.

          Employer Matching Contributions made with respect to a Participant's
excess Elective Contributions (and any income allocable thereto) shall be
forfeited and applied as provided in Section 3.6. However, notwithstanding the
foregoing, any excess Elective Contributions to be distributed hereunder shall
be reduced by any excess deferrals previously distributed under Section 3.7.

     4.4. EXCESS EMPLOYER MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS. Effective January 1, 1997, in
the event that excess aggregate contributions (as such term is hereinafter
defined) are made to the Trust for any Plan Year, then, as soon as practicable,
but in no event later than the last day of the following Plan Year, such excess
contributions (and any income allocable thereto) shall be forfeited (if
forfeitable) and applied as provided in Section 3.6 or (if not forfeitable)
shall be distributed to the Highly Compensated Employees on the basis of the
respective portions of the excess contributions attributable to each such
Employee. For the purposes of this Subsection, the term "excess aggregate
contributions" shall mean, for any Plan Year, the excess (a) of the aggregate
amount of the Employer Matching Contributions actually paid to the Trust by or
on behalf of Highly Compensated Employees for such Plan Year over (b) the
maximum amount of such Employer Matching Contributions permitted for such Plan
Year under Section 4.1, determined by reducing Employer Matching Contributions
made by or on behalf of Highly Compensated Employees beginning with the Highly
Compensated Employee with the highest dollar amount of Employer Matching
Contributions.

     4.5. OTHER LIMITATIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS. The annual addition
to a Participant's Accounts for any limitation year, when added to the annual
additions to his or her accounts under all other defined contribution plans (if
any) maintained by the Company or an Affiliate for such year, may not exceed the
limitations imposed under Code Section 415, the provisions of which are
incorporated by reference. For the purposes of applying Section 415 of the Code,
the limitation year will be the calendar year.

                                       13
<Page>

                                    ARTICLE 5

                          ACCOUNTS AND INVESTMENT FUNDS

     5.1. MAINTENANCE OF ACCOUNTS. The Administrative Committee will establish
and maintain separate Accounts for each Participant to reflect the Participant's
interest in the Trust attributable to Elective Contributions (including
qualified nonelective contributions), Employer Matching Contributions, Employer
Profit Sharing Contributions, After-Tax Contributions, Pre-1985 Contributions,
Company Stock, Rollover Contributions, and amounts transferred from the PAYSOP
or another qualified plan in a transaction described in Section 414(l) of the
Code or otherwise, as well as such other Accounts or sub-Accounts as the
Administrative Committee deems necessary or desirable in order to carry out the
intent and purposes of the Plan or to comply with applicable law. Each
Participant's Accounts will be credited, charged and adjusted in accordance with
the provisions hereof.

     5.2. ADJUSTMENT OF ACCOUNTS. As of each Valuation Date with respect to an
Investment Fund or the Trust Fund, as the case may be, each Participant's
Accounts will be adjusted to reflect changes in the value of the Participant's
interest in the Investment Fund or the Trust Fund since the last Valuation Date.
Unless the Administrative Committee, acting in a uniform and equitable manner,
determines otherwise, such adjustment shall be made as follows:

          (1) the value of each Account will be adjusted as of the preceding
Valuation Date to reflect distributions, transfers made thereto and withdrawals
made therefrom since that Valuation Date;

          (2) each Account will be adjusted to reflect its proportionate share
(based upon the adjusted Account values as of the preceding Valuation Date) of
the net increase or decrease in the fair market value of the Investment Fund or
Trust Fund since the last Valuation Date; and

          (3) as of each Valuation Date, each Participant's Accounts will be
credited with the contributions (and transfers) made for or on behalf of the
Participant as of the last day of, or for the period ending on, such Valuation
Date.

     The fair market value of the Trust Fund or any Investment Fund will be
determined with regard to expenses incurred by or equitably charged to such
Fund.

     5.3. ESTABLISHMENT OF INVESTMENT FUNDS. The Trust Fund will be segregated
into such separate Investment Funds as shall be established at the direction of
the Administrative Committee, including, without limitation, one or more fixed
income funds (designed to preserve or minimize loss of capital and to generate
income) and one or more general investment funds (designed to generate income
and/or capital appreciation primarily through investment in equity securities).
Amounts contributed or accepted pursuant to the Plan will be invested and
reinvested in the separate Investment Funds in accordance with the
Participants' and Beneficiaries' elections. Neither the Employer nor any Plan
fiduciary shall be liable for any losses which are the direct and necessary
result of investment instructions given by such Participants or Beneficiaries.

                                       14
<Page>

     5.4. INVESTMENT DIRECTIONS. Each Participant and Beneficiary will direct
the investment and reinvestment of the amounts in and/or subsequently
contributed or transferred to his or her Accounts among the available Investment
Funds, provided that shares of Company Stock allocated to an Account may be
sold, but not reacquired. Investment (and re-investment) directions may be given
at least once during any calendar quarter and in such manner, at such times and
subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by the Administrative Committee
(or its designee). In the absence of a properly-transmitted investment
direction, the amounts in and/or subsequently contributed to a Participant's (or
Beneficiary's) Accounts will be invested in a fixed income Investment Fund
designated for this purpose by the Administrative Committee.

     5.5. COMPANY STOCK ACCOUNTS. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, Company Stock Accounts established for Participants will
remain segregated for the benefit of the Participants for whom such Accounts
were established and will not be invested as part of the balance of the Trust
Fund, but only to the extent that the Participant or Beneficiary continues to
invest the Account in Company Stock.

                                    ARTICLE 6

                  ELIGIBILITY FOR AND DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS

     6.1. NORMAL RETIREMENT OR TOTAL DISABILITY. A Participant who retires at or
after age 65 or a Disabled Participant will be entitled to receive 100% of his
or her Accounts determined as of the Valuation Date coincident with or next
preceding the date of distribution (and adjusted for contributions and
withdrawals since that Valuation Date). Subject to the provisions hereof and of
applicable law, distribution of the Participant's Accounts will be made as soon
as practicable after his or her retirement or termination of employment. A
retired or Disabled Participant's Accounts will continue to be invested as part
of the Trust Fund and will continue to be adjusted in accordance with the
provisions hereof until the distribution thereof is completed.

     6.2. OTHER TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. A Participant who separates from the
service of the Company and its Affiliates for any reason (other than death or
total disability) prior to age 65 will be entitled to receive the sum of (a)
100% of his or her Accounts attributable to Elective Contributions and transfers
from another qualified plan, plus (b) the vested portion of his or her Accounts
attributable to Employer Matching Contributions and Employer Profit Sharing
Contributions as of the Valuation Date coincident with or immediately preceding
the distribution date (adjusted for contributions and withdrawals since that
Valuation Date). Unless specified otherwise in an Appendix attached hereto, a
Participant's interest in his Matching and Profit Sharing Contributions shall
become 100% vested upon completion of five (5) Years of Vesting Service and
before then shall be unvested. A Participant also shall be 100% vested if he is
terminated as the result of the closing of his Employer's business operations in
a geographic area and is not immediately reemployed by the Employer. Subject to
the provisions hereof and of applicable law, the distribution of a terminated
Participant's vested Accounts will be made as of a Valuation Date elected by the
Participant subsequent to his or her date of termination. A terminated
Participant's vested Accounts will continue to be invested as part of the Trust
Fund and will continue to be adjusted in accordance with the provisions hereof
until the distribution of the Accounts is completed.

                                       15
<Page>

     6.3. FORFEITURES. If a Participant's service is severed before he is 100%
vested, then the nonvested portion of the Participant's Account will be
forfeited as soon as practicable after the vested portion of the Participant's
Account is distributed (or, if earlier, the date the Participant incurs five
consecutive Breaks in Service). If the vested balance of a Participant's Account
is zero when the Participant terminates employment, the Participant will be
deemed to have received a distribution of his vested balance in such Account.
Forfeitures (and earnings thereon) will be applied toward Employer Contributions
in accordance with the provisions hereof. If a former Participant who received
the vested portion of his or her Account because of a termination of employment
is later re-employed by an Employer before incurring five consecutive Breaks in
Service, then the Employer will restore the amount of the forfeiture
attributable to such termination of employment. The source of the restoration
will be other forfeitures and, to the extent necessary, additional Employer
contributions. Restoration of a prior forfeiture will be credited to the
Participant's Account as soon as practicable after it is paid or otherwise made
available to the Plan.

     6.4. METHOD AND TIMING OF PAYMENT. Except as otherwise provided herein or
required by applicable law, distribution of a Participant's Accounts will be
made in the form of a single sum payment. To the extent required by applicable
law, in the case of a Participant's Account attributable to a transfer from
another qualified plan, the Administrative Committee will make available such
optional payment methods and shall comply with such election and other
administrative procedures as may be necessary in order to comply with the
provisions of applicable law, including, without limitation, Sections
401(a)(11), 401(a)(17) and 411(d)(6) of the Code and regulations thereunder. If
a distribution is one to which Code Sections 401(a)(11) and 417 do not apply,
such distribution may commence less than 30 days after the notice required under
Section 1.411(a)-11(c) of the Income Tax Regulations is given, provided that (1)
the Committee clearly informs the Participant that the Participant has a right
to a period of at least 30 days after receiving the notice to consider the
decision of whether or not to elect a distribution (and, if applicable, a
particular distribution option), and (2) the Participant, after receiving the
notice, affirmatively elects a distribution.

     6.5. REQUIRED COMMENCEMENT OF BENEFITS. Unless a Participant elects an
earlier distribution after his or her termination of employment, payment of his
or her vested Accounts will be made at or as soon as practicable as of the
Valuation Date coincident with or next following the Participant's Normal
Retirement Date, or, if later, the date of the Participant's termination of
employment with the Company and its Affiliates (but in no event later than the
60th day of the year following the year in which such date occurs).
Notwithstanding the preceding, however, payment of a Participant's Accounts must
begin at such times and in such amounts as necessary to satisfy the requirements
of Section 401(a)(9) of the Code and regulations thereunder, the provisions of
which are hereby incorporated by reference, but only to the extent they would
require modifying any other provision of the Plan.

     6.6. CASHOUT OF SMALL BENEFITS. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, effective January 1, 1997, if the value of a Participant's (or
deceased Participant's) vested Accounts is less than $5,000, and the value has
never exceeded this amount at the time of a prior distribution, then the total
amount of those Accounts will be distributed to the Participant (or Beneficiary)
in a single sum payment as soon as practicable after the Participant's
termination of employment or death.

                                       16
<Page>

     6.7. DEATH.

          (a) DISTRIBUTION OF ACCOUNTS. If a Participant dies before the
complete distribution of his or her Accounts, then the deceased Participant's
Beneficiary will be entitled to receive a single sum payment of the balance in
those Accounts determined as of the Valuation Date coincident with or next
preceding the date of distribution (and adjusted for contributions and
withdrawals since that Valuation Date). Subject to the provisions hereof and of
applicable law, the distribution of a deceased Participant's Accounts will be
made as soon as practicable after the deceased Participant's death (but in no
event later than one year thereafter). A deceased Participant's Accounts will
continue to be invested as part of the Trust Fund and will continue to be
adjusted in accordance with the provisions hereof until the distribution of
those Accounts is completed.

