EX-1.1 2 a2036615zex-1_1.htm EXHIBIT 1.1 Prepared by MERRILL CORPORATION www.edgaradvantage.com
QuickLinks -- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document


SEATTLE GENETICS, INC.

[      ] Shares of Common Stock

Underwriting Agreement

February [  ], 2001

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
CIBC World Markets Corp.
Banc of America Securities LLC
    As Representatives of the several Underwriters
    listed in Schedule I hereto
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
60 Wall Street
New York, New York 10260

Ladies and Gentlemen:

    Seattle Genetics, Inc. a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom you are acting as representatives (the "Representatives"), an aggregate of [      ] shares (the "Underwritten Shares") of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock"). In addition, for the sole purpose of covering over-allotments in connection with the sale of the Underwritten Shares, the Company proposes to issue and sell to the Underwriters, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional [      ] shares (the "Option Shares") of Common Stock. The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the "Shares."

    As part of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. (in such capacity, the "Designated Underwriter") has agreed to reserve out of the Underwritten Shares purchased by them under this Agreement, up to five percent or [      ] shares, for sale to the Company's directors, officers, employees and other parties associated with the Company (collectively, "Participants"), as set forth in the Prospectus (as defined herein) under the heading "Underwriting" (the "Directed Share Program"). The Underwritten Shares to be sold by the Designated Underwriter pursuant to the Directed Share Program (the "Directed Shares") will be sold by the Designated Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement at the public offering price. Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase by a Participant by the end of the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Prospectus.

    The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the "Securities Act"), a registration statement, including a prospectus, relating to the Shares and to [  ] shares of Common Stock to be sold to Genentech, Inc. ("Genentech") pursuant to an agreement between the Company and Genentech (the "Genentech Shares"). The registration statement as amended at the time when it became or shall become effective, including information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, is referred to in this Agreement as the "Registration Statement," and the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares is referred to in this Agreement as the "Prospectus." If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the "Rule 462 Registration Statement"), then any reference herein to the term "Registration Statement" shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. The term "preliminary prospectus" means any preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act.


    The Company hereby agrees with the Underwriters as follows:

    1.  The Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as hereinafter provided, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company at a purchase price per share of $[  ] (the "Purchase Price") the number of Underwritten Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto. Each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, also agrees to purchase, severally and not jointly, the Genentech Shares at the Purchase Price on the terms and conditions set forth in Section 9. If the Underwriters purchase any Genentech Shares, the term "Shares" used herein shall be deemed to include the Genentech Shares.

    In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as hereinafter provided, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company at the Purchase Price that portion of the number of Option Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Option Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number of Underwritten Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the maximum number of Underwritten Shares which all of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase hereunder, for the sole purpose of covering over-allotments (if any) in the sale of Underwritten Shares by the several Underwriters.

    The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase the Option Shares at any time (but not more than once) on or before the thirtieth day following the date of this Agreement, by written notice from the Representatives to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date nor later than the tenth full Business Day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 9 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two Business Days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.

    2.  The Company understands that the Underwriters intend (i) to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after (A) the Registration Statement has become effective and (B) the parties hereto have executed and delivered this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable and (ii) initially to offer the Shares upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus.

    3.  Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives, in the case of the Underwritten Shares, on [      ], 2001, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth Business Day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and time specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters' election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the "Closing Date," and the time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as the "Additional Closing Date." As used herein, the term "Business Day" means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City or Seattle, Washington.

    Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date registered in such names and in

2


such denominations as the Representatives shall request in writing not later than two full Business Days prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer to the Underwriters of the Shares duly paid by the Company. The certificates for the Shares will be made available for inspection and packaging by the Representatives at the office of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. set forth above not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the Business Day prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

    4.  The Company hereby represents and warrants to each of the several Underwriters that:

        (a) no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a 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; provided that the foregoing representations and warranties shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein;

        (b) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) comply, or will comply, as the case may be, in all material respects with the Securities Act and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, 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 not misleading, and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, at the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the foregoing representations and warranties shall not apply to any statements or omissions in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein;

        (c) the financial statements, and the related notes thereto, included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis, and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; and the pro forma financial information, and the related notes thereto, included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), as applicable, and is based upon good faith estimates and assumptions believed by the Company to be reasonable;

        (d) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock (except for the exercise of stock options or the issuance of shares pursuant to the Company's employee stock plan) or long-term debt of the Company, or any material adverse change, or any development that would

3


    reasonably be expected to cause a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, business, prospects, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company, (a "Material Adverse Change"), otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and except as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has not entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) material to the Company;

        (e) the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such qualification, other than where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, business, prospects, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company, (a "Material Adverse Effect");

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

        (g) the Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and such authorized capital stock conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights; and, except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the Company has no subsidiaries and does not own any shares of capital stock or other equity interests or any instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options of any third party, except for such shares of capital stock purchased pursuant to the Company's routine investment program.

