SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
                Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
                        Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                               (Amendment No. __ )

Filed by the Registrant [x] 
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [ ] 
Check the appropriate box: 
[ ] Preliminary  Proxy Statement 
[ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only 
    (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))  
[X] Definitive Proxy Statement 
[ ] Definitive  Additional  Materials 
[ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to  ss.240.14a-11(c)  or  ss.240.14a-12 

                          ImClone Systems Incorporated
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (Name of Person)s) Filing Proxy Statement if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
[x]  No fee Required.
[ ]  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.

       1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

       -------------------------------------------------------------
       2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

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       3) Per unit  price  or other  underlying  value of  transaction  computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee
is calculated and state how it was determined):

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       4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

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       5) Total fee paid:

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[ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
[ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange  Act Rule
0-11(a)(2)  and  identify  the  filing  for  which the  offsetting  fee was paid
previously.  Identify the previous filing by registration  statement  number, or
the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing

       1) Amount previously paid:

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       2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

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       4) Date Filed:

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                          IMCLONE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED

   
                                180 Varick Street
                               New York, NY 10014
                                 (212) 645-1405
    

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

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                             TO BE HELD JUNE 3, 1997

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

To The Stockholders of ImClone Systems Incorporated:

   
     Notice is  hereby  given  that the  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders  (the
"Meeting") of ImClone Systems Incorporated (the "Company") will be held at 10:00
a.m., local time, on Tuesday,  June 3, 1997 at the Company's principal executive
offices at 180 Varick Street,  Seventh Floor,  New York, New York 10014, for the
following purposes:
    

     1.   To elect nine directors.

     2.   To  consider  and vote upon a  proposal  to amend the  Company's  1996
          Incentive  Stock Option Plan (the "1996 ISO Plan") to (i) increase the
          total number of shares of the Company's common stock,  $.001 par value
          (the "Common Stock") which may be issued pursuant to options which may
          be granted under the 1996 ISO Plan from 1,500,000 to 3,000,000,  which
          number  shall be reduced by the number of shares of Common Stock which
          have been or may be  issued  pursuant  to  options  granted  under the
          Company's   1996   Non-Qualified   Stock   Option   Plan  (the   "1996
          Non-Qualified  Plan");  and (ii) provide that any of the  Compensation
          Committee,  the Stock Option  Committee or the Board of Directors (the
          "Board") may  administer  the 1996 ISO Plan and that such persons need
          not be  "disinterested  persons" as such term was formerly  defined in
          Rule 16b-3 promulgated under section 16(b) of the Securities  Exchange
          Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

     3.   To  consider  and vote upon a  proposal  to amend the  Company's  1996
          Non-Qualified  Plan to (i)  increase  the  total  number  of shares of
          Common  Stock  which may be issued  pursuant  to options  which may be
          granted under the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan from 1,500,000 to 3,000,000,
          which  number shall be reduced by the number of shares of Common Stock
          which have been or may be issued pursuant to options granted under the
          1996 ISO Plan;  (ii) provide that any of the  Compensation  Committee,
          the  Stock  Option  Committee  or the Board  may  administer  the 1996
          Non-Qualified  Stock  Option  Plan and that such  persons  need not be
          "disinterested  persons"  as such term was  formerly  defined  in Rule
          16b-3  promulgated  under the Exchange Act; (iii) provide that members
          of the Board or any  committee  administering  the 1996  Non-Qualified
          Plan  are  eligible  to  receive   discretionary   grants  of  options
          thereunder; and (iv) clarify that key consultants and employees of the
          Company are eligible to participate in the 1996  Non-Qualified Plan in
          addition to key advisors and directors.



     4.   To  consider  and  vote  upon  a  proposal  to  amend  the   Company's
          Certificate of Incorporation to increase the total number of shares of
          Common Stock the Company is authorized to issue from 30,000,000 shares
          to 45,000,000 shares.

     5.   To  ratify  the  appointment  by the Board of  Directors  of KPMG Peat
          Marwick LLP as the Company's  independent certified public accountants
          for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1997.

     6.   To  consider  and act upon such other  business as may  properly  come
          before the Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

     Only holders of Common Stock of record at the close of business on April 7,
1997 are  entitled  to notice of and to vote at the  Meeting or any  adjournment
thereof.

                                            By Order of the Board of Directors

   
New York, NY                                JOHN B. LANDES
April 28, 1997                              Secretary

Whether or not you expect to attend the Meeting,  please complete, sign and date
the  enclosed  proxy and  promptly  return it in the  envelope  provided  to the
Company's  transfer  agent,  Boston  EquiServe,  150  Royall  Street,  Mail Stop
45-02-62,  Canton, MA 02021, to be received no later than May 30, 1997. In order
to avoid the additional expense to the Company of further  solicitation,  we ask
your  cooperation in sending in your proxy promptly.  Sending in your proxy will
not prevent you from voting in person at the Meeting.
    



                          IMCLONE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED

                                180 Varick Street

                            New York, New York 10014

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

                                 PROXY STATEMENT

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

     This proxy  statement is furnished in connection  with the  solicitation of
proxies  for use at the  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders  of  ImClone  Systems
Incorporated  (the "Company") to be held at 10:00 a.m.,  local time, on Tuesday,
June 3, 1997 at the Company's  principal executive offices at 180 Varick Street,
Seventh Floor, New York, New York 10014,  and at any  adjournments  thereof (the
"Meeting"). The accompanying proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors of the
Company ("the Board") and is revocable by the stockholders any time before it is
voted. The purpose of the Meeting and the matters to be acted upon are set forth
in the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

                      OUTSTANDING SHARES AND VOTING RIGHTS

   
     The close of  business  on April 7, 1997 has been fixed as the record  date
(the "Record Date") for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of,
and to vote at, the Meeting. On April 7, 1997, the Company had 23,693,199 shares
of common stock, par value $.001 per share (the "Common Stock"), outstanding and
entitled to vote.  Such shares of Common Stock are the only  outstanding  voting
securities of the Company.  Each share held of record on the Record Date will be
entitled to one vote at the Meeting.  There are no cumulative  voting rights. It
is expected that the Notice of Annual Meeting, Proxy Statement and form of proxy
will first be mailed to stockholders on or about April 28, 1997.
    

     To be elected as a director under Proposal No. 1, a director must receive a
plurality  of the  votes of the  shares  of Common  Stock  present  in person or
represented  by proxy at the  Meeting and  entitled  to vote on the  election of
directors.  The  affirmative  vote of a majority  of the shares of Common  Stock
outstanding on the Record Date, present in person or represented by proxy at the
Meeting and entitled to vote thereon, is necessary for approval of Proposal Nos.
2, 3 and 5. The  affirmative  vote of a majority  of the shares of Common  Stock
outstanding  on the Record Date is  necessary  for approval of Proposal No. 4. A
quorum is  representation  in person  or by proxy at the  Meeting  of at least a
majority of the shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date.

     Pursuant to the Delaware  General  Corporation Law, only votes cast "For" a
matter  constitute  affirmative  votes.  Proxies  which  are  voted  by  marking
"Withheld" or "Abstain" on a particular matter are counted as present for quorum
purposes and for purposes of determining  the outcome of such matter,  but since
they are not cast "For" a particular  matter,  they will have the same effect as
negative votes or votes  "Against" a particular  matter.  If a validly  executed
proxy card is not marked to indicate a vote on a particular matter and the proxy
granted  thereby is not revoked before it is voted,  it will be voted "For" such
matter. Where brokers are prohibited from exercising discretionary authority for
beneficial owners who have not provided voting  instructions  (commonly referred
to as "broker non-votes"),  such broker non-votes will be treated as shares that
are present for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum;  however, with
respect to proposals which require the affirmative vote of a percentage of votes
present at the Meeting for approval,  such broker  non-votes  will be treated as
not present for purposes of determining the outcome of any such matter,  thereby
reducing  the number of  affirmative  votes  required  for the  approval of such
matter.  With  respect to  proposals  which  require the  affirmative  vote of a
percentage of the outstanding shares for approval, because such broker non-votes
are not cast  "For" a  particular  matter,  they  will  have the same  effect as
negative votes or votes "Against" such proposals.  The Board knows of no matters
which are to be  presented  for  consideration  at the Meeting  other than those
specifically described in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders,  but, if
other  matters  are  properly  presented,  it is the  intention  of the  persons
designated as proxies to vote on them in accordance with their judgment.



                                 PROPOSAL NO. 1

                         ELECTION OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

     It is proposed  that the nine  nominees  named below will be elected at the
Meeting to serve as  directors  of the Company  for  one-year  terms.  It is the
intention  of the persons  named in the  accompanying  proxy,  unless  otherwise
instructed,  to vote  for the  nominees  named  herein.  All  such  persons  are
currently members of the Board of Directors (the "Board"). No proxy may be voted
for more  persons  than the number of nominees  listed  below.  The Board has no
reason to believe that any of the  nominees  will become  unavailable  to serve,
but, if that should  occur  before the  Meeting,  proxies will be voted for such
other persons as the Board may nominate.  The nominees for election as director,
and certain information with respect to their ages and backgrounds are set forth
below.

                              Nominees For Director



Name                                 Age    Current Position with Company       Director of Company Since
- ----                                 ---    -----------------------------       -------------------------
                                                                                  
Richard Barth (1)(2)                  65    Director                                      1996
Jean Carvais, M.D.                    70    Director                                      1993
Vincent T. DeVita, Jr., M.D. (2)(3)   62    Director                                      1992
Robert F. Goldhammer (2)(3)(4)(5)     66    Chairman of the Board                         1984
David M. Kies (1)(5)                  53    Director                                      1996
Paul B. Kopperl (1)(2)(5)             63    Director                                      1993
William R. Miller (1)(5)              68    Director                                      1996
Harlan W. Waksal, M.D. (4)(5)         44    Executive Vice President, Chief               1984
                                            Operating Officer and Director
Samuel D. Waksal, Ph.D. (4)           49    President, Chief Executive Officer            1985
                                            and Director


(1)  Member of Audit Committee
(2)  Member of Compensation Committee
(3)  Member  of Stock  Option  Committee  (a  subcommittee  of the  Compensation
     Committee)
(4)  Member of Executive Committee
(5)  Member of Corporate Governance Committee

                        BUSINESS EXPERIENCE OF DIRECTORS

     Richard  Barth,  has been a director of the Company since October 1996. Mr.
Barth served as Chairman of the Board of Ciba-Geigy  Corporation,  United States
("Ciba-Geigy") from 1990 until December 1996, at which time he retired,  and was
President and Chief  Executive  Officer of  Ciba-Geigy  from 1986 until 1996. He
joined the Ciba  Corporation  in 1965 as legal  assistant to the executive  vice
president,  serving in that capacity until 1968, when he was named Secretary and
General  Counsel.  Following  the merger of Ciba and  Geigy,  Mr.  Barth  became
General Counsel of the  corporation.  In 1974, he was named Corporate  Secretary
and,  in 1975,  he  became a member  of the  Board of  Directors.  In 1979,  his
responsibilities  were further  broadened to include  serving as Chief Financial
Officer and  Chairman of the Board's  Finance  Committee.  Mr.  Barth also was a
Senior Vice President of Ciba-Geigy  from 1980 until 1986. Mr. Barth is a member
of the Board of Directors of numerous corporations and organizations,  including
The Bank of New York and Bowater,  Inc.,  and serves as Chairman of the Board of
Trustees of New York Medical College.


                                       2


     Jean Carvais, M.D., has been a director since July 1993, and has since 1984
been an  independent  consultant  to companies in the  pharmaceutical  industry.
Prior to that time, Dr. Carvais was President of The Research Institute of Roger
Bellon, S.A., now a division of Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, Inc. ("Rhone-Poulenc").  As
such,  he was  involved  in the  development  of a line  of  anti-cancer  drugs,
including  Bleomycin and  Adriamycin,  as well as a new line of antibiotics  and
quinolones.  Following the acquisition of Roger Bollon,  S.A. by  Rhone-Poulenc,
Dr. Carvais became a member of Rhone-Poulenc's  central research committee which
directs the company's worldwide research and development activities. Dr. Carvais
is a director of Columbia Laboratories, Inc.

     Vincent T. DeVita,  Jr., M.D., has been a director since February 1992. Dr.
DeVita is Director of the Yale Cancer  Center as well as  Professor  of Medicine
and Professor of  Epidemiology  and Public Health at Yale  University  School of
Medicine,  New Haven,  Connecticut.  From  September 1988 through June 1995, Dr.
DeVita served as Attending Physician at Memorial  Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center,
New York,  New York, and through June 1991 as  Physician-in-Chief.  From 1980 to
1988,  he served  under  Presidential  appointment  as Director of the  National
Cancer Institute ("NCI"), where he had held various positions since 1966. During
his years with the NCI, Dr.  DeVita was  instrumental  in  developing  the first
successful  combination cancer chemotherapy program. This work ultimately led to
effective  regimes  of  curative  chemotherapy  for a variety  of  cancers.  Dr.
DeVita's  numerous  awards  include the 1990 Armand  Hammer Cancer Prize and the
1982 Albert and Mary Lasker Medical  Research Award for his  contribution to the
cure of  Hodgkin's  disease.  Dr.  DeVita  received  his M.D.  from  the  George
Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, in 1961.

