GENENTECH INC
POS AM, 1995-10-25
MEDICINAL CHEMICALS & BOTANICAL PRODUCTS
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<PAGE>   1
 
   AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 25, 1995.
 
                                                    REGISTRATION NO. 33-59949-02
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            ------------------------
 
                         POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                       ON
 
                                    FORM S-3
                                       TO
                                    FORM S-4
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933*
                            ------------------------
 
                                GENENTECH, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                  <C>
                      DELAWARE                                            94-2347624
            (State or other jurisdiction                               (I.R.S. Employer
          of incorporation or organization)                           Identification No.)
</TABLE>
 
                            ------------------------
 
                         460 POINT SAN BRUNO BOULEVARD
                     SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94080
                                 (415) 225-1000
  (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of
                   registrant's principal executive offices)
                            ------------------------
 
                             STEPHEN G. JUELSGAARD
                       VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                                GENENTECH, INC.
                         460 POINT SAN BRUNO BOULEVARD
                     SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94080
                                 (415) 225-1000
(Name, address including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of
                               agent for service)
 
* Filed as a Post-Effective Amendment on Form S-3 to such Form S-4 Registration
  Statement pursuant to the procedure described herein. See "INTRODUCTORY
  STATEMENT".
                            ------------------------
 
    Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as
practicable after this Post-Effective Amendment is declared effective.
    If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following
box.  / /
    If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  /X/
    If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and
list the Securities Act registration statement number of earlier effective
registration statement for the same offering.  / /
    If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering.  / /
    If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box.  / /
                            ------------------------
 
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
 
<TABLE>
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              PROPOSED            PROPOSED          MAXIMUM
                                               AMOUNT             MAXIMUM          AGGREGATE       AMOUNT OF
TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF                         TO BE           OFFERING PRICE      OFFERING      REGISTRATION
SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED                REGISTERED(1)         PER SHARE           PRICE            FEE
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                      <C>                 <C>                 <C>            <C>
Callable Putable Common Stock $.02 par
  value................................   4,500,000 shares        N.A.(2)           N.A.(2)         N.A.(2)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
 
(1) This Registration Statement also relates to the 4,500,000 shares of Common
    Stock, par value $.02, of the Registrant into which the 4,500,000 shares of
    Callable Putable Common Stock offered hereby are subject to conversion in
    accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant.
(2) All filing fees payable in connection with registration of these securities
    were paid in connection with the filing of (a) the Registrant's Schedule 14A
    dated June 2, 1995, (b) the Registrant's Form S-4, No. 33-59949, dated June
    5, 1995 (the "Form S-4") and (c) Amendment No. 1 to the Form S-4 dated
    September 8, 1995.
                            ------------------------
 
    THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL
FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(a) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME
EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(a),
MAY DETERMINE.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>   2
 
                                GENENTECH, INC.
                            ------------------------
 
                             CROSS-REFERENCE SHEET
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
          FORM S-3 ITEM NUMBER AND HEADING                   LOCATION IN PROSPECTUS
      ----------------------------------------   ----------------------------------------------
<S>   <C>                                        <C>
  1.  Forepart of Registration Statement and
        Outside Front Cover Page of
        Prospectus............................   FRONT COVER PAGE
  2.  Inside Front and Outside Back Cover
        Pages of Prospectus...................   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
  3.  Summary Information, Risk Factors and
        Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges....   THE COMPANY
  4.  Use of Proceeds.........................   USE OF PROCEEDS
  5.  Determination of Offering Price.........   NOT APPLICABLE
  6.  Dilution................................   NOT APPLICABLE
  7.  Selling Security Holders................   NOT APPLICABLE
  8.  Plan of Distribution....................   PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
  9.  Description of Securities to be
        Registered............................   DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIAL COMMON STOCK
 10.  Interests of Named Experts and
        Counsel...............................   LEGAL MATTERS
 11.  Material Changes........................   MATERIAL CHANGES
 12.  Incorporation of Certain Information by
        Reference.............................   INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY
                                                 REFERENCE
 13.  Disclosure of Commission Position on
        Indemnification for Securities Act
        Liabilities...........................   DISCLOSURE OF COMMISSION POSITION ON
                                                 INDEMNIFICATION FOR SECURITIES ACT LIABILITIES
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   3
 
     INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A
     REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE
     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR
     MAY OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
     BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR
     THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE
     SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE
     UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS
     OF ANY SUCH STATE.
 
