KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC
10-Q, 1999-08-13
COMMERCIAL PHYSICAL & BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
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<PAGE>   1

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 10-Q

       QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES
                             EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.

                  FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED JUNE 30, 1999

                        Commission file number 000-23019
                                               ---------

                            KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



             Ohio                                        31-1274091
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction                   (IRS Employer Identification No.)
of incorporation or organization)


441 Vine Street, Suite 700, Cincinnati, Ohio                    45202
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Address of principal executive offices)                   Zip Code



Registrant's telephone number, including area code         (513) 381-5550
                                                  --------------------------



- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934
during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant
was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days. Yes  X  No
                                       ---    ---

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer's classes of
common stock, as of the latest practicable date: 11,330,418 shares of common
stock, no par value, as of July 31, 1999.

                                       1

<PAGE>   2





                            KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC.

                                      INDEX


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                 Page
                                                                                                 ----
<S>                                                                                              <C>
Part I.            Financial Information


         Item 1.     Financial Statements (Unaudited)

                     Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets - June 30, 1999
                           and December 31, 1998                                                  3

                     Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income - Three
                           Months Ended June 30, 1999 and 1998; Six Months
                           Ended June 30, 1999 and 1998                                           4

                     Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income -
                           Three Months Ended June 30, 1999 and 1998; Six
                           Months Ended June 30, 1999 and 1998                                    5

                     Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - Six
                           Months Ended June 30, 1999 and 1998                                    6

                     Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements                         7

         Item 2.     Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
                           and Results of Operations                                             11


Part II.           Other Information                                                             18

         Item 4.     Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders                         18

         Item 6.     Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K                                            18


Signatures                                                                                       20

Exhibit Index                                                                                    21
</TABLE>

                                       2
<PAGE>   3


                            KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC.
                      CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         June 30,               December 31,
                                                                                           1999                     1998
                                                                                    --------------------    ---------------------
                                                                                        (Unaudited)

<S>                                                                                       <C>                      <C>
                                           ASSETS
Current assets:
     Cash and cash equivalents                                                            $  10,083,414            $  13,980,300
     Available for sale securities                                                           26,354,840               40,768,460
     Accounts receivable                                                                     32,552,362               28,517,542
     Unreimbursed investigator and project costs                                              7,044,687                4,072,214
     Other current assets                                                                     4,551,827                4,051,540
                                                                                    --------------------    ---------------------
               Total current assets                                                          80,587,130               91,390,056
                                                                                    --------------------    ---------------------
Property and equipment, net                                                                  12,970,662               11,319,793
Excess of purchase price over net assets acquired, net                                       52,188,858               47,691,537
Other assets                                                                                  5,671,340                2,838,496
                                                                                    --------------------    ---------------------
               Total assets                                                               $ 151,417,990            $ 153,239,882
                                                                                    ====================    =====================

                            LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
     Current portion of obligations under capital leases                                  $     801,737            $     910,273
     Trade payables                                                                           5,945,595                6,252,061
     Advances against investigator and project costs                                          1,788,759                2,695,608
     Advance billings                                                                         7,842,529                9,722,037
     Other accrued liabilities                                                                5,125,941                6,314,274
                                                                                    --------------------    ---------------------
         Total current liabilities                                                           21,504,561               25,894,253
                                                                                    --------------------    ---------------------
Obligations under capital leases, less current portion                                        1,100,981                1,512,680
Note payable -- escrow agreement                                                                      -                1,590,000
Other noncurrent liabilities                                                                  2,173,967                1,742,902
                                                                                    --------------------    ---------------------
         Total liabilities                                                                   24,779,509               30,739,835
                                                                                    --------------------    ---------------------
Shareholders' equity:
     Preferred stock -- no par value; 100,000 shares authorized; no shares
         issued and outstanding
     Common stock -- no par value; 15,000,000 shares authorized; 11,108,812 and
         10,953,390 shares issued and outstanding at
         June 30, 1999 and December 31, 1998 respectively                                        75,000                   75,000
     Additional paid in capital                                                             117,146,440              114,425,511
     Retained earnings                                                                       11,412,211                7,517,039
     Accumulated other comprehensive income:
         Net unrealized holdings losses on available for sale securities                       (552,673)                 (81,806)
         Foreign currency translation adjustment                                             (1,442,497)                 564,303
                                                                                    --------------------    ---------------------
         Total shareholders' equity                                                         126,638,481              122,500,047
                                                                                    --------------------    ---------------------
               Total liabilities and shareholders' equity                                 $ 151,417,990            $ 153,239,882
                                                                                    ====================    =====================
</TABLE>



The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated
financial statements.


                                       3
<PAGE>   4


                            KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC.
                   CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                                   (UNAUDITED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                             For the Three Months Ended                       For the Six Months Ended
                                                      June 30,                                        June 30,
                                      -----------------------------------------      -------------------------------------------
                                             1999                  1998                     1999                   1998
                                             ----                  ----                     ----                   ----

<S>                                          <C>                  <C>                       <C>                    <C>
Net revenues                                 $ 27,854,050         $ 22,534,019              $ 53,618,175           $ 42,299,158
                                      --------------------   ------------------      --------------------   --------------------

Costs and expenses:
     Direct costs                              14,886,157           12,032,601                27,814,013             22,485,121
     Selling, general and
         administrative expenses                8,921,255            6,738,539                16,934,371             12,844,257
     Depreciation and amortization              1,529,136            1,158,486                 3,017,283              2,059,344
                                      --------------------   ------------------      --------------------   --------------------

                                               25,336,548           19,929,626                47,765,667             37,388,722
                                      --------------------   ------------------      --------------------   --------------------

        Income from operations                  2,517,502            2,604,393                 5,852,508              4,910,436

Other income (expense):
     Interest income                              312,755               96,504                   718,899                297,368
     Interest expense                             (50,809)             (90,331)                 (129,995)              (142,174)
     Other                                       (176,987)              31,201                  (113,240)                54,086
                                      --------------------   ------------------      --------------------   --------------------

Income before income taxes                      2,602,461            2,641,767                 6,328,172              5,119,716

Income tax expense                              1,001,000            1,083,125                 2,433,000              2,116,688
                                      --------------------   ------------------      --------------------   --------------------

        Net income                           $  1,601,461         $  1,558,642              $  3,895,172           $  3,003,028
                                      ====================   ==================      ====================   ====================


Income per share data:
Basic:
      Net income per share                   $       0.14         $       0.18              $       0.35           $       0.36
                                      ====================   ==================      ====================   ====================


      Weighted average shares                  11,100,594            8,590,559                11,080,590              8,310,405

Diluted:
      Net income per share                   $       0.14         $       0.17              $       0.33           $       0.33
                                      ====================   ==================      ====================   ====================


      Weighted average shares                  11,597,359            9,290,610                11,633,172              8,991,428
</TABLE>



The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated
financial statements.


                                       4
<PAGE>   5


                            KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC.
            CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
                                   (UNAUDITED)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      For the Three Months Ended                 For the Six Months Ended
                                                               June 30,                                  June 30,
                                                  --------------------------------------   -------------------------------------
                                                       1999                 1998                1999                1998
                                                       ----                 ----                ----                ----

<S>                                                     <C>                 <C>               <C>                   <C>
Net income                                              $ 1,601,461         $ 1,558,642       $ 3,895,172           $ 3,003,028
                                                  ------------------  ------------------   ---------------    ------------------

Other comprehensive income, net of tax:

     Foreign currency translation adjustments              (592,046)            267,693        (2,006,800)             (167,529)

     Net unrealized holdings gains (losses)
        on available for sale securities arising
        during the period, net of tax                      (268,424)               (133)         (423,657)               65,099
     Reclassification adjustment for holdings
        gains included in net income, net of tax            (45,515)            (64,473)          (47,210)              (64,473)
                                                  ------------------  ------------------   ---------------    ------------------
     Net change in unrealized holdings gains
        (losses) on available for sale securities          (313,939)            (64,606)         (470,867)                  626
                                                  ------------------  ------------------   ---------------    ------------------


Comprehensive income                                    $   695,476         $ 1,761,729       $ 1,417,505           $ 2,836,125
                                                  ==================  ==================   ===============    ==================
</TABLE>


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated
financial statements.

                                       5
<PAGE>   6


                            KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC.
                 CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                   (UNAUDITED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 For the Six Months Ended
                                                                                         June 30,
                                                                       ----------------------------------------------
                                                                               1999                     1998
                                                                               ----                     ----

<S>                                                                           <C>                     <C>
Net cash used in operating activities                                           $ (3,256,971)           $ (8,143,756)
                                                                       ----------------------    --------------------

Cash flows from investing activities:
     Proceeds from sale of available for sale securities                          19,309,444              10,337,102
     Purchases of available for sale securities                                   (5,368,691)
     Acquisitions of property and equipment                                       (2,824,238)             (2,142,522)
     Additions to software costs                                                  (1,559,743)               (433,619)
     Other investments                                                            (1,303,550)
     Acquisitions of businesses, less cash acquired                               (6,411,522)             (9,855,466)
     Cash placed in escrow as a result of business acquisition                                            (2,820,000)
     Payment of escrow note related to business acquisition                       (1,590,000)
                                                                       ----------------------    --------------------
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities                                  251,700              (4,914,505)
                                                                       ----------------------    --------------------

Cash flows from financing activities:
     Net proceeds from follow-on offering                                                                 51,548,708
     Proceeds from exercise of stock options                                          68,746                  58,045
     Debt issue costs                                                                                        (54,322)
     Payments on capital lease obligations                                          (520,235)               (397,102)
     Other                                                                           (75,117)
                                                                       ----------------------    --------------------
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities                                 (526,606)             51,155,329
                                                                       ----------------------    --------------------

Effects of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents                              (365,009)                (30,827)

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents                              (3,896,886)             38,066,241
Cash and cash equivalents:
     Beginning of period                                                          13,980,300              15,766,963
                                                                       ----------------------    --------------------
     End of period                                                              $ 10,083,414            $ 53,833,204
                                                                       ======================    ====================

SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE OF NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:


Issuance of common stock in connection with investment in
     Component Software International, Inc.                                     $    371,307
                                                                       ======================

Issuance of common stock in connection with Employee
     Stock Purchase Plan                                                        $    501,618
                                                                       ======================


Acquisitions of Businesses:

      Fair value of assets acquired                                             $  9,705,784            $ 23,287,247
      Fair value of liabilities assumed                                           (1,690,199)             (4,975,689)
      Stock issued                                                                (1,604,063)             (8,456,092)
                                                                       ----------------------    --------------------

     Net cash payments                                                             6,411,522             $ 9,855,466
                                                                       ======================    ====================
</TABLE>

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated
financial statements.


                                       6
<PAGE>   7



                            KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC.

              NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                   (UNAUDITED)



1.     BASIS OF PRESENTATION:

             The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial
     statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
     accounting principles for interim financial information and the
     instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly,
     they do not include all of the information and notes required by generally
     accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the
     opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring
     adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been
     included. Operating results for the three months and six months ended June
     30, 1999 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected
     for the year ending December 31, 1999. For further information, refer to
     the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the
     Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998 filed by Kendle
     International Inc. ("the Company") with the Securities and Exchange
     Commission.

             The balance sheet at December 31, 1998 has been derived from the
     audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the
     information and notes required by generally accepted accounting principles
     for complete financial statements.

             Certain amounts reflected in the prior periods' condensed
     consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to be comparable
     with the current periods.

2.   NET INCOME PER SHARE DATA:

             Net income per basic share is computed using the weighted average
     common shares outstanding. Net income per diluted share is computed using
     the weighted average common shares and potential common shares outstanding.

             The weighted average shares used in computing net income per
     diluted share have been calculated as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       Three Months Ended June        Three Months Ended June
                                                              30, 1999                       30, 1998
                                                     ----------------------------    --------------------------
<S>                                                                   <C>                            <C>
       Weighted average common shares
           outstanding                                                11,100,594                     8,590,559
       Stock options                                                     496,765                       700,051
                                                     ----------------------------    --------------------------

        Weighted average shares                                       11,597,359                     9,290,610
</TABLE>

                                       7
<PAGE>   8


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          Six Months Ended             Six Months Ended June
                                                            June 30, 1999                    30, 1998
                                                     ----------------------------    --------------------------
<S>                                                                   <C>                            <C>
       Weighted average common shares
           outstanding                                                11,080,590                     8,310,405
       Stock options                                                     552,582                       681,023
                                                     ----------------------------    --------------------------

        Weighted average shares                                       11,633,172                     8,991,428
</TABLE>


3.  ACQUISITIONS:

             In June, 1999, the Company acquired ESCLI S.A., a contract research
     organization located in Paris, France, for approximately $2.6 million in
     cash.

             In January, 1999, the Company acquired Research Consultants
     (International) Holdings Ltd. ("IRC"), a U.K.-based company. Total
     acquisition costs consisted of approximately $4.4 million in cash and
     87,558 shares of Common Stock. The shares have been placed in an escrow
     account pursuant to the IRC Share Purchase Agreement, 50% to be released in
     January, 2000 and the remainder in 2001.

             The Company acquired  ACER/EXCEL Inc. ("ACER/EXCEL") in February,
     1998 for approximately $14.4 million in cash and 987,574 shares of the
     Company's Common Stock.

             The acquisitions have been accounted for using the purchase method
     of accounting, with goodwill as a result of the transactions being
     amortized over 30 years. The results of operations are included in the
     Company's results from the date of acquisition.

             The following unaudited pro forma results of operations assume the
     acquisitions occurred at the beginning of each year:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           Six Months Ended June         Six Months Ended June
                                                                 30, 1999                      30, 1998
                                                         --------------------------     ------------------------
<S>                                                                    <C>                          <C>
       Net revenues                                                    $55,324,938                  $46,830,530

       Net income                                                       $3,891,973                   $2,924,327

       Net income per diluted share                                          $0.33                        $0.31

       Weighted average shares                                          11,633,172                    9,459,830
</TABLE>

     The pro forma financial information is not necessarily indicative of the
operating results that would have occurred had the acquisitions been consummated
as of January 1, 1998, nor are they necessarily indicative of future operating
results.

                                       8

<PAGE>   9


4.     INVESTMENT:

             In January, 1999, the Company acquired a minority interest in
Component Software International, Inc. ("CSI"), a software consulting and
development company, for approximately $1.6 million in cash and 19,995 shares of
the Company's Common Stock. Concurrent with this transaction, the Company
entered into a Multi-Year Strategic Service Agreement with CSI whereby the
Company will pay CSI $7.0 million over the next four years in exchange for
strategic software consulting and development services from CSI.


5.    SEGMENT INFORMATION:

             The Company does not manage nor is it organized into separate
operating segments. The Company manages its business in the aggregate, as a
full-service international CRO. Principal financial information by geographic
area is as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          Three Months Ended June         Three Months Ended
                                                                 30, 1999                    June 30, 1998
                                                         --------------------------     ------------------------
<S>                                                                    <C>                          <C>
       Net revenues
           North America                                               $20,240,501                  $17,634,090
           Foreign                                                       7,613,549                    4,899,929
                                                         --------------------------     ------------------------
                                                                       $27,854,050                  $22,534,019
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           Six Months Ended June         Six Months Ended June
                                                                 30, 1999                      30, 1998
                                                         --------------------------     ------------------------
<S>                                                                    <C>                          <C>
       Net revenues
           North America                                               $38,966,405                  $31,088,137
           Foreign                                                      14,651,770                   11,211,021
                                                         --------------------------     ------------------------
                                                                       $53,618,175                  $42,299,158
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                June 30, 1999            December 31, 1998
                                                         --------------------------     ------------------------
<S>                                                                   <C>                          <C>
       Identifiable Assets
           North America                                              $104,574,189                 $113,125,603
           Foreign                                                      46,843,801                   40,114,279
                                                         --------------------------     ------------------------
                                                                      $151,417,990                 $153,239,882
</TABLE>

             Net revenues of the Company's wholly-owned subsidiaries have been
     included in the condensed consolidated statements of income from the
     respective dates of acquisition.

6.    SUBSEQUENT EVENT:

             In July, 1999, the Company acquired Health Care Communications Inc.
("HCC"), a New Jersey based medical communications company, and HCC Health Care
Communications (1991) Ltd., a Toronto based contract research organization.
Total acquisition costs consisted of approximately $5.6 million in cash and
174,559 shares of the Company's Common Stock. The

                                       9
<PAGE>   10

purchase price may be increased dependent upon the achievement of certain
operating objectives. This acquisition will be accounted for using the purchase
method of accounting.

7.  NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENT:

             In June, 1998, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB")
issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 133, "Accounting
for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities." SFAS No. 133 is effective
for all fiscal quarters of all fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2000
(January 1, 2001 for the Company). SFAS No. 133 requires that all derivative
instruments be recorded on the balance sheet at their fair value. Changes in the
fair value of derivatives are recorded each period in current earnings or other
comprehensive income, depending on whether a derivative is designated as part of
a hedge transaction and, if it is, the type of hedge transaction. Since the
Company's only derivative transaction has historically been the use of foreign
currency exchange rate hedge instruments from time to time within a year,
management of the Company anticipates that the adoption of SFAS No. 133 will not
have a significant effect on the Company's results of operations or its
financial position.

                                       10
<PAGE>   11


ITEM 2.  MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITIONS AND
              RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

         The information set forth and discussed below for the three and six
months ended June 30, 1999, is derived from the Condensed Consolidated Financial
Statements included herein and should be read in conjunction therewith. The
Company's results of operations for a particular quarter may not be indicative
of results expected during subsequent quarters or for the entire year.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

         Kendle International Inc. ("the Company") is an international contract
research organization (CRO) that provides integrated clinical research services
including Phase I through IV drug development, on a contract basis to the
pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries.

         The Company's contracts are generally fixed price, with some variable
components, and range in duration from a few months to several years. A portion
of the contract fee is typically required to be paid at the time the contract is
entered into and the balance is received in installments over the contract's
duration, in most cases on a milestone achievement basis. Net revenues from
contracts are generally recognized on the percentage of completion method,
measured principally by the total costs incurred as a percentage of estimated
total costs for each contract. The estimated total costs of contracts are
reviewed and revised periodically throughout the lives of the contracts with
adjustments to revenues resulting from such revisions being recorded on a
cumulative basis in the period in which the revisions are made. Additionally,
the Company incurs costs, in excess of contract amounts, in subcontracting with
third-party investigators. Such costs, which are reimbursable by its customers,
are excluded from direct costs and net revenues.

         Direct costs consist of compensation and related fringe benefits for
project-related employees, unreimbursed project-related costs and indirect costs
including facilities, information systems and other costs. Selling, general and
administrative expenses consist of compensation and related fringe benefits for
sales and administrative employees, professional services and advertising costs,
as well as unallocated costs related to facilities, information systems and
other costs.

         The Company's results are subject to volatility due to such factors as
the commencement, completion, cancellation or delay of contracts; the progress
of ongoing projects; cost overruns; the Company's sales cycle; the ability to
maintain large customer contracts or to enter into new contracts, and other
factors. In 1998, the Company's Phase I unit experienced a decline in revenues
and a resulting loss from operations. The Phase I unit results in part reflect
the inherent volatility in Phase I revenues due to the nature of Phase I studies
(shorter duration studies with shorter lead time and higher potential for
cancellation) combined with turnover in certain management personnel. The
Company has taken steps designed to enhance the performance of the Phase I
facility including the hiring of experienced Phase I management personnel and
increasing its Phase I new business development efforts. As a result of these
efforts, the backlog of projects in the Phase I facility more than tripled from
March 31, 1999 to June 30, 1999. Assuming no cancellations or delays in
projects, the increase in new business activity should benefit the Phase I unit
beginning in the second half of 1999. The Company will

                                       11
<PAGE>   12

continue to focus on its Phase I unit and further improving its operating
results throughout 1999. However, the decline in revenues and resulting loss
from operations in the Phase I unit could continue if the Company's efforts are
unsuccessful.

ACQUISITIONS


         In January, 1999, the Company acquired Research Consultants
(International) Holdings Ltd. ("IRC"), a U.K. based regulatory affairs company.

         In June, 1999, the Company acquired ESCLI S.A., a contract research
organization located in Paris, France.

         In July, 1999, the Company acquired Health Care Communications Inc., a
New Jersey based medical communications company, and HCC Health Care
Communications (1991) Ltd., a Toronto based contract research organization.

         The acquisitions have been accounted for using the purchase method of
accounting, with goodwill as a result of the transactions being amortized over
30 years. The results of operations are included in the Company's condensed
consolidated statements of income from the dates of acquisition.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1999 COMPARED TO THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1998

         Net revenues increased to $27.9 million for the three months ended June
30, 1999 from $22.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 1998. The 24%
increase in net revenues was comprised of organic growth of 19% and growth from
acquisitions of 5%. Revenues from G.D. Searle and Co. and Centocor, Inc.
accounted for approximately 29% and 21%, respectively, of net revenues for the
three months ended June 30, 1999. Net revenues during the three months ended
June 30, 1999 were negatively impacted by approximately $215,000 due to a
revision in the estimated costs to complete on one of the Company's contracts
and $400,000 due to foreign currency translation.

         Direct costs increased by $2.9 million, or 24%, from $12.0 million for
the three months ended June 30, 1998 to $14.9 million for the three months ended
June 30, 1999. This increase is primarily comprised of increases in direct
salaries and fringe benefits to support the increases in net revenues for the
period. Direct costs were impacted by an adjustment due to a potential loss of
approximately $212,000 related to one of the Company's contracts. Direct costs
expressed as a percentage of net revenues were 53.4% for the three months ended
June 30, 1999 which is consistent with the quarter ended June 30, 1998.

         Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $2.2 million,
or 32%, from $6.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 1998 to $8.9
million for the three months ended June 30, 1999. Selling, general and
administrative expenses as a percentage of net revenues increased from 29.9% for
the three months ended June 30, 1998 to 32% for the three months ended June 30,
1999. The increase in these costs as a percentage of net revenues is primarily
the result of significantly higher costs to recruit and relocate personnel for a
number of key

                                       12
<PAGE>   13

management positions which were not expected to be filled until later in the
year. Given the success of filling these positions in the second quarter, the
Company believes that recruiting and relocation costs should be lower in the
second half of the year than the first half of 1999.

         Depreciation and amortization expense increased $300,000, or 32%, from
$1.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 1998 to $1.5 million for the
three months ended June 30, 1999. The increase was due primarily to amortization
of goodwill as a result of the Company's acquisitions.

         The Company's effective tax rate was 38.5% for the three months ended
June 30, 1999 as compared to 41% for the three months ended June 30, 1998. The
decrease in the effective tax rate is due to the Company's investment in tax
advantaged securities in 1999 as compared to taxable securities in 1998 in order
to achieve a better after-tax return on these investments.

SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1999 COMPARED TO SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1998

         Net revenues increased to $53.6 million for the six months ended June
30, 1999 from $42.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 1998. The 27%
increase in net revenues was comprised of organic growth of 21% and growth from
acquisitions of 6%. Revenues from G.D. Searle and Co. and Centocor, Inc.
accounted for approximately 29% and 17% respectively, of net revenues for the
six months ended June 30, 1999.