   
     Robert F. Goldhammer,  has served as the Company's Chairman of the Board of
Directors  since  February  1991 and has been a director  of the  Company  since
October  1984.  Mr.  Goldhammer  has been a  partner  of  Concord  International
Investment Group, L.P. since 1991. He was a partner of Rohammer  Corporation,  a
private  investment  company,  from 1989 to 1991. He was a managing  director of
Kidder, Peabody Group Inc., an investment banking firm, from May 1988 to January
1989. He is a director of E.G.&G, Inc. and Esterline Technologies Corporation.
    

     David M. Kies, has been a director of the Company since June 1996. Mr. Kies
is a Partner of the New York based law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, specializing in
mergers and  acquisitions,  securities and general corporate  matters.  Mr. Kies
joined  Sullivan & Cromwell  in 1968,  and was  elected a partner of the firm in
1976.  From 1991 until 1995,  he was the managing  partner of the firm's  London
office,  the largest office of U.S.  lawyers in London and the largest office of
U.S.  securities  lawyers in Europe.  He has had  extensive  experience  in many
complex international and U.S. financial transactions,  principally representing
non-U.S. entities or their financial advisors.

     Paul B. Kopperl, has served on the Board since December 1993. He has served
as President of Delano & Kopperl,  Inc., a financial advisory firm in Boston and
its  predecessor  firms from 1976 to the present.  From 1967 through 1975 he was
Vice  President  and a  principal  of  Kidder,  Peabody & Co.  Incorporated,  an
investment  banking  firm.  From 1959 to 1967 he was an associate  with Goldman,
Sachs & Co., of New York. He is President of Pegasus Investments,  Inc., Boston,
a private investment management firm. Over the years Mr. Kopperl has served as a
trustee  of  numerous  not-for-profit  educational,  performing  arts and social
welfare organizations.

     William R. Miller,  has been a director of the Company since June 1996. Mr.
Miller  served as Vice  Chairman of the Board of Directors of the  Bristol-Myers
Squibb  Company from 1985 until 1991, at which time he retired.  Mr. Miller is a
director of Isis Pharmaceuticals,  Inc., St. Jude Medical,  Inc.,  Transkaryotic
Therapies,  Inc., Westvaco  Corporation and Xomed Surgical Products,  Inc. He is
Chairman of the Board of Vion  Pharmaceuticals,  Inc.  and SIBIA  Neurosciences,
Inc. He is Vice  Chairman  of the Board of  Trustees  of the Cold Spring  Harbor
Laboratory  and  is  a  past  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  the   Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers  Association.  Mr. Miller is a Trustee of the Manhattan  School of
Music,  Metropolitan  Opera Association and Opera Orchestra of New York. He is a
member of Oxford University  Chancellor's Court of Benefactors;  Honorary Fellow
of St.  Edmund  Hall and  Chairman of the  English-Speaking  Union of the United
States.


                                       3


     Harlan W. Waksal, M.D., is a founder of the Company and has been a director
since April 1984. He has directed the Company's  research and development  since
April 1985,  and has served as the Company's  Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating  Officer since March 1987.  From 1985 to March 1987, Dr. Waksal served
as the  Company's  President.  Dr.  Waksal  received  his  training  in Internal
Medicine from Tufts-New  England  Medical Center  Hospital and in Pathology from
Kings  County  Hospital in  Brooklyn,  New York from 1982 to 1987.  From 1984 to
1985,  Dr. Waksal was Chief Resident in Pathology at Kings County  Hospital.  He
received his Medical Degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in 1979. He
is  currently  Adjunct  Assistant  Professor in the  Department  of Pathology at
Downstate Medical Center,  New York. Dr. Harlan Waksal and Dr. Samuel Waksal are
brothers.

   
     Samuel D. Waksal,  Ph.D.,  President  of the  Company,  is a founder of the
Company and has been its Chief  Executive  Officer and a director  since  August
1985 and President  since March 1987. From 1982 to 1985, Dr. Waksal was a member
of the  faculty of Mt.  Sinai  School of  Medicine  as  Associate  Professor  of
Pathology and Director of the Division of Immunotherapy within the Department of
Pathology.  He has  served  as  visiting  Investigator  of the  National  Cancer
Institute,  Immunology Branch, Research Associate of the Department of Genetics,
Stanford  University Medical School,  Assistant  Professor of Pathology at Tufts
University School of Medicine and Senior Scientist for the Tufts Cancer Research
Center. Dr. Waksal was a scholar of the Leukemia Society of America from 1979 to
1984.  Dr. Waksal  currently  serves on the Executive  Committee of the New York
Biotechnology  Association  and on the  Board  of  Directors  of each  of  Cadus
Pharmaceutical  Corporation  and Somatix Therapy Corp. Dr. Samuel Waksal and Dr.
Harlan Waksal are brothers.
    

     All  directors of the Company hold office until the next Annual  Meeting of
Stockholders and until their successors have been duly elected and qualified.

     The  Board  recommends  a vote  "FOR"  each  of the  nominees  named  above
(Proposal No. 1 on the proxy card).

                             DIRECTORS' COMPENSATION

     Each  director  of the Company who is not an employee of the Company or who
does  not  otherwise  provide  consulting   services  to  the  Company  receives
compensation  of $10,000 per year, or a pro rata portion thereof for persons not
serving the full fiscal year,  for such person's  services as a director as well
as reimbursement of the director's reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in
connection with his Board and Board committee activities.  In addition,  subject
to the  preceding  sentence,  the  Chairman  of  each  of the  Audit  Committee,
Compensation  Committee and Corporate  Governance  Committee receives $5,000 per
year as compensation for the services of each as Chairman. Because the Corporate
Governance  Committee did not meet during the 1996 fiscal year, its Chairman did
not receive  such $5,000  payment for 1996.  Pursuant to the 1996  Non-Qualified
Plan, non-full-time employee directors also receive each February 15th an option
to purchase 2,500 shares of Common Stock which vests only after one full year of
service on the Board from the date of grant.  The Company  maintains  and is the
beneficiary  under  key-man  insurance  coverage of  $6,000,000  for each of Dr.
Samuel D. Waksal and Dr. Harlan W. Waksal.  Dr. DeVita received  $100,000 during
the  year  ended  December  31,  1996 in  consideration  for his  services  as a
consultant to the Company.

                   INFORMATION CONCERNING BOARD AND COMMITTEE
                      MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

     The Company has an Executive  Committee of the Board composed of Dr. Samuel
D.  Waksal  (Chairman),  Robert F.  Goldhammer  and Dr.  Harlan W.  Waksal.  The
Executive  Committee  acts when the full Board is not  available  and on matters
delegated to it by the full Board. It has all the power of the full Board in the
management of the business and affairs of the Company,  except those powers that
by law cannot be delegated by the Board.  The  Executive  Committee did not meet
during the year ended December 31, 1996.

     The Company has an Audit Committee of the Board composed of Paul B. Kopperl
(Chairman),  David M.  Kies,  Richard  Barth and  William R.  Miller.  The Audit
Committee  considers matters relating to the adequacy of the

                                       4


Company's  internal  financial  controls and the  objectivity  of the  Company's
financial  reporting,  reviews the Company's annual financial statements and the
performance  of the Company's  auditors and makes  recommendations  to the Board
with respect to these matters. The Audit Committee met two times during the year
ended December 31, 1996.

     The Company has a Compensation Committee of the Board composed of Robert F.
Goldhammer  (Chairman),  Paul B.  Kopperl,  Vincent T.  DeVita,  Jr. and Richard
Barth. The Compensation  Committee  reviews the compensation and related matters
of the Company's officers,  employees and consultants,  determines  compensation
levels and  approves  the other terms of such  arrangements,  and reports to the
Board thereon. The Compensation  Committee met three times during the year ended
December 31, 1996.

     The Company has a Corporate  Governance Committee composed of David M. Kies
(Chairman),  Paul B. Kopperl, William R. Miller, Robert F. Goldhammer and Harlan
W. Waksal. The Corporate Governance Committee reviews and makes  recommendations
regarding  corporate   organizational  and  governance  matters.  The  Corporate
Governance Committee did not meet during the year ended December 31, 1996.

     The Company has a Stock Option  Committee,  which is a subcommittee  of the
Compensation  Committee of the Board composed of Robert F. Goldhammer (Chairman)
and Vincent T. DeVita,  Jr. The Stock Option Committee  reviews and makes option
awards to the Company's  directors,  officers,  employees and  consultants.  The
Stock Option Committee met one time during the year ended December 31, 1996.

     During the year ended  December 31, 1996,  there were four  meetings of the
Company's  Board.  No incumbent  Director  attended  fewer than 75% of the total
number  of  meetings  of the  Board  and  of the  Committees  of the  Board,  or
subcommittees of such committee on which he served.  The Company does not have a
Nominating Committee.

                         INFORMATION CONCERNING OFFICERS

     Certain  information  concerning  each  officer of the  Company is provided
below.

     Samuel D. Waksal,  Ph.D., is the President and Chief  Executive  Officer of
the Company. Certain information concerning Dr. Waksal appears on pages 2 and 4.

     Harlan W. Waksal, M.D., is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer of the Company.  Certain  information  concerning  Dr. Waksal appears on
pages 2 and 4.

   
     Peter Bohlen,  Ph.D., 54, has been Vice President,  Research of the Company
since  September 1996. From November 1995 to July 1996 he was Senior Director of
IXSYS, a privately-held biotechnology company. From October 1987 to June 1996 he
was  department  head of the Molecular  Biology  Section of American  Cyanamid's
Medical Research Division and director of the company's angiogenesis program. He
also has held a variety of  managerial  and  professorial  positions in research
both in the United States and abroad. Dr. Bohlen received his Ph.D. in chemistry
from the University of Berne in Switzerland and received  postdoctoral  training
at the Roche  Institute of Molecular  Biology and the  University  of California
Medical School, San Francisco.
    

     Michael Feldman,  Ph.D., 71, became Vice President,  Discovery Research for
the  Company  in May 1995.  Prior  thereto he had  served as  Director  of Basic
Research  for  the  Company  since  1993.  Dr.  Feldman  is  former  head of the
Department  of Cell  Biology at the  Weizmann  Institute  of Science in Rehovot,
Israel, and a former dean of its graduate school. He has done pioneering work in
the areas of  transplantation  immunology,  differentiation  of lymphocytes  and
cancer  immunology.  In 1984,  he received the Griffuel  Award in France for his
work in cancer  metastasis,  and in 1986 received the  Rothschild  Award for his
work in immunology.  Dr. Feldman is a member of the Israeli  Academy of Sciences
and Humanities and the World Academy of Arts and Sciences.

         John A. Gilly,  Ph.D.,  39,  joined the Company as its Vice  President,
Product and Process  Development in May 1992. Since March 1995, he has been Vice
President,  Biopharmaceutical  Operations.  From February 1980

                                       5


until  joining the Company,  Dr.  Gilly was employed by Connaught  Laboratories,
Inc.,  working in various  product  development  and research  capacities.  From
October 1990 until May 1992,  Dr. Gilly was the Director of Product  Development
for Connaught  Laboratories,  Inc., directing all laboratory  activities for new
product  development.  Dr.  Gilly is a member of the Board of  Trustees  for the
Biotechnology  Council of New  Jersey,  the United Way of  Somerset  County (New
Jersey) and the Somerset Partnership for Economic Development and Enterprise.

   
     Carl S.  Goldfischer,  M.D., 38, has served as Vice President,  Finance and
Chief  Financial  Officer  since May 1996.  From June  1994  until  joining  the
Company,  Dr. Goldfischer served as a healthcare analyst with Reliance Insurance
Company.  From June 1991  until June  1994,  Dr.  Goldfischer  was  Director  of
Research  for D. Blech & Co. Dr.  Goldfischer  received a doctorate  of medicine
from  Albert  Einstein  College of  Medicine in 1988 and served as a resident in
radiation  oncology at  Montefiore  Hospital of the Albert  Einstein  College of
Medicine until 1991. Dr.  Goldfischer is a director of Immulogic  Pharmaceutical
Corporation.
    

     John B. Landes, 49, has served as Vice President,  Business Development and
General  Counsel since November  1992.  Prior  thereto,  he was Vice  President,
Administration  and Legal since December 1984. He also has been Secretary of the
Company  since April 1985 and served as its  Treasurer  from April 1984  through
September  1991,  except for an interim  period from  December  1988 to February
1991.  From 1978 to 1984,  Mr. Landes was an associate  attorney with the Boston
law firm of Mahoney, Hawkes and Goldings.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

     Ownership of and  transactions  in the  Company's  securities  by executive
officers and directors of the Company and owners of 10% or more of the Company's
outstanding  Common  Stock are  required to be reported  to the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission  (the  "Commission")  pursuant  to  Section  16(a)  of  the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the  "Exchange  Act").  During the
year ended December 31, 1996, based on information  received by the Company, Dr.
Jean Carvais, Mr. David M. Kies and Mr. William R. Miller each inadvertently did
not file one report with respect to a single transaction; Dr. Vincent T. DeVita,
Jr. and Dr.  Harlan W.  Waksal each  inadvertently  did not file one report with
respect to two transactions; and Dr. Samuel D. Waksal inadvertently did not file
one report with respect to six transactions, five of which were gifts.