                 SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED OCTOBER 25, 1995
 
                                GENENTECH, INC.
 
                 4,500,000 SHARES CALLABLE PUTABLE COMMON STOCK
 
                            ------------------------
 
     This Prospectus covers 4,500,000 shares of Callable Putable Common Stock,
par value $.02 per share ("Special Common Stock") of Genentech, Inc. (including
any shares of Common Stock of Genentech, Inc. ("Common Stock") issued upon
conversion of such shares) issuable upon exercise of stock options under
Genentech, Inc.'s 1994 Stock Option Plan (as amended, the "Option Plan").
 
                            ------------------------
 
     The Callable Putable Common Stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange
("NYSE") under the symbol GNE. On October 24, 1995 the closing sales price for
the Common Stock (which was converted into Special Common Stock on October 25,
1995) on the NYSE was $48.875.
 
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
    EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR HAS THE COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY
       OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE
          CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
<TABLE>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             UNDERWRITING
                                            PRICE TO        DISCOUNTS AND       PROCEEDS TO
                                           PUBLIC(1)         COMMISSIONS          COMPANY
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                    <C>                <C>                <C>
Per Share.............................      $48.875              (2)                (3)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.................................      $48.875              (2)                (3)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
 
(1) Based upon the closing price of the Common Stock on October 24, 1995. The
    actual price to be paid upon exercise of options will be determined on the
    date the options are granted.
 
(2) Sales will be made upon the exercise of options without the use of
    underwriters or dealers and no compensation will be paid to any such person
    in connection with the sale of shares upon exercise of options. See "Plan of
    Distribution".
 
(3) Before deducting offering expenses estimated at $7,500 payable by the
    Company.
 
                            ------------------------
 
               The date of this Prospectus is             , 1995
<PAGE>   4
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           PAGE
                                                                                           ----
<S>                                                                                        <C>
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT.................................................................       1
AVAILABLE INFORMATION..................................................................       1
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE........................................       1
THE COMPANY............................................................................       2
USE OF PROCEEDS........................................................................       2
THE 1994 STOCK OPTION PLAN.............................................................       3
Information About Genentech............................................................       4
A.     Regular Option Grant Program

        1.  Am I eligible for option grants?...........................................       5
        2.  The Plan previously referred to "Redeemable Common Stock." When will I
            actually receive Special Common Stock?.....................................       5
        3.  Who determines the terms of my option?.....................................       5
        4.  Do special rules apply to me if I am an officer or director of the
            Company?...................................................................       5
        5.  What happens to my option or stock issued under the Option Plan in the
            event Roche causes redemption of the Special Common Stock?.................       6
        6.  How many shares of Special Common Stock will my option cover?..............       6
        7.  How is the exercise price of an option determined?.........................       7
        8.  When can I exercise my option?.............................................       7
        9.  How do I exercise my option?...............................................       7
       10.  Do I have to pay the exercise price with cash?.............................       7
       11.  Will I continue to receive options as long as I stay with the Company?.....       7
       12.  Can the stockholders of the Company change the terms of the Option Plan?...       8
       13.  What happens if I leave the Company?.......................................       8
       14.  What if I leave the Company because of disability?.........................       8
       15.  What are the rights of my heirs?...........................................       8
       16.  Can a relative or friend exercise my option?...............................       8
       17.  Can I transfer my options?.................................................       8
       18.  Can I sell the stock I receive from exercising my option right away?.......       9
       19.  How do I sell stock I received under the option? Do I have to pay a
            commission when I exercise my option or sell the stock I received under the
            option?....................................................................       9
       20.  I have heard about cashless exercise programs through brokers. How do these
            work?......................................................................       9
       21.  How can I make a gift of stock I receive under the Option Plan?............       9
       22.  Does the Company go out on the market to buy the stock which I will receive
            on exercise of my option?..................................................       9
       23.  Does the Option Plan have any of the same benefits as a qualified
            retirement plan (including a 401(k) plan) and will my participation in the
            Option Plan affect my participation in the Company's 401(k) plan?..........       9
       24.  Do I have to pay tax when I receive a stock option or exercise the stock
            option? Will the Company withhold the amount of taxes due?.................      10
</TABLE>
 