          (b) DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY. Except as provided in Subsection (c)
of this Section, an individual may designate a Beneficiary by notice filed with
the Administrative Committee and may change his or her Beneficiary at any time
by designating a new Beneficiary in the same manner, and no notice need be given
to any prior designated Beneficiary. If no designated Beneficiary shall survive
a deceased Participant or Beneficiary, then payment of the deceased
Participant's Accounts will be made to the deceased Participant's estate. Upon a
legal separation or dissolution of the marriage of a Participant, any
designation of the Participant's former spouse as a Beneficiary, except as
explicitly provided in a qualified domestic relations order, shall be treated as
though the Participant's former spouse had predeceased the Participant unless,
subsequent to the divorce or legal separation, the Participant executes another
Beneficiary designation that complies with the Plan and that clearly names such
former spouse as a Beneficiary.

          (c) SPOUSE MUST BE BENEFICIARY OF DECEASED MARRIED PARTICIPANT. The
surviving spouse of a deceased married Participant will be the Participant's
Beneficiary unless the surviving spouse has consented to the designation of
another Beneficiary. The spouse's consent must be in writing and must
acknowledge the effect of the Participant's designation, and the spouse's
signature must be witnessed by a notary public or an appropriate Plan official.
Spousal consent to a different Beneficiary designation will not be required if
(1) the Participant's spouse cannot be located, (2) the spouse's consent cannot
be obtained because of any other circumstances permitted by applicable law, or
(3) the Participant's spouse has not been married to the Participant throughout
the one-year period ending on the earlier of the date of the Participant's death
or the date on which distribution of the Participant's Accounts begins.

     6.8. ROLLOVER RIGHTS. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the
contrary that would otherwise limit a distributee's election under this Section,
a distributee may elect, at the time and in the manner prescribed by the
Administrative Committee, to have any portion of an eligible rollover
distribution paid directly to an eligible retirement plan specified by the
distributee in a direct rollover. For the purposes of this Section, the
following terms shall have the following meanings:

          (1) An "eligible rollover distribution" is any distribution of all or
any portion of the balance to the credit of the distributee, except that an
eligible rollover distribution does not include any distribution that is one of
a series of substantially equal periodic payments (not less

                                       17
<Page>

frequently than annually) made for the life (or life expectancy) of the
distributee or the joint lives (or joint life expectancies) of the distributee
and the distributee's designated beneficiary, or for a specified period of ten
years or more; any distribution to the extent such distribution is required
under Section 401(a)(9) of the Code; the portion of any distribution that is not
includable in gross income (determined without regard to the exclusion for net
unrealized appreciation with respect to employer securities); and, effective
January 1, 1999, any hardship distribution described in Code section
401(k)(2)(B)(i)(IV).

          (2) An "eligible retirement plan" is an individual retirement account
described in Section 408(a) of the Code, an individual retirement annuity
described in Section 408(b) of the Code, an annuity plan described in Section
403(a) of the Code, or a qualified plan that accepts the distributee's eligible
rollover distribution. However, in the case of an eligible rollover distribution
to the surviving spouse, an eligible retirement plan is an individual retirement
account or individual retirement annuity.

          (3) A "distributee" includes an Employee or former Employee. In
addition, the Employee's or former Employee's surviving spouse and the
Employee's or former Employee's spouse or former spouse who is the alternate
payee under a qualified domestic relations order, as defined in Section 414(p)
of the Code, are distributees with regard to the interest of the spouse or
former spouse.

          (4) A "direct rollover" is a payment by the Plan to the eligible
retirement plan specified by the distributee.

     6.9. DISTRIBUTIONS UPON CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS. Effective January 1, 1997,
but subject to the provisions of applicable law, a distribution may be made to
affected Participants in the event that (i) an Employer that is a corporation
disposes of all or substantially all of the assets used by the Employer in a
trade or business to a person other than an Affiliate, but only if the
Participant continues employment with the acquiring employer; or (ii) a Employer
that is a corporation disposes of its interest in a subsidiary to a person other
than an Affiliate, but only if the Participant continues employment with the
subsidiary. An event will not be treated as described in clause (i) or (ii)
above unless the Employer continues to maintain the Plan after the disposition
and the acquirer does not maintain a Plan deemed a "successor" of the Plan.
Furthermore, distribution must be made in the form of a "lump sum distribution,"
within the meaning of Code section 401(k)(10)(B).

                                       18
<Page>

                                    ARTICLE 7

                                   WITHDRAWALS

     7.1. IN-SERVICE WITHDRAWALS. A Disabled Participant or a Participant who
has attained age 59 1/2 may withdraw all or part of the vested portion of his
Account. Unless specified otherwise in an Appendix attached hereto, prior to the
earlier of the date a Participant attains age 59 1/2, becomes a Disabled
Participant, or separates from the service of the Company and all of its
Affiliates, a Participant may not make withdrawals from his Account, including
any rollover contributions held under the Plan, except in the case of
"hardship," as provided under section 7.2. The amount of an in-service hardship
withdrawal is limited to the lesser of (1) the balance in the Participant's
Account attributable to such Elective Contributions, exclusive of any earnings
credited thereon for periods after January 1, 1989, determined as of the
Valuation Date coincident with or immediately preceding the withdrawal, and (2)
the amount by which the Participant's Elective Contributions under the Plan,
exceeds the amount (if any) of prior withdrawals of his or her Elective
Contributions. If the amount in a Participant's Account is invested in more than
one Investment Fund, then withdrawals from the Account will be allocated among
the applicable Investment Funds in accordance with an order of priority
established by the Administrative Committee. Except as otherwise required or
permitted by the provisions hereof and of applicable law, no in-service hardship
withdrawals may be made from a Participant's Account attributable to sources
other than the Participant's Elective Contributions.

     7.2. HARDSHIP WITHDRAWALS.

          (a) GENERAL. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, a
Participant may make a hardship withdrawal only if the withdrawal (1) is made on
account of an immediate and heavy financial need (as described in Subsection (b)
below), and (2) is necessary to satisfy such financial need (as determined under
Subsection (c) below).

          (b) IMMEDIATE AND HEAVY FINANCIAL NEED. For purposes of Subsection (a)
of this Section, a proposed withdrawal will be deemed to be on account of an
immediate and heavy financial need only if the proceeds will be used to pay (1)
medical expenses of the Participant or of the Participant's spouse or
dependents; (2) costs (exclusive of mortgage payments) directly related to the
purchase of the Participant's principal residence; (3) tuition and related
education fees for the next twelve months of post-secondary education for the
Participant or for the spouse, children or other dependents of the Participant;
(4) amounts required to prevent the eviction of the Participant from, or the
foreclosure of a mortgage on, the Participant's principal residence; or (5) such
additional expenses as may be specified by the Internal Revenue Service as a
deemed immediate and heavy financial need for this purpose.

          (c) AMOUNTS NECESSARY TO MEET THE FINANCIAL NEED. A withdrawal will be
deemed to be necessary to satisfy an immediate and heavy financial need of a
Participant if (1) the amount of the withdrawal is not more than the amount of
the immediate and heavy financial need, which amount may include any amounts
necessary to pay any federal, state, or local income taxes or penalties
reasonably anticipated to result from the withdrawal; and (2) the Participant
has obtained all loans, distributions and withdrawals (other than hardship

                                       19
<Page>

withdrawals) available under the Plan and any other plan maintained by the
Company or an Affiliate.

          (d) SUSPENSION OF FUTURE ELECTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS. If a Participant
withdraws Elective Contributions on account of an immediate and heavy financial
need, then, notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary contained in the
Plan or in any other plan maintained by the Employer or an Affiliate, (1) the
Participant's Elective Contributions (pre-tax and after-tax) under the Plan and
under any such other plan will be suspended until the first day of the calendar
quarter next following the date which is twelve months after the date of the
withdrawal, and (2) the Participant's elective pre-tax deferral limitation under
Section 402(g)(1) of the Code for the taxable year following the year of the
withdrawal will be reduced by the amount, if any, of the Participant's Elective
Contributions under the Plan (and elective pre-tax deferrals under any other
plan maintained by the Employer or an Affiliate) during the year in which the
withdrawal is made.

     7.3. WITHDRAWAL REQUESTS. Requests for in-service withdrawals must be filed
with the Administrative Committee on forms prescribed or approved for that
purpose. Withdrawal amounts will be paid to a Participant as soon as practicable
after a properly completed withdrawal request is received and approved by the
Administrative Committee. A Participant may request only one in-service
withdrawal during any six-month period, provided that hardship withdrawals are
not subject to this limitation.

                                    ARTICLE 8

                              LOANS TO PARTICIPANTS

     8.1. APPLICATION FOR LOANS. The Administrative Committee shall establish a
uniform and nondiscriminatory program that meets the requirements of this
Article (the "Loan Program") for directing the Trustee to make a loan from the
Plan to an Employee who is a Participant or a party-in-interest (as defined in
Section 3(14) of ERISA) having distribution of his Accounts deferred. In
establishing the requirements for eligibility under the Loan Program, the
Administrative Committee may consider only those factors which would be
considered in a normal commercial setting by an entity in the business of making
similar types of loans. A Participant shall utilize the Telephone Response
System to apply for a loan, and a representative of the Plan at the entity
maintaining the Telephone Response System shall approve any application that
satisfies the requirements of the Loan Program. Any loan so approved will be
disbursed as soon as practicable following the date of application. Any loan
applied for by means of the Telephone Response System shall be deemed made on
the effective date of the application under the rules of the Telephone Response
System.

          The loan application fee then in effect shall be charged to and paid
from the Participant's Account and the Investment Funds in which it is invested
as soon as practicable after the loan has been made in the same manner as the
loan is charged as hereinafter provided, and any loan maintenance fees shall be
charged in a similar manner. The loan application fee and any loan maintenance
fees shall be determined by the Administrative Committee from time to time on a
uniform and non-discriminatory basis without regard to the amount of the loan
requested and shall be non-refundable. Any costs incurred at the request of a
Participant in

                                       20
<Page>

respect of the manner in which the loan proceeds are to be disbursed shall be
paid by the Participant.

          All loans will be charged pro rata to the Investment Fund(s) in which
the Participant's Account(s) are invested. In the event a loan is applied for,
but the Participant cancels the application for the loan before the loan is
disbursed, any funds in the Participant's Accounts that had been obtained by
liquidating investments in the Investment Funds in order to make the loan shall
be reinvested in the Investment Funds as soon as practicable in accordance with
the Participant's most recent investment election with respect to contributions
under Article V.

     8.2. LIMITATIONS ON LOANS. No more than one loan to a Participant shall be
outstanding at any time. No loan under the Plan shall be in an amount that is
less than $1,000 or that exceeds the lesser of (A) the balance of the
Participant's Elective Contributions, or (B) $15,000, or in the case of a loan
used for the purchase of a primary residence, $50,000. Furthermore, no loan to
any Participant shall exceed (when added to the outstanding loan balances of
such Participant under the Plan and all other qualified plans of the Company and
its Affiliates) the lesser of:

          (1) $50,000 (reduced by the excess, if any, of the sum of the highest
outstanding balances of all loans made to the Participant under the Plan and any
other qualified plans of the Company or its Affiliates, including accrued
interest thereon, during the one-year period ending on the day before the date
on which the loan is made over the outstanding balance of loans from such plans
to the Participant on the date the loan is made), or

          (2) 50% of the sum of the vested balance in his Accounts and the
vested account balances in all other qualified plans of the Company and its
Affiliates as of the Valuation Date coinciding with the effective date of his
loan application.

