LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS INC
10-Q, 1998-02-12
PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS
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                               UNITED STATES
                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                           WASHINGTON, DC  20549

                                 FORM 10-Q

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

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                   FOR THE QUARTER ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997

                     COMMISSION FILE NUMBER  333-33121

                          LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS INC.

           (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

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


          DELAWARE                                       95-3431709
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF         (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER)
 INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)


                  901 EAST 233RD STREET, CARSON, CALIFORNIA 90745
                                   (310) 835-8400
           (ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)

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

           COMMON STOCK, $.01 PAR VALUE, OUTSTANDING AT FEBRUARY 12, 1998

                                     1,000 SHARES

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                                     -1-

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                             LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS INC.
                                 REPORT ON FORM 10-Q
                        FOR THE QUARTER ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997

                                 TABLE OF CONTENTS

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PART I.  Financial Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    3

  ITEM 1.  Financial Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    3

      Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) -
          For the three and nine months ended December 31, 1996 and 1997. .    3
          
      Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets -
          As of March 31, 1997 and December 31, 1997 (Unaudited). . . . . .    4
          
      Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) -
          For the nine months ended December 31, 1996 and 1997. . . . . . .    5

      Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited). . .    6
          
   ITEM 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition 
              and Results of Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   10

PART II.  Other Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   16

SIGNATURE PAGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   16


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                                      -2-
<PAGE>

PART I                                                                   ITEM 1
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                         LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS INC.
               CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                  UNAUDITED
                                (IN THOUSANDS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              THREE MONTHS ENDED         NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                                                  DECEMBER 31,              DECEMBER 31,
                                                             ---------------------     ---------------------
                                                               1996         1997         1996         1997
                                                             --------     --------     --------     --------
<S>                                                          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
Net sales                                                    $104,295     $132,524     $260,502     $338,837

Cost of sales                                                  75,644       95,532      194,741      250,713
                                                             --------     --------     --------    ---------

Gross profit                                                   28,651       36,992       65,761       88,124

Marketing, selling and distribution expenses                   12,330       17,477       35,524       44,032

General and administrative expenses                             4,959        6,809       14,114       20,348

Impairment and closure of OTC facility                          1,317           --        1,317           --

Management reorganization                                         265           --          578           --

Expenses related to recapitalization of parent                     --          418           --       33,056

Amortization of goodwill                                          369          407        1,107        1,243

Other charges                                                     120          430          361          893
                                                             --------     --------     --------    ---------

Operating income (loss)                                         9,291       11,451       12,760      (11,448)

Interest expense, net                                           1,989        5,897        6,399       13,513
                                                             --------     --------     --------    ---------

Income (loss) before income taxes and extraordinary item        7,302        5,554        6,361      (24,961)

Provision (benefit) for income taxes before 
  extraordinary item                                            3,176        3,011        2,767       (4,207)
                                                             --------     --------     --------    ---------
Income (loss) before extraordinary item                         4,126        2,543        3,594      (20,754)

Extraordinary loss on the early extinguishment
  of debt, net of income taxes of $761                             --           --           --        1,109
                                                             --------     --------     --------    ---------

Net income (loss)                                            $  4,126     $  2,543     $  3,594    $ (21,863)
                                                             --------     --------     --------    ---------
                                                             --------     --------     --------    ---------
</TABLE>



                                       
     See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
                            
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                                      -3-

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PART I                                                                   ITEM 1
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                         LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS INC.
                    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                (IN THOUSANDS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          
                                                                               MARCH 31,    DECEMBER 31,
                                                                                  1997         1997
                                                                               ---------    ------------
                                                                                Audited      Unaudited
<S>                                                                            <C>          <C>
ASSETS
                                          
Current assets:
     Cash and cash equivalents                                                 $  2,066      $  1,435
     Accounts receivable, net                                                    77,436        63,246
     Inventories                                                                 86,823       124,808
     Income taxes receivable                                                         --         2,457
     Deferred income taxes                                                        3,838         3,844
     Prepaid expenses and other current assets                                    2,639         2,350
                                                                               --------      --------
          Total current assets                                                  172,802       198,140
                                          
Property, plant and equipment, net                                               42,367        44,693
Goodwill, net                                                                    58,035        56,807
Deferred income taxes                                                                --         3,321
Deferred financing charges                                                        1,875        11,627
Other noncurrent assets                                                           9,485        10,437
                                                                               --------      --------
                                          
          TOTAL ASSETS                                                         $284,564      $325,025
                                                                               --------      --------
                                                                               --------      --------
                                          
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY (DEFICIT)
                                          
Current liabilities:
     Bank checks outstanding, less cash on deposit                             $ 10,410      $ 11,986
     Current portion of long-term debt                                            3,148         2,017
     Accounts payable                                                            61,623        76,874
     Customer allowances payable                                                  6,632        11,759
     Accrued compensation and benefits                                            6,233         7,129
     Accrued interest expense                                                       870         6,981
     Income taxes payable                                                         1,818            --
     Other accrued expenses                                                       2,665         1,262
                                                                               --------      --------
          Total current liabilities                                              93,399       118,008
                                          
Long-term debt                                                                  102,290       236,389
Deferred income taxes                                                             2,582         2,579
Other noncurrent liabilities                                                      1,425         1,423
                                          
Commitments and contingent liabilities
                                          
Minority interest in subsidiary                                                   4,718         1,028
                                          
Shareholder's equity (deficit):
     Common stock                                                                     1             1
     Capital in excess of par                                                    62,966         1,834
     Cumulative translation adjustment                                             (173)         (183)
     Retained earnings (deficit)  net of charges 
       from recapitalization of parent of
       $0 and $31,543 at March 31, 1997 and December 31, 
       1997, respectively                                                        17,356       (36,054)
                                                                               --------      --------
          Total shareholder's equity (deficit)                                   80,150       (34,402)
                                                                               --------      --------

     TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY (DEFICIT)                      $284,564      $325,025
                                                                               --------      --------
                                                                               --------      --------
</TABLE>

    See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
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                                     -4-

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PART I                                                                   ITEM 1
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                         LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS INC.
                CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
                                   UNAUDITED
                                (IN THOUSANDS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                                               DECEMBER 31,
                                                           --------------------
                                                             1996        1997
                                                           --------   ---------
<S>                                                        <C>        <C>
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)                                          $  3,594   $(21,863)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net 
  cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
     Depreciation and amortization                            8,866     10,688
     Stock option compensation expense                           99      8,300
     Deferred income taxes                                       --     (3,327)
     Extraordinary loss on the early extinguishment 
       of debt                                                   --      1,870
     Translation adjustment                                      --         10
     Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
       Accounts receivable                                     2,213    14,108
       Inventories                                           (11,441)  (38,185)
       Bank checks outstanding, less cash on deposit           1,996     1,606
       Accounts payable                                        9,991    15,281
       Customer allowances payable                             1,907     5,127
       Accrued compensation and benefits                        (918)      896
       Other accrued expenses                                 (1,787)    4,730
       Income taxes payable/receivable                         1,811    (4,267)
       Other                                                  (1,548)      289
                                                            --------   ---------
     Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities      14,783    (4,737)
                                                            --------   ---------
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to property, plant, and equipment, net              (2,781)   (8,195)
Increase in other noncurrent assets                           (1,317)   (3,906)
                                                             --------   ---------
     Net cash used in investing activities                    (4,098)   (12,101)
                                                             --------   ---------

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Net payments under former bank credit facility                (6,803)  (100,405)
Borrowings under new bank revolving credit facility              --      44,555
Borrowings under new bank term credit facility                   --      85,000
Payments under new bank term credit facility                     --        (425)
Capital contribution from parent                                 --       1,834
Repurchase of preferred stock                                    --      (3,599)
Increase in deferred financing charges                           --      (9,976)
Increase in other long-term debt                               1,136          --
Payments on other long-term debt                              (1,513)      (848)
                                                            --------   ---------
     Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities     (7,180)     16,136
                                                           --------   ---------
Effect of exchange rate changes                                  --          71
                                                           --------   ---------
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS          3,505        (631)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period              1,411       2,066
                                                           --------   ---------
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD                 $  4,916   $   1,435
                                                           --------   ---------
                                                           --------   ---------
</TABLE>
                                       
    See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
===============================================================================

                                      -5-
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PART I                                                                ITEM 1
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                            LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS INC.
                NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                     UNAUDITED


NOTE 1 -- Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the
three and nine months ended December 31, 1997 include the accounts of Leiner
Health Products Inc. (the "Company") and its subsidiaries, including Vita Health
Company (1985) Ltd. ("Vita Health") which was acquired January 30, 1997 in a
transaction accounted for as a purchase, and have been prepared by the Company
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim
financial information and in accordance with the rules of the Securities and
Exchange Commission ("SEC").  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 necessary for a fair presentation
of such financial statements have been included.  Such adjustments consisted
only of normal recurring items, except for adjustments recorded in connection
with the Recapitalization as discussed in Note 3.  This report should be read in
conjunction with the Company's audited consolidated financial statements and
notes thereto for the year ended March 31, 1997, which are included in the
Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4, on file with the SEC (Commission
file number 333-33121).  The results of operations for the periods indicated
should not be considered as indicative of operations for the full year.

NOTE 2 -- Inventories

Inventories consist of the following (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               March 31,    December 31,
                                                 1997           1997
                                              ----------    -----------
   <S>                                        <C>           <C>
   Raw materials, bulk vitamins 
     and packaging materials                  $  51,488     $  76,683
   Work-in-process                                5,849         8,380
   Finished products                             29,486        39,745
                                              ----------    -----------
                                              $  86,823     $ 124,808 
                                              ----------    -----------
                                              ----------    -----------
</TABLE>

NOTE 3 - The Recapitalization

On June 30, 1997, the Company's ultimate parent, Leiner Health Products Group 
Inc. ("Leiner Group") completed a leveraged recapitalization 
("Recapitalization").  This transaction was effected through receipt of an 
equity investment from North Castle Partners I, L.L.C. ("North Castle"), an 
investment fund formed by Mr. Charles F. Baird, Jr. to effect the 
Recapitalization.  Pursuant to the Recapitalization, Leiner Group repurchased 
common stock from its existing shareholders in an amount totaling (together 
with equity retained by such shareholders) $211.1 million, issued $80.4 
million of new shares of the recapitalized Leiner Group to North Castle, 
issued $85 million of Senior Subordinated Notes (the "Notes"), and 
established a $210 million senior secured credit facility (the "New Credit 
Facility") that provides for both term and revolving credit borrowings.  
Immediately upon consummation of the Recapitalization, the obligations of 
Leiner Group under the Notes and the New Credit Facility were assigned to and 
assumed by the Company.  The Recapitalization was accounted for as a 
recapitalization of Leiner Group which had no impact on the historical basis 
of assets and liabilities as reflected in the Company's consolidated 
financial statements.

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                                     -6-


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PART I                                                                ITEM 1
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                         LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS INC.
             NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                  UNAUDITED
                                 (CONTINUED)


In connection with the Recapitalization, the Company deducted $1.1 million of
deferred financing charges, net of income taxes of $0.8 million, from net income
(loss) as an extraordinary loss in the nine months ended December 31, 1997. 
Additionally, in connection with the Recapitalization, the Company incurred
expenses of approximately $33.1 million, consisting of expenses of approximately
$12.3 million related to Leiner Group's equity transactions, transaction bonuses
granted to certain management personnel in the aggregate amount of approximately
$5.2 million and compensation expense related to the in-the-money value of stock
options of approximately $15.6 million.  The compensation expense represented
the excess of the fair market value of the underlying common stock over the
exercise price of the options cancelled in connection with the Recapitalization.

The assumption of debt and the transfer of excess funds from Leiner Group
related to the Recapitalization consist of the following (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                             <C>               <C>
       Assumption of debt from Leiner Group:
          Senior Credit Facility                $  (149,736)
          Subordinated Debt                         (85,000)       $  (234,736)
                                                ------------
       Funds transferred from Leiner Group                             131,928
                                                                   -----------
            Recapitalization of Parent                             $  (102,808)
                                                                   -----------
                                                                   -----------
</TABLE>

The net amount above was first applied against capital in excess of par value
until that was exhausted and then against retained earnings.

NOTE 4 - Long-Term Debt

The New Credit Facility consists of two term loans ("Term Facility") due
December 30, 2004 and December 30, 2005 in the amounts of $45 million and $40
million, respectively, and a revolving credit facility in the amount of $125
million (the "Revolving Facility"), made available in U.S. dollars to the
Company (such portion, the "U.S. Revolving Facility") with a portion denominated
in Canadian dollars made available to Vita Health (such portion, the "Canadian
Revolving Facility").  The unpaid principal amount outstanding on the Revolving
Facility is due and payable on June 30, 2003.  The Term Facility requires
quarterly amortization payments of approximately 1% per annum over the next six
years.  Amortization payments scheduled during the period January 1, 1998
through December 31, 1998 total $0.85 million.  Borrowings under the New Credit
Facility bear interest at floating rates that are based on the lender's base
rate (8.5% at December 31, 1997), the lender's Canadian prime rate (6.0% at
December 31, 1997), LIBOR (5.9% at December 31, 1997) or the lender's banker's
acceptance rate (4.82% at December 31, 1997), as the case may be, plus an
"applicable margin" that is itself based on the Company's leverage ratio.  The
leverage ratio is defined generally as the ratio of total funded indebtedness to
the consolidated EBITDA and varies as follows: (a) for revolving credit
borrowings, from 0.75% to 2.5% for LIBOR - or banker's acceptance-based loans,
and from zero to 1.5% for alternate base rate- or Canadian prime rate-based
loans, and (b) for loans under the Term Facility, from 2.375% to 2.875% or 2.5%
to 3.0% for LIBOR-based loans and from 1.375% to 1.875% or 1.5% to 2.0% for
alternate base rate-based loans.  As of December 31, 1997, the Company's
interest rates were 8.03% for U.S. borrowings and 6.14% for Canadian borrowings
under the New Credit Facility.  In addition to certain agent and up-front fees,
the New Credit Facility requires a commitment fee of up to 0.5% of the average
daily unused portion of the revolving credit facility based on the Company's
leverage ratio.


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                                     -7-


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PART I                                                                ITEM 1
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                            LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS INC.
                NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                     UNAUDITED
                                    (CONTINUED)


On July 30, 1997, the Company entered into an interest protection arrangement 
covering $29.5 million of its borrowings under the New Credit Facility.  
Under this arrangement, the Company obtained a fixed interest rate of 6.17% 
for LIBOR instead of the fluctuating rate as described above and pays a fee 
of approximately $15.8 thousand per annum.  That fee is charged to interest 
expense as incurred and payments received as a result of the cap are accrued 
as a reduction of interest expense on the floating-rate under the New Credit 
Facility.  The agreement expires July 30, 2000. 

The obligations of the Company under the U.S. Revolving Facility and the Term 
Facilities are guaranteed by the direct parent of the Company, PLI Holdings 
Inc. ("PLI Holdings") and by any direct or indirect U.S. subsidiaries of the 
Company. The obligations of Vita Health under the Canadian Revolving Facility 
are guaranteed by the Company, PLI Holdings, the Company's direct or indirect 
U. S. subsidiaries, Vita Health and its direct or indirect subsidiaries.  The 
New Credit Facility also is secured by substantially all the assets of the 
Company and any of its direct or indirect U.S. subsidiaries, all of the 
capital stock of the Company and any such direct or indirect U.S. 
subsidiaries, and 65% of the capital stock of any direct non-U.S. 
subsidiaries of the Company and its U.S. subsidiaries.  The Canadian 
Revolving Facility is also secured by substantially all assets of Vita 
Health, its direct and indirect Canadian parents and any direct or indirect 
non-U.S. subsidiaries of the Company, and all of the capital stock of any 
such direct or indirect non-U.S. subsidiaries.  The New Credit Facility 
contains financial covenants that require, among other things, the Company to 
comply with certain financial ratios and tests, including those that relate 
to the maintenance of specified levels of cash flow and stockholder's equity. 
The Company was in compliance with all such financial covenants as of 
December 31, 1997.  As of February 6, 1998, the Company had $37.4 million 
available under its New Revolving Facility.

Principal payments on long-term debt as of December 31, 1997 through fiscal 
2002 and thereafter are (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
              <S>                                           <C>
              FISCAL YEAR
              1998             ...........................  $       627
              1999             ...........................        1,614
              2000             ...........................        2,402
              2001             ...........................        2,321
              2002             ...........................          861
              Thereafter       ...........................      230,581
                                                            -----------
              Total            ...........................  $  $238,406
                                                            -----------
                                                            -----------
</TABLE>

NOTE 5 - Related Party Transactions

Upon consummation of the Recapitalization, Leiner Group's management agreement
with AEA Investors Inc., one of the Company's shareholders, was terminated, and
Leiner Group and the Company entered into a consulting agreement with North
Castle Partners, L.L.C. (the "Sponsor"), an affiliate of North Castle, to
provide the Company with certain business, financial and managerial advisory
services.  Mr. Baird acts as the managing member of the Sponsor through Baird
Investment Group, L.L.C.  In exchange for such services, Leiner Group and the
Company have agreed to pay the Sponsor an annual fee of $1.5 million, payable
semi-annually in advance, plus the Sponsor's reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. 
This fee may be reduced upon completion of an initial public offering of Leiner
Group's shares.  The agreement also terminates on June 30, 2007, unless Baird
Investment Group ceases to be the managing member of North Castle, or upon the
earliest of June 30, 2007 or the date that North Castle terminates before that
date.  Leiner Group and the Company have also paid the Sponsor a transaction fee
of $3.5 million for services related to arranging, structuring and financing the
Recapitalization, and reimbursed the Sponsor's related out-of-pocket expenses.


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                                     -8-




<PAGE>

PART I                                                                ITEM 1
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                         LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS INC.
              NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                  UNAUDITED
                                 (CONTINUED)


NOTE 6 -- Contingent Liabilities

LITIGATION AND CLAIMS
- ---------------------

The Company has been named in numerous actions brought in federal or state 
courts seeking compensatory and, in some cases, punitive damages for alleged 
personal injuries resulting from the ingestion of certain products containing
L-Tryptophan.  As of January 29, 1998, the Company and/or certain of its 
customers, many of whom have tendered their defense to the Company, had been
named in 668 lawsuits of which 660 have been settled.

The Company has entered into an agreement (the "Agreement") with the
Company's supplier of bulk L-Tryptophan, under which the supplier has agreed
to assume the defense of all claims and to pay all settlements and judgments, 
other than for certain punitive damages, against the Company arising out of 
the ingestion of these L-Tryptophan products.  To date, the supplier has 
funded all settlements and paid all legal fees and expenses incurred by the 
Company related to these matters.  No punitive damages have been awarded in 
the 660 cases that have been settled.

Of the remaining 8 cases, management does not expect that the Company will be
required to make any material payments in connection with their resolution by
virtue of the Agreement, or, in the event that the supplier ceases to honor the
Agreement, by virtue of the Company's product liability insurance, subject to
deductibles with respect to the 8 currently pending claims not to exceed $1.3
million in the aggregate.  Accordingly, no provision has been made in the
Company's consolidated financial statements for any loss that may result from
these remaining actions.

The Company is subject to other legal proceedings and claims which arise in the
normal course of business. While the outcome of these proceedings and claims
cannot be predicted with certainty, management does not believe the outcome of
any of these matters will have a material adverse effect on the Company's
consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

OTHER
- -----

In August 1997, the FDA announced a proposal to ban the use of yellow
phenolphthalein in laxatives.  The FDA reportedly took this action in response
to certain studies which concluded that the administration of very high doses of
yellow phenolphthalein could cause cancer in laboratory animals.  The reports
concerning these studies state that the dosages administered substantially
exceeded the dosages commonly used by human beings.  In response, the Company
voluntarily discontinued production of its laxative product containing yellow
phenolphthalein and notified its customers that they may return this product. 
Accordingly, the Company has provided approximately $0.4 million for estimated
returns and inventory valuation reserves related to this action in the nine
months ended December 31, 1997.  The Company reformulated this product and
started shipping the reformulated version in November 1997.


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                                     -9-
<PAGE>

PART I                                                                  ITEM 2
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          MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION 
                         AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS 

OVERVIEW

The following discussion explains material changes in the consolidated 
results of operations for Leiner Health Products Inc. and its subsidiaries 
(the "Company") including Vita Health Company (1985) Ltd. of Canada ("Vita 
Health"), a wholly-owned subsidiary acquired January 30, 1997, for the three 
months ended December 31, 1997 ("third quarter of fiscal 1998") and the 
significant developments affecting its financial condition since March 31, 
1997.  The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the 
Company's audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the 
year ended March 31, 1997, which are included in the Company's Registration 
Statement on Form S-4 ("Registration Statement"), on file with the Securities 
Exchange Commission.

SEASONALITY

The Company's business is seasonal, as increased vitamin usage corresponds 
with the cough, cold and flu season.  A significant portion of the Company's 
sales and a more significant portion of the Company's operating income, 
therefore, occurs in the second half of the fiscal year as reflected in the 
table below (dollars in millions):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                     NET SALES         OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)
                                -------------------    -----------------------
                                AMOUNT    % OF YEAR      AMOUNT      % OF YEAR
                                ------    ---------    ----------    ---------
<S>                             <C>        <C>         <C>           <C>
Fiscal 1998
   First Quarter. . . . . . .   $  94.1       --       $ (28.2)(1)       --
   Second Quarter . . . . . .     112.2       --           5.3           --
   Third Quarter. . . . . . .     132.5       --          11.5           --

Fiscal 1997
   First Quarter. . . . . . .   $  70.6       18%      $   2.4            9%
   Second Quarter . . . . . .      85.6       22           1.1            4
   Third Quarter. . . . . . .     104.3       26           9.3           35
   Fourth Quarter . . . . . .     132.3       34          13.9           52
                                -------     -----      -----------     -----
                                $ 392.8      100%      $  26.7 (2)      100%
                                -------     -----      -----------     -----
</TABLE>

(1)  Includes expenses of $32.3 million which were incurred in connection 
     with the Recapitalization.  Without these expenses, operating income 
     would have been $4.1 million.

(2)  Includes expenses incurred in connection with the closure of the OTC liquid
     pharmaceuticals manufacturing facility, a management reorganization, 
     non-cash stock compensation expense and the preparation of a registration
     statement in connection with a withdrawn initial public offering.