        (h) the Shares have been duly authorized, and, when issued and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be duly issued and will be fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights;

        (i)  the Company is not, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would not be, in violation of or in default under its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound, except for violations and defaults which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;

        (j)  the issuance and sale of the Shares and the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Prospectus will not conflict with, result in a breach of or violate any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is

4


    bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, nor will any such action result in any violation of the provisions of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any applicable law or statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its respective properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, license, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issuance and sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Prospectus, except such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, licenses, registrations or qualifications as have been obtained or made under the Securities Act and as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;

        (k) other than as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its properties or to which the Company is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company is or may be the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company, could, individually or in the aggregate, have, or reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect, and, to the Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;

        (l)  there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents or legal or governmental investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, as the case may be, that are not described or filed as required;

        (m) the Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to all items of real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by it, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described or referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company are held by them under valid, existing and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company;

        (n) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company, on the other hand, which is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus which is not so described;

        (o) no person has the right to require the Company to register any securities for offering and sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or by reason of the issuance and sale of the Shares, except for rights which have been waived;

        (p) the Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and the sale of the Shares, will not be an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by and "investment company" as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act");

        (q) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ("PWC"), who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act;

5


        (r) the Company has filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and have paid all taxes shown thereon and all assessments received by it to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith; and, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company which has had, nor does the Company have any knowledge of any tax deficiency, which if determined adversely to the Company would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

        (s) the Company has not taken nor will it take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or that would be reasonably expected to, cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Stock;

        (t)  the statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which are believed by the Company to be reliable;

        (u) except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company owns, possesses or has obtained all licenses, permits, certificates, consents, orders, approvals and other authorizations from, and has made all declarations and filings with, all federal, state, local and other governmental authorities (including foreign regulatory agencies), all self-regulatory organizations and all courts and other tribunals, domestic or foreign, necessary to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and to carry on its business as conducted as of the date hereof, except where the failure to own, possess, obtain or make would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and the Company has not received any actual notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such license, permit, certificate, consent, order, approval or other authorization, except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and the Company is in compliance with all laws and regulations relating to the conduct of its business as conducted as of the date hereof, and all of the descriptions in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus of the legal and governmental procedures and requirements of the United States Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA") or any foreign, state or local governmental body exercising comparable authority are accurate in all material respects;

        (v) except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company owns, is licensed to use or otherwise possesses adequate rights to use the patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and know-how, including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems, processes or procedures (collectively, the "Intellectual Property"), reasonably necessary to carry on the business conducted by it, except to the extent that the failure to own, be licensed to use or otherwise possess adequate rights to use such Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company has not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with, and the Company has no knowledge of any infringement of or conflict with, asserted rights of others with respect to its Intellectual Property which would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; the discoveries, inventions, products or processes of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus do not, to the knowledge of the Company, infringe or conflict with any right or patent of any third party, or any discovery, invention, product or process which is the subject of a patent application filed by any third party which patent application has been published or is otherwise known to the Company which could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company is not obligated to pay a royalty, grant a license or provide other consideration to any third party in connection with its patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and

6


    know-how which could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and no third party, including any academic or governmental organization, possesses rights to the Intellectual Property which, if exercised, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

        (w) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the studies, tests and preclinical and clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company that are described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus were and, if still pending, are being conducted in accordance with experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to, where applicable, accepted professional scientific standards; the descriptions of the results of such studies, tests and trials contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are accurate and complete in all material respects; and the Company has not received any notices or correspondence from the FDA or any foreign, state or local governmental body exercising comparable authority requiring the termination, suspension or material modification of any studies, tests or preclinical or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company which termination, suspension or material modification would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

        (x) there are no existing or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened labor disputes with the employees of the Company which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

