EXHIBIT 1.1


         [Form of Underwriting Agreement - Subject to Additional Review]


                        2,500,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
                        AND 2,500,000 REDEEMABLE WARRANTS

                               JENNER TECHNOLOGIES

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT


                                                              New York, New York
                                                                          , 1997


NATIONAL SECURITIES CORPORATION
  As Representative of the
  Several Underwriters listed on Schedule A hereto
1001 Fourth Avenue
Suite 2200
Seattle, Washington  98154

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        Jenner Technologies, a California corporation (the "Company"),  confirms
its agreement with National Securities Corporation  ("National") and each of the
underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the "Underwriters," which
term shall also include any underwriter  substituted as hereinafter  provided in
Section 11), for whom National is acting as  representative  (in such  capacity,
National  shall  hereinafter  be referred to as "you" or the  "Representative"),
with  respect to the sale by the Company and the  purchase by the  Underwriters,
acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares ("Shares")
of the Company's common stock,  $.001 par value per share ("Common Stock"),  and
redeemable common stock purchase warrants (the "Redeemable  Warrants"),  each to
purchase  one  share of  Common  Stock,  set forth in  Schedule  A  hereto.  The
aggregate 2,500,000 Shares and 2,500,000  Redeemable Warrants will be separately
tradeable  upon  issuance  and  are   hereinafter   referred  to  as  the  "Firm
Securities." Each Redeemable Warrant is exercisable commencing  on 







  ____________,  1998  [12  months  from  the  date  of  this  Agreement]  until
  ____________,  2002  [60  months  from  the  date of this  Agreement],  unless
  previously  redeemed by the Company,  at an initial exercise price of $_______
  [140% of the initial  public  offering  price] per share of Common Stock.  The
  Redeemable  Warrants may be redeemed by the Company at a  redemption  price of
  $.10 per Redeemable Warrant at any time after  _____________,  1998 [18 months
  from the date of this  Agreement] on thirty (30) days' prior  written  notice,
  provided  that the  closing  bid price of the Common  Stock  equals or exceeds
  $_______________  [160% of the initial public  offering price of Common Stock]
  per share,  for any twenty  (20)  trading  days within a period of thirty (30)
  consecutive  trading days ending on the fifth  trading day prior to the notice
  of redemption,  all in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Warrant
  Agreement (herein defined).

        Upon your request,  as provided in Section 2(b) of this  Agreement,  the
Company shall also issue and sell to the Underwriters,  acting severally and not
jointly,  up to an  additional  375,000  shares of Common Stock  and/or  375,000
Redeemable  Warrants for the purpose of covering  over-allotments,  if any. Such
375,000 shares of Common Stock and 375,000  Redeemable  Warrants are hereinafter
collectively to as the "Option  Securities."  The Company also proposes to issue
and sell to you  warrants  (the  "Representative's  Warrants")  pursuant  to the
Representative's  Warrant Agreement (the  "Representative's  Warrant Agreement")
for the purchase of an additional  250,000 shares of Common Stock and/or 250,000
Redeemable Warrants. The shares of Common Stock and Redeemable Warrants issuable
upon exercise of the  Representative's  Warrants are hereinafter  referred to as
the "Representative's  Securities." The Firm Securities,  the Option Securities,
the Representative's Warrants and the Representative's Securities (collectively,
hereinafter  referred to as the  "Securities")  are more fully  described in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus referred to below.

        1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents
and  warrants  to,  and agrees  with,  each of the  Underwriters  as of the date
hereof,  and as of the Closing  Date (as  hereinafter  defined)  and each Option
Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), if any, as follows:

              (a) The Company has  prepared  and filed with the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission  (the  "Commission")  a  registration  statement,   and  an
amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (No. 333-_________),  including any
related preliminary prospectus ("Preliminary Prospectus"),  for the registration
of  the  Firm  Securities,   the  Option  Securities  and  the  Representative's
Securities  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended (the  "Act"),  which
registration  statement and  amendment or  amendments  have been prepared by the
Company  in  conformity  with the  requirements  of the Act,  and the  rules and
regulations  (the  "Regulations")  of the Commission  under the Act. The Company
will promptly  file a further  amendment to said  registration  statement in the
form  heretofore  delivered  to the  Underwriters  and will  not file any  other
amendment thereto to which the Underwriters shall have objected in writing after
having been furnished  with a copy thereof.  Except as the context may otherwise
require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at
the time the registration statement becomes effective (including the prospectus,
financial  statements,  schedules,  exhibits and all other  documents filed as a
part  thereof  or  incorporated  therein  (including,  but not  limited to those
documents or information  incorporated by reference therein) and all information
deemed 


                                       2





to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430(A) of
the Regulations),  is hereinafter called the "Registration  Statement",  and the
form of prospectus in the form first filed with the Commission  pursuant to Rule
424(b) of the Regulations,  is hereinafter called the "Prospectus." For purposes
hereof,  "Rules and Regulations"  mean the rules and regulations  adopted by the
Commission  under  either the Act or the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  as
amended (the "Exchange Act"), as applicable.

              (b) Neither the Commission nor any state regulatory  authority has
issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus,
the  Registration  Statement  or  Prospectus  or any part of any  thereof and no
proceedings for a stop order  suspending the  effectiveness  of the Registration
Statement or any of the Company's securities have been instituted or are pending
or threatened.  Each of the Preliminary  Prospectus,  the Registration Statement
and Prospectus at the time of filing thereof  conformed with the requirements of
the Act and the Rules and Regulations,  and none of the Preliminary  Prospectus,
the Registration Statement or Prospectus at the time of filing thereof contained
an untrue  statement  of a material  fact or  omitted  to state a material  fact
required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements  therein,  in
light of the  circumstances  under which they were made, not misleading,  except
that this  representation  and  warranty  does not apply to  statements  made in
reliance  upon and in  conformity  with  written  information  furnished  to the
Company with  respect to the  Underwriters  by or on behalf of the  Underwriters
expressly  for use in such  Preliminary  Prospectus,  Registration  Statement or
Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto.

              (c) When the Registration  Statement  becomes effective and at all
times  subsequent  thereto up to the Closing  Date (as defined  herein) and each
Option Closing Date (as defined  herein),  if any, and during such longer period
as the  Prospectus  may be required to be delivered in connection  with sales by
the Underwriters or a dealer, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will
contain all  statements  which are required to be stated  therein in  accordance
with the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and will conform to the requirements
of the Act and the Rules and Regulations; neither the Registration Statement nor
the Prospectus, nor any amendment or supplement thereto, will contain any untrue
statement of a material  fact or omit to state any material  fact required to be
stated  therein or necessary  to make the  statements  therein,  in light of the
circumstances  under which they were made, not  misleading,  provided,  however,
that this  representation  and  warranty  does not apply to  statements  made or
statements  omitted in reliance upon and in strict  conformity with  information
furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of any Underwriter expressly
for use in the Preliminary  Prospectus,  Registration Statement or Prospectus or
any amendment thereof or supplement thereto.

              (d) Each of the Company, the Company's wholly-owned  subsidiaries,
_____________________  (such  subsidiaries  being the only subsidiaries that are
"significant  subsidiaries"  (as  defined in the Rules and  Regulations)  of the
Company,  are  hereinafter  referred  to  individually  as  a  "Subsidiary"  and
collectively  as the  "Subsidiaries"),  has been duly  organized  and is validly
existing as a corporation  in good  standing  under the laws of the state of its
incorporation.  Except as set forth in the  Prospectus,  none of the Company nor
the Subsidiaries owns an interest in any corporation,  partnership, trust, joint
venture or other business  entity.  Each of the Company and the  Subsidiaries is
duly  qualified  and licensed and in good standing


                                       3




as a foreign  corporation in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or leasing
of any properties or the character of its operations requires such qualification
or licensing.  The Company owns,  directly or  indirectly,  one hundred  percent
(100%) of the outstanding capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries,  and all of
such shares have been validly issued,  are fully paid and  non-assessable,  were
not issued in violation of any preemptive  rights,  and,  except as set forth in
the  Prospectus,  are  owned  free and  clear  of any  liens,  charges,  claims,
encumbrances,  pledges,  security  interests,  defects or other  restrictions or
equities of any kind  whatsoever.  Each of the Company and the  Subsidiaries has
all requisite  power and authority  (corporate and other),  and has obtained any
and all necessary  authorizations,  approvals,  orders, licenses,  certificates,
franchises and permits of and from all governmental or regulatory  officials and
bodies  (including,   without   limitation,   those  having   jurisdiction  over
environmental  or similar  matters),  to own or lease its properties and conduct
its  business  as  described  in the  Prospectus;  each of the  Company  and the
Subsidiaries  is and has  been  doing  business  in  compliance  with  all  such
authorizations,   approvals,  orders,  licenses,  certificates,  franchises  and
permits and all applicable  federal,  state,  local and foreign laws,  rules and
regulations;  and none of the  Company nor the  Subsidiaries  has  received  any
notice of  proceedings  relating to the revocation or  modification  of any such
authorization,  approval,  order,  license,  certificate,  franchise,  or permit
which,  singly or in the aggregate,  if the subject of an unfavorable  decision,
ruling  or  finding,  would  materially  and  adversely  affect  the  condition,
financial or otherwise, or the earnings, position,  prospects, value, operation,
properties,   business  or  results  of   operations   of  the  Company  or  the
Subsidiaries.  The  disclosures  in the  Registration  Statement  concerning the
effects of federal, state, local, and foreign laws, rules and regulations on the
Company's  and  the  Subsidiaries'  businesses  as  currently  conducted  and as
contemplated  are correct in all  material  respects  and do not omit to state a
material fact required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements
contained therein not misleading in light of the circumstances  under which they
were made.

              (e) The  Company  has a duly  authorized,  issued and  outstanding
capitalization  as  set  forth  in the  Prospectus  under  "Capitalization"  and
"Description of Securities" and will have the adjusted  capitalization set forth
therein on the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, based upon the
assumptions set forth therein, and the Company is not a party to or bound by any
instrument, agreement or other arrangement providing for it to issue any capital
stock, rights, warrants, options or other securities, except for this Agreement,
the Warrant Agreement,  the Representative's  Warrant Agreement and as described
in the Prospectus. The Securities and all other securities issued or issuable by
the Company conform or, when issued and paid for, will conform,  in all respects
to all statements with respect thereto  contained in the Registration  Statement
and the Prospectus.  All issued and  outstanding  securities of the Company have
been duly  authorized and validly  issued and are fully paid and  non-assessable
and the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect  thereto,  and
are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders;  and none
of such  securities  were issued in  violation of the  preemptive  rights of any
holders of any security of the Company or similar  contractual rights granted by
the Company. The Securities are not and will not be subject to any preemptive or
other similar rights of any  stockholder,  have been duly  authorized  and, when
issued,  paid for and  delivered in accordance  with the terms  hereof,  will be
validly  issued,   fully  paid  and  non-assessable  and  will  conform  to  the
description thereof contained in the Prospectus; the holders thereof will not be
subject to any liability  solely as such holders;  all corporate action required


                                       4





to be taken for the  authorization,  issue and sale of the  Securities  has been
duly and validly taken; and the certificates representing the Securities will be
in due and proper form.  Upon the  issuance  and delivery  pursuant to the terms
hereof of the Securities to be sold by the Company  hereunder,  the Underwriters
or the  Representative,  as the case may be, will  acquire  good and  marketable
title to such Securities free and clear of any lien, charge, claim, encumbrance,
pledge,  security  interest,  defect or other  restriction or equity of any kind
whatsoever.

              (f) The consolidated  financial  statements of the Company and the
Subsidiaries, together with the related notes and schedules thereto, included in
the  Registration  Statement,  each  Preliminary  Prospectus  and the Prospectus
fairly present the financial position,  income, changes in cash flow, changes in
stockholders'  equity  and the  results of  operations  of the  Company  and the
Subsidiaries  at the respective  dates and for the  respective  periods to which
they apply and such financial  statements  have been prepared in conformity with
generally  accepted  accounting   principles  and  the  Rules  and  Regulations,
consistently   applied  throughout  the  periods  involved  and  such  financial
statements  as are audited  have been  examined by Ernst & Young,  LLP,  who are
independent  certified public  accountants within the meaning of the Act and the
Rules and Regulations,  as indicated in their reports filed therewith. There has
been no adverse change or development  involving a prospective adverse change in
the condition,  financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, position, prospects,
value, operation,  properties, business, or results of operations of the Company
and the  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole,  whether or not arising in the ordinary
course of business,  since the date of the financial  statements included in the
Registration  Statement  and  the  Prospectus  and  the  outstanding  debt,  the
property, both tangible and intangible,  and the business of the Company and the
Subsidiaries,  conform in all  material  respects  to the  descriptions  thereof
contained  in  the   Registration   Statement  and  the  Prospectus.   Financial
information (including, without limitation, any pro forma financial information)
set forth in the Prospectus under the headings "Summary Financial  Information,"
"Selected  Consolidated  Financial Data,"  "Capitalization,"  and  "Management's
Discussion  and  Analysis of  Financial  Condition  and Results of  Operations,"
fairly present, on the basis stated in the Prospectus, the information set forth
therein,  and have been derived from or compiled on a basis consistent with that
of the audited financial statements included in the Prospectus; and, in the case
of pro  forma  financial  information,  if  any,  the  assumptions  used  in the
preparation  thereof  are  reasonable  and  the  adjustments  used  therein  are
appropriate to give effect to the  transactions  and  circumstances  referred to
therein.  The amounts shown as accrued for current and deferred income and other
taxes in such financial statements are sufficient for the payment of all accrued
and unpaid federal, state, local and foreign income taxes, interest,  penalties,
assessments  or  deficiencies  applicable  to the Company and the  Subsidiaries,
whether disputed or not, for the applicable  period then ended and periods prior
thereto;  adequate  allowance  for  doubtful  accounts  has  been  provided  for
unindemnified  losses due to the operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries;
and the statements of income do not contain any items of special or nonrecurring
income not earned in the ordinary course of business, except as specified in the
notes thereto.

              (g)  Each of the  Company  and the  Subsidiaries  (i) has paid all
federal, state, local, and foreign taxes for which it is liable,  including, but
not limited to,  withholding taxes and amounts payable under Chapters 21 through
24 of the  Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as amended  (the  "Code"),  and has
furnished  all  information  returns it is required  to furnish  pursuant to the
Code,


                                       5






(ii) has  established  adequate  reserves  for such taxes  which are not due and
payable,  and (iii)  does not have any tax  deficiency  or  claims  outstanding,
proposed or assessed against it.

              (h) No transfer tax, stamp duty or other similar tax is payable by
or on behalf of the  Underwriters  in  connection  with (i) the  issuance by the
Company of the  Securities,  (ii) the purchase by the  Underwriters  of the Firm
Securities  and the Option  Securities  from the Company and the purchase by the
Representative  of the  Representative's  Warrants  from the Company,  (iii) the
consummation by the Company of any of its obligations  under this Agreement,  or
(iv) resales of the Firm Securities and the Option Securities in connection with
the distribution contemplated hereby.

