<Page>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.2


                                 NITROMED, INC.

                              AMENDED AND RESTATED
                            2003 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

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

1.   PURPOSE

     The purpose of this Amended and Restated 2003 Stock Incentive Plan (the
"Plan") of NitroMed, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), is to advance
the interests of the Company's stockholders by enhancing the Company's ability
to attract, retain and motivate persons who make (or are expected to make)
important contributions to the Company by providing such persons with equity
ownership opportunities and performance-based incentives and thereby better
aligning the interests of such persons with those of the Company's stockholders.
Except where the context otherwise requires, the term "Company" shall include
any of the Company's present or future parent or subsidiary corporations as
defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, and any regulations promulgated thereunder (the "Code") and any other
business venture (including, without limitation, joint venture or limited
liability company) in which the Company has a controlling interest, as
determined by the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board").

2.   ELIGIBILITY

     All of the Company's employees, officers, directors, consultants and
advisors are eligible to be granted options, restricted stock awards, or other
stock-based awards (each, an "Award") under the Plan. Each person who has been
granted an Award under the Plan shall be deemed a "Participant".

3.   ADMINISTRATION AND DELEGATION

     (a)    ADMINISTRATION BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The Plan will be administered
by the Board. The Board shall have authority to grant Awards and to adopt, amend
and repeal such administrative rules, guidelines and practices relating to the
Plan as it shall deem advisable. The Board may correct any defect, supply any
omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or any Award in the manner
and to the extent it shall deem expedient to carry the Plan into effect and it
shall be the sole and final judge of such expediency. All decisions by the Board
shall be made in the Board's sole discretion and shall be final and binding on
all persons having or claiming any interest in the Plan or in any Award. No
director or person acting pursuant to the authority delegated by the Board shall
be liable for any action or determination relating to or under the Plan made in
good faith.

     (b)    APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES. To the extent permitted by applicable
law, the Board may delegate any or all of its powers under the Plan to one or
more committees or subcommittees of the Board (a "Committee"). All references in
the Plan to the "Board" shall mean the Board or a Committee of the Board or the
executive officers referred to in Section 3(c) to the extent that the Board's
powers or authority under the Plan have been delegated to such Committee or
executive officers.

<Page>

     (c)    DELEGATION TO EXECUTIVE OFFICERS. To the extent permitted by
applicable law, the Board may delegate to one or more executive officers of the
Company the power to grant Awards to employees or officers of the Company or any
of its present or future subsidiary corporations and to exercise such other
powers under the Plan as the Board may determine, provided that the Board shall
fix the terms of the Awards to be granted by such executive officers (including
the exercise price of such Awards, which may include a formula by which the
exercise price will be determined) and the maximum number of shares subject to
Awards that the executive officers may grant; provided further, however, that no
executive officer shall be authorized to grant Awards to any "executive officer"
of the Company (as defined by Rule 3b-7 under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")) or to any "officer" of the Company (as
defined by Rule 16a-1 under the Exchange Act).

4.   STOCK AVAILABLE FOR AWARDS.

     (a)    NUMBER OF SHARES. Subject to adjustment under Section 8, Awards may
be made under the Plan for up to 2,500,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par
value per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock"). If any Award expires or is
terminated, surrendered or canceled without having been fully exercised or is
forfeited in whole or in part (including as the result of shares of Common Stock
subject to such Award being repurchased by the Company at the original issuance
price pursuant to a contractual repurchase right) or results in any Common Stock
not being issued, the unused Common Stock covered by such Award shall again be
available for the grant of Awards under the Plan, subject, however, in the case
of Incentive Stock Options, to any limitations under the Code. Shares issued
under the Plan may consist in whole or in part of authorized but unissued shares
or treasury shares.

     (b)    PER PARTICIPANT LIMIT. Subject to adjustment under Section 8, for
Awards granted after the Common Stock is registered under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), the maximum number of shares of
Common Stock with respect to which Awards may be granted to any Participant
under the Plan shall be 500,000 per calendar year. The per Participant limit
described in this Section 4(b) shall be construed and applied consistently with
Section 162(m) of the Code ("Section 162(m)").