        (y) the Company carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries;

        (z) the Company (i) is in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, "Environmental Laws"), (ii) has received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its businesses and (iii) is in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

        (aa) each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company and its affiliates has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Code"); no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; for each such plan which is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no "accumulated funding deficiency," as defined in Section 412 of the Code, has been incurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) exceed the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions;

        (bb) (i) the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus comply, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share

7


    Program, and (ii) no authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration or qualification of or with any government, governmental instrumentality or court, other than such as have been obtained, is necessary under the securities laws and regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Directed Shares are offered outside the United States; and

        (cc) the Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to offer, any Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer's or supplier's level or type of business with the Company or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.

    5.  The Company covenants and agrees with each of the several Underwriters as follows:

        (a) if the Registration Statement is not already effective, to use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to become effective at the earliest possible time and, if required, to file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A under the Securities Act and to furnish copies of the Prospectus to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request;

        (b) to deliver, at the expense of the Company, to the Representatives five signed copies of the Registration Statement (as originally filed) and each amendment thereto, in each case including exhibits, and to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (as originally filed) and each amendment thereto, in each case without exhibits and, during the period mentioned in paragraph (e) below, to each of the Underwriters as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto) as the Representatives may reasonably request;

        (c) before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, whether before or after the time the Registration Statement becomes effective, to furnish to the Representatives a copy of the proposed amendment or supplement for review and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object;

        (d) to advise the Representatives promptly, and, upon request, to confirm such advice in writing, (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective, (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective, (iii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof, (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, (vi) of the occurrence of any event, during the period mentioned in paragraph (e) below, as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and to use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order, or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any order suspending any such qualification of the Shares, or notification of any such order thereof, and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof;

8


        (e) if, during such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by the Underwriters or any dealer, any event shall occur as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, forthwith to prepare and furnish, at the expense of the Company, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Representatives will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law;

        (f)  prior to any public offering of the Shares by the Underwriters, the Company will cooperate with the Representatives and counsel to the Underwriters in connection with the registration and qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and to continue such qualification in effect so long as reasonably required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;

        (g) to make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the effective date of the Registration Statement, which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder;

        (h) so long as the Shares are outstanding, to furnish to the Representatives copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange;

        (i)  for a period of 180 days after the date of the initial public offering of the Shares not to, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities of the Company which are substantially similar to the Common Stock, including but not limited to any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Common Stock or any such substantially similar securities (including, but not limited to, any securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) or (ii) enter into any swap, option, future, forward or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or any such substantially similar securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., other than any options granted or shares of Common Stock of the Company issued upon the exercise of options granted or to be granted under the Company's employee or director stock option plans existing on the date of the Prospectus or shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of warrants existing on the date of the Prospectus, the Shares to be sold by the Company hereunder (including the sale of the Shares to Genentech), any capital stock or securities exercisable or convertible into shares of capital stock of the Company sold to Medarex, Inc. pursuant to private placement arrangements

9


    with the Company and the shares of common stock issued upon conversion of the preferred stock of the Company outstanding on the date of the Prospectus;

        (j)  to use its best efforts to enforce the Section 1.14 of the Amended & Restated Investors' Rights Agreement, dated as of December 22, 1999 (the "Lock-up Provision"), against all security holders of the Company party thereto and to not grant a release or waiver from the Lock-up Provision to any such stockholder without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters;

        (k) to use the net proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this agreement in the manner specified in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds";

        (l)  to file with the Commission such reports as may be required by Rule 463 under the Securities Act;

        (m) whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limiting the generality of the foregoing, all costs and expenses (i) incident to the preparation, registration, transfer, execution and delivery of the Shares, (ii) incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus, including in each case all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto, (iii) incurred in connection with the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market, (iv) related to the filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (v) in connection with the printing (including word processing and duplication costs) and delivery of this Agreement and the furnishing to the Underwriters and dealers of copies of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, including mailing and shipping, as herein provided, (vi) any expenses incurred by the Company in connection with a "road show" presentation to potential investors, (vii) the cost of preparing stock certificates, (viii) the cost and charges of the Company's transfer agent and registrar, and (ix) costs and expenses (including all filing fees) incurred in connection with the registration or qualification of the Shares under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate (including fees of counsel for the Underwriters and its disbursements). It is understood, however, that, except as otherwise agreed by the Company and the Underwriters and except as provided in this Section 5, Section 7 and Section 10 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel;

        (n) in connection with the Directed Share Program, to ensure that the Directed Shares will be restricted to the extent required by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or the NASD rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The Designated Underwriters will notify the Company as to which Participants will need to be so restricted. The Company will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon such securities for such period of time; and

        (o) to pay all reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Shares Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program.