         Direct costs increased by $5.3 million, or 24%, from $22.5 million for
the six months ended June 30, 1998 to $27.8 million for the six months ended
June 30, 1999. This increase is primarily comprised of increases in direct
salaries and fringe benefits to support the increases in net revenues for the
period. Direct costs expressed as a percentage of net revenues were 51.9% for
the six months ended June 30, 1999 compared to 53.2% for the six months ended
June 30, 1998. The decrease in these costs as a percentage of net revenues is
due to the absorption of direct project related costs over a large revenue base
offset by a second quarter adjustment due to a potential loss relating to one of
the Company's contracts.

         Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $4.1 million,
or 32%, from $12.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 1998 to $16.9
million for the six months ended June 30, 1999. Selling, general and
administrative expenses as a percentage of net revenues increased from 30.4% for
the six months ended June 30, 1998 to 31.6% for the six months ended June 30,
1999. The increase in these costs as a percentage of net revenues is primarily
the result of significantly higher costs to recruit and relocate personnel for a
number of key management positions which were not expected to be filled until
later in the year.

         Depreciation and amortization expense increased approximately $900,000,
or 47%, from $2.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 1998 to $3.0 million
for the six months ended June 30, 1999. The increase was due primarily to
amortization of goodwill as a result of the Company's acquisitions.

         The Company's effective tax rate was 38.4% for the six months ended
June 30, 1999 as compared to 41.3% for the six months ended June 30, 1998. The
decrease in the effective tax rate is due to the Company's investment in tax
advantaged securities in 1999 as compared to taxable securities in 1998 in order
to achieve a better after-tax return on these investments.

                                       13
<PAGE>   14

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

         Cash and cash equivalents decreased by $3.9 million for the six months
ended June 30, 1999 primarily as a result of cash used in operating and
financing activities of $3.3 million and approximately $500,000, respectively.
Net cash used in operating activities resulted from net income primarily offset
by an increase in accounts receivable and a decrease in advance billings.
Fluctuations in accounts receivable and advance billings occur on a regular
basis as services are performed, milestones or other billing criteria are
achieved, invoices are sent to customers, and payments for outstanding accounts
receivable are collected from customers. Such activity varies by individual
customer and contract.

         Investing activities for the six months ended June 30, 1999 consisted
of the costs related to the IRC and ESCLI acquisitions of $4.1 million and $2.3
million, respectively (net of cash acquired), payment of an escrow note in
connection with the Company's acquisition of U-Gene Research B.V. in June, 1997,
of approximately $1.6 million, capital expenditures of approximately $4.4
million and investments in Component Software International, Inc. ("CSI") of
$1.3 million, offset by net proceeds from sales and purchases of available for
sale securities of $13.9 million.

         The Company had available for sale securities totaling $26.4 million at
June 30, 1999.

         The Company has a $30 million credit facility with certain banks. The
credit facility bears interest at a rate equal to either (a) LIBOR plus the
Applicable Margin (as defined) or (b) the higher of the Bank's prime rate or the
Federal Funds rate plus 0.50%, plus the Applicable Margin. All amounts
outstanding thereunder become due and payable in February, 2001. The facility
includes various restrictive covenants including the maintenance of certain
fixed coverage and leverage ratios as well as minimum net worth levels. At June
30, 1999, there were no amounts outstanding under the credit facility.

         The Company's primary cash needs on both a short-term and long-term
basis are for the payment of salaries and fringe benefits, hiring and recruiting
expenses, business development costs, capital expenditures, acquisitions, and
facility related expenses. The Company believes that its existing capital
resources, together with cash flows from operations and borrowing capacity under
its credit facility, will be sufficient to meet its foreseeable cash needs. In
the future, the Company will continue to consider acquiring businesses to
enhance its service offerings, therapeutic base and global presence. Any such
acquisitions may require additional external financings and the Company may from
time to time seek to obtain funds from public or private issuances of equity or
debt securities. There can be no assurance that such financings will be
available on terms acceptable to the Company.

IMPACT OF THE YEAR 2000

         The Year 2000 Issue is the result of computer programs being written
using two digits rather than four to define the applicable year. Any of the
Company's computer programs that have date-sensitive software may recognize a
date using "00" as the year 1900 rather than the year 2000. This could result in
a system failure or miscalculations causing disruptions of

                                       14
<PAGE>   15

operations, including, among other things, a temporary inability to process
transactions, send invoices, or engage in similar normal business activities.

         The Company has a detailed plan in place to address the Year 2000
Issue. The Company has formed an ongoing internal review team to address the
Year 2000 Issue that encompasses personnel from various operational and
administrative areas of the Company and involves the engagement of an outside
consultant. Progress against the Year 2000 plan is monitored by this internal
review team and reported to senior management and the Board of Directors on a
regular basis. The project has proceeded according to plan thus far.

         The Company's Year 2000 plan encompasses the following: (a) inventory
and assessment, (b) remediation, and (c) validation and implementation. To date,
the Company's key financial and operational systems have been inventoried and
detailed plans are in place for the required systems modifications or
replacements. Implementation of required changes to critical business systems,
including testing of those changes, is substantially complete. The remainder of
the plan, including remediation of certain European clinical data management
systems, is expected to be completed by September 30, 1999.

         The Company has initiated formal communications with its suppliers and
customers to determine the extent to which the Company is vulnerable to those
third parties' failure to remediate their own Year 2000 Issue. These suppliers
include utility companies, telecommunications companies and business specific
product suppliers such as software and hardware providers and Phase I unit
equipment providers. To date, responses have been received from approximately
63% of the Company's inventory of suppliers. Contingency plans have been or are
currently being developed to determine alternative sources of supplies from
vendors who have not yet responded to the Company's inquiries. There can be no
guarantee that the systems of other companies on which the Company's systems
rely will be converted in a timely manner, or that a failure to convert by
another company, or a conversion that is incompatible with the Company's
systems, would not have a material adverse effect on the Company.

         Incremental costs, which include contractor costs to modify existing
systems and costs of internal resources involved in achieving Year 2000
compliance, are charged to expense as incurred. The Company has utilized both
internal and external resources to reprogram or replace and test the software
for Year 2000 modifications. Costs for the Year 2000 project are estimated to
total $900,000, of which approximately 59% has been spent through June 30, 1999.
Approximately $125,000 of the $370,000 of costs which remain relate to the
replacement of certain of the Company's noncritical business systems.

         The costs of the project and the date on which the Company plans to
complete the Year 2000 modifications are based on management's best estimates,
which were derived utilizing numerous assumptions of future events including the
continued availability of certain resources, third party modification plans and
other factors. However, there can be no guarantee that these estimates will be
achieved and actual results could differ materially from those plans. Specific
factors that might cause such material differences include, but are not limited
to, the availability and cost of personnel trained in this area, the ability to
locate and correct all relevant computer codes, and the ability of third parties
with whom the Company has business relationships to successfully address their
own Year 2000 concerns.

                                       15
<PAGE>   16

         The Company's risk management program includes emergency backup and
recovery procedures to be followed in the event of failure of a business
critical system. These procedures will be expanded to include specific
procedures for potential Year 2000 Issues. Contingency plans to protect the
business from Year 2000 related interruptions are being developed. The Company
expects these plans to be completed during the third quarter of 1999 and they
will include, for example, development of backup procedures and identification
of alternative suppliers.

         Worst-case scenarios resulting from Year 2000 problems could include
the following: loss of electrical, water and other utility services which could
result in disruption of the Company's services; software and embedded technology
failure which could disrupt the Company's equipment, systems and networks
resulting in an inability to perform existing and future studies and/or have an
adverse impact on the health and well being of patients; the loss of
telecommunications capabilities (both voice and data), which could result in an
inability of the Company to internally communicate or to communicate with, among
others, its customers and investigational sites; and the inability of the
Company's third party investigational sites to become Year 2000 compliant, which
could result in the loss to the Company of their services. As previously
discussed, the Company is currently in the process of developing contingency
plans to address the consequences of these issues, should they arise. These or
other events could result in business slowdowns or suspensions and have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition, results
of operations or cash flows.

NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENT

         In June, 1998, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 133, "Accounting for
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities." SFAS No. 133 is effective for
all fiscal quarters of all fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2000 (January
1, 2001 for the Company). SFAS No. 133 requires that all derivative instruments
be recorded on the balance sheet at their fair value. Changes in the fair value
of derivatives are recorded each period in current earnings or other
comprehensive income, depending on whether a derivative is designated as part of
a hedge transaction and, if it is, the type of hedge transaction. Since the
Company's only derivative transaction has historically been the use of foreign
currency exchange rate hedge instruments from time to time within a year,
management of the Company anticipates that the adoption of SFAS No. 133 will not
have a significant effect on the Company's results of operations or its
financial position.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT FOR FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

         Certain statements contained in this Form 10-Q that are not historical
facts constitute forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are intended to be covered by the
safe harbors created by that Act. Reliance should not be placed on
forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or
achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Any
forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date made. The Company
undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect
events or circumstances arising after the date on which they are made.

         Statements concerning expected financial performance, on-going business
strategies and possible future action which the Company intends to pursue to
achieve strategic objectives

                                       16
<PAGE>   17

constitute forward-looking information. Implementation of these strategies and
the achievement of such financial performance are each subject to numerous
conditions, uncertainties and risk factors. Factors which could cause actual
performance to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include,
without limitation, factors discussed in conjunction with a forward-looking
statement, changes in general economic conditions, the ability of the combined
businesses to be integrated with the Company's operations, the Company's ability
to meet deadlines regarding Year 2000 readiness, ability to penetrate new
markets, the ability of joint venture businesses to be integrated with the
Company's operations, and the ability to maintain large customer contracts or to
enter into new contracts, and the other risk factors set forth in the Company's
SEC filings, copies of which are available upon request from the Company's
investor relations department.

                                       17
<PAGE>   18

PART II.          OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1.           Legal Proceedings - None

Item 2.           Changes in Securities and Use of Proceeds - Not applicable

Item 3.           Defaults upon Senior Securities - Not applicable

Item 4.           Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

         The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company was held May 20,
1999. At such meeting, the Shareholders of the Company elected the following as
Directors of the Company: Candace Kendle, Philip E. Beekman, Christopher C.
Bergen, Robert R. Buck, Timothy M. Mooney, Mary Beth Price, and Charles A.
Sanders. Share were voted as follows: Candace Kendle (FOR: 8,714,668 AGAINST:
6,100), Philip E. Beekman (FOR: 8,713,843 AGAINST: 6,925), Christopher C. Bergen
(FOR: 8,714,643 AGAINST: 6,125), Robert R. Buck (FOR: 8,714,543 AGAINST: 6,225),
Timothy M. Mooney (FOR: 8,714,843 AGAINST: 5,925), Mary Beth Price (FOR:
8,714,468 AGAINST: 6,300), and Charles A. Sanders (FOR: 8,714,593 AGAINST:
6,175).

         The Shareholders also approved the Amendment to the Company's Restated
and Amended Articles of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized
shares of Common Stock. In connection with such approval, there were 8,380,600
shares voted for the approval of the amendment, 335,498 shares cast against, and
4,670 shares cast to abstain.

         In addition, the Shareholders also ratified the appointment of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company's independent public accountants for
the calendar year 1999. In connection with such ratification, 8,716,128 shares
were voted for ratification, 740 shares cast against, and 3,900 shares cast to
abstain.


Item 5.           Other Information - Not applicable

Item 6.           Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

         (a)   Exhibits

         Exhibits                    Description
         --------                    -----------

         2.12                        Asset Purchase Agreement dated
                                     June 27, 1999 by and among the
                                     Company and the Shareholders of Health Care
                                     Communications, Inc.

                                       18
<PAGE>   19


         27.1              Financial Data Schedule For the Six
                           Months Ended June 30, 1999

         27.2              Financial Data Schedule For the Three
                           Months Ended June 30, 1999

         (b) No reports on Form 8-K were filed during the quarter.

                                       19

<PAGE>   20





                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                                              KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC.



                                  By: /s/ Candace K. Kendle
                                      -----------------------------------------
Date:  August 13, 1999                Candace K. Kendle
                                      Chairman of the Board and Chief
                                      Executive Officer



                                  By: /s/ Timothy M. Mooney
                                      -----------------------------------------
Date: August 13, 1999                 Timothy M. Mooney
                                      Executive Vice President - Chief Financial
                                      Officer

                                       20
<PAGE>   21


                            KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC.

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

         Exhibits                                    Description
         --------                                    -----------

         2.12                           Asset Purchase Agreement dated June 27,
                                        1999 by and among the Company and the
                                        Shareholders of Health Care
                                        Communications, Inc.

         27.1                           Financial Data Schedule For the Six
                                        Months Ended June 30, 1999

         27.2                           Financial Data Schedule For the Three
                                        Months Ended June 30, 1999

                                       21



<PAGE>   1
                                                                    Exhibit 2.12

================================================================================


                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

                                  by and among

                           KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC.,

                                  K.A.U., INC.,


                        HEALTH CARE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

                                       and

                            GEOFFREY H. KALISH, M.D.,

                                BRADLEY D. KALISH

                                       and

                                   JILL KALISH


                                  June 27, 1999

================================================================================


<PAGE>   2




TABLE OF CONTENTS
- -----------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                               Page
                                                                                                               ----
<S>                                                                                                            <C>
1.       DEFINITIONS..............................................................................................1
2.1.     PURCHASE AND SALE OF ASSETS..............................................................................7
         (a)      SALE OF ASSETS..................................................................................9
         (b)       EXCLUDED ASSETS................................................................................9
         (c)      ASSUMED LIABILITIES............................................................................11
         (d)      SELLER'S LIABILITIES GENERALLY NOT ASSUMED.....................................................12
         (e)      AGREED CLOSING TIME............................................................................14
2.2      PURCHASE PRICE    ......................................................................................14
         (a)      PURCHASE PRICE.................................................................................14
         (b)      EARNOUT AMOUNT.................................................................................14
         (c)      COLLAR MECHANISM...............................................................................18
         (d)      CHANGE OF CONTROL..............................................................................19
         (e)      POST-CLOSING GOVERNANCE........................................................................19
         (f)      ARBITRATION....................................................................................23
         (g)      ALLOCATION OF PURCHASE PRICE...................................................................24
         (h)      CLOSING PRORATIONS.............................................................................25
3.       REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE TRANSACTION...............................................25
         (a)      REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SHAREHOLDERS.............................................25
         (b)      REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF K.A.U., INC. AND KENDLE......................................26
4.       REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES CONCERNING HCC...........................................................28
         (a)      ORGANIZATION, QUALIFICATION, AND CORPORATE POWER...............................................29
         (b)      CAPITALIZATION.................................................................................29
         (c)      NONCONTRAVENTION...............................................................................29
         (d)      BROKERS' FEES..................................................................................30
         (e)      TITLE TO ASSETS................................................................................30
         (f)      CONDITION OF ASSETS............................................................................30
         (g)      SUBSIDIARIES...................................................................................30
         (h)      FINANCIAL STATEMENTS...........................................................................30
         (i)      LEGAL COMPLIANCE...............................................................................30
         (j)      TAX MATTERS....................................................................................31
         (k)      REAL PROPERTY..................................................................................32
         (l)      INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY..........................................................................33
         (m)      CONTRACTS......................................................................................37
         (n)      NOTES AND ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE..................................................................38
         (o)      POWERS OF ATTORNEY.............................................................................39
         (p)      INSURANCE......................................................................................39
         (q)      LITIGATION.....................................................................................39
         (r)      EMPLOYEE BENEFITS..............................................................................40
         (s)      GUARANTIES.....................................................................................42
         (t)      ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY MATTERS......................................................42
         (u)      CERTAIN BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS WITH HCC........................................................43
         (vi      EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO MOST RECENT FISCAL YEAR END...............................................43
         (w)      UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES........................................................................46
         (xi      GOVERNMENTAL LICENSES, PERMITS AND RELATED APPROVALS...........................................46
</TABLE>

                                        i
<PAGE>   3

<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                                            <C>
         (y)      DISCLOSURE.....................................................................................46
         (z)      INVESTMENT.....................................................................................46
F.       PRE-CLOSING COVENANTS...................................................................................47
         (a)      GENERAL........................................................................................47
         (b)      NOTICES AND CONSENTS...........................................................................47
         (c)      BULK SALES COMPLIANCE..........................................................................47
         (d)      OPERATION OF BUSINESS..........................................................................47
         (e)      PRESERVATION OF BUSINESS.......................................................................47
         (f)      FULL ACCESS....................................................................................48
         (g)      NOTICE OF DEVELOPMENTS.........................................................................48
         (h)      EXCLUSIVITY....................................................................................48
         (i)      AUDIT..........................................................................................49
         (j)      CONFIDENTIALITY................................................................................49
G.       POST-CLOSING COVENANTS..................................................................................49
         (a)      GENERAL........................................................................................49
         (b)      LITIGATION SUPPORT.............................................................................49
         (c)      INSURANCE......................................................................................50
         (d)      CONFIDENTIALITY................................................................................50
         (e)      TAX DISTRIBUTION...............................................................................50
         (f)      PAYMENT OF TAXES AND FEES......................................................................51
         (g)      ACCESS TO RECORDS..............................................................................51
         (h)      ASSIGNABILITY..................................................................................51
H.       THE CLOSING.............................................................................................52
I.       CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATION TO CLOSE.......................................................................52
         (a)      CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATION OF KENDLE.............................................................52
         (b)      CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATION OF THE SELLER.........................................................55
J.       OBLIGATIONS OF SELLER AT CLOSING........................................................................57
         (a)      DOCUMENTS RELATING TO TITLE OF ASSETS..........................................................57
         (b)      POSSESSION.....................................................................................57
         (c)      THIRD PARTY CONSENTS...........................................................................57
         (d)      CHANGE OF NAME.................................................................................58
         (e)      ADDITIONALLY REQUESTED DOCUMENTS; POST CLOSING ASSISTANCE......................................58
K.       OBLIGATIONS OF PURCHASER AT CLOSING.....................................................................58
         (a)      PURCHASE PRICE.................................................................................58
         (b)      CORPORATE GOOD STANDING AND CERTIFIED BOARD RESOLUTIONS........................................58
L.       REMEDIES FOR BREACHES OF THIS AGREEMENT.................................................................58
         (a)      SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS.......................................58
         (b)      INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS FOR BENEFIT OF KENDLE...............................................59
         (c)      INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS FOR BENEFIT OF THE SELLER AND SHAREHOLDERS..........................61
         (d)      MATTERS INVOLVING THIRD PARTIES................................................................61
         (e)      DETERMINATION OF ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES..........................................................63
M.       NON-COMPETITION COVENANT................................................................................63
         (a)      BASIC COVENTANT................................................................................63
         (b)      REMEDIES FOR BREACH OF NON-COMPETITION COVENANT................................................64
</TABLE>


                                       ii
<PAGE>   4
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                                            <C>
         (c)      LIQUIDIATED DAMAGES............................................................................64
N.       TERMINATION.............................................................................................64
         (a)      TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.......................................................................64
         (b)      EFFECT OF TERMINATION..........................................................................65
O.       MISCELLANEOUS...........................................................................................65
         (a)      [INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]........................................................................66
         (b)      PRESS RELEASES AND PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS........................................................66
         (c)      NO THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARIES...................................................................66
         (d)      ENTIRE AGREEMENT...............................................................................66
         (e)      SUCCESSION AND ASSIGNMENT......................................................................66
         (f)      COUNTERPARTS...................................................................................66
         (g)      HEADINGS.......................................................................................66
         (h)      NOTICES........................................................................................67
         (i)      GOVERNING LAW..................................................................................68
         (j)      AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS.........................................................................68
         (k)      SEVERABILITY...................................................................................68
         (l)      EXPENSES.......................................................................................68
         (m)      CONSTRUCTION...................................................................................68
         (n)      INCORPORATION OF EXHIBITS, ANNEXES, AND SCHEDULES..............................................69
         (o)      SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE...........................................................................69
         (p)      KENDLE GUARANTEE...............................................................................69
</TABLE>

                                      iii
<PAGE>   5

                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

         THIS ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is made and entered into
this 27th day of June, 1999, by and among KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC., an Ohio
corporation ("Kendle"), K.A.U., INC., an Ohio corporation ("Purchaser"), HEALTH
CARE COMMUNICATIONS, INC., a New Jersey corporation ("HCC" or "Seller"), and
GEOFFREY H. KALISH, M.D., BRADLEY D. KALISH, and JILL KALISH (collectively
referred to herein as "Shareholders").

                                    RECITALS

         A. The Seller desires to sell to Purchaser, and Purchaser desires to
purchase from Seller, substantially all of the assets of Seller as such exist on
the Closing Date, upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

         B. The Shareholders own all of the issued and outstanding capital stock
of HCC.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
undertakings and agreements herein made, the Parties agree as follows:

         1. DEFINITIONS

         "HCC" has the meaning set forth in the preamble above and shall include
all predecessor entities.

         "HCC MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE" has the meaning set forth in Section
8(a)(xi).

         "HCC MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT" has the meaning set forth in Section 4(i)
below.

         "HCC SHARE" means any share of the common stock, no par value, of HCC.

         "ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES" means all actions, suits, proceedings, hearings,
investigations, charges, complaints, claims, demands, injunctions, judgments,
orders, decrees, rulings, damages, dues, penalties, fines, costs, amounts paid
in settlement, Liabilities, obligations, Taxes, liens, losses, expenses and
fees, including (without limitation) court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees
and expenses.

                                       1
<PAGE>   6

         "AFFILIATE" has the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the regulations
promulgated under the Exchange Act.

         "AFFILIATED GROUP" means any affiliated group within the meaning of
Code Section 1504(a) or any similar group defined under a similar provision of
state, local or foreign law.

         "ASSUMED CONTRACTS" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(c)(iii)
below.

         "ASSUMED LIABILITIES" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(c)
below.

         "BASIS" means any past or present fact, situation, circumstance,
status, condition, activity, practice, plan, occurrence, event, incident,
action, failure to act or transaction that, a reasonable person would recognize,
forms or could form the basis for any specified consequence.

         "CASH CLOSING PAYMENT" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(i)
below.

         "CLOSING" has the meaning set forth in Section 7 below.

         "CLOSING DATE" has the meaning set forth in Section 7 below.

         "CLOSING SHARES" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(ii) below.

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

         "COBRA" means the requirements of Part 6 of Subtitle B of Title I of
ERISA and Code Section 4980B.

         "CONTROLLED GROUP" has the meaning set forth in Code Section 1563.

         "DISCLOSURE SCHEDULE" means the disclosure schedule delivered by the
Parties hereto pursuant to Section 2.1,3, and 4 below.

         "EARNOUT AMOUNT" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(b) below.

         "EBIT" means earnings before interest and taxes, calculated in
accordance with GAAP.

         "EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN" means any (a) nonqualified deferred
compensation or retirement plan or arrangement, (b) qualified defined
contribution retirement plan or arrangement which is an Employee Pension Benefit
Plan, (c) qualified defined benefit retirement plan or arrangement which is an
Employee Pension Benefit Plan

                                       2
<PAGE>   7

(including any Multiemployer Plan), or (d) Employee Welfare Benefit Plan or
material fringe benefit or other retirement, bonus, or incentive plan or
program.

         "EMPLOYEE PENSION BENEFIT PLAN" has the meaning set forth in ERISA
Section 3(2).