5.   STOCK OPTIONS

     (a)    GENERAL. The Board may grant options to purchase Common Stock (each,
an "Option") and determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by
each Option, the exercise price of each Option and the conditions and
limitations applicable to the exercise of each Option, including conditions
relating to applicable federal or state securities laws, as it considers
necessary or advisable. An Option which is not intended to be an Incentive Stock
Option (as hereinafter defined) shall be designated a "Nonstatutory Stock
Option".

     (b)    INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. An Option that the Board intends to be an
"incentive stock option" as defined in Section 422 of the Code (an "Incentive
Stock Option") shall only be granted to employees of the Company, and any of the
Company's present or future parent or subsidiary corporations as defined in
Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Code, and any other entities the employees of
which are eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Code, and shall
be subject to and shall be construed consistently with the requirements of
Section 422 of the Code. The Company shall have no liability to a Participant,
or any other party, if an Option (or any part thereof) that is intended to be an
Incentive Stock Option is not an Incentive Stock Option.

                                       -2-
<Page>

     (c)    EXERCISE PRICE. The Board shall establish the exercise price at the
time each Option is granted and specify it in the applicable option agreement.

     (d)    DURATION OF OPTIONS. Each Option shall be exercisable at such times
and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may specify in the
applicable option agreement.

     (e)    EXERCISE OF OPTION. Options may be exercised by delivery to the
Company of a written notice of exercise signed by the proper person or by any
other form of notice (including electronic notice) approved by the Board
together with payment in full as specified in Section 5(f) for the number of
shares for which the Option is exercised.

     (f)    PAYMENT UPON EXERCISE. Common Stock purchased upon the exercise of
an Option granted under the Plan shall be paid for as follows:

            (1)   in cash or by check, payable to the order of the Company;

            (2)   except as the Board may, in its sole discretion, otherwise
provide in an option agreement, by (i) delivery of an irrevocable and
unconditional undertaking by a creditworthy broker to deliver promptly to the
Company sufficient funds to pay the exercise price and any required tax
withholding or (ii) delivery by the Participant to the Company of a copy of
irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a creditworthy broker to deliver
promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to pay the exercise price and
any required tax withholding;

            (3)   when the Common Stock is registered under the Exchange Act, by
delivery of shares of Common Stock owned by the Participant valued at their fair
market value as determined by (or in a manner approved by) the Board in good
faith ("Fair Market Value"), provided (i) such method of payment is then
permitted under applicable law and (ii) such Common Stock, if acquired directly
from the Company, was owned by the Participant at least six months prior to such
delivery;

            (4)   to the extent permitted by the Board, in its sole discretion
by (i) delivery of a promissory note of the Participant to the Company on terms
determined by the Board, or (ii) payment of such other lawful consideration as
the Board may determine; or

            (5)   by any combination of the above permitted forms of payment.

     (g)    SUBSTITUTE OPTIONS. In connection with a merger or consolidation of
an entity with the Company or the acquisition by the Company of property or
stock of an entity, the Board may grant Options in substitution for any options
or other stock or stock-based awards granted by such entity or an affiliate
thereof. Substitute Options may be granted on such terms as the Board deems
appropriate in the circumstances, notwithstanding any limitations on Options
contained in the other sections of this Section 5 or in Section 2.

6.   RESTRICTED STOCK

     (a)    GRANTS. The Board may grant Awards entitling recipients to acquire
shares of Common Stock, subject to the right of the Company to repurchase all or
part of such shares at their issue price or other stated or formula price (or to
require forfeiture of such shares if issued at no cost) from the recipient in
the event that conditions specified by the Board in the applicable Award are not
satisfied prior to the

                                       -3-
<Page>

end of the applicable restriction period or periods established by the Board for
such Award (each, a "Restricted Stock Award").

     (b)    TERMS AND CONDITIONS. The Board shall determine the terms and
conditions of any such Restricted Stock Award, including the conditions for
repurchase (or forfeiture) and the issue price, if any.