                                        i
<PAGE>   5
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           PAGE
                                                                                           ----
<S>                                                                                        <C>
       25.  How much tax do I have to pay when I sell stock received pursuant to the
            exercise of a non-statutory stock option?..................................      10
       26.  What is the difference between ordinary income and capital gains?..........      10
       27.  When do I pay tax on stock received pursuant to the exercise of an
            incentive stock option?....................................................      11
       28.  How is my profit taxed? What if I lose money?..............................      11
       29.  Is there any withholding on the exercise of my incentive stock option or
            the sale of the stock acquired on exercise?................................      12
       30.  Do I have to complete any forms after I sell or transfer my stock?.........      12
       31.  Are there any special tax rules which apply to me if the Company has the
            right to repurchase my stock after I exercise my option?...................      12
            NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION.................................................      12
            INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION.....................................................      13
       32.  What are the tax consequences if I use shares I already own to pay the
            exercise price of my non-qualified stock option?...........................      14
       33.  What are the tax consequences if I use shares I already own to pay the
            exercise price of incentive stock options?.................................      14
       34.  What are the tax consequences of my exercise of options if I am subject to
            the alternative minimum tax?...............................................      15
       35.  What happens to my option or stock issued under the Option Plan in the
            event Genentech is acquired by a person other than Roche?..................      15
       36.  What happens if the vesting of my options accelerates upon a change of
            control?...................................................................      16
B.     Automatic Grant Program
       37.  Are non-employee directors eligible to receive options under the Option
            Plan?......................................................................      16
C.     Miscellaneous
       38.  What are some of the other features of the Option Plan?....................      17
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION...................................................................      17
DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIAL COMMON STOCK................................................      18
LEGAL MATTERS..........................................................................      24
EXPERTS................................................................................      25
MATERIAL CHANGES.......................................................................      25
DISCLOSURE OF COMMISSION POSITION ON INDEMNIFICATION FOR SECURITIES ACT LIABILITIES....      25
</TABLE>
 
                                       ii
<PAGE>   6
 
                             INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
 
     Genentech, Inc. ("Genentech", or the "Company" or the "Registrant") hereby
amends its Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 33-59949) (the "Form S-4"),
by filing this Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 on Form S-3 ("Amendment No. 2")
relating to the issuance of options and the subsequent issuance of up to
4,500,000 shares of Callable Putable Common Stock, par value $.02 per share
("Special Common Stock") in connection with the Company's 1994 Stock Option Plan
(as amended, the "Option Plan"). This Amendment No. 2 also relates to the sale
of a like number of shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.02 per
share ("Common Stock"), into which the Special Common Stock issuable in
connection with the Option Plan is subject to conversion in accordance with the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation. All of such shares were previously
registered under the Form S-4.
 
     On October 25, 1995, HLR (U.S.) II, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a
wholly owned subsidiary of Roche Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation
("Roche"), was merged into the Company (the "Merger"). As a result of the
Merger, each outstanding share of Common Stock (other than shares held by Roche
and its affiliates) was converted into one share of Special Common Stock. As a
result of the Merger, shares of Common Stock will no longer be issued pursuant
to the Option Plan. Instead, participants in the Plan will receive, in lieu of
each share of Common Stock which would have been acquired under the Plan, one
share of Special Common Stock.
 
     The designation of Amendment No. 2 as Registration No. 33-59949-02 denotes
that Amendment No. 2 relates only to the shares of Special Common Stock (or,
upon conversion thereof, Common Stock) issuable pursuant to the Option Plan and
that this is the second Post-Effective Amendment to the Form S-4 filed with
respect to such shares.
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
     Genentech is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and, in accordance
therewith, files reports, proxy statements and other information with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"). Such reports, proxy
statements and other information filed by the Company with the Commission can be
inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the
Commission at Room 1024, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and
should be available for copying and inspection at the Regional Offices of the
Commission at Suite 1400, 500 West Madison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60661 and 7
World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048. Copies of such material can also
be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission, at 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. The Company's Special
Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Pacific Stock
Exchange and such reports, proxy statements and other information concerning
Genentech should be available for inspection and copying at their respective
offices at 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005 and 301 Pine Street, San
Francisco, California 94104.
 
     The Company has filed with the Commission a Registration Statement under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to
the Special Common Stock offered by this Prospectus. This Prospectus does not
contain all the information set forth in the Registration Statement. For further
information with respect to the Company and the securities offered by this
Prospectus, reference is made to the Registration Statement, including the
exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein.
 
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
     The following documents filed with the Commission are incorporated herein
by reference:
 
          (a) The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
     December 31, 1994 and Amendment No. 1 thereto filed on September 18, 1995.
 