         "EMPLOYEE WELFARE BENEFIT PLAN" has the meaning set forth in ERISA
Section 3(1).

         "EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS" has the meaning set forth in Section 8(a)(vii)
below.

         "ENCUMBRANCE" means any Security Interest, warrant, option, purchase
right, preemptive right or other right or claim of any character.

         "ENVIRONMENTAL LAW" means any federal, state or local statute, law,
rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law now or hereafter
in effect and in each case as amended, and any judicial or administrative
interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent
decree or judgment, relating to the environment, health, safety or Hazardous
Materials, including, without limitation, the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended ("CERCLA") 42
U.S.C. Section 9601 ET SEQ.; the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as
amended, 49 U.S.C. Section 1801 ET. SEQ.; the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Section 6901 ET SEQ.; the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. Section 1251 ET SEQ.; the Toxic Substances
Control Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 2601 ET SEQ.; the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C.
Section 7401 ET SEQ.; the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 3808 ET
SEQ.; and their counterparts under any state or local laws.

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

         "ERISA AFFILIATE" means each entity which is treated as a single
employer with Seller for purposes of Code Section 414.

         "ESCROW AGREEMENT" has the meaning set forth in Section 8(a)(xiv).

         "EXCHANGE ACT" has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)(v) below.

         "EXCLUDED ASSETS" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b) below.

         "EXPIRATION DATE" has the meaning set forth in Section 13.

         "FIDUCIARY" has the meaning set forth in ERISA Section 3(21).

         "FINANCIAL STATEMENTS" has the meaning set forth in Section 4(h) below.

                                       3
<PAGE>   8

         "GAAP" means United States generally accepted accounting principles, as
in effect from time to time.

         "HAZARDOUS MATERIALS" means (a) any petroleum or petroleum products,
radioactive materials, asbestos in any form that is or could become friable,
urea formaldehyde foam insulation, transformers or other equipment that contain
dielectric fluid containing polychlorinated biphenyls, and radon gas; (b) any
chemicals, materials or substances defined as or included in the definition of
"hazardous substances," "hazardous wastes," "hazardous materials," "extremely
hazardous wastes," "restricted hazardous wastes," "toxic substances," "toxic
pollutants," "contaminants" or "pollutants," or words of similar import, under
any applicable Environmental Law; and (c) any other chemical, material or
substance exposure to which is prohibited, limited or regulated by any
governmental authority.

         ""HCC Business" has the meaning set forth in Section 12 below.

         "INDEMNIFIED PARTY" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i)
below.

         "INDEMNIFYING PARTY" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i)
below.

         "INSIDE SHAREHOLDERS" shall mean Geoffrey H. Kalish, M.D. and Bradley
D. Kalish.

         "INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY" means (a) all inventions (whether patentable or
unpatentable and whether or not reduced to practice), all improvements thereto
and all patents, patent applications, and patent disclosures, together with all
reissuances, continuations, continuations-in-part, revisions, extensions, and
reexaminations thereof, (b) all trademarks, service marks, trade dress, logos,
trade names, together with all translations, adaptations, derivations, and
combinations thereof and including all goodwill associated therewith, and all
applications, registrations, and renewals in connection therewith, (c) all
copyrightable works, all copyrights, and all applications, registrations, and
renewals in connection therewith, (d) all mask works and all applications,
registrations, and renewals in connection therewith, (e) all trade secrets and
confidential business information (including ideas, research and development,
know-how, formulas, compositions, manufacturing and production processes and
techniques, technical data, designs, drawings, specifications, customer and
supplier lists, pricing and cost information, and business and marketing plans
and proposals), (f) all computer software (including related technical
documentation), (g) all other proprietary rights, and (h) all copies and
tangible embodiments thereof (in whatever form or medium).

         "KENDLE" has the meaning set forth in the preface above.



                                       4
<PAGE>   9

         "KENDLE MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE" has the meaning set forth in Section
8(b)(vii) below.

         "KENDLE SHARES" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(ii) below.

         "KNOWLEDGE" means the actual knowledge of any given party plus such
additional knowledge that such person would have if such person made a
reasonably diligent inquiry with respect thereto (such inquiry not extending
beyond the books and records, property and senior management of the Seller or
the Shareholders as applicable).

         "KNOWLEDGE OF THE SELLER" means the Knowledge of all directors and
officers of HCC, Geoffrey H. Kalish, M.D., Bradley D. Kalish and Jill Kalish.

         "LIABILITY" means any liability (whether known or unknown, whether
asserted or unasserted, whether absolute or contingent, whether accrued or
unaccrued, whether liquidated or unliquidated, and whether due or to become
due), including (without limitation) any liability for Taxes.

         "MARKET VALUE" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(ii) below.

         "Most Recent Balance Sheet" has the meaning set forth in Section 4(h)
below.

         "Most Recent Financial Statements" has the meaning set forth in Section
4(h) below.

         "Most Recent Fiscal Year End" has the meaning set forth in Section 4(h)
below.

          "MULTIEMPLOYER PLAN" has the meaning set forth in ERISA Section 3(37).

         "NON-ASSUMED LIABILITIES" has the meaning set forth Section 2.1(d)
below.

         "ORDINARY COURSE OF BUSINESS" means the ordinary course of business
consistent with past custom and practice (including with respect to quantity and
frequency).

         "PARTIES" means the Purchaser, Kendle, Seller and Shareholders.

         "PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

         "PERSON" means an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a limited
liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint
venture, an



                                       5
<PAGE>   10

unincorporated organization, or a governmental entity (or any department,
agency, or political subdivision thereof).

         "PROHIBITED TRANSACTION" has the meaning set forth in ERISA Section 406
and Code Section 4975.

         "PURCHASE PRICE" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a) below.

         "PURCHASER" has the meaning set forth in the preamble above.

         "REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT" has the meaning set forth in Section
4(z) below.

         "REPORTABLE EVENT" has the meaning set forth in ERISA Section 4043.

         "SEC" has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)(v) below.

         "SECURITIES ACT" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

         "SECURITY INTEREST" means any mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance,
charge, or other security interest, other than (a) mechanic's, materialmen's,
and similar liens, (b) liens for Taxes not yet due and payable or for Taxes that
the taxpayer is contesting in good faith through appropriate proceedings, (c)
purchase money liens and liens securing rental payments under capital lease
arrangements, and (d) other liens arising in the Ordinary Course of Business and
not incurred in connection with the borrowing of money.

         "SELLER" has the meaning set forth in the preface above.

         "SELLER'S ASSETS" has the meaning set forth in Section  2.1(a) below.

         "SELLER'S BUSINESS" means HCC's Business.

         "SHAREHOLDERS" has the meaning set forth in the preamble above.

         "SUBSIDIARY" means any corporation or other entity with respect to
which a specified Person (or a Subsidiary thereof) owns a majority of the common
stock or other voting equity or has the power to vote or direct the voting of
sufficient securities to elect a majority of the directors or other governing
body.

         "TAX" means any federal, state, local, or foreign income, goods and
services, gross receipts, license, payroll, employment, excise, severance,
stamp, occupation, premium, windfall profits, environmental (including taxes
under Code Section 59A), customs duties, capital stock, capital, franchise,
profits, withholding, social security



                                       6
<PAGE>   11

(or similar), unemployment, disability, real property, personal property, sales,
use, transfer, registration, value added, alternative or add-on minimum,
estimated, or other tax of any kind whatsoever, including any interest, penalty,
or addition thereto, whether disputed or not.

         "TAX RETURN" means any return, declaration, report, written claim for
refund, or information return relating to Taxes, including any schedule or
attachment thereto, and including any amendment thereof.

         "THIRD PARTY CLAIM" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i)
below. CC.

         2.1.     PURCHASE AND SALE OF ASSETS.

                  (a) SALE OF ASSETS. Subject to, and effective as of, the
Closing, Seller, upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, hereby
sells, assigns, conveys, transfers and delivers to Purchaser, free and clear of
all Encumbrances, all of the assets, rights, properties, claims, contracts and
business of the Seller at the Closing Date of every kind, nature, character and
description, tangible and intangible, real, personal or mixed, wherever located
(the "Seller's Assets"), including but not limited to the following:

                           (i)      Equipment and Other Tangible Property. All
                                    vehicles, equipment, furniture, supplies and
                                    all other tangible personal property used in
                                    or intended for use in the operation of
                                    Seller's Business and owned by Seller
                                    (collectively, the "Equipment"), and all
                                    warranties, and guaranties, if any, express
                                    or implied, existing with respect to the
                                    Equipment for the benefit of Seller.

                           (ii)     Records. All of Seller's records, financial
                                    and non-financial, relating to present and
                                    past operations of Seller's Business,
                                    whether in the possession or under the
                                    control of the Seller or Shareholders.

                           (iii)    Contracts. All contracts, oral or written,
                                    including but not limited to, outstanding
                                    customer contracts, contracts for goods or
                                    supplies or other items used in the
                                    operation of Seller's Business, to which
                                    Seller is a party.

                           (iv)     Real Property. All leasehold interests in
                                    real property leased by Seller in the
                                    operation of Seller's Business.



                                       7
<PAGE>   12

                           (v)      Intangible Assets. All intangible assets of
                                    HCC relating to Seller's Business relating
                                    to its past, current and presently
                                    contemplated future services and/or products
                                    for HCC's business and all of Seller's
                                    rights, title and interests in and to the
                                    patents, patent registrations, patent
                                    applications, trademarks, trademark
                                    applications, trademark registrations,
                                    service marks, service mark applications,
                                    service mark registrations, trade names,
                                    copyrights, copyright applications,
                                    copyright registrations, permits, licenses,
                                    processes, formulas, inventions, trade
                                    secrets and royalties (including any rights
                                    to sue for breach or past infringement)
                                    owned by Seller and relating to Seller's
                                    Business, including, but not limited to, all
                                    rights possessed by Seller in and to the
                                    name "Health Care Communications, Inc."

                           (vi)     Governmental Permits and Licenses. All
                                    permits, licenses, consents and any other
                                    forms of governmental approval possessed by
                                    Seller as have been or are required or are
                                    appropriate for the operation of Seller's
                                    Business as it is currently being operated.

                           (vii)    Goodwill. All goodwill related to the
                                    operation of Seller's Business.

                           (viii)   Accounts Receivable. All accounts receivable
                                    of Seller in existence on the Closing Date,
                                    including all notes, bonds and other
                                    evidences of such accounts receivable.

                           (ix)     Cash/Prepaid Expenses. The cash held in the
                                    cash accounts of Seller listed on Section
                                    2.1(a)(ix) of Disclosure Schedules, and all
                                    prepaid expenses of Seller in existence as
                                    of the Closing Date which have benefit to
                                    Seller's Business after the Closing.

                           (x)      MIS and Materials. All management
                                    information systems and software owned by
                                    Seller and all customer, subscriber and
                                    vendor lists, catalogs, research material,
                                    technical information, technology,



                                       8
<PAGE>   13

                                    specifications, designs, drawings,
                                    processes, and quality control data owned by
                                    Seller.

                           (xi)     Warranties. All other warranties existing
                                    for the benefit of Seller or owned by Seller
                                    related to the operation of Seller's
                                    Business.

                           (xii)    Other Assets. All other assets of Seller
                                    used or useful in the operation of Seller's
                                    Business.

         (b) EXCLUDED ASSETS. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.1(a)
hereof, Seller is not selling and Purchaser is not purchasing (and therefore the
term "Seller's Assets" shall not include) the following (collectively, the
"Excluded Assets"):

                           (i)      Seller's rights, claims or causes of action
                                    against third parties relating to the
                                    assets, properties, business or operations
                                    of Seller which may arise in connection with
                                    the discharge by Seller of Non-Assumed
                                    Liabilities.

                           (ii)     All corporate minute books, stock transfer
                                    books and other corporate records having to
                                    do with the corporate organization and
                                    capitalization of Seller and the corporate
                                    seal of Seller.

                           (iii)    All refunds of any Tax Seller or any
                                    Shareholder has paid.

                           (iv)     Shares of the capital stock of the Seller,
                                    including, without limitation, shares held
                                    by the Seller as treasury shares.

                           (v)      The right of Seller to enforce the
                                    obligations of the Purchaser to pay, perform
                                    or discharge the liabilities and obligations
                                    of Seller assumed by Purchaser herein and
                                    all other rights of Seller under this
                                    Agreement and the agreements executed in
                                    connection herewith.

                           (vi)     Any and all employment agreements, and
                                    employment related contracts and employment
                                    related understandings between Seller and
                                    any of Seller's employees.



                                       9
<PAGE>   14

                           (vii)    Any and all agreements, contracts and
                                    understandings listed below:

                                    (a)     Consulting Agreement by and between
                                            HCC and Joseph D'Angelo.
                                            (b) Agreement with AT&T.

                                    (c)     Agreement, with an effective date of
                                            October 12, 1998, by and between
                                            Stratton Travel Management and HCC.

                           (viii)   Any and all agreements, contracts and
                                    understandings, and any bank or investment
                                    accounts, relating to any employee benefit
                                    plan, program, agreement or arrangement
                                    maintained by Seller.

                           (ix)     Any and all books and records relating to
                                    the lawsuits and/or claims described on
                                    Section 4(q) of the Disclosure Schedule.

                           (x)      That amount of cash equal to the sum of (aa)
                                    all checks which (1) have been written and
                                    dispatched to the payee thereof but (2) have
                                    not yet been collected (i.e., withdrawn from
                                    the Seller's account(s)) and (bb) an amount
                                    equal to the total sum of (x) all payroll,
                                    (y) all payroll taxes (e.g., FICA, FUTA,
                                    etc) (the employer's portion as well as the
                                    employee's portion) and (z) all income tax
                                    withholdings from employee salaries, which,
                                    in the case of each of (x), (y) and (z),
                                    shall have accrued (i.e., which shall
                                    ultimately be due and payable to one or more
                                    tax authorities or the relevant employees,
                                    as the case may be), as of the close of
                                    business on the Closing Date, in respect of
                                    the "current" pay period (i.e., the pay
                                    period during which the Closing Date shall
                                    fall).

                           (xi)     Any and all copyrights, trademarks and other
                                    Intellectual Property relating to the WINING
                                    AND DINING series of books, as well as any
                                    and all accounts receivable, books and
                                    records, agreements and inventory relating
                                    thereto.

                           (xii)    Any and all insurance policies.

                                       10
<PAGE>   15

                           (xiii)   Summit Bank Account Number 4026028659,
                                    unless the agreement, dated December 22,
                                    1998 with ILAR is assigned to and assumed by
                                    Purchaser under this Agreement (in which
                                    case such account will be conveyed to
                                    Purchaser).

                           (xiv)    Summit Bank Account Number 0226338215,
                                    unless the agreement, dated December 18,
                                    1996, with ISSTDR is assigned to and assumed
                                    by Purchaser under this Agreement (in which
                                    case such account will be conveyed to
                                    Purchaser).

         (c) ASSUMED LIABILITIES. Subject to, and effective as of the Closing,
Purchaser hereby assumes, and agrees to pay and perform in accordance with their
respective terms, the following specific liabilities:

                           (i)      Those specific liabilities listed on Section
                                    2.1(c)(i) of the Disclosure Schedules.

                           (ii)     All accounts payable and accrued expenses of
                                    the Seller, existing as of the close of
                                    business on the Closing Date, which shall
                                    have arisen in the Ordinary Course of
                                    Business, except for any accounts payable
                                    relating to the WINING AND DINING SERIES.

                           (iii)    All obligations arising or to be performed
                                    after the Closing Date under those
                                    contracts, purchase orders, leases of real
                                    and personal property and other obligations
                                    which are set forth or referred to on
                                    Section 2.1(c)(iii) of the Disclosure
                                    Schedule (which shall be subject to updating
                                    in accordance with Section 5(g) hereof)
                                    ("Assumed Contracts") only to the extent
                                    that such contracts, purchase orders, leases
                                    and other obligations are validly assigned
                                    to Purchaser (and, in the case of rental
                                    payments under leases of real or personal
                                    property, only to the extent that such
                                    rental payments relate to periods after the
                                    Closing Date) (collectively, with the other
                                    liabilities assumed by Purchaser pursuant to
                                    Section 2.1(c)(i) and (ii), the "Assumed
                                    Liabilities"). Notwithstanding the
                                    foregoing, all executory contracts with
                                    third parties set forth on Section
                                    2.1(c)(ii) of the Disclosure Schedule



                                       11
<PAGE>   16

                                    shall be assigned by Seller and assumed by
                                    Purchaser, but only with respect to the
                                    executory portions thereof such that
                                    Purchaser shall be obligated to render any
                                    performance required by such contracts
                                    arising or to be performed after the Closing
                                    Date, but any obligations or liabilities
                                    under such contracts arising or to be
                                    performed prior to the Closing Date shall
                                    remain solely the responsibility of Seller.

         (d) SELLER'S LIABILITIES GENERALLY NOT ASSUMED. Except as set forth in
this Agreement, Purchaser is not, (i) by reason of its purchase of the Seller's
Assets, (ii) by reason of any other act or failure to act on its part in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or (iii) for
any other reason, assuming any Liabilities or obligations of Seller whatsoever
and shall not become liable in any manner for any Liabilities or obligations of
the Seller.

         Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and notwithstanding
any other provision hereof, each of the following is a Liability of the Seller
that Purchaser does not assume (all Liabilities of Seller not assumed under this
Agreement being, collectively, the "Non-Assumed Liabilities"):

                           (i)      any Liability of the Seller arising from
                                    indebtedness for borrowed money or long-term
                                    debt of the Seller;

                           (ii)     other than the Assumed Liabilities, any
                                    Liability of the Seller arising from, or in
                                    connection with, the conduct of the Seller's
                                    Business or the ownership of the Seller's
                                    Assets by the Seller prior to the Closing
                                    Date, including, without limitation, all
                                    liabilities arising by reason of any
                                    violation by the Seller, by acts or events
                                    or omissions arising or occurring prior to
                                    the Closing Date, of any federal, state or
                                    local law, rule, regulation, ordinance or
                                    any requirement of any government authority;

                           (iii)    any Liability of the Seller relating to the
                                    operation of Seller's Business prior to the
                                    Closing Date for Taxes owed to any taxing
                                    authority (including, without limitation,
                                    any transfer or sales Taxes incurred in
                                    connection with the transactions
                                    contemplated hereby);

                                       12
<PAGE>   17

                           (iv)     any Liability of the Seller arising out of
                                    or related to past, present or future
                                    litigation involving the Seller as the owner
                                    and operator of the Seller's Business or the
                                    Assets prior to the Closing Date;

                           (v)      any Liability in respect of any contract to
                                    which the Seller is a party or beneficiary
                                    which is not a contract included in the
                                    Seller's Assets or otherwise assigned or
                                    transferred or subcontracted to Purchaser
                                    pursuant to this Agreement;

                           (vi)     any Liability accruing prior the Closing
                                    Date under any employee benefit plan of or
                                    sponsored by the Seller;

                           (vii)    any Liability arising out of the employment
                                    or termination of employment by Seller, in
                                    either case at or prior to the Closing Date,
                                    of any person employed in the Seller's
                                    Business, including, without limitation, any
                                    Liability for accrued vacation pay for
                                    Seller employees and any Liability for
                                    severance pay;

                           (viii)   any Liability of the Seller or any present
                                    or former director or officer of the Seller
                                    arising from any claim, action or
                                    proceeding, including, without limitation,
                                    any derivative action, brought by or on
                                    behalf of any present or former holder of
                                    any debt or equity security of the Seller or
                                    by any lender to the Seller, including,
                                    without limitation, any Liability arising
                                    from any indemnification, reimbursement or
                                    advance in connection therewith;

                           (ix)     any Liability listed on Section 2.1(d)(ix)
                                    of the Disclosure Schedule; and,

                           (x)      any other Liability of the Seller which is
                                    not an Assumed Liability.

                  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION HEREIN TO THE CONTRARY,
PURCHASER SHALL NOT ASSUME OR BECOME LIABLE IN ANY MANNER FOR ANY LIABILITY OR
OBLIGATION OF THE SELLER, AND THE SELLER SHALL REMAIN SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR,
ANY AND



                                       13
<PAGE>   18

ALL LIABILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE SELLER, OTHER THAN THE ASSUMED
LIABILITIES.

         (e) AGREED CLOSING TIME. Unless the Parties otherwise agree in writing,
the transfer of assets and assumption of liabilities contemplated herein shall
be deemed effective as of the close of business on the Closing Date.


         2.2      PURCHASE PRICE.

                  (a) PURCHASE PRICE. At the Closing, Kendle shall pay the
Seller (subject to a portion thereof being immediately escrowed, as provided
below) a purchase price of Eight Million Two Hundred Eighty Thousand Dollars
($8, 280,000) (the "Purchase Price"), to be paid in such combination of cash and
shares of Kendle common stock, no par value ("Kendle Shares"), as Seller may
designate; provided, however, that in no event shall Seller be entitled to
receive more than $5,541,000 of the Purchase Price in cash. For these purposes,
each Kendle Share shall be deemed to have a value (its "Market Value") equal to
the historical average of the NASDAQ National Market System closing price for
Kendle Shares during the twenty (20) trading days immediately preceding the
Closing. Of the $8,280,000 of Purchase Price, a total of $1,000,000 in cash
and/or Kendle Shares (at Market Value) shall be paid and/or delivered to The
Fifth Third Bank, as escrow agent (the "Escrow Agent") under the Escrow
Agreement. The remainder of the cash and Kendle Shares shall be paid and
delivered to Seller. Seller shall have the right to determine the composition
(i.e., cash vs. Kendle Shares) of the $1,000,000 to be escrowed. The total
amount of cash actually paid to Seller at the Closing (i.e., not escrowed) shall
be referred to as the "Cash Closing Payment" and the total number of Kendle
Shares actually delivered to Seller at the Closing shall be referred to as the
"Closing Shares". The $1,000,000 in cash and/or Kendle Shares delivered to the
Escrow Agent at Closing shall be referred to as the "Escrow Fund". The Seller
shall, three days prior to the Closing Date, notify Kendle of (i) the
composition of the Escrow Fund (i.e., how much cash and how much in Market Value
of Kendle Shares) and (ii) the amount of the Cash Closing Payment. Such notice
shall be consistent with the terms of this Section 2.2(a).

                  (b) EARNOUT AMOUNT. In addition to the Purchase Price, Kendle
shall pay to Seller as additional consideration an amount up to Ten Million Four
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($10,400,000), if post-Closing, the Purchaser meets the
specified EBIT Targets, all as more fully described below ("Earnout Amount").
Each Earnout Amount payment represents consideration paid for the assets of
Seller.

                           (i)      FORM OF PAYMENT. The Earnout Amount shall be
                                    paid Thirty-three percent (33%) in
                                    additional Kendle



                                       14
<PAGE>   19

                                    Shares and Sixty-seven percent (67%) in
                                    cash. The number of Kendle Shares to be
                                    issued will be equal to the Earnout Amount,
                                    if any, to be paid in Kendle Shares for the
                                    respective year divided by the historical
                                    average NASDAQ National Market System
                                    closing share price for Kendle Shares in the
                                    twenty (20) trading days preceding the
                                    payment date.