              (i) Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries  maintains  insurance
policies,  including,  but not limited to, general  liability,  malpractice  and
property  insurance,  which insures each of the Company,  the  Subsidiaries  and
their  respective  employees,  against such losses and risks  generally  insured
against by comparable  businesses.  None of the Company nor the Subsidiaries (A)
has failed to give notice or present  any  insurance  claim with  respect to any
matter,  including  but not  limited  to the  Company's  business,  property  or
employees, under any insurance policy or surety bond in a due and timely manner,
(B) has any  disputes  or  claims  against  any  underwriter  of such  insurance
policies  or surety  bonds or has  failed to pay any  premiums  due and  payable
thereunder,  or (C) has failed to comply with all  conditions  contained in such
insurance policies and surety bonds.  There are no facts or circumstances  under
any such insurance  policy or surety bond which would relieve any insurer of its
obligation to satisfy in full any valid claim of the Company or any Subsidiary.

              (j) There is no action, suit,  proceeding,  inquiry,  arbitration,
investigation,   litigation  or  governmental  proceeding  (including,   without
limitation,  those having  jurisdiction over  environmental or similar matters),
domestic or foreign,  pending or threatened  against (or circumstances  that may
give rise to the same),  or involving the properties or business of, the Company
or the Subsidiaries which (i) questions the validity of the capital stock of the
Company, this Agreement,  the Warrant Agreement or the Representative's  Warrant
Agreement,  or of any action taken or to be taken by the Company  pursuant to or
in connection with this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement or the Representative's
Warrant  Agreement,  (ii)  is  required  to be  disclosed  in  the  Registration
Statement  which is not so disclosed (and such  proceedings as are summarized in
the Registration  Statement are accurately summarized in all material respects),
or (iii) might  materially  and  adversely  affect the  condition,  financial or
otherwise, or the earnings,  position,  prospects,  stockholders' equity, value,
operation,  properties, business or results of operations of the Company and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

              (k) The  Company  has full legal  right,  power and  authority  to
authorize,  issue,  deliver and sell the Securities,  enter into this Agreement,
the  Warrant  Agreement  and  the  Representative's  Warrant  Agreement  and  to
consummate  the  transactions  provided  for  in  this  Agreement,  the  Warrant
Agreement and the Representative's  Warrant Agreement;  and this Agreement,  the
Warrant Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement have each been duly
and properly  authorized,  executed and  delivered by the Company.  Each of this
Agreement,  the Warrant  Agreement and the  Representative's  Warrant  Agreement
constitutes  a legal,  valid and binding  agreement  of the Company  enforceable
against  the Company in  accordance  with its


                                       6





terms, and none of the Company's issue and sale of the Securities,  execution or
delivery  of this  Agreement,  the  Warrant  Agreement  or the  Representative's
Warrant Agreement, its performance hereunder and thereunder, its consummation of
the transactions contemplated herein and therein, or the conduct of its business
as described in the Registration Statement,  the Prospectus,  and any amendments
or supplements thereto,  conflicts with or will conflict with or results or will
result in any  breach or  violation  of any of the  terms or  provisions  of, or
constitutes  or will  constitute a default  under,  or result in the creation or
imposition of any lien, charge, claim,  encumbrance,  pledge, security interest,
defect or other  restriction or equity of any kind whatsoever upon, any property
or assets  (tangible or  intangible)  of any of the Company or the  Subsidiaries
pursuant to the terms of (i) the certificate of  incorporation or by-laws of any
of the  Company or the  Subsidiaries,  (ii) any  license,  contract,  collective
bargaining agreement,  indenture,  mortgage,  deed of trust, lease, voting trust
agreement,  stockholders agreement,  note, loan or credit agreement or any other
agreement or  instrument  to which any of the Company or the  Subsidiaries  is a
party or by which any of the Company or the  Subsidiaries  is or may be bound or
to which either of its or their  respective  properties  or assets  (tangible or
intangible)  is or may be subject,  or any  indebtedness,  or (iii) any statute,
judgment,  decree, order, rule or regulation applicable to any of the Company or
the  Subsidiaries of any arbitrator,  court,  regulatory body or  administrative
agency or other  governmental  agency or body  (including,  without  limitation,
those having  jurisdiction over  environmental or similar matters),  domestic or
foreign,  having jurisdiction over any of the Company or the Subsidiaries or any
of its or their respective activities or properties.

              (l) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, and no filing
with, any court,  regulatory body,  government agency or other body, domestic or
foreign,  is  required  for  the  issuance  of the  Securities  pursuant  to the
Prospectus and the  Registration  Statement,  the performance of this Agreement,
the  Warrant  Agreement  and  the  Representative's  Warrant  Agreement  and the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby,  including without limitation, any
waiver of any  preemptive,  first  refusal  or other  rights  that any entity or
person may have for the issue and/or sale of any of the Securities,  except such
as have been or may be  obtained  under the Act or may be  required  under state
securities or Blue Sky laws in connection  with the  Underwriters'  purchase and
distribution  of  the  Firm  Securities  and  the  Option  Securities,  and  the
Representative's Warrants to be sold by the Company hereunder.

              (m) All  executed  agreements,  contracts  or other  documents  or
copies of executed agreements, contracts or other documents filed as exhibits to
the Registration  Statement to which any of the Company or the Subsidiaries is a
party or by which  it or they may be bound or to which  its or their  respective
assets,  properties  or  business  may be  subject  have been  duly and  validly
authorized,  executed and delivered by the Company or the  Subsidiaries,  as the
case may be, and  constitute  the legal,  valid and  binding  agreements  of the
Company or the  Subsidiaries,  as the case may be,  enforceable  against each of
them  in  accordance  with  their  respective  terms.  The  descriptions  in the
Registration Statement of agreements, contracts and other documents are accurate
and fairly present the information  required to be shown with respect thereto by
Form SB-2, and there are no contracts or other  documents  which are required by
the Act to be  described in the  Registration  Statement or filed as exhibits to
the Registration Statement which are not described or filed as required, and the
exhibits  which have been filed are complete and correct copies of the documents
of which they purport to be copies.


                                       7






              (n) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which  information is
set  forth in the  Registration  Statement  and  Prospectus,  and  except as may
otherwise be indicated or  contemplated  herein or therein,  none of the Company
nor the  Subsidiaries has (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or
obligation,  direct or  contingent,  for borrowed  money,  (ii) entered into any
transaction other than in the ordinary course of business,  or (iii) declared or
paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect of its capital
stock of any class,  and there has not been any change in the capital stock,  or
any change in the debt (long or short term) or liabilities  or material  adverse
change in or affecting the general affairs,  management,  financial  operations,
stockholders'  equity or  results  of  operations  of any of the  Company or the
Subsidiaries.

              (o) No default exists in the due performance and observance of any
term,  covenant or  condition of any license,  contract,  collective  bargaining
agreement,  indenture,  mortgage,  installment  sale agreement,  lease,  deed of
trust, voting trust agreement,  stockholders  agreement,  partnership agreement,
note,  loan or credit  agreement,  purchase  order,  or any other  agreement  or
instrument  evidencing an obligation for borrowed  money,  or any other material
agreement or  instrument  to which any of the Company or the  Subsidiaries  is a
party or by which  any of the  Company  or the  Subsidiaries  may be bound or to
which the property or assets  (tangible or  intangible) of any of the Company or
the Subsidiaries is subject or affected.

              (p) Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has generally enjoyed
a  satisfactory  employer-employee  relationship  with its  employees  and is in
compliance  with all federal,  state,  local,  and foreign laws and  regulations
respecting  employment  and  employment  practices,   terms  and  conditions  of
employment and wages and hours.  There are no pending  investigations  involving
any of the Company or the  Subsidiaries by the U.S.  Department of Labor, or any
other  governmental  agency  responsible  for the  enforcement  of such federal,
state, local, or foreign laws and regulations. There is no unfair labor practice
charge or  complaint  against  any of the  Company or the  Subsidiaries  pending
before the National Labor  Relations  Board or any lockout,  strike,  picketing,
boycott,  dispute,  slowdown  or  stoppage  pending  or  threatened  against  or
involving any of the Company or the Subsidiaries, or any predecessor entity, and
none has  ever  occurred.  No  representation  question  exists  respecting  the
employees  of  any of  the  Company  or  the  Subsidiaries,  and  no  collective
bargaining  agreement or modification  thereof is currently being  negotiated by
any of the Company or the Subsidiaries.  No grievance or arbitration  proceeding
is pending under any expired or existing collective bargaining agreements of any
of the Company or the  Subsidiaries.  No labor dispute with the employees of any
of the Company or the Subsidiaries exists, or, is imminent.

              (q) None of the  Company  nor any of the  Subsidiaries  maintains,
sponsors or  contributes  to any  program or  arrangement  that is an  "employee
pension benefit plan," an "employee  welfare benefit plan," or a  "multiemployer
plan" as such terms are defined in Sections 3(2), 3(1) and 3(37),  respectively,
of the Employee  Retirement  Income  Security Act of 1974, as amended  ("ERISA")
("ERISA  Plans").  None  of  the  Company  nor  the  Subsidiaries  maintains  or
contributes,  now or at any time  previously,  to a  defined  benefit  plan,  as
defined  in  Section  3(35) of  ERISA.  No  ERISA  Plan  (or any  trust  created
thereunder)  has  engaged in a  "prohibited  transaction"  within the meaning of
Section  406 of ERISA or  Section  4975 of the Code,  which  could  subject  the
Company or the  Subsidiaries to any tax penalty on prohibited


                                       8




transactions and which has not adequately been corrected.  Each ERISA Plan is in
compliance with all reporting, disclosure and other requirements of the Code and
ERISA as they relate to any such ERISA  Plan.  Determination  letters  have been
received from the Internal Revenue Service with respect to each ERISA Plan which
is intended to comply with Code Section 401(a), stating that such ERISA Plan and
the  attendant  trust are  qualified  thereunder.  None of the  Company  nor the
Subsidiaries  has ever completely or partially  withdrawn from a  "multiemployer
plan."


              (r) None of the Company, the Subsidiaries, nor any of its or their
respective employees, directors,  stockholders,  partners, or affiliates (within
the meaning of the Rules and  Regulations)  of any of the foregoing has taken or
will  take,  directly  or  indirectly,  any  action  designed  to or  which  has
constituted or which might be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange
Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of
the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or otherwise.

              (s) Except as otherwise  disclosed in the Prospectus,  none of the
patents,  patent  applications,  trademarks,  service  marks,  trade  names  and
copyrights,  and licenses and rights to the foregoing presently owned or held by
any of the  Company or the  Subsidiaries,  are in dispute so far as known by the
Company  or are in any  conflict  with the right of any other  person or entity.
Each of the Company and the  Subsidiaries (i) owns or has the right to use, free
and  clear  of all  liens,  charges,  claims,  encumbrances,  pledges,  security
interests, defects or other restrictions or equities of any kind whatsoever, all
patents, trademarks,  service marks, trade names and copyrights,  technology and
licenses  and rights with respect to the  foregoing,  used in the conduct of its
business as now conducted or proposed to be conducted without infringing upon or
otherwise  acting  adversely  to the  right  or  claimed  right  of any  person,
corporation  or other entity under or with respect to any of the  foregoing  and
(ii) is not obligated or under any  liability  whatsoever to make any payment by
way of  royalties,  fees or  otherwise  to any  owner or  licensee  of, or other
claimant  to, any  patent,  trademark,  service  mark,  trade  name,  copyright,
know-how,  technology or other intangible asset, with respect to the use thereof
or in connection with the conduct of its business or otherwise.

              (t)  Each  of the  Company  and  the  Subsidiaries  has  good  and
marketable title to, or valid and enforceable leasehold estates in, all items of
real and personal property stated in the Prospectus to be owned or leased by it,
free and clear of all liens, charges, claims,  encumbrances,  pledges,  security
interests,  defects,  or other  restrictions or equities of any kind whatsoever,
other than those  referred to in the  Prospectus and liens for taxes not yet due
and payable.

              (u) Ernst & Young,  LLP, whose report is filed with the Commission
as a part  of the  Registration  Statement,  are  independent  certified  public
accountants as required by the Act and the Rules and Regulations.

              (v) The Company has caused to be duly executed legally binding and
enforceable  agreements  pursuant  to  which  each  of the  Company's  officers,
directors,  stockholders  and holders of securities  exchangeable or exercisable
for or convertible  into shares of Common Stock has agreed (i) not to,  directly
or indirectly,  issue, offer, offer to sell, sell, grant any option for


                                       9




the sale or purchase of,  assign,  transfer,  pledge,  hypothecate  or otherwise
encumber  or  dispose of any shares of Common  Stock or  securities  convertible
into,  exercisable  or  exchangeable  for or evidencing any right to purchase or
subscribe  for any shares of Common  Stock  (either  pursuant to Rule 144 of the
Rules and  Regulations  or  otherwise)  or  dispose of any  beneficial  interest
therein for a period of not less than twelve (12) months following the effective
date of the  Registration  Statement  without the prior  written  consent of the
Representative and the Company and (ii) to waive all rights to request or demand
the registration  pursuant to the Act of any securities of the Company which are
registered in the name of or beneficially  owned by any such holder.  During the
12 month period commencing on the effective date of the Registration  Statement,
the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the  Representative,
sell, contract or offer to sell, issue, transfer, assign, pledge, distribute, or
otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly,  any shares of Common Stock or any
options,  rights or warrants  with  respect to any shares of Common  Stock.  The
Company  will  cause the  Transfer  Agent (as  hereinafter  defined)  to mark an
appropriate  legend on the face of stock  certificates  representing all of such
securities and to place "stop transfer" orders on the Company's stock ledgers.

              (w) There are no  claims,  payments,  issuances,  arrangements  or
understandings,  whether  oral or  written,  for  services  in the  nature  of a
finder's or origination fee with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder
or any other arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuance with
respect to the  Company,  the  Subsidiaries,  or any of its or their  respective
officers, directors,  stockholders,  partners, employees or affiliates, that may
affect the Underwriters' compensation, as determined by the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD").

              (x) The  Common  Stock  has been  approved  for  quotation  on the
American Stock Exchange ("Amex").