          (b) All reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the
     Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the annual report
     referred to in clause (a) above.
<PAGE>   7
 
          (c) The Company's Proxy Statement dated March 17, 1995.
 
          (d) The description of the Special Common Stock filed pursuant to the
     Exchange Act and any amendment or report filed to update such description.
 
     All documents filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus
and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.
Any statements contained in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be
deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Prospectus to the
extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded
shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part
of this Prospectus.
 
     The Company will provide without charge to each person to whom this
Prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request of such person, a copy of
any and all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement filed with the Commission under the Securities Act with
respect to the Special Common Stock offered by this Prospectus, other than
certain exhibits to such documents. Such requests should be directed to the
Corporate Secretary, Genentech, Inc., 460 Point San Bruno Boulevard, South San
Francisco, California 94080, telephone (415) 225-1000.
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
     Genentech, Inc. is an international biotechnology Company that discovers,
develops, manufactures and markets human pharmaceuticals for significant medical
needs. Genentech was incorporated in 1976 as a California corporation but
changed its state of incorporation in 1987 to Delaware. Genentech's executive
offices are located at 460 Point San Bruno Boulevard, South San Francisco,
California 94080, telephone (415) 225-1000.
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
     There can be no assurance that any options granted under the Option Plan
will be exercised. However, assuming all options to be granted under the Option
Plan are granted and exercised for cash and that the exercise price of such
options is equal to the closing price of the Company's Common Stock on October
24, 1995, the net proceeds to be received by the Company from the sale of the
Special Common Stock offered hereby are estimated to be $220 million. Such
proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes including additions to
working capital and capital expenditures. A portion of the net proceeds may also
be used for the acquisition of technology or products, although no material
acquisitions are currently being negotiated. Pending such uses, the Company may
invest such proceeds in readily marketable, interest-bearing securities.
 
                                        2
<PAGE>   8
 
                           THE 1994 STOCK OPTION PLAN
 
To our Employees, Certain Consultants and Non-Employee Directors:
 
     We are pleased with this opportunity to provide you with updated
information regarding our 1994 Stock Option Plan, referred to as the "Option
Plan" or the "Plan". We believe that the Option Plan is an important part of the
benefits provided to our employees, certain consultants and non-employee
directors and we hope you will take the time to carefully review this
information.
 
     Genentech, Inc. adopted the Option Plan in order to provide a method
whereby the Company may retain the services of persons now employed by or
serving as consultants or directors to it, secure and retain the services of
persons capable of filling such positions and provide incentives for such
persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company or its parent or
subsidiary corporations.
 
     The discussion of the Option Plan describes: (i) the terms of the Regular
Option Grant Program under the Option Plan, which provides for the grant of what
are called incentive stock options (tax advantaged options) and non-statutory
stock options (options which do not have tax advantages but which may cover
stock offered at a discounted price); and (ii) the terms of the Automatic Grant
Program under the Option Plan, which provides for the automatic grant of
non-statutory stock options to non-employee members of the Board. It also
includes a description of provisions of the Option Plan that are applicable to
all rights granted under the Option Plan.
 
     The attached materials may not answer all of the questions you have about
the Option Plan and are not intended to go into every detail of the Option Plan,
copies of which are found at the end of this package. Kathy Panko, Manager of
Corporate Records, and Karen Strand, Senior Stock Services Coordinator, located
in the legal department will be happy to answer further questions.
 
     If you are granted a stock option under the Option Plan you will receive an
option grant form describing the terms of your option. If you wish to exercise
an option you will need to complete an option exercise form provided with your
option grant. You may always obtain extra copies of the option exercise form
from Kathy Panko or Karen Strand.
 
                                        3
<PAGE>   9
 
                          INFORMATION ABOUT GENENTECH
 
     An important part of your participation in the Option Plan is understanding
the Company, its products, operations and financial condition. Like any
stockholder of the Company, you can keep yourself informed about the Company by
reviewing reports which the Company prepares for stockholders and the general
public.
 
     If you have not already received a copy of Genentech's most recent annual
report as a current stockholder of the Company, the report should be delivered
to you with these materials. Whether or not you have already received the annual
report, you may always request a copy from the Company.
 
     If you are already a stockholder of the Company or an option holder, you
should receive copies of the Company's proxy statement, reports to stockholders
and other stockholder communications. If you do not receive this information you
should notify Diane Schrick, Investor Relations, Building 5, extension 1599. You
may always request additional copies of this information.
 