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

                                     -10-
<PAGE>

PART I                                                                   ITEM 2
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

           MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
                   AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following table summarizes the Company's historical results of operations 
as a percentage of net sales for the three and nine months ended December 31, 
1996 and 1997.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        PERCENTAGE OF NET SALES
                                                --------------------------------------
                                                 THREE MONTHS ENDED  NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                                    DECEMBER 31,        DECEMBER 31,
                                                --------------------------------------
                                                  1996      1997      1996       1997
                                                -------   -------   -------    -------
<S>                                             <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>
Net sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  100.0%    100.0%    100.0%     100.0%
Cost of sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   72.5      72.1      74.8       74.0
                                                -------   -------   -------    -------
Gross profit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   27.5      27.9      25.2       26.0
Marketing, selling and distribution expenses. .   11.8      13.2      13.7       13.0
General and administrative expenses . . . . . .    4.8       5.1       5.4        6.0
Impairment and closure of OTC facility. . . . .    1.3        --       0.5         --
Management reorganization . . . . . . . . . . .    0.2        --       0.2         --
Expenses related to recapitalization of parent.     --       0.3        --        9.7
Amortization of goodwill. . . . . . . . . . . .    0.4       0.3       0.4        0.4
Other charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    0.1       0.4       0.1        0.3
                                                -------   -------   -------    -------
Operating income (loss) . . . . . . . . . . . .    8.9       8.6       4.9       (3.4)
Interest expense, net . . . . . . . . . . . . .    1.9       4.4       2.5        4.0
                                                -------   -------   -------    -------
Income (loss) before income taxes and 
 extraordinary item . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    7.0       4.2       2.4       (7.4)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes 
 before extraordinary item. . . . . . . . . . .    3.0       2.3       1.0       (1.2)
                                                -------   -------   -------    -------
Income (loss) before extraordinary item . . . .    4.0       1.9       1.4       (6.2)
Extraordinary item. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     --        --        --        0.3
                                                -------   -------   -------    -------
Net income (loss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    4.0%      1.9%      1.4%      (6.5)%
                                                -------   -------   -------    -------
                                                -------   -------   -------    -------
</TABLE>

Net sales for the third quarter of fiscal 1998 were $132.5 million, an 
increase of $28.2 million, or 27.1%, versus the third quarter of fiscal 1997. 
Sales from Vita Health, which was acquired in January 1997, accounted for 
$8.6 million of this increase.  Excluding Vita Health net sales, the 
Company's net sales increased $19.6 million, or 18.8%, over the comparable 
period in fiscal 1997. For the nine months ended December 31, 1997, net sales 
increased by $78.3 million, or 30.1%, compared to the comparable period in 
fiscal 1997.  Excluding Vita Health sales of $23.5 million, the Company's net 
sales increased $54.8 million or 21.0%.

The Company's sales growth was primarily attributable to volume growth in 
vitamins, which was due primarily to sales growth in the vitamin market. 
Excluding Vita Health sales, the Company's vitamin product sales increased by 
$21.5 million, or 25.1%, compared to the third quarter of the prior year. 
Management estimates that the overall U. S. vitamin market grew by over 31% 
in the 13 week period ended December 28, 1997.  Sales growth among the 
Company's products was strongest in herbs and supplements.  For the nine 
months ended December 31, 1997, the Company's vitamin sales, excluding Vita 
Health, were up $57.2 million, or 27.1%, compared to the comparable period in 
fiscal 1997 as the Company continues to emphasize higher growth products and 
to gain distribution in new channels.  Sales of over-the-counter 
pharmaceuticals ("OTCs"), excluding Vita Health, decreased by $2.4 million 
and $2.7 million for the third quarter and nine month period, respectively, 
of fiscal 1998 as compared to the same periods in fiscal 1997, which is 
consistent with very low sales growth in the OTC market generally. 

Gross profit margin was 27.9% for the third quarter of fiscal 1998, up 
slightly from 27.5% in the third quarter of the prior fiscal year.  Gross 
profit for the third quarter increased by $8.3 million, up 29.1% from $28.7 
million to $37.0 million in fiscal 1998.  Excluding Vita Health, the increase 
in gross profit during the third quarter of fiscal 1998 as compared to the 
third quarter of fiscal 1997 was $5.9 million, or 20.8%.  The increase in 
gross profit during the quarter is primarily attributable to the higher sales 
volumes.

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

                                      -11-

<PAGE>

PART I                                                                   ITEM 2
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

           MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
                   AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)

For the nine months ended December 31, 1997, gross profit increased by $22.4 
million, or 34.0%, compared to the same period in fiscal 1997.  Excluding 
Vita Health, gross profit for the nine months ended December 31, 1997 
increased $15.6 million, or 23.6%, versus the comparable period in fiscal 
1997.  This increase is primarily volume related.  Gross profit margin was 
26.0%, a 0.8 percentage point increase in the nine months ended December 31, 
1997, up from 25.2% in the comparable period in fiscal 1997.

Marketing, selling and distribution expenses together with general and 
administrative expenses (collectively, "Operating Expenses") for the third 
quarter of fiscal 1998 were 18.3% of net sales, a slightly higher percentage 
than the 16.6% in the prior year's comparable quarter.  Operating Expenses in 
the third quarter of fiscal 1998 increased by $7.0 million, or 40.5%, as 
compared to the third quarter in fiscal 1997.  Excluding Vita Health, 
Operating Expenses increased $5.2 million, or 30.3%.  For the nine months 
ended December 31, 1997, Operating Expenses were 19.0% of net sales versus 
19.1% in the prior year period, reflecting lower spending earlier in the 
year.  The third quarter increase in Operating Expenses was primarily 
attributed to increased sales and marketing expenses and the timing of senior 
management bonus accruals.  Because of the increased profitability of the 
Company (excluding expenses related to the Recapitalization), senior 
management bonuses were accrued in the first nine months of fiscal 1998 as 
compared with the prior year's bonuses, which were not accrued until the 
fourth quarter.

In the first nine months of fiscal 1998, the Company recorded expenses 
relating to the Recapitalization of $33.1 million, consisting primarily of 
compensation expenses related to the in-the-money value of stock options 
issued to certain management personnel of $15.6 million, management bonuses 
of $5.2 million, and expenses incurred by Leiner Group in connection with its 
capital raising activities of $12.3 million.

In the first nine months of fiscal 1997, the Company reorganized its 
management team.  Expenses of $0.6 million were incurred relating to 
severance for the previous Chief Financial Officer, Vice President of Product 
Development and Vice President of Corporate Development, and include hiring 
and relocation expenses for the current Chief Financial Officer and other 
corporate officers.

Other charges for the third quarter of fiscal 1998 were $0.4 million, which 
compares to $0.1 million for the third quarter of fiscal 1997.  The increase 
was due to the management fee increase of $0.3 million in the third quarter 
of fiscal 1998 arising primarily as a result of a consulting agreement 
entered into in connection with the Recapitalization.

In the third quarter, operating income was $11.5 million, a 23.2% increase 
over the prior year quarter.  Excluding Vita Health, operating income 
increased by $1.6 million, or 16.8%, over the prior year period, primarily 
due to the increase in sales and gross profit as compared to the third 
quarter of fiscal 1997.  For the nine months ended December 31, 1997, the 
Company recognized an operating loss of $11.5 million due to expenses 
incurred in connection with the Recapitalization of Leiner Group.  Without 
these Recapitalization expenses, operating income would have been $21.6 
million, an increase of $8.8 million, or 69.3%, over the comparable period in 
fiscal 1997.

Net interest expense increased by $3.9 million and $7.1 million during the 
third quarter and nine month period, respectively, of fiscal 1998, versus the 
comparable periods in fiscal 1997.  This increase was due to an increase in 
the indebtedness of the Company approximating $85.6 million for the quarter 
and $129.8 million for the nine months ended December 31, 1997, as well as 
changes in the Company's debt structure and interest rates arising as a result 
of the Recapitalization and taking effect at the end of the first quarter of 
fiscal 1998. 

The provision for income taxes for the third quarter of fiscal 1998 was $3.0 
million or $0.2 million less than the third quarter of fiscal 1997.  For the 
nine months ended December 31, 1997, the company recorded a benefit for 
income taxes of $4.2 million, which compares to an income tax provision of 
$2.8 million for the prior year period.  Based on the latest estimates, the 
Company expects its effective tax rate to be approximately 54% for the 
remainder of fiscal 1998, and to be higher than the combined federal and 
state rate of 40% primarily because of the nondeductibility for income tax 
purposes of goodwill amortization, certain Recapitalization related expenses 
and certain accruals. 

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

                                      -12-

<PAGE>

PART I                                                                   ITEM 2
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

           MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
                   AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)

The extraordinary loss recorded in the first nine months of fiscal 1998 
represented the write-off of $1.9 million of deferred financing charges which 
had been incurred by the Company when it entered into a credit facility on 
January 30, 1997.  The income tax effect of that charge was a benefit of $0.8 
million.

Primarily as a result of the factors discussed above, net income of $2.5 
million was recorded in the third quarter of fiscal 1998 as compared with net 
income of $4.1 million in the third quarter of fiscal 1997.  For the nine 
months ended December 31, 1997, there was a loss of $21.9 million compared to 
net income of $3.6 million in the first nine months of fiscal 1997. 

Other Information

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and other 
non-cash charges ("EBITDA") totaled $15.0 million for the third quarter of 
fiscal 1998, which was $1.6 million higher than the comparable period in 
fiscal 1997. Without the recapitalization related expenses that affected cash, 
EBITDA was $15.4 million for the third quarter of fiscal 1998, an increase of 
$2.0 million over the third quarter of fiscal 1997 EBITDA of $13.4 million. 
For the nine months ended December 31, 1997, EBITDA was $6.6 million. 
Without the recapitalization related expenses that affected cash, EBITDA was 
$31.4 million, or $8.5 million greater than the comparable period in fiscal 
1997. The Company believes that EBITDA provides useful information regarding 
the Company's debt service ability, but should not be considered in isolation 
or as a substitute for the Statements of Operations or Cash Flow data.


LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

The Company's cash has historically been used to fund capital expenditures, 
working capital requirements and debt service.  As a result of the 
Recapitalization, the Company's liquidity requirements have significantly 
increased, primarily due to significantly increased interest expense 
obligations.  Interest expense, excluding amortization of deferred financing 
fees, is estimated to be $21.8 million per year, associated with borrowings 
of $159.8 million under the New Credit Facility, $85.0 million under the 
Notes, and existing capitalized lease obligations of $4.8 million.  In 
addition, the Company will be required to repay the $85.0 million in term 
loans under the New Credit Facility over the eight and one-half year period 
following June 30, 1997, with scheduled principal payments of $850,000 
annually for the first six years, $27.4 million in the seventh year, $39.3 
million in the eighth year, and $13.2 million in the final six months.  The 
Company will also be required to apply certain asset sale proceeds, as well 
as 50% of its excess cash flow (as defined in the New Credit Facility) unless 
a leverage ratio test is met, to prepay the borrowings under the New Credit 
Facility.  All outstanding revolving credit borrowings under the New Credit 
Facility will become due on June 30, 2003. 

During the first nine months of fiscal 1998, net cash used in operating 
activities totaled $4.7 million.  This resulted primarily from the net loss 
of $21.9 million for the first nine months offset by non-cash charges of 
$17.5 million.  The net change in operating assets and liabilities was not 
significant.  An increase in inventories of $38.2 million was offset by a 
decrease in accounts receivable of $14.1 million and an increase in accounts 
payable and other liabilities aggregating $23.8 million.  These changes 
reflect the seasonality of the Company's business and the strategic decision 
to increase inventories in order to take advantage of certain opportunities 
to increase market share.

Net cash used in investing activities was $12.1 million in the first nine 
months of fiscal 1998.  This was primarily due to net capital expenditures of 
$8.2 million, including $3.8 million in the third quarter.  The major capital 
expenditures were related to investments in capacity expansion at the Garden 
Grove tableting facility and information systems improvements.

Net cash provided by financing activities was $16.1 million in the first nine 
months of fiscal 1998.  This was primarily the result of the 
Recapitalization. In addition, Leiner Group made a capital contribution of 
approximately $1.8 million to the Company in December 1997; this amount 
represents the net proceeds of an employee stock offering by Leiner Group.

FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS

The New Credit Facility provides for term loan borrowings in an aggregate 
principal amount of $85.0 million, consisting of $45.0 million maturing seven 
and one-half years following June 30, 1997 and $40.0 million maturing eight 
and one-half years following June 30, 1997, and U.S. and Canadian revolving 
credit facilities with aggregate availability of $125.0 million, of which 
$74.8 million was drawn down in connection with the Recapitalization. As of 
February 6, 1998, the Company's unused availability under the New Credit 
Facility was approximately $37.4 million.  The Revolving Credit Facility will 
mature six years after June 30, 1997, and includes letter of credit and 
swingline facilities.  Borrowings under the New Credit Facility bear interest 
at floating rates that are based on LIBOR or on the applicable alternate base 
rate (as defined), and accordingly, the Company's financial condition and 
performance is and will continue to be affected by changes in interest rates. 
 The Company has entered into an interest protection arrangement effective 
July 30, 1997 with respect to $29.4 million of its indebtedness under the New 
Credit Facility that provides a cap of 6.17% for LIBOR.  The New Credit 
Facility imposes certain restrictions 

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

                                     -13-

<PAGE>

PART I                                                                   ITEM 2
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

           MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
                   AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)

on the Company, including restrictions on its ability to incur additional 
debt, enter into sale-leaseback transactions, incur contingent liabilities, 
pay dividends or make distributions, incur or grant liens, sell or otherwise 
dispose of assets, make investments or capital expenditures, repurchase or 
prepay the Notes or other subordinated debt, or engage in certain other 
activities.  The Company must also comply with certain financial ratios and 
tests, including a minimum net worth requirement, a maximum leverage ratio, a 
minimum interest coverage ratio and a fixed charge coverage ratio.

On November 12, 1997, the Company's registration statement on Form S-4 was
declared effective in connection with the Company's offer to exchange (the
"Exchange Offer") up to $85,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its  9 5/8%
Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007 registered under the Securities Act of 1933
(the "New Notes") for a like principal amount of the Notes.  The Exchange Offer
was consummated on December 16, 1997, when all of the Notes were exchanged for a
like principal amount of New Notes.  The Company may be required to purchase the
New Notes upon a Change of Control (as defined) and in certain circumstances
with the proceeds of asset sales.  The Notes are subordinated to the
indebtedness under the New Credit Facility.  The Indenture imposes certain
restrictions on the Company and its subsidiaries, including restrictions on its
ability to incur additional debt, make dividends, distributions or investments,
sell or otherwise dispose of assets, or engage in certain other activities.

A portion of the outstanding borrowings under the New Credit Facility, amounting
to approximately U.S. $13.6 million as of December 31, 1997, is denominated in
Canadian dollars.  All other outstanding borrowings under the New Credit
Facility, and all of the borrowings under the Notes, are denominated in U.S.
dollars.

At December 31, 1997, borrowings under the New Credit Facility bore interest at
a weighted average rate of 7.85% per annum.  The Notes bear interest at a rate
of  9.625% per annum.

The Company intends to establish a new packaging and distribution facility in
York County, South Carolina.  As this new facility becomes operational, other
facilities located in the midwestern United States may be closed.  The Company
expects to incur expenses estimated at approximately $1.9 million annually
through fiscal year 1999 in connection with the establishment of the new
facility and the closure of the midwestern U.S. facilities.  The Company will
lease this new facility under a prearranged, assigned purchase and leaseback
facility that will provide the financing for its construction, at an estimated
incremental annual lease expense, net of lease costs for the facilities
currently expected to be closed, of $1.4 million.
 
The Company currently believes that cash flow from operating activities,
together with revolving credit borrowings available under the New Credit
Facility, will be sufficient to fund the Company's currently anticipated working
capital, capital spending and debt service requirements until the maturity of
the Revolving Credit Facility (June 30, 2003), but there can be no assurance in
this regard.  The Company expects that its working capital needs will require it
to obtain new revolving credit facilities at the time that the Revolving Credit
Facility matures, whether by extending, renewing, replacing or otherwise
refinancing the Revolving Credit Facility.  No assurance can be given that any
such extension, renewal, replacement or refinancing can be successfully
accomplished.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND ASSOCIATED RISKS

Certain of the statements contained in this report (other than the financial 
statements and other statements of historical fact) are forward-looking 
statements, including statements regarding, without limitation, (i) the 
Company's growth strategies; (ii) trends in the Company's business; and (iii) 
the Company's future liquidity requirements and capital resources.

Forward-looking statements are made based upon management's current 
expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential 
effects upon the Company.  There can be no assurance that future developments 
will be in accordance with management's expectations or that the effect of 
future developments on the Company will be those anticipated by management.  
The important factors described elsewhere in this report and in the Company's 
Registration Statement on Form S-4 (including, without limitation, those 
factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section thereof), on file with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission, could affect (and in some cases 

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

                                      -14-
<PAGE>

PART I                                                                   ITEM 2
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

           MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
                   AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)

have affected) the Company's actual results and could cause such results to 
differ materially from estimates or expectations reflected in such 
forward-looking statements.  In light of these factors, there can be no 
assurance that events anticipated by the forward-looking statements contained 
in this report will in fact transpire.

While the Company periodically reassesses material trends and uncertainties 
affecting the Company's results of operations and financial condition in 
connection with its preparation of management's discussion and analysis of 
results of operations and financial condition contained in its periodic 
reports, the Company does not intend to review or revise any particular 
forward-looking statement referenced in this report in light of future events.




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

                                     -15-

<PAGE>

PART II                                                        OTHER INFORMATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ITEM 1.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

The information in Note 6 to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial 
Statements included herein is hereby incorporated by reference.

ITEM 2.  CHANGES IN SECURITIES

         Not applicable.

ITEM 3.  DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

         Not applicable.

ITEM 4.  SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
          
         Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  OTHER INFORMATION
         
         None.

ITEM 6.  EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

     Exhibits:

         10.1  Stockholders Agreement, dated as of June 30, 1997, among 
               Leiner Health Products Group Inc., North Castle Partners I, 
               L.L.C., AEA Investors Inc., and each other person who is or, 
               becomes a party thereto.

         10.2  Stock Purchase Plan of Leiner Health Products Group Inc. as 
               adopted by the Board of Directors of Leiner Health Products 
               Group Inc. on November 17, 1997.

     Reports on Form 8-K:

         None.

                                 SIGNATURE

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 thereunto duly authorized.

                                        LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS INC.

                                        By:  /s/ WILLIAM B. TOWNE 
                                            --------------------------------
                                             William B. Towne
                                             Executive Vice President, Chief
                                             Financial Officer, Director,
                                             Treasurer and Secretary

Date:    February 12, 1998




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

                                      -16-


<PAGE>


                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.1
================================================================================







                          LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS GROUP INC.




                                STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT














                              Dated as of June 30, 1997





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


<PAGE>


                                  TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                           PAGE
                                                                           ----
 1.  Board of Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
      (a)  Nominating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
      (b)  Removal and Replacement of Nominees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
      (c)  Chairman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
 2.  Voting, etc.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
      (a) Stockholder Approval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
      (b)  Charter and Bylaws. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
      (c)  Board Approval; Notice of Board Meetings. . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
      (d)  Confidentiality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
 3.  Restrictions on Disposition; Right of First
     Refusal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
      (a)  Restrictions on Disposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
      (b)  Subsequent Dispositions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
      (c)  Right of First Refusal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
 4.  Tag-Along Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
 5.  Take-Along Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
      (a)  Take-Along Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
      (b)  Conditions to Take-Along  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
      (c)  Remedies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
 6.  Piggyback Registration Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
 7.  Registration Upon Request . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
 8.  Registration Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
 9.  Indemnification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
10.  Affiliate Transactions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
11.  Management Stockholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
      (a)  Call Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
      (b)  Termination of Call Option. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
      (c)  Put Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
      (d)  Termination of Put Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29


                                       i


<PAGE>


                                                                           PAGE
                                                                           ----

12.  Severability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

13.  Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

14.  Certain Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

15.  Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

16.  Term. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

17.  Headings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

18.  Entire Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

19.  Counterparts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

20.  Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

21.  Binding Effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

22.  Assignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

23.  No Third Party Beneficiaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

24.  Amendment; Waivers, Etc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

25.  Consent to Jurisdiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

26.  Waiver of Jury Trial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

27.  AEA Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39



                                       ii


<PAGE>


                                STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT


          STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT, dated as of June 30, 1997, among Leiner 
Health Products Group Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), North 
Castle Partners I, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company ("NORTH 
CASTLE"), AEA Investors Inc., a Delaware corporation ("AEA"), and each other 
person who is or, becomes party to this Agreement (collectively, with North 
Castle, AEA and the Covered Shareholders (as defined below), the 
"STOCKHOLDERS").  Capitalized terms used herein without otherwise being 
defined herein are defined in Section 14.

                                 W I T N E S S E T H:

          WHEREAS, North Castle, AEA and each other Stockholder hold shares 
of Common Stock;

          WHEREAS, the parties hereto wish to set forth certain rights and 
obligations that shall attach to the ownership of Common Stock and other 
Covered Equity held by certain of the Stockholders;

          WHEREAS, AEA has entered into Covered Shareholder Agreements with 
holders (the "COVERED SHAREHOLDERS") of 516,861 shares of Class A Common 
Stock, 10,000 shares of Class B Common Stock and 140,731 shares of Class C 
Common Stock, which upon consummation of the merger (the "MERGER") described 
in the Merger Agreement (as defined below) will be converted into shares of 
Common Stock, pursuant to which AEA has been appointed representative of such 
shareholders for purposes of this Agreement; and

          WHEREAS, it is a condition to the consummation of the Stock 
Purchase Agreement and Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 31, 1997 
(the "MERGER AGREEMENT"), between the Company, North Castle and LHP 
Acquisition Corp. that the parties enter into this Agreement.

          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements contained 
herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:


                                       

<PAGE>

          1. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

          (a) NOMINATING.  Until such time as AEA and the Covered 
Shareholders have sold or transferred (other than through sales or transfers 
to AEA or Covered Shareholders) in excess of 50% of the Common Stock held by 
AEA and the Covered Shareholders upon the consummation of the Merger, AEA 
shall be entitled to nominate one person for election to the board of 
directors (the "BOARD") of the Company.  So long as it owns at least 40% of 
the Common Stock, North Castle shall be entitled to nominate all other 
persons for election to the Board, which shall not exceed ten persons in the 
aggregate for so long as AEA is entitled to nominate one individual for 
election to the Board pursuant to this Section 1(a). If it owns less than 40% 
of the Common Stock, North Castle shall be entitled to nominate a number of 
directors bearing the same relationship to the total number of directors on 
the Board as the number of shares of Common Stock then held by North Castle 
bears to the then outstanding shares of Common Stock.  The Company and each 
of the other parties hereto agrees to take all steps within their power, 
including voting any voting Common Stock owned or controlled by them or any 
of their Affiliates, to cause any person so nominated to be elected to the 
Board by action of the Stockholders of the Company.

          (b) REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF NOMINEES. (i)  At any time at which 
any party shall have exercised its rights to nominate a director pursuant to 
Section 1(a) and such party shall determine to remove one or more of its 
nominated directors, with or without cause, the Company and each of the 
Stockholders agrees to take all steps within their power, including voting 
(or causing ro be voted) any voting Common Stock owned or controlled by them 
or any of their Affiliates, to cause such director to be so removed from the 
Board by action of the stockholders of the Company.  At any time at which any 
party shall have exercised its rights to nominate a director pursuant to 
Section 1(a) and a vacancy shall be created on any of the Board as a result 
of the death, disability, retirement, resignation or removal, with or without 
cause, of a director nominated by such party, (x) the Board will request such 
party to nominate a candidate to be appointed by the Board to fill such 
vacancy or (y) in the event that a candidate to fill such vacancy is to be 
elected at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Com-


                                       2


<PAGE>


pany, such party shall have the right to nominate the individual to fill such 
vacancy, and the provisions of paragraph 1(a) above shall apply with respect 
to the nomination and election of such nominee to fill such vacancy.