          Finally, in no event shall any loan under the Plan to a Participant
(when added to the outstanding loan balances of the Participant under the Plan)
exceed 50% of the vested balance in his Accounts as of the Valuation Date
coinciding with the effective date of his loan application.

     8.3. INTEREST ON LOANS. The Trustee shall establish the interest rate to
apply for the term of all loans. The interest rate for any loan shall be
commensurate with the interest rate charged by persons in the business of
lending money for loans which would be made under similar circumstances, as
determined by the Trustee.

     8.4. REPAYMENT OF LOANS. Except in the case of a Disabled Participant or an
Employee who is on an authorized leave of absence, the loan and interest thereon
shall be repaid in equal installments, payable on the first day of each payroll
period, which period shall not exceed one month (commencing as soon as
practicable following the month in which the loan is disbursed), over a period
which shall not exceed:

          (1) 15 years, where the proceeds of the loan are to be used to acquire
any dwelling unit which within a reasonable time is to be used (determined at
the time the loan is made) as the principal residence of the Participant, or

                                       21
<Page>

          (2) five years for all other loans.

          Each installment shall be paid by regular payroll deductions by the
Company from the compensation of the Participant or, in the case of a Disabled
Participant or an Employee who is on an authorized leave of absence, by such
other method as the Administrative Committee shall prescribe. The Company shall
deposit with the Trustee the sums so deducted or paid.

          Any loan under the Plan may be prepaid without penalty on the first
day of any month. Partial prepayments shall not be permitted.

          Amounts received by the Trust Fund as a payment of interest on a loan
shall be added to the Participant's Account(s) and allocated to available
Investment Funds in accordance with the Participant's most recent investment
election with respect to contributions under Article 5. Amounts received by the
Trust Fund as a repayment of a loan to a Participant shall be subtracted from
the fund established under the Plan to maintain the loan (the "Participant Loan
Fund") and allocated to available Investment Funds in accordance with the
Participant's most recent investment election with respect to contributions
under Article 5.

     8.5. SECURITY FOR LOANS. Each loan to a Participant shall be evidenced by a
note, payable to the order of the Trustee, for the amount of the loan including
interest thereon. Each loan shall be secured by a pledge of the borrower's
Accounts considered an investment in the Participant Loan Fund, which pledge
shall give the Trustee a security interest in all of the Participant's then
existing and thereafter acquired rights in his Accounts. By accepting the loan,
the Participant automatically assigns, as security for the loan, such rights in
his Accounts. In the event the Participant's employment with the Company and its
Affiliates is terminated for any reason prior to the repayment of the loan, the
unpaid balance plus accrued interest thereon shall be deducted from the amount
of his Account balance to which he is otherwise entitled.

                                       22
<Page>

                                    ARTICLE 9

                              TOP HEAVY PROVISIONS

     9.1. EFFECT OF TOP HEAVY STATUS. Notwithstanding anything contained herein
to the contrary, if the Plan is a top heavy plan for any Plan Year, and if any
Participant who is a non-key employee does not accrue the minimum benefit or
contribution described in Section 416(c)(1) or (c)(2) of the Code for that Plan
Year under this Plan and any other defined benefit and defined contribution plan
which is required or permitted to be aggregated with the Plan for purpose of
applying Section 416 of the Code, then the Company shall make such additional
contributions, if any, on behalf of such Participant (regardless of whether such
Participant completes 1,000 Hours of Service for such Year and regardless of his
or her level of Compensation) as shall be necessary in order to satisfy the
minimum contribution requirements of Section 416(c)(2) of the Code (determined
with regard to Section 416(f) of the Code) with respect to such Participant for
such Plan Year. The minimum contribution will not be required (or the minimum
contribution will be reduced, as the case may be) for a Participant if and to
the extent that the minimum top heavy contribution or benefit requirement is
satisfied by another qualified plan of the Employer or an Affiliate.

     9.2. DEFINITIONS AND SPECIAL RULES.

          (a) TOP HEAVY STATUS. The Plan is a top heavy plan if, as of the
determination date, the aggregate Account values of all key employees under the
Plan (required to be taken into account for this purpose) plus the aggregate
account values and the aggregate present values of accrued benefits for all key
employees under all other plans which are aggregated with this Plan (required to
be taken into account for this purpose) exceed sixty percent of all such
aggregate values for all Employees or former employees (other than former key
employees) under the Plan and such other plans. The determination of the top
heavy status of the Plan will be made in accordance with the provisions of
Section 416 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder which are
specifically incorporated herein by reference.

          (b) AGGREGATION OF PLANS. Each plan of the Employer or an Affiliate in
which a key employee participates and each other plan which enables such plan to
meet the requirements of Section 401(a)(4) or Section 410(b) of the Code will be
aggregated with this Plan, and all additional plans which the Company designates
will be aggregated with this Plan if and to the extent that the resulting group
of plans satisfies the coverage and nondiscrimination tests of Sections
401(a)(4) and 410 of the Code.

          (c) DETERMINATION DATE. For purposes of determining whether the Plan
is a top heavy plan for a Plan Year, the determination date is the last day of
the preceding Plan Year.

          (d) KEY EMPLOYEE. The term "key employee" means a key employee
described in Section 416(i)(1) of the Code, and the term "non-key employee"
means any Employee who is not a key Employee.

                                       23
<Page>

                                   ARTICLE 10

                             ADMINISTRATION OF PLAN

     10.1. ORGANIZATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE AND PROCEDURAL MATTERS. The
Plan will be administered by an Administrative Committee composed of those
employees of the Company holding the following positions or their equivalent
after the Merger Date: Chief Financial Officer, Director, Compensation and
Organizational Development, and Vice President of Human Resources. Effective
December 6, 2001, the Administrative Committee will be composed of those
employees of the Company holding the following positions or their equivalent:
(i) Vice President, Finance, (ii) Director, Compensation and Benefits, and (iii)
Contracts Attorney. However, the Board, in its discretion, may replace any such
member with another individual or may add additional members. Each member of the
Administrative Committee shall serve as such without compensation. Action by the
Administrative Committee may be taken by a vote of a majority of its members
then serving or in a writing without a meeting signed by all of its members.
Unless the Board appoints officers, the Administrative Committee may designate
one of its members as the Chairman and shall elect a Secretary who may but need
not be a member of the Administrative Committee. No member of the Administrative
Committee shall participate in the determination of any of his or her rights or
benefits under the Plan.

     10.2. POWERS OF ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE. The Administrative Committee
shall be the administrator of the Plan, within the meaning of ERISA Section
3(16)(A), and shall have sole and absolute discretion (a) to interpret the
provisions of the Plan (including, without limitation, by supplying omissions
from, correcting deficiencies in, or resolving inconsistencies or ambiguities
in, the language of the Plan), (b) to make factual findings with respect to any
issue arising under the Plan, (c) to determine the rights and status under the
Plan of Participants and other persons, (d) to decide dispute arising under the
Plan and to make determinations and findings (including factual findings) with
respect to the benefits payable thereunder and the persons entitled thereto as
may be required for the purposes of the Plan. In exercising any of its
discretionary powers with respect to the administration of the Plan, the
Administrative Committee will act in a uniform and non-discriminatory manner.
The Administrative Committee will have all powers which are reasonably necessary
to carry out its responsibilities under the Plan. The decision of the
Administrative Committee as to any disputed question (including factual
questions) arising hereunder, including questions of construction,
interpretation and administration, eligibility to participate, and right to
benefit, shall be final and conclusive on all persons, subject only to the
Plan's claims procedure set forth in this Article. All disbursements by the
Trustee, except for reasonable expenses of administering the trust assets, shall
be made upon and in accordance with the instructions of the Administrative
Committee. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the Administrative
Committee shall have no power, authority or responsibility with respect to the
management, investment or control of Trust assets.

     10.3. OPERATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE. The Administrative Committee
may adopt such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or appropriate for
the conduct of its affairs. The Administrative Committee may appoint from among
its members such subcommittees with such powers as it shall determine and may
employ such accountants, actuaries, counsel, administrators and other agents
(clerical and otherwise) and services as it

                                       24
<Page>

deems necessary or desirable in connection with the performance of its functions
hereunder and in order to carry out the provisions of the Plan. Decisions and
directions of the Administrative Committee may be communicated to the Trustee, a
Participant, a Beneficiary, the Company or any other person who is to receive
such decision or direction by a document signed by any one or more members of
the Administrative Committee (or persons other than members) so authorized, and
such decision or direction of the Administrative Committee may be relied upon by
its recipient as being the decision or direction of the Administrative
Committee.

     10.4. RESIGNATION OR REMOVAL. Any member of the Administrative Committee
may resign by giving written notice to the Board not less than 30 days before
the effective date of his or her resignation. Any member of the Administrative
Committee may be removed, with or without cause, at any time by the Board. The
Board shall fill vacancies as soon as is reasonably practicable after a vacancy
occurs and, until a new appointment is made, the remaining members shall have
the full authority to act.

     10.5. RECORDS AND REPORTS. The Administrative Committee shall keep records
of its proceedings and acts and shall keep or cause to be kept all such books of
account, records and other data as may be necessary in connection with the
performance of its functions hereunder.

     10.6. EXPENSES. All expenses incurred in connection with the administration
of the Plan and the Trust Fund, including, without limitation, fees of
accountants, actuaries, counsel, investment managers and other agents, and other
costs of administering the Plan and the Trust Fund, shall be paid by the Trustee
out of the Trust Fund, unless paid by the Company or Invitrogen in its
discretion.

     10.7. INDEMNIFICATION. The Company or Invitrogen shall indemnify each
member of the Administrative Committee, each member of the Board, and any of its
(or an Affiliate's) employees to whom a fiduciary responsibility with respect to
the Plan is allocated or delegated from and against all liabilities, costs and
expenses, including counsel fees, amounts paid in settlement and amounts of
judgments, fines or penalties, incurred or imposed upon such person in
connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative, arising by reason of or in connection with acts
or omissions in his or her capacity as a fiduciary hereunder, unless it is
established by the order of a court of competent jurisdiction that such act or
omission is the result of gross negligence or fraud.

     10.8. CLAIM FOR BENEFITS. A disputed claim for benefits under the Plan may
be made to the Administrative Committee or its designee in writing. If the claim
contains insufficient information, then the claimant will be given notice of
additional material or information necessary to perfect the claim, and the claim
will be deemed filed when such additional information is received. Within 60
days after a claim is received, the claimant will be notified whether the claim
is granted or denied in whole or in part. If the claim is denied in whole or in
part, the written notification will set forth, in a manner calculated to be
understood by the claimant, (a) the specific reason or reasons for the denial;
(b) specific reference to pertinent provisions of the Plan on which the denial
is based; and (3) an explanation of the Plan's claim review procedure. Failure
to give notification pursuant to this Section within 60 days after receipt of
the claim will be deemed a denial of the claim for the purpose of proceeding to
the review stage.