                                       6


                    SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL
                              OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

     The  following  table sets forth,  as of March 14, 1997  (unless  otherwise
noted),  certain  information  with respect to the  beneficial  ownership of the
Common Stock as to (i) each person known by the Company to own beneficially more
than five percent of the outstanding  shares of Common Stock, (ii) each director
and director  nominee of the Company and (iii) each Named  Officer  specified in
the Summary  Compensation  Table below,  and (iv) all  directors  and  executive
officers  of the  Company  as a group.  Except  as  otherwise  noted,  the named
beneficial owner has sole voting and investment power.

                                                             Shares
                                                          Beneficially Percent
           Name and Address(1)                               Owned     Owned(2)
           -------------------                               -----     --------
Samuel D. Waksal, Ph.D..................................    931,477(3)   3.9%
                                                          
Harlan W. Waksal, M.D...................................    898,380(4)   3.7%
                                                          
Robert F. Goldhammer....................................    760,515(5)   3.2%
                                                          
Pioneering Management Corp..............................  1,849,000(6)   7.8%
60 State Street, Boston, MA 02114

Oracle Group............................................  2,144,000(7)   8.7%
712 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10019

Vincent T. DeVita, Jr., M.D.............................     43,217(8)    *

Jean Carvais, M.D.......................................     31,667(9)    *

Paul B. Kopperl.........................................     49,585(10)   *
   
William R. Miller.......................................      1,000       *

Richard Barth...........................................          0       *

David M. Kies...........................................     46,500(11)   *

John B. Landes..........................................    154,500(12)   *

John A. Gilly, Ph.D.....................................     21,600(13)   *

Carl S. Goldfischer, M.D................................     50,000(14)   *

All Directors and Executive
  Officers as a group (10 persons)......................  2,812,341(15) 11.0%
    

*    Less than 1%.

(1)  Unless otherwise noted, each person's address is in care of ImClone Systems
     Incorporated, 180 Varick Street, Seventh Floor, New York, New York 10014.


                                       7


(2)  The percentage of stock owned by each stockholder is calculated by dividing
     (i) the number of shares deemed to be beneficially held by such stockholder
     as of March 14, 1997, as  determined  in accordance  with Rule 13d-3 of the
     Exchange  Act,  by (ii) the sum of (A)  23,690,199  which is the  number of
     shares of Common Stock outstanding as of March 14, 1997 plus (B) the number
     of shares of Common  Stock  issuable  upon  exercise of options or warrants
     held by such  stockholder  which were  exercisable  as of March 14, 1997 or
     which will become exercisable within 60 days after March 14, 1997.

(3)  Includes 437,305 shares issuable upon the exercise of warrants  exercisable
     as of March 14,  1997 or within 60 days  after  March 14,  1997 and  45,000
     shares  issuable upon the exercise of options  exercisable  as of March 14,
     1997 or within 60 days after March 14, 1997.

   
(4)  Includes 40,000 shares issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable as
     of March 14, 1997 or within 60 days after March 14, 1997 and 737,680 shares
     issuable upon the exercise of warrants  exercisable as of March 14, 1997 or
     within 60 days after March 14,  1997.  Includes  2,600  shares owned by Dr.
     Waksal's sons, as to which he disclaims beneficial  ownership.  Included in
     the warrants to purchase an aggregate of 737,680  shares held by Dr. Waksal
     is a warrant to purchase  397,000  shares which was  scheduled to expire on
     March 24,  1997.  The  exercise  term of such  warrant to purchase  397,000
     shares was extended prior to its expiration until March 24, 1999.
    

(5)  Includes 31,667 shares issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable as
     of March 14, 1997 or within 60 days after March 14, 1997 and 379,990 shares
     issuable upon the exercise of warrants  exercisable as of March 14, 1997 or
     within 60 days after  March 14,  1997.  Includes  13,314  shares  held in a
     trust, as to which Mr. Goldhammer disclaims beneficial ownership.

(6)  This  information  is as of  December  31,  1996  and is  based on a second
     amendment to a Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on January 15, 1997.

(7)  Includes 925,000 shares issuable upon the exercise of warrants  exercisable
     as of March 14, 1997 or within 60 days of March 14, 1997. This  information
     is based on a Schedule 13F filed with the  Commission in December 1996. The
     Oracle Group is comprised of various  investment  partnerships  and managed
     accounts controlled by Larry N. Feinberg.

(8)  Includes 42,917 shares issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable as
     of March 14, 1997 or within 60 days after March 14, 1997.

(9)  Consists of 31,667 shares issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable
     as of March 14, 1997 or within 60 days after March 14, 1997.

(10) Includes 30,625 shares issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable as
     of March 14, 1997 or within 60 days after  March 14, 1997 and 2,460  shares
     issuable upon the exercise of warrants  exercisable as of March 14, 1997 or
     within 60 days  after  March 14,  1997.  Includes  500  shares  held by Mr.
     Kopperl's spouse as to which Mr. Kopperl disclaims beneficial ownership.

       
   
(11) Includes 1,397 shares issuable upon the exercise of options  exercisable as
     of March 14, 1997 or within 60 days after March 14, 1997, 4,000 shares held
     by Mr. Kies as  custodian  for his son and 2,500  shares held by Mr.  Kies'
     spouse.  Mr. Kies disclaims  beneficial  ownership as to the shares held by
     his spouse.

(12) Consists of 19,500 shares issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable
     as of March 14,  1997 or within 60 days after  March 14,  1997 and  135,000
     shares  issuable  upon the  exercise  of warrants  exercisable  as of March
     14,1997 or within 60 days after March 14, 1997.

(13) Includes 15,000 shares issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable as
     of March 14, 1997 or within 60 days after March 14, 1997.
    


                                       8


   
(14) Includes 50,000 shares issuable upon exercise of options  exercisable as of
     March 14, 1997 or within 60 days after March 14, 1997.

(15) Includes an aggregate of (i) 271,876  shares  issuable upon the exercise of
     options  exercisable as of March 14, 1997 or within 60 days after March 14,
     1997,  (ii)  1,557,435  shares  issuable  upon  the  exercise  of  warrants
     exercisable  as of March 14, 1997 or within 60 days after  March 14,  1997,
     and (iii) 18,914  shares as to which  beneficial  ownership is  disclaimed.
     Shares held by Messrs.  Gilly and Landes have not been included as they are
     not considered executive officers of the Company.
    

                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS

     In  January  1992,  the  Company  participated  in the  founding  of  Cadus
Pharmaceutical  Corporation ("Cadus") with scientists from Princeton University.
The Company  supported the initial growth and  development  of Cadus,  and as of
December 31, 1993 owned  approximately 28% of Cadus' common and preferred stock.
In December 1994, the Company completed the sale of one-half of its Cadus shares
for  proceeds  equaling  $3  million to High River  Limited  Partnership  ("High
River").  This was  recorded in the 1994  financial  statements  as a subsequent
event. In April 1995, the Company  completed the sale of the remaining  one-half
of its  shares of  capital  stock of Cadus for $3  million  to High  River.  The
Company  had a right to  repurchase  all such  shares of Cadus  anytime up until
October 27, 1996 for $5.25 per share which it did not exercise.  In exchange for
such right,  the Company  granted  High River two options to purchase  shares of
Common Stock.  One option is to purchase  150,000 shares at a price of $2.00 per
share, subject to adjustment under certain  circumstances,  and the other option
is to  purchase  300,000  shares  at a price  of $0.69  per  share,  subject  to
adjustment under certain circumstances. Both options became exercisable on April
27,  1995 and will  expire on April 26,  2000.  Dr.  Samuel  D.  Waksal  was the
Chairman of the board of  directors  of Cadus until July 1996 and  continues  to
serve on the board as a director.

     Dr. Samuel Waksal was indebted to the Company for outstanding cash advances
totaling  $101,000 as of December  31,  1996,  and the debt as of March 14, 1997
totaled  $95,394.  In April 1995, Dr. Waksal  provided the Company with a demand
promissory  note  pursuant to which he is  obligated  to repay the debt over the
two-year period ending April 30, 1997.

   
     In July 1995,  Mr. Robert F.  Goldhammer,  Chairman of the Board loaned the
Company $180,000 in exchange for a long-term note due two years from issuance at
an annual interest rate of 8%. As part of the  transaction,  Mr.  Goldhammer was
granted  warrants to purchase  36,000  shares of Common Stock at $1.50 per share
and additional  warrants to purchase  36,000 shares of Common Stock at $3.00 per
share. In May 1996, the Company and Mr. Goldhammer exchanged the note for 24,000
shares of Common Stock and the Company  paid the accrued and unpaid  interest on
the note in the amount of $10,000 in cash. The Company recorded an extraordinary
loss of $39,000 on the  extinguishment  of the debt.  The Company has registered
such shares of Common Stock with the Commission  under a registration  statement
in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act").

     During  the  year  ended  December  31,  1996,  the  Company  paid  Concord
International  Investment Group, LP approximately $163,000 for services rendered
by it to the Company in connection with structuring a then contemplated  product
related financing for the Company's cancer therapeutic, C225 which financing was
not completed. Such amount included expenses. Mr. Robert F. Goldhammer, Chairman
of the  Board of  Directors,  is a  limited  partner  of  Concord  International
Investment Group, LP.
    

     The Company has retained Concord Capital  Management  International,  a New
York-based  money  management firm, to manage the investment of a portion of the
Company's  marketable  securities.  Mr.  Robert F.  Goldhammer  is a partner  of
Concord  Capital  Management  International.  During the year ended December 31,
1996, the Company paid to Concord Capital Management  International an aggregate
of $24,000 for services rendered.


                                       9


     In January 1996, the Company paid Delano & Kopperl Financial Advisors, Inc.
a total of approximately  $50,000 for services  rendered by it to the Company in
connection with structuring a then  contemplated  product related  financing for
C225 which financing was not completed.  Such amount included expenses.  Paul B.
Kopperl,  a  director  of  the  Company,  is  President,  director,  and  a  30%
stockholder of Delano & Kopperl,  Inc.,  successor to Delano & Kopperl Financial
Advisors, Inc.

     During the year ended  December 31, 1996,  the Company paid Dr.  Vincent T.
DeVita,  Jr., a director  of the  Company,  a total of $100,000  for  consulting
services provided to the Company by Dr. DeVita.

                             EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Report of Compensation Committee

         The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Compensation
Committee"  or  the  "Committee")  is  responsible  for  developing  and  making
recommendations   to  the  Board  with  respect  to  the   Company's   executive
compensation  policies.  In  addition,  pursuant to  authority  delegated by the
Board,  the  Committee  determines  the  compensation  policy of the Company and
determines on an annual basis the compensation to be paid to the Chief Executive
Officer and  approves  compensation  to other  officers of the  Company,  at the
recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer and other supervising personnel.

     The Compensation  Committee is composed of Robert F. Goldhammer (Chairman),
Richard Barth, Vincent T. DeVita, Jr. and Paul B. Kopperl.

Overall Philosophy

     The Company's  overall  executive  compensation  philosophy is based on the
premise that  compensation  should be set at levels that  support the  Company's
business strategies and long-term  objectives in order to attract,  motivate and
retain those  executives  critical to the overall  success of the  Company,  and
should  reward  executives  for  their   contributions  to  the  enhancement  of
shareholder  value. The key elements of the executive  compensation  package are
base  salary,  annual  incentive  awards  and stock  options  and  warrants.  In
establishing base salaries,  annual incentive awards and awards of stock options
and  warrants,   the  Compensation  Committee  considers  periodic  compensation
surveys,    including   those   provided   by   third   parties   covering   the
biopharmaceutical industry.  Officers' compensation is compared to that of other
executives in peer group surveys.

     In evaluating each senior  executive's  performance,  the Company generally
conforms to the following process:

     o    Company and  individual  goals and objectives are set at the beginning
          of the performance cycle.

     o    At the end of the performance  cycle, the executive's  manager,  or in
          the case of the Chief Executive Officer,  the Compensation  Committee,
          evaluates the  accomplishment  of the executive's goals and objectives
          and his or her contributions to the Company.

     o    The  executive's  performance  is  then  reviewed  by the  executive's
          manager with the executive and consideration is given to goals for the
          following performance cycle.

     o    The  comparative  results,   combined  with  comparative  compensation
          practices  of  other  companies  in the  industry,  are  then  used to
          determine salary, bonus, and stock option and warrant levels.

     The   Compensation   Committee   uses  no  set  formulas  in  making  these
determinations  and may afford  different  weight to different  factors for each
senior  executive.  Such  weighting may vary from year to year.  In  determining
compensation,  the  Committee  does not attempt to correlate  compensation  with
specific financial results, such as revenues or profits, for the current period.
This is in large part due to the  nature of the  


                                       10


biopharmaceutical   industry  in  which  traditional  evaluations  of  corporate
performance  may not apply in reviewing the  performance of  executives.  At the
Company's stage of development, in determining compensation, the Committee looks
toward the progress of the  Company's  research and  development  programs,  its
ability to gain  appropriate  levels of support  for its  programs  through  its
strategic  partnering  agreements,  its ability to attract  and retain  talented
employees  and  its  ability  to  secure  capital  sufficient  for  its  product
development programs to achieve rapid and effective commercialization.