     The United States securities laws require the Company to provide
information about its business and financial status in annual reports, commonly
known as "10-K's" and quarterly reports, commonly known as "10-Q's." These
reports are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, if
important corporate events occur during the year, the Company may file reports
commonly known as "8-K's." From time to time the Company may file other
documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
     All of these reports constitute part of the information required by
securities laws to be provided or made available to you in connection with your
purchase of stock under the Option Plan, that is, these reports are incorporated
by reference into these materials, which constitute the prospectus for the
Option Plan.
 
     For a copy of these reports, which are available without charge and upon
written or oral request, please contact Diane Schrick, Investor Relations,
Building 5, extension 1599, who will be happy to assist you.
 
                                        4
<PAGE>   10
 
                        A.  REGULAR OPTION GRANT PROGRAM
 
1.  AM I ELIGIBLE FOR OPTION GRANTS?
 
     To receive an incentive stock option you must be an employee of the
Company, its parent, or any subsidiary (any corporation in which the Company
owns more than 50% of the outstanding voting power). To receive a non-qualified
stock option you must be an employee of, or a consultant to, the Company, its
parent, any subsidiary, or any other business entity in which the Company
directly or indirectly owns more than 50% of the voting power, capital or
profits. Non-employee directors will only receive non-qualified stock options
pursuant to the terms of the Automatic Grant Program described below in Question
37. The Option Plan originally provided for the grant of options to directors,
employees and consultants covering an aggregate of 4,500,000 shares of the
Company's Redeemable Common Stock, par value $.02 per share ("Redeemable Common
Stock"). Of that amount, as of June 30, 1995, options covering 4,280,000 shares
had been issued, leaving unissued options covering 220,000 shares remaining
under the Plan. As of October 25, 1995, however, holders of all such options,
including both outstanding and unissued options, will, upon exercise thereof,
receive shares of the Company's Special Common Stock (see Question 2).
 
2.  THE PLAN PREVIOUSLY REFERRED TO "REDEEMABLE COMMON STOCK." WHEN WILL I
    ACTUALLY RECEIVE SPECIAL COMMON STOCK?
 
     As noted in Question 1, the Plan originally contemplated the issuance of
Redeemable Common Stock. Two events have occurred since, however. First, on June
30, 1995, the Redeemable Common Stock was converted -- automatically, in
accordance with the terms of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation as then
in effect -- into shares of the Company's Common Stock. On October 25, 1995, the
Company consummated the Merger with a wholly owned subsidiary of Roche, with the
result that all shares of Common Stock (other than shares held by Roche and its
affiliates) were converted into shares of Special Common Stock. Under such
circumstances, the Plan permits the Company to make appropriate adjustments,
and, accordingly, the Company is now issuing shares of Special Common Stock upon
exercise of Plan options, in lieu of shares of Redeemable Common Stock. Under
some circumstances, as set forth in the Company's Certificate of Incorporation,
the Special Common Stock could be converted into Common Stock of the Company.
Were this to happen, appropriate adjustments would be made so that Common Stock,
instead of Special Common Stock, would be issued upon exercise of options. The
Plan has been amended, as of October 25, 1995, to give effect to the foregoing
transactions and to reflect the issuance of the Special Common Stock.
 
3.  WHO DETERMINES THE TERMS OF MY OPTION?
 
     The decision to grant an option to any particular individual is made by the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board" or
the "Genentech Board"), generally after review of input from management. The
current members of the Compensation Committee of the Board are Franz B. Humer,
Linda Fayne Levinson, J. Richard Munro and Robert A. Swanson and information
about them is provided in the Company's proxy statement for its last annual
meeting or in the proxy statement/prospectus relating to the Merger (the "Merger
Proxy Statement").
 
     Members of the Board are nominated by the Board and elected by the
stockholders of the Company. The members of the Board are divided into three
classes, each class consisting, as nearly as possible, of one-third of the total
number of directors, with each class having a three-year term. Each director
holds office until his or her term is complete and until his or her successor is
elected, or until his or her death, resignation or removal. Board members may be
removed from office by appropriate stockholder action. The Compensation
Committee currently consists of four board members appointed by the Board of
Directors as a whole.
 