              (y) None of the Company, the Subsidiaries, nor any of its or their
respective officers,  employees,  agents or any other person acting on behalf of
any of the Company or the  Subsidiaries  has,  directly or indirectly,  given or
agreed to give any  money,  gift or similar  benefit  (other  than  legal  price
concessions  to customers in the ordinary  course of business) to any  customer,
supplier,  employee or agent of a customer or supplier,  or official or employee
of any  governmental  agency  (domestic  or foreign) or  instrumentality  of any
government  (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office
(domestic  or foreign) or other  person who was,  is, or may be in a position to
help or hinder the business of any of the Company or the Subsidiaries (or assist
any of the Company or the Subsidiaries in connection with any actual or proposed
transaction) which (a) might subject any of the Company or the Subsidiaries,  or
any other  such  person to any  damage or  penalty  in any  civil,  criminal  or
governmental litigation or proceeding (domestic or foreign), (b) if not given in
the past,  might have had a material  adverse effect on the assets,  business or
operations of any of the Company or the Subsidiaries, or (c) if not continued in
the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, condition, financial or
otherwise, earnings, position, properties, value, operations or prospects of any
of the Company or the Subsidiaries. The Company's and each Subsidiary's internal
accounting  controls  are  sufficient  to  cause  each  of the  Company  and the
Subsidiaries  to comply  with the  Foreign  Corrupt  Practices  Act of 1977,  as
amended.


                                       10





              (z) Except as set forth in the Prospectus,  no officer,  director,
stockholder or partner of the Company or of any  Subsidiary,  or any "affiliate"
or  "associate"  (as these terms are defined in Rule 405  promulgated  under the
Rules and  Regulations)  of any of the foregoing  persons or entities has or has
had,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  (i) an interest in any person or entity
which (A) furnishes or sells services or products which are furnished or sold or
are proposed to be furnished or sold by any of the Company or the  Subsidiaries,
or (B)  purchases  from or  sells  or  furnishes  to any of the  Company  or the
Subsidiaries  any  goods or  services,  or (ii) a  beneficiary  interest  in any
contract or  agreement to which the Company or any  Subsidiary  is a party or by
which it may be bound or affected.  Except as set forth in the Prospectus  under
"Certain   Transactions,"  there  are  no  existing  agreements,   arrangements,
understandings   or   transactions,   or  proposed   agreements,   arrangements,
understandings or transactions,  between or among the Company or any Subsidiary,
and any officer, director, or 5% or greater securityholder of the Company or any
Subsidiary,  or any partner,  affiliate  or  associate  of any of the  foregoing
persons or entities.

              (aa) Any  certificate  signed by any officer of the Company or any
Subsidiary,  and delivered to the Underwriters or to  Underwriters'  Counsel (as
defined herein) shall be deemed a representation  and warranty by the Company to
the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

              (ab) The minute books of each of the Company and the  Subsidiaries
have been made available to the  Underwriters  and contain a complete summary of
all meetings and actions of the  directors  (including  committees  thereof) and
stockholders of each of the Company and the Subsidiaries,  since the time of its
incorporation,  and  reflect  all  transactions  referred  to  in  such  minutes
accurately in all material respects.

              (ac)  Except and to the extent  described  in the  Prospectus,  no
holders of any  securities  of the Company or of any options,  warrants or other
convertible or exchangeable  securities of the Company have the right to include
any  securities  issued by the  Company  in the  Registration  Statement  or any
registration  statement  to be filed by the Company or to require the Company to
file a  registration  statement  under the Act and no person or entity holds any
anti-dilution rights with respect to any securities of the Company.

              (ad) The Company has as of the effective date of the  Registration
Statement  (i)  entered  into an  employment  agreement  with each of Anthony E.
Maida,  III and Lynn E.  Spitler,  M.D. in the form filed as Exhibit  ______ and
Exhibit __, respectively,  to the Registration Statement and (ii) purchased term
key person  insurance on the lives of each of Mr.  Maida and Dr.  Spitler in the
amount of $__ million which  policies  name the Company as the sole  beneficiary
thereof.

              (ae) As of the date  hereof,  the Company  does not have more than
_________  shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding  (including  securities
with  equivalent  rights as the Common Stock and shares of Common Stock, or such
equivalent securities,  issuable upon exercise of any and all options,  warrants
and other contract rights and securities convertible directly or indirectly into
shares  of Common  Stock or such  equivalent  securities,  but  excluding  up to
___________ shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options granted
under


                                       11





the  Company's  1996 Stock Option Plan at prices not less than the higher of the
market  value of the shares at the date of the grant or the  offering  price per
share).

              (af) Each of the Company and the  Subsidiaries  confirms as of the
date hereof that it is in compliance with all provisions of Section 1 of Laws of
Florida,  Chapter  92-198,  An Act Relating to Disclosure of Doing Business with
Cuba, and each of the Company and the Subsidiaries  further agrees that if it or
any affiliate commences engaging in business with the government of Cuba or with
any  person  or  affiliate  located  in Cuba  after  the date  the  Registration
Statement  becomes  or has  become  effective  with the  Commission  or with the
Florida Department of Banking and Finance (the "Department"),  whichever date is
later,  or if the  information  reported or  incorporated  by  reference  in the
Prospectus,   if  any,  concerning  the  Company's,   any  Subsidiary's  or  any
affiliate's,  business with Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba
changes in any material way, the Company will provide the  Department  notice of
such business or change, as appropriate, in a form acceptable to the Department.

              (ag) The  Company is not,  and upon the  issuance  and sale of the
Securities  as  herein  contemplated  and the  application  of the net  proceeds
therefrom  as described  in the  Prospectus  under the caption "Use of Proceeds"
will not be, an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment
company" as such terms are  defined in the  Investment  Company Act of 1940,  as
amended (the "1940 Act").

              (ah) Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of
internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i)
transactions  are executed in accordance with  management's  general or specific
authorizations;   (ii)   transactions   are  recorded  as  necessary  to  permit
preparations  of financial  statements in  conformity  with  generally  accepted
accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to
assets is permitted  only in accordance  with  management's  general or specific
authorizations; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences.

              (ai)  The   Company   has   entered   into  a  warrant   agreement
substantially  in the form filed as Exhibit ____ to the  Registration  Statement
(the "Warrant  Agreement") with Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, as
Warrant Agent, in form and substance  satisfactory to the  Representative,  with
respect  to the  Redeemable  Warrants  and  providing  for  the  payment  of the
commission contemplated by Section 4(v).

        2.    Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Securities.

              (a) On the basis of the representations, warranties, covenants and
agreements herein contained,  but subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth,  the Company agrees to sell to each  Underwriter,  and each  Underwriter,
severally  and not  jointly,  agrees to purchase  from the Company at a price of
$_______ [92% of the public  offering  price] per Share and $_______ [92% of the
public  offering price] per Redeemable  Warrant,  that number of Firm Securities
set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such  Underwriter,  subject to such
adjustment as the  Representative in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate
any sales or purchases of fractional


                                       12




shares, plus any additional number of Firm Securities which such Underwriter may
become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 11 hereof.

              (b) In addition, on the basis of the representations,  warranties,
covenants  and  agreements  herein  contained,  but  subject  to the  terms  and
conditions  herein  set  forth,  the  Company  hereby  grants  an  option to the
Underwriters,  severally  and not  jointly,  to  purchase  all or any part of an
additional  375,000  shares  of  Common  Stock at a price of $ ____  [92% of the
public  offering  price] per share of Common Stock and/or an additional  375,000
Redeemable Warrants at a price of $______ [92% of the public offering price] per
Redeemable  Warrant.  The option granted hereby will expire forty-five (45) days
after (i) the date the Registration Statement becomes effective,  if the Company
has  elected not to rely on Rule 430A under the Rules and  Regulations,  or (ii)
the date of this  Agreement  if the  Company  has elected to rely upon Rule 430A
under the Rules and  Regulations,  and may be exercised in whole or in part from
time to time only for the purpose of covering  over-allotments which may be made
in connection  with the offering and  distribution  of the Firm  Securities upon
notice by the  Representative  to the Company setting forth the number of Option
Securities as to which the several  Underwriters  are then exercising the option
and the time and date of payment and  delivery  for any such Option  Securities.
Any  such  time  and  date of  delivery  (an  "Option  Closing  Date")  shall be
determined  by the  Representative,  but shall not be later  than three (3) full
business  days after the exercise of said option,  nor in any event prior to the
Closing  Date,  as  hereinafter  defined,  unless  otherwise  agreed upon by the
Representative  and the Company.  Nothing  herein  contained  shall obligate the
Underwriters  to  make  any  over-allotments.  No  Option  Securities  shall  be
delivered unless the Firm Securities shall be simultaneously  delivered or shall
theretofore have been delivered as herein provided.

              (c)  Payment  of  the   purchase   price  for,   and  delivery  of
certificates  for,  the  Firm  Securities  shall be made at the  offices  of the
Representative at 1001 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2200, Seattle,  Washington 98154, or
at such  other  place as  shall be  agreed  upon by the  Representative  and the
Company.  Such  delivery and payment  shall be made at 10:00 a.m. (New York City
time) on _______________, 1997 or at such other time and date as shall be agreed
upon by the Representative and the Company, but not less than three (3) nor more
than five (5) full business days after the  effective  date of the  Registration
Statement  (such time and date of payment and delivery  being herein  called the
"Closing  Date").  In  addition,  in the  event  that  any or all of the  Option
Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for,
and delivery of certificates  for, such Option  Securities  shall be made at the
above-mentioned  office of the Representative or at such other place as shall be
agreed upon by the Representative and the Company on each Option Closing Date as
specified in the notice from the Representative to the Company.  Delivery of the
certificates for the Firm Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be
made to the Underwriters against payment by the Underwriters,  severally and not
jointly,  of  the  purchase  price  for  the  Firm  Securities  and  the  Option
Securities,  if any, to the order of the Company for the Firm Securities and the
Option  Securities,  if any, by New York Clearing House funds. In the event such
option is exercised, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly,
shall  purchase that  proportion of the total number of Option  Securities  then
being  purchased  which the number of Firm  Securities  set forth in  Schedule A
hereto opposite the name of such  Underwriter  bears to the total number of Firm
Securities,  subject in each case to such adjustments as the  Representative  in
its  discretion  shall make to eliminate  any 


                                       13





sales or purchases of fractional  shares.  Certificates  for the Firm Securities
and the Option  Securities,  if any,  shall be in definitive,  fully  registered
form, shall bear no restrictive  legends and shall be in such  denominations and
registered in such names as the Underwriters may request in writing at least two
(2) business days prior to the Closing Date or the relevant Option Closing Date,
as the case may be.  The  certificates  for the Firm  Securities  and the Option
Securities, if any, shall be made available to the Representative at such office
or such other place as the Representative may designate for inspection, checking
and  packaging  no later than 9:30 a.m.  on the last  business  day prior to the
Closing Date or the relevant Option Closing Date, as the case may be.

              (d) On the Closing  Date,  the Company shall issue and sell to the
Representative  Representative's  Warrants  at a  purchase  price of $.0001  per
warrant,  which  Representative's  Warrants shall entitle the holders thereof to
purchase  an  aggregate  of  250,000  shares  of  Common  Stock  and/or  250,000
Redeemable Warrants.  The  Representative's  Warrants shall be exercisable for a
period of four (4) years  commencing one (1) year from the effective date of the
Registration  Statement at a price  equaling one hundred forty percent (140%) of
the respective  initial  public  offering price of the Shares and the Redeemable
Warrants. The Representative's Warrant Agreement and form of Warrant Certificate
shall be  substantially  in the form filed as Exhibit [___] to the  Registration
Statement.  Payment  for  the  Representative's  Warrants  shall  be made on the
Closing Date.

        3. Public Offering of the Shares and Redeemable Warrants.  As soon after
the  Registration  Statement  becomes  effective  as  the  Representative  deems
advisable,  the  Underwriters  shall  make a public  offering  of the Shares and
Redeemable  Warrants (other than to residents of or in any jurisdiction in which
qualification  of the Shares and  Redeemable  Warrants is  required  and has not
become  effective)  at the  price  and upon the  other  terms  set  forth in the
Prospectus.  The  Representative  may from time to time increase or decrease the
respective public offering price after distribution of the Shares and Redeemable
Warrants has been  completed to such extent as the  Representative,  in its sole
discretion  deems  advisable.  The  Underwriters  may  enter  into  one of  more
agreements as the Underwriters, in each of their sole discretion, deem advisable
with one or more broker-dealers who shall act as dealers in connection with such
public offering.

              4. Covenants and Agreements of the Company.  The Company covenants
and agrees with each of the Underwriters as follows:

              (a)  The  Company   shall  use  its  best  efforts  to  cause  the
Registration  Statement  and any  amendments  thereto  to  become  effective  as
promptly as  practicable  and will not at any time,  whether before or after the
effective  date  of  the  Registration  Statement,  file  any  amendment  to the
Registration  Statement or  supplement  to the  Prospectus  or file any document
under the Act or Exchange Act before  termination  of the offering of the Shares
and Redeemable  Warrants by the Underwriters of which the  Representative  shall
not  previously  have been advised and  furnished  with a copy,  or to which the
Representative  shall have objected or which is not in compliance  with the Act,
the Exchange Act or the Rules and Regulations.


                                       14





              (b) As  soon  as the  Company  is  advised  or  obtains  knowledge
thereof,  the Company will advise the  Representative  and confirm the notice in
writing (i) when the Registration Statement,  as amended,  becomes effective, if
the provisions of Rule 430A promulgated  under the Act will be relied upon, when
the  Prospectus  has been filed in  accordance  with said Rule 430A and when any
post-effective  amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective;  (ii)
of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the
threatening,  of any proceeding suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement  or any order  preventing  or  suspending  the use of the  Preliminary
Prospectus or the  Prospectus,  or any amendment or supplement  thereto,  or the
institution  of  proceedings  for that  purpose;  (iii) of the  issuance  by the
Commission  or by any state  securities  commission of any  proceedings  for the
suspension of the qualification of any of the Securities for offering or sale in
any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for
that purpose;  (iv) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission;  and (v)
of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement
or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional  information.
If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or
suspend such  qualification  at any time,  the Company will make every effort to
obtain promptly the lifting of such order.

              (c) The Company shall file the  Prospectus  (in form and substance
satisfactory  to the  Representative)  or  transmit  the  Prospectus  by a means
reasonably  calculated to result in filing with the Commission  pursuant to Rule
424(b)(1) (or, if applicable and if consented to by the Representative, pursuant
to Rule  424(b)(4))  not later than the  Commission's  close of  business on the
earlier of (i) the second  business day  following the execution and delivery of
this  Agreement and (ii) the fifth  business day after the effective date of the
Registration Statement.

              (d)  The  Company  will  give  the  Representative  notice  of its
intention  to  file or  prepare  any  amendment  to the  Registration  Statement
(including any  post-effective  amendment) or any amendment or supplement to the
Prospectus  (including any revised prospectus which the Company proposes for use
by the  Underwriters  in connection  with the offering of the  Securities  which
differs from the corresponding  prospectus on file at the Commission at the time
the  Registration  Statement  becomes  effective,  whether  or not such  revised
prospectus  is  required  to be filed  pursuant  to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
Regulations),  and will  furnish  the  Representative  with  copies  of any such
amendment  or  supplement  a  reasonable  amount of time prior to such  proposed
filing  or use,  as the case may be,  and will not file any such  prospectus  to
which the Representative or Orrick,  Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP  ("Underwriters'
Counsel") shall object.