     (c)    STOCK CERTIFICATES. Any stock certificates issued in respect of a
Restricted Stock Award shall be registered in the name of the Participant and,
unless otherwise determined by the Board, deposited by the Participant, together
with a stock power endorsed in blank, with the Company (or its designee). At the
expiration of the applicable restriction periods, the Company (or such designee)
shall deliver the certificates no longer subject to such restrictions to the
Participant or if the Participant has died, to the beneficiary designated, in a
manner determined by the Board, by a Participant to receive amounts due or
exercise rights of the Participant in the event of the Participant's death (the
"Designated Beneficiary"). In the absence of an effective designation by a
Participant, Designated Beneficiary shall mean the Participant's estate.

7.   OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS

     The Board shall have the right to grant other Awards based upon the Common
Stock having such terms and conditions as the Board may determine, including the
grant of shares based upon certain conditions, the grant of securities
convertible into Common Stock and the grant of stock appreciation rights.

8.   ADJUSTMENTS FOR CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK AND CERTAIN OTHER EVENTS

     (a)    CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION. In the event of any stock split, reverse
stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination of shares,
reclassification of shares, spin-off or other similar change in capitalization
or event, or any distribution to holders of Common Stock other than a normal
cash dividend, (i) the number and class of securities available under this Plan,
(ii) the per Participant limit set forth in Section 4(b), (iii) the number and
class of securities and exercise price per share subject to each outstanding
Option, (iv) the repurchase price per share subject to each outstanding
Restricted Stock Award, and (v) the terms of each other outstanding Award shall
be appropriately adjusted by the Company (or substituted Awards may be made, if
applicable) to the extent the Board shall determine, in good faith, that such an
adjustment (or substitution) is necessary and appropriate. If this Section 8(a)
applies and Section 8(b) also applies to any event, Section 8(b) shall be
applicable to such event, and this Section 8(a) shall not be applicable.

     (b)    REORGANIZATION EVENTS

            (1)   DEFINITION. A "Reorganization Event" shall mean: (a) any
merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another entity as a result
of which all of the Common Stock of the Company is converted into or exchanged
for the right to receive cash, securities or other property, (b) any exchange of
all of the Common Stock of the Company for cash, securities or other property
pursuant to a share exchange transaction, or (c) a liquidation or dissolution of
the Company.

            (2)   CONSEQUENCES OF A REORGANIZATION EVENT ON OPTIONS. Upon the
occurrence of a Reorganization Event, or the execution by the Company of any
agreement with respect to a Reorganization Event, except to the extent
specifically provided for in any agreement evidencing an

                                       -4-
<Page>

Option hereunder, the Board shall in its discretion, take any one or more of the
following actions with respect to outstanding Options:

                  (a)   provide that all outstanding Options shall be assumed,
                        or equivalent options shall be substituted, by the
                        acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate
                        thereof). For purposes hereof, an Option shall be
                        considered to be assumed if, following consummation of
                        the Reorganization Event, the Option confers the right
                        to purchase, for each share of Common Stock subject to
                        the Option immediately prior to the consummation of the
                        Reorganization Event, the consideration (whether cash,
                        securities or other property) received as a result of
                        the Reorganization Event by holders of Common Stock for
                        each share of Common Stock held immediately prior to the
                        consummation of the Reorganization Event (and if holders
                        were offered a choice of consideration, the type of
                        consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the
                        outstanding shares of Common Stock); provided, however,
                        that if the consideration received as a result of the
                        Reorganization Event is not solely common stock of the
                        acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate
                        thereof), the Company may, with the consent of the
                        acquiring or succeeding corporation, provide for the
                        consideration to be received upon the exercise of
                        Options to consist solely of common stock of the
                        acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate
                        thereof) equivalent in fair market value to the per
                        share consideration received by holders of outstanding
                        shares of Common Stock as a result of the Reorganization
                        Event;

                  (b)   upon written notice to the Participants, provide that
                        all then unexercised Options will become exercisable in
                        full as of a specified time prior to the Reorganization
                        Event and will terminate immediately prior to the
                        consummation of such Reorganization Event, except to the
                        extent exercised by the Participants before the
                        consummation of such Reorganization Event; or

                  (c)   in the event of a Reorganization Event under the terms
                        of which holders of Common Stock will receive upon
                        consummation thereof a cash payment for each share of
                        Common Stock surrendered pursuant to such Reorganization
                        Event (the "Acquisition Price"), then the Board may
                        provide that all outstanding Options shall terminate
                        upon consummation of such Reorganization Event and that
                        each Participant shall receive, in exchange therefor, a
                        cash payment equal to the amount (if any) by which (A)
                        the Acquisition Price multiplied by the number of shares
                        of Common Stock subject to such outstanding Options (to
                        the extent then exercisable), exceeds (B) the aggregate
                        exercise price of such Options.