          (ii) Each of the parties hereto further agrees (x) if a candidate 
nominated by any party or parties to fill any vacancy on the Board in 
accordance with paragraph (b)(i) above shall not have been appointed to fill 
such vacancy within ten Business Days of the Board having been given the name 
of such candidate by the nominating party or parties, then each of the 
parties hereto (other than the Company) shall act by written consent, or call 
a special meeting of stockholders of the Company for the sole purpose of 
filling such vacancy, and in such written consent or at such special meeting, 
vote or cause to be voted the voting Common Stock of the Company held or 
controlled by such party or any Affiliate of such party in favor of the 
candidate nominated to fill such vacancy, (y) other than as provided in 
Section 1(b)(i), no party hereto shall vote, or give any consent, in favor of 
the removal as a director of the Company of any candidate nominated by any 
other party, and (z) if, in connection with the election of any candidate 
nominated by another party in accordance herewith for election as a director 
of the Company any party hereto fails or refuses to vote as required by this 
Section 1, or votes or gives any consent or proxy in contravention of this 
Section 1, the respective nominating party shall have an irrevocable proxy 
(which irrevocable proxy shall revoke any proxy previously given by the 
defaulting party in contravention of this Section 1) pursuant to Section 
212(e) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, coupled with 
an interest, to vote, all the voting Common Stock of the Company held or 
controlled by such party in accordance with this Section 1, and each party 
hereto hereby grants such proxy.

          (c) CHAIRMAN.  The Chairman of the Board shall be selected by 
directors from one of North Castle's nominees.

          2. VOTING, ETC. (a) STOCKHOLDER APPROVAL.  Neither the Certificate 
of Incorporation nor the By-Laws of the Company shall contain any provision 
requiring a vote of a supermajority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock 
for any matter, except as required by law.


                                       3


<PAGE>


          (b) CHARTER AND BYLAWS.  The parties agree that the provisions of 
the Company's certificate of incorporation and bylaws will not (i) conflict 
with the terms of this Agreement or (ii) be amended in a manner adversely 
effecting any Stockholder which does not adversely affect all Shareholders 
without such Stockholder's consent.

          (c) BOARD APPROVAL; NOTICE OF BOARD MEETINGS.  All actions 
requiring the approval of the Board shall be approved by a majority of the 
directors present at any duly convened Board meeting or without a meeting by 
written consent of a majority of the members of the Board, in each case in 
accordance with the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law.  The 
Company agrees to give any director nominated by AEA no less than three 
Business Days' prior notice of any meeting of the Board or, in the case of a 
telephonic Board meeting, two Business Days' prior notice.

          (d) CONFIDENTIALITY.  Each of the Stockholders agrees to keep 
confidential and not to disclose to any Person any Information provided to it 
by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or obtained by the 
Stockholder; PROVIDED that nothing contained herein shall prevent any 
Stockholder from disclosing such Information to (i) any of the other 
Stockholders, (ii) any of its Representatives, PROVIDED that such Stockholder 
(w) informs each of its Representatives receiving any such Information of its 
confidential nature and of this provision and its terms, (x) uses its 
reasonable best efforts to cause its Representatives to treat such 
Information confidentially in accordance herewith, and otherwise to comply 
herewith as if parties hereto, and (iii) any member of the Board.  If any 
Stockholder or any of its Representatives is requested to disclose any such 
Information by any Governmental Entity, such Stockholder will promptly notify 
the Company to permit it to seek a protective order or take other action that 
the Company in its discretion deems appropriate, and such Stockholder will 
cooperate in any such efforts to obtain a protective order or other 
reasonable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded such 
Information.  If, in the absence of a protective order, such Stockholder or 
any of its Representatives is compelled as a matter of law to disclose any 
such Information in any proceeding or pursuant to legal process, such 
Stockholder may disclose to the party compelling disclosure only the part of 
such 

                                       4


<PAGE>


Information as is required by law to be disclosed (in which case, prior to 
such disclosure, such Stockholder will advise and consult with the Company 
and its counsel as to such disclosure and the nature and wording of such 
disclosure) and such Stockholder will use its reasonable best efforts to 
obtain confidential treatment therefor.

          3. RESTRICTIONS ON DISPOSITION; RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.

          (a)  RESTRICTIONS ON DISPOSITION.  Prior to a Public Offering, no 
Stockholder may sell, transfer, pledge, encumber or otherwise dispose of any 
Covered Equity to any Person (other than the Company) except, at any time 
after the earlier of (A) the consummation of the Exchange Offer and (B) the 
date 180 days after consummation date of the Merger, as follows (a "PERMITTED 
TRANSFER"):

          (i) to any Specified Affiliate of such Stockholder, PROVIDED that such
     Specified Affiliate agrees in writing to become a party to this Agreement
     and PROVIDED FURTHER that such Specified Affiliate delivers to the Company
     (x) an opinion of counsel, which opinion and counsel shall be reasonably
     satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that the transfer is not a
     Prohibited Transfer, and (y) a certificate of the transferor and the
     transferee, to the effect that the transferee is a Specified Affiliate of
     the transferor;

          (ii) to any other Stockholder, PROVIDED that such transferee
     Stockholder delivers an opinion of counsel to the Company, which opinion
     and counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect
     that the transfer is not a Prohibited Transfer;

          (iii) any transfer of Common Stock in a public offering if such
     stock has been registered pursuant to Section 6 or 7;

          (iv) any transfer of Common Stock pursuant to Sections 4 and 5; and

          (v) following the first anniversary of the date hereof, any transfer
     of Common Stock to a person who is not a Stockholder or a Specified
     Affiliate of the


                                       5


<PAGE>


     transferor, subject to compliance with the right of first refusal provided
     in Section 3(c), PROVIDED that the transferee (x) agrees in writing to 
     become a party to this Agreement and (y) delivers an opinion of counsel to
     the Company, which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the 
     Company, to the effect that the transfer is not a Prohibited Transfer;

Each Stockholder shall give the Company at least 15 days prior notice of any 
proposed disposition of any Covered Equity pursuant to a Permitted Transfer 
described in this Section 3(a), and prompt notice of any such actual 
disposition.  Any sale, transfer, pledge, encumbrance or other disposition of 
any Covered Equity other than pursuant to a Permitted Transfer shall be void 
and of no effect.  The Company agrees to provide such certificates with 
respect to factual matters involving the Company as may be reasonably 
requested by a Stockholder or its counsel in connection with a proposed 
Permitted Transfer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Management Stockholder 
may effect any Permitted Transfer (except of the type described in clauses 
(i), (iii) and (iv) of this Section 3.1(a)) until the earlier to occur of (x) 
the fifth anniversary of this Agreement and (y) the termination of such 
Management Stockholder's employment with the Company.

          (b) SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITIONS.  Following any Public Offering, any 
Stockholder may transfer Common Stock to any Person, PROVIDED that, except 
with respect to a transfer of the type described in Sections 3(a)(iii) and 
(iv), the transferee must deliver to the Company an opinion of counsel, which 
opinion and counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the 
effect that such transfer is not required to be registered under the 
Securities Act.

          (c) RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.  If a Stockholder other than North 
Castle (a "SELLING HOLDER") desires to make a Permitted Transfer pursuant to 
clause (v) of Section 3(a) following an offer (which offer must be in 
writing, be irrevocable by its terms for at least 15 Business Days and be a 
bona fide offer) from any prospective purchaser to purchase all or any part 
of the Common Stock owned by such Selling Holder, such Selling Holder shall 
give notice (the "NOTICE OF OFFER") in writing to the Board and to North


                                       6


<PAGE>


Castle (i) designating the number of shares of Common Stock that such Selling 
Holder proposes to sell (the "OFFERED SHARES"), (ii) naming the prospective 
purchaser thereof (the "DESIGNATED PURCHASER") and (iii) specifying the price 
(the "OFFER PRICE") and terms (the "OFFER TERMS") upon which such Selling 
Holder desires to sell the same.  During the 15 Business Day period following 
receipt of such notice by the Company and North Castle (the "REFUSAL PERIOD") 
such Selling Holder shall not be permitted to accept such offer, but may 
submit a new Notice of Offer in respect of any revised offer in accordance 
with and subject to this Section 3(c). During the Refusal Period, North 
Castle or any Affiliate of North Castle, including any pooled investment 
vehicle organized by the managing member of North Castle or by any of its 
Affiliates shall have the right to purchase from the Selling Holder at the 
Offer Price and on the Offer Terms all, but not less than all, of the Offered 
Shares.  The right provided hereunder shall be exercised by written notice to 
the Selling Holder and the Company given at any time during the Refusal 
Period.  If such right is exercised, North Castle or its Affiliate shall 
deliver to the Selling Holder payment of the Offer Price in accordance with 
the Offer Terms, against delivery of appropriately endorsed certificates or 
other instruments representing the Offered Shares.  If North Castle fails to 
subscribe for the Offered Shares during the Refusal Period, the Selling 
Holder may sell to the Designated Purchaser the Offered Shares at the Offer 
Price and on the Offer Terms.

          4. TAG-ALONG RIGHTS. If any of North Castle or its Affiliates or 
successors desires to make a Permitted Transfer pursuant to clauses (ii) and 
(v) of Section 3(a), which transfer, together with all prior transfers by 
North Castle or its Affiliates or successors involves more than 5% of the 
Common Stock owned by North Castle on the date hereof, following an offer 
(which offer must be in writing, be irrevocable by its terms for at least 35 
Business Days and be a bona fide offer) from any prospective purchaser to 
purchase all or any part of the Common Stock owned by North Castle, North 
Castle shall give a Notice of Offer in writing to the Board and the other 
Stockholders (i) designating the number of Offered Shares, (ii) naming the 
Designated Purchaser and (iii) specifying the Offer Price and Offer Terms.  
During the 20 Business Day period following receipt of such notice by the 
Company and the other Stockholders,


                                       7


<PAGE>


the other Stockholders shall have the right (a "TAG-ALONG RIGHT") exercised 
by delivery of a written notice to North Castle and the Company, to 
participate in such sale to the Designated Purchaser at the Offer Price and 
on the Offer Terms on a PRO RATA basis determined as the quotient determined 
by dividing (A) the percentage of Common Stock held by each Stockholder so 
electing to sell (each such Person, an "ACCEPTING STOCKHOLDER") by (B) the 
aggregate percentage of Common Stock represented by the Common Stock then 
held by all of the Accepting Stockholders and North Castle.  The Company 
shall notify each Accepting Stockholder at least ten Business Days prior to 
the closing of the proposed sale by North Castle of the number of Offered 
Shares which each such Accepting Stockholder may sell and such Accepting 
Stockholder shall deliver into trust, three or more Business Days prior to 
the closing certificates or other instruments representing the Offered Shares 
duly endorsed for transfer or duly executed stock powers for release against 
payment to such Accepting Stockholder of such Accepting Stockholder's net 
proceeds paid for the shares of such Stockholder at the closing of such sale.

          5. TAKE-ALONG RIGHTS.

          (a) TAKE-ALONG NOTICE.  If North Castle intends to effect a sale (a 
"TAKE-ALONG SALE") of all of its shares of Common Stock to a non-Affiliate 
third party (a "100% BUYER") prior to a Public Offering and elects to 
exercise its rights under this Section 5, North Castle shall deliver written 
notice (a "TAKE-ALONG NOTICE") to the Company and the other Stockholders, 
which notice shall (i) state (w) that North Castle wishes to exercise its 
rights under this Section 5 with respect to such transfer, (x) the name and 
address of the 100% Buyer, (y) the per share amount and form of consideration 
North Castle proposes to receive for its shares of Common Stock and (z) 
drafts of purchase and sale documentation setting forth the terms and 
conditions of payment of such consideration and all other material terms and 
conditions of such transfer (the "DRAFT SALE AGREEMENT"), (ii) contain an 
offer (the "TAKE-ALONG OFFER") by the 100% Buyer to purchase from the other 
Stockholders all of their shares of Common Stock, on and subject to the same 
price, terms and conditions offered to North Castle and (iii) state the 
anticipated time and place of the closing of such transfer (a "SECTION 5 
CLOSING"), which (subject to


                                       8


<PAGE>


such terms and conditions) shall occur not fewer than 15 days nor more than 
90 days after the date such Take-Along Notice is delivered, PROVIDED that if 
such Section 5 Closing shall not occur prior to the expiration of such 90-day 
period, North Castle shall be entitled to deliver another Take-Along Notice 
with respect to such Take-Along Offer.  Upon request of North Castle, the 
Company shall provide North Castle with a current list of the names and 
addresses of the other Stockholders.

          (b) CONDITIONS TO TAKE-ALONG.  Upon delivery of a Take-Along 
Notice, each of the other Stockholders shall have the obligation to transfer 
all of its shares of Common Stock  pursuant to the Take-Along Offer, as such 
offer may be modified from time to time, PROVIDED that North Castle transfers 
all of its shares of Common Stock to the 100% Buyer at the Section 5 Closing 
and that all shares of Common Stock held by North Castle and the other 
Stockholders are sold to the 100% Buyer at the same price, and on the same 
terms and conditions PROVIDED FURTHER that a Stockholder shall only be 
required to make, in connection with a Take-Along Sale, representations and 
warranties that survive the closing of such Sale with respect to its 
authority, its title to its Common Stock, certain conflicts, approvals and 
litigation relating to it, and shall not be required to make any 
representations or warranties with respect to the Company or its business 
that survive that Closing of such Sale or with respect to any other 
Stockholder.  Within five Business Days prior to the closing contemplated by 
the Take-Along Notice, each of the other Stockholders shall (i) deliver to 
North Castle certificates representing such other Stockholder's shares of 
Common Stock, duly endorsed for transfer or accompanied by duly executed 
stock powers, and (ii) execute and deliver to North Castle a power of 
attorney and a letter of transmittal and custody agreement in favor of North 
Castle, and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to North Castle 
appointing North Castle as the true and lawful attorney-in-fact and custodian 
for such other Stockholder, with full power of substitution, and authorizing 
North Castle to execute and deliver a purchase and sale agreement 
substantially in the form of the Draft Sale Agreement and otherwise in 
accordance with the terms of this Section 5(b) and to take such actions as 
North Castle may reasonably deem necessary or appropriate to effect the sale 
and transfer of the shares of Common Stock


                                       9


<PAGE>


to the 100% Buyer, upon receipt of the purchase price therefor set forth in 
the Take-Along Notice at the Section 5 Closing, free and clear of all 
security interests, liens, claims, encumbrances, options, and voting 
agreements of whatever nature, together with all other documents delivered 
with such Notice and required to be executed in connection with the sale 
thereof pursuant to the Take-Along Offer.  North Castle shall hold such 
shares and other documents in trust for such other Stockholder for release 
against payment to such Stockholder of such Stockholder's net proceeds in 
accordance with the contemplated transaction.  If, within 15 days after 
delivery to North Castle, North Castle has not completed the sale of all of 
the shares of Common Stock owned by North Castle and the other Stockholders 
to the 100% Buyer and another Take-Along Notice with respect to such 
Take-Along Offer has not been sent to the other Stockholders, North Castle 
shall return to each other Stockholder all certificates representing the 
shares and all other documents that such other Stockholder delivered in 
connection with such sale.  North Castle shall be permitted to send only two 
Take-Along Notices with respect to any one Take-Along Offer.  Promptly after 
the Section 5 Closing, North Castle shall furnish such other evidence of the 
completion and time of completion of such sale and the terms thereof as may 
reasonably be requested by any of the other Stockholders.

          (c) REMEDIES.  Each of the Other Stockholders acknowledges that 
North Castle would be irreparably damaged in the event of a breach or a 
threatened breach by such other Stockholder of any of its obligations under 
this Section 5 and each of the other Stockholders agrees that, in the event 
of a breach or a threatened breach by such other Stockholder of any such 
obligation, North Castle shall, in addition to any other rights and remedies 
available to it in respect of such breach, be entitled to an injunction from 
a court of competent jurisdiction (without any requirement to post bond) 
granting it specific performance by such other Stockholder of its obligations 
under this Section 5. In the event that North Castle shall file suit to 
enforce the covenants contained in this Section 5 (or obtain any other remedy 
in respect of any breach thereof), the prevailing party in the suit shall be 
entitled to recover, in addition to all other damages to which it may be 
entitled, the costs


                                       10


<PAGE>


incurred by such party in conducting the suit, including reasonable 
attorney's fees and expenses. 

          6. PIGGYBACK REGISTRATION RIGHTS.  (a) If the Company at any time 
proposes to register any shares of Common Stock under the Securities Act of 
1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT"), whether or not for sale for its own 
account (other than pursuant to a Special Registration and the registration 
form to be used may also be used for the registration of Registrable 
Securities (as defined below) owned by the Stockholders, the Company shall 
notify the Stockholders at least 45 days prior to the filing of the first 
registration statement in connection therewith.  Upon the receipt of a 
written request of any Stockholder made within 20 days after such notice 
(which request shall specify the Registrable Securities intended to be 
disposed of by such Stockholder and the intended method of disposition 
thereof), the Company will, subject to the other provisions of this Section 
8, include in such registration all Registrable Securities with respect to 
which the Company has received a written request for inclusion (a "PIGGYBACK 
REGISTRATION").  Each such request shall also contain an undertaking from the 
applicable Stockholder to provide all such information and material and to 
take all actions as may be reasonably required by the Company in order to 
permit the Company to comply with all applicable federal and state securities 
laws.

          "REGISTRABLE SECURITIES" shall mean any shares of Common Stock held 
by a Stockholder other than those not acquired from the Company, an Affiliate 
thereof or another Stockholder.  As to any particular Registrable Securities 
once issued, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when 
(i) a registration statement with respect to the sale of such securities 
shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities 
shall have been disposed of in accordance with such registration statement, 
(ii) they shall have been distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144, or 
(iii) they shall have ceased to be outstanding.

          (b) Each selling Stockholder shall pay all sales commissions or 
other similar selling charges with respect to Registrable Securities sold by 
such Stockholder pursuant to a Piggyback Registration.  The Company shall pay 
all regi-


                                       11


<PAGE>


stration and filing fees, fees and expenses of compliance with 
federal and state securities laws, printing expenses, messenger and delivery 
expenses, fees and disbursements of counsel and accountants for the Company, 
and reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for all selling 
stockholders who shall be selected, if the Piggyback Registration is also a 
Demand Registration, as provided in Section 7(b)(i), unless the applicable 
state securities laws require that stockholders whose securities are being 
registered pay their pro rata share of such fees, expenses and disbursements, 
in which case each Stockholder participating in the registration shall pay 
its PRO RATA share of all such fees, expenses and disbursements based on its 
PRO RATA share of the total number of shares being registered.

          (c) If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten registration, 
only Registrable Securities which are to be distributed by the underwriters 
may be included in the registration.  If the managing underwriters or, if the 
Piggyback Registration is not an underwritten registration, the Company's 
investment bankers, advise the Company in writing that in their opinion the 
number of securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds 
the number which can be sold in such offering or will have a material adverse 
effect on the price of the Registrable Securities to be sold, the Company 
will include in such registration (i) if it is not a Demand Registration (as 
defined below), the securities proposed to be sold by the Company for its own 
account, and then Registrable Securities proposed to be sold by Stockholders 
making a Piggyback Registration Request or, (ii) if such registration is a 
Demand Registration, the securities proposed to be sold by the Company for 
its own account, and then Registrable Securities for which registration has 
been requested pursuant to Section 7(a)(i) or 7(a)(ii), in each case which 
Registrable Securities shall be included in such registration in proportion 
(as nearly as practicable) to the amount of Registrable Securities of the 
Company owned by each such holder of Registrable Securities to the total 
amount of Registrable Securities as to which a Piggyback Registration and/or 
a Demand Registration request has been made. Notwithstanding the foregoing, 
if the managing underwriters or, if the registration is not an underwritten 
registration, the Company's investment bankers, advise the Company in


                                       12


<PAGE>


writing that in their opinion, the inclusion in a Piggyback Registration of 
Common Stock held by Management Stockholders will have a material adverse 
effect on the offering, the Company will not include such Common Stock in 
such registration. 

          (d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time after giving 
written notice to the Stockholders of its intention to register any shares of 
Common Stock pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 6 and prior to the 
effective date of the registration statement filed in connection with such 
registration, the Company shall determine for any reason not to register such 
securities, the Company may, at its election, give written notice of such 
determination to each Stockholder and thereupon shall be relieved of its 
obligation to register Registrable Securities as part of such terminated 
registration (but not from its obligation to pay expenses in connection 
therewith as provided in subsection (b) above).  If a registration pursuant 
to this Section 6 involves an underwritten public offering and a Stockholder 
requests to be included in such registration, such Stockholder may elect, in 
writing prior to the effective date of the registration statement filed in 
connection with such registration, not to participate in such registration.

          (e) Each Stockholder agrees not to sell or offer for public sale or
distribution, including pursuant to Rule 144, any of such Stockholder's Common
Stock within 15 days prior to or 180 days after the effective date of any
registration (except as part of such registration other than a Special
Registration) with respect to which piggyback registration rights are available
pursuant to this Section 6.

          7. REGISTRATION UPON REQUEST. (a) REQUEST FOR REGISTRATION.  Upon 
the written request of North Castle (the "INITIATING HOLDER") at any time 
after the date hereof requesting that the Company effect pursuant to this 
Section 7 the registration (a "DEMAND REGISTRATION") of any of such 
Initiating Holders' Registrable Securities under the Securities Act (which 
request shall specify the Registrable Securities so requested to be 
registered, the proposed amounts thereof, and the intended method of 
disposition by the Initiating Holder), the Company shall promptly give 


                                       13


<PAGE>


written notice of such requested registration to all Stockholders, and 
thereupon the Company will, as expeditiously as reasonably possible, use its 
commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration under the 
Securities Act of

          (i) the Registrable Securities which the Company has been so requested
     to register, for disposition in accordance with the intended method of
     disposition stated in such request, and

         (ii) all other Registrable Securities owned by Stockholders, the 
     holders of which shall have made a written request to the Company for 
     registration thereof (which request shall specify such Registrable 
     Securities and the proposed amounts thereof) within 30 days after the 
     receipt of such written notice from the Company,

all to the extent requisite to permit the disposition by the holders of the 
securities constituting Registrable Securities so to be registered, PROVIDED 
that the Company shall not be required to effect any registration pursuant to 
this Section 7 if it is a registration with respect to which the Company is 
not required to pay expenses pursuant to Section 7(b)(i) unless the Company 
shall have received assurances satisfactory to it that North Castle will bear 
the expenses of registration and PROVIDED, FURTHER, that each other 
Stockholder proposing to register securities as part of such Demand 
Registration shall agree in writing to pay its PRO RATA share of such 
expenses.