                                       25
<Page>

     10.9. REVIEW OF DENIED CLAIMS. If a claim is denied in whole or in part,
then within 60 days after written notification of the denial (or after the claim
is deemed denied), the claimant may file with the Administrative Committee a
written request for a review of the claim. A claimant who timely files a request
for review of his or her claim may review pertinent documents and may submit a
written statement in support of the claim. If the claimant so requests in a
timely-filed application for review, the Administrative Committee will schedule
a conference with the claimant (and/or an authorized representative). Such
conference will be held at the offices of the Company within 60 days after the
Administrative Committee receives the claimant's written request for review. The
Administrative Committee will communicate its decision in writing to the
claimant within 60 days after the written request for review is filed or within
30 days after the conference, whichever is later, setting forth in a manner
calculated to be understood by the claimant the specific reasons for its
decision and the pertinent provisions of the Plan on which the decision is
based.

     10.10. LOST PARTICIPANTS. If the Administrative Committee cannot locate any
person to or for the benefit of whom payments are to be made, the Committee may,
within a reasonable time after payments are to commence and prior to the date
the benefit would be subject to any applicable escheat laws, direct that the
amount be forfeited and used to reduce Employer Matching Contributions. Upon
such forfeiture, the Plan shall have no further liability to such individual,
except that, in the event such person later notifies the Committee of his
whereabouts and requests the payment due to him under the Plan, the amount so
forfeited shall be paid to him as otherwise provided under the Plan. Such
restoration shall be made from forfeitures or, if such forfeitures are
insufficient, from a special contribution by the Employer.

                                   ARTICLE 11

                                   TRUST FUND

     11.1. GENERAL. The Trust corpus will consist of all payments to the Trustee
as provided herein, together with the net income or loss (including capital
items) produced by the investments of the Trust or the sale of any such
investments, which will be added to or deducted from the Trust. The Trust assets
will be held, administered and invested in the manner provided in the agreement
pursuant to which the Trust is governed.

     11.2. NO DIVERSION. All assets of the Trust will be owned by the Trustee.
Except as otherwise provided herein, no part of the Trust assets may be used for
or diverted to purposes other than for the exclusive benefit of Participants and
their Beneficiaries.

     11.3. BENEFITS PROVIDED SOLELY BY TRUST FUND. All benefits payable under
the Plan will be paid or provided solely from the Trust assets, and neither the
Company nor any participating Employer nor any Affiliate assumes or shall have
liability or responsibility therefor.

     11.4. EMPLOYER SECURITIES. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary,
no part of the Trust assets may be invested in securities of the Company or an
Affiliate unless such securities constitute qualifying employer securities
within the meaning of Section 407(d)(5) of ERISA, and no part of the Trust
assets may be invested in real property which is leased to the Company or an
Affiliate unless such real property constitutes qualifying employer real
property

                                       26
<Page>

within the meaning of Section 407(d)(4) of ERISA. The Trustee or investment
manager, as the case may be, may invest up to 100% of the Plan's assets in
qualifying employer securities and/or qualifying employer real property,
provided that any such investment is deemed advisable and proper in carrying out
the purposes of the Plan and the Trust, and provided further that such
investment would not constitute a prohibited transaction or be otherwise
impermissible under applicable law.

     11.5. APPOINTMENT OF INVESTMENT MANAGER. The Administrative Committee may
appoint one or more investment managers to manage any assets of the Plan,
including all or part of the assets of any Investment Fund. As used herein, the
term "investment manager" means any person or entity who: (a) has power to
manage, acquire or dispose of any assets of the Plan; (b) is (1) registered as
an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, (2) a bank, as
defined in that Act, or (3) an insurance company qualified under the laws of
more than one state to perform services described in (a) above; and (c) has
acknowledged in a writing delivered to the Administrative Committee and the
Trustee that he is a fiduciary with respect to the Plan. The investment
manager(s) will have such powers and responsibilities as may be conferred under
the Trust Agreement and the investment management agreement.

                                   ARTICLE 12

                           AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION

     12.1. INVITROGEN MAY AMEND PLAN. Invitrogen reserves the right, by action
of the Board, at any time or from time to time, to modify or amend this Plan in
whole or in part. An amendment which does not add materially to the cost of
maintaining the Plan or affect Participants' rights under the Plan in a material
way may be adopted by action of the Administrative Committee. No amendment will:

          (1) vest in an Employer an interest in the Trust Fund;

          (2) cause or permit the Trust Fund to be diverted to any purpose other
than the exclusive benefit of Participants and Beneficiaries;

          (3) decrease the Account of any Participant or eliminate an optional
form of benefit, except as permitted by applicable law;

          (4) increase substantially the duties or liabilities of the Trustee or
the members of the Administrative Committee without its or their written
consent; or

          (5) change the vesting schedule to one which would result in the
nonforfeitable percentage of a Participant's Account (determined as of the later
of the date of adoption of the amendment or the effective date of the amendment)
being less than the nonforfeitable percentage computed under the Plan without
regard to the amendment. If the Plan's vesting schedule is amended, each
Participant with at least three years of Service may elect to have his or her
nonforfeitable percentage computed without regard to the amendment. The election
must be made by the latest of the following dates: (i) 60 days after the
amendment

                                       27
<Page>

is adopted, (ii) 60 days after the amendment becomes effective, or (iii) 60 days
after the Participant is issued notice of the amendment.

     12.2. WITHDRAWAL OF PARTICIPATING EMPLOYER. An Employer may withdraw from
the Plan and the Trust Fund by giving written notice to the Administrative
Committee of its intent to withdraw. The Administrative Committee will then
determine the portion of the Trust Fund attributable to the Participants
employed by the withdrawing Employer and will notify the Trustee to segregate
those assets and transfer them to the successor trustee or trustees when it
receives a designation of the successor from the withdrawing Employer. A
withdrawal will not terminate the Plan with respect to the withdrawing Employer
if the Employer appoints a successor trustee or trustees and establishes another
plan and trust intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code.

     12.3. TERMINATION. The Board may terminate the Plan with respect to any or
all Employers. Any Employer (by action of its board of directors) may terminate
the Plan with respect to itself. If there is a partial or total termination of
the Plan, or there is a complete discontinuance of an Employer's Contributions,
all affected Participants will immediately become 100% vested in their Accounts.

     12.4. DISTRIBUTIONS UPON TERMINATION. Subject to the provisions of
applicable law (or the provisions of a Plan amendment adopted in connection with
a Plan termination), distribution of a Participant's Accounts as a result of the
termination of the Plan is permitted only if: (a) the balance of the Accounts
does not exceed $5,000, or (b) the balance exceeds $5,000 and either (i) the
Participant consents to the distribution or (ii) neither the Employer nor any
Affiliate maintains another defined contribution plan. However if the Employer
or an Affiliate maintains another defined contribution plan, then, even though
the Participant's Accounts cannot be distributed without his or her consent, the
Accounts may be transferred to the other defined contribution plan to be held
for the Participant's benefit. Except to the extent required by applicable law,
all distributions in respect of the termination of the Plan will be in the form
of single sum payments.

     12.5. STATUTORY MERGER/CONSOLIDATION RULE. In the case of any merger or
consolidation of the Plan with, or any transfer of assets or liabilities of the
Plan to, any other plan, the benefit which each Participant would be entitled to
receive immediately after the merger, consolidation or transfer (if the Plan
then terminates) shall be equal to or greater than the benefit he or she would
have been entitled to receive immediately before the merger, consolidation or
transfer (as if the Plan had then terminated).

                                   ARTICLE 13

                          ADOPTION OF PLAN BY AFFILIATE

     13.1. ADOPTION PROCEDURE. Any Affiliate may become an Employer under the
Plan, provided that (i) the Board approves the adoption of the Plan by the
Affiliate; (ii) the Affiliate adopts the Plan and Trust together with all
amendments then in effect by appropriate resolutions of its board; and (iii) the
Affiliate by appropriate resolutions of its board of directors agrees to be

                                       28
<Page>

bound by any other terms and conditions which may be required by the Board,
provided that such terms and conditions are not inconsistent with the purposes
of the Plan.

     13.2. EFFECT OF ADOPTION BY AFFILIATE. An Affiliate that adopts the Plan
pursuant to this Article will be deemed to be an Employer for all purposes
hereunder, unless otherwise specified in the resolutions of the Board
designating the Affiliate as an Employer. In addition, the Board may provide, in
its discretion and by appropriate resolutions, that the Employees of the
Affiliate will receive credit for their employment with the Affiliate prior to
the date it became an Affiliate for purposes of determining either or both the
eligibility of such Employees to participate in the Plan and the vested interest
of such Employees in their Account balances, provided that such credit will be
applied in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner with respect to all such
Employees.

                                   ARTICLE 14

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

     14.1. NO RIGHTS CONFERRED. Nothing herein will be deemed to give any
individual any right to be retained in the employ of the Company or an Affiliate
or any other rights in the future other than as herein specifically set forth.
Except as otherwise specifically required herein or by law, no Participant,
Beneficiary or other person will be entitled to inspect the books, records,
reports, financial statements or tax returns of the Company.

     14.2. BENEFITS LIMITED TO TRUST FUND. No person will have any right or
interest in the Trust other than as provided herein. Any final payment or
distribution to a Participant or Beneficiary will be in full satisfaction of all
claims against the Trust, the Trustee, the Administrative Committee, the
Company, an Affiliate, the Board and any fiduciary of the Plan or Trust. The
Trustee or the Administrative Committee may require a Participant or Beneficiary
to execute a receipt and a general release of any and all such claims upon a
final payment or distribution, or a receipt and/or release to the extent of any
partial payment or distribution.

     14.3. SPENDTHRIFT PROVISION. Except to the extent required by law, no
benefit under the Plan shall be subject in any manner to anticipation,
alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, or charge, and any
attempt to anticipate, alienate, sell, transfer, assign, encumber, or charge the
same shall be void. No such benefit shall be in any way liable for or subject to
the debts, contracts, liabilities, engagements or torts of any person entitled
to those benefits. The Administrative Committee will establish such procedures
as may be necessary or appropriate in order to comply with the provisions of
ERISA and the Code in connection with domestic relations orders issued with
respect to a Participant's Accounts. If an order so provides, payment of the
interest of an alternate payee (as defined in Section 414(p) of the Code) may be
made in a single sum as soon as practicable after the Administrative Committee
determines that the order constitutes a qualified domestic relations order.

                                       29
<Page>

     14.4. PAYMENT TO MINORS OR INCOMPETENTS. If any person to whom a benefit is
payable hereunder is an infant or if the Administrative Committee determines
that any person to whom such benefit is payable is incompetent by reason of a
physical or mental disability, the Administrative Committee may cause the
payments becoming due to such person to be made to another for his or her
benefit without responsibility of the Administrative Committee or the Trustee to
see to the application of such payments.

     14.5. HEADINGS. The headings in this Plan have been inserted for
convenience of reference only and are to be ignored in any construction of the
provisions hereof.

     14.6. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of the Plan or the application of such
provision to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the
Plan (and the application of such provision to any person or circumstance other
than the person or circumstance to which it is held invalid) will not be
affected thereby.