              (e) The Company shall endeavor in good faith, in cooperation  with
the Representative,  at or prior to the time the Registration  Statement becomes
effective,  to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities
laws of such  jurisdictions  as the  Representative  may designate to permit the
continuance  of sales and  dealings  therein for as long as may be  necessary to
complete the distribution, and shall make such applications, file such documents
and furnish  such  information  as may be required for such  purpose;  provided,
however,  the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign  corporation
or file a  general  or  limited  consent  to  service  of  process  in any  such
jurisdiction.  In each jurisdiction where such qualification  shall be effected,
the Company will,  unless the  Representative  agrees that such action is not at
the time


                                       15




necessary  or  advisable,  use all  reasonable  efforts  to file and  make  such
statements or reports at such times as are or may  reasonably be required by the
laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification.

              (f) During the time when a prospectus  is required to be delivered
under the Act, the Company shall use all  reasonable  efforts to comply with all
requirements  imposed  upon  it by the  Act and  the  Exchange  Act,  as now and
hereafter  amended  and by the  Rules and  Regulations,  as from time to time in
force,  so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in
the Securities in accordance with the provisions  hereof and the Prospectus,  or
any amendments or supplements thereto. If at any time when a prospectus relating
to the  Securities  is required to be  delivered  under the Act, any event shall
have occurred as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the Company or
Underwriters' Counsel, the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, includes
an untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omits to state any  material  fact
required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements  therein,  in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if
it is necessary at any time to amend the  Prospectus to comply with the Act, the
Company  will notify the  Representative  promptly and prepare and file with the
Commission an appropriate  amendment or supplement in accordance with Section 10
of  the  Act,  each  such  amendment  or  supplement  to  be   satisfactory   to
Underwriters'  Counsel,  and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters copies
of such  amendment or supplement as soon as available and in such  quantities as
the Underwriters may request.

              (g) As  soon as  practicable,  but in any  event  not  later  than
forty-five (45) days after the end of the 12-month  period  beginning on the day
after the end of the fiscal  quarter of the Company  during which the  effective
date of the  Registration  Statement  occurs (ninety (90) days in the event that
the end of such fiscal  quarter is the end of the Company's  fiscal  year),  the
Company shall make generally  available to its security  holders,  in the manner
specified   in  Rule   158(b)  of  the  Rules  and   Regulations,   and  to  the
Representative,  an earnings  statement which will be in the detail required by,
and will  otherwise  comply with, the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and
Rule 158(a) of the Rules and  Regulations,  which  statement need not be audited
unless  required  by  the  Act,  covering  a  period  of at  least  twelve  (12)
consecutive months after the effective date of the Registration Statement.

              (h) During a period of seven (7) years after the date hereof,  the
Company will furnish to its stockholders, as soon as practicable, annual reports
(including  financial  statements audited by independent public accountants) and
unaudited quarterly reports of earnings, and will deliver to the Representative:

              i.  concurrently  with  furnishing  such quarterly  reports to its
        stockholders,  statements  of income of the Company for each  quarter in
        the form  furnished to the Company's  stockholders  and certified by the
        Company's principal financial or accounting officer;

              ii.  concurrently  with  furnishing  such  annual  reports  to its
        stockholders,  a  balance  sheet  of the  Company  as at the  end of the
        preceding   fiscal  year,   together  with   statements  of  operations,
        stockholders'  equity,  and cash flows of the  Company  for such  fiscal
        year, 


                                       16





        accompanied  by  a  copy  of  the  certificate  thereon  of  independent
        certified public accountants;

              iii.  as  soon  as  they  are  available,  copies  of all  reports
        (financial or other) mailed to stockholders;

              iv.  as soon as they are  available,  copies  of all  reports  and
        financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission, the NASD
        or any securities exchange;

              v. every press release and every  material news item or article of
        interest to the  financial  community in respect of the Company,  or its
        affairs,  which was released or prepared by or on behalf of the Company;
        and

              vi. any additional  information of a public nature  concerning the
        Company  (and  any  future  subsidiary)  or  its  businesses  which  the
        Representative may request.

        During such seven-year  period, if the Company has an active subsidiary,
the foregoing financial statements will be on a consolidated basis to the extent
that the accounts of the Company and its subsidiary(ies)  are consolidated,  and
will  be  accompanied  by  similar  financial  statements  for  any  significant
subsidiary which is not so consolidated.

              (i) The Company will  maintain a transfer  agent and warrant agent
("Transfer  Agent") and, if necessary under the jurisdiction of incorporation of
the Company,  a Registrar  (which may be the same entity as the Transfer  Agent)
for its Common Stock and Redeemable Warrants.

              (j) The  Company  will  furnish  to the  Representative  or on the
Representative's  order, without charge, at such place as the Representative may
designate, copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement and
any pre-effective or post-effective amendments thereto (two of which copies will
be  signed  and  will  include  all  financial  statements  and  exhibits),  the
Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, including any prospectus
prepared after the effective date of the Registration Statement, in each case as
soon as available and in such quantities as the Representative may request.

              (k) On or before the effective date of the Registration Statement,
the Company shall provide the  Representative  with true original copies of duly
executed,  legally binding and enforceable  agreements  pursuant to which, for a
period  of  twelve  (12)  months  from the  effective  date of the  Registration
Statement,  each  of  the  Company's  stockholders  and  holders  of  securities
exchangeable  or  exercisable  for or  convertible  into shares of Common  Stock
agrees that it or he or she (i) will not, directly or indirectly,  issue,  offer
to sell,  sell,  grant an option for the sale or purchase of, assign,  transfer,
pledge,  hypothecate  or  otherwise  encumber or dispose of any shares of Common
Stock  or  securities  convertible  into,  exercisable  or  exchangeable  for or
evidencing  any right to purchase or  subscribe  for any shares of Common  Stock
(either  pursuant  to Rule 144 of the Rules and  Regulations  or  otherwise)  or
dispose of any  beneficial  interest  therein  without the prior  consent of the
Representative (collectively,  the "Lock-up Agreements") and (ii) waives, during
such 12 month period,  any and all rights to request or demand the  registration
pursuant to the Act, of any  securities of the Company  which are  registered in
the


                                       17





name of or beneficially  owned by it or he or she,  respectively.  During the 12
month period commencing on the effective date of the Registration Statement, the
Company  shall not,  without the prior  written  consent of the  Representative,
sell, contract or offer to sell, issue, transfer, assign, pledge, distribute, or
otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly,  any shares of Common Stock or any
options,  rights or warrants with respect to any shares of Common  Stock.  On or
before the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver  instructions to the Transfer
Agent  authorizing  it  to  place   appropriate   legends  on  the  certificates
representing  the  securities  subject to the  Lock-up  Agreements  and to place
appropriate stop transfer orders on the Company's ledgers.

              (l) None of the Company, the Subsidiaries, nor any of its or their
respective officers, directors, stockholders, nor any of its or their respective
affiliates (within the meaning of the Rules and Regulations) will take, directly
or indirectly,  any action designed to, or which might in the future  reasonably
be expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of
any securities of the Company.

              (m) The Company  shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the
Securities in the manner, and subject to the conditions, set forth under "Use of
Proceeds"  in the  Prospectus.  No  portion  of the net  proceeds  will be used,
directly or indirectly, to acquire any securities issued by the Company.

              (n) The Company shall timely file all such reports, forms or other
documents as may be required (including, but not limited to, a Form SR as may be
required  pursuant to Rule 463 under the Act) from time to time,  under the Act,
the Exchange Act, and the Rules and Regulations, and all such reports, forms and
documents  filed  will  comply  as to form and  substance  with  the  applicable
requirements under the Act, the Exchange Act, and the Rules and Regulations.

              (o) The Company  shall furnish to the  Representative  as early as
practicable  prior to each of the date hereof,  the Closing Date and each Option
Closing  Date,  if any,  but no  later  than two (2) full  business  days  prior
thereto, a copy of the latest available  unaudited interim financial  statements
of the  Company  (which in no event  shall be as of a date more than thirty (30)
days prior to the date of the  Registration  Statement)  which have been read by
the Company's  independent public accountants,  as stated in their letters to be
furnished pursuant to Sections 6(l) and 6(m) hereof.

              (p) The  Company  shall  cause the  Common  Stock  and  Redeemable
Warrants  to be quoted on Nasdaq  and,  for a period of seven (7) years from the
date hereof, use its best efforts to maintain the Nasdaq quotation of the Common
Stock and the Redeemable Warrants to the extent outstanding.

              (q) For a period  of five (5) years  from the  Closing  Date,  the
Company shall furnish to the  Representative at the Company's sole expense,  (i)
daily  consolidated  transfer sheets relating to the Common Stock and Redeemable
Warrants (ii) the list of holders of all of the Company's securities and (iii) a
Blue Sky  "Trading  Survey"  for  secondary  sales of the  Company's  securities
prepared by counsel to the Company.


                                       18





              (r) As soon as practicable, (i) but in no event more than five (5)
business days before the effective date of the  Registration  Statement,  file a
Form 8-A with the Commission  providing for the registration  under the Exchange
Act of the  Securities and (ii) but in no event more than thirty (30) days after
the  effective  date of the  Registration  Statement,  take  all  necessary  and
appropriate   actions  to  be  included  in  Standard  and  Poor's   Corporation
Descriptions  and Moody's OTC Manual and to continue such inclusion for a period
of not less than seven (7) years.

              (s) The Company  hereby  agrees that it will not,  for a period of
twelve (12) months from the effective date of the Registration Statement, adopt,
propose to adopt or otherwise permit to exist any employee,  officer,  director,
consultant or compensation plan or similar arrangement permitting (i) the grant,
issue,  sale or entry into any  agreement  to grant,  issue or sell any  option,
warrant or other  contract  right (x) at an exercise price that is less than the
greater of the public offering price of the Shares set forth herein and the fair
market  value  on the  date of  grant  or  sale  or (y) to any of its  executive
officers or directors or to any holder of 5% or more of the Common Stock, except
as provided in subsection (ii) of this subparagraph;  (ii) the maximum number of
shares of Common Stock or other  securities  of the Company  purchasable  at any
time  pursuant  to  options  or  warrants  issued by the  Company  to exceed the
aggregate  _______ shares reserved for future issuance under the Company's Stock
Option  Plans  described in footnote  one (1) to the  "Prospectus  Summary - The
Offering" section of the Prospectus;  (iii) the payment for such securities with
any form of  consideration  other  than  cash;  or (iv) the  existence  of stock
appreciation rights, phantom options or similar arrangements.

              (t) Until the completion of the  distribution  of the  Securities,
the Company shall not,  without the prior written consent of the  Representative
and Underwriters' Counsel,  issue, directly or indirectly,  any press release or
other  communication or hold any press conference with respect to the Company or
its activities or the offering  contemplated  hereby,  other than trade releases
issued in the ordinary  course of the Company's  business  consistent  with past
practices with respect to the Company's operations.

              (u) For a period  equal to the  lesser of (i) seven (7) years from
the  date  hereof,  and  (ii) the  sale to the  public  of the  Representative's
Securities, the Company will not take any action or actions which may prevent or
disqualify  the Company's use of Form SB-2 (or other  appropriate  form) for the
registration  under  the Act of the  Representative's  Securities.  The  Company
further agrees to use its best efforts to file such post-effective amendments to
the  Registration  Statement,  as may be  necessary,  in order to  maintain  its
effectiveness and to keep such Registration Statement effective while any of the
Redeemable Warrants or Representative's Warrants remain outstanding.

              (v) Commencing  one year and one day from the date hereof,  if the
Company engages the  Representative  as a warrant  solicitation  agent under the
terms of the Warrant  Agreement,  the  Company  shall pay the  Representative  a
commission  equal to five percent (5%) of the exercise  price of the  Redeemable
Warrants,  payable on the date of the exercise  thereof on the terms provided in
the Warrant Agreement;  provided,  however, the Representative shall be entitled
to receive the  commission  contemplated  by this  Section 4(x) only if: (i) the
Representative  has provided actual services in connection with the solicitation
of the  exercise  of a  Redeemable  Warrant  by a  Warrantholder  and  (ii)  the
Warrantholder  exercising  a  Redeemable 


                                       19






Warrant affirmatively  designates in writing on the exercise form on the reverse
side  of  the  Redeemable   Warrant   Certificate  that  the  exercise  of  such
Warrantholder's Redeemable Warrant was solicited by the Representative.

        5.    Payment of Expenses.

              (a) The Company  hereby  agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date
and the Option  Closing  Date (to the extent not paid at the  Closing  Date) all
expenses and fees (other than fees of Underwriters' Counsel,  except as provided
in (iv) below)  incident to the  performance  of the  obligations of the Company
under this Agreement,  the Warrant  Agreement and the  Representative's  Warrant
Agreement,   including,  without  limitation,  (i)  the  fees  and  expenses  of
accountants and counsel for the Company, (ii) all costs and expenses incurred in
connection with the preparation,  duplication,  printing  (including mailing and
handling  charges),  filing,  delivery  and  mailing  (including  the payment of
postage with respect thereto) of the  Registration  Statement and the Prospectus
and any amendments and supplements thereto and the printing,  mailing (including
the payment of postage with respect thereto) and delivery of this Agreement, the
Warrant Agreement,  the Representative's  Warrant Agreement, the Agreement Among
Underwriters,  the Selected Dealer Agreements, and related documents,  including
the cost of all copies thereof and of the  Preliminary  Prospectuses  and of the
Prospectus and any amendments  thereof or  supplements  thereto  supplied to the
Underwriters and such dealers as the Underwriters may request,  in quantities as
hereinabove stated, (iii) the printing,  engraving, issuance and delivery of the
Securities  including,  but not limited to, (x) the purchase by the Underwriters
of the  Firm  Securities  and the  Option  Securities  and the  purchase  by the
Representative  of the  Representative's  Warrants  from  the  Company,  (y) the
consummation by the Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement,  the
Warrant Agreement and the Representative's  Warrant Agreement, and (z) resale of
the Firm Securities and the Option  Securities by the Underwriters in connection
with  the  distribution  contemplated  hereby,  (iv)  the  qualification  of the
Securities   under  state  or  foreign   securities   or  "Blue  Sky"  laws  and
determination  of the status of such  securities  under legal  investment  laws,
including  the  costs  of  printing  and  mailing  the  "Preliminary   Blue  Sky
Memorandum",  the  "Supplemental  Blue Sky  Memorandum"  and "Legal  Investments
Survey," if any, and disbursements and fees of counsel in connection  therewith,
(v)  advertising  costs and  expenses,  including  but not  limited to costs and
expenses  in  connection  with  the  "road  show",   information   meetings  and
presentations,   bound  volumes  and  prospectus  memorabilia  and  "tomb-stone"
advertisement expenses, (vi) costs and expenses in connection with due diligence
investigations,  including  but  not  limited  to the  fees  of any  independent
counsel, expert or consultant retained,  (vii) fees and expenses of the Transfer
Agent  and  registrar  and  all  issue  and  transfer   taxes,  if  any,  (viii)
applications  for assignment of a rating of the  Securities by qualified  rating
agencies, (ix) the fees payable to the Commission and the NASD, and (x) the fees
and expenses  incurred in  connection  with the  quotation of the  Securities on
Nasdaq and any other exchange.