          (b) LIMITATIONS ON REGISTRATIONS.  The registration rights granted 
to Initiating Holder pursuant to this Section 7 are subject to the following 
limitations:

          (i) Each selling Stockholder shall pay all sales commissions or other
     similar selling charges with respect to the Registrable Securities sold by
     such Stockholder pursuant to a Demand Registration.  In connection with
     four Demand Registrations pursuant to this Section 7, the Company shall pay
     all registration and filing fees, fees and expenses of compliance with
     federal and state securities laws, printing expenses, messenger and
     delivery expenses, fees and disbursements


                                       14


<PAGE>


     of counsel and accountants for the Company and fees and expenses of one 
     counsel, selected by the Initiating Holder, for all selling Stockholders
     in connection with a Demand Registration, unless the applicable state 
     securities laws require that stockholders whose securities are being 
     registered pay their pro rata share of such fees, expenses and 
     disbursements, in which case each Stockholder participating in the 
     registration shall pay its pro rata share of all such fees, expenses and 
     disbursements based on its pro rata share of the total number of shares 
     being registered, PROVIDED that if a Demand Registration involves, 
     pursuant to Section 6(c) hereof, a cutback of the number of  Registrable 
     Securities which may be sold such that the Initiating Holder is not 
     permitted to register at least 50% of the Registrable Securities which
     it requests to register, then such Demand Registration shall not be deemed
     one of the Initiating Holder's Demand Registrations with respect to which
     expenses will be paid by the Company.  In all other instances, the selling
     Stockholders shall pay all expenses of a Demand Registration;

          (ii) the Initiating Holder shall determine the method of distribution
     of the securities to be registered in a Demand Registration and if an
     underwritten offering, shall select the managing underwriter of such
     offering;

          (iii) the Company shall not be obligated to file a registration
     statement under this Section 7 unless the total number of shares of
     Registrable Securities requested to be included in such offering by the
     Initiating Holder equals or exceeds 5% of the number of shares of Common
     Stock outstanding on a fully diluted basis; 

          (iv) the Company shall be entitled to postpone for a reasonable time
     not exceeding 90 days the filing of any registration statement under this
     Section 7 if, at the time it receives a request for a Demand Registration
     pursuant thereto, the Board shall determine in good faith that such
     offering will interfere with a pending financing, merger, sale of assets,
     recapitalization or other similar corporation


                                       15


<PAGE>


     action which the Company is actively pursuing and is material to the
     business of the Company; and

          (v) a registration statement that does not become effective or does
     not remain effective for the period specified in Section 8(b) shall be
     deemed not to constitute a registration statement filed pursuant to this
     Section 7, PROVIDED that, if such registration statement does not become
     effective or does not remain effective for such period solely by reason of
     the Initiating Holder's refusal to proceed, it shall be deemed to
     constitute a registration statement filed pursuant to Section 7 unless the
     Initiating Holder shall have elected to pay all expenses in connection with
     such registration as aforesaid.

          (c) Each Stockholder agrees not to sell or offer for public sale or 
distribution including, pursuant to Rule 144, any of such Stockholder's 
Common Stock within 15 days prior to or 180 days after the effective date of 
any Demand Registration (except as part of such registration).

          (d) The Company agrees not to effect any sale or distribution of 
any of its equity securities or of any security convertible into or 
exchangeable or exercisable for any equity security of the Company (other 
than such sale or distribution of such securities in connection with any 
merger or consolidation by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or 
the acquisition by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company of the capital 
stock or substantially all the assets of any other Person or in connection 
with an employee stock ownership or other benefit plan) during the 15 days 
prior to, and during the 180 day period which begins on, the effective date 
of a registration statement filed in connection with a Demand Registration 
(except as part of such registration).

          8. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES.  If and whenever the Company is 
required to use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect the 
registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act as 
provided in this Agreement, the Company will promptly:


                                       16


<PAGE>


          (a) prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(the "COMMISSION") a registration statement with respect to such securities 
and use its  commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration 
statement to become effective;

          (b) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and 
supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in 
connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such registration statement 
effective and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with 
respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration 
statement until such time as all of such securities have been disposed of in 
accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers 
thereof set forth in such registration statement, but in no event for a 
period of more than six months after such registration statement becomes 
effective;

          (c) at least five business days before filing with the Commission, 
furnish to counsel (if any) to the selling Stockholders such registration 
copies of all documents proposed to be filed with the Commission in 
connection with such registration, which documents will be subject to the 
review of such counsel;

          (d) furnish to each seller of securities such number of conformed 
copies of such registration statement and of each amendment and supplement 
thereto (in each case including all exhibits, except that the Company shall 
not be obligated to furnish any seller of securities with more than two 
copies of such exhibits), such number of copies of the prospectus comprised 
in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus and any 
summary prospectus), in conformity with the requirements of the Securities 
Act, and such other documents, as such seller may reasonably request in order 
to facilitate the disposition of the securities owned by such seller;

          (e) use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify 
all securities covered by such registration statement under the securities or 
blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as each seller shall request, and do any 
and all other acts and things which may be necessary or advisable to enable 
such seller to consummate the disposi-


                                       17


<PAGE>


tion in such jurisdictions of the securities owned by such seller, except 
that the Company shall not for any such purpose be required to qualify 
generally to do business as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction wherein 
it is not so qualified, or to consent to general service of process in any 
such jurisdiction;

          (f) in connection with an underwritten offering only, use its 
commercially reasonable efforts to furnish to each seller copies of 

          (i) an opinion of counsel for the Company, dated the effective date of
     the registration statement, and

        (ii)  a "comfort" letter signed by the independent public accountants
     who have certified the Company's financial statements included in the
     registration statement,

each covering substantially the same matters with respect to the registration 
statement (and the prospectus included therein) and, in the case of such 
accountants' letter, with respect to events subsequent to the date of such 
financial statements, as are customarily covered in opinions of issuer's 
counsel and in accountant's letters delivered to the underwriters in 
underwritten public offerings of securities;

          (g) notify each seller of any securities covered by such 
registration statement, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is 
required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any 
event as a result of which the prospectus included in such registration 
statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact 
or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or 
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the 
circumstances then existing, and at the request of any such seller prepare 
and furnish to such seller a reasonable number of copies of a supplement to 
or an amendment of such prospectus as may be necessary so that, as thereafter 
delivered to the purchasers of such securities, such prospectus shall not 
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material 
fact required to be stated


                                       18


<PAGE>


therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the 
light of the circumstances then existing;

          (h) otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all applicable 
rules and regulations of the Commission, and make available to its security 
holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering 
the period of at least 12 months, but not more than 18 months, beginning with 
the first month after the effective date of such registration statement, 
which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the 
Securities Act;

          (i) use its commercially reasonable efforts to list the Registrable 
Securities covered by such registration statement on any securities exchange 
(including NASDAQ), if such securities are not already so listed and if such 
listing is then permitted under the rules of such exchange, and to provide a 
transfer agent and registrar for such Registrable Securities not later than 
the effective date of such registration statement;

          (j) provide a transfer agent and registrar for all such Registrable 
Securities not later than the effective date of such registration statement;

          (k) enter into such customary agreements (including underwriting 
agreements in customary form) and take all such other actions as the holders 
of a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold or the underwriters, 
if any, reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition 
of such Registrable Securities (including, without limitation, effecting a 
stock split or a combination of shares);

          (l) in the event of the issuance of any stop order suspending the 
effectiveness of a registration statement, or of any order suspending or 
preventing the use of any related prospectus or suspending the qualification 
of any securities included in such registration statement for sale in any 
jurisdiction, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts promptly to 
obtain the withdrawal of such order.


                                       19


<PAGE>


          The Company may require each seller of any securities as to which 
any registration is being effected to furnish the Company such information 
regarding such seller and the distribution of such securities as the Company 
may from time to time reasonably request in writing in order to permit the 
Company to comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws.

          The Company shall make available for inspection by any seller of 
securities as to which any registration is being effected, any underwriter 
participating in any disposition pursuant to the related registration 
statement, and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such 
seller or any such underwriter (collectively, the "INSPECTORS"), all 
financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of 
the Company and its subsidiaries, if any, as shall be reasonably necessary to 
enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility, and shall cause 
the Company's and its subsidiaries' officers, directors and employees to 
supply all information and respond to all inquiries reasonably requested by 
any such Inspector in connection with such registration statement.

          Each Stockholder hereby agrees that upon receipt of any notice from 
the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 
8(g), such holder will promptly discontinue such holder's disposition of 
Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement covering such 
Registrable Securities until such holder's receipt of the copies of the 
supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 8(g), and, if so 
directed by the Company, will deliver to the Company (at the Company's 
expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies, then in such holder's 
possession of the prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at 
the time of receipt of such notice.  In the event the Company shall give such 
notice, the period mentioned in Section 8(b) shall be extended by the number 
of days during the period from and including the date when each seller of any 
Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement shall have 
received such notice to but not including the date when each such seller 
receives copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by 
Section 8(g).


                                       20


<PAGE>


          9. INDEMNIFICATION. (a)  The Company agrees to indemnify, to the 
extent permitted by law, each Stockholder participating in a registration 
pursuant to this Agreement, the officers and directors of such Stockholder 
and each Person that controls such Stockholder (within the meaning of the 
Securities Act) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and 
expenses, including all reasonable legal fees incurred therewith, arising out 
of, based upon or resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue 
statement of a material fact contained in any registration statement, 
prospectus or preliminary prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement 
thereto, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact 
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement therein not 
misleading in light of the circumstances then existing or any violation or 
alleged violation by the Company of any federal, state, foreign or common law 
rule or regulation applicable to the Company and relating to action required 
of or inaction by the Company in connection with any such registration, 
except insofar as the same result from or are contained in any information 
furnished in writing to the Company by such Stockholder and stated to be 
specifically for use therein or, in the case of an underwritten offering 
only, from such Stockholder's failure to deliver a copy of the registration 
statement, prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any amendments thereof or 
supplements thereto.

          (b) Each Stockholder participating in a registration pursuant to 
this Agreement agrees to indemnify, to the extent permitted by law, the 
Company, its directors and officers and each Person that controls the Company 
(within the meaning of the Securities Act) against any and all losses, 
claims, damages, liabilities and expenses, including all reasonable legal 
fees incurred in connection therewith, arising out of, based upon or 
resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of material 
fact contained in any registration statement, prospectus or preliminary 
prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any omission 
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated 
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light 
of the circumstances then existing, but only to the extent that such untrue 
statement or (as to the matters set forth in such information or affidavit) 
omission is con-


                                       21


<PAGE>


tained in any information or affidavit furnished to the Company in writing by 
such Stockholder and stated to be expressly for use therein and except 
insofar as the same result from the Company's failure to deliver a copy of 
the registration statement, prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any 
amendment thereof or supplement thereto, PROVIDED that such Stockholder's 
obligations hereunder shall be limited to an amount equal to the proceeds to 
such Stockholder of the Registrable Securities sold pursuant to such 
registration statement.

          (c) In connection with an underwritten offering, the Company and 
each Stockholder participating in the related registration will indemnify the 
underwriter(s), their officers and directors and each Person who controls 
such underwriter(s) (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same 
extent as provided in subsections (a) and (b), respectively, above.

          (d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party of notice of the 
commencement of any action or proceeding involving a claim referred to in the 
preceding subsections of this Section 9, such indemnified party will, if a 
claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party, give 
written notice to the latter of the commencement of such action, PROVIDED 
that the failure of any indemnified party to give notice as provided herein 
shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations under the 
preceding subsections of this Section 9, except to the extent that the 
indemnifying party is actually and materially prejudiced by such failure to 
give notice.  In any case in which any such action is brought against an 
indemnified party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in 
and to assume the defense thereof, jointly with any other indemnifying party 
similarly notified, to the extent that it may wish, with counsel reasonably 
satisfactory (taking into account, among other factors, any potential 
exposure of the indemnified party to criminal liability) to such indemnified 
party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party 
of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will 
not be liable to such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses 
subsequently incurred by the latter in connection with the defense thereof 
unless, in the reasonable judgment of any such indemnified party, a 


                                       22


<PAGE>


conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any 
indemnifying party or any other of such indemnified parties, in which case 
the indemnifying party shall be liable to such indemnified party for any 
reasonable legal or other expenses incurred in defending such action.  No 
indemnifying party will consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any 
settlement which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving 
by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all 
liability in respect of such claim or litigation. Notwithstanding the 
foregoing, and without limiting any of the rights set forth above, in any 
event any party will have the right to retain, at its own expense, counsel 
with respect to the defense of a claim.

          (e) If for any reason the foregoing indemnity is unavailable, then 
the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the 
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or 
expenses (I) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative 
benefits (which relative benefits with respect to such offering shall be 
deemed to be in the same proportion as the respective net proceeds received 
from such offering by the Company and the Stockholders determined as set 
forth on the table on the cover page of the prospectus) received by the 
indemnifying party on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other or 
(ii) if the allocation provided by subdivision (i) above is not permitted by 
applicable law or provides a lesser sum to the indemnified party than the 
amount hereinafter calculated, in such proportion as is appropriate to 
reflect not only the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party on 
the one hand and the indemnified party on the other but also the relative 
fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party (which relative 
fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the 
untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged 
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the 
Company or the Stockholders, the intent of the parties and their relative 
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to prevent or correct such 
statement or omission) as well as any other relevant equitable consideration. 
 Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) no holder of Registrable Securities shall 
be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount such holder 
would have been required to


                                       23


<PAGE>


pay to an indemnified party if the indemnity under subsection (b) of this 
Section 9 was available and (B) no underwriter, if any, shall be required to 
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at 
which the Registrable Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the 
public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which 
such underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue 
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No Person 
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) 
of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who 
was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The obligation of any 
underwriters to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 shall be several in 
proportion to their respective underwriting commitments and not joint.

          (f) An indemnifying party shall make payments of all amounts 
required to be made pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 9 to 
or for the account of the indemnified party from time to time promptly upon 
receipt of bills or invoices relating thereto or when otherwise due and 
payable.

          10. AFFILIATE TRANSACTIONS.  The Company will not engage in any 
transaction or series of related transactions (other than Exempted 
Transactions) with North Castle or any of North Castle's Affiliates and any 
successor to any such person unless (i) the transaction (or series of related 
transactions) is on terms and conditions no less favorable than would be 
obtainable by the Company in an arm's-length transaction and the Chief 
Financial Officer of the Company delivers to the Board and to AEA a 
certificate to such effect and (ii) if the transaction (or series of related 
transactions) involves an amount more than $1 million, a majority of the 
members of the Board who are not officers, employees or managing members of 
the Company, North Castle or an Affiliate of North Castle shall have approved 
such transactions in writing or at a duly convened meeting of the Board.

          11.  MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDERS.  

          (a)  CALL OPTION.  In the event of a Management Stockholder's 
termination of employment at the Company for


                                       24


<PAGE>


any reason other than for death or permanent disability, the Company shall 
have an option (a "Call Option") to purchase from the Management Stockholder 
all (but not less than all) of the Management Stockholder's Covered Equity at 
a price equal to the fair market value of the Covered Equity determined as of 
the date of repurchase by the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole 
discretion.  If the Company desires to exercise the Call Option, it shall 
give written notice thereof to the Management Stockholder within 60 days of 
the occurrence of the event giving rise to such Call Option.  Such Call 
Option shall expire if such notice is not given within such 60-day period.  
The Management Stockholder shall deliver to the Company certificates 
representing the Covered Equity, free and clear of all claims, liens, or 
encumbrances, together with blank stock powers, duly executed with all 
signature guarantees at a closing at the principal office of the Company on 
the third business day after notice has been given to the Management 
Stockholder, or at such other place and time and in such manner as may be 
mutually agreed to by the Management Stockholder and the Company.  The net 
proceeds from the purchase of the Covered Equity pursuant to the Call Option 
(the "Call Option Proceeds") shall be paid by a check, which shall be 
delivered to the Management Stockholder at the closing of such purchase.

          (b)  TERMINATION OF CALL OPTION.  All rights and obligations 
created pursuant to Section 11(a) shall be extinguished upon the earlier of 
(i) the fifth anniversary of this Agreement or (ii) a Public Offering.

          (c)  PUT OPTIONS.  In the event of (i) the permanent disability of 
the Management Stockholder so that he is unable substantially to perform his 
services as an employee of the Company for an aggregate of 180 days during 
any twelve-month period or (ii) the death of the Management Stockholder, the 
Management Stockholder or, in the event of death, the deceased Management 
Stockholder's administrator or executor, shall have the option (the "Put 
Option"), exercisable by the giving of notice thereof to the Company within 
120 days of the occurrence of the event giving rise to such Put Option, 
which, in the case of permanent disability, shall mean the 180th day of 
inability to perform services as an employee of the Company, to sell to the 
Company, and the Company upon exercise of such Put Option


                                       25


<PAGE>


shall buy from the Management Stockholder or the deceased Management 
Stockholder's administrator or executor, as the case may be, all (but not 
less than all) of the Management Stockholder's Covered Equity, at a price per 
share equal to the fair market value of the Covered Equity determined as of 
the date of repurchase by the Board of Directors of the Corporation in its 
sole discretion.  Such Put Option shall expire if such notice is not given 
within such 120-day period.  The Management Stockholder, or the deceased 
Management Stockholder's administrator or executor, shall deliver to the 
Company certificates representing the Covered Equity, free and clear of all 
claims, liens, or encumbrances, together with blank stock powers, duly 
executed with all signature guarantees at a closing at the principal office 
of the Company on the third business day after notice has been given to the 
Company or at such other place and time and in such manner as may be mutually 
agreed to by the Management Stockholder, or the deceased Management 
Stockholder's administrator or executor, and the Company.  The net proceeds 
from the purchase of the Covered Equity pursuant to the Management 
Stockholder Option (the "Put Option Proceeds") shall be paid by a check, 
which shall be delivered to the Management Stockholder at the closing of such 
purchase.  The obligations of the Company to purchase the Management 
Stockholder's Covered Equity pursuant to this Section 11(c) shall be deferred 
during any period in which such purchase would not be permitted by applicable 
law or could cause the Company to be in default under any agreement to which 
it or its Subsidiaries are a party.

          (d)  TERMINATION OF PUT OPTION.  All rights and obligations created 
pursuant to Section 11(c) shall be extinguished upon the earlier of (i) the 
fifth anniversary of this Agreement or (ii) a Public Offering.

          12. SEVERABILITY.  If any provision of this Agreement is invalid, 
inoperative or unenforceable for any reason, such circumstance shall not have 
the effect of rendering the provision in question inoperative or 
unenforceable in any other case or circumstance, or of rendering any other 
provision or provisions herein contained invalid, inoperative or 
unenforceable to any extent whatsoever.  The invalidity of any one or more 
phrases, sentences, clauses, Sections or subsections of this Agreement shall 
not affect the remaining portions of this Agreement.


                                       26


<PAGE>


          13. INFORMATION. (a)  Each of the Stockholders agrees that, from 
the date of this Agreement and for so long as it shall own any Covered 
Equity, it will furnish the Company such necessary information and reasonable 
assistance as the Company may reasonably request (x) in connection with the 
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (y) in 
connection with the preparation and filing of any reports, filings, 
applications, consents or authorizations with any Governmental Entity under 
any Applicable Laws and (z) in order for the Company to determine, from time 
to time, whether it is a "personal holding company" within the meaning of 
Section 542 of the Code.  Each Stockholder proposing to make a transfer 
pursuant to Section 4(a) shall provide the Company with any information 
reasonably requested in order for the Company to determine whether the 
proposed transfer would be a Prohibited Transaction.

          (b) Within 90 days of the end of each fiscal year, the Company 
shall mail to each Stockholder a report setting forth an audited balance 
sheet as at the end of such fiscal year and audited statements of income, 
common shareholders' equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the 
Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, and any other 
information the Company deems necessary or desirable.  The Company will 
furnish quarterly financial statements to Stockholders as requested.

          (c) The Company also will furnish to AEA such other information as 
AEA may from time to time reasonably request on behalf of itself or the other 
Covered Shareholders.

          14. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.  

          "AFFILIATE" means with respect to any Person, any other Person 
directly or indirectly Controlling, Controlled by or under common Control 
with such first Person.

          "APPLICABLE LAWS" means all applicable provisions of (i) 
constitutions, treaties, statutes, laws (including the common law), rules, 
regulations, ordinances, codes or orders of any Governmental Entity, (ii) any 
consents or approvals of any Governmental Entity and (iii) any orders,


                                       27


<PAGE>


decisions, injunctions, judgments, awards, decrees of or agreements with any 
Governmental Entity.

          "BUSINESS DAY" means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other 
day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required to 
close.  

          "CHANGE OF CONTROL" means any transaction or series transaction, 
the result of which is that North Castle no longer has the right to nominate 
a majority of the members of the Board.

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

          COMMON STOCK" means all shares of any class common stock of the 
Company, whether voting or non-voting, outstanding from time to time.

          "CONTROL" means the power to direct the affairs of a Person by 
reason of ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. 

          "COVERED EQUITY" means all of the shares of Common Stock, preferred 
stock or other equity interest in the Company, and any other security, 
warrant or other right that is or may allow the holder thereof to receive 
Common Stock or preferred stock or other equity interest, owned from time to 
time by any of the Stockholders.

          "COVERED SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENTS" means the agreements between AEA 
and the Covered Shareholders pursuant to which the Covered Shareholders have 
appointed AEA as their representative and have granted AEA a proxy to vote 
their Common Stock in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

          "EXCHANGE OFFER" means the exchange offer for the Company's senior 
subordinated notes due 2007 to be made by the Leiner Health Products Inc. 
("Leiner") in accordance with the registration rights agreement among Leiner, 
Merrill Lynch Pierce, Fenner & Smith incorporated, Salomon Brothers Inc and 
Scotia Capital Markets (USA) Inc.


                                       28


<PAGE>


          "EXEMPTED TRANSACTIONS" means (i) the investment banking services 
provided by North Castle Partners, L.L.C. (the "Sponsor") in connection with 
the recapitalization of the Company consummated as of the date hereof, in 
consideration of which the Company has agreed to pay the Sponsor a fee of 
$3.5 million and (ii) the ongoing monitoring and management services to be 
provided to the Company, in consideration of which the Company has agreed to 
pay the Sponsor an annual fee of $1.5 million.

          "GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY" means any federal, state, local or foreign 
court, legislative, executive or regulatory authority or agency.

          "INFORMATION" means all information about the Company or any of its 
subsidiaries (whether written or oral or in electronic or other form and 
whether prepared by the Company, its advisers or otherwise), that is or has 
been furnished to any Stockholder or any of its Representatives by or on 
behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any of their respective 
Representatives, together with all written or electronically stored 
documentation prepared by such Stockholder or its Representatives based on or 
reflecting, in whole or in part, such information, PROVIDED that the term 
"Information" does not include any information that (X) is or becomes 
generally available to the public through no action or omission by any 
Stockholder or its Representatives or (y) is or becomes available to such 
Stockholder on a nonconfidential basis from a source, other than the Company 
or any of its subsidiaries, or any of their respective Representatives, that 
to the best of such Stockholder's knowledge, after reasonable inquiry, is not 
prohibited from disclosing such portions to such investor by a contractual, 
legal or fiduciary obligation.

          "MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER" means any stockholder who is as of the 
date hereof or later becomes, a consultant to or an officer or employee of 
the Company other than Michael Leiner and David Brubaker.

          "PERSON" means any natural person, firm, individual, partnership, 
joint venture, business trust, trust, association, corporation, company or 
unincorporated entity.


                                       29


<PAGE>


          "PROHIBITED TRANSFER" means any transfer of Covered Equity to a 
Person which (u) may not be effected without registering the securities 
involved under the Securities Act, (v) would result in the assets of the 
Company constituting Plan Assets as such term is defined in the Department of 
Labor regulations promulgated under the Employer Retirement Income Security 
Act of 1974, as amended, (x) would cause the Company to be, be Controlled by 
or under common Control with an "investment company" for purposes of the 
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or (y) would require any 
securities of the Company to be registered under the Securities and Exchange 
Act of 1934, as amended.

          "PUBLIC OFFERING" means any sale of Common Stock to the public 
pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act 
underwritten by an underwriter of national standing other than a Special 
Registration.

          "REPRESENTATIVES" means with respect to any Person, any of such 
Person's directors, officers, employees, general partners, affiliates, 
attorneys, accountants, financial and other advisers, and other agents and 
representatives, including in the case of any Stockholder any person 
nominated to the Board by such Stockholder.

          "RULE 144" means Rule 144 (or any successor provision) under the 
Securities Act.

          "SPECIAL REGISTRATION":  (a) The registration of shares of equity 
securities and/or options or other rights in respect thereof to be offered to 
Management Stockholders or (b) the registration of equity securities and/or 
options or other rights in respect thereof solely on Form S-4 or S-8 or any 
successor form.