Base Salary

     At the end of each year,  the Committee  reviews and  establishes  the base
salary of the Chief Executive Officer based on a comparison to national surveys,
taking into consideration the Company's  performance and current  circumstances,
accomplishment of his goals and objectives and his contributions to the Company.
The Committee also reviews and approves, or modifies if necessary, a salary plan
for the other  senior  executives  prepared  by the Chief  Executive  Officer in
conjunction with other senior  personnel which is based on appropriate  national
comparisons with respect to the biopharmaceutical  industry and judgments on the
performance  of each  executive  and his or her  contributions  to the Company's
performance.

Annual Incentive Awards

     Although the Company does not have a formal bonus plan for its  management,
the  Compensation   Committee  determines  annual  incentive  awards  to  senior
executives  from  time to time  based  on  individual  performance  and  Company
performance.  Specific  performance goals of each executive are determined early
each  year  in  direct  consultation  with  the  executive's  supervisor.  These
performance  goals  include  successful  and cost  efficient  management  of the
executive's department and specific contributions made by that department to the
immediate and ultimate goals of the Company.  For the Chief  Executive  Officer,
such goals are determined in reference to the CEO's plan for the coming year for
the Company as a whole, as presented to the Board of Directors.  The awarding of
annual incentive awards takes into  consideration  individual efforts as well as
performance of the Company as a whole. In evaluating  performance of the Company
as a whole, several factors are examined, including productivity of research and
development  programs,  successful movement of development stage products toward
commercialization,  fostering development of successful corporate  partnerships,
expense  control,  financing  efforts and  progress  of the  Company  toward its
short-term and long-term goals.

Long-Term Incentive Compensation

     Stock options and warrants are  considered as long-term  incentives and are
intended to link the interests of the executive  with those of the  stockholder.
Stock  options and warrants  will provide value to the grantee when the price of
the Company's stock increases.

     The  Compensation  Committee  conducts a formal review from time to time of
the stock option and warrant holdings and vesting schedule of each officer.  The
Compensation  Committee  authorizes  stock option  grants  (and,  in some cases,
grants of  warrants)  to the  executives  with  consideration  to the growth and
performance of the Company, individual performance and contribution, total stock
option and warrant and vesting levels and length of service.

     In the year ended  December 31, 1996,  the CEO and the other Named Officers
(as hereinafter  defined) were awarded no warrants,  and were awarded options to
purchase an aggregate of 415,000  shares of Common Stock.  See "Option Grants in
Last Fiscal Year."

Deductibility of Compensation

     The Committee has reviewed the impact of recently enacted Section 162(m) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended (the "Code"),  which,  beginning in
1994, limits the deductibility of certain otherwise  deductible  compensation in
excess of $1 million  paid to the Chief  Executive  Officer  and the other Named
Officers (as hereinafter defined). It is the policy of the Company to attempt to
have its executive compensation plans treated


                                       11


as tax deductible  compensation  whenever,  in the judgment of the  Compensation
Committee, to do so would be consistent with the objectives of that compensation
plan.

Chief Executive Officer Compensation

     The key elements of the  compensation  for the Chief Executive  Officer are
base  salary,  annual  incentive  awards  and  stock  options  or  warrants.  In
evaluating Dr. Samuel Waksal's 1996  performance and in determining Dr. Waksal's
1997  compensation,  the  Compensation  Committee,  along  with the full  Board,
considered the performance of the Company in 1996. This included the progress in
clinical and manufacturing  efforts for the Company's lead interventional cancer
therapeutic, C225, progress of the Company's BEC-2 cancer vaccine product toward
clinical trials and resultant modification of the Company's agreement with Merck
KGaA,  successful  completion of financings to support the Company's current and
future operations,  and the completion of significant  additions to the Board of
Directors.  The Board also noted Dr. Waksal's impact on the  solidification of a
significant  research  program,  including  the  hiring of a Vice  President  of
Research,  and positive  steps taken in financial  administration  and strategic
planning.

                                            Compensation Committee

                                            Robert F. Goldhammer, Chairman
                                            Richard Barth
                                            Vincent T. DeVita, Jr.
                                            Paul B. Kopperl

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

   
     As of December 31, 1996,  the members of the  Compensation  Committee  were
Richard Barth, Vincent T. DeVita, Jr., Robert F. Goldhammer  (Chairman) and Paul
B.  Kopperl.  Jean Carvais also served on the  Compensation  Committee  during a
portion of the year  ended  December  31,  1996.  No member of the  Compensation
Committee during 1996 is a current or former officer of the Company.  During the
year ended December 31, 1996, the Company paid Concord International  Investment
Group, LP approximately  $163,000 for services  rendered by it to the Company in
connection with structuring a then  contemplated  product related  financing for
C225 which  financing was not  completed.  Such amount  included  expenses.  Mr.
Robert F.  Goldhammer is a limited partner of Concord  International  Investment
Group. The Company has retained Concord Capital Management International,  a New
York-based  money  management firm, to manage the investment of a portion of the
Company's  marketable  securities.  Mr.  Robert F.  Goldhammer  is a partner  of
Concord  Capital  Management  International.  During the year ended December 31,
1996, the Company paid to Concord Capital Management  International an aggregate
of $24,000 for services  rendered.  In January  1996,  the Company paid Delano &
Kopperl Financial Advisors,  Inc. a total of approximately  $50,000 for services
rendered by it to the Company in connection with structuring a then contemplated
product  related  financing  for C225 which  financing was not  completed.  Such
amount  included  expenses.  Paul B.  Kopperl,  a director  of the  Company,  is
President,  director, and a 30% stockholder of Delano & Kopperl, Inc., successor
to Delano & Kopperl Financial Advisors,  Inc. During the year ended December 31,
1996,  the Company  paid Dr.  Vincent T.  DeVita,  Jr. a total of  $100,000  for
consulting  services  provided  to the  Company  by  Dr.  DeVita.  See  "Certain
Transactions," above.
    


                                       12


                             STOCK PRICE PERFORMANCE

     The graph  below  provides a  comparison  of the  cumulative  total  return
(assuming  reinvestment of dividends) for the Company (which paid no dividends),
The Nasdaq Stock  Market (U.S.  Companies)  Total Return  Index,  and the Nasdaq
Pharmaceutical  Stocks Total Return Index for the period commencing November 19,
1991, the date the Company  completed its initial public  offering and commenced
trading on the Nasdaq  National  Market,  through  December 31, 1996.  The graph
assumes  $100 was invested at the  beginning  of such  period.  The Nasdaq Stock
Market (U.S.  Companies) Total Return Index comprises all domestic common shares
traded on the Nasdaq National Market and the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.  The Nasdaq
Pharmaceutical  Stocks Total Return Index  represents all  companies,  including
biotechnology  companies,  trading  on  Nasdaq  classified  under  the  Standard
Industrial Classification Code for pharmaceuticals.

                           Comparison of Total Return

      IMCLONE, NASDAQ STOCK MARKET (U.S. COMPANIES) TOTAL RETURN INDEX AND
                NASDAQ PHARMACEUTICAL STOCKS TOTAL RETURN INDEX

     [THE FOLLOWING TABLE REPRESENTS A LINE CHART IN THE PRINTED MATERIAL]

      ImClone Systems                NASDAQ                  Pharmaceutical
      ---------------                ------                  --------------
  Date     Price   Index      Date    Price   Index       Date    Price   Index 
  ----     -----   -----      ----    -----   -----       ----    -----   ----- 
11/19/91  13.5000   100     11/19/91  164.38   100      11/19/91  314.09   100
12/31/91  18.0000   133     12/31/91  187.21   114      12/31/91  387.27   123
 3/31/92  15.2500   113      3/31/92  193.09   117       3/31/92  335.27   107
 6/30/92  10.2500    76      6/30/92  179.89   109       6/30/92  281.24    90
 9/30/92   6.2500    46      9/30/92  187.28   114       9/30/92  264.84    84
12/31/92  11.5000    85     12/31/92  217.88   133      12/31/92  322.27   103
 3/31/93   9.2500    69      3/31/93  221.97   135       3/31/93  231.98    74
 6/30/93   6.0000    44      6/30/93  226.23   138       6/30/93  244.48    78
 9/30/93   9.2500    69      9/30/93  245.30   149       9/30/93  265.05    84
12/31/93   6.1250    45     12/31/93  250.12   152      12/31/93  287.25    91
 3/31/94   3.6250    27      3/31/94  239.60   146       3/31/94  234.29    75
 6/30/94   2.3750    18      6/30/94  228.40   139       6/30/94  204.50    65
 9/30/94   1.7500    13      9/30/94  247.31   150       9/30/94  230.38    73
12/31/94   0.9370     7     12/31/94  244.49   149      12/31/94  216.24    69
 3/31/95   0.6875     5      3/31/95  266.42   162       3/31/95  233.45    74
 6/30/95   1.8750    14      6/30/95  304.74   185       6/30/95  271.42    86
 9/30/95   3.7500    28      9/30/95  341.42   208       9/30/95  338.08   108
12/31/95   7.6250    56     12/31/95  345.48   210      12/31/95  394.98   126
 3/31/96   8.7500    65      3/31/96  361.86   220       3/31/96  411.62   131
 6/30/96   9.1250    68      6/30/96  391.40   238       6/30/96  399.96   127
 9/30/96   8.6250    64      9/30/96  405.34   247       9/30/96  408.98   130
12/31/96   9.7500    72     12/31/96  425.26   259      12/31/96  395.98   126


                                       13


                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

     The  Summary   Compensation   Table  sets  forth  the  cash  and   non-cash
compensation  awarded to,  earned by, or paid to the Company's  Chief  Executive
Officer  and the four most  highly  compensated  officers  (other than the Chief
Executive Officer) for the years ended December 31, 1996,  December 31, 1995 and
December  31, 1994 who were  serving as officers at December  31, 1996 and whose
total salary and bonus  exceeded  $100,000 for the year ended  December 31, 1996
(the "Named Officers").



                                                                                        Long Term
                                                Annual Compensation                 Compensation Awards
                                                -------------------                 -------------------

                                                                    Other Annual   Securities Underlying       All Other
Name and                                     Salary      Bonus      Compensation   Options and Warrants       Compensation
Principal Position               Year        ($)(1)      ($)(2)        ($)(3)             (#)(4)                  ($)
- ------------------               ----        ------      ------     ------------   ---------------------      ------------  
                                                                                  
                                                                                                    
Samuel D. Waksal                 1996       $225,000   $100,000(5)       --               45,000              $ 10,435(6)
President and Chief              1995        190,000    150,000          --              350,000                10,435(6)
Executive Officer                1994        190,000       --            --                 --                  10,435(6)
                                                                                                              
Harlan W. Waksal                 1996        195,000       --            --               40,000                  --
Executive Vice President         1995        170,000    100,000(7)       --                 --                    --
and Chief Operating              1994        170,000    125,000          --                 --                    --
Officer                                                                                                       
                                                                                                              
John B. Landes                   1996        165,000     50,000          --               30,000                  --
Vice President, Business         1995        150,000     30,000          --                 --                    --
Development and                  1994        150,000       --            --                 --                
General Counsel                                                                                                   --
                                                                                                              
John A. Gilly                    1996        165,000    100,000          --               75,000                  --
Vice President,                  1995        137,000     50,000          --                 --                    --
Biopharmaceutical                1994        110,000       --            --                 --                    --
Operations                                                                                                        --
                                                                                                              
                                                                                                              
Carl S. Goldfischer(8)           1996        109,000     75,000          --              225,000                  --
Vice President, Finance          1995           --         --            --                 --                    --
and Chief Financial              1994           --         --            --                 --                    --
Officer                                                                                                    
    


(1)  Amounts shown include  compensation  deferred pursuant to Section 401(k) of
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("the Code").

(2)  Although the Company has no formal bonus plan, the  Compensation  Committee
     of the Board,  in its  discretion,  may award  bonuses to  officers  of the
     Company.  The  Company has paid  bonuses  based on  individual  and Company
     performance.  Amounts  shown  include  awards  paid  relative  to  services
     rendered in each of the last three fiscal years.  All bonus awards for each
     of the last three fiscal years were paid in cash.  Bonuses are recorded for
     the period in which they were earned.

(3)  Excludes  prerequisites  and other personal benefits for each Named Officer
     which  did not  equal  or  exceed  the  lesser  of  $50,000  or 10% of such
     individual's  base salary and bonus for the years ended  December 31, 1996,
     December 31, 1995 and December 31, 1994, respectively.

(4)  Options or warrants to purchase  the number of shares of Common Stock shown
     are recorded for the period in which they were granted.


                                       14


(5)  During the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, the Compensation  Committee
     determined to award Dr.  Samuel D. Waksal an additional  bonus in an amount
     to be determined, subject to the Company's completion by June 30, 1997 of a
     corporate partnership,  or similar strategic  arrangement,  with acceptable
     terms.

(6)  Consists of premium payments on a term life insurance policy for Dr. Samuel
     D. Waksal under which his daughters are the beneficiaries.

(7)  During the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, the Compensation  Committee
     determined to consider the payment of an additional  $100,000  bonus to Dr.
     Harlan W. Waksal at the end of the six month period ending June 30, 1997.

(8)  Dr. Goldfischer commenced employment with the Company on May 20, 1996.

                       OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR

     The following table sets forth certain information relating to stock option
grants to the Named Officers during the year ended December 31, 1996.