              (b)  If  this  Agreement  is  terminated  by the  Underwriters  in
accordance  with the  provisions  of Section 6 or Section 12, the Company  shall
reimburse and indemnify the Underwriters  for all of their actual  out-of-pocket
expenses,  including the fees and disbursements of Underwriters'  Counsel,  less
any amounts already paid pursuant to Section 5(c) hereof.


                                       20





              (c) The Company  further  agrees that, in addition to the expenses
payable  pursuant  to  subsection  (a) of this  Section  5,  it will  pay to the
Representative  on the Closing Date by certified or bank cashier's  check or, at
the  election  of the  Representative,  by  deduction  from the  proceeds of the
offering contemplated herein a non-accountable expense allowance of $500,000.

        6. Conditions of the Underwriters'  Obligations.  The obligations of the
Underwriters  hereunder  shall be  subject  to the  continuing  accuracy  of the
representations  and  warranties of the Company herein as of the date hereof and
as of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, as if they had been
made on and as of the Closing Date or each Option  Closing Date, as the case may
be; the accuracy on and as of the Closing Date or Option  Closing  Date, if any,
of the statements of the officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions
hereof;  and the  performance  by the Company on and as of the Closing  Date and
each Option Closing Date, if any, of its covenants and obligations hereunder and
to the following further conditions:

              (a) The  Registration  Statement  shall have become  effective not
later than 12:00  P.M.,  New York time,  on the date of this  Agreement  or such
later date and time as shall be consented  to in writing by the  Representative,
and, at the Closing  Date and each Option  Closing  Date,  if any, no stop order
suspending  the  effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement  shall have been
issued and no proceedings  for that purpose shall have been  instituted or shall
be pending or  contemplated by the Commission and any request on the part of the
Commission  for  additional  information  shall have been  complied  with to the
reasonable  satisfaction of Underwriters' Counsel. If the Company has elected to
rely upon Rule 430A of the Rules and  Regulations,  the price of the  Shares and
Redeemable  Warrants and any price-related  information  previously omitted from
the effective  Registration Statement pursuant to such Rule 430A shall have been
transmitted to the  Commission  for filing  pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules
and  Regulations  within the  prescribed  time period and,  prior to the Closing
Date,   the  Company  shall  have   provided   evidence   satisfactory   to  the
Representative  of such timely filing, or a post-effective  amendment  providing
such  information  shall have been  promptly  filed and  declared  effective  in
accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations.

              (b) The Representative shall not have advised the Company that the
Registration Statement,  or any amendment thereto,  contains an untrue statement
of fact which, in the Representative's opinion, is material, or omits to state a
fact which, in the  Representative's  opinion, is material and is required to be
stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or
that the Prospectus,  or any supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of
fact which, in the  Representative's  opinion, is material,  or omits to state a
fact which, in the  Representative's  opinion, is material and is required to be
stated therein or is necessary to make the statements  therein,  in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

              (c) On or  prior  to each of the  Closing  Date  and  each  Option
Closing Date, if any, the Representative  shall have received from Underwriters'
Counsel,  such  opinion or  opinions  with  respect to the  organization  of the
Company,  the  validity  of the  Securities,  the  Registration  Statement,  the
Prospectus  and other  related  matters as the  Representative  may  request and
Underwriters'  Counsel shall have received such papers and  information  as they
request to enable them to pass upon such matters.


                                       21





              (d) At the Closing Date, the Underwriters  shall have received the
favorable  opinion of Wilson Sonsini  Goodrich & Rosati,  counsel to the Company
and the Subsidiaries,  dated the Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters and
in form and substance satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel, to the effect that:

              i.  each of the  Company  and the  Subsidiaries  (A) has been duly
        organized  and is validly  existing as a  corporation  in good  standing
        under the laws of its  jurisdiction,  (B) is duly qualified and licensed
        and in good standing as a foreign  corporation in each  jurisdiction  in
        which its ownership or leasing of any properties or the character of its
        operations  requires such  qualification  or licensing,  and (C) has all
        requisite  corporate  power and authority,  and has obtained any and all
        necessary  authorizations,  approvals,  orders, licenses,  certificates,
        franchises  and  permits  of and from  all  governmental  or  regulatory
        officials  and  bodies  (including,  without  limitation,  those  having
        jurisdiction over environmental or similar matters), to own or lease its
        properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; each
        of the Company and the  Subsidiaries  is and has been doing  business in
        compliance with all such authorizations,  approvals,  orders,  licenses,
        certificates,  franchises  and permits and all federal,  state and local
        laws,  rules  and  regulations;   and,  none  of  the  Company  nor  the
        Subsidiaries  has  received  any notice of  proceedings  relating to the
        revocation or modification of any such authorization,  approval,  order,
        license,  certificate,  franchise,  or  permit  which,  singly or in the
        aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding,
        would materially adversely affect the business,  operations,  condition,
        financial or otherwise,  or the earnings,  business  affairs,  position,
        prospects,  value,  operation,   properties,   business  or  results  of
        operations  of the  Company  and the  Subsidiaries  taken as whole.  The
        disclosures  in the  Registration  Statement  concerning  the effects of
        federal,  state and local  laws,  rules and  regulations  on each of the
        Company's and the Subsidiaries' businesses as currently conducted and as
        contemplated  are correct in all  material  respects  and do not omit to
        state a fact  required  to be stated  therein or  necessary  to make the
        statements   contained   therein   not   misleading   in  light  of  the
        circumstances in which they were made.

              ii. The Company owns, directly or indirectly,  one hundred percent
        (100%) of the outstanding capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries, and
        all  such  shares  have  been  validly   issued,   are  fully  paid  and
        non-assessable,  were not issued in violation of any  preemptive  rights
        and  are  owned   free  and  clear  of  any  liens,   charges,   claims,
        encumbrances, pledges, security interests, defects or other restrictions
        or equities of any kind whatsoever;

              iii.  except as described in the  Prospectus,  none of the Company
        nor  the  Subsidiaries  owns  an  interest  in  any  other  corporation,
        partnership, joint venture, trust or other business entity;

              iv. the  Company  has a duly  authorized,  issued and  outstanding
        capitalization  as set forth in the  Prospectus,  and any  amendment  or
        supplement  thereto,  under  "CAPITALIZATION",  and the Company is not a
        party to or  bound by any  instrument,  agreement  or other  arrangement
        providing  for it to issue,  sell,  transfer,  purchase  or  redeem  any
        capital stock, rights, warrants, options or other securities, except for
        this Agreement,  the Warrant Agreement and the Representative's  Warrant
        Agreement and as 


                                       22




        described in the  Prospectus.  The Securities  and all other  securities
        issued or issuable by the Company  conform in all  material  respects to
        all  statements  with  respect  thereto  contained  in the  Registration
        Statement and the Prospectus.  All issued and outstanding  securities of
        the Company have been duly  authorized  and validly issued and are fully
        paid  and  non-assessable;   the  holders  thereof  have  no  rights  of
        rescission  with  respect  thereto,  and are  not  subject  to  personal
        liability by reason of being such holders;  and none of such  securities
        were issued in violation of the preemptive  rights of any holders of any
        security of the Company or any similar  rights  granted by the  Company.
        The Securities to be sold by the Company hereunder and under the Warrant
        Agreement and the  Representative's  Warrant  Agreement are not and will
        not  be  subject  to any  preemptive  or  other  similar  rights  of any
        stockholder,  have been duly authorized  and, when issued,  paid for and
        delivered in accordance  with the terms hereof,  will be validly issued,
        fully paid and  non-assessable  and conform to the  description  thereof
        contained in the Prospectus;  the holders thereof will not be subject to
        any liability  solely as such holders;  all corporate action required to
        be taken for the  authorization,  issue and sale of the  Securities  has
        been duly and  validly  taken;  and the  certificates  representing  the
        Securities are in due and proper form. The Representative's Warrants and
        the Redeemable  Warrants constitute valid and binding obligations of the
        Company to issue and sell, upon exercise  thereof and payment  therefor,
        the number and type of  securities  of the Company  called for  thereby.
        Upon the issuance and  delivery  pursuant to this  Agreement of the Firm
        Securities and the Option Securities and the  Representative's  Warrants
        to be sold by the  Company,  the  Underwriters  and the  Representative,
        respectively,  will  acquire  good  and  marketable  title  to the  Firm
        Securities and the Option Securities and the  Representative's  Warrants
        free and clear of any pledge, lien, charge, claim, encumbrance,  pledge,
        security   interest,   or  other  restriction  or  equity  of  any  kind
        whatsoever.  No  transfer  tax  is  payable  by  or  on  behalf  of  the
        Underwriters  in connection  with (A) the issuance by the Company of the
        Securities,  (B) the purchase by the Underwriters of the Firm Securities
        and the Option  Securities  from the  Company,  and the  purchase by the
        Representative of the Representative's Warrants from the Company (C) the
        consummation  by  the  Company  of any of  its  obligations  under  this
        Agreement,   the  Warrant  Agreement  or  the  Representative's  Warrant
        Agreement,  or (D)  resales  of  the  Firm  Securities  and  the  Option
        Securities in connection with the distribution contemplated hereby.

              v. the Registration  Statement is effective under the Act, and, if
        applicable,  filing of all pricing  information  has been timely made in
        the appropriate  form under Rule 430A, and no stop order  suspending the
        use  of  the  Preliminary  Prospectus,  the  Registration  Statement  or
        Prospectus or any part of any thereof or suspending the effectiveness of
        the  Registration  Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that
        purpose  have been  instituted  or are  pending  or, to the best of such
        counsel's knowledge, threatened or contemplated under the Act;

              vi.  each  of  the  Preliminary   Prospectus,   the   Registration
        Statement,  and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto
        (other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical
        data included  therein,  as to which no opinion need be rendered) comply
        as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and
        the Rules and Regulations.


                                       23





              vii.  to the best of such  counsel's  knowledge,  (A) there are no
        agreements,  contracts  or  other  documents  required  by the Act to be
        described in the Registration  Statement and the Prospectus and filed as
        exhibits to the Registration Statement other than those described in the
        Registration  Statement  (or required to be filed under the Exchange Act
        if upon such filing they would be incorporated,  in whole or in part, by
        reference therein) and the Prospectus and filed as exhibits thereto, and
        the exhibits  which have been filed are correct  copies of the documents
        of  which  they  purport  to be  copies;  (B)  the  descriptions  in the
        Registration   Statement  and  the  Prospectus  and  any  supplement  or
        amendment  thereto of contracts and other documents to which the Company
        or any  Subsidiary  is a party or by which it is  bound,  including  any
        document to which the Company or any  Subsidiary  is a party or by which
        it is bound,  incorporated  by  reference  into the  Prospectus  and any
        supplement or amendment  thereto,  are accurate and fairly represent the
        information  required to be shown by Form S-1;  (C) there is not pending
        or threatened against any of the Company or the Subsidiaries any action,
        arbitration,  suit,  proceeding,  inquiry,  investigation,   litigation,
        governmental or other proceeding (including,  without limitation,  those
        having jurisdiction over environmental or similar matters),  domestic or
        foreign,  pending or threatened  against (or circumstances that may give
        rise to the same), or involving the properties or business of any of the
        Company or the Subsidiaries which (x) is required to be disclosed in the
        Registration  Statement which is not so disclosed (and such  proceedings
        as  are  summarized  in  the   Registration   Statement  are  accurately
        summarized in all  respects),  (y) questions the validity of the capital
        stock of the Company or this  Agreement,  the Warrant  Agreement  or the
        Representative's  Warrant  Agreement,  or of any  action  taken or to be
        taken  by the  Company  pursuant  to or in  connection  with  any of the
        foregoing;  (D) no  statute  or  regulation  or  legal  or  governmental
        proceeding  required to be described in the  Prospectus is not described
        as required;  and (E) there is no action, suit or proceeding pending, or
        threatened,  against or affecting any of the Company or the Subsidiaries
        before any court or arbitrator or governmental  body, agency or official
        (or any  basis  thereof  known  to such  counsel)  in  which  there is a
        reasonable  possibility  of a  decision  which may  result in a material
        adverse  change  in  the  condition,  financial  or  otherwise,  or  the
        earnings, position,  prospects,  stockholders' equity, value, operation,
        properties,  business or results of  operations of any of the Company or
        the   Subsidiaries,   which  could  adversely   affect  the  present  or
        prospective ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this
        Agreement,   the  Warrant  Agreement  or  the  Representative's  Warrant
        Agreement  or which in any manner  draws into  question  the validity or
        enforceability   of  this  Agreement,   the  Warrant  Agreement  or  the
        Representative's Warrant Agreement;

              viii.  the Company has full legal  right,  power and  authority to
        enter  into  each of  this  Agreement,  the  Warrant  Agreement  and the
        Representative's  Warrant Agreement,  and to consummate the transactions
        provided for therein; and each of this Agreement,  the Warrant Agreement
        and the  Representative's  Warrant  Agreement has been duly  authorized,
        executed  and  delivered  by the Company.  Each of this  Agreement,  the
        Warrant Agreement and the Representative's  Warrant Agreement,  assuming
        due  authorization,  execution  and delivery by each other party thereto
        constitutes  a  legal,  valid  and  binding  agreement  of  the  Company
        enforceable  against the Company in accordance with its terms


                                       24




        (except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable  bankruptcy,
        insolvency,   reorganization,   moratorium  or  other  laws  of  general
        application  relating to or affecting  enforcement of creditors'  rights
        and the  application  of equitable  principles  in any action,  legal or
        equitable,  and except as rights to  indemnity  or  contribution  may be
        limited by  applicable  law),  and none of the  Company's  execution  or
        delivery   of   this   Agreement,   the   Warrant   Agreement   and  the
        Representative's   Warrant  Agreement,   its  performance  hereunder  or
        thereunder,  its consummation of the transactions contemplated herein or
        therein, or the conduct of its business as described in the Registration
        Statement,  the Prospectus,  and any amendments or supplements  thereto,
        conflicts  with or will  conflict  with or results or will result in any
        breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitutes
        or will  constitute  a  default  under,  or result  in the  creation  or
        imposition of any lien, charge,  claim,  encumbrance,  pledge,  security
        interest,  defect or other  restriction or equity of any kind whatsoever
        upon,  any  property or assets  (tangible or  intangible)  of any of the
        Company  or  the  Subsidiaries   pursuant  to  the  terms  of,  (A)  the
        certificate  of  incorporation  or by-laws of any of the  Company or the
        Subsidiaries,   (B)  any  license,   contract,   collective   bargaining
        agreement,  indenture,  mortgage,  deed of trust,  lease,  voting  trust
        agreement, stockholders agreement, note, loan or credit agreement or any
        other  agreement  or  instrument  to  which  any of the  Company  or the
        Subsidiaries is a party or by which it is or they are or may be bound or
        to which any of its or their  respective  properties or assets (tangible
        or intangible)  is or may be subject,  or any  indebtedness,  or (C) any
        statute,  judgment,  decree, order, rule or regulation applicable to any
        of the Company or the Subsidiaries of any arbitrator,  court, regulatory
        body or  administrative  agency  or other  governmental  agency  or body
        (including,   without   limitation,   those  having   jurisdiction  over
        environmental  or  similar   matters),   domestic  or  foreign,   having
        jurisdiction  over any of the Company or the  Subsidiaries or any of its
        or their respective activities or properties.