          "SPECIFIED AFFILIATE" means (a) with respect to any Person, any 
other Person directly or indirectly Controlling, Controlled by or under 
common Control with such first person solely by virtue of having the power to 
direct the affairs of the Person by reason of ownership, directly or 
indirectly, of at least 75% of the outstanding voting securities of such 
Person, (b) with respect to any Management Stockholder, Michael Leiner, David 
Brubaker or Charles F. Baird, Jr., a Specified Affiliate shall include 


                                       30


<PAGE>


(i) a spouse or any lineal ancestor or descendant, and (ii) the trustee or 
trustees of a trust or trusts at any time established for the primary benefit 
of the Stockholder or the spouse or any lineal ancestor or descendant of the 
Stockholder to whom such Management Stockholder or Charles F. Baird, Jr. 
proposes to transfer its Common Stock and who has agreed to be bound by this 
Agreement, and (c) with respect to AEA and the Covered Shareholders, any 
current or future employee, shareholder, director or officer of AEA, any 
spouse, issue, parents or other relatives of any of the foregoing or of any 
Covered Shareholder or (i) trusts for the benefit of any of such Persons, 
(ii) entities controlling or controlled by any of such Persons and (iii) in 
the event of the death of any such individual Person, heirs or testamentary 
legatees of such Person, in each case to whom AEA or a Covered Shareholder 
has proposed to transfer its Common Stock and who has entered into a Covered 
Shareholders Agreement and thereby or otherwise agrees to be bound by this 
Agreement.

          15. NOTICES.  All notices and other communications made in 
connection with this Agreement shall be in writing.  Any notice or other 
communication in connection herewith shall be deemed duly given to any party 
(a) two Business Days after it is sent by express, registered or certified 
mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid or (b) one Business Day after 
it is sent by overnight courier guaranteeing next day delivery, in each case, 
addressed as follows or, to such other address as may be specified in writing 
to the other parties hereto:

          (i)  if to the Company:

               Leiner Health Products Group Inc.
               901 E. 233rd Street
               Carson, CA  90745
               Facsimile:  (310) 952-7766
               Telephone:  (310) 835-8400
               Attention:  Robert M. Kaminski

         (ii)  if to North Castle:

               North Castle Partners I, L.L.C.
               11 Meadowcroft Lane


                                       31


<PAGE>


               Greenwich, CT  06830
               Attention:  Charles F. Baird, Jr.

               with a copy to:

               Debevoise & Plimpton
               875 Third Avenue
               New York, New York 10022
               Facsimile:  (212) 909-6836
               Telephone:  (212) 909-6000
               Attention:  Franci J. Blassberg, Esq.

        (iii)  if to the other Stockholders, at the addresses set forth on the
               signature pages hereto

Any party may give any notice or other communication in connection herewith 
using any other means (including, but not limited to, personal delivery, 
messenger service, facsimile, telex or ordinary mail), but no such notice or 
other communication shall be deemed to have been duly given unless and until 
it is actually received by the individual for whom it is intended.

          16. TERM.  This Agreement shall be effective as of the date hereof 
and shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon the earliest 
to occur of (i) the tenth anniversary of the date hereof, (ii) the 
termination of this Agreement by the unanimous written consent of the 
Stockholders, (iii) the establishment of a Public Market for the Common Stock 
or (iv) a Change of Control except that the registration rights provided in 
Section 6 and Section 7 will survive until AEA and the Covered Shareholders 
(as a group) and North Castle each owns Common Stock representing less than 
5% of the Company's outstanding Common Stock.  A "PUBLIC MARKET" for the 
Common Stock shall be deemed to have been established at such time as 20% of 
the Common Stock (on a fully diluted basis) shall have been sold to the 
public pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities 
Act other than a Special Registration.

          17. HEADINGS.  The headings contained in this Agreement are for 
purposes of convenience only and shall not affect the meaning or 
interpretation of this Agreement.


                                       32


<PAGE>


          18. ENTIRE AGREEMENT.  This Agreement constitutes the entire 
agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both 
written and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter 
hereof.  Without limiting the foregoing, the Company and each Stockholder who 
is party to a Participants' Subscription Agreement or a Management 
Subscription Agreement hereby agree that such agreement is hereby terminated 
and superseded by this Agreement.

          19. COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in several 
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which 
shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

          20. GOVERNING LAW.  This Agreement shall be governed by and 
construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York 
applicable to agreements made and performed within such State.

          21. BINDING EFFECT.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure 
to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors 
and permitted assigns.

          22. ASSIGNMENT.  This Agreement shall not be assignable by any 
party without the prior written consent of the other parties.

          23. NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES.  Nothing in this Agreement shall 
confer any rights upon any Person other than the parties hereto and each such 
party's respective heirs, successors and permitted assigns. 

          24. AMENDMENT; WAIVERS, ETC.  If AEA and Covered Shareholders own 
5% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, then AEA must consent in writing 
to any amendment hereto.  If AEA and Covered Shareholders own less than 5% of 
the outstanding Common Stock, this Agreement may be amended, and the Company 
may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein 
required to be performed by it, if the Company shall have obtained the 
written consent to such amendment, action or omission to act, of the holder 
or holders of at least 66 2/3% of the shares of Common Stock outstanding as of 
the date hereof, PROVIDED that this Agreement may not be amended in a manner 
adversely affecting any Stockholder which does not adversely affect all


                                       33


<PAGE>


Stockholders without the consent of such Stockholder PROVIDED, FURTHER, that 
in no event may the provisions of this agreement with respect to the Piggy 
Back Registration Rights (including the Company's obligations thereunder) or 
the Tag-Along Rights be amended without the consent in writing of AEA.  No 
amendment, modification or discharge of this Agreement, and no waiver 
hereunder, shall be valid or binding unless set forth in writing and duly 
executed by the party against whom enforcement of the amendment, 
modification, discharge or waiver is sought.  Any such waiver shall 
constitute a waiver only with respect to the specific matter described in 
such writing and shall in no way impair the rights of the party granting such 
waiver in any other respect or at any other time.

          25. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION.  Each party irrevocably submits to the 
exclusive jurisdiction of (A) the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New 
York County, and (b) the United States District Court for the Southern 
District of New York, for the purposes of any suit, action or other 
proceeding arising out of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated 
hereby (and agrees not to commence any such suit, action or other proceeding 
except in such courts).  Each party further agrees that service of any 
process, summons, notice or document by U.S. registered mail to such party's 
respective address set forth or referred to in Section 14 shall be effective 
service of process for any such suit, action or other proceeding.  Each party 
irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue 
of any such suit, action or other proceeding in (i) the Supreme Court of the 
State of New York, New York County, and (ii) the United States District Court 
for the Southern District of New York, that any such suit, action or other 
proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient 
forum.

          26. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  Each party hereby waives, to the fullest 
extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury 
in respect of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of this 
Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby.  Each party (a) certifies 
that no representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, 
expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of 
litigation, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (b) acknowledges that it 
and the other parties have been induced to enter


                                       34


<PAGE>


into the Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waivers and 
certifications in this Section 25.

          27. AEA AUTHORITY.  AEA hereby represents and warrants to each 
other party hereto that, pursuant to the Covered Shareholders Agreements, it 
has been duly authorized to execute this Agreement, and to exercise all 
rights and perform all obligations hereunder, on behalf of each Covered 
Shareholder.

          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this 
Agreement by their authorized representatives as of the date first above 
written.

                         LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS GROUP INC.


                         By:______________________________
                            Name: 
                            Title:

                         NORTH CASTLE PARTNERS I, L.L.C.

                         By:  Baird Investment Group, L.L.C.,
                                its managing member

                              By:  Charles F. Baird, Jr.,
                                     its managing member


                                   _________________________



                         AEA INVESTORS INC.
                         For itself and on behalf of the
                           Covered Shareholders

                         By:________________________________
                            Christine J. Smith
                            General Counsel



                                       35


<PAGE>


                         STOCKHOLDER


                         By:_____________________________
                         Name:
                                   (Please Print)

                         Address of the Stockholder:

                         Telephone:_______________________
                         Telecopy: _______________________

                         Date of execution:  December __  , 1977


                                       36


<PAGE>


                         AEA INVESTORS INC.


                         By:_______________________________
                            Name:

                         65 East 55th Street
                         27th Floor
                         New York, New York  10022

                         Telephone:  (212) 644-5900
                         Telecopy:   (212) 888-1459/1457



                                       37



<PAGE>

                                                                  EXHIBIT 10.2


                          LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS GROUP INC.


                                 STOCK PURCHASE PLAN


          Section 1.  PURPOSE.  The purpose of this Leiner Health Products 
Group Inc. Stock Purchase Plan is to foster and promote the long-term 
financial success of the Company and its Subsidiaries and to increase 
materially stockholder value by (a) motivating superior performance by 
participants in the Plan, (b) providing participants in the Plan with an 
ownership interest in the Company and (c) enabling the Company and the 
Subsidiaries to attract and retain the services of an outstanding management 
team upon whose judgment, interest and special effort the successful conduct 
of its operations is largely dependent.

          Section 2.  DEFINITIONS.

          2.1. DEFINITIONS.  Whenever used herein, the following terms shall
     have the respective meanings set forth below:

          (1) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

          (2) "Common Stock" means the Common Stock, par value $.01 per 
     share, of the Company.

          (3) "Company" means Leiner Health Products Group Inc., a Delaware
     corporation, and any successor thereto.

          (4) "Employee" means any director, executive, senior officer or 
     other key employee of the Company or any Subsidiary and includes an 
     individual retirement account (IRA) established by any such Employee.

          (5) "Participant" means any Employee designated by the Board to 
     participate in the Plan.

          (6) "Plan" means this Leiner Health Products Group Inc. Stock 
     Purchase Plan, as the same may be amended from time to time.

          (7) "Shares" means the shares of Common Stock acquired by a
     Participant pursuant to the Plan.


<PAGE>


          (8) "Subscription Agreement" means a stock subscription agreement
     between the Company and the Participant embodying the terms of any stock
     purchase made pursuant to the Plan.

          (9) "Subsidiary" means any corporation a majority of whose 
     outstanding voting securities is owned, directly or indirectly, by the 
     Company.

          2.2. GENDER AND NUMBER.  Except when otherwise indicated by the 
context, words in the masculine gender used in the Plan shall include the 
feminine gender, the singular shall include the plural, and the plural shall 
include the singular.

          Section 3.  ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION.  Participants in the 
Plan shall be those Employees selected by the Board to participate in the 
Plan.  The selection of an Employee as a Participant shall neither entitle 
such Employee to nor disqualify such Employee from participation in any other 
award or incentive plan.

          Section 4.  POWERS OF THE BOARD.

          4.1. POWER TO GRANT.  Except as otherwise provided hereby, the 
Board shall determine the Participants to whom offers to purchase Common 
Stock under the Plan shall be made and the terms and conditions of any and 
all such offers made to Participants.

          4.2. ADMINISTRATION.  The Board shall be responsible for the 
administration of the Plan.  Any authority exercised by the Board under the 
Plan shall be exercised by the Board in its sole discretion.  Subject to the 
terms of the Plan, the Board, by majority action thereof, is authorized to 
prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the 
administration of the Plan, to provide for conditions and assurances deemed 
necessary or advisable to protect the interests of the Company and the 
Subsidiaries, and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for 
the administration and interpretation of the Plan in order to carry out its 
provisions and purposes.  Determinations, interpretations or other actions 
made or taken by the Board pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall be 
final, binding and conclusive for all purposes and upon all persons.

          4.3  DELEGATION BY THE BOARD.  All of the powers, duties and 
responsibilities of the Board specified in the Plan may, to the full extent 
permitted by applicable law, be exercised and performed by any duly 
constituted committee thereof to the extent authorized by the Board to 
exercise and perform such powers, duties and responsibilities.


                                       2


<PAGE>

          Section 5.  SHARES OF COMMON STOCK SUBJECT TO PLAN.

          5.1. NUMBER.  Subject to the provisions of Section 5.2, the maximum 
number of shares of Common Stock subject to offers made under the Plan may 
not exceed 20,000.  The shares of Common Stock to be delivered upon the 
purchase of any Common Stock under the Plan may consist, in whole or in part, 
of treasury Common Stock or authorized but unissued Common Stock, not 
reserved for any other purpose.

          5.2. ADJUSTMENT IN CAPITALIZATION.  The number, class and purchase 
price of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan may be 
adjusted by the Board, in its sole discretion, if it shall deem such an 
adjustment to be necessary or appropriate to reflect any Common Stock 
dividend, stock split or share combination or any recapitalization, merger, 
consolidation, exchange of shares, liquidation or dissolution of the Company, 
PROVIDED, that as required by applicable California law, the Board must make 
such adjustment in the event the Board shall have specified a number of 
Shares that an Employee is permitted to acquire but the Employee shall not 
yet have purchased such Shares.

          Section 6.  TERMS OF OFFERS TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK.

          6.1. OFFERS TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK.  Offers to purchase Common 
Stock may be made to Participants at such time or times upon or following the 
date hereof as shall be determined by the Board.  Each purchase of Common 
Stock by a Participant shall be made pursuant to a Subscription Agreement 
that shall include customary representations, warranties, covenants and other 
terms and conditions with respect to securities law matters and such other 
terms and conditions consistent with the Plan as the Board shall determine. 
Each Participant purchasing Shares shall execute and deliver a Stockholders 
Agreement (the "Stockholders Agreement"), in the form of the stockholders 
agreement, dated June 30, 1997, among the shareholders of the Company, the 
terms of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

          6.2. PURCHASE PRICE.  The purchase price per share of Common Stock 
to be purchased under the Plan shall be determined by the Board, PROVIDED, 
that, as required by applicable California law, in no event shall such 
purchase price be less than 85% of the fair market value of such Shares at 
the time the Shares are offered to, or purchased by, a Participant.

          Section 7.  AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN.  
The Board at any time may terminate or suspend the Plan, and from time to 
time may amend or modify the Plan.  No amendment, modification, termination 
or suspension of the Plan shall in any manner adversely affect the rights of 
any Participant with respect


                                       3


<PAGE>


to any Shares purchased hereunder by such Participant prior to such action 
unless such Participant consents.  Shareholder approval of any such 
amendment, modification, termination or suspension shall be obtained to the 
extent mandated by applicable law, or if otherwise deemed appropriate by the 
Board.

          Section 8.  MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

          8.1. NO GUARANTEE OF EMPLOYMENT OR PARTICIPATION.  Nothing in the 
Plan or in any Subscription Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any 
way the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate any Participant's 
employment or membership on the Board at any time, or confer upon any 
Participant any right to continue in the employ of the Company or any 
Subsidiary or as a member of the Board.  No Employee shall have a right to be 
selected as a Participant or, having been so selected, to receive any offers 
to purchase Common Stock under the Plan.
     
          8.2. INDEMNIFICATION.  Each person who is or shall have been a 
member of the Board or any committee of the Board shall be indemnified and 
held harmless by the Company to the fullest extent permitted by law from and 
against any and all losses, costs, liabilities and expenses (including any 
related attorneys' fees and advances thereof) in connection with, based upon 
or arising or resulting from any claim, action, suit or proceeding to which 
he may be made a party or in which he may be involved by reason of any action 
taken or failure to act under the Plan and from and against any and all 
amounts paid by him in settlement thereof, with the Company's approval, or 
paid by him in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or 
proceeding against him, PROVIDED that he shall give the Company an 
opportunity, at its own expense, to defend the same before he undertakes to 
defend it on his own behalf.  The foregoing right of indemnification shall 
not be exclusive and shall be independent of any other rights of 
indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company's 
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, by contract, as a matter of law, or 
otherwise.

          8.3. NO LIMITATION ON COMPENSATION.  Nothing in the Plan shall be 
construed to limit the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to establish 
other plans or to pay compensation to its employees or directors, in cash or 
property, in a manner that is not expressly authorized under the Plan.

          8.4. REQUIREMENTS OF LAW.  The offer, sale and issuance of shares 
of Common Stock pursuant to the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, 
rules and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or 
national securities exchanges as may be required.  No such offers or sales 
shall be made under the Plan, and no shares of Common Stock shall be issued 
under the Plan, if such offer, sale or


                                       4


<PAGE>


issuance would result in a violation of applicable law, including the federal 
securities laws and any applicable state or foreign securities laws.

          8.5. FREEDOM OF ACTION.  Subject to Section 7, nothing in the Plan 
or any Subscription Agreement shall be construed as limiting or preventing 
the Company or any Subsidiary from taking any action that it deems 
appropriate or in its best interest.

          8.6. TERM OF PLAN.  The Plan shall be effective as of the date 
hereof and shall continue in effect, unless sooner terminated pursuant to 
Section 7, until the earlier of the tenth anniversary of the date hereof and 
the date on which all shares of Common Stock to be offered pursuant to 
Section 7 of the Plan have been issued.

          8.7. NO VOTING RIGHTS.  Except as otherwise required by law, no 
Participant under the Plan shall have any right to vote on any matter 
submitted to the Company's stockholders until such time as he has purchased 
shares of Common Stock under the Plan and become a stockholder of the Company.

          8.8. GOVERNING LAW.  The Plan, and all agreements hereunder, shall 
be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of 
Delaware, regardless of the law that might be applied under principles of 
conflict of laws.

          8.9. NONTRANSFERABILITY RIGHTS.  No Participant may transfer or 
assign his rights or obligations under this Plan or any Subscription 
Agreement, except by way of testamentary or intestate decent and distribution 
and in compliance with the Stockholders Agreement.  Subject to the terms of 
the Stockholders Agreement, the foregoing shall in no way limit the right of 
any Participant to transfer any Shares acquired by such Participant.

          8.10. SHAREHOLDER VOTE.  As required by applicable California law, 
the Board shall submit this Plan to the shareholders of the Company for 
approval no later than the one-year anniversary of the date hereof.  If this 
Plan shall not be approved by the shareholders of the Company, any purchase 
and sale of Common Stock pursuant hereto shall be rescinded.

          8.11. FINANCIAL INFORMATION.  The Company will distribute or cause 
to be distributed to each Participant that holds Shares acquired pursuant 
hereto the financial statements of the Company as of the end of each fiscal 
year.


                                       5


<PAGE>


                                                                     EXHIBIT A

                        [Form of Stock Subscription Agreement]




<PAGE>


                            STOCK SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT


          STOCK SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT, dated as of December __, 1997, 
between Leiner Health Products Group Inc., a Delaware corporation (the 
"COMPANY"), and the Purchaser whose name appears on the signature page 
hereof (the "PURCHASER").

                                 W I T N E S S E T H:

          WHEREAS, to foster and promote the long-term financial success of 
the Company, the Company wishes to provide for the acquisition of ownership 
interests in the Company by executives, senior officers and other key 
employees of the Company and its direct and indirect subsidiaries;

          WHEREAS, to such end, the Board of Directors of the Company has 
adopted the Leiner Health Products Group Inc. Stock Purchase Plan (the 
"Stock Purchase Plan");

          WHEREAS, the Company will issue and sell up to an aggregate of 
20,000 shares of its Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common 
Stock"), to certain purchasers who are directors, executives, senior 
officers or other key employees of the Company or one of its direct or 
indirect subsidiaries (each, an "Employee"), pursuant to the Stock Purchase 
Plan;

          WHEREAS, pursuant to a Confidential Offering Memorandum, dated 
November 17, 1997 (the "Offering Memorandum"), a copy of which has been 
furnished to the Purchaser, the Purchaser has been offered the opportunity to 
purchase Common Stock;

          WHEREAS, the Purchaser desires to subscribe for and purchase, and 
the Company desires to sell to the Purchaser, the aggregate number of shares 
of Common Stock set forth on the signature page hereof (each a "Share" and, 
collectively, the "Shares");

          NOW, THEREFORE, to implement the foregoing and in consideration of 
the mutual agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as 
follows:


<PAGE>


          1. PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMMON STOCK.

          (a) PURCHASE OF COMMON STOCK.  Subject to all of the terms and 
conditions of this Agreement, the Purchaser hereby subscribes for and shall 
purchase, and the Company shall sell to the Purchaser, the number of Shares 
set forth on the signature page hereof (or, if the Company delivers a Cutback 
Notice (as defined below) to the Purchaser, the number of shares specified 
therein), at a purchase price of $100.00 per Share, at the Closing provided 
for in Section 2(a) hereof.  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to 
the contrary, the Company shall have no obligation to sell any Common Stock 
to (i) any person who will not be an Employee of the Company or of a direct 
or indirect subsidiary of the Company immediately following the Closing at 
which such Common Stock is to be sold or (ii) any person who is a resident of 
a jurisdiction in which the sale of Common Stock to him would constitute a 
violation of the securities, "blue sky" or other laws of such jurisdiction.

          (b) CUTBACK NOTICE.  In the event the Company receives Stock 
Subscription Agreements from Employees subscribing for an aggregate number of 
Shares in excess of 20,000, the Company will have the right, in its sole 
discretion, to deliver a notice (the "Cutback Notice") to the Purchaser, 
setting forth the number of Shares (not to exceed the number set forth on the 
signature page hereof) that the Purchaser shall purchase.  The Company shall 
deliver any Cutback Notice to the Purchaser no later than two business days 
prior to the Closing (as defined below).

          (c) CONSIDERATION.  Subject to all of the terms and conditions of 
this Agreement, the Purchaser shall deliver to the Company at the Closing 
referred to in Section 2(a) hereof a check in an amount equal to $100.00 
multiplied by the number of Shares to be purchased by the Purchaser, as 
determined pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 1.

          2. CLOSING.

          (a) TIME AND PLACE.  Except as otherwise agreed by the Company and 
the Purchaser, the closing (the "Closing") of the transaction contemplated 
by this Agreement shall be held at the offices of the Company, 901 East 233rd 
Street, Carson, California  90745-6204 at 10:00 a.m. (local time) on December 
19, 1997.

          (b) DELIVERY BY THE COMPANY.  At the Closing the Company shall 
deliver to the Purchaser a stock certificate registered in such Purchaser's 
name and representing the Shares, which certificate shall bear the legends 
set forth in Section 3(b).


                                       2


<PAGE>


          (c) DELIVERY BY THE PURCHASER.  At the Closing the Purchaser shall 
deliver to the Company (i) the consideration referred to in Section 1(c) 
hereof and (ii) a Stockholders Agreement (the "Stockholders Agreement"), 
executed by the Purchaser, in the form attached as Exhibit D to the Offering 
Memorandum.

          3. PURCHASER'S REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS.

          (a) INVESTMENT INTENTION.  The Purchaser represents and warrants 
that he (or it in the case of an IRA) is acquiring the Shares solely for his 
(or its, as the case may be) own account for investment and not with a view 
to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof.  The Purchaser 
agrees that he or it will not, directly or indirectly, offer, transfer, sell, 
pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of any of the Shares (or solicit any 
offers to buy, purchase or otherwise acquire or take a pledge of any Shares), 
except in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 
"Securities Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Securities and 
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder, and in compliance with 
applicable state and foreign securities or "blue sky" laws.  The Purchaser 
further understands, acknowledges and agrees that none of the Shares may be 
transferred, sold, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise disposed of unless the 
provisions of the Stockholders Agreement shall have been complied with or 
have expired.