    Furthermore, the Company covenants with the Underwriters that the Company will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules and regulations in each foreign jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.

10


    6.  The several obligations of the Underwriters hereunder to purchase the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, are subject to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

        (a) the Registration Statement shall have become effective (or if a post-effective amendment is required to be filed under the Securities Act, such post-effective amendment shall have become effective) not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date hereof; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment shall be in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Securities Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; and all requests for additional information shall have been complied with to the satisfaction of the Representatives;

        (b) the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein are true and correct in all material respects (except for representations and warranties which are qualified by materiality) on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as if made on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Company shall have complied with all agreements and all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be;

        (c) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, or any Material Adverse Change, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus; and the Company has not sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus;

        (d) the Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in subsections (a) through (c) (with respect to the respective representations, warranties, agreements and conditions of the Company) of this Section 6 and to the further effect that there has not occurred any Material Adverse Change from that set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement;

        (e) Venture Law Group, a Professional Corporation ("VLG"), counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, in substantially the form of Annex A attached hereto.

        The opinion of VLG described above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein;

        (f)  Seed Law Group and Pennie & Edmonds LLP, each IP Counsel for the Company ("IP Counsel") shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, in substantially the form of Annex B and Annex C attached hereto.

        The opinion of IP Counsel described above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein;

11


        (g) on the date hereof and the effective date of the most recently filed post-effective amendment filed on or subsequent to the date hereof to the Registration Statement and also on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, PWC shall have furnished to you letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;

        (h) the Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion of Cahill Gordon & Reindel, counsel to the Underwriters, with respect to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;

        (i)  the Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market, subject to official notice of issuance;

        (j)  on or prior to the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives shall reasonably request; and

        (k) the "lock-up" agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, among you and the directors, officers and certain shareholders (as listed on Exhibit B, which list includes all holders of Common Stock of the Company) of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

    7.  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each affiliate of any Underwriter which assists such Underwriter in the distribution of Shares and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, the legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or any preliminary prospectus, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or affiliate of such Underwriter which assists such Underwriter in the distribution of Shares) from whom the persons asserting any such losses, claims, damages, or liabilities purchased Shares, or any person controlling such Underwriter, if a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Underwriter to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Shares to such person, and if the Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim, damage or liability, unless such failure to send or give a copy of the Prospectus is the result of noncompliance by the Company with Section 5(a) or (b) hereof.

12


    The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each of the Designated Underwriters and each person, if any, who controls either Designated Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (the "Designated Entities"), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) (i) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) caused by the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii) related to, arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of the Designated Entities.

    The Company also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. ("J.P. Morgan") and each person, if any, who controls J.P. Morgan within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities incurred as a result of J.P. Morgan's participation as a "qualified independent underwriter" within the meaning of the Rules of Conduct of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. in connection with the offering of the Shares.

    Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereto, or any preliminary prospectus.

    If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7, such person (the "Indemnified Person") shall promptly notify the person or persons against whom such indemnity may be sought (each, an "Indemnifying Person") in writing, and such Indemnifying Persons, upon request of the Indemnified Person, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others the Indemnifying Persons may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person and not the Indemnifying Persons unless (i) the Indemnifying Persons and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary, (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person or (iii) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both an Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that no Indemnifying Person shall, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred; provided, however that if indemnity may be sought pursuant to the third paragraph of this Section 7 in respect of such proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm of the Underwriters and such control persons of the Underwriters, the indemnifying party shall be liable for the fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in

13


addition to any local counsel) for J.P. Morgan in its capacity as a "qualified independent underwriter" and all persons, if any, who control J.P. Morgan within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act. Any such separate firm for the Underwriters, each affiliate of any Underwriter which assists such Underwriter in the distribution of the Shares and such control persons of Underwriters shall be designated in writing by J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and such control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if indemnity may be sought pursuant to the second paragraph of this Section 7 in respect of such action or proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm for the Indemnified Persons, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Designated Underwriters for the defense of any losses, claims, damages and liabilities arising out of the Directed Share Program, and all other persons, if any, who control either of the Designated Underwriters within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act. No Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, each Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify any Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested an Indemnifying Person to reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, such Indemnifying Person agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 90 days after receipt by such Indemnifying Person of the aforesaid request and (ii) such Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