              ix. no consent,  approval,  authorization  or order, and no filing
        with, any court, regulatory body, government agency or other body (other
        than such as may be required under Blue Sky laws, as to which no opinion
        need be  rendered)  is required in  connection  with the issuance of the
        Firm Securities and the Option Securities pursuant to the Prospectus and
        the  Registration  Statement,   the  issuance  of  the  Representative's
        Warrants,  the performance of this Agreement,  the Warrant Agreement and
        the   Representative's   Warrant   Agreement,   and   the   transactions
        contemplated hereby and thereby;

              x. the  properties  and  business  of each of the  Company and the
        Subsidiaries conform in all material respects to the description thereof
        contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;  and each of
        the Company and the  Subsidiaries  has good and marketable  title to, or
        valid  and  enforceable  leasehold  estates  in,  all  items of real and
        personal  property stated in the Prospectus to be owned or leased by it,
        in each case free and clear of all liens, charges, claims, encumbrances,
        pledges,  security interests,  defects or other restrictions or equities
        of any kind  whatsoever,  other than those referred to in the Prospectus
        and liens for taxes not yet due and payable;

              xi. none of the Company nor the  Subsidiaries  is in breach of, or
        in  default  under,  any term or  provision  of any  license,  contract,
        collective bargaining agreement,  indenture, 


                                       25





        mortgage, installment sale agreement, deed of trust, lease, voting trust
        agreement, stockholders' agreement, partnership agreement, note, loan or
        credit  agreement or any other  agreement or  instrument  evidencing  an
        obligation for borrowed  money,  or any other agreement or instrument to
        which any of the Company or the  Subsidiaries is a party or by which any
        of the  Company  or  the  Subsidiaries  may be  bound  or to  which  the
        respective  properties or assets  (tangible or intangible) of any of the
        Company or the  Subsidiaries  is subject  or  affected;  and none of the
        Company nor the Subsidiaries is in violation of any term or provision of
        its  Articles  of  Incorporation  or  By-Laws  or in  violation  of  any
        franchise,  license, permit,  judgment,  decree, order, statute, rule or
        regulation;

              xii. the statements in the Prospectus  under "RISK  FACTORS," "THE
        COMPANY," "BUSINESS,"  "MANAGEMENT," "PRINCIPAL  STOCKHOLDERS," "CERTAIN
        TRANSACTIONS,"  "DESCRIPTION  OF SECURITIES,"  and "SHARES  ELIGIBLE FOR
        FUTURE  SALE" have been  reviewed by such  counsel,  and insofar as they
        refer to statements of law, descriptions of statutes, licenses, rules or
        regulations or legal conclusions, are correct in all material respects;

              xiii. the Securities have been accepted for quotation on Amex;

              xiv. the persons listed under the caption "PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS"
        in the Prospectus are the respective "beneficial owners" (as such phrase
        is defined in regulation 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of the securities
        set forth  opposite  their  respective  names  thereunder  as and to the
        extent set forth therein;

              xv.  none  of the  Company,  the  Subsidiaries  nor  any of  their
        respective  officers,  stockholders,  employees or agents, nor any other
        person acting on behalf of any of the Company or the  Subsidiaries  has,
        directly  or  indirectly,  given or  agreed to give any  money,  gift or
        similar benefit (other than legal price  concessions to customers in the
        ordinary  course of business)  to any  customer,  supplier,  employee or
        agent  of a  customer  or  supplier,  or  official  or  employee  of any
        governmental  agency or instrumentality  of any government  (domestic or
        foreign) or any  political  party or candidate  for office  (domestic or
        foreign)  or  other  person  who is or may be in a  position  to help or
        hinder the business of any of the Company or the Subsidiaries (or assist
        it in  connection  with any actual or  proposed  transaction)  which (A)
        might  subject any of the Company or the  Subsidiaries  to any damage or
        penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding,
        (B) if not given in the past,  might have had an  adverse  effect on the
        assets, business or operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken
        as a whole, as reflected in any of the financial statements contained in
        the Registration Statement, or (C) if not continued in the future, might
        adversely  affect the assets,  business,  operations or prospects of the
        Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

              xvi. no person,  corporation,  trust, partnership,  association or
        other entity has the right to include and/or  register any securities of
        the Company in the Registration  Statement,  require the Company to file
        any registration statement or, if filed, to include any security in such
        registration statement;


                                       26





              xvii. except as described in the Prospectus,  there are no claims,
        payments, issuances,  arrangements or understandings for services in the
        nature of a finder's or origination  fee with respect to the sale of the
        Securities hereunder or financial  consulting  arrangements or any other
        arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuances that may
        affect the Underwriters' compensation, as determined by the NASD;

              xviii.  assuming due  execution by the parties  thereto other than
        the  Company,  the  Lock-up  Agreements  are  legal,  valid and  binding
        obligations of the parties  thereto,  enforceable  against the party and
        any subsequent  holder of the securities  subject  thereto in accordance
        with  its  terms  (except  as  such  enforceability  may be  limited  by
        applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium or other
        laws of general  application  relating to or  affecting  enforcement  of
        creditors'  rights and the  application  of equitable  principles in any
        action,  legal or  equitable,  and  except  as rights  to  indemnity  or
        contribution may be limited by applicable law);

              xix.  except as described in the  Prospectus,  none of the Company
        nor the Subsidiaries (A) maintains, sponsors or contributes to any ERISA
        Plans, (B) maintains or contributes, now or at any time previously, to a
        defined benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(35) of ERISA,  and (C) has
        ever completely or partially withdrawn from a "multiemployer plan";

              xx. the minute  books of each of the Company and the  Subsidiaries
        have been made  available  to the  Underwriters  and  contain a complete
        summary of all meetings and actions of the directors and stockholders of
        the  Company  since  the  time  of its  incorporation  and  reflect  all
        transactions  referred to in such  minutes  accurately  in all  material
        respects;

              xxi.  except  as set  forth  in  the  Prospectus  and to the  best
        knowledge of such counsel, no officer, director or stockholder of any of
        the Company or the  Subsidiaries,  or any "affiliate" or "associate" (as
        these  terms are  defined  in Rule 405  promulgated  under the Rules and
        Regulations) of any of the foregoing persons or entities has or has had,
        either  directly or indirectly,  (A) an interest in any person or entity
        which (x) furnishes or sells services or products which are furnished or
        sold or are  proposed to be  furnished  or sold by any of the Company or
        the Subsidiaries,  or (y) purchases from or sells or furnishes to any of
        the  Company  or  the  Subsidiaries  any  goods  or  services,  or (B) a
        beneficial  interest in any  contract or  agreement  to which any of the
        Company  or the  Subsidiaries  is a party  or by which it or they may be
        bound or affected.  Except as set forth in the Prospectus under "CERTAIN
        TRANSACTIONS,"   there  are  no   existing   agreements,   arrangements,
        understandings or transactions,  or proposed  agreements,  arrangements,
        understandings  or transactions,  between or among any of the Company or
        the  Subsidiaries,   and  any  officer,   director,  or  5%  or  greater
        securityholder  of any  of  the  Company  or  the  Subsidiaries,  or any
        affiliate or associate of any such person or entity;

              xxii.  each of the Company and the  Subsidiaries  is in compliance
        with all provisions of Section 1 of Laws of Florida,  Chapter 92-198, An
        Act Relating to Disclosure of Doing Business with Cuba;


                                       27




              xxiii. to the best of such counsel's knowledge, after due inquiry,
        there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, investigation, litigation
        or governmental  proceeding,  domestic or foreign, pending or threatened
        (or  circumstances  that  may  give  rise  to the  same)  involving  the
        Company's or any Subsidiary's production, use, testing, manufacturing or
        marketing of any products or services, which (i) questions the authority
        of the Company or any Subsidiary to produce,  use, test,  manufacture or
        market any  products or services as described  in the  Prospectus,  (ii)
        questions the  completeness or accuracy of data generated by any trials,
        tests or studies  being  conducted by or on behalf of the Company or any
        of its Subsidiaries, (iii) is required to be disclosed in the Prospectus
        which is not so disclosed, or (iv) might materially and adversely affect
        the  condition,  financial or  otherwise,  or the  earnings,  prospects,
        value, operations or business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken
        as a whole.

              xxiv.  none  of the  Company,  the  Subsidiaries  or any of  their
        respective  affiliates  shall be subject to the requirements of or shall
        be deemed an  "Investment  Company,"  pursuant to and as defined  under,
        respectively, the Investment Company Act.

        Such  counsel  shall  state  that  such  counsel  has   participated  in
conferences  with  officers  and other  representatives  of the  Company and the
Subsidiaries,  and representatives of the independent public accountants for the
Company and the  Subsidiaries,  at which conferences such counsel made inquiries
of such officers,  representatives and accountants and discussed the contents of
the Preliminary  Prospectus,  the Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus,  and
related  matters  and,  although  such  counsel is not passing upon and does not
assume any  responsibility  for the  accuracy,  completeness  or fairness of the
statements contained in the Preliminary  Prospectus,  the Registration Statement
and  Prospectus,  on the  basis  of the  foregoing,  no facts  have  come to the
attention  of  such  counsel   which  lead  them  to  believe  that  either  the
Registration  Statement or any amendment thereto,  at the time such Registration
Statement  or  amendment  became  effective  or the  Preliminary  Prospectus  or
Prospectus  or  amendment or  supplement  thereto as of the date of such opinion
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the  statements  therein
not  misleading (it being  understood  that such counsel need express no opinion
with respect to the financial  statements and schedules and other  financial and
statistical  data  included  in the  Preliminary  Prospectus,  the  Registration
Statement or the Prospectus). Such counsel shall further state that its opinions
may be relied  upon by  Underwriters'  Counsel in  rendering  its opinion to the
Underwriters.

        In  rendering  such  opinion,  such  counsel  may rely (A) as to matters
involving the  application  of laws other than the laws of the United States and
jurisdictions  in which they are  admitted,  to the extent  such  counsel  deems
proper and to the extent  specified in such opinion,  if at all, upon an opinion
or opinions (in form and substance  satisfactory  to  Underwriters'  Counsel) of
other counsel acceptable to Underwriters' Counsel,  familiar with the applicable
laws; (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates
and written  statements of  responsible  officers of each of the Company and the
Subsidiaries  and  certificates  or other  written  statements  of  officers  of
departments of various  jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the
corporate   existence  or  good   standing  of  each  of  the  Company  and  the
Subsidiaries,  provided that copies of any such statements or certificates shall
be delivered to


                                       28






Underwriters' Counsel if requested.  The opinion of such counsel for the Company
and the  Subsidiaries  shall state that the opinion of any such other counsel is
in form satisfactory to such counsel and that the Representative,  Underwriters'
Counsel and they are each justified in relying  thereon.  Any opinion of counsel
for the Company and the  Subsidiaries  shall not state that it is to be governed
or  qualified  by, or that it is  otherwise  subject to, any  treatise,  written
policy  or  other  document  relating  to  legal  opinions,  including,  without
limitation,  the Legal Opinion  Accord of the ABA Section of Business Law (1991)
or any comparable state accord.

              (e) At the Closing Date, the Underwriters  shall have received the
favorable  opinion of Morrison & Foerster LLP, patent counsel to the Company and
the Subsidiaries, dated the Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters, in form
and substance  satisfactory to Underwriters'  Counsel and in  substantially  the
form of Schedule B hereto.

              (f) At each Option  Closing Date, if any, the  Underwriters  shall
have received the favorable opinions of each of Wilson Sonini Goodrich & Rosati,
counsel to the Company and the Subsidiaries, and Morrison & Foerster LLP, patent
counsel to the Company and the  Subsidiaries,  dated such Option  Closing  Date,
addressed  to the  Underwriters  and  in  form  and  substance  satisfactory  to
Underwriters'  Counsel  confirming as of such Option Closing Date the statements
made by each of Wilson Sonsini  Goodrich & Rosati,  and Morrison & Foerster LLP,
in their respective opinions delivered on the Closing Date.

              (g) On or  prior  to each of the  Closing  Date  and  each  Option
Closing  Date, if any,  Underwriters'  Counsel  shall have been  furnished  such
documents,  certificates  and  opinions as they may  reasonably  require for the
purpose  of  enabling  them to review or pass upon the  matters  referred  to in
subsection  (c) of this  Section  6,  or in  order  to  evidence  the  accuracy,
completeness  or  satisfaction  of  any of the  representations,  warranties  or
conditions of the Company, or herein contained.

         (h) Prior to each of the Closing Date and each Option  Closing Date, if
any,  (i) there  shall have been no  material  adverse  change  nor  development
involving  a  prospective  change  in the  condition,  financial  or  otherwise,
earnings,  position,  value,  properties,  results  of  operations,   prospects,
stockholders'  equity or the  business  activities  of any of the Company or the
Subsidiaries, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, from the latest
dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration  Statement and
Prospectus;  (ii) there  shall  have been no  transaction,  not in the  ordinary
course of business, entered into by any of the Company or the Subsidiaries, from
the latest  date as of which the  financial  condition  of the  Company  and the
Subsidiaries is set forth in the Registration  Statement and Prospectus which is
adverse to the Company and the Subsidiaries  taken as a whole; (iii) none of the
Company nor the  Subsidiaries  shall be in default  under any  provision  of any
instrument  relating to any outstanding  indebtedness;  (iv) none of the Company
nor  the  Subsidiaries   shall  have  issued  any  securities  (other  than  the
Securities) or declared or paid any dividend or made any distribution in respect
of its  capital  stock of any class  and  there  has not been any  change in the
capital  stock  or any  material  change  in the debt  (long  or short  term) or
liabilities or obligations of any of the Company or the Subsidiaries (contingent
or otherwise); (v) no material amount of the assets of any of the Company or the
Subsidiaries  shall have been pledged or  mortgaged,  except as set forth in the
Registration  Statement and Prospectus;  (vi) no action, suit or proceeding,  at
law or


                                       29




in equity,  shall have been pending or threatened (or circumstances  giving rise
to same) against any of the Company or the Subsidiaries, or affecting any of its
or their respective  properties or businesses before or by any court or federal,
state or foreign  commission,  board or other  administrative  agency wherein an
unfavorable  decision,  ruling or finding  may  adversely  affect the  business,
operations,  earnings,  position,  value,  properties,  results  of  operations,
prospects or financial  condition or income of the Company and the  Subsidiaries
taken as a whole;  and (vii) no stop order shall have been issued  under the Act
and  no  proceedings   therefor  shall  have  been   initiated,   threatened  or
contemplated by the Commission.