            (3)   CONSEQUENCES OF A REORGANIZATION EVENT ON RESTRICTED STOCK
AWARDS. Upon the occurrence of a Reorganization Event, except to the extent
specifically provided for in any agreement evidencing a Restricted Stock Award
hereunder, the repurchase and other rights of the Company under

                                       -5-
<Page>

each outstanding Restricted Stock Award shall inure to the benefit of the
Company's successor and shall apply to the cash, securities or other property
which the Common Stock was converted into or exchanged for pursuant to such
Reorganization Event in the same manner and to the same extent as they applied
to the Common Stock subject to such Restricted Stock Award.

            (4)   CONSEQUENCES OF A REORGANIZATION EVENT ON OTHER AWARDS. The
Board shall specify the effect of a Reorganization Event on any other Award
granted under the Plan at the time of the grant of such Award.

9.   REPRICING OF OPTIONS. The Board shall have the authority, at any time and
from time to time, with the consent of the affected option holders, to amend any
or all outstanding options granted under the Plan to provide an option exercise
price per share which may be lower or higher than the original option exercise
price, and/or cancel any such options and grant in substitution therefor new
options covering the same or different numbers of shares of Common Stock having
an option exercise price per share which may be lower or higher than the
exercise price of the canceled options.

10.  GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS

     (a)    TRANSFERABILITY OF AWARDS. Except as the Board may otherwise
determine or provide in an Award, Awards shall not be sold, assigned,
transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered by the person to whom they are
granted, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or the laws
of descent and distribution, and, during the life of the Participant, shall be
exercisable only by the Participant. References to a Participant, to the extent
relevant in the context, shall include references to authorized transferees.

     (b)    DOCUMENTATION. Each Award shall be evidenced in such form (written,
electronic or otherwise) as the Board shall determine. Each Award may contain
terms and conditions in addition to those set forth in the Plan.

     (c)    BOARD DISCRETION. Except as otherwise provided by the Plan, each
Award may be made alone or in addition or in relation to any other Award. The
terms of each Award need not be identical, and the Board need not treat
Participants uniformly.

     (d)    TERMINATION OF STATUS. The Board shall determine the effect on an
Award of the disability, death, retirement, authorized leave of absence or other
change in the employment or other status of a Participant and the extent to
which, and the period during which, the Participant, the Participant's legal
representative, conservator, guardian or Designated Beneficiary may exercise
rights under the Award.

     (e)    WITHHOLDING. Each Participant shall pay to the Company, or make
provision satisfactory to the Board for payment of, any taxes required by law to
be withheld in connection with Awards to such Participant no later than the date
of the event creating the tax liability. Except as the Board may otherwise
provide in an Award, when the Common Stock is registered under the Exchange Act,
Participants may satisfy such tax obligations in whole or in part by delivery of
shares of Common Stock, including shares retained from the Award creating the
tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value; provided, however, that the
total tax withholding where stock is being used to satisfy such tax obligations
cannot exceed the Company's minimum statutory withholding obligations (based on
minimum statutory withholding rates for federal and state tax purposes,
including payroll taxes, that are applicable to such

                                       -6-
<Page>

supplemental taxable income). The Company may, to the extent permitted by law,
deduct any such tax obligations from any payment of any kind otherwise due to a
Participant.

     (f)    AMENDMENT OF AWARD. The Board may amend, modify or terminate any
outstanding Award, including but not limited to, substituting therefor another
Award of the same or a different type, changing the date of exercise or
realization, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Nonstatutory Stock
Option, provided that the Participant's consent to such action shall be required
unless the Board determines that the action, taking into account any related
action, would not materially and adversely affect the Participant.