                                                                                                 Potential Realizable
                      Number of        % of Total                                          Value at Assumed Annual Rates of
                     Securities      Options Granted                                           Stock Price Appreciation
                     Underlying       to Employees     Exercise Price                              for Option Term (3)
     Name          Options Granted  in fiscal year(1)   ($/share)(2)     Expiration Date     0%($)       5%($)       10%($)
     ----          ---------------  -----------------   ------------     ---------------   --------------------------------
               
                                                                                                    
Samuel D. Waksal       45,000(4)            6%           $ 10.875         June 9, 2006      $  --     $ 307,765    $ 779,938
                                                                                                                  
Harlan W. Waksal       40,000(4)            5%             10.875         June 9, 2006         --       273,569      693,278
                                                                                                                  
John B. Landes         30,000(5)            4%             10.875         June 9, 2006         --       205,177      519,958
                                                                                                                  
John A. Gilly          75,000(5)           10%             10.875         June 9, 2006         --       512,942    1,299,896
                                                                                                                  
   
Carl S. Goldfischer   225,000(6)           31%               8.30        April 23, 2006     551,250   2,072,389    4,406,115

    

(1)  The Company granted options to purchase a total of 732,375 shares of Common
     Stock to employees  during the year ended  December 31, 1996.  All of these
     options were granted  pursuant to either the Company's 1986 Incentive Stock
     Option Plan,  as amended,  the 1986  Non-Qualified  Stock  Option Plan,  as
     amended,  the 1996 ISO Plan or the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan at an exercise
     price that equaled or exceeded the fair market value of the Common Stock on
     the date of grant, except as discussed in footnote 6.

(2)  Except as  discussed  in footnote 6, all options  were  granted to purchase
     Common Stock at an exercise  price that equaled or exceeded the fair market
     value of the Common Stock on the date of grant,  as  determined by the last
     sale price as reported by the Nasdaq National Market.

(3)  The amounts set forth in the three  columns  represent  hypothetical  gains
     that might be  achieved  by the  optionees  if the  respective  options are
     exercised at the end of their terms. These gains are based on assumed rates
     of stock price appreciation of 0%, 5% and 10% compounded  annually from the
     dates the respective  options were granted.  The 0% appreciation  column is
     included  because,  except as  discussed  in footnote  6, the options  were
     granted with exercise  prices which equaled or exceeded the market price of
     the  underlying  Common  Stock on the date of grant,  and thus will have no
     value unless the Company's stock price increases above the exercise prices.

(4)  These options were vested and  exercisable in their entirety on the date of
     grant.


                                       15


(5)  These options will vest and become  exercisable  with respect to 25% of the
     shares of Common  Stock  underlying  each option on each of June 10,  1997,
     June 10, 1998,  June 10, 1999 and June 10, 2000,  subject to the respective
     optionee's  continued  employment with the Company on the relevant  vesting
     dates.

   
(6)  This option vested and became  exercisable  as to 50,000 shares on the date
     of grant and will become  exercisable as to 33 1/3% of the remaining shares
     on each of May 20,  1997,  May 20,  1998 and May 20,  1999,  subject to the
     optionee's  continued  employment with the Company on the relevant  vesting
     dates.  The  exercise  price for this option was  determined  by taking the
     average of the closing  prices for the sixty day period  ending on the date
     of grant. See "Employment Agreements," below.
    

               OPTION/WARRANT EXERCISES AND FISCAL YEAR-END VALUES

         The following table sets forth option and warrant  exercises during the
year ended  December 31, 1996 by the Named Officers and the value of the options
and  warrants  held by  such  persons  on  December  31,  1996,  whether  or not
exercisable on such date.



                                                     Number of Shares Underlying         Value of Unexercised
                       Shares                      Unexercised Options/Warrants at  In-The-Money Options/Warrants at
                     Acquired on      Value             December 31, 1996(#)             December 31, 1996($)(2)
     Name            Exercise(#)  Realized($)(1)   Exercisable      Unexercisable   Exercisable      Unexercisable
     ----            -----------  --------------   -----------      -------------   -----------      -------------

                                                                                         
Samuel D. Waksal      244,692       $2,247,995       582,305             --         $3,032,766         $   -- 

Harlan W. Waksal         --               --         777,680             --          6,088,013             --

John B. Landes         14,500          117,438       155,500           30,000        1,288,000             --

John A. Gilly          15,000          116,250        15,000           75,000          127,500             --

Carl S. Goldfischer      --               --          50,000          175,000           72,500          253,750



   
(1)  The values realized were calculated by multiplying the closing market price
     of the Common  Stock on the date of  exercise by the  respective  number of
     shares exercised and subtracting the aggregate exercise price. Accordingly,
     such  values  realized  assume a sale of such  Common  Stock on the date of
     exercise, which may not necessarily have occurred.

(2)  The values were  calculated by multiplying  the closing market price of the
     Common  Stock on  December  31,  1996  ($9.75 per share as  reported by the
     Nasdaq National Market on that date) by the respective number of shares and
     subtracting the aggregate  exercise  price,  without making any adjustments
     for vesting,  termination contingencies or other variables. If the exercise
     price of an option or warrant is equal to or greater  than $9.75 the option
     or warrant is deemed to have no value.
    

Other Benefit Plans

     The Company has no defined benefit or defined contribution retirement plans
other than the ImClone Systems  Incorporated  401(k) Employee  Savings Plan (the
"Plan") established under Section 401(k) of the Code.  Contributions to the Plan
are  voluntary,  and  substantially  all  full-time  employees  are  eligible to
participate.  While the Plan  provides  for the  ability of the Company to match
certain  employee   contributions,   the  Company  has  not  made  any  matching
contributions and has no present intention to do so.


                                       16


                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS

   
     In May 1996, the Company entered into an employment agreement with Dr. Carl
S.  Goldfischer  to serve as the  Company's  Vice  President,  Finance and Chief
Financial Officer. The employment agreement is for an initial term of two years,
subject to certain earlier termination provisions,  and may be extended upon the
mutual  agreement of the parties.  Pursuant to the  agreement,  Dr.  Goldfischer
receives an annual  salary  equal to  $175,000,  is entitled to a bonus equal to
$75,000  at the end of his first year  (which  was paid in January  1997) and is
entitled to a bonus for his second year of  employment  as may be  determined by
the  Board.  In the event Dr.  Goldfischer's  employment  is  terminated  by the
Company  during the initial or any extended  term of the  agreement  (i) without
cause (as defined  therein),  (ii) as a result of the Company's  disposition  of
substantially  all its property,  business or assets,  or (iii) as a result of a
merger  resulting in a shift of voting control of more than 75% of the Company's
stock,  Dr.  Goldfischer is entitled to receive a pro rata portion of his annual
salary and cost of  comparable  benefits  for a period of ten months  should his
termination  be effective  during 1997 and for a period of twelve  months should
his termination be effective in 1998. Pursuant to the agreement, Dr. Goldfischer
received an option to purchase an aggregate of 225,000 shares of Common Stock at
a per share  exercise  price equal to $8.30 which was the average of the closing
prices of the Common Stock for the sixty day period ending on the date of grant.
The  option  vested and became  exercisable  as to 50,000  shares on the date of
grant and will vest and become exercisable as to 33 1/3% of the remaining shares
on  each  of  the  three  anniversaries  following  the  effective  date  of the
employment agreement.  The option terminates in its entirety upon termination of
Dr. Goldfischer's  employment.  Dr.  Goldfischer's  employment agreement further
requires  him  to  maintain  the  confidentiality  of  Company  information  and
prohibits him from  competing with the Company during the term of the employment
agreement,  any  extensions  thereof  and for a  period  of one year  after  the
agreement's termination.
    

                                       17


                                 PROPOSAL NO. 2

          PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE 1996 INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION PLAN

   
     In February 1996, the Company's Board adopted the 1996 ISO Plan in order to
enable the Company to attract and retain key  executives  and  employees  and to
promote the interests of the Company by affording such persons an opportunity to
acquire a proprietary  interest in the Company  pursuant to stock options issued
by the Company,  and thus to create in such persons increased  personal interest
in the continued success of the Company. The shareholders  approved the 1996 ISO
Plan in June 1996. Subject to shareholder  approval,  on April 3, 1997 the Board
approved  amendments  to the 1996 ISO Plan to (i)  increase  the total number of
shares of Common Stock which may be issued pursuant to options granted under the
1996 ISO Plan from 1,500,000 to 3,000,000,  which number shall be reduced by the
number of shares  which have been or may be issued  pursuant to options  granted
under the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan; and (ii) provide that any of the Compensation
Committee,   the  Stock  Option  Committee  (which  is  a  subcommittee  of  the
Compensation  Committee) or the Board may  administer the 1996 ISO Plan and that
such  persons  need not be  "disinterested  persons"  as such term was  formerly
defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934,  as amended  (the  "Exchange  Act")  (Proposal  No. 2 on your proxy
card).
    

     The Board  believes that a key  ingredient in  attracting,  motivating  and
retaining qualified  executives and employees is to offer significant  potential
rewards based upon the Company's success, through the issuance of stock options.
The  amendment  to the 1996 ISO Plan  increasing  the  shares  of  Common  Stock
authorized thereunder presented herein to the stockholders for their approval is
designed  to assist the Company in  accomplishing  this goal.  Of the  1,500,000
shares of Common Stock currently  authorized in the aggregate under the 1996 ISO
Plan and the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan, at April 4, 1997 an aggregate of 446,228
shares remained available for future grants.

   
     The following summary  description of the 1996 ISO Plan is qualified in its
entirety by the full text of the 1996 ISO Plan, as proposed to be amended, which
may be obtained by the Company's  stockholders  upon request to the Secretary of
the Company.
    

     The last sale price of a share of the Company's Common Stock as reported by
the Nasdaq National Market on April 4, 1997 was $5 1/8.

Description of the 1996 ISO Plan

     Administration  of the 1996  ISO  Plan.  The  1996  ISO Plan as  originally
adopted  provided that such plan be administered by the Stock Option  Committee,
which is a subcommittee  of the  Compensation  Committee,  comprised of not less
than two  persons to be  appointed  by the Board  from among the  members of the
Board.  It also  provided  that  members of the Stock Option  Committee  are not
eligible to become  participants  under the 1996 ISO Plan while they are members
of the Stock Option  Committee or for a period of three  months  thereafter  and
were required,  unless otherwise  determined by the Board, to be  "disinterested
persons" as such term was defined in Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act.  Subject
to shareholder approval, the Board has amended the 1996 ISO Plan to provide that
any of the Compensation Committee, the Stock Option Committee (collectively, the
"Committees") or the Board may administer the 1996 ISO Plan. Further, subject to
shareholder  approval,  the Board has  amended  the 1996 ISO Plan to remove  the
requirement that such persons  administering the 1996 ISO Plan be "disinterested
persons" as such term was  formerly  defined  under Rule  16b-3.  Rule 16b-3 was
substantially amended in 1996 and, as a result, no longer requires those persons
administering  a plan to be  "disinterested  persons."  Further,  Rule 16b-3, as
amended,  now permits the full Board,  as well as  committees  thereof,  to make
grants and awards  thereunder and otherwise  administer  the plan.  Because Rule
16b-3  has  been  amended  to  give   companies   greater   flexibility  in  the
administration of their plans,  subject to shareholder  approval,  the Board has
amended the 1996 ISO Plan to take  advantage  of this  greater  flexibility  and
remove these requirements as to administration.  Such amendments to the 1996 ISO
Plan are included as part of this Proposal No. 2 for vote by the shareholders at
the Meeting.


                                       18


     The members of the Committees serve at the pleasure of the Board, which has
the power at all times to remove  members from the  Committees or to add members
thereto.  Vacancies in the Committees,  however caused,  are filled by action of
the Board.  All decisions or  determinations  of the Committees or the Board are
made by the  majority  vote or decision of all of its  respective  members.  The
interpretation  and  construction  by any of the  Committees or the Board of the
provisions of the 1996 ISO Plan or of the options  granted  thereunder are final
unless, in the case of the Committees, otherwise determined by the Board.

     Eligibility  to  Participate  in the  1996 ISO  Plan.  Key  executives  and
employees of the Company are  eligible  for the grant of options  under the 1996
ISO Plan. As of April 4, 1997, 98 persons were  eligible to  participate  in the
1996 ISO Plan.

     Common Stock  Subject to the 1996 ISO Plan.  The  original  total number of
shares  available to be issued in the aggregate  under the 1996 ISO Plan and the
1996 Non-Qualified Plan was 1,500,000.  The Board has amended the 1996 ISO Plan,
subject to shareholder approval, to increase such number of shares to 3,000,000.
Such  amendment  is  included  as part of this  Proposal  No.  2 for vote by the
shareholders at the Meeting.  A similar amendment to the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan
is begin presented to shareholders as part of Proposal No. 3 below. The issuance
and sale of the shares of Common Stock currently  authorized  under the 1996 ISO
Plan and the 1996 Non-Qualified  Plan is covered by a Registration  Statement on
Form S-8 on file with the  Commission;  provided that sales by affiliates of the
Company are subject to the volume  limitations  contained  in Rule 144 under the
Securities Act.