              (i) At each of the Closing Date and each Option  Closing  Date, if
any, the Underwriters shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by
the principal  executive  officer and by the chief financial or chief accounting
officer of the Company,  dated the Closing Date or Option  Closing  Date, as the
case may be, to the effect that each of such persons has carefully  examined the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and this Agreement, and that:

              i. The  representations  and  warranties  of the  Company  in this
        Agreement are true and correct, as if made on and as of the Closing Date
        or the Option  Closing  Date,  as the case may be, and the  Company  has
        complied with all  agreements and covenants and satisfied all conditions
        contained in this  Agreement on its part to be performed or satisfied at
        or prior to such Closing Date or Option  Closing  Date,  as the case may
        be;

              ii. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
        Statement or any part thereof has been issued,  and no  proceedings  for
        that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the best of each
        of such person's  knowledge,  are  contemplated or threatened  under the
        Act;

              iii. The  Registration  Statement and the Prospectus  and, if any,
        each amendment and each supplement  thereto,  contain all statements and
        information   required  to  be  included   therein,   and  none  of  the
        Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement
        thereto  includes any untrue  statement  of a material  fact or omits to
        state any material  fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary to
        make the statements  therein not misleading and neither the  Preliminary
        Prospectus or any supplement  thereto included any untrue statement of a
        material  fact or  omitted to state any  material  fact  required  to be
        stated therein or necessary to make the statements  therein, in light of
        the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and

              iv.  Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
        given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,  (a) none of the
        Company  nor the  Subsidiaries  has  incurred  up to and  including  the
        Closing Date or the Option  Closing Date, as the case may be, other than
        in the ordinary  course of its  business,  any material  liabilities  or
        obligations,  direct  or  contingent;  (b) none of the  Company  nor the
        Subsidiaries  has paid or declared any dividends or other  distributions
        on its capital stock;  (c) none of the Company nor the  Subsidiaries has
        entered into any  transactions  not in the ordinary  course of business;
        (d) there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt
        or any increase in the short-term borrowings (other than any increase in
        the short-term  borrowings in the ordinary course of business) of any of
        the  Company  or the  Subsidiaries; 


                                       30




        (e) none of the Company nor the  Subsidiaries  has sustained any loss or
        damage to its or their respective  properties or assets,  whether or not
        insured;  (f) there is no litigation  which is pending or threatened (or
        circumstances  giving  rise to same)  against  any of the Company or the
        Subsidiaries  or any affiliated  party of any of the foregoing  which is
        required to be set forth in an amended or supplemented  Prospectus which
        has not been set forth;  and (g) there has occurred no event required to
        be set forth in an amended or supplemented Prospectus which has not been
        set forth.

References to the  Registration  Statement and the Prospectus in this subsection
(j) are to such  documents  as  amended  and  supplemented  at the  date of such
certificate.

              (j) By the  Closing  Date,  the  Underwriters  will have  received
clearance from the NASD as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to
the Underwriters, as described in the Registration Statement.

              (k) At the time this Agreement is executed, the Underwriters shall
have received a letter,  dated such date,  addressed to the Underwriters in form
and substance satisfactory  (including the non-material nature of the changes or
decreases,  if any,  referred to in clause  (iii)  below) in all respects to the
Underwriters and Underwriters' Counsel, from Ernst & Young, LLP:

              i.  confirming  that  they  are   independent   certified   public
        accountants with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries  within the
        meaning of the Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations;

              ii.  stating  that  it is  their  opinion  that  the  consolidated
        financial  statements  and  supporting  schedules of the Company and the
        Subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement comply as to form in
        all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
        Act and the Rules and Regulations thereunder and that the Representative
        may rely upon the  opinion  of Ernst & Young,  LLP with  respect  to the
        consolidated  financial  statements and supporting schedules included in
        the Registration Statement;

              iii. stating that, on the basis of a limited review which included
        a reading of the latest available unaudited interim financial statements
        of each of the  Company  and the  Subsidiaries,  a reading of the latest
        available  minutes of the  stockholders  and board of directors  and the
        various committees of the boards of directors of each of the Company and
        the  Subsidiaries,  consultations  with officers and other  employees of
        each of the Company and the  Subsidiaries  responsible for financial and
        accounting matters and other specified procedures and inquiries, nothing
        has come to their  attention  which would lead them to believe  that (A)
        the unaudited consolidated financial statements and supporting schedules
        of the  Company  and  the  Subsidiaries 


                                       31





        included in the  Registration  Statement do not comply as to form in all
        material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act
        and the Rules and Regulations or are not fairly  presented in conformity
        with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles  applied  on  a  basis
        substantially consistent with that of the audited consolidated financial
        statements  of  the  Company  and  the  Subsidiaries   included  in  the
        Registration  Statement,  or (B) at a specified  date not more than five
        (5) days  prior to the  effective  date of the  Registration  Statement,
        there has been any change in the capital stock or long-term  debt of any
        of the Company or the Subsidiaries, or any decrease in the stockholders'
        equity or net current  assets or net assets of any of the Company or the
        Subsidiaries  as compared  with  amounts  shown in the December 31, 1996
        balance sheet included in the Registration Statement,  other than as set
        forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or, if there was
        any  change or  decrease,  setting  forth the  amount of such  change or
        decrease,  and  (C)  during  the  period  from  December  31,  1996 to a
        specified  date not more than five (5) days prior to the effective  date
        of the Registration  Statement,  there was any decrease in net revenues,
        net  earnings or increase in net earnings per common share of any of the
        Company  or  the  Subsidiaries,  in  each  case  as  compared  with  the
        corresponding  period  beginning  December 31,  1995,  other than as set
        forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or, if there was
        any such decrease, setting forth the amount of such decrease;

              iv. setting forth, at a date not later than five (5) days prior to
        the date of the Registration Statement, the amount of liabilities of the
        Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole (including a break-down of
        commercial paper and notes payable to banks);

              v.  stating  that  they have  compared  specific  dollar  amounts,
        numbers of shares, percentages of revenues and earnings,  statements and
        other   financial   information   pertaining  to  the  Company  and  the
        Subsidiaries set forth in the Prospectus in each case to the extent that
        such amounts,  numbers,  percentages,  statements and information may be
        derived from the general accounting  records,  including work sheets, of
        the Company and the Subsidiaries  and excluding any questions  requiring
        an interpretation  by legal counsel,  with the results obtained from the
        application  of  specified  readings,  inquiries  and other  appropriate
        procedures  (which  procedures  do  not  constitute  an  examination  in
        accordance with generally accepted auditing  standards) set forth in the
        letter and found them to be in agreement;

              vi.   statements  as  to  such  other  matters   incident  to  the
        transaction contemplated hereby as the Representative may request.

              (l) At the Closing Date and each Option  Closing Date, if any, the
Underwriters  shall have received from Ernst & Young, LLP a letter,  dated as of
the Closing Date or the Option  Closing  Date, as the case may be, to the effect
that they  reaffirm that  statements  made in the letter  furnished  pursuant to
subsection (k) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall
be a date not more than five (5) days  prior to the  Closing  Date or the Option
Closing  Date,  as the case may be,  and,  if the Company has elected to rely on
Rule 430A of the Rules and  Regulations,  to the  further  effect that they have
carried out  procedures  as  specified in clause (v) of  subsection  (k) of this
Section with respect to certain amounts,  percentages and financial  information
as specified by the  Representative  and deemed to be a part of the Registration
Statement pursuant to Rule 430A(b) and have found such amounts,  percentages and
financial  information  to be in  agreement  with the records  specified in such
clause (v).


                                       32





              (m) On each of the Closing Date and each Option  Closing  Date, if
any, there shall have been duly tendered to the  Representative  for the several
Underwriters' accounts the appropriate number of Securities.

              (n)  No  order  suspending  the  sale  of  the  Securities  in any
jurisdiction  designated by the  Representative  pursuant to  subsection  (e) of
Section 4 hereof shall have been issued on either the Closing Date or the Option
Closing  Date,  if any,  and no  proceedings  for that  purpose  shall have been
instituted or shall be contemplated.

              (o) On or before the Closing Date, the Company shall have executed
and delivered to the Representative,  (i) the Representative's Warrant Agreement
substantially in the form filed as Exhibit [___] to the Registration  Statement,
in final form and substance  satisfactory  to the  Representative,  and (ii) the
Representative's  Warrants in such  denominations and to such designees as shall
have been provided to the Company.

              (p) On or before the Closing Date, the Firm  Securities and Option
Securities  shall have been duly  approved for  quotation on Nasdaq,  subject to
official notice of issuance.

              (q) On or before the Closing Date, there shall have been delivered
to the  Representative  all of the  Lock-up  Agreements,  in form and  substance
satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel.

              (r) On or before the Closing Date, the Company shall have executed
and delivered to the Representative and the Transfer Agent the Warrant Agreement
substantially in the form filed as Exhibit [___] to the Registration  Statement,
in final form and substance satisfactory to the Representative.

        If  any  condition  to the  Underwriters'  obligations  hereunder  to be
fulfilled  prior to or at the Closing Date or the relevant  Option Closing Date,
as the case may be, is not so fulfilled,  the  Representative may terminate this
Agreement or, if the  Representative so elects, it may waive any such conditions
which have not been fulfilled or extend the time for their fulfillment.

        7.    Indemnification.

              (a) The Company  agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each of the
Underwriters  (for  purposes of this Section 7  "Underwriter"  shall include the
officers, directors, partners, employees, agents and counsel of the Underwriter,
including  specifically each person who may be substituted for an Underwriter as
provided  in Section 11 hereof),  and each  person,  if any,  who  controls  the
Underwriter  ("controlling  person") within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act
or Section  20(a) of the  Exchange  Act,  from and  against  any and all losses,
claims,  damages,  expenses  or  liabilities,  joint or  several  (and  actions,
proceedings,   investigations,   inquiries,  suits  and  litigation  in  respect
thereof),  whatsoever  (including  but  not  limited  to any  and  all  expenses
whatsoever reasonably incurred in investigating,  preparing or defending against
any such claim, action, proceeding,  investigation, inquiry, suit or litigation,
commenced or  threatened,  or any claim  whatsoever),  as such are incurred,  to
which the  Underwriter or such  controlling  person may become subject under the
Act,  the  Exchange  Act or any other  statute or at common law or


                                       33




otherwise or under the laws of foreign  countries,  arising out of or based upon
(A) any  untrue  statement  or  alleged  untrue  statement  of a  material  fact
contained (i) in any Preliminary  Prospectus,  the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus  (as  from  time  to  time  amended  and  supplemented);  (ii) in any
post-effective  amendment or  amendments or any new  registration  statement and
prospectus  in which is included  securities  of the Company  issued or issuable
upon exercise of the  Securities;  or (iii) in any application or other document
or written  communication (in this Section 7 collectively called  "application")
executed  by the  Company or based upon  written  information  furnished  by the
Company  in any  jurisdiction  in order to  qualify  the  Securities  under  the
securities  laws  thereof or filed  with the  Commission,  any state  securities
commission or agency, Nasdaq or any other securities exchange;  (B) the omission
or alleged  omission  therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the  statements  therein not misleading (in the case of the
Prospectus,  in the light of the  circumstances  under which they were made), or
(C) any breach of any  representation,  warranty,  covenant or  agreement of the
Company contained herein or in any certificate by or on behalf of the Company or
any of its officers delivered pursuant hereto, unless, in the case of clause (A)
or (B) above, such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in strict
conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to any
Underwriter  by or on  behalf  of  such  Underwriter  expressly  for  use in any
Preliminary  Prospectus,  the  Registration  Statement  or  Prospectus,  or  any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or in any application,  as the case may
be.

        The indemnity  agreement in this  subsection (a) shall be in addition to
any liability which the Company may have at common law or otherwise.

              (b) Each of the Underwriters agrees severally, but not jointly, to
indemnify  and hold  harmless the Company,  each of its  directors,  each of its
officers who has signed the Registration  Statement,  and each other person,  if
any, who controls the Company  within the meaning of the Act, to the same extent
as the foregoing  indemnity from the Company to the  Underwriters  but only with
respect to statements or omissions,  if any, made in any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration  Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto or in any  application  made in reliance upon, and in strict  conformity
with,  written  information  furnished  to  the  Company  with  respect  to  any
Underwriter  by  such   Underwriter   expressly  for  use  in  such  Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or
supplement  thereto  or in any such  application,  provided  that  such  written
information  or  omissions  only  pertain  to  disclosures  in  the  Preliminary
Prospectus,  the Registration  Statement or Prospectus  directly relating to the
transactions effected by the Underwriters in connection with this Offering.  The
Company  acknowledges that the statements with respect to the public offering of
the Firm  Securities  and the  Option  Securities  set forth  under the  heading
"Underwriting"  and  the  stabilization  legend  in  the  Prospectus  have  been
furnished by the Underwriters  expressly for use therein and constitute the only
information  furnished  in  writing  by or on  behalf  of the  Underwriters  for
inclusion in the Prospectus.