4.  DO SPECIAL RULES APPLY TO ME IF I AM AN OFFICER OR DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY?
 
     Yes. If you are an officer or director of the Company you should be aware
of tax and securities laws which apply to your transactions in stock received
upon the exercise of options or if the Company is bought out. In
 
                                        5
<PAGE>   11
 
addition, you must comply with the Company's policy permitting officers and
directors to sell shares only during "window" periods which generally open on
the third business day after a quarter's revenues and earnings have been
publicly released and close on the tenth calendar day of the last month of each
quarter. Furthermore, you are expected to check with Kathy Panko before selling
any shares and your sale must also be made in accordance with Rule 144 under the
Securities Act.
 
     One of the laws that will apply to you as an officer or director is Section
16 of the Exchange Act. If you are not familiar with how Section 16 operates,
you should review the Memorandum to Officers and Directors which you should have
received or ask Kathy Panko or Karen Strand for another copy of the Memorandum.
 
5.  WHAT HAPPENS TO MY OPTION OR STOCK ISSUED UNDER THE OPTION PLAN IN THE EVENT
    ROCHE CAUSES REDEMPTION OF THE SPECIAL COMMON STOCK?
 
     If Roche causes redemption of the Special Common Stock, all outstanding
options which are vested immediately prior to the date of the redemption will be
cashed out at the excess of the per share redemption price over the per share
option price. Following the redemption, outstanding options which are not vested
immediately prior to the date of the redemption may be replaced by a comparable
incentive program. If the redemption does not occur and the Special Common Stock
converts to Common Stock as provided in Article THIRD of the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation, outstanding options may continue to vest and
become exercisable to purchase shares of Common Stock of the Company pursuant to
the option's original vesting schedule.
 
     The Plan permits the Compensation Committee to accelerate the vesting
schedule of any outstanding option (other than options granted under the
Automatic Grant Program) at any time. Under the Amended and Restated Governance
Agreement entered into by the Company and Roche on October 25, 1995, Roche and
the Company have agreed to make appropriate provisions to assure that any
options outstanding on the date Roche causes redemption of the Special Common
Stock or the final day of the Put Period (as defined below) (whether or not
vested on such date) become exercisable for the same consideration that the
option holder would have received had he or she exercised such options prior to
such dates. The Compensation Committee will either (i) accelerate the vesting
schedule of all options (other than options granted under the Automatic Grant
Program) prior to the earlier of (x) the date Roche causes redemption of the
Special Common Stock or (y) the final day of the Put Period or (ii) take such
other appropriate action as may be necessary to effect the result described in
the preceding sentence.
 
6.  HOW MANY SHARES OF SPECIAL COMMON STOCK WILL MY OPTION COVER?
 
     When the Compensation Committee grants an option, the Compensation
Committee determines the number of shares the option will cover. There is no
minimum number of shares for which an option may be granted; however, the
aggregate number of shares of stock that may be subject to options granted to
any employee in a calendar year may not exceed two hundred fifty thousand
(250,000) shares of the Company's Special Common Stock. Other limitations apply
for option grants to non-employee members of the Board (see Question 37).
 
     The tax regulations do restrict the Board's ability to grant incentive
stock options under the following circumstances.
 
     If you are granted an incentive stock option and the aggregate value of
shares (determined at the date of grant of each option) under that option and
all other incentive stock options (granted after 1986) you hold, if any, become
exercisable for the first time during any one calendar year is greater than
$100,000, then that number of those shares with a value over $100,000 will be
treated by the IRS as non-qualified stock options not having the tax advantages
of incentive stock options.
 
     In addition, as is described more fully in the answers below, incentive
options have limitations on their exercise price, terms, transferability, and
duration following termination.
 
                                        6
<PAGE>   12
 
7.  HOW IS THE EXERCISE PRICE OF AN OPTION DETERMINED?
 
     IRS regulations require the exercise price of an incentive stock option to
be at least 100% of the fair market value of the Company's Special Common Stock
on the date the option is granted. Because the Company's Special Common Stock
trades on the NYSE, the fair market value will be the closing sale price of the
Company's Special Common Stock as quoted by NYSE on the trading day immediately
preceding the date of grant. We will refer to this price as the "market price."
Special rules apply to the exercise price of incentive stock options granted to
anyone who owns 10% or more of the voting power of the Company.
 
     The Option Plan provides that the Board may set the exercise price for a
non-qualified stock option at any price not less than 50% of the market price of
the Company's Special Common Stock on the trading day immediately preceding the
date the option is granted.
 