     If any change is made in the shares of Common Stock subject to the 1996 ISO
Plan or subject to any option  granted under the 1996 ISO Plan (through  merger,
consolidation,  reorganization,   recapitalization,  stock  dividend,  split-up,
combination of shares,  exchange of shares,  issuance of rights to subscribe, or
change  in  capital  structure),  appropriate  adjustments  shall be made by the
Committees or the Board as to the maximum  number of shares  subject to the 1996
ISO Plan and the  number of shares and price per share  subject  to  outstanding
options as shall be  equitable  to prevent  dilution  or  enlargement  of option
rights.  Any such  determination  made by the  Committees  or the Board shall be
final, binding and conclusive upon each participant.

     Amendments or Discontinuation of the 1996 ISO Plan. The Board may make such
amendments,  changes and additions to the 1996 ISO Plan, or may  discontinue and
terminate  the  1996  ISO  Plan,  as it may deem  advisable  from  time to time;
provided,  however,  that no action may affect or impair any options theretofore
granted  under the 1996 ISO  Plan,  and  provided,  further,  however,  that the
affirmative vote of the owners of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock  present  in person  or by proxy and  entitled  to vote  thereon  shall be
necessary  to effect  any  amendment  to the 1996 ISO Plan  which  would  either
increase the number of shares of Common Stock  subject to options  granted under
such plan, or which would authorize Incentive Stock Options at a price below the
fair market value (or 110%  thereof,  if the employee  owns more than 10% of the
voting  securities  of the  Company  at the time of the  grant) of the shares of
Common Stock subject to the option.  In addition to the  requirement in the 1996
ISO Plan that the  shareholders  approve an increase in shares  authorized under
the 1996 ISO Plan, the amendments being presented hereby to the shareholders for
vote  thereon,  are being so presented  for  purposes of  complying  with Nasdaq
National Market listing requirements.

     ERISA.  The 1996 ISO Plan is not subject to any  provision  of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA").

     Nontransferability.  Options granted  pursuant to the 1996 ISO Plan are not
transferable by the holder thereof,  other than by will, the laws of descent and
distribution,  or (if authorized in the applicable ISO Agreement)  pursuant to a
qualified  domestic relations order, as defined by the Code, or Title I of ERISA
or the rules thereunder.

     Granting of Options. Any of the Committees or the Board shall determine the
key executives and employees to be granted  options under the 1996 ISO Plan, the
number of shares of Common Stock subject to such options, the exercise prices of
options,  the terms thereof and any other provisions not  inconsistent  with the
1996


                                       19


ISO Plan.  To the extent the  aggregate  fair market  value of Common Stock with
respect to which options are exercisable for the first time by any holder during
any  calendar  year  (under all plans of the  Company  and any of its parent and
subsidiary  corporations) exceeds $100,000,  such excess options will be treated
as non-qualified  stock options.  All stock options granted pursuant to the 1996
ISO Plan  shall be  evidenced  by stock  option  agreements,  which  need not be
identical,  between the Company and the  participant  in such form as any of the
Committees or the Board shall from time to time approve, subject to the terms of
the 1996 ISO Plan.  Each stock option  agreement shall state the total number of
shares of Common  Stock with  respect to which the option is granted,  the terms
and conditions of the option, and the exercise price or prices thereof.

     Life of the 1996 ISO Plan.  Options may be granted  under the 1996 ISO Plan
until February 25, 2006.

     Exercise  Price.  The price at which the shares of Common Stock  subject to
each option granted under the 1996 ISO Plan may be purchased (the "option price"
or "exercise  price") shall be determined by any of the Committees or the Board.
Any of the  Committees  or the Board  shall have the  authority  at the time the
option is granted to prescribe in any stock option  agreement that the price per
share, with the passage of  pre-determined  periods of time, shall increase from
the original price to higher prices. However, in no event may the exercise price
of an option granted under the 1996 ISO Plan be less than 100% (110% in the case
of 10% stockholders) of the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of
the grant.  The exercise price of all options granted under the 1996 ISO Plan is
payable in full upon the exercise of such option, which payment shall be in cash
or stock  (that has been owned by the  Participant  for at least six  months) or
notes of the Company, or, as agreed to by the Board, other consideration.

     Terms and Conditions of Exercise; Exercise Period. The terms and conditions
of any  option  granted  under  the 1996 ISO Plan and the  exercise  period  are
governed by the stock option agreement  between the holder of the option and the
Company. Subject to the limitations set forth in the 1996 ISO Plan, the terms of
such stock option  agreement,  including the exercise period,  are determined by
any of the  Committees or the Board and need not be uniform among  recipients of
similar  options.  Except  as set  forth in a stock  option  agreement,  options
granted  pursuant to the 1996 ISO Plan may be exercised only if the  participant
was, at all times during the period beginning on the date the option was granted
and ending on the date of such exercise,  an employee of the Company.  Except as
set forth in a stock  option  agreement or  otherwise  determined  by any of the
Committees or the Board,  the right to exercise any  unexercised  portion of any
option granted under the 1996 ISO Plan  terminates on the date of termination of
the employment  relationship  between the participant  and the Company,  for any
reason,  without  regard to cause,  other than by reason of death or disability.
Subject to such exception,  the option may not be exercised thereafter,  and the
shares of Common  Stock  subject to the  unexercised  portion of such option may
again be subject to new options under the 1996 ISO Plan.  Except as set forth in
a stock option agreement or otherwise determined by any of the Committees or the
Board, in the event a Participant dies or is disabled while he is an employee of
the  Company,  or any of its parents or  subsidiaries,  any options  theretofore
granted  to him shall be  exercisable  only  within  the 12  months  immediately
succeeding  such death or disability and then only (a) in the case of death,  by
the person or persons to whom the  Participant's  rights under such option shall
pass  by will  or the  laws of  descent  and  distribution,  and in the  case of
disability,  by such Participant or his legal representative,  and (b) if and to
the extent that he was entitled to exercise such option at the date of his death
or  disability.  The  maximum  option  term under the 1996 ISO Plan is ten years
after the date of grant.

New Plan Benefits

     Except as noted  below,  the  benefits or amounts  that will be received or
allocated in the future under the 1996 ISO Plan are not determinable.

U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

     The  following  is a summary of the U.S.  Federal  income tax  consequences
under  current tax law  (without  regard to any proposed  changes,  which may be
retroactive in effect) with respect to incentive  stock options  granted to U.S.
employees  under the 1996 ISO Plan.  For this  purpose,  it is assumed  that the
shares  acquired  pursuant to the


                                       20


exercise of an option are held by the optionee as a capital asset. Certain other
rules not  discussed  herein apply to the use of previously  acquired  shares of
Common Stock in payment of the option exercise price.

     Incentive Stock Options.  In general,  no taxable income will be recognized
by an optionee  upon the grant or exercise of an  incentive  stock  option.  The
optionee's  tax basis in the shares  received on the  exercise of such an option
will be equal to the option price paid by the optionee for such shares.

     If the stock  received upon  exercise of an incentive  stock option is held
more than one year after the date of transfer of such shares to the optionee and
more  than two  years  from the  date of grant of the  option,  any gain or loss
recognized  by the  optionee  on the  subsequent  sale  of the  stock  will be a
long-term  capital gain or loss, as the case may be. If the shares received upon
the  exercise of an  incentive  stock option are disposed of prior to the end of
such holding periods, an amount equal to the excess (if any) of (a) the lower of
the  disposition  price or the fair  market  value of such shares on the date of
exercise of the incentive  stock option,  over (b) the  optionee's  tax basis in
such shares will be treated as ordinary  income,  and any further gain will be a
short-term or long-term  capital gain  depending upon the period the shares were
held.  Any  loss on the  disposition  of such  shares  will be a  short-term  or
long-term  capital  loss  depending  upon the period the  shares  were held.  In
general, any amounts treated as ordinary income will be allowed as an income tax
deduction to the Company.

     Cancellation or Surrender.  Consideration  received by an optionee upon the
surrender to, or cancellation  by, the Company of an incentive stock option will
be taxable as ordinary income to the optionee and generally allowed as an income
tax deduction to the Company.

     Alternative Minimum Tax. In addition to the Federal income tax consequences
described above, an optionee may be subject to the Federal  alternative  minimum
tax. In general, upon the exercise of any incentive stock option an amount equal
to the excess of the fair market  value of the shares  acquired on the  exercise
date over the  exercise  price  will be  treated  as an item of  adjustment  for
purposes of the alternative minimum tax. If, however, the shares are disposed of
in the same taxable year in which the exercise  occurs,  the maximum amount that
will be treated as an item of  adjustment  will be an amount equal to the excess
of the amount received upon such disposition over the exercise price.

     The  forgoing  does not  purport  to be a complete  summary of the  federal
income tax  considerations  that may be relevant to holders of options or to the
Company.  It also does not  reflect  provisions  of the  income  tax laws of any
municipality, state or foreign country in which an optionee may reside, nor does
it reflect the tax consequences of an optionee's death.

     The Board  recommends a vote "FOR"  approval of the  amendments to the 1996
ISO Plan to (i) increase the total number of shares of Common Stock which may be
issued  pursuant  to options  which may be granted  under the 1996 ISO Plan from
1,500,000 to 3,000,000, which number shall be reduced by the number of shares of
Common Stock which have been or may be issued  pursuant to options granted under
the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan;  and (ii)  provide  that any of the  Compensation
Committee,  the Stock Option  Committee or the Board may administer the 1996 ISO
Plan and that such persons need not be "disinterested  persons" as such term was
formerly defined in Rule 16b-3  promulgated  under Section 16(b) of Exchange Act
(Proposal No. 2 on your proxy card).


                                       21


                                 PROPOSAL NO. 3

         PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE 1996 NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION PLAN

   
     In February 1996, the Company's Board adopted the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan
in order to enable the Company to attract and retain key advisors and  directors
and to promote  the  interests  of the  Company  by  affording  such  persons an
opportunity to acquire a proprietary  interest in the Company  pursuant to stock
options  issued by the  Company,  and thus to create in such  persons  increased
personal  interest in the  continued  success of the Company.  The  shareholders
approved  the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan in June  1996.  Subject  to  shareholder
approval,   on  April  3,  1997  the  Board  approved  amendments  to  the  1996
Non-Qualified  Plan to (i)  increase  the total number of shares of Common Stock
which may be issued  pursuant  to options  which may be  granted  under the 1996
Non-Qualified Plan from 1,500,000 to 3,000,000, which number shall be reduced by
the number of shares which may be issued  pursuant to options  granted under the
1996 ISO Plan; (ii) provide that any of the  Compensation  Committee,  the Stock
Option  Committee or the Board may  administer the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan and
such  persons  need not be  "disinterested  persons"  as such term was  formerly
defined in Rule 16b-3  promulgated  under the Exchange  Act;  (iii) provide that
members of the Board or any committee  administering the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan
are eligible to receive  discretionary  grants of options  thereunder;  and (iv)
clarify  that key  consultants  and  employees  in addition to key  advisors and
directors of the Company are eligible to participate  in the 1996  Non-Qualified
Plan (Proposal No. 3 on your proxy card).

     The Board  believes  that a key  ingredient  in  attracting,  retaining and
motivating  key  consultants,  advisors,  directors  and  employees  is to offer
significant  potential  rewards  based upon the Company's  success,  through the
issuance  of  stock  options.  The  amendment  to the  1996  Non-Qualified  Plan
increasing the shares of Common Stock  authorized for issuance  presented herein
to the  stockholders  for their  approval  is  designed to assist the Company in
accomplishing  this goal.  Of the  1,500,000  shares of Common  Stock  currently
authorized under the 1996 ISO Plan and the 1996 Non-Qualified  Plan, at April 4,
1997 an aggregate of 446,228 shares remained available for future grants.

     The  following  summary  description  of the  1996  Non-Qualified  Plan  is
qualified in its entirety by the full text of the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan,  as
proposed to be amended which may be obtained by the Company's  stockholders upon
request to the Secretary of the Company.
    

     The last sale price of a share of the Company's Common Stock as reported by
the Nasdaq National Market on April 4, 1997 was $5 1/8.

Description of the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan

     Administration of the 1996 Non-Qualified  Plan. The 1996 Non-Qualified Plan
as  originally  adopted  provided  that such plan be  administered  by the Stock
Option  Committee,  which  is a  subcommittee  of  the  Compensation  Committee,
comprised of not less than two persons to be appointed by the Board.  Other than
as recipients of non-discretionary  annual grants on each February 15th, members
of the  committee  were not  eligible  to  become  participants  under  the 1996
Non-Qualified  Plan  while  members  of the  committee  or for a period of three
months thereafter and were required,  unless otherwise  determined by the Board,
to be  "disinterested  persons" as such term was defined in Rule 16b-3 under the
Exchange Act.  Subject to shareholder  approval,  the Board has amended the 1996
Non-Qualified Plan to provide that any of the Compensation Committee,  the Stock
Option Committee  (collectively,  the  "Committees") or the Board may administer
the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan  and  that  such  persons  administering  the 1996
Non-Qualified Plan need not be "disinterested persons" as such term was formerly
defined under Rule 16b-3. Further,  subject to shareholder  approval,  the Board
has amended the 1996  Non-Qualified Plan to provide that members of the Board or
any of the  Committees  are eligible to receive  discretionary  grants of awards
thereunder.  As discussed  above under  "Proposal No. 2," Rule 16b-3, as amended
now  gives  companies   greater   flexibility  in  administering   their  plans.
Accordingly,  subject to  shareholder  approval  the Board has  amended the 1996
Non-Qualified  Plan to take  advantage of this greater  flexibility  by removing
these


                                       22


requirements as to  administration  and to permit members of the Board or any of
the Committees to receive  discretionary grants thereunder.  Such amendments are
included  as part of this  Proposal  No. 3 for vote by the  shareholders  at the
Meeting.