              (c)  Promptly  after  receipt by an  indemnified  party under this
Section  7  of  notice  of  the  commencement  of  any  claim,   action,   suit,
investigation,  inquiry, proceeding or litigation, such indemnified party shall,
if a claim in respect  thereof is to be made  against  one or more  indemnifying
parties under this Section 7, notify each party against whom  indemnification is
to

                                       34




be sought in writing of the  commencement  thereof (but the failure so to notify
an indemnifying  party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have
under this  Section 7 except to the extent  that it has been  prejudiced  in any
material  respect  by such  failure  or from  any  liability  which  it may have
otherwise).  In case any  such  claim,  action,  suit,  investigation,  inquiry,
proceeding  or  litigation  is brought  against any  indemnified  party,  and it
notifies  an  indemnifying  party or parties of the  commencement  thereof,  the
indemnifying  party or parties will be entitled to participate  therein,  and to
the extent it may elect by written  notice  delivered to the  indemnified  party
promptly after receiving the aforesaid  notice from such  indemnified  party, to
assume  the  defense  thereof  with  counsel  reasonably  satisfactory  to  such
indemnified  party.  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  the  indemnified  party or
parties shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case
but the fees and  expenses  of such  counsel  shall  be at the  expense  of such
indemnified  party or parties  unless (i) the  employment  of such counsel shall
have been authorized in writing by the  indemnifying  parties in connection with
the  defense of  thereof at the  expense  of the  indemnifying  party,  (ii) the
indemnifying parties shall not have employed counsel reasonably  satisfactory to
such indemnified party to have charge of the defense thereof within a reasonable
time after notice of commencement  thereof,  or (iii) such indemnified  party or
parties shall have reasonably  concluded that there may be defenses available to
it or them which are different  from or additional to those  available to one or
all of the indemnifying  parties (in which case the  indemnifying  parties shall
not have the right to direct the  defense  thereof on behalf of the  indemnified
party or  parties),  in any of  which  events  such  fees  and  expenses  of one
additional counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying parties. In no event shall
the  indemnifying  parties  be  liable  for fees and  expenses  of more than one
counsel (in addition to any local  counsel)  separate from their own counsel for
all  indemnified  parties  in  connection  with  any one  claim,  action,  suit,
investigation,  inquiry,  proceeding  or  litigation  or separate but similar or
related  claims,  actions,  suits,  investigations,  inquiries,  proceedings  or
litigation in the same jurisdiction  arising out of the same general allegations
or circumstances. Anything in this Section 7 to the contrary notwithstanding, an
indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any claim,  action,
suit,  investigation,  inquiry,  proceeding or litigation  effected  without its
written  consent;  provided,  however,  that such  consent was not  unreasonably
withheld.  An indemnifying  party will not, without the prior written consent of
the  indemnified  parties,  settle,  compromise  or  consent to the entry of any
judgment  with  respect  to any  pending  or  threatened  claim,  action,  suit,
investigation,   inquiry,   proceeding   or   litigation  in  respect  of  which
indemnification  or  contribution  may be sought  hereunder  (whether or not the
indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim, action, suit,
investigation,  inquiry,  proceeding  or  litigation),  unless such  settlement,
compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional  release of each indemnified
party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit, investigation,
inquiry, proceeding or litigation and (ii) does not include a statement as to or
an  admission of fault,  culpability  or a failure to act by or on behalf of any
indemnified party.

              (d) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in any
case in which (i) an indemnified party makes claim for indemnification  pursuant
to this  Section  7, but it is  judicially  determined  (by the entry of a final
judgment or decree by a court of competent  jurisdiction  and the  expiration of
time  to  appeal  or  the  denial  of  the  last  right  of  appeal)  that  such
indemnification  may not be enforced in such case  notwithstanding the fact that
the express  provisions  of this Section 7 provide for  indemnification  in such
case,  or (ii)  contribution  under the Act may be  required  on the part of any
indemnified  party, then each indemnifying  party shall contribute to


                                       35




the  amount  paid as a result  of such  losses,  claims,  damages,  expenses  or
liabilities  (or  actions  in  respect  thereof)  (A) in such  proportion  as is
appropriate  to  reflect  the  relative   benefits   received  by  each  of  the
contributing  parties,  on the one hand,  and the party to be indemnified on the
other hand, from the offering of the Firm  Securities and the Option  Securities
or (B) if the  allocation  provided  by  clause  (A) above is not  permitted  by
applicable  law, in such  proportion as is  appropriate  to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of
each  of the  contributing  parties,  on the  one  hand,  and  the  party  to be
indemnified  on the other hand in  connection  with the  statements or omissions
that resulted in such losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities,  as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations. In any case where the Company is
the  contributing  party and the  Underwriters  are the indemnified  party,  the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand, and the Underwriters,
on the  other,  shall be  deemed to be in the same  proportion  as the total net
proceeds  from the  offering of the Firm  Securities  and the Option  Securities
(before deducting expenses) bear to the total underwriting discounts received by
the Underwriters  hereunder, in each case as set forth in the table on the Cover
Page of the  Prospectus.  Relative  fault shall be  determined  by reference to,
among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact or the  omission or alleged  omission to state a material  fact  relates to
information  supplied by the Company,  or by the Underwriters,  and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge,  access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent  such untrue  statement  or  omission.  The amount paid or payable by an
indemnified  party as a result  of the  losses,  claims,  damages,  expenses  or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection
(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses  reasonably  incurred
by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such
action or claim.  Notwithstanding  the  provisions of this  subsection  (d), the
Underwriters  shall not be  required to  contribute  any amount in excess of the
underwriting   discount  applicable  to  the  Firm  Securities  and  the  Option
Securities  purchased  by  the  Underwriters  hereunder.  No  person  guilty  of
fraudulent  misrepresentation  (within the meaning of Section  11(f) of the Act)
shall be  entitled  to  contribution  from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent  misrepresentation.  For purposes of this Section 7, each person,  if
any, who controls the Company or the Underwriter  within the meaning of the Act,
each officer of the Company who has signed the Registration Statement,  and each
director  of the  Company  shall  have the same  rights to  contribution  as the
Company  or the  Underwriter,  as the case may be,  subject in each case to this
subsection (d). Any party entitled to contribution will,  promptly after receipt
of notice of commencement of any action,  suit or proceeding  against such party
in respect to which a claim for  contribution  may be made against another party
or parties  under this  subsection  (d),  notify such party or parties from whom
contribution may be sought,  but the omission so to notify such party or parties
shall not relieve the party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from
any  obligation  it or they may have  hereunder  or  otherwise  than  under this
subsection  (d), or to the extent that such party or parties were not  adversely
affected by such omission.  The contribution  agreement set forth above shall be
in addition to any liabilities  which any indemnifying  party may have at common
law or otherwise.

        8.   Representations   and   Agreements   to   Survive   Delivery.   All
representations,  warranties  and  agreements  contained  in this  Agreement  or
contained in certificates of officers of the Company submitted  pursuant hereto,
shall be deemed to be representations,  warranties and agreements at the Closing
Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and such 


                                       36






representations,  warranties  and  agreements  of the Company and the  indemnity
agreements  contained in Section 7 hereof,  shall remain  operative  and in full
force and effect  regardless  of any  investigation  made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter,  the Company,  any  controlling  person of any  Underwriter  or the
Company,  and shall survive  termination  of this  Agreement or the issuance and
delivery of the Securities to the  Underwriters and the  Representative,  as the
case may be.

        9. Effective Date. This Agreement shall become  effective at 10:00 a.m.,
New York City time, on the next full business day following the date hereof,  or
at such earlier time after the Registration  Statement  becomes effective as the
Representative,  in its discretion, shall release the Securities for sale to the
public;  provided,  however, that the provisions of Sections 5, 7 and 10 of this
Agreement  shall at all times be effective.  For purposes of this Section 9, the
Securities  to be purchased  hereunder  shall be deemed to have been so released
upon the earlier of dispatch by the  Representative  of telegrams to  securities
dealers   releasing  such   securities  for  offering  or  the  release  by  the
Representative  for  publication of the first newspaper  advertisement  which is
subsequently published relating to the Securities.

        10.   Termination.

              (a)   Subject  to   subsection   (b)  of  this   Section  10,  the
Representative  shall have the right to  terminate  this  Agreement,  (i) if any
domestic or  international  event or act or occurrence has materially  adversely
disrupted,  or in the  Representative's  opinion  will in the  immediate  future
materially  adversely disrupt,  the financial  markets;  or (ii) if any material
adverse change in the financial markets shall have occurred; or (iii) if trading
generally shall have been suspended or materially  limited on or by, as the case
may be, any of the New York Stock  Exchange,  the American Stock  Exchange,  the
NASD, the Boston Stock Exchange,  the Commission or any  governmental  authority
having  jurisdiction  over  such  matters;  or  (iv)  if  trading  of any of the
securities of the Company shall have been suspended, or any of the securities of
the Company shall have been delisted, on any exchange or in any over-the-counter
market;  (v) if the United  States shall have become  involved in a war or major
hostilities,  or if there shall have been an  escalation  in an existing  war or
major hostilities or a national emergency shall have been declared in the United
States; or (vi) if a banking  moratorium has been declared by a state or federal
authority;  or  (vii) if a  moratorium  in  foreign  exchange  trading  has been
declared;  or (viii) if the  Company  shall have  sustained  a loss  material or
substantial  to the Company by fire,  flood,  accident,  hurricane,  earthquake,
theft,  sabotage or other  calamity or malicious act which,  whether or not such
loss shall have been insured,  will, in the  Representative's  opinion,  make it
inadvisable  to  proceed  with  the  offering,   sale  and/or  delivery  of  the
Securities;  or (ix) if there shall have been such a material  adverse change in
the conditions or prospects of the Company,  or such material  adverse change in
the general market,  political or economic  conditions,  in the United States or
elsewhere,  that, in each case, in the Representative's  judgment, would make it
inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Securities
or (x) if either of Anthony E.  Maida,  III or Lynn E.  Spitler,  M.D.  shall no
longer serve the Company in his or her present capacity.

              (b) If this  Agreement  is  terminated  by the  Representative  in
accordance  with the  provisions  of Section  10(a) the Company  shall  promptly
reimburse and indemnify the 


                                       37




Representative for all of its actual out-of-pocket expenses,  including the fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters  (less amounts previously paid
pursuant  to  Section  5(c)  above).   Notwithstanding  any  contrary  provision
contained in this  Agreement,  if this Agreement shall not be carried out within
the  time  specified   herein,   or  any  extension   thereof   granted  to  the
Representative,  by reason of any  failure on the part of the Company to perform
any undertaking or satisfy any condition of this Agreement by it to be performed
or satisfied  (including,  without limitation,  pursuant to Section 6 or Section
12) then, the Company shall promptly  reimburse and indemnify the Representative
for  all  of  its  actual  out-of-pocket   expenses,   including  the  fees  and
disbursements  of counsel for the  Underwriters  (less amounts  previously  paid
pursuant to Section 5(c) above).  In addition,  the Company  shall remain liable
for all Blue Sky  counsel  fees and  disbursements,  expenses  and filing  fees.
Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election
hereunder or any termination of this Agreement  (including,  without limitation,
pursuant to Sections 6, 10, 11 and 12 hereof), and whether or not this Agreement
is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 and Section 7 shall not be
in any way affected by such election or  termination or failure to carry out the
terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.

        11. Substitution of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters
shall fail (otherwise than for a reason sufficient to justify the termination of
this  Agreement  under the  provisions  of Section  6,  Section 10 or Section 12
hereof) to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase on
such date under this Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"),  the Representative
shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangement for one or
more of the non-defaulting Underwriters,  or any other underwriters, to purchase
all, but not less than all, of the  Defaulted  Securities in such amounts as may
be  agreed  upon  and  upon  the  terms  herein  set  forth;  if,  however,  the
Representative  shall not have completed such  arrangements  within such 24-hour
period, then:

              (a) if the number of Defaulted  Securities  does not exceed 10% of
        the total number of Firm  Securities  to be purchased on such date,  the
        non-defaulting  Underwriters  shall be  obligated  to purchase  the full
        amount thereof in the  proportions  that their  respective  underwriting
        obligations  hereunder  bear  to  the  underwriting  obligations  of all
        non-defaulting Underwriters, or

              (b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the total
        number  of Firm  Securities,  this  Agreement  shall  terminate  without
        liability on the part of any  non-defaulting  Underwriters  (or, if such
        default  shall  occur  with  respect  to  any  Option  Securities  to be
        purchased  on an  Option  Closing  Date,  the  Underwriters  may  at the
        Representative's  option,  by  notice  from  the  Representative  to the
        Company,  terminate  the  Underwriters'  obligation  to purchase  Option
        Securities from the Company on such date).

        No action taken pursuant to this Section 11 shall relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of any default by such  Underwriter  under
this Agreement.

        In the event of any such default  which does not result in a termination
of this  Agreement,  the  Representative  shall have the right to  postpone  the
Closing  Date for a period not  exceeding


                                       38






seven (7) days in order to  effect  any  required  changes  in the  Registration
Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.

        12.  Default by the  Company.  If the Company  shall fail at the Closing
Date or at any Option  Closing  Date,  as  applicable,  to sell and  deliver the
number of Securities  which it is obligated to sell hereunder on such date, then
this Agreement  shall terminate (or, if such default shall occur with respect to
any  Option   Securities  to  be  purchased  on  an  Option  Closing  Date,  the
Underwriters   may  at  the   Representative's   option,   by  notice  from  the
Representative  to  the  Company,  terminate  the  Underwriters'  obligation  to
purchase Option  Securities from the Company on such date) without any liability
on the part of any  non-defaulting  party  other  than  pursuant  to  Section 5,
Section 7 and Section 10 hereof.  No action  taken  pursuant to this  Section 12
shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in respect of such default.

        13. Notices. All notices and communications hereunder,  except as herein
otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have
been  duly   given  if  mailed  or   transmitted   by  any   standard   form  of
telecommunication.  Notices  to  the  Underwriters  shall  be  directed  to  the
Representative at National  Securities  Corporation,  1001 Fourth Avenue,  Suite
2200, Seattle, Washington 98154, Attention: Steven A. Rothstein,  Chairman, with
a copy to Orrick,  Herrington & Sutcliffe  LLP, 666 Fifth Avenue,  New York, New
York 10103, Attention:  Lawrence B. Fisher, Esq. Notices to the Company shall be
directed  to the  Company  at 2010 Crow  Canyon  Place,  Suite  100,  Sam Ramon,
California,  94583,  Attention:  Anthony E. Maida, III, Chief Executive Officer,
with a copy to: Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, 650 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto,
California 94304, Attention: Blair W. Stewart, Jr., Esq.

        14.  Parties.  This  Agreement  shall inure solely to the benefit of and
shall be  binding  upon,  the  Underwriters,  the  Company  and the  controlling
persons,  directors  and  officers  referred  to in Section 7 hereof,  and their
respective  successors,  legal  representatives and assigns, and no other person
shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim
under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any  provisions  herein
contained. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be
a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

        15. Construction.  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and
enforced in  accordance  with the laws of the State of New York  without  giving
effect to the choice of law or conflict of laws principles.

        16.  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be  executed  in any  number of
counterparts,  each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which
taken together shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument.

        17. Entire Agreement;  Amendments. This Agreement, the Warrant Agreement
and the  Representative's  Warrant Agreement  constitute the entire agreement of
the  parties  hereto  and  supersede  all  prior  written  or  oral  agreements,
understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof.  This
Agreement may not be amended except in a writing,  signed by the  Representative
and the Company.


                                       39





        If the  foregoing  correctly  sets forth the  understanding  between the
Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for
that purpose,  whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding  agreement among
us.

                                          Very truly yours,

                                          JENNER TECHNOLOGIES



                                          By:
                                          --------------------------------------
                                               Anthony E. Maida, III
                                               Chief Executive Officer



Confirmed and accepted as of
the date first above written.


NATIONAL SECURITIES CORPORATION

For itself and as Representative
  of the several Underwriters named
  in Schedule A hereto.


By:
   --------------------------------
    Steven A. Rothstein
    Chairman





                                   SCHEDULE A


                                                                NUMBER OF FIRM
                                                                  SECURITIES
NAME OF UNDERWRITERS                                            TO BE PURCHASED
- --------------------                                            ---------------
National Securities Corporation...........................








Total.....................................................          2,500,000
                                                                    =========