     14.7. USE OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to
the contrary, including any provision which requires the use of a written
instrument, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Administrative
Committee may establish procedures for the use of electronic media in
communications and transactions between the Plan or the Administrative Committee
and Participants and Beneficiaries. Electronic media may include, but are not
limited to, e-mail, the Internet, Intranet systems and automated telephonic
response systems.

     14.8. CONVERSION. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the
contrary, during any conversion period, in accordance with procedures
established by the Administrative Committee, the Administrative Committee may
temporarily suspend, in whole or in part, certain provisions of the Plan, which
may include, but are not limited to, a Participant's right to change his
contribution election, a Participant's right to change his investment election
and a Participant's right to borrow or withdraw from his Account or obtain a
distribution for his Account.

     14.9. CONSTRUCTION. The provisions of the Plan will be construed, regulated
and administered according to the provisions of ERISA, the Code and to the
extent not inconsistent therewith or preempted thereby, in accordance with the
laws of the State of Delaware.

                                       30
<Page>

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, pursuant to resolutions adopted by the Board, the
Company has executed this amendment and restatement of the Plan this ______ day
of _________________, 2001, but effective as provided above.

                                             INVITROGEN CORPORATION

                                             By:
                                                 -------------------------------

                                             Date:
                                                   ----------------------------

                                       31
<Page>

                                   APPENDIX A
                                AMENDMENT TO THE
                         INVITROGEN 401(k) SAVINGS PLAN

This Appendix A (i) brings the Invitrogen 401(k) Savings Plan (the "Invitrogen
401(k) Plan") into compliance with the relevant provisions of the Uruguay Round
Agreements Act ("GATT"), the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment
Rights Act of 1994 ("USERRA"), the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996
("SBJPA"), the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 ("TRA '97"), the Internal Revenue
Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 ("RRA"), and the Community Renewal
Tax Relief Act of 2000 ("CRA"), (ii) reflects protected benefits in accordance
with Code Section 411(d)(6); and (iii) specifies the form of payments available
with respect to distributions after December 31, 2001. The Invitrogen 401(k)
Plan is hereby amended as follows:

FIRST:    Effective December 12, 1994, the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan is amended to
provide the following, pursuant to the requirements of USERRA:

"So long as the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of
1994 ('USERRA'), or any similar law, shall remain in force, providing for
re-employment rights for all persons in military service, as therein defined, an
Employee who leaves the employment of the Employer for military service in the
Armed Forces of the United States, as defined in USERRA from time to time in
force, shall, for all purposes of the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan, be considered as
having been in the employment of the Employer, with the time of the
Participant's service in the military credited to his or her service under the
Invitrogen 401(k) Plan; provided, however, that upon such Employee being
discharged from the military service of the United States, the Employee applies
for reemployment with the Employer and takes all other necessary action to be
entitled to, and to be otherwise eligible for, re-employment rights, as provided
pursuant to USERRA, or any similar law from time to time in force.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan to the contrary,
contributions, benefits and service credit with respect to qualified military
service will be provided in accordance with Code Section 414(u)."

SECOND:   Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1994, the
maximum annual addition that may be contributed or allocated to a participant's
account under the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan for any limitation year shall not
exceed the lesser of:

     (a)  $30,000 (as may be adjusted by Code Section 415(d)), or

     (b)  twenty-five percent (25%) of the participant's compensation for the
          limitation year (as defined in Code Section 415(c)(3)).

The compensation limitation referred to in (b) shall not apply to any
contribution for medical benefits (within the meaning of Code Section 401(h) or
419A(f)(2)) which is otherwise treated as an annual addition under Code Section
415(l)(1) or 419A(d)(2).

THIRD:    Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
definition of Highly Compensated Employee is amended as follows to comply with
the provisions of Code Section 414(q), as revised by SBJPA.

                                       32
<Page>

"Highly Compensated Employee shall mean: (a) a Highly Compensated Former
Employee of the Employer as well as (b) a Highly Compensated Current Employee.

The term Highly Compensated Current Employee shall mean any Employee who:

     1.   was a five percent (5%) owner at any time during the year or the
          preceding year, or

     2.   For the preceding year:

          a.  had Compensation from the Employer in excess of Eighty Thousand
              Dollars ($80,000) (indexed at such time and in such manner as the
              Secretary of the Treasury may provide), and

          b.  if the Employer elects the application of this clause for such
              preceding year, was in the top-paid group of Employees (i.e., was
              among the top twenty percent (20%) of Employees in Compensation)
              for such preceding year.

     For purposes of determining whether an Employee is a Highly Compensated
     Employee for the Plan Year beginning in 1997, these changes are to be
     treated as having been in effect for the Plan Year beginning in 1996.

     The determination of who is a Highly Compensated Employee, including the
     determination of the number and identity of Employees in the top-paid
     group, will be made in accordance with the provisions of Code Section
     414(q) and the regulations issued thereunder.

     A former employee shall be treated as a Highly Compensated Former Employee
     if such employee was a Highly Compensated Employee when he or she separated
     from service or was a Highly Compensated Employee at any time after
     attaining age fifty-five (55)."

FOURTH:   Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
applicable provisions of the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan with respect to family
aggregation are amended to comply with the provisions of Code Sections
414(q)(6), 401(a)(17)(A) and 404(l), as revised by SBJPA.

FIFTH:    Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
applicable provisions of the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan with respect to
determination of average deferral percentage ("ADP") and average contribution
percentage ("ACP") test data are amended to comply with the provisions of Code
Sections 401(k)(3)(A) and 401(m)(2)(A), as revised by SBJPA.

SIXTH:    Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
applicable provisions of the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan with respect to distribution
of Excess Contributions and Excess Aggregate Contributions in the event of a
failed ADP or ACP test are amended to comply with the provisions of Code
Sections 401(k)(8) and 401(m)(6), as revised by SBJPA.

                                       33
<Page>

SEVENTH:  Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
definition of Leased Employees is amended, as follows, to comply with the
provisions of Code Section 414(n)(2)(C), as revised by SBJPA. The definition set
forth herein does not effect any relationship, with respect to this issue, that
has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service prior to enactment of the
SBJPA.

     "Leased Employee shall mean any person, other than an Employee of the
     Employer, who pursuant to an agreement between the Employer and any other
     person ('Leasing Organization') has performed services for the Employer (as
     defined in Code Section 414(n)(6)) on a substantially full-time basis for a
     period of at least one (1) year and such services are performed under
     primary direction or control by the recipient."

EIGHTH:   Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
Required Beginning Date as defined in the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan for
distributions to non-Five Percent (5%) Owners shall be the first April 1
following the later of (a) the year in which the employee attains age seventy
and one half (70 1/2) and (b) the year in which the employee retires, in
accordance with Code Section 401(a)(9)(C), as amended by SBJPA.

NINTH:    Effective for any distribution made during the period beginning with
the start of the first Plan Year after August 5, 1997 and ending prior to March
22, 1999:

     A.   if the Participant's vested Account balance does not exceed Five
          Thousand Dollars ($5,000) at the time of distribution (or at the time
          of any prior distribution), then the Participant shall receive a lump
          sum distribution of the entire vested portion of such Account balance
          and the nonvested portion shall be treated as a forfeiture; or

     B.   if the Participant's vested Account balance exceeds Five Thousand
          Dollars ($5,000) at the time of distribution (or at the time of any
          prior distribution), then the Participant or, if the Participant is
          deceased, the Participant's Spouse, must consent in writing prior to
          the distribution.

     Effective for distributions made on or after March 22, 1999:

     A.   if the Participant's vested Account balance does not exceed Five
          Thousand Dollars ($5,000) at the time of the distribution, then the
          Participant shall receive a lump sum distribution of the entire vested
          portion of such Account balance and the nonvested portion shall be
          treated as a forfeiture; or

     B.   if the Participant's vested Account balance exceeds Five Thousand
          Dollars ($5,000) at the time of distribution, then the Participant or,
          if the Participant is deceased, the Participant's Spouse, must consent
          in writing prior to the distribution.

     Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant has begun to receive a
     distribution pursuant to an optional form of benefit under which at least
     one (1) scheduled periodic distribution is still payable, and if the value
     of the Participant's vested Account balance exceeded Five Thousand Dollars
     ($5,000) at the time of the first distribution under that

                                       34
<Page>

     optional form of benefit, then the remaining value of the Participant's
     vested Account balance may not be distributed without the written consent
     of the Participant, or if the Participant is deceased, the Participant's
     Spouse.

TENTH:    Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1997, for
purposes of determining the Code Section 415 annual limitation on contributions
to a Participant's account under the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan, "Compensation"
shall include any amount that would have been paid to the Participant but for
elections under Code Section 125, 401(k) or 457.

ELEVENTH: Effective as of January 1, 2000, eligible direct rollover
distributions under the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan shall not include any salary
deferral contributions distributed as a result of a hardship distribution under
the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan, pursuant to the requirements of RRA.

TWELFTH:  Effective for Limitation Years beginning after December 31, 1999, the
applicable provisions of the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan with respect to the defined
contribution/defined benefit fraction are amended to comply Code Section 415(e),
as revised by SBJPA.

THIRTEENTH:    As provided in Notice 2001-37, for limitation years beginning on
and after January 1, 2001, for purposes of applying the limitations described in
section 3.2.1 of the Benefit Equity Regional Prototype Defined Contribution Plan
and Trust ("Prototype Plan Document"), compensation paid or made available
during such limitation years shall include elective amounts that are not
includible in the gross income of the employee by reason of section 132(f)(4).
This amendment shall also apply to the definition of compensation for purposes
of section 1.2.10 of the Prototype Plan Document and Section C of Part II of the
Adoption Agreement for Plan Years beginning on and after January 1, 2001.

FOURTEENTH:    A Participant in the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan whose accrued benefit
in such plan was transferred to the Plan will be considered to be disabled if he
has a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which may be expected
to result in death or to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve
(12) months and which renders him incapable of performing his duties. All
determinations in connection with the permanence and degree of such disability
will be made by the Administrative Committee in a uniform, nondiscriminatory
manner on the basis of medical evidence.

FIFTEETH: Effective for distributions after December 31, 2001, the form of
distribution will be a lump sum payment, and an annuity form of payment will not
be an available form of payment.

SIXTEENTH:     Any other provisions of the Invitrogen 401(k) Plan required to be
amended pursuant to GATT, USERRA, SBJPA, TRA '97, RRA, and CRA are hereby
amended as necessary amended as necessary.