          (b) LEGENDS.  The Purchaser acknowledges that the certificate or 
certificates representing the Shares shall bear an appropriate legend, which 
will include, without limitation, the following language:

          "THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED 
          FOR INVESTMENT AND HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT 
          OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, 
          ASSIGNED, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED, TRANSFERRED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF
          (EACH, A "TRANSFER") UNLESS AND UNTIL REGISTERED UNDER THE ACT AND 
          ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSFER IS (A) 
          EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION OR IS OTHERWISE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ACT 
          AND SUCH LAWS IN THE OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE STOCKHOLDER, WHICH 
          COUNSEL MUST BE, AND THE FORM AND SUBSTANCE OF WHICH OPINION ARE, 
          REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER AND (B) IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE
          STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT OF THE ISSUER, DATED AS OF 


                                       3


<PAGE>


          JUNE 30, 1997, AND ANY AMENDMENTS, "STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT").

          THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO THE
          RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER SET FORTH IN THE STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT,
          COPIES OF WHICH ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE OFFICES OF THE
          COMPANY.  NO TRANSFER OF SUCH SECURITIES WILL BE MADE ON THE BOOKS OF
          THE COMPANY, AND SUCH TRANSFER SHALL BE VOIDABLE, UNLESS ACCOMPANIED
          BY EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF SUCH AGREEMENT."

          (c) SECURITIES LAW MATTERS.  The Purchaser acknowledges receipt of 
advice from the Company that (i) the Shares have not been registered under 
the Securities Act or any state or foreign securities or "blue sky" laws, 
(ii) it is not anticipated that there will be any public market for the 
Shares, (iii) the Shares must be held indefinitely and the Purchaser must 
continue to bear the economic risk of the investment in the Shares unless the 
Shares are subsequently registered under the Securities Act and such state or 
foreign laws or an exemption from registration is available, (iv) Rule 144 
promulgated under the Securities Act ("Rule 144") is not presently 
available with respect to sales of securities of the Company and the Company 
has made no covenant to make Rule 144 available, (v) when and if the Shares 
may be disposed of without registration in reliance upon Rule 144, such 
disposition can generally be made only in limited amounts in accordance with 
the terms and conditions of such Rule, (vi) the Company does not plan to file 
reports with the Commission or make information concerning the Company 
publicly available unless required to do so by applicable law or pursuant to 
its financing documents, (vii) if the exemption afforded by Rule 144 is not 
available, sales of the Shares may be difficult to effect because of the 
absence of public information concerning the Company, (viii) a restrictive 
legend in the form heretofore set forth shall be placed on the certificates 
representing the Shares and, pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, the 
Shares will be subject to restrictions on transfers and to rights of third 
parties with respect thereto and (ix) a notation shall be made in the 
appropriate records of the Company indicating that the Shares are subject to 
restrictions on transfer set forth in the Stockholders Agreement and, if the 
Company should in the future engage the services of a stock transfer agent, 
appropriate stop-transfer restrictions will be issued to such transfer agent 
with respect to the Shares.

          (d) COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144.  If any of the Shares are to be 
disposed of in accordance with Rule 144, the Purchaser shall transmit to the 
Company an executed copy of Form 144 (if required by Rule 144) no later than 
the time such form


                                       4


<PAGE>


is required to be transmitted to the Commission for filing and such other 
documentation as the Company may reasonably require to assure compliance with 
Rule 144 in connection with such disposition.  The Purchaser understands that 
the Stockholders Agreement provides and the Purchaser hereby agrees that, in 
general, in the event the Company files a registration statement, the 
Purchaser may not effect any public offer or sale of Shares (including under 
Rule 144) within 15 days prior or 180 days after the effective date of the 
registration (except as part of such registration).

          (e) ACCESS TO INFORMATION.  The Purchaser represents and warrants 
that (i) such Purchaser has carefully reviewed the Offering Memorandum 
(including the Debt Registration Statement attached as Exhibit B thereto), 
the Stock Purchase Plan and the other materials furnished to him or it in 
connection with the transaction contemplated hereby and (ii) he or it has 
been granted the opportunity to ask questions of, and receive answers from, 
representatives of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the 
purchase of the Shares and to obtain any additional information that he deems 
necessary to verify the accuracy of the information contained in the Offering 
Memorandum and such other materials.

          (f) TAX MATTERS.  The Purchaser acknowledges that he or it will be 
solely responsible for any and all tax liabilities payable by him or it in 
connection with his or its receipt, ownership and disposition of the Shares.

          4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.  The Company 
represents and warrants to the Purchaser that (a) the Company has been duly 
incorporated and is an existing corporation in good standing under the laws 
of the State of Delaware, (b) this Agreement has been duly authorized, 
executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and legally 
binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in 
accordance with its terms, and (c) the Shares, when issued, delivered and 
paid for in accordance with the terms hereof, will be duly and validly 
issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and free and clear of any liens or 
encumbrances other than those created pursuant to this Agreement, or 
otherwise in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

          5. STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT.  The Purchaser hereby acknowledges and 
agrees that, for all purposes of the Stockholders Agreement, with respect to 
the Purchaser the date of the Stockholders Agreement shall be the date of 
this Agreement.

          6. PURCHASE BY IRA.  The Purchaser may, by so indicating where 
provided on the signature page hereof, direct the Company to issue the Shares 
to an individual retirement account ("IRA") established for the benefit of 
the Purchaser.  In such event, (i) the IRA shall be considered the Purchaser 
for purposes of Section 2(c)(i)


                                       5


<PAGE>


hereof, (ii) the Purchaser agrees to cause the Shares to be voted in 
accordance with the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, and (iii) the IRA 
shall be considered a Management Investor for the purposes of the 
Stockholders Agreement, PROVIDED that, for purposes of determining the rights 
and obligations created by Sections 11(a) and (c) of the Stockholders 
Agreement, the Purchaser shall be deemed to be the owner of the Shares.

          7. NOTICES.  Any notices or other communications required or 
permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be sufficiently given if 
made by hand delivery, by telecopier (PROVIDED that receipt is confirmed by 
telephone or a copy is sent by overnight courier), by registered or certified 
mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or by overnight courier 
addressed as follows:

          (i) if to the Company, to the address for notices set forth in the 
Stockholders Agreement; and

          (ii) if to the Purchaser, to the address set forth on the signature 
page hereof.

All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been received on 
the date of delivery if delivered personally, on the date of confirmation if 
delivered by telecopier, or on the third business day after the mailing 
thereof.

          8. BINDING EFFECT; BENEFITS;  This Agreement shall be binding upon 
the parties to this Agreement and their respective successors and assigns and 
shall inure to the benefit of the parties to this Agreement and their 
respective successors and assigns.

          9. WAIVER; AMENDMENT. 

          (a) WAIVER.  Any party hereto or beneficiary hereof may by written 
notice to the other parties (i) extend the time for the performance of any of 
the obligations or other actions of the other parties under this Agreement, 
(ii) waive compliance with any of the conditions or covenants of the other 
parties contained in this Agreement and (iii) waive or modify performance of 
any of the obligations of the other parties under this Agreement.  Except as 
provided in the preceding sentence no action taken pursuant to this 
Agreement, including, without limitation, any investigation by or on behalf 
of any party or beneficiary shall be deemed to constitute a waiver by the 
party or beneficiary taking such action of compliance with any 
representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained herein.  The 
waiver by any party hereto or beneficiary hereof of a breach of any provision 
of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any 
preceding or succeeding breach and no failure by a


                                       6


<PAGE>


party to exercise any right or privilege hereunder shall be deemed a waiver 
of such party's or beneficiary's rights or privileges hereunder or shall be 
deemed a waiver of such party's or beneficiary's rights to execute the same 
at any subsequent time or times hereunder.

          (b) AMENDMENT.  This Agreement may not be amended, modified or 
supplemented orally, but only by a written instrument executed by the 
Purchaser and the Company.

          10. ASSIGNABILITY.  Neither this Agreement nor any right, remedy, 
obligation or liability arising hereunder or by reason hereof shall be 
assignable by the Company or the Purchaser without the prior written consent 
of the other party.

          11. APPLICABLE LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND 
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE WITHOUT REGARD 
TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.

          12. SECTION AND OTHER HEADINGS, ETC.  The section and other 
headings contained in this Agreement for reference purposes only and shall 
not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

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


                                       7


<PAGE>


       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Purchaser have executed this
Agreement as of the date first above written.


                                        LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS GROUP INC.


                                        By:________________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:


                                        THE PURCHASER:


                                        By:________________________________
                                        Name: 
                                                   (Please Print)

                                        ___________________________________

                                        ___________________________________

                                            Address of the Purchaser:


             Total Number of Shares of
             Common Stock to be
             Purchased:                 ___________________________________

I wish to have the Shares issued to my
individual retirement account:

     ___        ___
     Yes        No 

If yes, title of account: ________________________


                                       8


<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT B


                           [Form of Stockholders Agreement]



<PAGE>


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







                          LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS GROUP INC.




                                STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT














                              Dated as of June 30, 1997





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


<PAGE>


                                  TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                           PAGE
                                                                           ----
 1.  Board of Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
      (a)  Nominating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
      (b)  Removal and Replacement of Nominees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
      (c)  Chairman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
 2.  Voting, etc.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
      (a) Stockholder Approval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
      (b)  Charter and Bylaws. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
      (c)  Board Approval; Notice of Board Meetings. . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
      (d)  Confidentiality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
 3.  Restrictions on Disposition; Right of First
     Refusal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
      (a)  Restrictions on Disposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
      (b)  Subsequent Dispositions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
      (c)  Right of First Refusal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
 4.  Tag-Along Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
 5.  Take-Along Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
      (a)  Take-Along Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
      (b)  Conditions to Take-Along  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
      (c)  Remedies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
 6.  Piggyback Registration Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
 7.  Registration Upon Request . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
 8.  Registration Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
 9.  Indemnification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
10.  Affiliate Transactions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
11.  Management Stockholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
      (a)  Call Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
      (b)  Termination of Call Option. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
      (c)  Put Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
      (d)  Termination of Put Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29


                                       i


<PAGE>


                                                                           PAGE
                                                                           ----

12.  Severability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

13.  Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

14.  Certain Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

15.  Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

16.  Term. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

17.  Headings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

18.  Entire Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

19.  Counterparts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

20.  Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

21.  Binding Effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

22.  Assignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

23.  No Third Party Beneficiaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

24.  Amendment; Waivers, Etc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

25.  Consent to Jurisdiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

26.  Waiver of Jury Trial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

27.  AEA Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39



                                       ii


<PAGE>


                                STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT


          STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT, dated as of June 30, 1997, among Leiner 
Health Products Group Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), North 
Castle Partners I, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company ("NORTH 
CASTLE"), AEA Investors Inc., a Delaware corporation ("AEA"), and each other 
person who is or, becomes party to this Agreement (collectively, with North 
Castle, AEA and the Covered Shareholders (as defined below), the 
"STOCKHOLDERS").  Capitalized terms used herein without otherwise being 
defined herein are defined in Section 14.

                                 W I T N E S S E T H:

          WHEREAS, North Castle, AEA and each other Stockholder hold shares 
of Common Stock;

          WHEREAS, the parties hereto wish to set forth certain rights and 
obligations that shall attach to the ownership of Common Stock and other 
Covered Equity held by certain of the Stockholders;

          WHEREAS, AEA has entered into Covered Shareholder Agreements with 
holders (the "COVERED SHAREHOLDERS") of 516,861 shares of Class A Common 
Stock, 10,000 shares of Class B Common Stock and 140,731 shares of Class C 
Common Stock, which upon consummation of the merger (the "MERGER") described 
in the Merger Agreement (as defined below) will be converted into shares of 
Common Stock, pursuant to which AEA has been appointed representative of such 
shareholders for purposes of this Agreement; and

          WHEREAS, it is a condition to the consummation of the Stock 
Purchase Agreement and Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 31, 1997 
(the "MERGER AGREEMENT"), between the Company, North Castle and LHP 
Acquisition Corp. that the parties enter into this Agreement.

          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements contained 
herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:


                                       

<PAGE>

          1. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

          (a) NOMINATING.  Until such time as AEA and the Covered 
Shareholders have sold or transferred (other than through sales or transfers 
to AEA or Covered Shareholders) in excess of 50% of the Common Stock held by 
AEA and the Covered Shareholders upon the consummation of the Merger, AEA 
shall be entitled to nominate one person for election to the board of 
directors (the "BOARD") of the Company.  So long as it owns at least 40% of 
the Common Stock, North Castle shall be entitled to nominate all other 
persons for election to the Board, which shall not exceed ten persons in the 
aggregate for so long as AEA is entitled to nominate one individual for 
election to the Board pursuant to this Section 1(a). If it owns less than 40% 
of the Common Stock, North Castle shall be entitled to nominate a number of 
directors bearing the same relationship to the total number of directors on 
the Board as the number of shares of Common Stock then held by North Castle 
bears to the then outstanding shares of Common Stock.  The Company and each 
of the other parties hereto agrees to take all steps within their power, 
including voting any voting Common Stock owned or controlled by them or any 
of their Affiliates, to cause any person so nominated to be elected to the 
Board by action of the Stockholders of the Company.

          (b) REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF NOMINEES. (i)  At any time at which 
any party shall have exercised its rights to nominate a director pursuant to 
Section 1(a) and such party shall determine to remove one or more of its 
nominated directors, with or without cause, the Company and each of the 
Stockholders agrees to take all steps within their power, including voting 
(or causing ro be voted) any voting Common Stock owned or controlled by them 
or any of their Affiliates, to cause such director to be so removed from the 
Board by action of the stockholders of the Company.  At any time at which any 
party shall have exercised its rights to nominate a director pursuant to 
Section 1(a) and a vacancy shall be created on any of the Board as a result 
of the death, disability, retirement, resignation or removal, with or without 
cause, of a director nominated by such party, (x) the Board will request such 
party to nominate a candidate to be appointed by the Board to fill such 
vacancy or (y) in the event that a candidate to fill such vacancy is to be 
elected at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Com-


                                       2


<PAGE>


pany, such party shall have the right to nominate the individual to fill such 
vacancy, and the provisions of paragraph 1(a) above shall apply with respect 
to the nomination and election of such nominee to fill such vacancy.

          (ii) Each of the parties hereto further agrees (x) if a candidate 
nominated by any party or parties to fill any vacancy on the Board in 
accordance with paragraph (b)(i) above shall not have been appointed to fill 
such vacancy within ten Business Days of the Board having been given the name 
of such candidate by the nominating party or parties, then each of the 
parties hereto (other than the Company) shall act by written consent, or call 
a special meeting of stockholders of the Company for the sole purpose of 
filling such vacancy, and in such written consent or at such special meeting, 
vote or cause to be voted the voting Common Stock of the Company held or 
controlled by such party or any Affiliate of such party in favor of the 
candidate nominated to fill such vacancy, (y) other than as provided in 
Section 1(b)(i), no party hereto shall vote, or give any consent, in favor of 
the removal as a director of the Company of any candidate nominated by any 
other party, and (z) if, in connection with the election of any candidate 
nominated by another party in accordance herewith for election as a director 
of the Company any party hereto fails or refuses to vote as required by this 
Section 1, or votes or gives any consent or proxy in contravention of this 
Section 1, the respective nominating party shall have an irrevocable proxy 
(which irrevocable proxy shall revoke any proxy previously given by the 
defaulting party in contravention of this Section 1) pursuant to Section 
212(e) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, coupled with 
an interest, to vote, all the voting Common Stock of the Company held or 
controlled by such party in accordance with this Section 1, and each party 
hereto hereby grants such proxy.

          (c) CHAIRMAN.  The Chairman of the Board shall be selected by 
directors from one of North Castle's nominees.

          2. VOTING, ETC. (a) STOCKHOLDER APPROVAL.  Neither the Certificate 
of Incorporation nor the By-Laws of the Company shall contain any provision 
requiring a vote of a supermajority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock 
for any matter, except as required by law.


                                       3


<PAGE>


          (b) CHARTER AND BYLAWS.  The parties agree that the provisions of 
the Company's certificate of incorporation and bylaws will not (i) conflict 
with the terms of this Agreement or (ii) be amended in a manner adversely 
effecting any Stockholder which does not adversely affect all Shareholders 
without such Stockholder's consent.

          (c) BOARD APPROVAL; NOTICE OF BOARD MEETINGS.  All actions 
requiring the approval of the Board shall be approved by a majority of the 
directors present at any duly convened Board meeting or without a meeting by 
written consent of a majority of the members of the Board, in each case in 
accordance with the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law.  The 
Company agrees to give any director nominated by AEA no less than three 
Business Days' prior notice of any meeting of the Board or, in the case of a 
telephonic Board meeting, two Business Days' prior notice.

          (d) CONFIDENTIALITY.  Each of the Stockholders agrees to keep 
confidential and not to disclose to any Person any Information provided to it 
by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or obtained by the 
Stockholder; PROVIDED that nothing contained herein shall prevent any 
Stockholder from disclosing such Information to (i) any of the other 
Stockholders, (ii) any of its Representatives, PROVIDED that such Stockholder 
(w) informs each of its Representatives receiving any such Information of its 
confidential nature and of this provision and its terms, (x) uses its 
reasonable best efforts to cause its Representatives to treat such 
Information confidentially in accordance herewith, and otherwise to comply 
herewith as if parties hereto, and (iii) any member of the Board.  If any 
Stockholder or any of its Representatives is requested to disclose any such 
Information by any Governmental Entity, such Stockholder will promptly notify 
the Company to permit it to seek a protective order or take other action that 
the Company in its discretion deems appropriate, and such Stockholder will 
cooperate in any such efforts to obtain a protective order or other 
reasonable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded such 
Information.  If, in the absence of a protective order, such Stockholder or 
any of its Representatives is compelled as a matter of law to disclose any 
such Information in any proceeding or pursuant to legal process, such 
Stockholder may disclose to the party compelling disclosure only the part of 
such 

                                       4


<PAGE>


Information as is required by law to be disclosed (in which case, prior to 
such disclosure, such Stockholder will advise and consult with the Company 
and its counsel as to such disclosure and the nature and wording of such 
disclosure) and such Stockholder will use its reasonable best efforts to 
obtain confidential treatment therefor.

          3. RESTRICTIONS ON DISPOSITION; RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.

          (a)  RESTRICTIONS ON DISPOSITION.  Prior to a Public Offering, no 
Stockholder may sell, transfer, pledge, encumber or otherwise dispose of any 
Covered Equity to any Person (other than the Company) except, at any time 
after the earlier of (A) the consummation of the Exchange Offer and (B) the 
date 180 days after consummation date of the Merger, as follows (a "PERMITTED 
TRANSFER"):

          (i) to any Specified Affiliate of such Stockholder, PROVIDED that such
     Specified Affiliate agrees in writing to become a party to this Agreement
     and PROVIDED FURTHER that such Specified Affiliate delivers to the Company
     (x) an opinion of counsel, which opinion and counsel shall be reasonably
     satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that the transfer is not a
     Prohibited Transfer, and (y) a certificate of the transferor and the
     transferee, to the effect that the transferee is a Specified Affiliate of
     the transferor;

          (ii) to any other Stockholder, PROVIDED that such transferee
     Stockholder delivers an opinion of counsel to the Company, which opinion
     and counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect
     that the transfer is not a Prohibited Transfer;

          (iii) any transfer of Common Stock in a public offering if such
     stock has been registered pursuant to Section 6 or 7;

          (iv) any transfer of Common Stock pursuant to Sections 4 and 5; and

          (v) following the first anniversary of the date hereof, any transfer
     of Common Stock to a person who is not a Stockholder or a Specified
     Affiliate of the


                                       5


<PAGE>


     transferor, subject to compliance with the right of first refusal provided
     in Section 3(c), PROVIDED that the transferee (x) agrees in writing to 
     become a party to this Agreement and (y) delivers an opinion of counsel to
     the Company, which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the 
     Company, to the effect that the transfer is not a Prohibited Transfer;

Each Stockholder shall give the Company at least 15 days prior notice of any 
proposed disposition of any Covered Equity pursuant to a Permitted Transfer 
described in this Section 3(a), and prompt notice of any such actual 
disposition.  Any sale, transfer, pledge, encumbrance or other disposition of 
any Covered Equity other than pursuant to a Permitted Transfer shall be void 
and of no effect.  The Company agrees to provide such certificates with 
respect to factual matters involving the Company as may be reasonably 
requested by a Stockholder or its counsel in connection with a proposed 
Permitted Transfer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Management Stockholder 
may effect any Permitted Transfer (except of the type described in clauses 
(i), (iii) and (iv) of this Section 3.1(a)) until the earlier to occur of (x) 
the fifth anniversary of this Agreement and (y) the termination of such 
Management Stockholder's employment with the Company.

          (b) SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITIONS.  Following any Public Offering, any 
Stockholder may transfer Common Stock to any Person, PROVIDED that, except 
with respect to a transfer of the type described in Sections 3(a)(iii) and 
(iv), the transferee must deliver to the Company an opinion of counsel, which 
opinion and counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the 
effect that such transfer is not required to be registered under the 
Securities Act.

          (c) RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.  If a Stockholder other than North 
Castle (a "SELLING HOLDER") desires to make a Permitted Transfer pursuant to 
clause (v) of Section 3(a) following an offer (which offer must be in 
writing, be irrevocable by its terms for at least 15 Business Days and be a 
bona fide offer) from any prospective purchaser to purchase all or any part 
of the Common Stock owned by such Selling Holder, such Selling Holder shall 
give notice (the "NOTICE OF OFFER") in writing to the Board and to North


                                       6


<PAGE>


Castle (i) designating the number of shares of Common Stock that such Selling 
Holder proposes to sell (the "OFFERED SHARES"), (ii) naming the prospective 
purchaser thereof (the "DESIGNATED PURCHASER") and (iii) specifying the price 
(the "OFFER PRICE") and terms (the "OFFER TERMS") upon which such Selling 
Holder desires to sell the same.  During the 15 Business Day period following 
receipt of such notice by the Company and North Castle (the "REFUSAL PERIOD") 
such Selling Holder shall not be permitted to accept such offer, but may 
submit a new Notice of Offer in respect of any revised offer in accordance 
with and subject to this Section 3(c). During the Refusal Period, North 
Castle or any Affiliate of North Castle, including any pooled investment 
vehicle organized by the managing member of North Castle or by any of its 
Affiliates shall have the right to purchase from the Selling Holder at the 
Offer Price and on the Offer Terms all, but not less than all, of the Offered 
Shares.  The right provided hereunder shall be exercised by written notice to 
the Selling Holder and the Company given at any time during the Refusal 
Period.  If such right is exercised, North Castle or its Affiliate shall 
deliver to the Selling Holder payment of the Offer Price in accordance with 
the Offer Terms, against delivery of appropriately endorsed certificates or 
other instruments representing the Offered Shares.  If North Castle fails to 
subscribe for the Offered Shares during the Refusal Period, the Selling 
Holder may sell to the Designated Purchaser the Offered Shares at the Offer 
Price and on the Offer Terms.