                           (ii)     EBIT TARGET. For purposes of calculating
                                    EBIT for this Section 2.2, (i) to the extent
                                    that Purchaser renders services to Kendle or
                                    its Subsidiaries or other Affiliates, such
                                    services shall be charged at arm's length
                                    rates which do not exceed those rates
                                    provided by the Purchaser to its most
                                    favored customers; and (ii) EBIT shall NOT
                                    include (i.e., shall not be reduced by) life
                                    insurance expense for key man life insurance
                                    for the Shareholders, goodwill or
                                    non-compete amortization, expenses incurred
                                    in connection with the resolution of
                                    disputes with respect to the EBIT
                                    calculation, any costs or expenses incurred
                                    by Purchaser or Kendle in connection with
                                    their negotiation, preparation, execution or
                                    consummation of this Agreement or the other
                                    agreements contemplated hereby or Kendle
                                    general corporate overhead allocations,
                                    except for corporate services rendered to
                                    Purchaser which were customarily provided to
                                    HCC by an unrelated third party, which shall
                                    be charged at the rates charged to Kendle's
                                    other Subsidiaries and Affiliates. The
                                    parties further acknowledge that situations
                                    shall also arise where it is clear that SOME
                                    allocation of expense is appropriate, but
                                    unclear as to how much is appropriate. The
                                    parties agree that all such allocations
                                    shall be made on a reasonable basis (e.g.,
                                    if Purchaser occupies only 10% of any
                                    particular space, it will not be allocated
                                    90% of the rent). For example, if insurance
                                    is procured on a group basis for all of the
                                    Kendle companies, the cost of the insurance
                                    must be reasonably allocated among all of
                                    the Kendle companies, including Purchaser.
                                    Kendle and the Purchaser shall make
                                    available to Seller and its representatives
                                    such books, records and other information
                                    (including accountant's work papers) as



                                       15
<PAGE>   20

                                    Seller may reasonably request to review and
                                    confirm the calculations of EBIT proffered
                                    by Purchaser under this Section 2.2. If the
                                    Purchaser meets the EBIT Targets set forth
                                    below for 1999, 2000, and 2001, Kendle shall
                                    pay Seller the Earnout Amounts set forth
                                    below:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
          YEAR ENDING                       EBIT TARGET                    TARGET EARNOUT
          -----------                       -----------                    --------------
<S>                                         <C>                              <C>
       December 31, 1999                    $1,030,600                       $ 4,000,000
       December 31, 2000                    $2,775,900                       $ 3,200,000
       December 31, 2001                    $4,043,500                       $ 3,200,000
                                            ----------                       -----------
                                            $7,850,000                       $10,400,000
</TABLE>

                           In addition to the sums described above, if the
                           cumulative EBIT for the period between the Closing
                           Date and December 31, 2001 (the "Earnout Period")
                           exceeds $8,889,150, Kendle will pay an additional
                           Earnout Amount equal to 10% of the excess over
                           $8,889,150, but in no event shall such additional
                           Earnout Amount exceed $500,000.

                           (iii)    PARTIAL EARNOUT AMOUNT. Partial Earnout
                                    Amount will be paid once the following
                                    minimum percentages of EBIT Target have been
                                    met:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                  YEAR ENDED                        MINIMUM EBIT PERCENTAGE
                                  ----------                        -----------------------
<S>                            <C>                                          <C>
                               December 31, 1999                            66.7%
                               December 31, 2000                              45%
                               December 31, 2001                              40%

                              Cumulative Earnout:                             55%
</TABLE>

                                    The formula for calculating the Partial
                                    Earnout Amount to be paid in 1999 will be:
                                    (EA% - 50%)/(1-50%) x (Target Earnout
                                    Amount).

                                    The formula for calculating the Partial
                                    Earnout Amount to be paid in 2000, 2001 and
                                    cumulative will be: EA% x (Target Earnout
                                    Amount).

                                    EA% is defined as the result of dividing the
                                    actual EBIT for any given period by the EBIT
                                    Target for such period and MP% is defined as
                                    the Minimum EBIT Percentage set forth above.

                                    If EBIT does not reach the Minimum EBIT
                                    Percentage, no payment will be made. The EA%
                                    is capped at 100% for the annual
                                    calculation. If the



                                       16
<PAGE>   21

                                    Purchaser is unable to meet the EBIT Target
                                    in any given year, Seller shall have the
                                    right to recapture (and, accordingly Kendle
                                    shall pay to Seller in accordance with this
                                    Section 2.2) missed Earnout Amounts (i.e.,
                                    any of the $10,400,000 not previously paid)
                                    if the Purchaser meets the total cumulative
                                    EBIT of $7,850,000 for the Earnout Period.
                                    Any Partial Earnout relating to total
                                    cumulative EBIT for the Earnout Period would
                                    be similarly calculated. For example, if
                                    total cumulative EBIT were $6,000,000 (i.e.,
                                    approximately 76.43% of the $7,850,000
                                    cumulative EBIT Target), the total Earned
                                    Amount for the Earnout Period would be
                                    approximately ($10,400,000) (.7643), or
                                    $7,948,720. If $5,000,000 in Earned Amounts
                                    had previously been paid, Seller would be
                                    due an additional $2,948,720.

                  (iv) DISPUTES WITH RESPECT TO EBIT: Within 15 business days of
the date on which the external auditors of Kendle complete their audit of
Purchaser for any given year during the Earnout Period, Kendle shall deliver to
Seller a statement showing, in reasonable detail, such auditor's determination
of EBIT for such year and the Earnout Amount, if any, which Kendle contends is
due to the Seller with respect to such year or other period (the "Kendle Earnout
Statement"). If Seller disagrees with any Kendle Earnout Statement, Seller shall
notify Kendle of such disagreement within forty-five (45) days of receipt
thereof and shall have the right to have the EBIT calculation for the period in
question ascertained by a "Big 5" accounting firm (other than Kendle's
then-external auditors) selected by Seller and reasonably acceptable to Kendle
(the "Independent Auditors"). Should Seller not object to the Kendle Earnout
Statement within such 45-day period, then Kendle shall pay the appropriate
Earnout Amount, if any, within ten (10) days of expiration of the forty-five
(45) day period; provided, however, that in the event Seller shall give to
Kendle a notice stating that Seller agrees with the Kendle Earnout Statement,
Kendle shall pay the appropriate Earnout Amount, if any, within ten (10) days
after the giving of such notice. Kendle shall cause its external auditors to
promptly share with the Independent Auditors the work papers and other materials
utilized by Kendle's external auditors in calculating the EBIT for the period in
question and Kendle and Purchaser shall, and shall instruct the external
auditors to, promptly lend all reasonable assistance as may be requested by the
Independent Auditors. The Independent Auditors shall calculate the EBIT for the
period utilizing the principles set forth in this Section 2.2(b) and in Section
2.2(e). If the EBIT for the period in question as calculated by the Independent
Auditors differs by less than 2.5% from the EBIT as calculated by Kendle's
external auditors, Seller shall pay the entire cost and expense of the
Independent Auditors. If the EBIT for the year in question as calculated by the



                                       17
<PAGE>   22

Independent Auditors exceeds the EBIT as calculated by Kendle's external
auditors by 2.5% or more, Kendle shall bear the entire cost and expense of the
Independent Auditors. The calculation of EBIT as calculated by the Independent
Auditors shall be final, conclusive and binding on the Parties and Kendle shall
pay the appropriate Earnout Amount, if any, within ten (10) days after the
Independent Auditors inform the Parties of the EBIT calculation.

(v) FORFEITURE OF EARNOUT AMOUNTS. The Seller and the Shareholders shall forfeit
all rights to any unearned future Earnout Amounts if the following event occurs
during the period beginning as of the Closing Date and continuing until the
later of (i) eighteen months following the Closing Date or (ii) approval and
implementation of a succession plan has begun (the entire period referred to
herein as "Period 1"):
         (A) One of the Inside Shareholders resigns (not due to death or
         disability or due to a breach of such Inside Shareholder's Employment
         Agreement by Employer who, following notice of such breach, fails to
         cure the breach within sixty (60) days) or is fired "for cause".

The Seller and the Shareholders shall forfeit all rights to any unearned future
Earnout Amounts if any of the following events occur during the period beginning
at the end of Period 1 and continuing until December 31, 2001 ("Period 2"):
         (A) Both of the Inside Shareholders are no longer employed by the
         Purchaser, for any reason (except for death, disability or breach of
         such Inside Shareholder's Employment Agreement by Employer who,
         following notice of such breach, fails to cure the breach within sixty
         (60) days); or
         (B) One of the Inside Shareholders is terminated "for cause."

                  For purposes of this Section only, "for cause" shall mean: (i)
the appropriation (or attempted appropriation) of a material business
opportunity of the Company, including attempting to secure or securing any
material personal profit in connection with any transaction entered into on
behalf of the Company which is unlawful or in violation of the Company's rights;
(ii) the intentional misappropriation (or attempted misappropriation) of any of
the Company's funds or material property; or (iii) the conviction of, the
indictment for (or its procedural equivalent), or the entering of a guilty plea
or plea of no contest with respect to, a felony, the equivalent thereof, or any
other crime for which imprisonment of greater than three (3) months is
mandatorily imposed; provided however that should the Inside Shareholder be
indicted and later either be acquitted or have the charges dropped against him,
Kendle shall pay any Earnout Amount which was withheld due to such indictment.

                  (c) COLLAR MECHANISM. Kendle and Purchaser shall exercise
their commercially reasonable best efforts in cooperating with Seller and the
Shareholders



                                       18
<PAGE>   23

in attempting to obtain a "collar" on all Kendle Shares held by them, including
those in escrow. Such cooperation shall include, but not be limited to, not
unreasonably withholding or delaying their consent to reasonable modifications
to the Escrow Agreement designed to implement such collar or collars.

                  (d) CHANGE OF CONTROL. The Earnout Amount shall become due and
payable in full upon a Change of Control as defined hereafter; provided, however
that if the Change of Control does not result in a change that materially
compromises the ability of the current management of HCC to cause the Purchaser
to achieve the EBIT Targets, then this provision shall not apply and the Earnout
Amounts shall be paid in accordance with this Agreement.

                  Change of Control ("COC") shall mean any of the following
events: (a) any Person or "group" (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5 under the
Exchange Act), together with its Affiliates, other than Candace Kendle and
Christopher C. Bergen, shall beneficially own (within the meaning of Rule
13d-3), directly or indirectly, the lesser of (i) an amount of Capital Stock of
Kendle entitled to twenty percent (20%) or more of the Total Voting Power of
Kendle or (ii) an amount of Capital Stock of Kendle entitled to a percentage of
the Total Voting Power of Kendle in excess of the aggregate of such Capital
Stock beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by Candace Kendle and
Christopher C. Bergen; (b) Candace Kendle and Christopher C. Bergen together
cease to own shares of Capital Stock of Kendle representing at least ten percent
(10%) of the Total Voting Power of Kendle; or (c) during any period of two
consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted
the Board of Directors of Kendle (together with any new directors whose election
by such Board of Directors or whose nomination for election by the shareholders
of Kendle was approved by a vote of sixty-six and 2/3 percent (66-2/3%) of the
directors of Kendle then still in office who were either directors at the
beginning of such period or whose election or nomination for election was
previously so approved) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the
Board of Directors of Kendle then in office.

                  For purposes of this section, "Total Voting Power" shall mean
the total number of votes which may be cast in the election of directors of
Kendle at any meeting of stockholders of Kendle if all securities entitled to
vote in the election of directors of Kendle (on a fully diluted basis, assuming
the exercise, conversion or exchange of all rights, warrants, options and
securities outstanding on such date which are or may thereafter become
exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into, such voting securities)
were present and voted at such meeting (other than votes that may be cast only
upon the happening of a contingency).

                  (e) POST-CLOSING GOVERNANCE. In order to give the Shareholders
and Seller full opportunity to achieve the benefits of the Earnout Amounts, the



                                       19
<PAGE>   24
Parties agree as follows with respect to the operations of the Purchaser for
the period beginning as of the Closing Date and ending December 31, 2001, unless
otherwise specified herein or as otherwise agreed to in writing by the Parties:

                           (i)      The Purchaser will be maintained as a
                                    separate legal entity with separate
                                    accounting for its financial performance,
                                    and shall be audited by an independent
                                    auditor chosen by Kendle.

                           (ii)     The executive officers of the Purchaser,
                                    namely, Geoffrey H. Kalish, M.D. and Bradley
                                    D. Kalish, shall have the primary
                                    responsibility for the day to day operations
                                    of the Purchaser and shall be the two most
                                    senior managers of the Purchaser (i.e., in
                                    the event that any officer or employee of
                                    Purchaser is technically senior to either of
                                    the Inside Shareholders, such officer or
                                    employee shall not have powers or
                                    responsibilities regarding the day to day
                                    operations of the Purchaser).

                           (iii)    The Inside Shareholders shall prepare an
                                    operating budget, a fixed assets budget, and
                                    a working capital budget for each of 1999
                                    (pro-rated), 2000, and 2001, (collectively
                                    the "Budgets") to be submitted to and
                                    approved by Kendle. The Budgets shall be
                                    prepared consistent with EBIT Targets. The
                                    Budgets shall be prepared in substantially
                                    the same form as attached hereto as Exhibit
                                    2.3(e).

                           (iv)     The Inside Shareholders shall have the
                                    powers delegated to them as set forth in
                                    their respective Employment Agreements.

                           (v)      The Inside Shareholders shall have the right
                                    to approve (i) any merger of the Purchaser
                                    with or into any other entity, (ii) any
                                    acquisition by Purchaser of any other
                                    business and (iii) the engagement of
                                    Purchaser in a business different from
                                    Seller's Business.

                           (vi)     Except as otherwise agreed to by the Inside
                                    Shareholders and Kendle or as provided in
                                    the Employment Agreements or on 2.2(e)(vi)
                                    of the



                                       20
<PAGE>   25

                                    Disclosure Schedules, the Inside
                                    Shareholders shall at all times during their
                                    employment by Purchaser follow and adhere to
                                    the lawful procedures, policies and
                                    practices of Purchaser, including without
                                    limitation, all such procedures, policies
                                    and practices as they relate to operations,
                                    accounting, cash management, travel, and
                                    human resources as are established by
                                    Purchaser from time to time.

                           (vii)    In the event that the Purchaser shall
                                    provide services for Kendle Subsidiaries and
                                    other Affiliates, such services shall be
                                    charged at arm's length rates that do not
                                    exceed those rates given to the Purchaser's
                                    most favored customers.

                           (viii)   The Purchaser shall be obligated to pay its
                                    employees bonuses if such bonuses are earned
                                    in accordance with Kendle's or Purchaser's
                                    policy or customary past practice of HCC;
                                    provided, however that if HCC customary past
                                    practice is in conflict with Kendle's or
                                    Purchaser's policy, Kendle's or Purchaser's
                                    policy shall govern.

                           (ix)     The Inside Shareholders shall develop and
                                    implement in conjunction with their Kendle
                                    supervisor a succession plan delineating
                                    their respective successors for the next
                                    three years.

                           (x)      Unless otherwise agreed to by the Inside
                                    Shareholders, (A) the Inside Shareholders
                                    shall be based at the headquarters of the
                                    Purchaser and (B) in the event that
                                    Purchaser moves its headquarters from its
                                    current location, it shall not move such
                                    headquarters to any location more than 15
                                    miles from its current location.

                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Inside Shareholders shall
not take any action under this Section 2.2(e) that is not, or would cause the
Purchaser not to be, in compliance with the laws, rules and regulations of
federal, state and local governmental authorities (including, without
limitation, tax reporting and tax compliance) applicable to the Purchaser.

                  Section 2.2. (e) (the foregoing items (i) through (x) only
shall not apply if (i) the Purchaser does not obtain the Minimum EBIT
Percentages set forth



                                       21
<PAGE>   26

in Section 2.2(b) above, (ii) an Inside Shareholder resigns or is terminated for
"cause" (as such term is defined in the Employment Agreements); provided however
that if an Inside Shareholder resigns (a) due to a disability under Section 6 of
his Employment Agreement or (b) because the Employer breached its
duties/obligations set forth in the Employment Agreement and, following notice
of such breach, failed to cure the breach within thirty (30) days, then this
provision shall not apply, (iii) the Purchaser experiences a negative EBIT for
two (2) consecutive quarters or (iv) the Seller breaches Section 12 (Non-Compete
Covenant) herein or either of the Inside Shareholders breach the Non-Compete
Covenants contained in their respective Non-Competition and Non-Disclosure
Agreements.

                  The elimination of the foregoing items (i) through (x) shall
not impair any rights arising under the Employment Agreements of the Inside
Shareholders.

                  The Earnout Amounts shall become immediately due and payable
upon the occurrence of any of the following events:

                           (i)      A Change of Control of Kendle as set forth
                                    in Section 2.2(d) herein;

                           (ii)     A material breach of this Section 2.2(e) by
                                    Purchaser or Kendle, provided Kendle
                                    receives notice of such breach and has not
                                    cured such breach in thirty days or such
                                    longer time as may be reasonably necessary
                                    to cure such breach provided Purchaser or
                                    Kendle is diligently pursuing such cure and
                                    such period does not exceed sixty (60) days;

                           (iii)    Purchaser or Kendle sells or otherwise
                                    conveys (A) substantially all of Purchaser's
                                    assets or (B) any asset (if the loss of such
                                    asset materially and adversely affects the
                                    operations or income-producing ability of
                                    Purchaser) to any third party; or

                           (iv)     Kendle shall cease to have beneficial
                                    ownership (as defined above) of that number
                                    of shares of capital stock of the Purchaser
                                    entitled to cast a majority of the votes
                                    eligible to be cast by all outstanding
                                    shares of the Purchaser.

                                       22
<PAGE>   27

                  (f)      ARBITRATION.

                           (i)      In the event of a dispute arising under this
                                    Section 2.2(d) or (e), the Parties agree to
                                    submit such dispute to binding arbitration
                                    if so requested by any party hereto pursuant
                                    to subparagraph (ii) below. The arbitration
                                    shall be conducted by three arbitrators, who
                                    shall be appointed pursuant to the rules of
                                    the American Arbitration Association
                                    ("AAA"). The arbitration shall be held in
                                    Columbus, Ohio, and shall be conducted in
                                    accordance with the commercial arbitration
                                    rules of the AAA, except that the rules set
                                    forth in this Section 2.2(f) shall govern
                                    such arbitration to the extent they conflict
                                    with the rules of the AAA.

                           (ii)     Upon written notice by a party to the other
                                    parties of a request for arbitration
                                    hereunder, the parties shall use their best
                                    efforts to cause the arbitration to be
                                    conducted in an expeditious manner. All
                                    other procedural matters shall be within the
                                    discretion of the arbitrators. In the event
                                    a party fails to comply with the procedures
                                    in any arbitration in a manner deemed
                                    material by the arbitrators, the arbitrators
                                    shall fix a reasonable period of time for
                                    compliance and, if the party does not comply
                                    within said period, a remedy deemed just by
                                    the arbitrators, including an award of
                                    default, may be imposed.

                           (iii)    The determination of the arbitrators shall
                                    be final and binding on the parties.
                                    Judgment upon the award rendered by the
                                    arbitrators may be entered in any court
                                    having jurisdiction. The parties shall each
                                    be responsible for their own expenses in
                                    connection with such arbitration, including
                                    without limitation counsel fees and fees or
                                    experts; provided, however, that the parties
                                    shall share equally in the expense of the
                                    arbitrators and of the AAA.

                           (iv)     Notwithstanding (iii) above, the arbitrator
                                    may, at its discretion, award reasonable
                                    counsel and AAA (including arbitrator) fees
                                    and expenses to any one or more of the
                                    parties if the arbitrator determines that



                                       23
<PAGE>   28

                                    such award would be just and equitable in
                                    light of the circumstances.

                  (g)      ALLOCATION OF PURCHASE PRICE.

                           (i)      Purchaser and Seller agree that Purchaser
                                    and Seller shall allocate the sum of the
                                    Purchase Price, the Earnout Amounts (if
                                    any), the additional Earnout Amounts (if
                                    any), and the Assumed Liabilities among the
                                    Seller's Assets and the covenant not to
                                    compete (set forth in Section 12 of this
                                    Agreement) as of the Closing Date, in
                                    accordance with Section 2.2(g)(i) of the
                                    Disclosure Schedules, Section 1060 of the
                                    Code and the regulations promulgated
                                    thereunder.

                           (ii)     Purchaser and Seller shall timely file with
                                    the appropriate tax authorities the IRS Form
                                    8594 and shall use the allocation set forth
                                    in Section 2.2(g)(i) of the Disclosure
                                    Schedules in the preparation of IRS Form
                                    8594 and of all Tax Returns (including any
                                    attachments thereto) and for all other tax
                                    purposes. In the event any party hereto
                                    receives notice of an audit in respect of
                                    the allocation of the Purchase Price, the
                                    Earnout Amounts (if any), the additional
                                    Earnout Amounts (if any), and Assumed
                                    Liabilities specified herein, such party
                                    shall notify the other party in writing as
                                    to the date and subject of such audit as
                                    promptly as reasonably practicable.

                           (iii)    If any Tax Return filed by Purchaser or
                                    Seller relating to the transactions
                                    contemplated hereby is challenged by the tax
                                    authority with which such Tax Return was
                                    filed on the basis of the allocation set
                                    forth in Section 2.2(g)(i) of the Disclosure
                                    Schedules as finally adjusted, the filing
                                    party shall assert in good faith the
                                    validity and correctness of such allocation.
                                    If any such Tax Return is challenged as
                                    herein described, the party filing such Tax
                                    Return shall keep the other party apprised
                                    of its decisions and the current status and
                                    progress of all administrative and judicial
                                    proceedings, if any, that are undertaken at
                                    the election of such party with respect
                                    thereto.



                                       24
<PAGE>   29

                  (h)     CLOSING PRORATIONS

                            (i)    PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES. All personal
                                   property Taxes relating to any and all
                                   personal property conveyed pursuant to this
                                   Agreement shall be pro-rated between
                                   Purchaser and the Seller in accordance with
                                   the relationship of the Closing Date to the
                                   entire relevant Tax year. Subject to the rest
                                   of this Section h(i), any payment owed in
                                   respect of such pro-ration shall be made at
                                   Closing. If the amount of said personal
                                   property Taxes is not known at the Closing,
                                   then such personal property Taxes shall be
                                   apportioned on the basis of the personal
                                   property Taxes assessed for the preceding Tax
                                   year, with a reapportionment as soon as the
                                   new Tax rate and valuation can be
                                   ascertained.

                            (ii)   UTILITIES. All utility charges relating to
                                   any locations of the Seller covered by real
                                   property leases constituting Assumed
                                   Contracts shall be pro-rated between
                                   Purchaser and the Seller in accordance with
                                   the relationship of the Closing Date to the
                                   entire relevant period covered by such
                                   charge.

         3.       REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE TRANSACTION

                  (a) REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SHAREHOLDERS. Each
of the Shareholders, individually, represents and warrants to Kendle that the
statements contained in this Section 3(a) are correct and complete as of the
date of this Agreement with respect to himself or herself (but not with respect
to any other Shareholders).