                                       35
<Page>

                                   APPENDIX B
                                AMENDMENT TO THE
                           DEXTER 401(k) SAVINGS PLAN

This Appendix B (i) brings the Dexter 401(k) Savings Plan (the "Dexter 401(k)
Plan") into compliance with the relevant provisions of the Uruguay Round
Agreements Act ("GATT"), the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment
Rights Act of 1994 ("USERRA"), the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996
("SBJPA"), the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 ("TRA '97"), the Internal Revenue
Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 ("RRA"), and the Community Renewal
Tax Relief Act of 2000 ("CRA"), and (ii) reflects protected benefits in
accordance with Code Section 411(d)(6), and (iii) specifies the form of payment
available with respect to distributions after December 31, 2001. The Dexter
401(k) Plan is hereby amended as follows:

FIRST:    Effective December 12, 1994, the Dexter 401(k) Plan is amended to
provide the following, pursuant to the requirements of USERRA:

"So long as the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of
1994 ('USERRA'), or any similar law, shall remain in force, providing for
re-employment rights for all persons in military service, as therein defined, an
Employee who leaves the employment of the Employer for military service in the
Armed Forces of the United States, as defined in USERRA from time to time in
force, shall, for all purposes of the Dexter 401(k) Plan, be considered as
having been in the employment of the Employer, with the time of the
Participant's service in the military credited to his or her service under the
Dexter 401(k) Plan; provided, however, that upon such Employee being discharged
from the military service of the United States, the Employee applies for
reemployment with the Employer and takes all other necessary action to be
entitled to, and to be otherwise eligible for, re-employment rights, as provided
pursuant to USERRA, or any similar law from time to time in force.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Dexter 401(k) Plan to the contrary,
contributions, benefits and service credit with respect to qualified military
service will be provided in accordance with Code Section 414(u)."

SECOND:   Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1994, the
maximum annual addition that may be contributed or allocated to a participant's
account under the Dexter 401(k) Plan for any limitation year shall not exceed
the lesser of:

     (a)  $30,000 (as may be adjusted by Code Section 415(d)), or

     (b)  twenty-five percent (25%) of the participant's compensation for the
          limitation year (as defined in Code Section 415(c)(3)).

The compensation limitation referred to in (b) shall not apply to any
contribution for medical benefits (within the meaning of Code Section 401(h) or
419A(f)(2)) which is otherwise treated as an annual addition under Code Section
415(l)(1) or 419A(d)(2).

                                       36
<Page>

THIRD:    Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
definition of Highly Compensated Employee is amended as follows to comply with
the provisions of Code Section 414(q), as revised by SBJPA.

     "Highly Compensated Employee shall mean: (a) a Highly Compensated Former
     Employee of the Employer as well as (b) a Highly Compensated Current
     Employee.

     The term Highly Compensated Current Employee shall mean any Employee who:

          1.   was a five percent (5%) owner at any time during the year or the
               preceding year, or

          2.   For the preceding year:

               a.  had Compensation from the Employer in excess of Eighty
                   Thousand Dollars ($80,000) (indexed at such time and in such
                   manner as the Secretary of the Treasury may provide), and

               b.  if the Employer elects the application of this clause for
                   such preceding year, was in the top-paid group of Employees
                   (i.e., was among the top twenty percent (20%) of Employees
                   in Compensation) for such preceding year.

     For purposes of determining whether an Employee is a Highly Compensated
     Employee for the Plan Year beginning in 1997, these changes are to be
     treated as having been in effect for the Dexter 401(k) Plan Year beginning
     in 1996.

     The determination of who is a Highly Compensated Employee, including the
     determination of the number and identity of Employees in the top-paid
     group, will be made in accordance with the provisions of Code Section
     414(q) and the regulations issued thereunder.

     A former employee shall be treated as a Highly Compensated Former Employee
     if such employee was a Highly Compensated Employee when he or she separated
     from service or was a Highly Compensated Employee at any time after
     attaining age fifty-five (55)."

FOURTH:   Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
applicable provisions of the Dexter 401(k) Plan with respect to family
aggregation are amended to comply with the provisions of Code Sections
414(q)(6), 401(a)(17)(A) and 404(l), as revised by SBJPA.

FIFTH:    Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
applicable provisions of the Dexter 401(k) Plan with respect to determination of
average deferral percentage ("ADP") and average contribution percentage ("ACP")
test data are amended to comply with the provisions of Code Sections
401(k)(3)(A) and 401(m)(2)(A), as revised by SBJPA.

SIXTH:    Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
applicable provisions of the Dexter 401(k) Plan with respect to distribution of
Excess Contributions and

                                       37
<Page>

Excess Aggregate Contributions in the event of a failed ADP or ACP test are
amended to comply with the provisions of Code Sections 401(k)(8) and 401(m)(6),
as revised by SBJPA.

SEVENTH:  Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
definition of Leased Employees is amended, as follows, to comply with the
provisions of Code Section 414(n)(2)(C), as revised by SBJPA. The definition set
forth herein does not effect any relationship, with respect to this issue, that
has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service prior to enactment of the
SBJPA.

     "Leased Employee shall mean any person, other than an Employee of the
     Employer, who pursuant to an agreement between the Employer and any other
     person ('Leasing Organization') has performed services for the Employer (as
     defined in Code Section 414(n)(6)) on a substantially full-time basis for a
     period of at least one (1) year and such services are performed under
     primary direction or control by the recipient."

EIGHTH:   Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
Required Beginning Date as defined in the Dexter 401(k) Plan for distributions
to non-Five Percent (5%) Owners shall be the first April 1 following the later
of (a) the year in which the employee attains age seventy and one half (70 1/2)
and (b) the year in which the employee retires, in accordance with Code Section
401(a)(9)(C), as amended by SBJPA.

NINTH:    Effective for any distribution made during the period beginning with
the start of the first Plan Year after August 5, 1997 and ending prior to March
22, 1999:

     A.   if the Participant's vested Account balance does not exceed Five
          Thousand Dollars ($5,000) at the time of distribution (or at the time
          of any prior distribution), then the Participant shall receive a lump
          sum distribution of the entire vested portion of such Account balance
          and the nonvested portion shall be treated as a forfeiture; or

     B.   if the Participant's vested Account balance exceeds Five Thousand
          Dollars ($5,000) at the time of distribution (or at the time of any
          prior distribution), then the Participant or, if the Participant is
          deceased, the Participant's Spouse, must consent in writing prior to
          the distribution.

     Effective for distributions made on or after March 22, 1999:

     A.   if the Participant's vested Account balance does not exceed Five
          Thousand Dollars ($5,000) at the time of the distribution, then the
          Participant shall receive a lump sum distribution of the entire vested
          portion of such Account balance and the nonvested portion shall be
          treated as a forfeiture; or

     B.   if the Participant's vested Account balance exceeds Five Thousand
          Dollars ($5,000) at the time of distribution, then the Participant or,
          if the Participant is deceased, the Participant's Spouse, must consent
          in writing prior to the distribution.

                                       38
<Page>

     Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant has begun to receive a
     distribution pursuant to an optional form of benefit under which at least
     one (1) scheduled periodic distribution is still payable, and if the value
     of the Participant's vested Account balance exceeded Five Thousand Dollars
     ($5,000) at the time of the first distribution under that optional form of
     benefit, then the remaining value of the Participant's vested Account
     balance may not be distributed without the written consent of the
     Participant, or if the Participant is deceased, the Participant's Spouse.

TENTH:    Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1997, for
purposes of determining the Code Section 415 annual limitation on contributions
to a Participant's account under the Dexter 401(k) Plan, "Compensation" shall
include any amount that would have been paid to the Participant but for
elections under Code Section 125, 401(k) or 457.

ELEVENTH: Effective as of January 1, 2000, eligible direct rollover
distributions under the Dexter 401(k) Plan shall not include any salary deferral
contributions distributed as a result of a hardship distribution under the
Dexter 401(k) Plan, pursuant to the requirements of RRA.

TWELFTH:  Effective for Limitation Years beginning after December 31, 1999, the
applicable provisions of the Dexter 401(k) Plan with respect to the defined
contribution/defined benefit fraction are amended to comply Code Section 415(e),
as revised by SBJPA.

THIRTEENTH:    As provided in Notice 2001-37, for limitation years beginning on
and after January 1, 2001, for purposes of applying the limitations described in
section 3.9 of the Dexter 401(k) Plan, compensation paid or made available
during such limitation years shall include elective amounts that are not
includible in the gross income of the employee by reason of section 132(f)(4).
This amendment shall also apply to the definition of compensation for purposes
of section 1.12 of the Dexter 401(k) Plan for Plan Years beginning on and after
January 1, 2001.

FOURTEENTH:    A Participant in the Dexter 401(k) Plan whose accrued benefit in
such plan was transferred to this Plan will be considered disabled if he has
incurred a condition which the Company, in its sole discretion, determines has
incapacitated the Participant from satisfactorily performing his usual services
for the Company during the foreseeable future. Such determination will be made
by the Company as soon as practicable.

FIFTEENTH: Matching Contributions allocated to the Account of a Participant in
the Dexter 401(k) Plan prior to the Plan Year beginning January 1, 2002, will
vest according to the following schedule:

<Table>
<Caption>
       Years of Vesting Service           Nonforfeitable Percentage
       ------------------------           -------------------------
                <S>                                 <C>
                1                                   25%
                2                                   50%
                3 or more                           75%
</Table>

Such Matching Contributions also will be 100% vested upon termination of the
Participant's employment from the "Company" for any reason other than "Cause"
during the one-year period beginning on the date of a "Change of Control."

                                       39
<Page>

          "Cause" shall mean that the Participant has committed: (i) an
intentional act of fraud, embezzlement or theft in connection with such
Participant's duties or in the course of his or her employment with the Company;
(ii) intentional wrongful damage to property of the Company; or (iii)
intentional wrongful disclosure of secret processes or confidential information
of the Company; provided that such act is materially harmful to the Company. For
purposes of this vesting provision, no act on the part of the Participant shall
be deemed "intentional" if it was due primarily to an error in judgment or
negligence, but shall be deemed "intentional" only if done by the Participant
not in good faith and without reasonable believe that such action was in the
best interest of the Company.

          A "Change in Control" shall mean the occurrence of any of the
following events:

               (i) The acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within
the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")), (a "Person") of beneficial ownership
(within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 19% or
more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to
vote generally in the election of directors (the "Voting Stock") of the Company;
provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (i), the following
acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (A) any issuance of
Voting Stock of the Company directly from the Company that is approved by the
Incumbent Board (as defined below), (B) any acquisition by the Company of Voting
Stock of the Company, (C) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by any
employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company
or any entity in which the Company directly or indirectly beneficially owns 50%
or more of the outstanding Voting Stock (a "Subsidiary"), or (D) any acquisition
of Voting Stock of the Company by any Person pursuant to a Business Combination
as defined below that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) or subsection
(iii), below; or

               (ii) Individuals who, as of December 1, 1999, constitute the
Board of Directors (the "Incumbent Board") cease for any reason to constitute at
least a majority of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that any
individual becoming a Director subsequent to December 1, 1999, whose election,
or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved by a vote
of at least two-thirds of the Directors then comprising the Incumbent Board
(either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company
in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without objection to
such nomination) shall be deemed to have been a member of the Incumbent Board,
but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of
office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest (within
the meaning of Rule 14a-11 of the Exchange Act) with respect to the election or
removal of Directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or
consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board of Directors; or

               (iii) Consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation,
a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company, or other transaction (each, a "Business Combination"), unless, in each
case, immediately following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially
all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners of Voting
Stock of the Company immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially
own, directly or indirectly, more than two-thirds of the combined voting power
of

                                       40
<Page>

the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the entity resulting from such
Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result
of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the
Company's assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries), (B) no
Person (other than the Company, such entity resulting from such Business
Combination, or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or
maintained by the Company, any Subsidiary or such entity resulting from such
Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 19% or more of
the combined voting power of the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the
entity resulting from such Business Combination, and (C) at least a majority of
the members of the Board of Directors of the entity resulting from such Business
Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of
the initial agreement or of the action of the Board of Directors providing for
such Business Combination; or

               (iv) Approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete
liquidation or dissolution of the Company, except pursuant to a Business
Combination that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of subsection iii,
above.