     The members of the Committees serve at the pleasure of the Board, which has
the power at all times to remove  members from the  Committees or to add members
thereto.  Vacancies in the Committees,  however caused,  are filled by action of
the Board.  All decisions or  determinations  of the Committees or the Board are
made by the majority vote or decision of all of its members.  The interpretation
and  construction by any of the Committees or the Board of the provisions of the
1996  Non-Qualified  Plan or of the options granted  thereunder are final unless
otherwise determined by the Board.

   
     Eligibility to Participate in the 1996 Non-Qualified  Plan. It was intended
that the plan as  originally  adopted  provide that key  consultants,  advisors,
directors  and  employees  of the Company be  eligible  for the grant of options
under the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan; however, such provision as to key consultants
and employees was somewhat unclear. The plan as originally adopted provided that
members of the Committees were ineligible to become  participants under the 1996
Non-Qualified Plan, except that they were permitted to receive non-discretionary
grants of options. This provision was necessary under former Rule 16b-3 in order
for the Stock Option Committee to be composed of "disinterested persons" as that
term was formerly defined in Rule 16b-3. As discussed above,  amendments to Rule
16b-3  eliminated  this  requirement  in order to  result  in  grant  and  award
transactions being exempt from Section 16(b). Accordingly, the Board, subject to
shareholder  approval,  has amended the 1996  Non-Qualified Plan to provide that
all  members  of  the  Board  and  the   Committees   are  eligible  to  receive
discretionary grants of options under the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan.  Furthermore,
subject to shareholder  approval,  the Board has amended the 1996  Non-Qualified
Plan to clarify that key consultants  and employees of the Company,  in addition
to key  advisors  and  directors,  are  eligible  to  participate  in  the  1996
Non-Qualified  Plan. Such amendments are included as part of this Proposal No. 3
for vote by the  shareholders at the Meeting.  Giving effect to the amendment to
the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan expanding  persons eligible to participate,  as of
April 4, 1997,  approximately  105  persons,  plus any  consultants  or advisors
retained by the Company from time to time,  were eligible to  participate in the
1996 Non-Qualified Plan.

     Common Stock Subject to the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan.  The original  total
number  of  shares  available  to be  issued  in the  aggregate  under  the 1996
Non-Qualified  Plan and the 1996 ISO Plan was  1,500,000.  The Board has amended
the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan, subject to shareholder  approval,  to increase such
number  of shares to  3,000,000.  Such  amendment  is  included  as part of this
Proposal No. 3 for vote by the shareholders at the Meeting.  A similar amendment
to the 1996 ISO Plan is being  presented to shareholders as part of Proposal No.
2,  above.  The  issuance  and sale of the  shares  of  Common  Stock  currently
authorized by the 1996 ISO Plan and the 1996  Non-Qualified Plan is covered by a
Registration  Statement on Form S-8 on file with the  Commission;  provided that
sales by  affiliates  of the  Company  are  subject  to the  volume  limitations
contained in Rule 144 under the Securities Act.
    

     If any  change is made in the  shares of Common  Stock  subject to the 1996
Non-Qualified Plan or subject to any option granted under the 1996 Non-Qualified
Plan (through merger,  consolidation,  reorganization,  recapitalization,  stock
dividend,  split-up,  combination  of shares,  exchange  of shares,  issuance of
rights to subscribe,  or change in capital structure),  appropriate  adjustments
shall be made by the  Committees or the Board as to the maximum number of shares
subject  to the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan and the number of shares and price per
share subject to outstanding  options as shall be equitable to prevent  dilution
or enlargement of option rights.  Any such  determination made by the Committees
or the Board shall be final, binding and conclusive upon each participant.

     Amendments or Discontinuation of the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan. The Board may
make such amendments,  changes and additions to the 1996 Non-Qualified  Plan, or
may  discontinue  and  terminate  the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan,  as it may deem
advisable  from time to time;  provided,  however,  that no action may affect or
impair any options  theretofore  granted under the 1996 Non-Qualified  Plan, and
provided,  further,  however,  that  the  affirmative  vote of the  owners  of a
majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock present in person or by proxy
and entitled to vote thereon  shall be necessary to effect any  amendment to the
1996  Non-Qualified  Plan


                                       23


which would  increase  the number of shares of Common  Stock  subject to options
granted under the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan. In addition to the requirement in the
1996  Non-Qualified  Plan that the  shareholders  approve an  increase in shares
authorized  under the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan, the amendments  being presented
hereby to the shareholders for vote thereon, are being so presented for purposes
of complying with Nasdaq National Market listing requirements.

     ERISA. The 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan is not subject to any provision of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA").

     Nontransferability. Options granted pursuant to the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan
are not  transferable  by the holder  thereof,  other than by will,  the laws of
descent and  distribution,  or (if  authorized  in the  applicable  Stock Option
Agreement)  pursuant to a qualified  domestic relations order, as defined by the
Code, or Title I of ERISA or the rules thereunder.

   
     Granting of Options. Any of the Committees or the Board shall determine the
key advisors,  directors,  consultants and employees to be granted options under
the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan,  the number of shares of Common Stock  subject to
such options,  the exercise  prices of options,  the terms thereof and any other
provisions not inconsistent with the 1996 Non-Qualified  Plan. All stock options
granted  pursuant to the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan shall be  evidenced  by stock
option  agreements,  which need not be  identical,  between  the Company and the
participant  in such form as any of the  Committees or the Board shall from time
to time approve, subject to the terms of the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan. Each stock
option  agreement  shall state the total  number of shares of Common  Stock with
respect to which the option is granted,  the terms and conditions of the option,
and the exercise price or prices thereof.
    

     The 1996 Non-Qualified Plan provides that annually,  on February 15 of each
of the Company's  fiscal  years,  any director of the Company who at the time is
not a full-time  employee of the Company (a "Participating  Director"),  will be
automatically   granted  an  option  for  2,500   shares  of  Common   Stock  (a
"Participating  Director  Option").  Each  person  who  becomes a  Participating
Director after the first day of the Company's fiscal year and within nine months
of that date will be granted,  on the date that person  becomes a  Participating
Director, a Participating Director Option for a number of shares of Common Stock
determined  by pro rating the normal  2,500  share  annual  amount  based on the
period of time  remaining  in the  fiscal  year in which such  person  becomes a
Participating  Director.  No  person,  who owns  10% or more of the  outstanding
Common  Stock of the Company  (including  shares of Common Stock  issuable  upon
exercise of  outstanding  options and warrants),  will be granted  Participating
Director Options.

     Life of the 1996 Non-Qualified  Plan. Options may be granted under the 1996
Non-Qualified Plan until February 25, 2006.

     Exercise  Price.  The price at which the shares of Common Stock  subject to
each option (other than  Participating  Director Options) granted under the 1996
Non-Qualified  Plan may be purchased  (the "option  price" or "exercise  price")
shall be determined by any of the Committees or the Board. Any of the Committees
or the Board  shall  have the  authority  at the time the  option is  granted to
prescribe  in any stock  option  agreement  that the price per  share,  with the
passage of  pre-determined  periods of time,  shall  increase  from the original
price to higher prices.  Participating  Director  Options have an exercise price
equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of the grant. The
exercise  price of all  options  granted  under the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan is
payable in full upon the exercise of such option, which payment shall be in cash
or stock  (that has been owned by the  Participant  for at least six  months) or
notes of the Company, or, as agreed to by the Board, other consideration.

     Terms and Conditions of Exercise; Exercise Period. The terms and conditions
of any option granted under the 1996  Non-Qualified Plan and the exercise period
are governed by the stock option agreement  between the holder of the option and
the  Company.  Subject to the  limitations  set forth in the 1996  Non-Qualified
Plan, the terms of such stock option  agreement,  including the exercise period,
are  determined  by any of the  Committees  or the Board and need not be uniform
among  recipients  of  similar  options.  Except as set forth in a stock  option
agreement or otherwise determined by any of the Committees or the Board, options
(other  than  Participating


                                       24


   
Director  Options)  granted  pursuant  to the  1996  Non-Qualified  Plan  may be
exercised only if the Participant  was, at all times during the period beginning
on the date the option was  granted and ending on the date of such  exercise,  a
consultant, advisor, director or employee of the Company. Except as set forth in
a stock option agreement or otherwise determined by any of the Committees or the
Board,  the right to exercise any unexercised  portion of any option (other than
Participating  Directors  Options)  granted  under the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan
terminates  on  the  date  of  termination  of  the  relationship   between  the
Participant and the Company, for any reason, without regard to cause, other than
by reason of death or disability. Subject to such exceptions, the option may not
be  exercised  thereafter,  and  the  shares  of  Common  Stock  subject  to the
unexercised portion of such option may again be subject to new options under the
1996  Non-Qualified  Plan.  Except as set forth in a stock  option  agreement or
otherwise  determined  by any of the  Committees  or the  Board,  in the event a
Participant dies or is disabled while he is a key consultant,  advisor, director
or employee of the  Company,  any options  (other than  Participating  Directors
Options)  theretofore  granted to him shall be  exercisable  only  within the 12
months immediately  succeeding such death or disability and then only (a) in the
case of death, by the person or persons to whom the  Participant's  rights under
such option shall pass by will or the laws of descent and  distribution,  and in
the case of disability, by such Participant or his legal representative, and (b)
if and to the extent that he was entitled to exercise such option at the date of
his death or disability.  Participating  Director Options remain exercisable for
ten  years  after  the  date  of  grant  and the  option  holder  (or his  legal
representative  or that of his  estate)  may  continue  to  exercise  an  option
notwithstanding  that the  holder  ceases to be a  Participating  Director.  The
maximum  option  term under the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan is ten years after the
date of grant.
    

New Plan Benefits

     The  benefits or amounts  that will be received or  allocated in the future
under the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan are not determinable.

U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

     The  following  is a summary of the U.S.  Federal  income tax  consequences
under  current tax law  (without  regard to any proposed  changes,  which may be
retroactive in effect) with respect to  non-qualified  stock options  granted to
U.S.  key  consultants,   advisors,  directors  and  employees  under  the  1996
Non-Qualified  Plan.  For this purpose,  it is assumed that the shares  acquired
pursuant  to the  exercise  of an option are held by the  optionee  as a capital
asset.  Certain  other rules not  discussed  here apply to the use of previously
acquired shares of Common Stock in payment of the option exercise price.

     Non-Qualified  Options. No taxable income will be recognized by an optionee
upon the grant of a non-qualified stock option. Upon the exercise of the option,
the excess of the fair market  value of the shares at the time of such  exercise
over the exercise price will be treated as compensation.  Any amounts treated as
compensation  (i) will be taxable as ordinary  income to the  optionee  and (ii)
generally  will be  allowed  as an income  tax  deduction  to the  Company.  The
optionee's  tax basis for shares  acquired  upon  exercise of the option will be
increased by any amounts so treated as compensation.

     Any gain or loss realized by an optionee on the  subsequent  sale of shares
acquired upon the exercise of a non-qualified stock option will be short-term or
long-term capital gain depending on the period the shares were held.

     Cancellation or Surrender.  Consideration  received by an optionee upon the
surrender to, or cancellation  by, the Company of a  non-qualified  stock option
will be taxable as ordinary  income to the optionee and generally  allowed as an
income tax deduction to the Company.


                                       25


     The Board  recommends a vote "FOR"  approval of the  amendments to the 1996
Non-Qualified  Plan to (i)  increase  the total number of shares of Common Stock
which may be issued  pursuant  to options  which may be  granted  under the 1996
Non-Qualified Plan from 1,500,000 to 3,000,000, which number shall be reduced by
the number of shares of Common  Stock which have been or may be issued  pursuant
to  options  granted  under  the 1996 ISO  Plan;  (ii)  provide  that any of the
Compensation  Committee,  the Stock Option Committee or the Board may administer
the 1996  Non-Qualified  Plan and that such persons  need not be  "disinterested
persons" as such term was formerly defined in Rule 16b-3  promulgated  under the
Exchange  Act;  (iii)  provide  that  members  of the  Board  or  any  committee
administering the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan are eligible to receive  discretionary
grants of options  thereunder;  and (iv)  clarify that all key  consultants  and
employees of the Company are eligible to participate  in the 1996  Non-Qualified
Plan in addition to key advisors  and  directors  (Proposal  No. 3 on your proxy
card).


                                       26


                                 PROPOSAL NO. 4

        PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY'S CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
           TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED SHARES OF COMMON STOCK

     At present, the Company is authorized to issue two classes of capital stock
consisting  of Common  Stock  with a par value of $.001 per share and  Preferred
Stock with a par value of $1.00 per share (the  "Preferred  Stock").  30,000,000
shares of Common Stock and  4,000,000  shares of Preferred  Stock are  currently
authorized.  As of April 4, 1997,  there were 23,693,199  shares of Common Stock
issued  and  outstanding,  an  aggregate  of  2,152,098  shares of Common  Stock
reserved for issuance  pursuant to options issued and outstanding under the 1996
ISO Plan, the 1996 Non-Qualified  Plan, the 1986 Incentive Stock Option Plan and
the 1986  Non-Qualified  Stock Option Plan and 2,824,142  shares of Common Stock
reserved for issuance  pursuant to  outstanding  warrants.  Accordingly,  giving
effect to such issuances and reserves,  approximately 1,330,561 shares of Common
Stock remain available for issuance. If Proposal Nos. 2 or 3 described above are
approved by shareholders at the Meeting and this Proposal No. 4 is not approved,
the Company would have an  insufficient  number of  authorized  shares of Common
Stock  to  grant  all  options  permitted  under  the 1996 ISO Plan and the 1996
Non-Qualified Plan.