     (g)    CONDITIONS ON DELIVERY OF STOCK. The Company will not be obligated
to deliver any shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Plan or to remove
restrictions from shares previously delivered under the Plan until (i) all
conditions of the Award have been met or removed to the satisfaction of the
Company, (ii) in the opinion of the Company's counsel, all other legal matters
in connection with the issuance and delivery of such shares have been satisfied,
including any applicable securities laws and any applicable stock exchange or
stock market rules and regulations, and (iii) the Participant has executed and
delivered to the Company such representations or agreements as the Company may
consider appropriate to satisfy the requirements of any applicable laws, rules
or regulations.

     (h)    ACCELERATION. The Board may at any time provide that any Award shall
become immediately exercisable in full or in part, free of some or all
restrictions or conditions, or otherwise realizable in full or in part, as the
case may be.

     (i)    DEFERRED DELIVERY OF SHARES ISSUABLE PURSUANT TO AN AWARD. The Board
may, at the time any Award is granted, provide that, at the time Common Stock
would otherwise be delivered pursuant to the Award, the Participant shall
instead receive an instrument evidencing the right to future delivery of Common
Stock at such time or times, and on such conditions, as the Board shall specify.
The Board may at any time accelerate the time at which delivery of all or any
part of the Common Stock shall take place.

11.  MISCELLANEOUS

     (a)    NO RIGHT TO EMPLOYMENT OR OTHER STATUS. No person shall have any
claim or right to be granted an Award, and the grant of an Award shall not be
construed as giving a Participant the right to continued employment or any other
relationship with the Company. The Company expressly reserves the right at any
time to dismiss or otherwise terminate its relationship with a Participant free
from any liability or claim under the Plan, except as expressly provided in the
applicable Award.

     (b)    NO RIGHTS AS STOCKHOLDER. Subject to the provisions of the
applicable Award, no Participant or Designated Beneficiary shall have any rights
as a stockholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock to be distributed
with respect to an Award until becoming the record holder of such shares.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Company effects a split of the
Common Stock by means of a stock dividend and the exercise price of and the
number of shares subject to such Option are adjusted as of the date of the
distribution of the dividend (rather than as of the record date for such
dividend), then an optionee who exercises an Option between the record date and
the distribution date for such stock dividend shall be entitled to receive, on
the distribution date, the stock dividend with respect to the shares of Common
Stock acquired upon such Option exercise, notwithstanding the fact that such
shares were not outstanding as of the close of business on the record date for
such stock dividend.

                                       -7-
<Page>

     (c)    EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM OF PLAN. The Plan shall become effective on
the date on which it is adopted by the Board. No Awards shall be granted under
the Plan after the completion of ten years from the earlier of (i) the date on
which the Plan was adopted by the Board or (ii) the date the Plan was approved
by the Company's stockholders, but Awards previously granted may extend beyond
that date.

     (d)    AMENDMENT OF PLAN. The Board may amend, suspend or terminate the
Plan or any portion thereof at any time, provided that to the extent required by
Section 162(m), no Award granted to a Participant that is intended to comply
with Section 162(m) after the date of such amendment shall become exercisable,
realizable or vested, as applicable to such Award, unless and until such
amendment shall have been approved by the Company's stockholders as required by
Section 162(m) (including the vote required under Section 162(m)).

     (e)    AUTHORIZATION OF SUB-PLANS. The Board may from time to time
establish one or more sub-plans under the Plan for purposes of satisfying
applicable blue sky, securities or tax laws of various jurisdictions. The Board
shall establish such sub-plans by adopting supplements to this Plan containing
(i) such limitations on the Board's discretion under the Plan as the Board deems
necessary or desirable or (ii) such additional terms and conditions not
otherwise inconsistent with the Plan as the Board shall deem necessary or
desirable. All supplements adopted by the Board shall be deemed to be part of
the Plan, but each supplement shall apply only to Participants within the
affected jurisdiction and the Company shall not be required to provide copies of
any supplement to Participants in any jurisdiction which is not the subject of
such supplement.

     (f)    GOVERNING LAW. The provisions of the Plan and all Awards made
hereunder shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of
the State of Delaware, without regard to any applicable conflicts of law.


                                      * * *

                                       APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
                                          AUGUST 18, 2003


                                       APPROVED BY THE STOCKHOLDERS ON
                                          [_________], 2003

                                       -8-