          4. TAG-ALONG RIGHTS. If any of North Castle or its Affiliates or 
successors desires to make a Permitted Transfer pursuant to clauses (ii) and 
(v) of Section 3(a), which transfer, together with all prior transfers by 
North Castle or its Affiliates or successors involves more than 5% of the 
Common Stock owned by North Castle on the date hereof, following an offer 
(which offer must be in writing, be irrevocable by its terms for at least 35 
Business Days and be a bona fide offer) from any prospective purchaser to 
purchase all or any part of the Common Stock owned by North Castle, North 
Castle shall give a Notice of Offer in writing to the Board and the other 
Stockholders (i) designating the number of Offered Shares, (ii) naming the 
Designated Purchaser and (iii) specifying the Offer Price and Offer Terms.  
During the 20 Business Day period following receipt of such notice by the 
Company and the other Stockholders,


                                       7


<PAGE>


the other Stockholders shall have the right (a "TAG-ALONG RIGHT") exercised 
by delivery of a written notice to North Castle and the Company, to 
participate in such sale to the Designated Purchaser at the Offer Price and 
on the Offer Terms on a PRO RATA basis determined as the quotient determined 
by dividing (A) the percentage of Common Stock held by each Stockholder so 
electing to sell (each such Person, an "ACCEPTING STOCKHOLDER") by (B) the 
aggregate percentage of Common Stock represented by the Common Stock then 
held by all of the Accepting Stockholders and North Castle.  The Company 
shall notify each Accepting Stockholder at least ten Business Days prior to 
the closing of the proposed sale by North Castle of the number of Offered 
Shares which each such Accepting Stockholder may sell and such Accepting 
Stockholder shall deliver into trust, three or more Business Days prior to 
the closing certificates or other instruments representing the Offered Shares 
duly endorsed for transfer or duly executed stock powers for release against 
payment to such Accepting Stockholder of such Accepting Stockholder's net 
proceeds paid for the shares of such Stockholder at the closing of such sale.

          5. TAKE-ALONG RIGHTS.

          (a) TAKE-ALONG NOTICE.  If North Castle intends to effect a sale (a 
"TAKE-ALONG SALE") of all of its shares of Common Stock to a non-Affiliate 
third party (a "100% BUYER") prior to a Public Offering and elects to 
exercise its rights under this Section 5, North Castle shall deliver written 
notice (a "TAKE-ALONG NOTICE") to the Company and the other Stockholders, 
which notice shall (i) state (w) that North Castle wishes to exercise its 
rights under this Section 5 with respect to such transfer, (x) the name and 
address of the 100% Buyer, (y) the per share amount and form of consideration 
North Castle proposes to receive for its shares of Common Stock and (z) 
drafts of purchase and sale documentation setting forth the terms and 
conditions of payment of such consideration and all other material terms and 
conditions of such transfer (the "DRAFT SALE AGREEMENT"), (ii) contain an 
offer (the "TAKE-ALONG OFFER") by the 100% Buyer to purchase from the other 
Stockholders all of their shares of Common Stock, on and subject to the same 
price, terms and conditions offered to North Castle and (iii) state the 
anticipated time and place of the closing of such transfer (a "SECTION 5 
CLOSING"), which (subject to


                                       8


<PAGE>


such terms and conditions) shall occur not fewer than 15 days nor more than 
90 days after the date such Take-Along Notice is delivered, PROVIDED that if 
such Section 5 Closing shall not occur prior to the expiration of such 90-day 
period, North Castle shall be entitled to deliver another Take-Along Notice 
with respect to such Take-Along Offer.  Upon request of North Castle, the 
Company shall provide North Castle with a current list of the names and 
addresses of the other Stockholders.

          (b) CONDITIONS TO TAKE-ALONG.  Upon delivery of a Take-Along 
Notice, each of the other Stockholders shall have the obligation to transfer 
all of its shares of Common Stock  pursuant to the Take-Along Offer, as such 
offer may be modified from time to time, PROVIDED that North Castle transfers 
all of its shares of Common Stock to the 100% Buyer at the Section 5 Closing 
and that all shares of Common Stock held by North Castle and the other 
Stockholders are sold to the 100% Buyer at the same price, and on the same 
terms and conditions PROVIDED FURTHER that a Stockholder shall only be 
required to make, in connection with a Take-Along Sale, representations and 
warranties that survive the closing of such Sale with respect to its 
authority, its title to its Common Stock, certain conflicts, approvals and 
litigation relating to it, and shall not be required to make any 
representations or warranties with respect to the Company or its business 
that survive that Closing of such Sale or with respect to any other 
Stockholder.  Within five Business Days prior to the closing contemplated by 
the Take-Along Notice, each of the other Stockholders shall (i) deliver to 
North Castle certificates representing such other Stockholder's shares of 
Common Stock, duly endorsed for transfer or accompanied by duly executed 
stock powers, and (ii) execute and deliver to North Castle a power of 
attorney and a letter of transmittal and custody agreement in favor of North 
Castle, and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to North Castle 
appointing North Castle as the true and lawful attorney-in-fact and custodian 
for such other Stockholder, with full power of substitution, and authorizing 
North Castle to execute and deliver a purchase and sale agreement 
substantially in the form of the Draft Sale Agreement and otherwise in 
accordance with the terms of this Section 5(b) and to take such actions as 
North Castle may reasonably deem necessary or appropriate to effect the sale 
and transfer of the shares of Common Stock


                                       9


<PAGE>


to the 100% Buyer, upon receipt of the purchase price therefor set forth in 
the Take-Along Notice at the Section 5 Closing, free and clear of all 
security interests, liens, claims, encumbrances, options, and voting 
agreements of whatever nature, together with all other documents delivered 
with such Notice and required to be executed in connection with the sale 
thereof pursuant to the Take-Along Offer.  North Castle shall hold such 
shares and other documents in trust for such other Stockholder for release 
against payment to such Stockholder of such Stockholder's net proceeds in 
accordance with the contemplated transaction.  If, within 15 days after 
delivery to North Castle, North Castle has not completed the sale of all of 
the shares of Common Stock owned by North Castle and the other Stockholders 
to the 100% Buyer and another Take-Along Notice with respect to such 
Take-Along Offer has not been sent to the other Stockholders, North Castle 
shall return to each other Stockholder all certificates representing the 
shares and all other documents that such other Stockholder delivered in 
connection with such sale.  North Castle shall be permitted to send only two 
Take-Along Notices with respect to any one Take-Along Offer.  Promptly after 
the Section 5 Closing, North Castle shall furnish such other evidence of the 
completion and time of completion of such sale and the terms thereof as may 
reasonably be requested by any of the other Stockholders.

          (c) REMEDIES.  Each of the Other Stockholders acknowledges that 
North Castle would be irreparably damaged in the event of a breach or a 
threatened breach by such other Stockholder of any of its obligations under 
this Section 5 and each of the other Stockholders agrees that, in the event 
of a breach or a threatened breach by such other Stockholder of any such 
obligation, North Castle shall, in addition to any other rights and remedies 
available to it in respect of such breach, be entitled to an injunction from 
a court of competent jurisdiction (without any requirement to post bond) 
granting it specific performance by such other Stockholder of its obligations 
under this Section 5. In the event that North Castle shall file suit to 
enforce the covenants contained in this Section 5 (or obtain any other remedy 
in respect of any breach thereof), the prevailing party in the suit shall be 
entitled to recover, in addition to all other damages to which it may be 
entitled, the costs


                                       10


<PAGE>


incurred by such party in conducting the suit, including reasonable 
attorney's fees and expenses. 

          6. PIGGYBACK REGISTRATION RIGHTS.  (a) If the Company at any time 
proposes to register any shares of Common Stock under the Securities Act of 
1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT"), whether or not for sale for its own 
account (other than pursuant to a Special Registration and the registration 
form to be used may also be used for the registration of Registrable 
Securities (as defined below) owned by the Stockholders, the Company shall 
notify the Stockholders at least 45 days prior to the filing of the first 
registration statement in connection therewith.  Upon the receipt of a 
written request of any Stockholder made within 20 days after such notice 
(which request shall specify the Registrable Securities intended to be 
disposed of by such Stockholder and the intended method of disposition 
thereof), the Company will, subject to the other provisions of this Section 
8, include in such registration all Registrable Securities with respect to 
which the Company has received a written request for inclusion (a "PIGGYBACK 
REGISTRATION").  Each such request shall also contain an undertaking from the 
applicable Stockholder to provide all such information and material and to 
take all actions as may be reasonably required by the Company in order to 
permit the Company to comply with all applicable federal and state securities 
laws.

          "REGISTRABLE SECURITIES" shall mean any shares of Common Stock held 
by a Stockholder other than those not acquired from the Company, an Affiliate 
thereof or another Stockholder.  As to any particular Registrable Securities 
once issued, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when 
(i) a registration statement with respect to the sale of such securities 
shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities 
shall have been disposed of in accordance with such registration statement, 
(ii) they shall have been distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144, or 
(iii) they shall have ceased to be outstanding.

          (b) Each selling Stockholder shall pay all sales commissions or 
other similar selling charges with respect to Registrable Securities sold by 
such Stockholder pursuant to a Piggyback Registration.  The Company shall pay 
all regi-


                                       11


<PAGE>


stration and filing fees, fees and expenses of compliance with 
federal and state securities laws, printing expenses, messenger and delivery 
expenses, fees and disbursements of counsel and accountants for the Company, 
and reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for all selling 
stockholders who shall be selected, if the Piggyback Registration is also a 
Demand Registration, as provided in Section 7(b)(i), unless the applicable 
state securities laws require that stockholders whose securities are being 
registered pay their pro rata share of such fees, expenses and disbursements, 
in which case each Stockholder participating in the registration shall pay 
its PRO RATA share of all such fees, expenses and disbursements based on its 
PRO RATA share of the total number of shares being registered.

          (c) If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten registration, 
only Registrable Securities which are to be distributed by the underwriters 
may be included in the registration.  If the managing underwriters or, if the 
Piggyback Registration is not an underwritten registration, the Company's 
investment bankers, advise the Company in writing that in their opinion the 
number of securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds 
the number which can be sold in such offering or will have a material adverse 
effect on the price of the Registrable Securities to be sold, the Company 
will include in such registration (i) if it is not a Demand Registration (as 
defined below), the securities proposed to be sold by the Company for its own 
account, and then Registrable Securities proposed to be sold by Stockholders 
making a Piggyback Registration Request or, (ii) if such registration is a 
Demand Registration, the securities proposed to be sold by the Company for 
its own account, and then Registrable Securities for which registration has 
been requested pursuant to Section 7(a)(i) or 7(a)(ii), in each case which 
Registrable Securities shall be included in such registration in proportion 
(as nearly as practicable) to the amount of Registrable Securities of the 
Company owned by each such holder of Registrable Securities to the total 
amount of Registrable Securities as to which a Piggyback Registration and/or 
a Demand Registration request has been made. Notwithstanding the foregoing, 
if the managing underwriters or, if the registration is not an underwritten 
registration, the Company's investment bankers, advise the Company in


                                       12


<PAGE>


writing that in their opinion, the inclusion in a Piggyback Registration of 
Common Stock held by Management Stockholders will have a material adverse 
effect on the offering, the Company will not include such Common Stock in 
such registration. 

          (d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time after giving 
written notice to the Stockholders of its intention to register any shares of 
Common Stock pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 6 and prior to the 
effective date of the registration statement filed in connection with such 
registration, the Company shall determine for any reason not to register such 
securities, the Company may, at its election, give written notice of such 
determination to each Stockholder and thereupon shall be relieved of its 
obligation to register Registrable Securities as part of such terminated 
registration (but not from its obligation to pay expenses in connection 
therewith as provided in subsection (b) above).  If a registration pursuant 
to this Section 6 involves an underwritten public offering and a Stockholder 
requests to be included in such registration, such Stockholder may elect, in 
writing prior to the effective date of the registration statement filed in 
connection with such registration, not to participate in such registration.

          (e) Each Stockholder agrees not to sell or offer for public sale or
distribution, including pursuant to Rule 144, any of such Stockholder's Common
Stock within 15 days prior to or 180 days after the effective date of any
registration (except as part of such registration other than a Special
Registration) with respect to which piggyback registration rights are available
pursuant to this Section 6.

          7. REGISTRATION UPON REQUEST. (a) REQUEST FOR REGISTRATION.  Upon 
the written request of North Castle (the "INITIATING HOLDER") at any time 
after the date hereof requesting that the Company effect pursuant to this 
Section 7 the registration (a "DEMAND REGISTRATION") of any of such 
Initiating Holders' Registrable Securities under the Securities Act (which 
request shall specify the Registrable Securities so requested to be 
registered, the proposed amounts thereof, and the intended method of 
disposition by the Initiating Holder), the Company shall promptly give 


                                       13


<PAGE>


written notice of such requested registration to all Stockholders, and 
thereupon the Company will, as expeditiously as reasonably possible, use its 
commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration under the 
Securities Act of

          (i) the Registrable Securities which the Company has been so requested
     to register, for disposition in accordance with the intended method of
     disposition stated in such request, and

         (ii) all other Registrable Securities owned by Stockholders, the 
     holders of which shall have made a written request to the Company for 
     registration thereof (which request shall specify such Registrable 
     Securities and the proposed amounts thereof) within 30 days after the 
     receipt of such written notice from the Company,

all to the extent requisite to permit the disposition by the holders of the 
securities constituting Registrable Securities so to be registered, PROVIDED 
that the Company shall not be required to effect any registration pursuant to 
this Section 7 if it is a registration with respect to which the Company is 
not required to pay expenses pursuant to Section 7(b)(i) unless the Company 
shall have received assurances satisfactory to it that North Castle will bear 
the expenses of registration and PROVIDED, FURTHER, that each other 
Stockholder proposing to register securities as part of such Demand 
Registration shall agree in writing to pay its PRO RATA share of such 
expenses.

          (b) LIMITATIONS ON REGISTRATIONS.  The registration rights granted 
to Initiating Holder pursuant to this Section 7 are subject to the following 
limitations:

          (i) Each selling Stockholder shall pay all sales commissions or other
     similar selling charges with respect to the Registrable Securities sold by
     such Stockholder pursuant to a Demand Registration.  In connection with
     four Demand Registrations pursuant to this Section 7, the Company shall pay
     all registration and filing fees, fees and expenses of compliance with
     federal and state securities laws, printing expenses, messenger and
     delivery expenses, fees and disbursements


                                       14


<PAGE>


     of counsel and accountants for the Company and fees and expenses of one 
     counsel, selected by the Initiating Holder, for all selling Stockholders
     in connection with a Demand Registration, unless the applicable state 
     securities laws require that stockholders whose securities are being 
     registered pay their pro rata share of such fees, expenses and 
     disbursements, in which case each Stockholder participating in the 
     registration shall pay its pro rata share of all such fees, expenses and 
     disbursements based on its pro rata share of the total number of shares 
     being registered, PROVIDED that if a Demand Registration involves, 
     pursuant to Section 6(c) hereof, a cutback of the number of  Registrable 
     Securities which may be sold such that the Initiating Holder is not 
     permitted to register at least 50% of the Registrable Securities which
     it requests to register, then such Demand Registration shall not be deemed
     one of the Initiating Holder's Demand Registrations with respect to which
     expenses will be paid by the Company.  In all other instances, the selling
     Stockholders shall pay all expenses of a Demand Registration;

          (ii) the Initiating Holder shall determine the method of distribution
     of the securities to be registered in a Demand Registration and if an
     underwritten offering, shall select the managing underwriter of such
     offering;

          (iii) the Company shall not be obligated to file a registration
     statement under this Section 7 unless the total number of shares of
     Registrable Securities requested to be included in such offering by the
     Initiating Holder equals or exceeds 5% of the number of shares of Common
     Stock outstanding on a fully diluted basis; 

          (iv) the Company shall be entitled to postpone for a reasonable time
     not exceeding 90 days the filing of any registration statement under this
     Section 7 if, at the time it receives a request for a Demand Registration
     pursuant thereto, the Board shall determine in good faith that such
     offering will interfere with a pending financing, merger, sale of assets,
     recapitalization or other similar corporation


                                       15


<PAGE>


     action which the Company is actively pursuing and is material to the
     business of the Company; and

          (v) a registration statement that does not become effective or does
     not remain effective for the period specified in Section 8(b) shall be
     deemed not to constitute a registration statement filed pursuant to this
     Section 7, PROVIDED that, if such registration statement does not become
     effective or does not remain effective for such period solely by reason of
     the Initiating Holder's refusal to proceed, it shall be deemed to
     constitute a registration statement filed pursuant to Section 7 unless the
     Initiating Holder shall have elected to pay all expenses in connection with
     such registration as aforesaid.

          (c) Each Stockholder agrees not to sell or offer for public sale or 
distribution including, pursuant to Rule 144, any of such Stockholder's 
Common Stock within 15 days prior to or 180 days after the effective date of 
any Demand Registration (except as part of such registration).

          (d) The Company agrees not to effect any sale or distribution of 
any of its equity securities or of any security convertible into or 
exchangeable or exercisable for any equity security of the Company (other 
than such sale or distribution of such securities in connection with any 
merger or consolidation by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or 
the acquisition by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company of the capital 
stock or substantially all the assets of any other Person or in connection 
with an employee stock ownership or other benefit plan) during the 15 days 
prior to, and during the 180 day period which begins on, the effective date 
of a registration statement filed in connection with a Demand Registration 
(except as part of such registration).

          8. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES.  If and whenever the Company is 
required to use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect the 
registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act as 
provided in this Agreement, the Company will promptly:


                                       16


<PAGE>


          (a) prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(the "COMMISSION") a registration statement with respect to such securities 
and use its  commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration 
statement to become effective;

          (b) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and 
supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in 
connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such registration statement 
effective and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with 
respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration 
statement until such time as all of such securities have been disposed of in 
accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers 
thereof set forth in such registration statement, but in no event for a 
period of more than six months after such registration statement becomes 
effective;

          (c) at least five business days before filing with the Commission, 
furnish to counsel (if any) to the selling Stockholders such registration 
copies of all documents proposed to be filed with the Commission in 
connection with such registration, which documents will be subject to the 
review of such counsel;

          (d) furnish to each seller of securities such number of conformed 
copies of such registration statement and of each amendment and supplement 
thereto (in each case including all exhibits, except that the Company shall 
not be obligated to furnish any seller of securities with more than two 
copies of such exhibits), such number of copies of the prospectus comprised 
in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus and any 
summary prospectus), in conformity with the requirements of the Securities 
Act, and such other documents, as such seller may reasonably request in order 
to facilitate the disposition of the securities owned by such seller;

          (e) use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify 
all securities covered by such registration statement under the securities or 
blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as each seller shall request, and do any 
and all other acts and things which may be necessary or advisable to enable 
such seller to consummate the disposi-


                                       17


<PAGE>


tion in such jurisdictions of the securities owned by such seller, except 
that the Company shall not for any such purpose be required to qualify 
generally to do business as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction wherein 
it is not so qualified, or to consent to general service of process in any 
such jurisdiction;

          (f) in connection with an underwritten offering only, use its 
commercially reasonable efforts to furnish to each seller copies of 

          (i) an opinion of counsel for the Company, dated the effective date of
     the registration statement, and

        (ii)  a "comfort" letter signed by the independent public accountants
     who have certified the Company's financial statements included in the
     registration statement,

each covering substantially the same matters with respect to the registration 
statement (and the prospectus included therein) and, in the case of such 
accountants' letter, with respect to events subsequent to the date of such 
financial statements, as are customarily covered in opinions of issuer's 
counsel and in accountant's letters delivered to the underwriters in 
underwritten public offerings of securities;

          (g) notify each seller of any securities covered by such 
registration statement, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is 
required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any 
event as a result of which the prospectus included in such registration 
statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact 
or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or 
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the 
circumstances then existing, and at the request of any such seller prepare 
and furnish to such seller a reasonable number of copies of a supplement to 
or an amendment of such prospectus as may be necessary so that, as thereafter 
delivered to the purchasers of such securities, such prospectus shall not 
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material 
fact required to be stated


                                       18


<PAGE>


therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the 
light of the circumstances then existing;

          (h) otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all applicable 
rules and regulations of the Commission, and make available to its security 
holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering 
the period of at least 12 months, but not more than 18 months, beginning with 
the first month after the effective date of such registration statement, 
which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the 
Securities Act;

          (i) use its commercially reasonable efforts to list the Registrable 
Securities covered by such registration statement on any securities exchange 
(including NASDAQ), if such securities are not already so listed and if such 
listing is then permitted under the rules of such exchange, and to provide a 
transfer agent and registrar for such Registrable Securities not later than 
the effective date of such registration statement;

          (j) provide a transfer agent and registrar for all such Registrable 
Securities not later than the effective date of such registration statement;

          (k) enter into such customary agreements (including underwriting 
agreements in customary form) and take all such other actions as the holders 
of a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold or the underwriters, 
if any, reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition 
of such Registrable Securities (including, without limitation, effecting a 
stock split or a combination of shares);

          (l) in the event of the issuance of any stop order suspending the 
effectiveness of a registration statement, or of any order suspending or 
preventing the use of any related prospectus or suspending the qualification 
of any securities included in such registration statement for sale in any 
jurisdiction, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts promptly to 
obtain the withdrawal of such order.


                                       19


<PAGE>


          The Company may require each seller of any securities as to which 
any registration is being effected to furnish the Company such information 
regarding such seller and the distribution of such securities as the Company 
may from time to time reasonably request in writing in order to permit the 
Company to comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws.

          The Company shall make available for inspection by any seller of 
securities as to which any registration is being effected, any underwriter 
participating in any disposition pursuant to the related registration 
statement, and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such 
seller or any such underwriter (collectively, the "INSPECTORS"), all 
financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of 
the Company and its subsidiaries, if any, as shall be reasonably necessary to 
enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility, and shall cause 
the Company's and its subsidiaries' officers, directors and employees to 
supply all information and respond to all inquiries reasonably requested by 
any such Inspector in connection with such registration statement.

          Each Stockholder hereby agrees that upon receipt of any notice from 
the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 
8(g), such holder will promptly discontinue such holder's disposition of 
Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement covering such 
Registrable Securities until such holder's receipt of the copies of the 
supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 8(g), and, if so 
directed by the Company, will deliver to the Company (at the Company's 
expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies, then in such holder's 
possession of the prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at 
the time of receipt of such notice.  In the event the Company shall give such 
notice, the period mentioned in Section 8(b) shall be extended by the number 
of days during the period from and including the date when each seller of any 
Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement shall have 
received such notice to but not including the date when each such seller 
receives copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by 
Section 8(g).


                                       20


<PAGE>


          9. INDEMNIFICATION. (a)  The Company agrees to indemnify, to the 
extent permitted by law, each Stockholder participating in a registration 
pursuant to this Agreement, the officers and directors of such Stockholder 
and each Person that controls such Stockholder (within the meaning of the 
Securities Act) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and 
expenses, including all reasonable legal fees incurred therewith, arising out 
of, based upon or resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue 
statement of a material fact contained in any registration statement, 
prospectus or preliminary prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement 
thereto, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact 
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement therein not 
misleading in light of the circumstances then existing or any violation or 
alleged violation by the Company of any federal, state, foreign or common law 
rule or regulation applicable to the Company and relating to action required 
of or inaction by the Company in connection with any such registration, 
except insofar as the same result from or are contained in any information 
furnished in writing to the Company by such Stockholder and stated to be 
specifically for use therein or, in the case of an underwritten offering 
only, from such Stockholder's failure to deliver a copy of the registration 
statement, prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any amendments thereof or 
supplements thereto.

          (b) Each Stockholder participating in a registration pursuant to 
this Agreement agrees to indemnify, to the extent permitted by law, the 
Company, its directors and officers and each Person that controls the Company 
(within the meaning of the Securities Act) against any and all losses, 
claims, damages, liabilities and expenses, including all reasonable legal 
fees incurred in connection therewith, arising out of, based upon or 
resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of material 
fact contained in any registration statement, prospectus or preliminary 
prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any omission 
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated 
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light 
of the circumstances then existing, but only to the extent that such untrue 
statement or (as to the matters set forth in such information or affidavit) 
omission is con-


                                       21


<PAGE>


tained in any information or affidavit furnished to the Company in writing by 
such Stockholder and stated to be expressly for use therein and except 
insofar as the same result from the Company's failure to deliver a copy of 
the registration statement, prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any 
amendment thereof or supplement thereto, PROVIDED that such Stockholder's 
obligations hereunder shall be limited to an amount equal to the proceeds to 
such Stockholder of the Registrable Securities sold pursuant to such 
registration statement.