     The Board of  Directors  believes  that it is in the best  interests of the
Company  to  increase  the  authorized  number of shares  of Common  Stock  from
30,000,000 to  45,000,000,  and on April 3, 1997 the Board voted  unanimously to
submit to a vote of  stockholders  an amendment to the Company's  certificate of
incorporation  (the "Certificate of Incorporation") so increasing the authorized
Common Stock. The Company has no present agreement,  commitment,  plan or intent
to issue  any of the  additional  shares of Common  Stock  provided  for in this
Proposal. If this Proposal is approved,  the additional authorized Common Stock,
as  well as the  currently  authorized  but  unissued  Common  Stock,  would  be
immediately  available  in the future for such  corporate  purposes as the Board
deems  advisable from time to time without  further action by the  stockholders,
unless  such  action is  required  by  applicable  law or any stock  exchange or
securities market upon which the Company's shares may be listed.

     The additional  authorized Common Stock resulting from the approval of this
Proposal  will have the same  terms and  rights as the  existing  Common  Stock.
Holders of the Common  Stock of the  Company do not  presently  have  preemptive
rights nor will they as a result of the approval of this Proposal.

     The Board  anticipates that the authorized  Common Stock in excess of those
shares  outstanding  and reserved for issuance  (including,  if authorized,  the
additional  Common  Stock  provided for in this  Proposal)  will be utilized for
general corporate purposes,  including grants of stock options. These shares may
also be publicly  sold or  privately  placed by the Company as part of financing
transactions and may be utilized by the Company in connection with acquisitions,
commercial  agreements  and stock splits.  Such increase in shares also could be
used to make more  difficult  a change in  control  of the  Company.  Though the
Company  has no current  plan or  intention  to issue such  shares as a takeover
defense,  the additional  authorized shares could be used to discourage  persons
from  attempting  to gain  control  of the  Company or make more  difficult  the
removal of management.  Management is not currently aware of any specific effort
to  obtain  control  of  the  Company  by  means  of  a  merger,  tender  offer,
solicitation in opposition to management, or otherwise.

     It should be noted that, subject to the limitations discussed above, all of
the types of Board action described in the preceding paragraphs can currently be
taken and the power of the Board to take such  actions  would not be enhanced by
the passage of this  Proposal,  although this Proposal would increase the number
of shares of Common Stock that are subject to such action.

     If this  Proposal is  approved  and the  amendment  to the  Certificate  of
Incorporation  becomes  effective,  the first paragraph of Article Fourth of the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation, which sets forth the Company's presently
authorized capital stock, will be amended to read as set forth below.


                                       27


     "FOURTH:  The total number of shares of capital stock which the Corporation
     shall have the authority to issue is forty-five million (45,000,000) shares
     of common stock with a par value of one tenth of one cent ($.001) per share
     and four million  (4,000,000) shares of preferred stock with a par value of
     one dollar ($1.00) per share."

     The  Board  recommends  a  vote  "FOR"  approval  of the  amendment  to the
Company's   Certificate  of  Incorporation  to  increase  the  total  number  of
authorized shares of Common Stock from 30,000,000 to 45,000,000  (Proposal No. 4
on your proxy card).


                                       28


                                 PROPOSAL NO. 5

            RATIFICATION OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

     The Board of Directors  has selected  KPMG Peat Marwick LLP as  independent
certified  public  accountants  for the Company for the year ending December 31,
1997. KPMG Peat Marwick LLP has served as the Company's  auditor since 1988. The
ratification of the selection of independent  certified public accountants is to
be voted upon at the Meeting,  and it is intended  that the persons named in the
accompanying proxy will vote for KPMG Peat Marwick LLP.  Representatives of KPMG
Peat Marwick LLP are expected to attend the Meeting,  to have an  opportunity to
make a  statement  if they  desire to do so and to be  available  to  respond to
appropriate questions.

     The Board recommends a vote "FOR" the selection of KPMG Peat Marwick to act
as the Company's  certified public  accountants for the year ending December 31,
1997 (Proposal No. 5 on your proxy card).

                             STOCKHOLDERS' PROPOSALS

   
     A stockholder  proposal  intended to be presented at the  Company's  Annual
Meeting of Stockholders to he held in 1998 must be received by the Company on or
before  December  28,  1997 in  order  to be  included  in the  Company's  proxy
statement and form of proxy relating to that meeting.
    

                                     GENERAL

     The cost of soliciting proxies will be borne by the Company. In addition to
the use of mails, proxies may be solicited by personal interview,  telephone and
telegraph,  and by  directors,  officers  and regular  employees of the Company,
without special compensation  therefor.  The Company expects to reimburse banks,
brokers  and  other  persons  for their  reasonable  out-of-pocket  expenses  in
handling proxy  materials for beneficial  owners of the Company's  Common Stock.
Additionally,  the Company has retained Corporate Communications Investors, Inc.
to assist in the solicitation of proxies for a fee of approximately $4,500, plus
expenses.

     Unless contrary instructions are indicated on the proxy card, all shares of
Common Stock represented by valid proxies received pursuant to this solicitation
(and not revoked  before  they are voted) will be voted FOR the  election of the
nominees for directors named herein, and FOR Proposals Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

     Any proxy given pursuant to this  solicitation may be revoked by the person
giving it at any time  before it is voted.  Proxies may be revoked by the filing
with the Secretary of the Company  written notice of revocation  bearing a later
date than the proxy,  by duly executing a subsequent  proxy relating to the same
shares of  Common  Stock or by  attending  the  Meeting  and  voting in  person.
Attendance at the Meeting will not in and of itself  constitute  revocation of a
proxy unless the  stockholder  votes his or her shares of Common Stock in person
at the Meeting.  Any notice  revoking a proxy should be sent to the Secretary of
the Company,  John B. Landes, Esq. at ImClone Systems  Incorporated,  180 Varick
Street, Seventh Floor, New York, New York 10014.

     The Board  knows of no  business  other  than  that set  forth  above to be
transacted  at the  meeting,  but  if  other  matters  requiring  a vote  of the
stockholders  arise,  the persons  designated as proxies will vote the shares of
Common Stock  represented  by the proxies in accordance  with their  judgment on
such matters. If a stockholder specifies a different choice on the proxy, his or
her shares of Common Stock will be voted in accordance with the specification so
made.


                                       29


     Please complete,  sign and date the enclosed proxy card, which is revocable
as described herein, and mail it promptly in the enclosed postage-paid envelope.


                                           By Order of the Board of Directors



                                           John B. Landes
                                           Secretary

New York, New York
   
April 28, 1997
    


     IT IS IMPORTANT THAT PROXIES BE RETURNED PROMPTLY.  WE URGE YOU TO FILL IN,
SIGN AND RETURN THE  ACCOMPANYING  PROXY CARD, NO MATTER HOW LARGE OR SMALL YOUR
HOLDINGS MAY BE.


                                       30


                                                                      Appendix A

                          IMCLONE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED

Dear Shareholder:

Please take note of the important information enclosed with this Proxy Ballot.
There are a number of issues related to the management and operation of your
Company that require your immediate attention and approval. These are discussed
in detail in the enclosed proxy materials.

Your vote counts, and you are strongly encouraged to exercise your right to vote
your shares.

Please mark the boxes on the proxy card to indicate how your shares shall be
voted. Then sign the card, detach it and return your proxy vote in the enclosed
postage paid envelope.

Your vote must be received prior to the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, June 3,
1997.

Thank you in advance for your prompt consideration of these matters.

Sincerely,

ImClone Systems Incorporated



     PLEASE MARK VOTES AS IN
 X   THIS EXAMPLE

   
RECORD DATE SHARES:
    

1.)  ELECTION OF DIRECTORS.   For:____     Withheld:____    For All Except:____

Nominees:

Richard Barth              Jean Carvais
Vincent T. DeVita, Jr.     Robert F. Goldhammer
David M. Kies              Paul B. Kopperl
William R. Miller          Harlan W. Waksal
Samuel D. Waksal

If you do not wish your shares voted "FOR" a particular nominee, mark the "For
All Except" box and strike a line through that nominee(s) name. Your shares
shall be voted for the remaining nominee(s).

       
   
2.)  To approve amendments to the 1996 Incentive Stock Option Plan (the "1996
     ISO Plan"). See reverse side for a more detailed description of this
     proposal.
    

     For: _____                 Against: _____            Abstain: _____

   
3.)  To approve amendments to the 1996 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan (the
     "1996 Non-Qualified Plan"). See reverse side for a more detailed
     description of this proposal.
    

     For: _____                 Against: _____            Abstain: _____




   
4.)  To approve an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to increase the
     authorized shares of common stock, $.001 par value (the "Common Stock")
     from 30,000,000 shares to 45,000,000 shares.
    

     For: _____                 Against: _____            Abstain: _____

   
5.)  To ratify the selection by the Board of Directors of KPMG Peat Marwick as
     independent certified public accountants for the fiscal year ending
     December 31, 1997.
    

     For: _____                 Against: _____            Abstain: _____

6.)  To consider and act upon any other business as may come before the meeting
     or any adjournment thereof.

Please be sure to sign and date the Proxy.  Date:        

                                         Mark box at right if comments _____
                                         or address change have been
                                         noted on the reverse side of this card.



______________________________________________________
Shareholder sign here               Co-owner sign here

Detach Card



                          IMCLONE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED

               Proxy for the Meeting of Stockholders, June 3, 1997
           This Proxy is Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors

The undersigned hereby appoints Robert F. Goldhammer, John B. Landes and Samuel
D. Waksal as Proxies each with power of substitution and hereby authorizes each
of them to represent and to vote, as designated below, all the shares of Common
Stock of ImClone Systems Incorporated held of record by the undersigned on April
7, 1997 at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on June 3, 1997 or any
adjournment thereof.

   
PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THIS PROXY TO STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST
COMPANY. THE COMPANY'S TRANSFER AGENT, TO BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN MAY 30,
1997.

This Proxy when properly executed will be voted in the manner directed herein by
the undersigned stockholder. IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED
FOR PROPOSAL 1,2,3,4 AND 5.
    

   PLEASE NOTE AND SIGN ON OTHER SIDE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN ENCLOSED ENVELOPE

NOTE: Please sign exactly as name appears on this card. All joint owners should
sign. When signing as executor, administrator, attorney, trustee or guardian or
as custodian for a minor, please give full title as such. If a corporation,
please sign in full corporate name and indicate the signer's office. If a
partner, sign the partnership name.


HAS YOUR ADDRESS CHANGED?                   DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS?
   
_______________________________             ________________________________
_______________________________             ________________________________
_______________________________             ________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

                                    PROPOSALS

1.)  Election of Directors. 
     Nominees

     Richard Barth, Jean Carvais, Vincent T. DeVita, Jr., Robert F. Goldhammer,
     David M. Kies, Paul B. Kopperl, William R. Miller, Harlan W. Waksal, Samuel
     D. Waksal

     If you do not wish your shares noted "For" a particular nominee, mark the
     "For All Except" box and strike a line through that nominee's name. Your
     shares will be voted for the remaining nominee(s).

2.)  To approve amendments to the 1996 ISO Plan to (i) increase the total number
     of shares of Common Stock, which may be issued pursuant to options which
     may be granted under the 1996 ISO Plan from 1,500,000 to 3,000,000, which
     number shall be reduced by the number of shares of Common Stock which have
     been or may be issued pursuant to options granted under the 1996
     Non-Qualified Plan; and (ii) provide that any of the Compensation
     Committee, the Stock Option Committee or the Board of 
    



   
     Directors (the "Board") may administer the 1996 ISO Plan and that such
     persons need not be "disinterested persons" as such term was formerly
     defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under Section 16(b) of the Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act");

3.)  To approve amendments to the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan to (i) increase the
     total number of shares of Common Stock which may be issued pursuant to
     options which may be granted under the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan from
     1,500,000 to 3,000,000, which number shall be reduced by the number of
     shares of Common Stock which have been or may be issued pursuant to options
     granted under the 1996 ISO Plan; (ii) provide that any of the Compensation
     Committee, the Stock Option Committee or the Board may administer the 1996
     Non-Qualified Plan and that such persons need not be "disinterested
     persons" as such term was formerly defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under
     the Exchange Act; (iii) provide that members of the Board or any committee
     administering the 1996 Non-Qualified Plan are eligible to receive
     discretionary grants of options thereunder; and (iv) clarify that key
     consultants and employees of the Company are eligible to participate in the
     1996 Non-Qualified Plan in addition to key advisors and directors;

4.)  To approve an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to increase the
     authorized shares of Common Stock from 30,000,000 shares to 45,000,000
     shares;

5).  To Ratify the selection by the Board of Directors of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
     as independent certified public accountants for the fiscal year ending
     December 31, 1997;

6.)  To consider and act upon any other business as may come before the meeting
     or any adjournment thereof.