          "Company" shall mean Invitrogen Corporation.

SIXTEENTH:     A Participant in the Dexter 401(k) Plan whose accrued benefit in
such plan was transferred to this Plan may apply to the Administrative Committee
for permission to withdraw part or all of the Participant's after-tax
contributions as of the Valuation Date next following such application. Such
application shall be made in accordance with rules determined by the
Administrative Committee, and distribution shall be made a soon as practicable
after the application is granted.

SEVENTEENTH:   Any other provisions of the Dexter 401(k) Plan required to be
amended pursuant to GATT, USERRA, SBJPA, TRA `97, RRA, and CRA are hereby
amended as necessary amended as necessary.

                                       41
<Page>

                                   APPENDIX C
                                AMENDMENT TO THE
          EMPLOYEES' SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING RETIREMENT INCOME TRUST
                  OF DEXTER CORPORATION AND DEXTER CORPORATION
                         NONWOVEN MATERIALS-PLAN PORTION

This Appendix C (i) brings the Employees' Savings and Profit Sharing Retirement
Income Trust of Dexter Corporation and Dexter Corporation Nonwoven
Materials-Plan (the "Dexter ESPRIT Plan") into compliance with the relevant
provisions of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act ("GATT"), the Uniformed Services
Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 ("USERRA"), the Small Business
Job Protection Act of 1996 ("SBJPA"), the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 ("TRA
'97"), the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998
("RRA"), and the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 ("CRA"), (ii) reflects
the protected benefits in accordance with Code Section 411(d)(6); and (iii)
specifies the form of payment available with respect to distributions after
December 31, 2001. The Dexter ESPRIT Plan is hereby amended, effective as of the
date required under GATT, USERRA, SBJPA, TRA '97, RRA, and CRA as follows:

FIRST:    Effective December 12, 1994, the Dexter ESPRIT Plan is amended to
provide the following, pursuant to the requirements of USERRA:

"So long as the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of
1994 ('USERRA'), or any similar law, shall remain in force, providing for
re-employment rights for all persons in military service, as therein defined, an
Employee who leaves the employment of the Employer for military service in the
Armed Forces of the United States, as defined in USERRA from time to time in
force, shall, for all purposes of the Dexter ESPRIT Plan, be considered as
having been in the employment of the Employer, with the time of the
Participant's service in the military credited to his or her service under the
Dexter ESPRIT Plan; provided, however, that upon such Employee being discharged
from the military service of the United States, the Employee applies for
reemployment with the Employer and takes all other necessary action to be
entitled to, and to be otherwise eligible for, re-employment rights, as provided
pursuant to USERRA, or any similar law from time to time in force.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Dexter ESPRIT Plan to the contrary,
contributions, benefits and service credit with respect to qualified military
service will be provided in accordance with Code Section 414(u)."

SECOND:   Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1994, the
maximum annual addition that may be contributed or allocated to a participant's
account under the Dexter ESPRIT Plan for any limitation year shall not exceed
the lesser of:

     (a)  $30,000 (as may be adjusted by Code Section 415(d)), or

     (b)  twenty-five percent (25%) of the participant's compensation for the
          limitation year (as defined in Code Section 415(c)(3)).

                                       42
<Page>

The compensation limitation referred to in (b) shall not apply to any
contribution for medical benefits (within the meaning of Code Section 401(h) or
419A(f)(2)) which is otherwise treated as an annual addition under Code Section
415(l)(1) or 419A(d)(2).

THIRD: Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
definition of Highly Compensated Employee is amended as follows to comply with
the provisions of Code Section 414(q), as revised by SBJPA.

     "Highly Compensated Employee shall mean: (a) a Highly Compensated Former
     Employee of the Employer as well as (b) a Highly Compensated Current
     Employee.

     The term Highly Compensated Current Employee shall mean any Employee who:

          1.   was a five percent (5%) owner at any time during the year or the
               preceding year, or

          2.   For the preceding year:

               a.   had Compensation from the Employer in excess of Eighty
                    Thousand Dollars ($80,000) (indexed at such time and in such
                    manner as the Secretary of the Treasury may provide), and

               b.   if the Employer elects the application of this clause for
                    such preceding year, was in the top-paid group of Employees
                    (i.e., was among the top twenty percent (20%) of Employees
                    in Compensation) for such preceding year.

     For purposes of determining whether an Employee is a Highly Compensated
     Employee for the Plan Year beginning in 1997, these changes are to be
     treated as having been in effect for the Plan Year beginning in 1996.

     The determination of who is a Highly Compensated Employee, including the
     determination of the number and identity of Employees in the top-paid
     group, will be made in accordance with the provisions of Code Section
     414(q) and the regulations issued thereunder.

     A former employee shall be treated as a Highly Compensated Former Employee
     if such employee was a Highly Compensated Employee when he or she separated
     from service or was a Highly Compensated Employee at any time after
     attaining age fifty-five (55)."

FOURTH:   Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
applicable provisions of the Dexter ESPRIT Plan with respect to family
aggregation are amended to comply with the provisions of Code Sections
414(q)(6), 401(a)(17)(A) and 404(l), as revised by SBJPA.

FIFTH:    Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
applicable provisions of the Dexter ESPRIT Plan with respect to determination of
average deferral percentage ("ADP") and average contribution percentage ("ACP")
test data are amended to

                                       43
<Page>

comply with the provisions of Code Sections 401(k)(3)(A) and 401(m)(2)(A), as
revised by SBJPA.

SIXTH:    Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
applicable provisions of the Dexter ESPRIT Plan with respect to distribution of
Excess Contributions and Excess Aggregate Contributions in the event of a failed
ADP or ACP test are amended to comply with the provisions of Code Sections
401(k)(8) and 401(m)(6), as revised by SBJPA.

SEVENTH:  Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
definition of Leased Employees is amended, as follows, to comply with the
provisions of Code Section 414(n)(2)(C), as revised by SBJPA. The definition set
forth herein does not effect any relationship, with respect to this issue, that
has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service prior to enactment of the
SBJPA.

     "Leased Employee shall mean any person, other than an Employee of the
     Employer, who pursuant to an agreement between the Employer and any other
     person ('Leasing Organization') has performed services for the Employer (as
     defined in Code Section 414(n)(6)) on a substantially full-time basis for a
     period of at least one (1) year and such services are performed under
     primary direction or control by the recipient."

EIGHTH:   Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1996, the
Required Beginning Date as defined in the Dexter ESPRIT Plan for distributions
to non-Five Percent (5%) Owners shall be the first April 1 following the later
of (a) the year in which the employee attains age seventy and one half (70 1/2)
and (b) the year in which the employee retires, in accordance with Code Section
401(a)(9)(C), as amended by SBJPA.

NINTH:    Effective for any distribution made during the period beginning with
the start of the first Plan Year after August 5, 1997 and ending prior to March
22, 1999:

     A.   if the Participant's vested Account balance does not exceed Five
          Thousand Dollars ($5,000) at the time of distribution (or at the time
          of any prior distribution), then the Participant shall receive a lump
          sum distribution of the entire vested portion of such Account balance
          and the nonvested portion shall be treated as a forfeiture; or

     B.   if the Participant's vested Account balance exceeds Five Thousand
          Dollars ($5,000) at the time of distribution (or at the time of any
          prior distribution), then the Participant or, if the Participant is
          deceased, the Participant's Spouse, must consent in writing prior to
          the distribution.

     Effective for distributions made on or after March 22, 1999:

     A.   if the Participant's vested Account balance does not exceed Five
          Thousand Dollars ($5,000) at the time of the distribution, then the
          Participant shall receive a lump sum distribution of the entire vested
          portion of such Account balance and the nonvested portion shall be
          treated as a forfeiture; or

                                       44
<Page>

     B.   if the Participant's vested Account balance exceeds Five Thousand
          Dollars ($5,000) at the time of distribution, then the Participant or,
          if the Participant is deceased, the Participant's Spouse, must consent
          in writing prior to the distribution.

     Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant has begun to receive a
     distribution pursuant to an optional form of benefit under which at least
     one (1) scheduled periodic distribution is still payable, and if the value
     of the Participant's vested Account balance exceeded Five Thousand Dollars
     ($5,000) at the time of the first distribution under that optional form of
     benefit, then the remaining value of the Participant's vested Account
     balance may not be distributed without the written consent of the
     Participant, or if the Participant is deceased, the Participant's Spouse.

TENTH:    Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1997, for
purposes of determining the Code Section 415 annual limitation on contributions
to a Participant's account under the Dexter ESPRIT Plan, "Compensation" shall
include any amount that would have been paid to the Participant but for
elections under Code Section 125, 401(k) or 457.

ELEVENTH: Effective as of January 1, 2000, eligible direct rollover
distributions under the Dexter ESPRIT Plan shall not include any salary deferral
contributions distributed as a result of a hardship distribution under the
Dexter ESPRIT Plan, pursuant to the requirements of RRA.

TWELFTH: Effective for Limitation Years beginning after December 31, 1999, the
applicable provisions of the Dexter ESPRIT Plan with respect to the defined
contribution/defined benefit fraction are amended to comply Code Section 415(e),
as revised by SBJPA.

THIRTEENTH:    As provided in Notice 2001-37, for limitation years beginning on
and after January 1, 2001, for purposes of applying the limitations described in
section 3.10 of the Dexter ESPRIT Plan, compensation paid or made available
during such limitation years shall include elective amounts that are not
includible in the gross income of the employee by reason of section 132(f)(4).
This amendment shall also apply to the definition of compensation for purposes
of section 1.10 of the Dexter ESPRIT Plan for Plan Years beginning on and after
January 1, 2001.

FOURTEENTH:    A Participant in the Dexter ESPRIT Plan will be considered to be
disabled if he has a physical or mental disability which a physician acceptable
to the Company has certified to the Company and which: (i) prevents the person
so disabled from performing his or her duties as an Employee; and (ii) is likely
to be permanent.

FIFTEENTH:     The Profit Sharing Contributions allocated to the Account of a
Participant in the Dexter ESPRIT Plan, prior to the Plan Year beginning January
1, 2002, who has an Hour of Service under this Plan in a Plan Year beginning
after December 31, 2001, will vest according to the following vesting schedule:

<Table>
<Caption>
           Years of Vesting Service           Nonforfeitable Percentage
           ------------------------           -------------------------
                    <S>                                    <C>
                    2                                       25%
                    3                                       50%
                    4                                       75%
                    5                                      100%
</Table>

                                       45
<Page>

Such Profit Sharing Contribution also will be 100% vested upon termination of
the Participant's employment from the "Company" for any reason other than
"Cause" during the one-year period beginning on the date of a "Change of
Control."