                            (i)    AUTHORIZATION OF TRANSACTION. Such
                                   Shareholder has full power and authority to
                                   execute and deliver this Agreement and to
                                   perform his or her obligations hereunder.
                                   This Agreement constitutes the valid and
                                   legally binding obligation of such
                                   Shareholder, enforceable against him or her
                                   in accordance with its terms and conditions.
                                   Such Shareholder need not give any notice to,
                                   make any filing with, or obtain any
                                   authorization, consent, or approval of any
                                   government or governmental agency in order to
                                   consummate the transactions contemplated by
                                   this Agreement.



                                       25
<PAGE>   30

                            (ii)   NONCONTRAVENTION. Neither the execution and
                                   the delivery of this Agreement by such
                                   Shareholder, nor the consummation by him or
                                   her of the transactions contemplated hereby,
                                   will (A) violate any constitution, statute,
                                   regulation, rule, injunction, judgment,
                                   order, decree, ruling, charge, or other
                                   restriction of any government, governmental
                                   agency, or court to which such Shareholder is
                                   subject or (B) conflict with, result in a
                                   breach of, constitute a default under, result
                                   in the acceleration of, create in any party
                                   the right to accelerate, terminate, modify,
                                   or cancel, or require any notice under any
                                   agreement, contract, lease, license,
                                   instrument, or other arrangement to which
                                   such Shareholder is a party or by which he or
                                   she is bound or to which any of his or her
                                   assets is subject.

                            (iii)  BROKERS' FEES. Such Shareholder has no
                                   liability or obligation to pay any fees or
                                   commissions to any broker, finder, or agent
                                   with respect to the transactions contemplated
                                   by this Agreement for which Kendle could
                                   become liable or obligated.

                            (iv)   HCC SHARES. Such Shareholder holds of record
                                   and owns beneficially the number of HCC
                                   Shares set forth next to his or her name in
                                   Section 3(a)(iv) of the Disclosure Schedule,
                                   free and clear of any Encumbrances other than
                                   restrictions on transfer imposed by federal
                                   and state securities laws and regulations.
                                   Such Shareholder is not a party to any voting
                                   trust, proxy, or other agreement or
                                   understanding with respect to the voting of
                                   any capital stock of HCC.

                  (b)  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF K.A.U., INC. AND
KENDLE. Each of Purchaser and Kendle represents and warrants to the Sellers that
the statements contained in this Section 3(b) are correct and complete as of the
date of this Agreement.

                            (i)    ORGANIZATION OF KENDLE. Each of Purchaser and
                                   Kendle is a corporation organized, validly
                                   existing and in good standing under the laws
                                   of the State of Ohio.


                                       26
<PAGE>   31

                            (ii)   AUTHORIZATION OF TRANSACTION. Each of
                                   Purchaser and Kendle has full power and
                                   authority (including full corporate power and
                                   authority) to execute and deliver this
                                   Agreement and to perform its obligations
                                   hereunder. This Agreement constitutes the
                                   valid and legally binding obligation of
                                   Purchaser and Kendle, enforceable against
                                   each in accordance with its terms and
                                   conditions. Assuming the truth and
                                   correctness of the Seller's statements in
                                   Section 4(aa) of this Agreement, neither
                                   Purchaser nor Kendle need give any notice to,
                                   make any filing with, or obtain any
                                   authorization, consent, or approval of any
                                   government or governmental agency in order to
                                   consummate the transactions contemplated by
                                   this Agreement.

                            (iii)  NONCONTRAVENTION. Neither the execution and
                                   the delivery of this Agreement by Purchaser
                                   and Kendle, nor the consummation by them of
                                   the transactions contemplated hereby, will
                                   (A) violate any constitution, statute,
                                   regulation, rule, injunction, judgment,
                                   order, decree, ruling, charge, or other
                                   restriction of any government, governmental
                                   agency or court to which Purchaser or Kendle
                                   is subject or any provision of its charter or
                                   bylaws or (B) conflict with, result in a
                                   breach of, constitute a default under, result
                                   in the acceleration of, create in any party
                                   the right to accelerate, terminate, modify,
                                   or cancel, or require any notice under any
                                   material agreement, contract, lease, license,
                                   instrument, or other arrangement to which
                                   Kendle or Purchaser is a party or by which it
                                   is bound or to which any of its assets is
                                   subject.

                            (iv)   CAPITALIZATION. Kendle's authorized equity
                                   securities consist of Forty-Five Million
                                   (45,000,000) shares of common stock, no par
                                   value per share, and One Hundred Thousand
                                   (100,000) shares of undesignated preferred
                                   stock, no par value per share. As of March
                                   31, 1999, 11,072,445 shares of common stock
                                   were issued and outstanding and no shares of
                                   undesignated preferred stock were issued and
                                   outstanding. The Kendle Shares to be received
                                   by the Seller in connection with the
                                   transactions contemplated hereby



                                       27
<PAGE>   32

                           will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid
                           and non-assessable shares of common stock free and
                           clear of any and all Encumbrances other than
                           restrictions on transfer imposed by federal and state
                           securities laws and regulations.

                  (v)      SEC REPORTS. Kendle has timely filed with the
                           Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") all
                           materials and documents required to be filed by it
                           under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
                           "Exchange Act"). All the materials and documents
                           filed with the SEC by Kendle since July 2, 1997,
                           including its initial Registration Statement on Form
                           S-1, are hereinafter referred to as the "Kendle SEC
                           Reports." Section 3(b)(v) of the Disclosure Schedule
                           lists all the Kendle SEC Reports filed on or prior to
                           the date of this Agreement. The Kendle SEC Reports,
                           copies of which have been delivered to the Seller,
                           are true and correct in all material respects,
                           including the financial statements and other
                           financial information contained therein, and do not
                           omit to state any material fact necessary to make the
                           statements in such Kendle SEC Reports, in light of
                           the circumstances in which they were made, not
                           misleading. The financial statements included in the
                           Kendle SEC Reports fairly present in all material
                           respects the financial condition and the results of
                           operations, changes in stockholders' equity and cash
                           flow of Kendle and its subsidiaries as at the
                           respective dates of and for the periods referred to
                           in such financial statements, all in accordance with
                           GAAP. Since December 31, 1998, there has been no
                           Kendle Material Adverse Change.

                  (vi)     BROKERS' FEES. Neither Purchaser nor Kendle has any
                           Liability or obligation to pay any fees or
                           commissions to any broker, finder, or agent with
                           respect to the transactions contemplated by this
                           Agreement for which any Shareholder or Seller could
                           become liable or obligated.

         4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES CONCERNING HCC. The Seller and the
Shareholders, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to Kendle that the



                                       28
<PAGE>   33

statements contained in this Section 4 are correct and complete as of the date
of this Agreement except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule.

         (a) ORGANIZATION, QUALIFICATION, AND CORPORATE POWER. HCC is a
corporation organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of
the jurisdiction of its incorporation. HCC is duly authorized to conduct
business and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction set forth
in Section 4(a) of the Disclosure Schedule and the failure to so qualify in any
other jurisdiction will not result in an HCC Material Adverse Change. Section
4(a) of the Disclosure Schedule lists the directors and officers of HCC. The
Seller has delivered to Kendle correct and complete copies of the charter and
bylaws of HCC (as amended to date). HCC is not in default under or in violation
of any provision of its charter or bylaws.

         (b) CAPITALIZATION. The authorized capital stock of HCC consists of One
Hundred (100) HCC Shares, of which One Hundred (100) HCC Shares are issued and
outstanding. All of the issued and outstanding HCC Shares have been duly
authorized, are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and are held of
record and beneficially by the Sellers. Except as set forth in Section 4(b) of
the Disclosure Schedule, there are no outstanding or authorized options,
warrants, purchase rights, subscription rights, conversion rights, exchange
rights, or other contracts or commitments that could require HCC to issue, sell,
or otherwise cause to become outstanding any of its capital stock. There are no
outstanding or authorized stock appreciation, phantom stock, profit
participation, or similar rights with respect to HCC. HCC is not a party to any
voting trusts, proxies, or other agreements or understandings with respect to
the voting of the capital stock of HCC.

         (c) NONCONTRAVENTION. Neither the execution and the delivery of this
Agreement by HCC, nor the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated
hereby, will (i) violate any constitution, statute, regulation, rule,
injunction, judgment, order, decree, ruling, charge, or other restriction of any
government, governmental agency, or court to which HCC is subject or any
provision of the charter or bylaws of HCC or (ii) except as set forth in Section
4(c) of the Disclosure Schedule, conflict with, result in a breach of,
constitute a default under, result in the acceleration of, create in any party
the right to accelerate, terminate, modify, or cancel, or require any notice
under any material agreement, contract, lease, license instrument to which HCC
is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its assets is subject; or
(iii) result in the imposition of any Security Interest upon any of its assets.
HCC does not need to give any notice to, make any filing with, or obtain any
authorization, consent, or approval of any government or governmental agency in
order for it to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.


                                       29
<PAGE>   34

         (d) BROKERS' FEES. HCC has no Liability or obligation to pay any fees
or commissions to any broker, finder, or agent (other than Vector Securities
International, Inc.) with respect to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.

         (e) TITLE TO ASSETS. HCC has good and valid title to, or a valid
leasehold or license interest in, the properties and assets used by it, or shown
on the Most Recent Balance Sheet or acquired after the date thereof, free and
clear (as to owned assets) of all Security Interests and other Encumbrances,
excepting only (i) properties and assets disposed of in the Ordinary Course of
Business since the date of the Most Recent Balance Sheet and (ii) certain other
properties and assets, not involving in the aggregate more than Twenty Five
Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00), disposed of other than in the Ordinary Course of
Business.

         (f) CONDITION OF ASSETS. Each item of tangible personal property,
including, without limitation, Equipment, included in the Seller's Assets and
having a net book value in excess of $5,000, is in reasonable operating
condition and in reasonable state of repair, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
Section 4(f) of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth all quipment with a net book
value in excess of $5,000 and shall be delivered at Closing.

         (g) SUBSIDIARIES. HCC has no direct or indirect equity or ownership
interest in any other business.

         (h) FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. Attached hereto as Section 4(h) are (i) the
unaudited balance sheet and statements of income and retained earnings for HCC
as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 1997 and (ii) the draft
unaudited balance sheet and statements of income and retained earnings and cash
flow as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998 (collectively the
"FINANCIAL STATEMENTS"). All Financial Statements have been prepared in
accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods
covered thereby (except for the absence of any notes thereto), present fairly in
all material respects the financial condition of HCC as of such dates and the
results of operations of HCC for such periods and are consistent with the books
and records of HCC. The aforementioned Financial Statements which are as of, and
for the year ended, December 31, 1998 shall be collectively referred to as the
"Most Recent Financial Statements". "Most Recent Fiscal Year End" shall refer to
December 31, 1998 and "Most Recent Balance Sheet" shall refer to the unaudited
balance sheet of the Seller as of December 31, 1998.

         (i) LEGAL COMPLIANCE. HCC is in compliance with all applicable laws
(including rules, regulations, codes, plans, injunctions, judgments, orders,
decrees, rulings, and charges thereunder) of federal, state, local, and foreign
governments (and all agencies thereof), except where such failure to comply
would



                                       30
<PAGE>   35

not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the
business, assets, liabilities, income, financial condition, operations or
results of operations of HCC (an "HCC Material Adverse Effect"); and, to the
Knowledge of the Seller and Shareholders, no action, suit, proceeding, hearing
or investigation, and no written charge, complaint, claim, demand, or notice has
been filed or commenced against him or her or HCC alleging any such failure to
comply.

                  (j)      TAX MATTERS.

                           (i)      Except as set forth on Section 4(j) of the
                                    Disclosure Schedule, HCC has filed all Tax
                                    Returns that it was required to file, giving
                                    effect to any and all extensions obtained.
                                    All such Tax Returns were correct and
                                    complete in all respects. All Taxes owed by
                                    HCC (whether or not shown on any Tax Return)
                                    have been paid. Except as set forth on
                                    Section 4(j) of the Disclosure Schedule, HCC
                                    is not currently the beneficiary of any
                                    extension of time within which to file any
                                    Tax Return. To the knowledge of the Seller
                                    and the Shareholders, no claim has ever been
                                    made by an authority in a jurisdiction where
                                    HCC does not file Tax Returns that it is or
                                    may be subject to taxation by that
                                    jurisdiction. There are no Security
                                    Interests on any of the assets of HCC that
                                    arose in connection with any failure (or
                                    alleged failure) to pay any Tax.

                           (ii)     HCC has withheld and paid all Taxes required
                                    to have been withheld and paid in connection
                                    with amounts paid or owing to any employee,
                                    independent contractor, creditor,
                                    stockholder, or other third party.

                           (iii)    Neither the Seller nor any Shareholder
                                    expects any authority to assess any
                                    additional Taxes for any period for which
                                    Tax Returns have been filed. There is no
                                    dispute or claim concerning any Tax
                                    Liability of HCC either (A) claimed or
                                    raised by any authority in writing or (B) as
                                    to which any of the Shareholders or the
                                    Seller has Knowledge based upon personal
                                    contact with any agent of such authority.
                                    Section 4(j) of the Disclosure Schedule
                                    lists all federal, state, local, and foreign
                                    income Tax Returns filed by HCC for taxable
                                    periods ended on or after December 31, 1994,
                                    indicates those Tax Returns that, to the
                                    knowledge of



                                       31
<PAGE>   36

                                    the Seller and the Shareholders, have been
                                    audited, and indicates those Tax Returns
                                    that, to the knowledge of the Seller and the
                                    Shareholders, currently are the subject of
                                    audit. The Seller has delivered to Kendle
                                    correct and complete copies of all
                                    examination reports received by Seller, and
                                    statements of deficiencies assessed against
                                    or agreed to by HCC, since December 31,
                                    1994.

                           (iv)     HCC has not, since December 31, 1994, waived
                                    any statute of limitations in respect of
                                    Taxes or agreed to any extension of time
                                    with respect to a Tax assessment or
                                    deficiency.

                  (k)      REAL PROPERTY.

                           (i)      HCC owns no real property.

                           (ii)     Section 4(k)(ii) of the Disclosure Schedule
                                    lists all real property leased or subleased
                                    to HCC (as well as the related lease or
                                    sublease). The Seller has delivered to
                                    Kendle correct and complete copies of the
                                    leases and subleases listed in Section
                                    4(k)(ii) of the Disclosure Schedule (as
                                    amended to date). With respect to each lease
                                    and sublease listed in Section 4(k)(ii) of
                                    the Disclosure Schedule:

                                    (A) to the Knowledge of the Shareholders,
                  the lease or sublease is in full force and effect and will
                  continue to be in full force and effect on identical terms
                  following the consummation of the transactions contemplated
                  hereby;

                                    (B) to the Knowledge of the Shareholders, no
                  party to the lease or sublease is in material breach or
                  material default or has repudiated such lease or sublease, and
                  to the knowledge of the Shareholders, no event has occurred
                  which, with notice or lapse of time, would constitute a
                  material breach or material default or permit termination,
                  modification, or acceleration thereunder;

                                    (C) HCC has not assigned, transferred,
                  conveyed, mortgaged, deeded in trust, or encumbered any
                  interest in the leasehold or subleasehold;



                                       32
<PAGE>   37

                                    (D) all facilities leased or subleased
                  thereunder are supplied with utilities and other services and,
                  to the Knowledge of Seller and the Shareholders, have all
                  licenses and permits that are material for the operation of
                  HCC's business as presently conducted thereat and as presently
                  proposed to be conducted thereat; and

                                    (E) to the Knowledge of the Shareholders,
                  the owner of each facility leased or subleased to HCC has good
                  and marketable title to the parcel of real property free and
                  clear of any Security Interest other than Security Interests
                  that do not materially impair HCC's use of such facility.

                  (l)      INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.

                           (i)      HCC owns or has the right to use pursuant to
                                    ownership, license, sublicense, agreement,
                                    or permission all Intellectual Property that
                                    is material to the operation of Seller's
                                    Business as presently conducted and as
                                    presently proposed to be conducted. Except
                                    as set forth on Section 4(l) of the
                                    Disclosure Schedule, each such material item
                                    of Intellectual Property will be owned or
                                    available for use by the Purchaser on
                                    identical terms and conditions immediately
                                    subsequent to the Closing hereunder.

                           (ii)     Except as set forth in Section 4(l) of the
                                    Disclosure Schedule, neither the
                                    Shareholders nor the Seller has, within the
                                    last 3 years, received any written charge,
                                    complaint, claim, demand, or notice alleging
                                    any interference, infringement,
                                    misappropriation, or violation by HCC of the
                                    Intellectual Property rights of any third
                                    party (including any claim that HCC must
                                    license or refrain from using any
                                    Intellectual Property rights of any third
                                    party). To the Knowledge of Shareholders and
                                    HCC, no third party has interfered with,
                                    infringed upon, misappropriated, or
                                    otherwise come into conflict with any
                                    Intellectual Property rights of any of HCC.

                           (iii)    There is no copyright, copyright
                                    registration, copyright mask, work,
                                    copyright application or derivative works
                                    from any copyright whether



                                       33
<PAGE>   38

                                    published or unpublished which is material
                                    to the operation of Seller's Business.

                           (iv)     Section 4(l)(iv) of the Disclosure Schedule
                                    identifies each patent or registration which
                                    has been issued to HCC with respect to any
                                    of its Intellectual Property, identifies
                                    each pending patent application or
                                    application for registration which HCC has
                                    made with respect to any of its Intellectual
                                    Property, and identifies each license,
                                    agreement, or other permission (other than
                                    routine permissions granted in the Ordinary
                                    Course of Business) which HCC has granted to
                                    any third party with respect to any of its
                                    Intellectual Property (together with any
                                    exceptions). The Seller has delivered to
                                    Kendle correct and complete copies of all
                                    such patents, registrations, applications,
                                    licenses, agreements, and permissions (as
                                    amended to date) and have made available to
                                    Kendle correct and complete copies of all
                                    other written documentation evidencing
                                    ownership and prosecution (if applicable) of
                                    each such item. Section 4(l)(iv) of the
                                    Disclosure Schedule also identifies each
                                    trade name or unregistered trademark used by
                                    HCC in connection with Seller's Business.
                                    With respect to each item of Intellectual
                                    Property required to be identified in
                                    Section 4(l)(iv) of the Disclosure Schedule:

                                    (i) HCC has all right, title, and interest
                           in and to the item, free and clear of any Security
                           Interest, license, or other restriction; provided,
                           however, that Purchaser acknowledges the following:
                           (1) by definition, no one can ever be said to have
                           the perpetual right to ownership or use of a
                           trademark, since any rights thereto derive from the
                           continued use thereof; (2) any representations herein
                           regarding Seller's ownership and/or use of any
                           Intellectual Property apply solely to use and/or
                           ownership within the United States, and (3) any
                           representations herein regarding Seller's ownership
                           and/or use of any trademark relate solely to its
                           ownership and/or use in connection with the conduct
                           of Seller's Business.

                                    (ii) the item is not subject to any
                           outstanding injunction, judgment, order, decree,
                           ruling, or charge;

                                       34
<PAGE>   39

                                    (iii) no action, suit, proceeding, hearing,
                           investigation, charge, complaint, claim, or demand
                           against HCC is pending or, to the Knowledge of HCC,
                           threatened which challenges the legality, validity,
                           enforceability, use, or ownership of the item; and

                                    (iv) HCC has not agreed to indemnify any
                  Person for or against any interference, infringement,
                  misappropriation, or other conflict with respect to the item.

                           (v)      Section 4(l)(v) of the Disclosure Schedule
                                    identifies each item of Intellectual
                                    Property that any third party owns and that
                                    HCC uses pursuant to license, sublicense,
                                    agreement, or permission (except for routine
                                    permissions obtained by HCC in the Ordinary
                                    Course of Business). The Seller has
                                    delivered to Kendle correct and complete
                                    copies of all such licenses, sublicenses,
                                    agreements, and permissions (as amended to
                                    date). With respect to each item of
                                    Intellectual Property required to be
                                    identified in Section 4(m)(v) of the
                                    Disclosure Schedule:

                                    (i) to the Knowledge of the Shareholders,
                           (1) the license, sublicense, agreement, or permission
                           covering the item is in full force and effect and (2)
                           if assigned to Purchaser under this Agreement, will
                           continue to be in full force and effect on identical
                           terms following the consummation of the transactions
                           contemplated hereby (including the assignments and
                           assumptions referred to in Section 2 above);

                                    (ii) to the Knowledge of the Shareholders,
                           (1) no party to the license, sublicense, agreement,
                           or permission is in material breach or material
                           default or has repudiated such license, sublicense,
                           agreement or permission, and (2) no event has
                           occurred which with notice or lapse of time would
                           constitute a material breach or material default or
                           permit termination, modification, or acceleration
                           thereunder;

                                    (iii) to the Knowledge of the Seller and the
                           Shareholders, the underlying item of Intellectual
                           Property is not subject to any outstanding
                           injunction, judgment, order, decree, ruling, or
                           charge;



                                       35
<PAGE>   40

                                    (iv) no action, suit, proceeding, hearing,
                           investigation, charge, complaint, claim, or demand is
                           pending against HCC or, to the Knowledge of any of
                           the Shareholders and HCC, is threatened which
                           challenges the legality, validity, or enforceability
                           of the underlying item of Intellectual Property; and

                                    (v) HCC has not granted any sublicense or
                           similar right with respect to the license,
                           sublicense, agreement, or permission.

                           (vi)     To the Knowledge of the Shareholders and
                                    HCC, HCC will not interfere with, infringe
                                    upon, misappropriate, or otherwise come into
                                    conflict with, any Intellectual Property
                                    rights of third parties as a result of the
                                    continued operation of its businesses as
                                    presently conducted and as presently
                                    proposed to be conducted.

                           (vii)    To the Knowledge of the Seller and the
                                    Shareholders, the technology of HCC is "Year
                                    2000 Compliant" in that it correctly
                                    performs all date-related operations (A)
                                    without human intervention, other than
                                    original data entry of any date, (B) without
                                    regard to whether any date involved in the
                                    operation occurs in the twentieth or
                                    twenty-first centuries and (C) without
                                    regard to the system date at the time the
                                    calculation is performed. Without limiting
                                    the foregoing, Year 2000 Compliant means
                                    that technology (1) accepts as input (by key
                                    entry or otherwise) fully specified dates
                                    (four-digit year, month and day of month),
                                    (2) if two-digit year specifications are
                                    accepted as input, correctly translates such
                                    dates without human intervention into fully
                                    specified dates in a manner that
                                    unambiguously preserves the user's intent in
                                    light of the application context, (3)
                                    performs all date-related arithmetic and
                                    logical operations correctly (for example,
                                    January 2, 2000 is greater than December 31,
                                    1999; January 2, 2000 minus December 31,
                                    1999 equals two days), (4) sorts
                                    date-related information in correct
                                    chronological order, (5) otherwise correctly
                                    processes (updates, maintains, reports)
                                    dates, and (6) stores internal, date-related
                                    information (including all interim
                                    date-related results) in a manner that is
                                    unambiguous (in the context of software
                                    processing)



                                       36
<PAGE>   41

                                    as to century and permits all of the
                                    foregoing to occur correctly without human
                                    intervention.