8.  WHEN CAN I EXERCISE MY OPTION?
 
     When the Compensation Committee grants an option, the Compensation
Committee also determines certain terms of the option, including the date or
dates the option may be exercised. As an example, options granted in April 1994
vest at the rate of 10% in 1996, 15% in 1997, 25% in 1998 and 50% in 1999. You
may exercise your option at any time for the number of shares that have actually
vested at the time of exercise. Options granted by the Company under the Option
Plan generally have a term of 20 years (incentive options may not have a term
longer than 10 years), so you must exercise your option before it expires at the
end of the 20-year period. The terms of exercise of options granted by the
Company are not required to be the same for every employee and the terms of the
option you receive may vary from the terms described above. In addition, the
Compensation Committee has the power to accelerate the vesting schedule of any
outstanding option (other than options granted under the Automatic Grant
Program), either without conditions or subject to a right to repurchase
"unvested" shares. You may also exercise your option prior to full vesting,
subject to restrictions described in the Option Plan, including without
limitation, restrictions on your ability to sell unvested shares and the
Company's ability to repurchase unvested shares at your option's original
exercise price upon termination of your employment. The granting of options
under the Plan and the issuance of shares thereunder is subject to the Company's
procurement of all approvals and permits required by regulatory authorities
having jurisdiction over the Plan.
 
9.  HOW DO I EXERCISE MY OPTION?
 
     You exercise your option by completing an option exercise form and
delivering the form, together with payment of the exercise price (in cash or
stock -- see Question 10 below) to Kathy Panko or Karen Strand. You should
receive a copy of the option exercise form with your option grant. You can
obtain additional copies of the form from Kathy Panko or Karen Strand.
 
10.  DO I HAVE TO PAY THE EXERCISE PRICE WITH CASH?
 
     No. You may also pay the exercise price with Company Special Common Stock
that you have owned for more than six months. Such stock will be valued at its
closing price on the NYSE on the trading day before you exercise the option. The
Compensation Committee may determine, at the time of exercise of the option,
that the exercise price may be paid in installments (or that the Company will
make a loan or guarantee a third party loan for the exercise price). The
Compensation Committee will determine the terms and conditions of any deferred
payment arrangement.
 
11.  WILL I CONTINUE TO RECEIVE OPTIONS AS LONG AS I STAY WITH THE COMPANY?
 
     Whether or not you receive stock options will depend on many factors such
as your performance, the Company's overall performance, the Compensation
Committee's current policy and the number of shares remaining in the Option
Plan. The Option Plan, and therefore the Compensation Committee's authority to
grant options, terminates on the date determined by the Board of Directors.
However, any such termination of the Option Plan will not affect your rights
under your outstanding options without your consent.
 
                                        7
<PAGE>   13
 
12.  CAN THE STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY CHANGE THE TERMS OF THE OPTION PLAN?
 
     Generally, the Board decides whether to change the terms of the Option
Plan, usually because the number of shares available under the Option Plan
should be increased or to take into account changes in the tax laws. These
changes may be presented for approval by the stockholders of the Company at the
Company's annual meeting. Stockholder approval will be obtained if tax,
securities or other laws require approval of the changes.
 
13.  WHAT HAPPENS IF I LEAVE THE COMPANY?
 
     Whether you leave the Company voluntarily or your employment is terminated
by the Company for any reason, your right to exercise any vested portion of your
option generally will terminate three months after your last day with the
Company as determined between you and the Company. However, the terms of your
option may provide that it may be exercised more than three months after
termination of employment and the Compensation Committee may, at the time of
termination, extend vesting for a period of up to three years and exercisability
for a period of up to five years. In the event of your retirement or the
termination of your employment by a "plant closing" or "mass layoff" (as such
terms are defined at 29 U.S.C. Section 2101), the Committee shall have
discretion to provide that the option will continue to vest during the limited
period of exercisability according to the vesting schedule that would have
applied had your employment continued. However, if the option is an incentive
stock option, then except as explained in Question 14 below, and except for
exercises after your death (see Question 15 below), it must be exercised within
three months of the date of termination or else it will become a non-statutory
option.
 
14.  WHAT IF I LEAVE THE COMPANY BECAUSE OF DISABILITY?
 
     If your employment is terminated because of your permanent and total
disability your options may be exercised by you or your spouse at any time prior
to its original termination date; however, if it is an incentive stock option it
must be exercised within twelve (12) months of your date of termination or else
it will become a non-statutory stock option. In addition, the Compensation
Committee may provide, either at the time your option is granted or when your
employment is terminated due to your disability, that your options will continue
to vest up to the original date of termination of those options on the schedule
that would have applied had your employment not been terminated or it may
provide that your vesting will be accelerated. Because disability, for these
purposes, has a specific meaning found in the Internal Revenue Code, you should
ask Human Resources if you have any questions regarding what constitutes
permanent and total disability.
 