          (c) In connection with an underwritten offering, the Company and 
each Stockholder participating in the related registration will indemnify the 
underwriter(s), their officers and directors and each Person who controls 
such underwriter(s) (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same 
extent as provided in subsections (a) and (b), respectively, above.

          (d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party of notice of the 
commencement of any action or proceeding involving a claim referred to in the 
preceding subsections of this Section 9, such indemnified party will, if a 
claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party, give 
written notice to the latter of the commencement of such action, PROVIDED 
that the failure of any indemnified party to give notice as provided herein 
shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations under the 
preceding subsections of this Section 9, except to the extent that the 
indemnifying party is actually and materially prejudiced by such failure to 
give notice.  In any case in which any such action is brought against an 
indemnified party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in 
and to assume the defense thereof, jointly with any other indemnifying party 
similarly notified, to the extent that it may wish, with counsel reasonably 
satisfactory (taking into account, among other factors, any potential 
exposure of the indemnified party to criminal liability) to such indemnified 
party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party 
of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will 
not be liable to such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses 
subsequently incurred by the latter in connection with the defense thereof 
unless, in the reasonable judgment of any such indemnified party, a 


                                       22


<PAGE>


conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any 
indemnifying party or any other of such indemnified parties, in which case 
the indemnifying party shall be liable to such indemnified party for any 
reasonable legal or other expenses incurred in defending such action.  No 
indemnifying party will consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any 
settlement which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving 
by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all 
liability in respect of such claim or litigation. Notwithstanding the 
foregoing, and without limiting any of the rights set forth above, in any 
event any party will have the right to retain, at its own expense, counsel 
with respect to the defense of a claim.

          (e) If for any reason the foregoing indemnity is unavailable, then 
the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the 
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or 
expenses (I) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative 
benefits (which relative benefits with respect to such offering shall be 
deemed to be in the same proportion as the respective net proceeds received 
from such offering by the Company and the Stockholders determined as set 
forth on the table on the cover page of the prospectus) received by the 
indemnifying party on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other or 
(ii) if the allocation provided by subdivision (i) above is not permitted by 
applicable law or provides a lesser sum to the indemnified party than the 
amount hereinafter calculated, in such proportion as is appropriate to 
reflect not only the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party on 
the one hand and the indemnified party on the other but also the relative 
fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party (which relative 
fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the 
untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged 
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the 
Company or the Stockholders, the intent of the parties and their relative 
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to prevent or correct such 
statement or omission) as well as any other relevant equitable consideration. 
 Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) no holder of Registrable Securities shall 
be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount such holder 
would have been required to


                                       23


<PAGE>


pay to an indemnified party if the indemnity under subsection (b) of this 
Section 9 was available and (B) no underwriter, if any, shall be required to 
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at 
which the Registrable Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the 
public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which 
such underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue 
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No Person 
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) 
of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who 
was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The obligation of any 
underwriters to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 shall be several in 
proportion to their respective underwriting commitments and not joint.

          (f) An indemnifying party shall make payments of all amounts 
required to be made pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 9 to 
or for the account of the indemnified party from time to time promptly upon 
receipt of bills or invoices relating thereto or when otherwise due and 
payable.

          10. AFFILIATE TRANSACTIONS.  The Company will not engage in any 
transaction or series of related transactions (other than Exempted 
Transactions) with North Castle or any of North Castle's Affiliates and any 
successor to any such person unless (i) the transaction (or series of related 
transactions) is on terms and conditions no less favorable than would be 
obtainable by the Company in an arm's-length transaction and the Chief 
Financial Officer of the Company delivers to the Board and to AEA a 
certificate to such effect and (ii) if the transaction (or series of related 
transactions) involves an amount more than $1 million, a majority of the 
members of the Board who are not officers, employees or managing members of 
the Company, North Castle or an Affiliate of North Castle shall have approved 
such transactions in writing or at a duly convened meeting of the Board.

          11.  MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDERS.  

          (a)  CALL OPTION.  In the event of a Management Stockholder's 
termination of employment at the Company for


                                       24


<PAGE>


any reason other than for death or permanent disability, the Company shall 
have an option (a "Call Option") to purchase from the Management Stockholder 
all (but not less than all) of the Management Stockholder's Covered Equity at 
a price equal to the fair market value of the Covered Equity determined as of 
the date of repurchase by the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole 
discretion.  If the Company desires to exercise the Call Option, it shall 
give written notice thereof to the Management Stockholder within 60 days of 
the occurrence of the event giving rise to such Call Option.  Such Call 
Option shall expire if such notice is not given within such 60-day period.  
The Management Stockholder shall deliver to the Company certificates 
representing the Covered Equity, free and clear of all claims, liens, or 
encumbrances, together with blank stock powers, duly executed with all 
signature guarantees at a closing at the principal office of the Company on 
the third business day after notice has been given to the Management 
Stockholder, or at such other place and time and in such manner as may be 
mutually agreed to by the Management Stockholder and the Company.  The net 
proceeds from the purchase of the Covered Equity pursuant to the Call Option 
(the "Call Option Proceeds") shall be paid by a check, which shall be 
delivered to the Management Stockholder at the closing of such purchase.

          (b)  TERMINATION OF CALL OPTION.  All rights and obligations 
created pursuant to Section 11(a) shall be extinguished upon the earlier of 
(i) the fifth anniversary of this Agreement or (ii) a Public Offering.

          (c)  PUT OPTIONS.  In the event of (i) the permanent disability of 
the Management Stockholder so that he is unable substantially to perform his 
services as an employee of the Company for an aggregate of 180 days during 
any twelve-month period or (ii) the death of the Management Stockholder, the 
Management Stockholder or, in the event of death, the deceased Management 
Stockholder's administrator or executor, shall have the option (the "Put 
Option"), exercisable by the giving of notice thereof to the Company within 
120 days of the occurrence of the event giving rise to such Put Option, 
which, in the case of permanent disability, shall mean the 180th day of 
inability to perform services as an employee of the Company, to sell to the 
Company, and the Company upon exercise of such Put Option


                                       25


<PAGE>


shall buy from the Management Stockholder or the deceased Management 
Stockholder's administrator or executor, as the case may be, all (but not 
less than all) of the Management Stockholder's Covered Equity, at a price per 
share equal to the fair market value of the Covered Equity determined as of 
the date of repurchase by the Board of Directors of the Corporation in its 
sole discretion.  Such Put Option shall expire if such notice is not given 
within such 120-day period.  The Management Stockholder, or the deceased 
Management Stockholder's administrator or executor, shall deliver to the 
Company certificates representing the Covered Equity, free and clear of all 
claims, liens, or encumbrances, together with blank stock powers, duly 
executed with all signature guarantees at a closing at the principal office 
of the Company on the third business day after notice has been given to the 
Company or at such other place and time and in such manner as may be mutually 
agreed to by the Management Stockholder, or the deceased Management 
Stockholder's administrator or executor, and the Company.  The net proceeds 
from the purchase of the Covered Equity pursuant to the Management 
Stockholder Option (the "Put Option Proceeds") shall be paid by a check, 
which shall be delivered to the Management Stockholder at the closing of such 
purchase.  The obligations of the Company to purchase the Management 
Stockholder's Covered Equity pursuant to this Section 11(c) shall be deferred 
during any period in which such purchase would not be permitted by applicable 
law or could cause the Company to be in default under any agreement to which 
it or its Subsidiaries are a party.

          (d)  TERMINATION OF PUT OPTION.  All rights and obligations created 
pursuant to Section 11(c) shall be extinguished upon the earlier of (i) the 
fifth anniversary of this Agreement or (ii) a Public Offering.

          12. SEVERABILITY.  If any provision of this Agreement is invalid, 
inoperative or unenforceable for any reason, such circumstance shall not have 
the effect of rendering the provision in question inoperative or 
unenforceable in any other case or circumstance, or of rendering any other 
provision or provisions herein contained invalid, inoperative or 
unenforceable to any extent whatsoever.  The invalidity of any one or more 
phrases, sentences, clauses, Sections or subsections of this Agreement shall 
not affect the remaining portions of this Agreement.


                                       26


<PAGE>


          13. INFORMATION. (a)  Each of the Stockholders agrees that, from 
the date of this Agreement and for so long as it shall own any Covered 
Equity, it will furnish the Company such necessary information and reasonable 
assistance as the Company may reasonably request (x) in connection with the 
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (y) in 
connection with the preparation and filing of any reports, filings, 
applications, consents or authorizations with any Governmental Entity under 
any Applicable Laws and (z) in order for the Company to determine, from time 
to time, whether it is a "personal holding company" within the meaning of 
Section 542 of the Code.  Each Stockholder proposing to make a transfer 
pursuant to Section 4(a) shall provide the Company with any information 
reasonably requested in order for the Company to determine whether the 
proposed transfer would be a Prohibited Transaction.

          (b) Within 90 days of the end of each fiscal year, the Company 
shall mail to each Stockholder a report setting forth an audited balance 
sheet as at the end of such fiscal year and audited statements of income, 
common shareholders' equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the 
Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, and any other 
information the Company deems necessary or desirable.  The Company will 
furnish quarterly financial statements to Stockholders as requested.

          (c) The Company also will furnish to AEA such other information as 
AEA may from time to time reasonably request on behalf of itself or the other 
Covered Shareholders.

          14. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.  

          "AFFILIATE" means with respect to any Person, any other Person 
directly or indirectly Controlling, Controlled by or under common Control 
with such first Person.

          "APPLICABLE LAWS" means all applicable provisions of (i) 
constitutions, treaties, statutes, laws (including the common law), rules, 
regulations, ordinances, codes or orders of any Governmental Entity, (ii) any 
consents or approvals of any Governmental Entity and (iii) any orders,


                                       27


<PAGE>


decisions, injunctions, judgments, awards, decrees of or agreements with any 
Governmental Entity.

          "BUSINESS DAY" means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other 
day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required to 
close.  

          "CHANGE OF CONTROL" means any transaction or series transaction, 
the result of which is that North Castle no longer has the right to nominate 
a majority of the members of the Board.

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

          COMMON STOCK" means all shares of any class common stock of the 
Company, whether voting or non-voting, outstanding from time to time.

          "CONTROL" means the power to direct the affairs of a Person by 
reason of ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. 

          "COVERED EQUITY" means all of the shares of Common Stock, preferred 
stock or other equity interest in the Company, and any other security, 
warrant or other right that is or may allow the holder thereof to receive 
Common Stock or preferred stock or other equity interest, owned from time to 
time by any of the Stockholders.

          "COVERED SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENTS" means the agreements between AEA 
and the Covered Shareholders pursuant to which the Covered Shareholders have 
appointed AEA as their representative and have granted AEA a proxy to vote 
their Common Stock in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

          "EXCHANGE OFFER" means the exchange offer for the Company's senior 
subordinated notes due 2007 to be made by the Leiner Health Products Inc. 
("Leiner") in accordance with the registration rights agreement among Leiner, 
Merrill Lynch Pierce, Fenner & Smith incorporated, Salomon Brothers Inc and 
Scotia Capital Markets (USA) Inc.


                                       28


<PAGE>


          "EXEMPTED TRANSACTIONS" means (i) the investment banking services 
provided by North Castle Partners, L.L.C. (the "Sponsor") in connection with 
the recapitalization of the Company consummated as of the date hereof, in 
consideration of which the Company has agreed to pay the Sponsor a fee of 
$3.5 million and (ii) the ongoing monitoring and management services to be 
provided to the Company, in consideration of which the Company has agreed to 
pay the Sponsor an annual fee of $1.5 million.

          "GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY" means any federal, state, local or foreign 
court, legislative, executive or regulatory authority or agency.

          "INFORMATION" means all information about the Company or any of its 
subsidiaries (whether written or oral or in electronic or other form and 
whether prepared by the Company, its advisers or otherwise), that is or has 
been furnished to any Stockholder or any of its Representatives by or on 
behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any of their respective 
Representatives, together with all written or electronically stored 
documentation prepared by such Stockholder or its Representatives based on or 
reflecting, in whole or in part, such information, PROVIDED that the term 
"Information" does not include any information that (X) is or becomes 
generally available to the public through no action or omission by any 
Stockholder or its Representatives or (y) is or becomes available to such 
Stockholder on a nonconfidential basis from a source, other than the Company 
or any of its subsidiaries, or any of their respective Representatives, that 
to the best of such Stockholder's knowledge, after reasonable inquiry, is not 
prohibited from disclosing such portions to such investor by a contractual, 
legal or fiduciary obligation.

          "MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDER" means any stockholder who is as of the 
date hereof or later becomes, a consultant to or an officer or employee of 
the Company other than Michael Leiner and David Brubaker.

          "PERSON" means any natural person, firm, individual, partnership, 
joint venture, business trust, trust, association, corporation, company or 
unincorporated entity.


                                       29


<PAGE>


          "PROHIBITED TRANSFER" means any transfer of Covered Equity to a 
Person which (u) may not be effected without registering the securities 
involved under the Securities Act, (v) would result in the assets of the 
Company constituting Plan Assets as such term is defined in the Department of 
Labor regulations promulgated under the Employer Retirement Income Security 
Act of 1974, as amended, (x) would cause the Company to be, be Controlled by 
or under common Control with an "investment company" for purposes of the 
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or (y) would require any 
securities of the Company to be registered under the Securities and Exchange 
Act of 1934, as amended.

          "PUBLIC OFFERING" means any sale of Common Stock to the public 
pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act 
underwritten by an underwriter of national standing other than a Special 
Registration.

          "REPRESENTATIVES" means with respect to any Person, any of such 
Person's directors, officers, employees, general partners, affiliates, 
attorneys, accountants, financial and other advisers, and other agents and 
representatives, including in the case of any Stockholder any person 
nominated to the Board by such Stockholder.

          "RULE 144" means Rule 144 (or any successor provision) under the 
Securities Act.

          "SPECIAL REGISTRATION":  (a) The registration of shares of equity 
securities and/or options or other rights in respect thereof to be offered to 
Management Stockholders or (b) the registration of equity securities and/or 
options or other rights in respect thereof solely on Form S-4 or S-8 or any 
successor form.

          "SPECIFIED AFFILIATE" means (a) with respect to any Person, any 
other Person directly or indirectly Controlling, Controlled by or under 
common Control with such first person solely by virtue of having the power to 
direct the affairs of the Person by reason of ownership, directly or 
indirectly, of at least 75% of the outstanding voting securities of such 
Person, (b) with respect to any Management Stockholder, Michael Leiner, David 
Brubaker or Charles F. Baird, Jr., a Specified Affiliate shall include 


                                       30


<PAGE>


(i) a spouse or any lineal ancestor or descendant, and (ii) the trustee or 
trustees of a trust or trusts at any time established for the primary benefit 
of the Stockholder or the spouse or any lineal ancestor or descendant of the 
Stockholder to whom such Management Stockholder or Charles F. Baird, Jr. 
proposes to transfer its Common Stock and who has agreed to be bound by this 
Agreement, and (c) with respect to AEA and the Covered Shareholders, any 
current or future employee, shareholder, director or officer of AEA, any 
spouse, issue, parents or other relatives of any of the foregoing or of any 
Covered Shareholder or (i) trusts for the benefit of any of such Persons, 
(ii) entities controlling or controlled by any of such Persons and (iii) in 
the event of the death of any such individual Person, heirs or testamentary 
legatees of such Person, in each case to whom AEA or a Covered Shareholder 
has proposed to transfer its Common Stock and who has entered into a Covered 
Shareholders Agreement and thereby or otherwise agrees to be bound by this 
Agreement.

          15. NOTICES.  All notices and other communications made in 
connection with this Agreement shall be in writing.  Any notice or other 
communication in connection herewith shall be deemed duly given to any party 
(a) two Business Days after it is sent by express, registered or certified 
mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid or (b) one Business Day after 
it is sent by overnight courier guaranteeing next day delivery, in each case, 
addressed as follows or, to such other address as may be specified in writing 
to the other parties hereto:

          (i)  if to the Company:

               Leiner Health Products Group Inc.
               901 E. 233rd Street
               Carson, CA  90745
               Facsimile:  (310) 952-7766
               Telephone:  (310) 835-8400
               Attention:  Robert M. Kaminski

         (ii)  if to North Castle:

               North Castle Partners I, L.L.C.
               11 Meadowcroft Lane


                                       31


<PAGE>


               Greenwich, CT  06830
               Attention:  Charles F. Baird, Jr.

               with a copy to:

               Debevoise & Plimpton
               875 Third Avenue
               New York, New York 10022
               Facsimile:  (212) 909-6836
               Telephone:  (212) 909-6000
               Attention:  Franci J. Blassberg, Esq.

        (iii)  if to the other Stockholders, at the addresses set forth on the
               signature pages hereto

Any party may give any notice or other communication in connection herewith 
using any other means (including, but not limited to, personal delivery, 
messenger service, facsimile, telex or ordinary mail), but no such notice or 
other communication shall be deemed to have been duly given unless and until 
it is actually received by the individual for whom it is intended.

          16. TERM.  This Agreement shall be effective as of the date hereof 
and shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon the earliest 
to occur of (i) the tenth anniversary of the date hereof, (ii) the 
termination of this Agreement by the unanimous written consent of the 
Stockholders, (iii) the establishment of a Public Market for the Common Stock 
or (iv) a Change of Control except that the registration rights provided in 
Section 6 and Section 7 will survive until AEA and the Covered Shareholders 
(as a group) and North Castle each owns Common Stock representing less than 
5% of the Company's outstanding Common Stock.  A "PUBLIC MARKET" for the 
Common Stock shall be deemed to have been established at such time as 20% of 
the Common Stock (on a fully diluted basis) shall have been sold to the 
public pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities 
Act other than a Special Registration.

          17. HEADINGS.  The headings contained in this Agreement are for 
purposes of convenience only and shall not affect the meaning or 
interpretation of this Agreement.


                                       32


<PAGE>


          18. ENTIRE AGREEMENT.  This Agreement constitutes the entire 
agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both 
written and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter 
hereof.  Without limiting the foregoing, the Company and each Stockholder who 
is party to a Participants' Subscription Agreement or a Management 
Subscription Agreement hereby agree that such agreement is hereby terminated 
and superseded by this Agreement.

          19. COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in several 
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which 
shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

          20. GOVERNING LAW.  This Agreement shall be governed by and 
construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York 
applicable to agreements made and performed within such State.

          21. BINDING EFFECT.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure 
to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors 
and permitted assigns.

          22. ASSIGNMENT.  This Agreement shall not be assignable by any 
party without the prior written consent of the other parties.

          23. NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES.  Nothing in this Agreement shall 
confer any rights upon any Person other than the parties hereto and each such 
party's respective heirs, successors and permitted assigns. 

          24. AMENDMENT; WAIVERS, ETC.  If AEA and Covered Shareholders own 
5% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, then AEA must consent in writing 
to any amendment hereto.  If AEA and Covered Shareholders own less than 5% of 
the outstanding Common Stock, this Agreement may be amended, and the Company 
may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein 
required to be performed by it, if the Company shall have obtained the 
written consent to such amendment, action or omission to act, of the holder 
or holders of at least 66 2/3% of the shares of Common Stock outstanding as of 
the date hereof, PROVIDED that this Agreement may not be amended in a manner 
adversely affecting any Stockholder which does not adversely affect all


                                       33


<PAGE>


Stockholders without the consent of such Stockholder PROVIDED, FURTHER, that 
in no event may the provisions of this agreement with respect to the Piggy 
Back Registration Rights (including the Company's obligations thereunder) or 
the Tag-Along Rights be amended without the consent in writing of AEA.  No 
amendment, modification or discharge of this Agreement, and no waiver 
hereunder, shall be valid or binding unless set forth in writing and duly 
executed by the party against whom enforcement of the amendment, 
modification, discharge or waiver is sought.  Any such waiver shall 
constitute a waiver only with respect to the specific matter described in 
such writing and shall in no way impair the rights of the party granting such 
waiver in any other respect or at any other time.

          25. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION.  Each party irrevocably submits to the 
exclusive jurisdiction of (A) the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New 
York County, and (b) the United States District Court for the Southern 
District of New York, for the purposes of any suit, action or other 
proceeding arising out of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated 
hereby (and agrees not to commence any such suit, action or other proceeding 
except in such courts).  Each party further agrees that service of any 
process, summons, notice or document by U.S. registered mail to such party's 
respective address set forth or referred to in Section 14 shall be effective 
service of process for any such suit, action or other proceeding.  Each party 
irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue 
of any such suit, action or other proceeding in (i) the Supreme Court of the 
State of New York, New York County, and (ii) the United States District Court 
for the Southern District of New York, that any such suit, action or other 
proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient 
forum.

          26. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  Each party hereby waives, to the fullest 
extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury 
in respect of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of this 
Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby.  Each party (a) certifies 
that no representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, 
expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of 
litigation, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (b) acknowledges that it 
and the other parties have been induced to enter


                                       34


<PAGE>


into the Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waivers and 
certifications in this Section 25.

          27. AEA AUTHORITY.  AEA hereby represents and warrants to each 
other party hereto that, pursuant to the Covered Shareholders Agreements, it 
has been duly authorized to execute this Agreement, and to exercise all 
rights and perform all obligations hereunder, on behalf of each Covered 
Shareholder.

          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this 
Agreement by their authorized representatives as of the date first above 
written.

                         LEINER HEALTH PRODUCTS GROUP INC.


                         By:______________________________
                            Name: 
                            Title:

                         NORTH CASTLE PARTNERS I, L.L.C.

                         By:  Baird Investment Group, L.L.C.,
                                its managing member

                              By:  Charles F. Baird, Jr.,
                                     its managing member


                                   _________________________



                         AEA INVESTORS INC.
                         For itself and on behalf of the
                           Covered Shareholders

                         By:________________________________
                            Christine J. Smith
                            General Counsel



                                       35


<PAGE>


                         STOCKHOLDER


                         By:_____________________________
                         Name:
                                   (Please Print)

                         Address of the Stockholder:

                         Telephone:_______________________
                         Telecopy: _______________________

                         Date of execution:  December __  , 1977


                                       36


<PAGE>


                         AEA INVESTORS INC.


                         By:_______________________________
                            Name:

                         65 East 55th Street
                         27th Floor
                         New York, New York  10022

                         Telephone:  (212) 644-5900
                         Telecopy:   (212) 888-1459/1457



                                       37



<TABLE> <S> <C>

<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
COMPANY'S CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND THE
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          MAR-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             MAR-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                           1,435
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   67,402
<ALLOWANCES>                                     4,156
<INVENTORY>                                    124,808
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               198,140
<PP&E>                                          69,873
<DEPRECIATION>                                  25,180
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 325,025
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          118,008
<BONDS>                                        236,389
                                0
                                          0
<COMMON>                                             1
<OTHER-SE>                                    (34,402)
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   325,025
<SALES>                                        338,837
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               338,837
<CGS>                                          250,713
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  250,713
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              13,513
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (24,961)
<INCOME-TAX>                                   (4,207)
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (20,754)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                (1,109)
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (21,863)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>


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