         (m) CONTRACTS. Section 4(m) of the Disclosure Schedule lists the
following contracts and other agreements to which HCC is a party:

                           (i)      any agreement (or group of related
                                    agreements) for the lease of personal
                                    property (other than capitalized lease
                                    obligations) to or from any Person which
                                    obligates the lessee to make lease payments
                                    in excess of Twenty Five Thousand Dollars
                                    ($25,000) per annum;

                           (ii)     any agreements or contracts with customers,
                                    any agreement (or group of related
                                    agreements) for the purchase or sale of raw
                                    materials, commodities, supplies, products,
                                    or other personal property, or for the
                                    furnishing or receipt of services, the
                                    performance of which extends over a period
                                    of more than one year, or which obligates
                                    either party to pay consideration in excess
                                    of Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000);

                           (iii)    any agreement creating or amending a
                                    partnership or joint venture;

                           (iv)     any agreement (or group of related
                                    agreements) under which HCC has created,
                                    incurred, assumed, or guaranteed any
                                    indebtedness for borrowed money, or any
                                    capitalized lease obligation, in excess of
                                    Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000);

                           (v)      any agreement imposing upon HCC
                                    confidentiality or noncompetition
                                    obligations other than standard provisions
                                    in contracts with HCC's customers;

                           (vi)     any agreement with any of the Shareholders
                                    and their Affiliates;

                           (vii)    any profit sharing, stock option, stock
                                    purchase, phantom stock, stock appreciation,
                                    deferred compensation, severance, or other
                                    material plan or arrangement for the benefit
                                    of its current or former directors,
                                    officers, and employees;

                                       37
<PAGE>   42

                           (viii)   any collective bargaining agreement;

                           (ix)     any agreement for the employment of any
                                    individual on a full-time, part-time,
                                    consulting, or other basis obligating HCC to
                                    pay annual compensation in excess of Twenty
                                    Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) or providing
                                    severance benefits in excess of Twenty Five
                                    Thousand Dollars ($25,000);

                           (x)      any agreement under which it has advanced or
                                    loaned any amount to any of its directors,
                                    officers, and employees outside the Ordinary
                                    Course of Business; or

                           (xi)     any other agreement (or group of related
                                    agreements) the performance of which
                                    obligates either party to pay consideration
                                    in excess of Twenty Five Thousand Dollars
                                    ($25,000).

         The Seller has delivered to Kendle a correct and complete copy of each
written agreement listed in Section 4(m) of the Disclosure Schedule (as amended
to date) and a written summary setting forth the material terms and conditions
of each oral agreement referred to in Section 4(m) of the Disclosure Schedule.
With respect to each such agreement: (A) to the Knowledge of the Seller, the
agreement is in full force and effect; (B) to the Knowledge of the Seller, the
agreement (if assigned to the Purchaser) will continue to be in full force and
effect on identical terms following the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby; (C) to the Knowledge of the Seller, no party is in material
breach or material default, and no event has occurred which with notice or lapse
of time would constitute a material breach or material default, or permit
termination, modification, or acceleration, under the agreement; and (D) to the
Knowledge of the Seller, no party has repudiated any provision of the agreement.
Except as listed on Section 4(m) of the Disclosure Schedule, HCC is not a party
to any contract or agreement, relating to provision by HCC of services to any
federal, state or local government, governmental agency or other governmental
authority.

                  (n) NOTES AND ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE. All notes and all accounts
receivable of HCC are reflected properly on their books and records, are valid
receivables and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, (i) are subject to no setoffs
or counterclaims, (ii) are current and collectible, and (iii) will be collected
in accordance with their terms at their recorded amounts, subject only to a
reserve for bad debts in accordance with the past custom and practice of HCC.
Section 4(n) of the Disclosure Schedule lists (or will be updated to list, as
the case may be) all accounts payable and



                                       38
<PAGE>   43

accrued expenses of the Seller as of five (5) business days prior to the date
hereof and prior to the Closing Date.

         (o) POWERS OF ATTORNEY. There are no outstanding powers of attorney
executed on behalf of HCC.

         (p) INSURANCE. Section 4(p) of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth the
following information with respect to each insurance policy (including policies
providing property, casualty, liability, and workers' compensation coverage and
bond and surety arrangements) to which HCC is a party, a named insured, or
otherwise the beneficiary of coverage:

                  (i) the name of the insurer and the name of the policyholder;

                  (ii) the type of policy; and

                  (iii) the policy number.

         With respect to each such insurance policy: (A) to the Knowledge of the
Shareholders, the policy is in full force and effect; (B) to the Knowledge of
the Shareholders, neither HCC nor any other party to the policy is in material
breach or material default (including with respect to the payment of premiums or
the giving of notices), and, to the Knowledge of the Shareholders, no event has
occurred which, with notice or the lapse of time, would constitute such a
material breach or material default, or permit termination, modification, or
acceleration, under the policy; and (C) to the Knowledge of the Shareholders, no
party to the policy has repudiated any provision thereof. HCC is covered by
insurance in scope and amount reasonable for the businesses in which it is
engaged.

         (q) LITIGATION. Section 4(q) of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth each
instance in which HCC (i) is subject to any outstanding injunction, judgment,
order, decree, ruling, or charge of any court or other such tribunal or (ii) is
a party or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, Shareholders and the directors and
officers (and employees with responsibility for litigation matters) of HCC, is
threatened to be made a party to any action, suit, proceeding, hearing, or
investigation of, in, or before any court or quasi-judicial or administrative
agency of any federal, state, local, or foreign jurisdiction or before any
arbitrator. None of the actions, suits, proceedings, hearings, and
investigations set forth in Section 4(q) of the Disclosure Schedule would
reasonably be expected, if adversely determined, to result in any HCC Material
Adverse Change. Neither HCC nor the Shareholders is aware of any fact or
circumstances that would reasonably be expected to give rise to any action,
suit, proceeding, hearing, or investigation against HCC.



                                       39
<PAGE>   44

                  (r)      EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.

                           (i)      Section 4(r) of the Disclosure Schedule
                                    lists each Employee Benefit Plan that HCC
                                    maintains or to which HCC contributes or has
                                    any obligation to contribute.

                                    (A) To the Knowledge of the Seller and the
                  Shareholders, each such Employee Benefit Plan (and each
                  related trust, insurance contract, or fund) complies in form
                  and in operation in all material respects with the applicable
                  requirements of ERISA, the Code, and other applicable laws.

                                    (B) All required reports and descriptions
                  (including Form 5500 Annual Reports, summary annual reports,
                  PBGC-1's, and summary plan descriptions) have been timely
                  filed and distributed appropriately with respect to each such
                  Employee Benefit Plan. The requirements of COBRA have been met
                  with respect to each Employee Welfare Benefit Plan which is a
                  group health plan.

                                    (C) All contributions (including all
                  employer contributions and employee salary reduction
                  contributions) which are due have been paid to each such
                  Employee Benefit Plan which is an Employee Pension Benefit
                  Plan and all contributions for any period ending on or before
                  the Closing Date which are not yet due will be paid to each
                  such Employee Pension Benefit Plan or accrued in accordance
                  with the past custom and practice of HCC. All premiums or
                  other payments for all periods ending on or before the Closing
                  Date have been or will be paid with respect to each such
                  Employee Benefit Plan which is an Employee Welfare Benefit
                  Plan.

                                    (D) Each such Employee Benefit Plan which is
                  an Employee Pension Benefit Plan meets the requirements of a
                  "qualified plan" under Code Section 401(a), has received,
                  within the last two years, a favorable determination letter
                  from the Internal Revenue Service that it is a "qualified
                  plan," and Seller and the Shareholders are not aware of any
                  facts or circumstances that could result in the revocation of
                  such determination letter.

                                    (E) The market value of assets under each
                  such Employee Benefit Plan which is an Employee Pension
                  Benefit Plan (other than any Multiemployer Plan) equals or
                  exceeds the present



                                       40
<PAGE>   45

                  value of all vested and nonvested Liabilities thereunder
                  determined in accordance with PBGC methods, factors, and
                  assumptions applicable to an Employee Pension Benefit Plan
                  terminating on the date for determination.

                                    (F) The Sellers have delivered to Kendle
                  correct and complete copies of the plan documents and summary
                  plan descriptions, the most recent determination letter
                  received from the Internal Revenue Service, the most recent
                  Form 5500 Annual Report, and all related trust agreements,
                  insurance contracts, and other funding agreements which
                  implement each such Employee Benefit Plan.

                           (ii)     With respect to each Employee Benefit Plan
                                    that any of HCC and any ERISA Affiliate
                                    maintains or ever has maintained or to which
                                    any of them contributes, ever has
                                    contributed, or ever has been required to
                                    contribute:

                                    (A) Except as otherwise disclosed on Section
                  4(r) of the Disclosure Schedule, no such Employee Benefit Plan
                  which is an Employee Pension Benefit Plan (other than any
                  Multiemployer Plan) has been completely or partially
                  terminated or been the subject of a Reportable Event as to
                  which notices would be required to be filed with the PBGC. No
                  proceeding by the PBGC to terminate any such Employee Pension
                  Benefit Plan (other than any Multiemployer Plan) has been
                  instituted or, to the Knowledge of the Shareholders and the
                  Seller, threatened.

                                    (B) There have been no Prohibited
                  Transactions with respect to any such Employee Benefit Plan.
                  No Fiduciary has any Liability for breach of fiduciary duty or
                  any other failure to act or comply in connection with the
                  administration or investment of the assets of any such
                  Employee Benefit Plan. No action, suit, proceeding, hearing,
                  or investigation with respect to the administration or the
                  investment of the assets of any such Employee Benefit Plan
                  (other than routine claims for benefits) is pending or, to the
                  Knowledge of the Seller and the Shareholders, threatened. None
                  of the Shareholders or Seller has any Knowledge of any Basis
                  for any such action, suit, proceeding, hearing, or
                  investigation.

                                    (C) HCC has not incurred, and none of the
                  Shareholders nor Seller has any reason to expect that HCC will
                  incur,



                                       41
<PAGE>   46

                  any Liability to the PBGC (other than PBGC premium payments)
                  or otherwise under Title IV of ERISA (including any withdrawal
                  liability as defined in ERISA Section 4201) or under the Code
                  with respect to any such Employee Benefit Plan which is an
                  Employee Pension Benefit Plan.

                           (iii)    None of HCC and the other members of the
                                    Controlled Group, if any, that includes HCC
                                    contributes to, ever has contributed to, or
                                    ever has been required to contribute to any
                                    Multiemployer Plan or has any Liability
                                    (including withdrawal liability as defined
                                    in ERISA Section 4201) under any
                                    Multiemployer Plan.

                           (iv)     HCC does not maintain or ever has maintained
                                    and does not contribute, ever has
                                    contributed, or ever has been required to
                                    contribute to any Employee Welfare Benefit
                                    Plan providing medical, health, or life
                                    insurance or other welfare-type benefits for
                                    current or future retired or terminated
                                    employees, their spouses, or their
                                    dependents (other than in accordance with
                                    COBRA).

         (s) GUARANTIES. HCC is not a guarantor of, or, to the Knowledge of the
Seller and the Shareholders, liable as a surety for, any Liability or obligation
(including indebtedness) of any other Person.

         (t) ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY MATTERS.

         Except as disclosed in Section 4(t) of the Disclosure Schedule:

                           (i)      Hazardous Materials have not at any time
                                    been generated, used, treated or stored by
                                    HCC in violation in any material respect of
                                    any applicable Environmental Law, or in any
                                    way which will hereafter require material
                                    remedial action under any applicable
                                    Environmental law, and HCC has not received
                                    any notice of any such violation with
                                    respect to Hazardous Materials;

                           (ii)     To the Knowledge of the Seller, there has
                                    been no spill, discharge, leak, emission,
                                    injection, escape, dumping or release of any
                                    kind onto any property



                                       42
<PAGE>   47

                                    owned or leased by HCC, or into the
                                    environment surrounding any such property,
                                    of Hazardous materials, other than releases
                                    permissible under applicable Law or
                                    allowable under applicable permits;

                           (iii)    HCC, its operations and any property owned
                                    by it are in compliance in all material
                                    respects with (i) all applicable
                                    Environmental Laws, and (ii) the
                                    requirements of any permits issued under
                                    such laws; and

                           (iv)     there are no pending or threatened claims
                                    against HCC or any property owned or, to its
                                    Knowledge, leased by it relating to
                                    Hazardous Materials or environmental
                                    matters.

         None of the circumstances, conditions or occurrences disclosed in
Section 4(t) of the Disclosure Schedule or reflected in the Financial Statements
involves or will result in any material liability on the part of HCC.

                  (u) CERTAIN BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS WITH HCC. Except as
contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, disclosed in Section 4(u) of the
Disclosure Statement or reflected in the Financial Statements, none of the
Shareholders is involved in any business arrangement or relationship with HCC
(other than that of director, officer, employee, etc.) and none of the
Shareholders own any material asset, tangible or intangible, which is used in
the business of HCC.

                  (v) EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO MOST RECENT FISCAL YEAR END. Except
as set forth in Section 4(v) of the Disclosure Schedule, since December 31,
1998, there has not been any HCC Material Adverse Change. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, since that date, except as set forth in Section
4(v) of the Disclosure Schedule:

                           (i)      HCC has not sold, leased, transferred, or
                                    assigned any of its assets, tangible or
                                    intangible, involving in the aggregate more
                                    than Twenty Five Thousand Dollars
                                    ($25,000.00) other than for a fair
                                    consideration in the
                                    Ordinary Course of Business;

                           (ii)     HCC has not entered into any agreement,
                                    contract, lease, or license (or series of
                                    related agreements, contracts, leases, and
                                    licenses) which either (A) obligates HCC to
                                    pay, or entitles HCC to receive,



                                       43
<PAGE>   48

                                    more than Twenty Five Thousand Dollars
                                    ($25,000), or (B) was outside the Ordinary
                                    Course of Business;

                           (iii)    no party (including HCC) has accelerated,
                                    terminated, modified, or canceled any
                                    agreement, contract, lease, or license (or
                                    series of related agreements, contracts,
                                    leases, and licenses) which obligates HCC to
                                    pay, or entitles HCC to receive, more than
                                    Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) to
                                    which HCC is a party or by which it is
                                    bound;

                           (iv)     HCC has not imposed or permitted to be
                                    imposed any Security Interest or Encumbrance
                                    upon any of its assets, tangible or
                                    intangible;

                           (v)      HCC has not made any capital expenditure (or
                                    series of related capital expenditures)
                                    either involving more than Twenty Five
                                    Thousand Dollars ($25,000) or outside the
                                    Ordinary Course of Business;

                           (vi)     HCC has not made any capital investment in,
                                    any loan to, or any acquisition of the
                                    securities or assets of, any other Person
                                    (or series of related capital investments,
                                    loans, and acquisitions) either involving
                                    more than Twenty Five Thousand Dollars
                                    ($25,000) or outside the Ordinary Course of
                                    Business;

                           (vii)    HCC has not issued any shares of stock,
                                    bond, or other debt security or created,
                                    incurred, assumed, or guaranteed any
                                    indebtedness for borrowed money or
                                    capitalized lease obligation either
                                    involving more than Twenty Five Thousand
                                    Dollars ($25,000) singly or Twenty Five
                                    Thousand Dollars ($25,000) in the aggregate;

                           (viii)   HCC has not delayed or postponed the payment
                                    of accounts payable and other Liabilities
                                    outside the Ordinary Course of Business;

                           (ix)     HCC has not canceled, compromised, waived,
                                    or released any right or claim (or series of
                                    related rights and claims) which either
                                    involved more than Twenty



                                       44
<PAGE>   49

                                    Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) or was
                                    outside the Ordinary Course of Business;

                           (x)      HCC has not granted any license or
                                    sublicense of any rights under or with
                                    respect to any Intellectual Property;

                           (xi)     there has been no change made or authorized
                                    in the charter or bylaws of HCC;

                           (xii)    HCC has not declared, set aside, or paid any
                                    dividend or made any distribution with
                                    respect to its capital stock (whether in
                                    cash or in kind) or redeemed, purchased, or
                                    otherwise acquired any of its capital stock;

                           (xiii)   HCC has not experienced any damage,
                                    destruction, or loss (whether or not covered
                                    by insurance) to its tangible property in
                                    excess of Twenty Five Thousand Dollars
                                    ($25,000);

                           (xiv)    HCC has not made or accepted any loan (that
                                    will remain outstanding on the Closing Date)
                                    to or from any of its directors, officers,
                                    and employees outside the Ordinary Course of
                                    Business;

                           (xv)     HCC has not entered into any employment
                                    contract or collective bargaining agreement,
                                    written or oral, or materially changed or
                                    modified the terms of any existing such
                                    contract or agreement;

                           (xvi)    HCC has not granted any increase in the base
                                    compensation of any of its directors,
                                    officers, and employees outside the Ordinary
                                    Course of Business;

                           (xvii)   HCC has not adopted, amended, modified, or
                                    terminated any bonus, profit-sharing,
                                    incentive, severance, or other plan,
                                    contract, or commitment for the benefit of
                                    any of its directors, officers, and
                                    employees (or taken any such action with
                                    respect to any other Employee Benefit Plan);



                                       45
<PAGE>   50

                           (xviii)  HCC has not made or pledged to make any
                                    charitable or other capital contribution
                                    outside the Ordinary Course of Business; and

                           (xix)    HCC has not become legally bound to do any
                                    of the foregoing.

                  (w) UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES. To the Knowledge of Seller and
the Shareholders, HCC has no Liability that individually or in the aggregate is
material to the results of operations or the financial or other condition of HCC
except for (i) Liabilities reflected or reserved against on the Most Recent
Balance Sheet or described on Section 4(w) of the Disclosure Schedule or in the
notes (if any) to the Most Recent Financial Statements; (ii) Liabilities which
have arisen after the Most Recent Fiscal Year End in the Ordinary Course of
Business; or (iii) liabilities under its various contractual obligations.

                  (x)  GOVERNMENTAL LICENSES, PERMITS AND RELATED APPROVALS.
Except as set forth on Section 4(x) of the Disclosure Schedule, Seller has all
licenses, permits, consent, approvals, authorizations, qualifications and orders
of governments, governmental agencies, or other governmental authorities
required for the conduct of the Seller's Business as presently conducted.

                  (y) DISCLOSURE. The representations and warranties contained
in this Section 4 do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact.

                  (z) INVESTMENT. Each Shareholder receiving, directly or
indirectly, Kendle Shares (A) understands that the Kendle Shares have not been,
and will not be, registered under the Securities Act, or under any state
securities laws, other than subsequent to the Closing pursuant to the terms and
conditions set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement by and among Kendle,
Shareholders, and Seller to be executed and delivered at Closing in the form of
Section 8(b)(vi) hereto (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), and are being
offered and sold in reliance upon federal and state exemptions for transactions
not involving any public offering, (B) is acquiring Kendle Shares solely for his
or her own account for investment purposes, and not with a view to the
distribution thereof, (C) is a sophisticated investor with knowledge and
experience in business and financial matters, (D) has received certain
information concerning Kendle and has had the opportunity to obtain additional
information as desired in order to evaluate the merits and the risks inherent in
holding Kendle Shares, and (E) is able to bear the economic risk and lack of
liquidity inherent in holding Kendle Shares.

                  (aa) Neither HCC nor the "ultimate parent entity" (as
defined in 16 CFR Section 801.1(a)(3)) of HCC is a "person (as defined in 16 CFR
Section 801.1(a)(1)) which



                                       46
<PAGE>   51

has annual net sales or total assets (calculated in accordance with 16 CFR
Section 801.11) of $10,000,000 or more.

         5. PRE-CLOSING COVENANTS. The Parties agree as follows with respect to
the period between the execution of this Agreement and the Closing.

                  (a) GENERAL. Each of the Parties will use his, her or its
commercially reasonable best efforts to facilitate all things necessary, proper,
or advisable in order to consummate and make effective the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement (including satisfaction, but not waiver, of the
closing conditions set forth in Section 8 below).

                  (b) NOTICES AND CONSENTS. The Shareholders will cause HCC to
give any notices to third parties, and to use its commercially reasonable best
efforts to obtain any third party consents, that Kendle reasonably may request
and which are referred to in Section 4(c) above. Each of the Parties will (and
the Shareholders will cause HCC to) give any notices, make any filings, and use
its commercially reasonable best efforts to obtain any authorizations, consents,
and approvals of governments and governmental agencies which relate to it and
are referred to in Section 3(a)(i), Section 3(b)(ii), and Section 4(c) above.

                  (c) BULK SALES COMPLIANCE. The Parties agree to waive
compliance with any applicable bulk sales statutes (including without
limitation, tax statutes, rules or regulations) with respect to the sale of
assets hereunder or otherwise applicable to the transactions contemplated
hereby.

                  (d) OPERATION OF BUSINESS. The Shareholders will not cause or
permit HCC to engage in any practice, take any action, or enter into any
transaction (in each case, which is material) outside the Ordinary Course of
Business without prior notification to and the consent of Kendle (which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, the Sellers will not cause or permit HCC to (i) declare, set
aside, or pay any dividend or make any distribution with respect to its capital
stock or redeem, purchase, or otherwise acquire any of its capital stock , or
(ii) otherwise engage in any practice, take any action, or enter into any
transaction of the sort described in Section 4(v) above (OTHER THAN Section 4(v)
(ii), (iii), (xii), (xiii) and (xv)) or (iii) enter into any collective
bargaining agreement, written or oral, or materially modify the terms of any
existing collective bargaining or employment agreement.

                  (e) PRESERVATION OF BUSINESS. The Shareholders shall use their
commercially reasonable best efforts to cause HCC to keep its business and
properties substantially intact, including its present operations, physical
facilities,



                                       47
<PAGE>   52

working conditions and relationships with lessors, licensors, suppliers,
customers and employees.

                  (f) FULL ACCESS. The Shareholders will permit, and the
Shareholders will cause HCC to permit, representatives of Kendle to have
reasonable access at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice, and in a
manner so as not to interfere with the normal business operations of HCC, to all
premises, properties, personnel, books, records (including Tax records),
contracts, and documents of HCC.

                  (g) NOTICE OF DEVELOPMENTS. The Shareholders will give prompt
written notice to Kendle of any material adverse, or other, development, of
which they become aware, causing any of the representations and warranties in
Section 4 above to no longer be accurate. Each Party will give prompt written
notice to the others of any material adverse, or other, development, of which
he, she or it becomes aware, causing any of his, her or its own representations
and warranties in Section 3 above to no longer be accurate.

                  (h) EXCLUSIVITY. Until the earlier to occur of (i) the Closing
or (ii) the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 13 below, none of
the Shareholders will (and the Shareholders will not cause or permit HCC or any
of the Shareholders' agents or representatives to) (i) solicit, initiate, or
encourage the submission of any proposal or offer from any Person relating to
the acquisition of any capital stock or other voting securities, or any
substantial portion of the assets, of HCC (including any acquisition structured
as a merger, consolidation or share exchange) or (ii) participate in any
discussions or negotiations regarding, furnish any information with respect to,
assist or participate in, or facilitate in any other manner any effort or
attempt by any Person to do or seek any of the foregoing. None of the
Shareholders will vote their HCC Shares in favor of any such acquisition
structured as a merger, consolidation or share exchange. The Seller and
Shareholders will notify Kendle promptly if any Person makes any proposal,
offer, inquiry, or contact, of which they become aware, with respect to any of
the foregoing. If any of the Shareholders or HCC violate the covenants set forth
in this Section 5(h), or if, after this Agreement has been executed, the
Shareholders and HCC are obligated to consummate the transactions contemplated
and the Shareholders and HCC fail to do so, in either event, HCC and the
Shareholders shall: (i) pay Kendle, as liquidated damages, an amount equal to
Three Percent (3%) of the Purchase Price, which shall include the Earnout
Amount; and (ii) reimburse Kendle for all out-of-pocket expenses (including
attorneys' and accountants' fees) Kendle incurs in connection with the
transaction contemplated hereby. The foregoing liquidated damages provision
shall not apply if (i) the transaction with Kendle is consummated, or (ii) if
the transaction is not consummated due to a breach of this Agreement by Kendle.