    If the indemnification provided for in the first five paragraphs of this Section 7 is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters or J.P. Morgan in its capacity as a "qualified independent underwriter", as the case may be, on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters or J.P. Morgan in its capacity as a "qualified independent underwriter", as the case may be, on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters or J.P. Morgan in its capacity as a "qualified independent underwriter", as the case may be, on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate public offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters or J.P. Morgan in its capacity as a "qualified independent underwriter", as the case may be, on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a

14


material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters or J.P. Morgan in its capacity as a "qualified independent underwriter", as the case may be, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

    The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purposes) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto, and not joint.

    The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

    The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 7 and the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

    8.  Notwithstanding anything herein contained, this Agreement (or the obligations of the several Underwriters with respect to the Option Shares) may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date) (i) 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 Nasdaq National Market, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York shall have been declared by either federal or New York State authorities, or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and which, in the judgment of the Representatives, makes it impracticable to market the Shares being delivered at the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

    9.  This Agreement shall become effective upon the later of (x) execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto and (y) release of notification of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement (or, if applicable, any post-effective amendment) by the Commission.

15


    If on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, (1) any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares which it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, or (2) if for any reason Genentech shall fail or refuse to purchase and pay for the Genentech Shares, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as the Representatives may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters or Genentech, as the case may be, agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to Section 1 be increased pursuant to this Section 9 by an amount in excess of one-tenth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares which it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives for the purchase of such Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement (or the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the Option Shares, as the case may be) shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter. In any such case the Representatives shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date (or, in the case of the Option Shares, the Additional Closing Date), but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

    10. If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any condition of the Underwriters' obligations cannot be fulfilled, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriter in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated herein.

    11. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company, the Underwriters, any controlling persons referred to herein and their respective successors and assigns. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person, firm or corporation any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

    12. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives jointly or by J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. alone on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representatives jointly or by J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. alone shall be binding upon the Underwriters. All notices and other communications hereunder 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 given to the Representatives, c/o J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., 60 Wall Street, New York, New York 10260 (telefax: (212-648-5705), Attention: Syndicate Department, copy to Cahill Gordon & Reindel, 80 Pine Street, New York, New York 10005 (telefax: 212-269-5420), Attention: Gerald S. Tanenbaum, Esq. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at its office, 22215 26th

16


Avenue SE, Suite 3000, Bothell, Washington 98021 (telefax: 425-489-4798), Attention: H. Perry Fell. Copies of notices to the Company should be given to Venture Law Group, a Professional Corporation, 4750 Carillon Point, Kirkland, Washington 98033-7355 (telefax: (425)739-8750), Attention: Sonya Erickson, Esq.

    13. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

    14. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAWS PROVISIONS THEREOF.

    If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return five counterparts hereof.

    Very truly yours,

 

 

SEATTLE GENETICS, INC.

 

 

By:

 

 
       
Name:
Title:

17


Accepted: February [ ], 2001

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
CIBC WORLD MARKETS CORP.
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
    Acting severally on behalf of themselves
    and the several Underwriters listed in
    Schedule I hereto.

By:   J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.    

By:

 

 

 

 
   
Name:
Title:
   

18



SCHEDULE I

Underwriter

  Number of
Underwritten
Shares To Be
Purchased

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.    
CIBC World Markets Corp.    
Banc of America Securities LLC    
   
  Total    
   

19



Exhibit A

[Form of Lock-Up Agreement]

20



EXHIBIT B

[List of stockholders]

21



ANNEX A

Form of VLG Opinion

22



ANNEX B

Form of Seed Law Group Opinion

23



ANNEX C

Form of Pennie & Edmonds LLP Opinion

24




QuickLinks

SEATTLE GENETICS, INC. [ ] Shares of Common Stock Underwriting Agreement
SCHEDULE I
Exhibit A
EXHIBIT B
ANNEX A
ANNEX B
ANNEX C