          "Cause" shall mean that the Participant has committed: (i) an
intentional act of fraud, embezzlement or theft in connection with such
Participant's duties or in the course of his or her employment with the Company;
(ii) intentional wrongful damage to property of the Company; or (iii)
intentional wrongful disclosure of secret processes or confidential information
of the Company; provided that such act is materially harmful to the Company. For
purposes of this vesting provision, no act on the part of the Participant shall
be deemed "intentional" if it was due primarily to an error in judgment or
negligence, but shall be deemed "intentional" only if done by the Participant
not in good faith and without reasonable believe that such action was in the
best interest of the Company.

          A "Change in Control" shall mean the occurrence of any of the
following events:

               (i) The acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within
the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")), (a "Person") of beneficial ownership
(within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 19% or
more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to
vote generally in the election of directors (the "Voting Stock") of the Company;
provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (i), the following
acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (A) any issuance of
Voting Stock of the Company directly from the Company that is approved by the
Incumbent Board (as defined below), (B) any acquisition by the Company of Voting
Stock of the Company, (C) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by any
employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company
or any entity in which the Company directly or indirectly beneficially owns 50%
or more of the outstanding Voting Stock (a "Subsidiary"), or (D) any acquisition
of Voting Stock of the Company by any Person pursuant to a Business Combination
as defined below that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) or subsection
(iii), below; or

               (ii) Individuals who, as of December 1, 1999, constitute the
Board of Directors (the "Incumbent Board") cease for any reason to constitute at
least a majority of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that any
individual becoming a Director subsequent to December 1, 1999, whose election,
or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved by a vote
of at least two-thirds of the Directors then comprising the Incumbent Board
(either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company
in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without objection to
such nomination) shall be deemed to have been a member of the Incumbent Board,
but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of
office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest (within
the meaning of Rule 14a-11 of the Exchange Act) with respect to the election or
removal of Directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or
consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board of Directors; or

                                       46
<Page>

               (iii) Consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation,
a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company, or other transaction (each, a "Business Combination"), unless, in each
case, immediately following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially
all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners of Voting
Stock of the Company immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially
own, directly or indirectly, more than two-thirds of the combined voting power
of the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the entity resulting from such
Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result
of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the
Company's assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries), (B) no
Person (other than the Company, such entity resulting from such Business
Combination, or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or
maintained by the Company, any Subsidiary or such entity resulting from such
Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 19% or more of
the combined voting power of the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the
entity resulting from such Business Combination, and (C) at least a majority of
the members of the Board of Directors of the entity resulting from such Business
Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of
the initial agreement or of the action of the Board of Directors providing for
such Business Combination; or

               (iv) Approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete
liquidation or dissolution of the Company, except pursuant to a Business
Combination that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of subsection iii,
above.

          "Company" shall mean Invitrogen Corporation.

SIXTEENTH:     A Participant in the Dexter ESPRIT Plan whose accrued benefit in
such plan was transferred to the Plan may, in accordance with rules determined
by the Administrative Committee, request the Administrative Committee to
distribute any sum of his after-tax contributions.

SEVENTEENTH:   Effective for distributions after December 31, 2001, the form of
distribution will be a lump sum payment, and an annuity and installments will
not be available forms of payment.

EIGHTEENTH:    Any other provisions of the Dexter ESPRIT Plan required to be
amended pursuant to GATT, USERRA, SBJPA, TRA '97, RRA, and CRA are hereby
amended as necessary amended as necessary.

                                       47
<Page>

                                   APPENDIX D
                             EGTRRA PLAN AMENDMENTS

SECTION 1. LIMITATIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS

     1.   Effective date. This section shall be effective for limitation years
beginning after December 31, 2001.

     2.   Maximum annual addition. Except to the extent permitted under section
8 of this amendment and section 414(v) of the Code, if applicable, the annual
addition that may be contributed or allocated to a participant's account under
the plan for any limitation year shall not exceed the lesser of:

          (a)  $40,000, as adjusted for increases in the cost-of-living under
section 415(d) of the Code, or

          (b)  100 percent of the participant's compensation, within the meaning
of section 415(c)(3) of the Code, for the limitation year. The compensation
limit referred to in (b) shall not apply to any contribution for medical
benefits after separation from service (within the meaning of section 401(h) or
section 419A(f)(2) of the Code) which is otherwise treated as an annual
addition.

SECTION 2. INCREASE IN COMPENSATION LIMIT

The annual compensation of each participant taken into account in determining
allocations for any plan year beginning after December 31, 2001, shall not
exceed $200,000, as adjusted for cost-of-living increases in accordance with
section 401(a)(17)(B) of the Code. Annual compensation means compensation during
the plan year or such other consecutive 12-month period over which compensation
is otherwise determined under the plan (the determination period). The
cost-of-living adjustment in effect for a calendar year applies to annual
compensation for the determination period that begins with or within such
calendar year.

SECTION 3. MODIFICATION OF TOP-HEAVY RULES

     1.   Effective date. This section shall apply for purposes of determining
whether the plan is a top-heavy plan under section 416(g) of the Code for plan
years beginning after December 31, 2001, and whether the plan satisfies the
minimum benefits requirements of section 416(c) of the Code for such years. This
section amends Article 9 of the plan.

     2.   Determination of top-heavy status.

          2.1  Key employee. Key employee means any employee or former employee
(including any deceased employee) who at any time during the plan year that
includes the determination date was an officer of the employer having annual
compensation greater than $130,000 (as adjusted under section 416(i)(1) of the
Code for plan years beginning after December 31, 2002), a 5-percent owner of the
employer, or a 1-percent owner of the employer having annual compensation of
more than $150,000. For this purpose, annual compensation means compensation
within the meaning of section 415(c)(3) of the Code. The determination of

                                       48
<Page>

who is a key employee will be made in accordance with section 416(i)(1) of the
Code and the applicable regulations and other guidance of general applicability
issued thereunder.

          2.2  Determination of present values and amounts. This section 2.2
shall apply for purposes of determining the present values of accrued benefits
and the amounts of account balances of employees as of the determination date.

               2.2.1 Distributions during year ending on the determination date.
The present values of accrued benefits and the amounts of account balances of an
employee as of the determination date shall be increased by the distributions
made with respect to the employee under the plan and any plan aggregated with
the plan under section 416(g)(2) of the Code during the 1-year period ending on
the determination date. The preceding sentence shall also apply to distributions
under a terminated plan which, had it not been terminated, would have been
aggregated with the plan under section 416(g)(2)(A)(i) of the Code. In the case
of a distribution made for a reason other than separation from service, death,
or disability, this provision shall be applied by substituting "5-year period"
for "1-year period."

               2.2.2 Employees not performing services during year ending on the
determination date. The accrued benefits and accounts of any individual who has
not performed services for the employer during the 1-year period ending on the
determination date shall not be taken into account.

     3. Minimum benefits.

          3.1 Matching contributions. Employer matching contributions shall be
taken into account for purposes of satisfying the minimum contribution
requirements of section 416(c)(2) of the Code and the plan. The preceding
sentence shall apply with respect to matching contributions under the plan or,
if the plan provides that the minimum contribution requirement shall be met in
another plan, such other plan. Employer matching contributions that are used to
satisfy the minimum contribution requirements shall be treated as matching
contributions for purposes of the actual contribution percentage test and other
requirements of section 401(m) of the Code.

SECTION 4. VESTING OF EMPLOYER MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

     1.   Applicability. This section shall apply to participants with accrued
benefits derived from employer matching contributions who completes an hour of
service under the plan in a plan year beginning after December 31, 2001.

     2.   Vesting schedule. Except as otherwise specified, a participant's
accrued benefit derived from employer matching contributions shall vest
according the following schedule:

<Table>
<Caption>
          Years of Vesting Service        Nonforfeitable Percentage
          ------------------------        -------------------------
                     <S>                              <C>
                     2                                25%
                     3                                50%
                     4                                75%
                     5                                100%
</Table>

                                       49
<Page>

SECTION 5. DIRECT ROLLOVERS OF PLAN DISTRIBUTIONS

     1.   Effective date. This section shall apply to distributions made after
December 31, 2001.

     2.   Modification of definition of eligible retirement plan. For purposes
of the direct rollover provisions in section 6.8 of the plan, an eligible
retirement plan shall also mean an annuity contract described in section 403(b)
of the Code and an eligible plan under section 457(b) of the Code which is
maintained by a state, political subdivision of a state, or any agency or
instrumentality of a state or political subdivision of a state and which agrees
to separately account for amounts transferred into such plan from this plan. The
definition of eligible retirement plan shall also apply in the case of a
distribution to a surviving spouse, or to a spouse or former spouse who is the
alternate payee under a qualified domestic relation order, as defined in section
414(p) of the Code.

     3.   Modification of definition of eligible rollover distribution to
exclude hardship distributions. For purposes of the direct rollover provisions
in section 6.8 of the plan, any amount that is distributed on account of
hardship shall not be an eligible rollover distribution and the distributee may
not elect to have any portion of such a distribution paid directly to an
eligible retirement plan.

     4.   Modification of definition of eligible rollover distribution to
include after-tax employee contributions. For purposes of the direct rollover
provisions in section 6.8 of the plan, a portion of a distribution shall not
fail to be an eligible rollover distribution merely because the portion consists
of after-tax employee contributions which are not includible in gross income.
However, such portion may be transferred only to an individual retirement
account or annuity described in section 408(a) or (b) of the Code, or to a
qualified defined contribution plan described in section 401(a) or 403(a) of the
Code that agrees to separately account for amounts so transferred, including
separately accounting for the portion of such distribution which is includible
in gross income and the portion of such distribution which is not so includible.

SECTION 6. ROLLOVERS DISREGARDED IN INVOLUNTARY CASH-OUTS

     1.   Applicability and effective date. This section shall apply to
distributions made after December 31, 2001.

     2.   Rollovers disregarded in determining value of account balance for
involuntary distributions. If elected by the employer in the adoption agreement,
for purposes of section 6.6 of the plan, the value of a participant's
nonforfeitable account balance shall be determined without regard to that
portion of the account balance that is attributable to rollover contributions
(and earnings allocable thereto) within the meaning of sections 402(c),
403(a)(4), 403(b)(8), 408(d)(3)(A)(ii), and 457(e)(16) of the Code. If the value
of the participant's nonforfeitable account balance as so determined is $5,000
or less, the plan shall immediately distribute the participant's entire
nonforfeitable account balance.

                                       50
<Page>

SECTION 7. ELECTIVE DEFERRALS -- CONTRIBUTION LIMITATION

No participant shall be permitted to have elective deferrals made under this
plan, or any other qualified plan maintained by the employer during any taxable
year, in excess of the dollar limitation contained in section 402(g) of the Code
in effect for such taxable year, except to the extent permitted under section 8
of this amendment and section 414(v) of the Code, if applicable.

SECTION 8. SUSPENSION PERIOD FOLLOWING HARDSHIP DISTRIBUTION

A participant who receives a distribution of elective deferrals after December
31, 2001, on account of hardship shall be prohibited from making elective
deferrals and employee contributions under this and all other plans of the
employer for 6 months after receipt of the distribution. A participant who
receives a distribution of elective deferrals in calendar year 2001 on account
of hardship shall be prohibited from making elective deferrals and employee
contributions under this and all other plans of the employer for the period
specified in the provisions of the plan relating to suspension of elective
deferrals that were in effect prior to this amendment.

                                       51

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