                                       48
<PAGE>   53

                  (i) AUDIT. Seller shall permit Purchaser's outside,
independent auditors to conduct an audit of the Most Recent Financial
Statements. Seller and Purchaser shall each pay fifty percent (50%) of the cost
of such audit which shall include any fees and expenses of Wiss & Company, LLP
which relate to services performed by such firm in connection with such audit.

                  (j) CONFIDENTIALITY. Purchaser and Kendle will treat and hold
as such all of the confidential and proprietary information which it has
received and may receive relating to HCC, refrain from using any of such
confidential and proprietary information except in connection with this
Agreement and, in the event of the termination of this Agreement, will deliver
promptly to HCC or destroy, at the request of HCC, all copies of such
information which are in its possession. In the event that Purchaser or Kendle
is requested or required (by oral question or request for information or
documents in any legal proceeding, interrogatory, subpoena, civil investigative
demand, or similar process) to disclose any of such confidential or proprietary
information, Purchaser will notify HCC promptly of the request or requirement so
that HCC may seek an appropriate protective order or waive compliance with the
provisions of this Section 5(j). If, in the absence of a protective order or the
receipt of a waiver hereunder, Purchaser or Kendle is compelled to disclose such
information, Purchaser or Kendle may disclose the such information to the
tribunal; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that each of Purchaser and Kendle shall use its
commercially reasonable best efforts (at the sole cost and expense of HCC) to
obtain, at the reasonable request of HCC, an order or other assurance that
confidential treatment will be accorded to such portion of the information
required to be disclosed as HCC shall designate.

         6. POST-CLOSING COVENANTS. The Parties agree as follows with respect to
the period following the Closing.

                  (a) GENERAL. In case at any time after the Closing any further
action is necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this Agreement,
each of the Parties will take such further action (including the execution and
delivery of such further instruments and documents) as any other Party
reasonably may request, all at the sole cost and expense of the requesting Party
(unless the requesting Party is entitled to indemnification therefor under
Section 11 below). The Sellers acknowledge and agree that, from and after the
Closing, Kendle will be entitled to possession of all documents, books, records
(including Tax records), agreements, and financial data of any sort that are
included within the Seller's Assets.

                  (b) LITIGATION SUPPORT. In the event and for so long as any
Party actively is contesting or defending against any third party action, suit,
proceeding, hearing, investigation, charge, complaint, claim, or demand in
connection with (i) any transaction contemplated under this Agreement or (ii)
any fact, situation,



                                       49
<PAGE>   54

circumstance, status, condition, activity, practice, plan, occurrence, event,
incident, action, failure to act, or transaction on or prior to the Closing Date
involving HCC, each of the other Parties will cooperate, in all reasonable
respects, with him, her or it and his, her or its counsel in the contest or
defense, make available their personnel, and provide such testimony and access
to their books and records as shall be reasonably necessary in connection with
the contest or defense, all at the sole cost and expense of the contesting or
defending Party (unless the contesting or defending Party is entitled to
indemnification therefor under Section 11 below).

                  (c) INSURANCE. If Geoffrey H. Kalish's employment is
terminated for any reason before the fifth anniversary of the Closing Date, then
Kendle and Purchaser agree, at Geoffrey Kalish's option, to either (i) cancel
the key man life insurance policy under which it has paid premiums or (ii)
transfer such policy to Geoffrey Kalish with no further obligation on the part
of Kendle or Purchaser to make any premium payments.

                  (d) CONFIDENTIALITY. Each of the Seller and Shareholders will
treat and hold as such all of the confidential and proprietary information which
it has received and may receive relating to Kendle, refrain from using any of
the confidential and proprietary information (other than confidential and
proprietary information that solely relates to the Shareholders personally)
except in connection with this Agreement or the business of HCC or Kendle and
will deliver promptly to Kendle or destroy, at the request of Kendle, all copies
of such information which are in his or her possession. In the event that any of
the Shareholders or Seller is requested or required (by oral question or request
for information or documents in any legal proceeding, interrogatory, subpoena,
civil investigative demand, or similar process) to disclose any confidential and
proprietary information, that Shareholder or Seller will notify Kendle promptly
of the request or requirement so that Kendle may seek an appropriate protective
order or waive compliance with the provisions of this Section 6(d). If, in the
absence of a protective order or the receipt of a waiver hereunder, any
Shareholder or Seller is compelled to disclose such Confidential Information,
the Shareholder or Seller may disclose the confidential information to the
tribunal; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the disclosing Shareholder or Seller shall use
his or her commercially reasonable best efforts (at the sole cost and expense of
the Purchaser) to obtain, at the reasonable request of Kendle, an order or other
assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded to such portion of the
Confidential Information required to be disclosed as Kendle shall designate.

                  (e) Tax Distribution. Seller shall provide to Kendle a
statement setting forth the amount necessary to pay the Shareholders' respective
taxes created by the income from HCC which taxes are related to Seller's
operations for the period of January 1, 1999 to the Closing Date (such amount
shall not include any tax obligations related to the sale of Seller's Assets).
Following receipt of such



                                       50
<PAGE>   55

statement, Kendle shall, within fifteen (15) business days, deliver to Seller
the amount set forth in such statement.

                  (f) PAYMENT OF TAXES AND FEES. The Sellers shall pay or
reserve for payment when due out of the Purchase Price (a) any documentary,
stamp, sales, excise, transfer or other Taxes payable in respect of the sale of
the assets of HCC; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not apply to
taxes in respect of or based upon income or gain earned, realized or recognized
by any party, which shall in each case be the responsibility of the party upon
whom such taxes are imposed by applicable law. The Seller shall cause to be
prepared and filed any and all returns and other filings relating to any such
Taxes referred to in the first clause of the preceding sentence.

                  (g) ACCESS TO RECORDS. For a period of six (6) years after the
Closing Date, Seller and its representatives shall have reasonable access to,
and the right to make copies of, all of the books and records transferred to
Purchaser hereunder to the extent that such access may reasonably be required by
Seller or any Shareholder in connection with matters relating to or affected by
the operations of the business of Seller prior to the Closing Date. Such access
shall be afforded by Purchaser upon receipt of reasonable advance notice and
during normal business hours. Seller shall be solely responsible for any costs
or expenses incurred by it pursuant to this Section 6(g). If Purchaser shall
desire to dispose of any of such books and records prior to the expiration of
such six year period, Purchaser shall, prior to such disposition, give Seller a
reasonable opportunity, at Seller's expense, to segregate and remove such books
and records as Seller may select.

                  (h) ASSIGNABILITY. To the extent that any lease, contract,
license, agreement, sales or purchase order, commitment, or right included in
Seller's Assets (each an "Interest") is not capable of being sold, assigned,
transferred or conveyed without the approval, consent or waiver of the issuer
thereof or the other party or parties thereto, or any other person or entity
(including a governmental authority) (or would be breached in the event of an
assignment, transfer, etc. without such approval, consent or waiver) (a) this
Agreement shall not constitute an assignment or conveyance thereof absent such
approval, consent or waiver and (b) Seller and each Shareholder shall use such
person's commercially reasonable efforts, both prior and subsequent to the
Closing Date, to obtain all necessary approvals, consents or waivers necessary
to convey to Buyer each such Interest. To the extent any of the approvals,
consents or waivers referred to in this Section 6(h) have not been obtained as
of the Closing and to the extent Purchaser and Seller waived obtaining such
consents as a condition to Closing as set forth in Section 8(a)(x), the Seller
and each Shareholder shall, during the remaining term of such Interest, exercise
commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with Purchaser, at its request, in
any reasonable and lawful arrangements designed to provide the benefits of such
Interest to Purchaser. In the



                                       51
<PAGE>   56

event, and to the extent that any such approval, consent or waiver is obtained
subsequent to the Closing Date in connection with an Assumed Contract, such
Assumed Contract will be deemed, as of the date on which such approval, consent
or waiver is obtained, to have been assigned to and assumed by the Purchaser in
the same manner, and to the same extent, as all other Assumed Contracts that
were so assigned and assumed on the Closing Date.

         7. THE CLOSING. The closing of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (the "Closing") shall take place at the offices of Keating, Muething &
Klekamp, PLL, 1400 Provident tower, One East Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio
45202, commencing at 9:00 a.m., local time, on the second business day following
the satisfaction or waiver of all conditions to the obligations of the Parties
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby (other than conditions with
respect to actions the respective Parties will take at the Closing itself) or
such other date as Kendle and the Seller may mutually determine (the "Closing
Date")

         8. CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATION TO CLOSE.

                  (a) CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATION OF KENDLE. The obligation of
Kendle to consummate the transactions to be performed by it in connection with
the Closing is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions:

                           (i)      the representations and warranties set forth
                                    in Section 3(a) and Section 4 above shall be
                                    true and correct in all material respects
                                    (other than representations and warranties
                                    having materiality qualifiers, which shall
                                    be true and correct in all respects) at and
                                    as of the Closing Date;

                           (ii)     the Seller shall have performed and complied
                                    with all of its covenants hereunder in all
                                    material respects through the Closing;

                           (iii)    no action, suit, or proceeding shall be
                                    pending or threatened before any court or
                                    quasi-judicial or administrative agency of
                                    any federal, state, local, or foreign
                                    jurisdiction or before any arbitrator
                                    wherein an unfavorable injunction, judgment,
                                    order, decree, ruling, or charge would (A)
                                    prevent consummation of any of the
                                    transactions contemplated by this Agreement
                                    or (B) cause any of the transactions
                                    contemplated by this Agreement to be
                                    rescinded following consummation (and no
                                    such injunction,



                                       52
<PAGE>   57

                                    judgment, order, decree, ruling, or charge
                                    shall be in effect);

                           (iv)     the Seller shall have delivered to Kendle a
                                    certificate to the effect that each of the
                                    conditions specified above in Section
                                    8(a)(i)-(iii) is satisfied in all respects;

                           (v)      Kendle shall have received a letter from its
                                    insurance company that the lives of Dr.
                                    Geoffrey H. Kalish and Mr. Bradley D. Kalish
                                    are insurable on a term policy basis at
                                    standard rates for five Million Dollars
                                    ($5,000,000), and that Dr. Geoffrey H.
                                    Kalish and Mr. Bradley D. Kalish shall have
                                    cooperated with Kendle in applying for such
                                    insurance coverages;

                           (vi)     Kendle's bank creditors shall have given
                                    their written consent to the transaction
                                    contemplated by this Agreement;

                           (vii)    Dr. Geoffrey H. Kalish, Mr. Bradley D.
                                    Kalish, and Ms. Jill Kalish shall have
                                    entered into Employment Agreements
                                    substantially in the forms attached as
                                    Exhibit 8(a)(vii) hereto (the "Employment
                                    Agreements");

                           (viii)   The Shareholders shall have each entered
                                    into a Non-Competition and Non-Disclosure
                                    Agreement substantially in the forms
                                    attached hereto as Exhibit 8(a)(viii) hereto
                                    (the "Non-Compete Agreements");

                           (ix)     Kendle or its designated assignee, Geoffrey
                                    H. Kalish, M.D., and Health Care
                                    Communications, Ltd., a Canadian corporation
                                    ("HCC Canada") shall have entered into a
                                    purchase agreement, similar to this
                                    Agreement, reasonably acceptable to Kendle
                                    and HCC Canada pursuant to which HCC Canada
                                    would sell substantially all its assets to
                                    the Purchaser and Purchaser would acquire
                                    obligations of HCC Canada like those being
                                    assumed hereunder (the "Canadian Purchase
                                    Agreement") at a purchase price of Twenty
                                    Thousand Dollars ($20,000), and such
                                    acquisition shall be closed simultaneously
                                    with the Closing;



                                       53
<PAGE>   58

                           (x)      The Parties shall have received all consents
                                    to assignment of the Assumed Contracts;

                           (xi)     no material adverse change in the business,
                                    assets, liabilities, income, financial
                                    condition, operations or results of
                                    operations of HCC ("HCC Material Adverse
                                    Change") shall have occurred; provided,
                                    however, if a HCC Material Adverse Change
                                    shall have occurred, Kendle and the Seller
                                    shall negotiate in good faith with respect
                                    to a reasonable adjustment of the Purchase
                                    Price (but no party shall be obligated to so
                                    negotiate beyond the Expiration Date). If
                                    agreement is not reached with respect to
                                    such an adjustment, Kendle may terminate
                                    this Agreement for failure of a condition
                                    precedent subject to the terms and
                                    conditions of Section 13 hereof;

                           (xii)    the Parties and HCC shall have received all
                                    authorizations, consents, and approvals of
                                    governments and governmental agencies
                                    referred to in Section 3(a)(i), Section
                                    3(b)(ii), and Section 4(c) above;

                           (xiii)   Kendle shall have received from counsel to
                                    the Seller an opinion in form and substance
                                    reasonably acceptable to Kendle, addressed
                                    to Kendle, and dated as of the Closing Date;

                           (xiv)    each of the Shareholders and Seller shall
                                    have executed and delivered an escrow
                                    agreement, reasonably acceptable to Seller
                                    and Kendle, substantially in the form
                                    annexed hereto as Exhibit 8(a)(xiv)and
                                    modified appropriately to take account of
                                    the terms of this Agreement (the "Escrow
                                    Agreement");

                           (xv)     all other certificates, opinions,
                                    certificates, instruments, and other
                                    documents required to effect the
                                    transactions contemplated hereby will be
                                    reasonably satisfactory in form and
                                    substance to Kendle;



                                       54
<PAGE>   59

                            (xvi)   the majority of the employees of Seller
                                    agree to become employees of Purchaser at
                                    substantially similar salaries.

                           (xvii)   Seller shall have delivered Disclosure
                                    Schedule 4(f) listing all Equipment with a
                                    net book value in excess of $5,000;

                           (xviii)  Seller shall have delivered final compiled
                                    Financial Statements for the year ending
                                    December 31, 1998, which are substantially
                                    similar to the draft Financial Statements
                                    provided on Disclosure Schedule 4(h).


Kendle may waive any condition specified in this Section 8(a) if it executes a
writing so stating at or prior to the Closing.

                  (b) CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATION OF THE SELLER. The obligation of
the Seller and Shareholders to consummate the transactions to be performed by
them in connection with the Closing is subject to satisfaction of the following
conditions:

                           (i)      the representations and warranties set forth
                                    in Section 3(b) above shall be true and
                                    correct in all material respects (other than
                                    representations and warranties having
                                    materiality qualifiers, which shall be true
                                    and correct in all respects) at and as of
                                    the Closing Date;

                           (ii)     each of the Purchaser and Kendle shall have
                                    performed and complied with all of its
                                    covenants hereunder in all material respects
                                    through the Closing;

                           (iii)    no action, suit, or proceeding shall be
                                    pending or threatened before any court or
                                    quasi-judicial or administrative agency of
                                    any federal, state, local, or foreign
                                    jurisdiction or before any arbitrator
                                    wherein an unfavorable injunction, judgment,
                                    order, decree, ruling, or charge would (A)
                                    prevent consummation of any of the
                                    transactions contemplated by this Agreement
                                    or (B) cause any of the transactions
                                    contemplated by this Agreement to be
                                    rescinded following consummation (and no
                                    such injunction,



                                       55
<PAGE>   60

                                    judgment, order, decree, ruling, or charge
                                    shall be in effect);

                           (iv)     Kendle shall have delivered to the Seller a
                                    certificate to the effect that each of the
                                    conditions specified above in Section
                                    8(b)(i)-(iii) is satisfied in all respects;

                           (v)      Dr. Geoffrey H. Kalish, Mr. Bradley D.
                                    Kalish and Ms. Jill Kalish shall have
                                    entered into the Employment Agreements;

                           (vi)     Kendle shall have executed and delivered the
                                    Registration Rights Agreement substantially
                                    in the form of Exhibit 8(b)(vi) hereto;

                           (vii)    no material adverse change in the business,
                                    assets, liabilities, income or financial
                                    condition of Kendle ("Kendle Material
                                    Adverse Change") shall have occurred since
                                    December 31, 1998 provided, however, that if
                                    a Kendle Material Adverse Change shall have
                                    occurred, the Seller and Kendle shall
                                    negotiate in good faith with respect to a
                                    reasonable adjustment to the Purchase Price
                                    (but no party shall be obligated to so
                                    negotiate beyond the Expiration Date). If
                                    agreement is not reached with respect to
                                    such an adjustment, the Seller may terminate
                                    this Agreement for failure of a condition
                                    precedent, subject, to the terms and
                                    conditions of Section 13 hereof;

                           (viii)   The Parties shall have received all consents
                                    to assignment of the Assumed Contracts;

                           (ix)     the Parties and HCC shall have received all
                                    authorizations, consents, and approvals of
                                    governments and governmental agencies
                                    referred to in Section 3(a)(i), Section
                                    3(b)(ii), and Section 4(c) above;

                           (x)      the Seller shall have received from counsel
                                    to Kendle an opinion, reasonably acceptable
                                    to Seller, addressed to the Shareholders and
                                    the Seller, and dated as of the Closing
                                    Date;

                                       56
<PAGE>   61

                           (xi)     Kendle, Purchaser and The Fifth Third Bank
                                    shall have executed and delivered the Escrow
                                    Agreement; and

                           (xii)    all other certificates, instruments, and
                                    other documents required to effect the
                                    transactions contemplated hereby will be
                                    reasonably satisfactory in form and
                                    substance to the Seller.

                           (xiii)   Kendle, Geoffrey H. Kalish, M.D., and HCC
                                    Canada shall have entered into the Canadian
                                    Purchase Agreement, and such acquisition
                                    shall be closed simultaneously with the
                                    Closing.

         The Seller may waive any condition specified in this Section 8(b) if it
executes a writing so stating at or prior to the Closing.

         9. OBLIGATIONS OF SELLER AT CLOSING. At Closing:

                  (a) DOCUMENTS RELATING TO TITLE OF ASSETS. Seller shall
execute, acknowledge, deliver and cause to be executed, acknowledged and
delivered to Purchaser the following, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to Purchaser:

                           (i)      Deeds, bills of sales, vehicle titles and
                                    assignments in form and substance
                                    satisfactory to Purchaser and sufficient to
                                    convey to Purchaser good and valid title to
                                    all Seller's Assets free and clear of all
                                    Encumbrances.

                           (ii)     An assignment to Purchaser and assumption by
                                    Purchaser of all of Seller's rights and
                                    interests in, to and under each Lease of
                                    real and personal property and Contracts
                                    constituting an Assumed Liability.

                           (iii)    A trademark assignment agreement.



                  (b) POSSESSION. Seller shall deliver to Purchaser full
possession and control of the Assets.

                  (c) THIRD PARTY CONSENTS. Seller shall exercise commercially
reasonable best efforts to obtain and deliver to Purchaser any consents,
approvals,



                                       57
<PAGE>   62

waivers and authorizations of third parties which are necessary in the
reasonable opinion of Purchaser for the consummation of this Agreement, as well
as those necessary for the assignment of the Leases and Contracts included in
the Assumed Liabilities.

                  (d) CHANGE OF NAME. Seller shall deliver evidence satisfactory
to Purchaser that Seller is changing the name of HCC to a name not confusingly
similar to HCC.

                  (e) ADDITIONALLY REQUESTED DOCUMENTS; POST CLOSING ASSISTANCE.
At the reasonable request of Purchaser at the Closing Date and at any time or
from time to time thereafter, Seller shall cooperate with Purchaser to put
Purchaser in actual possession and operating control of the Assets, execute and
deliver such further instruments of sale, conveyance, transfer and assignment,
as Purchaser may reasonably request in order to effectively sell, convey,
transfer and assign the Seller's Assets to Purchaser, to execute and deliver
such further instruments and to take such other actions as Purchaser may
reasonably request to release Purchaser from all obligation and liability with
regard to any obligation or liability retained by Seller.

         10. OBLIGATIONS OF PURCHASER AT CLOSING. At Closing:

                  (a) PURCHASE PRICE. Purchaser shall deliver to Seller cash and
Kendle Shares in the aggregate amount of the Purchase Price specified herein and
shall deliver to the Escrow Agent the balance of the Purchase Price as specified
herein.

                  (b) CORPORATE GOOD STANDING AND CERTIFIED BOARD RESOLUTIONS.
Purchaser shall deliver to Seller a certificate of Good Standing from the
Secretary of the State of Ohio and a certified copy of the resolutions of the
Board of Directors of the Purchaser approving this Agreement and consummation of
the transactions intended hereby.

         11. REMEDIES FOR BREACHES OF THIS AGREEMENT.

                  (a) SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS.
All of the representations and warranties of the Parties contained in this
Agreement (including the representations and warranties of the Shareholders and
Seller contained in Section 3(a) and Section 4), shall survive the Closing and
continue in full force and effect for a period of two (2) years following the
Closing Date; provided, however, that the representations and warranties
contained in Section 4(j), Section 4(t) and Section 4(aa) shall continue in full
force and effect until the expiration of the relevant statute of limitations.
All covenants and agreements shall survive in accordance with their terms or, if
no term is stated, indefinitely.

                                       58
<PAGE>   63

                  (b)     INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS FOR BENEFIT OF KENDLE.

                           (i)      In the event any of the Shareholders or
                                    Seller breaches any of his or her
                                    representations, warranties, and covenants
                                    contained herein (other than the
                                    representations and warranties in Section
                                    3(a) above and the covenants in Sections 12
                                    and 5(h)), and, if there is an applicable
                                    survival period pursuant to Section 11(a)
                                    above, provided that Kendle makes a written
                                    claim for indemnification against the
                                    Shareholder or Seller within such survival
                                    period, then the Shareholders and the Seller
                                    agree on a joint and several basis to
                                    indemnify Kendle from and against the
                                    entirety of any Adverse Consequences Kendle
                                    may suffer through and after the date of the
                                    claim for indemnification (including any
                                    Adverse Consequences Kendle may suffer after
                                    the end of any applicable survival period)
                                    resulting from, arising out of or caused by
                                    the breach (including, in the case of the
                                    representation contained in Section 4(aa),
                                    all per diem penalties assessed under 15
                                    U.S.C.Section 18a(g)(1)).

                           (ii)     In the event any Shareholder breaches any of
                                    his or her representations and warranties in
                                    Section 3(a) above, and, if there is an
                                    applicable survival period pursuant to
                                    Section 11(a) above, provided that Kendle
                                    makes a written claim for indemnification
                                    against such Shareholder within such
                                    survival period, then such Shareholder
                                    individually (and not jointly and severally)
                                    agrees to indemnify Kendle from and against
                                    the entirety of any Adverse Consequences
                                    Kendle may suffer through and after the date
                                    of the claim for indemnification (including
                                    any Adverse Consequences Kendle may suffer
                                    after the end of any applicable survival
                                    period) resulting from, arising out of, in
                                    connection with or caused by the breach.

                           (iii)    The maximum aggregate liability of the
                                    Shareholders and Seller combined for
                                    indemnification under Section 11(b)(i) and
                                    Section 11(b)(ii) shall be limited to the
                                    Purchase Price plus the Earnout Amount paid
                                    to the Seller (or to the Escrow Agent under
                                    Section 11(b)(v)) plus any additional
                                    Earnout Amount paid to



                                       59
<PAGE>   64

                                    the Seller (or to the Escrow Agent under
                                    Section 11(b)(v)) (the "Maximum
                                    Indemnification Obligation"). The maximum
                                    aggregate liability of each of the
                                    Shareholders for indemnification under
                                    Section 11(b)(i) and Section 11(b)(ii) shall
                                    be limited as follows: Geoffrey H. Kalish,
                                    M.D. - 70% of the Maximum Indemnification
                                    Obligation; Bradley D. Kalish - 20% of the
                                    Maximum Indemnification Obligation, Jill
                                    Kalish - 10% of the Maximum Indemnification
                                    Obligation.

                           (iv)     In no event shall the Shareholders or Seller
                                    be obligated to indemnify Kendle under
                                    Section 11(b)(i) or Section 11(b)(ii) unless
                                    and until the aggregate Adverse Consequences
                                    for which Kendle would otherwise be entitled
                                    to indemnification under either Section
                                    11(b)(i) or Section 11(b)(ii) or both
                                    exceeds Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars
                                    ($75,000.00) (the "Basket"). After the
                                    aggregate Adverse Consequences for which
                                    Kendle would otherwise be entitled to
                                    indemnification under either Section
                                    11(b)(i) or Section 11(b)(ii) or both
                                    exceeds the amount of the Basket, Kendle
                                    shall be entitled to indemnification for all
                                    such Adverse Consequences, but only to the
                                    extent that they exceed $10,000 (such latter
                                    figure being the "deductible"). Such
                                    deductible shall be applicable to the
                                    Shareholders in accordance with the
                                    percentages in Section 11(b)(iii) or as may
                                    be otherwise agreed by the Shareholders.

                           (v)      Kendle may satisfy Shareholders' or Seller's
                                    indemnification obligations by recourse to
                                    the escrow fund held by The Fifth Third
                                    Bank, as escrow agent, pursuant to the
                                    Escrow Agreement; provided, however that
                                    recourse to the escrow fund shall not
                                    constitute Kendle's sole remedy or source
                                    for satisfaction of indemnification claims
                                    under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the
                                    foregoing, the parties hereto acknowledge
                                    and agree that, in the event and to the
                                    extent that any given claim or claims being
                                    asserted could be satisfied out of the
                                    assets being held under the Escrow
                                    Agreement, no party shall have the right to
                                    satisfy, or attempt to satisfy, such claim
                                    with assets of the Shareholders or the



                                       60
<PAGE>   65

                                    Seller other than such escrowed assets. In
                                    the event, and to the extent, that any given
                                    claim or claims being asserted in good faith
                                    by the Purchaser could not be satisfied out
                                    of the assets being held under the Escrow
                                    Agreement, Purchaser may seek recourse by
                                    depositing earned, but not yet paid, Earnout
                                    Amounts with the Escrow Agent under the
                                    Escrow Agreement.

                  (c) INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS FOR BENEFIT OF THE SELLER AND
SHAREHOLDERS. In the event Kendle or Purchaser breaches any of its
representations, warranties, and covenants contained herein, and, if there is an
applicable survival period pursuant to Section 11(a) above, provided that any of
the Shareholders or Seller makes a written claim for indemnification against
Kendle or Purchaser within such survival period, then Kendle and Purchaser
agree, jointly and severally, to indemnify each of the Shareholders and Seller
from and against the entirety of any Adverse Consequences the Shareholders or
Seller may suffer through and after the date of the claim for indemnification
(including any Adverse Consequences the Shareholders or Seller may suffer after
the end of any applicable survival period) resulting from, arising out of, in
connection with, or caused by such breach.

                  (d) MATTERS INVOLVING THIRD PARTIES.

                           (i)      If any third party shall notify any Party
                                    (the "INDEMNIFIED PARTY") with respect to
                                    any matter (a "THIRD PARTY CLAIM") which may
                                    give rise to a claim for indemnification
                                    against any other Party (the "INDEMNIFYING
                                    PARTY") under this Section 11, then the
                                    Indemnified Party shall promptly notify each
                                    Indemnifying Party thereof in writing;
                                    PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no delay on the part
                                    of the Indemnified Party in notifying any
                                    Indemnifying Party shall relieve the
                                    Indemnifying Party from any obligation
                                    hereunder unless (and then solely to the
                                    extent) the Indemnifying Party thereby is
                                    prejudiced.

                           (ii)     Any Indemnifying Party will have the right
                                    to defend the Indemnified Party against the
                                    Third Party Claim with counsel of its choice
                                    reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified
                                    Party so long as (A) the Indemnifying Party
                                    notifies the Indemnified Party in writing
                                    within 15 days after the Indemnified Party
                                    has given notice of the Third Party Claim
                                    that the Indemnifying Party will indemnify
                                    the Indemnified Party from and



                                       61
<PAGE>   66

                                    against the entirety of any Adverse
                                    Consequences the Indemnified Party may
                                    suffer resulting from, arising out of,
                                    relating to, in the nature of, or caused by
                                    the Third Party Claim, (B) the Indemnifying
                                    Party provides the Indemnified Party with
                                    evidence reasonably acceptable to the
                                    Indemnified Party that the Indemnifying
                                    Party will have the financial resources to
                                    defend against the Third Party Claim and
                                    fulfill its indemnification obligations
                                    hereunder, (C) the Third Party Claim
                                    involves only money damages and does not
                                    seek an injunction or other equitable
                                    relief, (D) settlement of, or an adverse
                                    judgment with respect to, the Third Party
                                    Claim is not, in the good faith judgment of
                                    the Indemnified Party, likely to establish a
                                    precedential custom or practice materially
                                    adverse to the continuing business interests
                                    of the Indemnified Party, and (E) the
                                    Indemnifying Party conducts the defense of
                                    the Third Party Claim actively and
                                    diligently.

                           (iii)    So long as the Indemnifying Party is
                                    conducting the defense of the Third Party
                                    Claim in accordance with Section 11(d)(ii)
                                    above, (A) the Indemnified Party may retain
                                    separate co-counsel at its sole cost and
                                    expense and participate in the defense of
                                    the Third Party Claim, (B) the Indemnified
                                    Party will not consent to the entry of any
                                    judgment or enter into any settlement with
                                    respect to the Third Party Claim without the
                                    prior written consent of the Indemnifying
                                    Party (not to be withheld unreasonably), and
                                    (C) the Indemnifying Party will not consent
                                    to the entry of any judgment or enter into
                                    any settlement with respect to the Third
                                    Party Claim without the prior written
                                    consent of the Indemnified Party (not to be
                                    withheld unreasonably).

                           (iv)     In the event any of the conditions in
                                    Section 11(d)(ii) above is or becomes
                                    unsatisfied, however, (A) the Indemnified
                                    Party may defend against, and consent to the
                                    entry of any judgment or enter into any
                                    settlement with respect to, the Third Party
                                    Claim in any manner it reasonably may deem
                                    appropriate (and the Indemnified Party need
                                    not consult with unless the



                                       62
<PAGE>   67

                                    Indemnifying Party shall have elected to
                                    participate in accordance with Section
                                    11(d)(v) below, or obtain any consent from,
                                    any Indemnifying Party in connection
                                    therewith), and (B) the Indemnifying Parties
                                    will remain responsible for any Adverse
                                    Consequences for which it may be liable
                                    under Section 11 hereof.

                           (v)      With respect to any Third Party Claim the
                                    defense and/or settlement of which is being
                                    conducted by the Indemnified Party, the
                                    Indemnifying Party shall have the right, at
                                    its expense, to fully participate in (but
                                    not control) such defense and/or settlement
                                    with counsel of its own choosing.

                  (e) DETERMINATION OF ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES. The Parties shall
take into account the time cost of money (using the Applicable Federal Rate as
the discount rate) in determining Adverse Consequences for purposes of this
Section 11. All indemnification payments under this Section 11 shall be deemed
adjustments to the Purchase Price.

                  (f) OTHER INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS. This Section 11 shall,
except for any liquidated damages provided for under Section Section 5(h), 12
and 13(b) and except for any equitable relief which a court may grant in its
discretion under Section 14(o), be the exclusive remedy for any breach of this
Agreement.

         12.      NON-COMPETITION COVENANT.

                  (a) BASIC COVENANT. The Seller agrees that for a period of
four years from and after the Closing Date (the "Non-Compete Term") it shall
not, directly or indirectly, as an officer, director, employee, consultant,
principal, partner, member, shareholder or otherwise: (i) engage in the business
of a contract research organization (within the meaning of 21 CFR Part 312.3),
providing clinical research and drug development services to pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies (the "Business"), or engage in the business of providing
medical education and communications services including organizational and
meeting management services and publishing and editorial services related to
medical education to pharmaceutical companies or medical associations ("HCC
Business"), in any state of the United States of America or in any other
jurisdiction or country outside the United States of America: (x) in which HCC
or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates conducted business or had operations
immediately prior to consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement; or (y) in which HCC or Kendle, at any time during the Non-Competition
Term, engages in the Business; or (ii) solicit or accept orders



                                       63
<PAGE>   68

that relate specifically to the Business from any customer or active potential
customer of HCC existing on the Closing Date.

                   (b) REMEDIES FOR BREACH OF NON-COMPETITION COVENANT. The
Seller hereby agrees and acknowledges that the restrictions contained in the
Non-Compete Covenant are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate
interests of Kendle and its Affiliates and that Kendle would not enter into this
Agreement without such Non-Compete Covenant. Should Seller breach its
obligations set forth in Section 12(a), then Kendle shall deliver notice of such
breach to Seller and Seller shall have thirty (30) days to cure such breach or
such longer time may be as reasonably necessary to cure such breach provided
Seller is diligently pursuing such cure and does not exceed sixty (60) days. The
Parties agree that if the Seller breaches its Non-Compete Covenant that
continuing and irreparable harm will be caused to Kendle thereby and that Kendle
shall, in the event Seller shall not have cured such breach as provided above,
be entitled to liquidated damages as set forth below in Section 12(c) below.
This liquidated damages provision shall only apply if the liquidated damages
provision of the Non-Competition and Non-Disclosure Agreements of the
Shareholders is not applicable. The Parties hereby instruct any court that may
find any provision of this Non-Compete Covenant to be unenforceable because it
is over broad or in violation of public policy to modify this Non-Compete
Covenant to the minimum extent needed to permit enforcement thereof.

                   (c) LIQUIDATED DAMAGES. Should the Seller violate the
restrictions set forth in Section 12(a) in either of the first two years
following the Closing Date (and Seller shall fail to cure in accordance with
Section 12(b) above) Seller shall pay Kendle liquidated damages in the amount of
Ten Million Dollars ($10,000.00). Should the Seller violate the restrictions set
forth in Section 12(a) in either the third or fourth year following the Closing
Date (and Seller shall fail to cure in accordance with Section 12(b) above),
Seller shall pay Kendle liquidated damages in the amount of Six Million Dollars
($6,000,000.00). Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, in no event shall the
maximum aggregate amount of damages recoverable by Kendle and/or Purchaser under
this Section 12 for any and all breaches hereof exceed the sum of $10,000,000.

         13.      TERMINATION.

                  (a) TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement may only be
terminated as provided below:

                           (i)      Kendle and the Seller may terminate this
                                    Agreement by mutual written consent at any
                                    time prior to the Closing;



                                       64
<PAGE>   69

                           (ii)     Kendle may terminate this Agreement by
                                    giving written notice to the Seller at any
                                    time prior to the Closing (A) in the event
                                    any of the Shareholders or Seller has
                                    breached any material representation,
                                    warranty, or covenant contained in this
                                    Agreement in any material respect, Kendle
                                    has notified the Shareholders or Seller of
                                    the breach, and the breach has continued
                                    without cure for a period of 30 days after
                                    the notice of breach or (B) if the Closing
                                    shall not have occurred on or before July
                                    20, 1999 (the "Expiration Date"), by reason
                                    of the failure of any condition precedent
                                    under Section 8(a) hereof (unless the
                                    failure results primarily from Kendle or
                                    Purchaser itself breaching any
                                    representation, warranty, or covenant
                                    contained in this Agreement); and

                           (iii)    the Seller may terminate this Agreement by
                                    giving written notice to Kendle at any time
                                    prior to the Closing (A) in the event Kendle
                                    or Purchaser has breached any material
                                    representation, warranty, or covenant
                                    contained in this Agreement in any material
                                    respect, any of the Shareholders or Seller
                                    has notified Kendle or Purchaser of the
                                    breach, and the breach has continued without
                                    cure for a period of 30 days after the
                                    notice of breach or (B) if the Closing shall
                                    not have occurred on or before the
                                    Expiration Date, by reason of the failure of
                                    any condition precedent under Section 8(b)
                                    hereof (unless the failure results primarily
                                    from any of the Shareholders or Seller
                                    themselves breaching any representation,
                                    warranty, or covenant contained in this
                                    Agreement).

                  (b) EFFECT OF TERMINATION. If any Party terminates this
Agreement pursuant to Section 13(a) above, all rights and obligations of the
Parties hereunder shall terminate without any Liability of any Party to any
other Party (except for any Liability of any Party relating to any present or
previous breach). If after this Agreement has been executed, Kendle is obligated
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and Kendle fails to do so in
accordance with the terms hereof, Kendle shall pay Seller, as liquidated
damages, an amount equal to Three Percent (3%) of the Purchase Price, including
Earnout Amount.

         14.      MISCELLANEOUS.



                                       65
<PAGE>   70

                  (a)[INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]

                  (b) PRESS RELEASES AND PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS. No Party shall
issue any press release or make any other public announcement relating to the
subject matter of this Agreement prior to Closing without the prior written
approval of Kendle and the Seller (which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any Party may make any public
disclosure if it, in good faith, believes is required by applicable law or any
listing or trading agreement concerning its publicly-traded securities (in which
case the disclosing Party will use its reasonable best efforts to advise the
other Parties prior to making the disclosure). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Parties agree that any Party may issue a mutually agreeable press release or
other public announcement upon (i) the execution of this Agreement, (ii) the
Closing, and (iii) the reasonable request of the other Parties.

                  (c) NO THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARIES. This Agreement shall not
confer any rights or remedies upon any Person other than the Parties and their
respective successors and permitted assigns.

                  (d) ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement (including the documents
referred to herein) constitutes the entire agreement among the Parties and
supersedes any prior or contemporaneous understandings, agreements, or
representations by or among the Parties, written or oral, to the extent they
relate or related in any way to the subject matter hereof.

                  (e) SUCCESSION AND ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement shall be binding
upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties named herein and their respective
successors and permitted assigns. No Party may assign either this Agreement or
any of his, her or its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the
prior written approval of Kendle and the Seller; provided, however, that Kendle
may (i) assign any or all of its rights and interests hereunder to one or more
of its Affiliates and (ii) designate one or more of its Affiliates to perform
its obligations hereunder (in any or all of which cases Kendle nonetheless shall
remain responsible for the performance of all of its obligations hereunder).

                  (f) COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or
more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which
together will constitute one and the same instrument.

                  (g) HEADINGS. The section headings contained in this Agreement
are inserted for convenience only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.



                                       66
<PAGE>   71

                  (h) NOTICES. All notices, requests, demands, claims, and other
communications hereunder will be in writing. Any notice, request, demand, claim,
or other communication hereunder shall be deemed duly given if (and then two
business days after) it is sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt
requested, postage prepaid, and addressed to the intended recipient as set forth
below:

<TABLE>
<S>                                         <C>
         If to the  Seller
         Or to Geoffrey H. Kalish, MD:      Geoffrey H. Kalish, M.D.
                                            2 Cedar Lane
                                            Chappaqua, New York 10514
With a Required Copy to:                    Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
                                            250 Park Avenue
                                            New York, New York  10177
                                            Attention: Lowell S. Lifschultz., Esq.

         If to Brad Kalish:                 251 West 92nd Street
                                            Apartment #5D
                                            New York, New York 10025

         If to Jill Kalish                  320 East 39th Street
                                            Apartment #24R
                                            New York, New York 10016

         With a Required Copy
         In each case to:                   Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
                                            250 Park Avenue
                                            New York, New York  10177
                                            Attention: Lowell S. Lifschultz., Esq.


         IF TO KENDLE:                      KENDLE INTERNATIONAL INC.
                                            441 Vine Street
                                            700 Carew Tower
                                            Cincinnati, Ohio  45202
                                            Attention:        Paul F. Ritter, Esq.
                                                  Secretary & General Counsel

         With a Required Copy to:           KEATING, MUETHING & KLEKAMP, P.L.L.
         ------------------------           One East Fourth Street
                                            1400 Provident Tower
                                            Cincinnati, Ohio  45202
                                            Attention:        Edward E. Steiner, Esq.
</TABLE>


                                       67
<PAGE>   72

Any Party may send any notice, request, demand, claim, or other communication
hereunder to the intended recipient at the address set forth above using any
other means (including personal delivery, expedited courier, messenger service,
telecopy, ordinary mail or electronic mail), but no such notice, request,
demand, claim, or other communication shall be deemed to have been duly given
unless and until it actually is received by the intended recipient and such
notice shall be effective upon such actual receipt. Any Party may change the
address to which notices, requests, demands, claims, and other communications
hereunder are to be delivered by giving the other Parties notice in the manner
herein set forth.

                  (i) GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the internal substantive laws of the State of Ohio
without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule
(whether of the State of Ohio or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the
application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Ohio.

                  (j) AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS. No amendment of any provision of
this Agreement shall be valid unless the same shall be in writing and signed by
Kendle, the Seller and the Shareholders. No waiver by any Party of any default,
misrepresentation, or breach of warranty or covenant hereunder, whether
intentional or not, shall be deemed to extend to any prior or subsequent
default, misrepresentation, or breach of warranty or covenant hereunder or
affect in any way any rights or remedies arising by virtue of any prior or
subsequent such occurrence.

                  (k) SEVERABILITY. Any term or provision of this Agreement that
is invalid or unenforceable in any situation in any jurisdiction shall not
affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining terms and provisions
hereof or the validity or enforceability of the offending term or provision in
any other situation or in any other jurisdiction.

                  (l) EXPENSES. Each of the Parties will bear his, her or its
own costs and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

                  (m) CONSTRUCTION. The Parties have participated jointly in the
negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or
question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed
as if drafted jointly by the Parties and no presumption or burden of proof shall
arise favoring or disfavoring any Party by virtue of the authorship of any of
the provisions of this Agreement. Any reference to any federal, state, local, or
foreign statute or law shall be deemed also to refer to all rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder, unless the context requires otherwise. The
word "including" shall mean including without



                                       68
<PAGE>   73

limitation. The Parties intend that each representation, warranty and covenant
contained herein shall have independent significance. If any Party has breached
any representation, warranty or covenant contained herein in any respect, the
fact that there exists another representation, warranty or covenant relating to
the same subject matter (regardless of relative levels of specificity) that the
Party has not breached shall not detract from or mitigate the fact that the
Party is in breach of the first representation, warranty or covenant.

                  (n) INCORPORATION OF EXHIBITS, ANNEXES, AND SCHEDULES. The
Exhibits, Annexes, and Schedules identified in this Agreement are incorporated
herein by reference and made a part hereof.

                  (o) SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE. Each of the Parties acknowledges and
agrees that the other Parties would be damaged irreparably in the event any of
the provisions of this Agreement are not performed in accordance with their
specific terms or otherwise are breached. Accordingly, each of the Parties
agrees that the other Parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions
to prevent breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce
specifically this Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof in any action
instituted in any court of the United States or any state thereof having
jurisdiction over the Parties and the matter in addition to any other remedy to
which they may be entitled, at law or in equity.

                  (p) KENDLE GUARANTEE. Kendle hereby unconditionally and
irrevocably guarantees the payment and performance of Purchaser's obligations
under this Agreement, so that, in the event that Purchaser fails to make any of
such payments or render any such performance, Kendle shall make such payments or
render such performance without Seller or Shareholders having first to pursue or
exhaust any remedies against the Purchaser.





Rest of Page Left Intentionally Blank
- -------------------------------------



                                       69
<PAGE>   74

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as
of the date first above written.

                                    K.A.U., INC., a subsidiary of
                                    Kendle International Inc.


                                    By: /s/ ANTHONY L. FORCELLINI
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                    Name: Anthony L. Forcellini
                                    Title: Vice President


                                    Kendle International Inc.


                                    By: /s/ ANTHONY L. FORCELLINI
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                    Name: Anthony L. Forcellini
                                    Title: Executive Director



                                    SHAREHOLDERS


                                    By:_________________________________________
                                             Geoffrey H. Kalish, M.D.


                                    By:_________________________________________
                                             Bradley L. Kalish

                                    By:_________________________________________
                                             Jill Kalish

                                    SELLER

                                    By:_________________________________________
                                    Name:
                                    Title:


<PAGE>   75

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as
of the date first above written.

                                    K.A.U., INC., a subsidiary of
                                    Kendle International Inc.


                                    By:_________________________________________
                                    Name:
                                    Title:


                                    Kendle International Inc.


                                    By:_________________________________________
                                    Name:
                                    Title:



                                    SHAREHOLDERS


                                    By: /s/ GEOFFREY H. KALISH, M.D.
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                             Geoffrey H. Kalish, M.D.


                                    By: /s/ BRADLEY L. KALISH
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                             Bradley L. Kalish


                                    By: /s/ JILL KALISH
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                             Jill Kalish



                                    HEALTH CARE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.


                                    By: /s/ GEOFFERY H KALISH M.D.
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                    Name: Geoffery H Kalish M.D.
                                    Title: President


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<CURRENCY> USD

<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1999
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<CASH>                                          10,083
<SECURITIES>                                    26,355
<RECEIVABLES>                                   32,552
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                          0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                80,587
<PP&E>                                          19,811
<DEPRECIATION>                                 (6,840)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 151,418
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           21,505
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                          0
<COMMON>                                            75
<OTHER-SE>                                     126,563
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   151,418
<SALES>                                         53,618
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                53,618
<CGS>                                           27,814
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                   47,766
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                 (606)
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                 130
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                  6,328
<INCOME-TAX>                                     2,433
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                              3,895
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                     3,895
<EPS-BASIC>                                        .35
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .33


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<CURRENCY> USD

<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             APR-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1999
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<CASH>                                          10,083
<SECURITIES>                                    26,355
<RECEIVABLES>                                   32,552
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                          0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                80,587
<PP&E>                                          19,811
<DEPRECIATION>                                 (6,840)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 151,418
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           21,505
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                          0
<COMMON>                                            75
<OTHER-SE>                                     126,563
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   151,418
<SALES>                                         27,854
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                27,854
<CGS>                                           14,886
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                   25,337
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                 (136)
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                  51
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                  2,602
<INCOME-TAX>                                     1,001
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                              1,601
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                     1,601
<EPS-BASIC>                                        .14
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .14


</TABLE>


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