15.  WHAT ARE THE RIGHTS OF MY HEIRS?
 
     Your estate or persons having rights to your option by will or by the laws
of descent have the right to exercise your option at any time prior to its
original termination date. In addition, the Compensation Committee may provide,
either at the time your option is granted or upon your death, that your option
will continue to vest or that vesting will be accelerated.
 
16.  CAN A RELATIVE OR FRIEND EXERCISE MY OPTION?
 
     No, except for options transferred to a trust (see Question 17) or options
exercised after your death or total disability, only you may exercise your
option during your lifetime. You may, however, provide for the transfer of the
option in your will. Under certain circumstances, your spouse may have community
property rights in the option.
 
17.  CAN I TRANSFER MY OPTIONS?
 
     You may not transfer an incentive stock option (except by will or the laws
of descent) nor may you transfer a non-statutory stock option if you are an
officer (or director) subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. You may
transfer a non-statutory stock option to a trust for your benefit or the benefit
of your immediate family.
 
                                        8
<PAGE>   14
 
18.  CAN I SELL THE STOCK I RECEIVE FROM EXERCISING MY OPTION RIGHT AWAY?
 
     Generally, yes. The stock you receive upon exercise of your option is
registered under the securities laws and freely tradeable in most cases. If you
are an officer or director of the Company certain restrictions may apply (see
Question 4). If you exercise an incentive stock option, an immediate sale may
have certain tax consequences (see Question 28). However, if the terms of the
option permit you to exercise your option before it is vested (see Question 31),
you may not sell shares of stock which the Company still has the right to
repurchase if your employment is terminated for any reason. You should talk to
Kathy Panko or Karen Strand if you think this applies to you and you wish to
sell stock.
 
19.  HOW DO I SELL STOCK I RECEIVED UNDER THE OPTION? DO I HAVE TO PAY A
     COMMISSION WHEN I EXERCISE MY OPTION OR SELL THE STOCK I RECEIVED UNDER THE
     OPTION?
 
     You pay no commission on exercise of options; however, if you decide to
sell the stock received on exercise you can expect to be charged a fee or
commission if you use a stock broker. To sell your stock, you must generally
take the stock certificate to a stock broker who, for a commission, can arrange
for its sale. Officers and directors are subject to special limitations on the
sale of their stock. The Company will not buy or sell, or assist you in selling,
stock which you have purchased under the Option Plan.
 
20.  I HAVE HEARD ABOUT CASHLESS EXERCISE PROGRAMS THROUGH BROKERS. HOW DO THESE
     WORK?
 
     Cashless exercise programs involve the delivery to a broker of a copy of
your signed and completed option exercise form and your irrevocable instructions
to the Company to deliver stock to be received upon exercise of the option to
the broker rather than to you. You can obtain an instruction form for your
broker from Kathy Panko or Karen Strand. Under Regulation T the broker can then
characterize the stock as margin stock, and deliver cash to the Company in
payment of the exercise price. The Company delivers the stock certificate to the
broker. After the stock is delivered to the broker the stock can be maintained
as margin stock in an account designated by you or sold pursuant to your
instructions. However, the Company will not participate in any Regulation T
program which would cause stock certificates to be delivered to the broker
before cash for the exercise price has been paid by the broker to the Company.
 
21.  HOW CAN I MAKE A GIFT OF STOCK I RECEIVE UNDER THE OPTION PLAN?
 
     You may make a gift of stock by delivering the stock certificate, with the
transfer block on the back filled in, and signed and with the signature
guaranteed by a bank or stock broker (or else by delivering the stock
certificate together with an "assignment separate from certificate" filled in,
signed and the signature similarly guaranteed) to the recipient of the gift. The
recipient may then send the certificate and associated paperwork to the
Company's transfer agent, Bank of Boston, at P.O. Box 1865, Boston,
Massachusetts 02105-1865, to have the certificate transferred to the recipient's
name. If you have a brokerage account, your broker will generally be willing to
take care of the mechanics of transfer.
 
22.  DOES THE COMPANY GO OUT ON THE MARKET TO BUY THE STOCK WHICH I WILL RECEIVE
     ON EXERCISE OF MY OPTION?
 
     The shares you will receive upon exercise of your option may be
newly-issued shares or shares previously reacquired by the Company.
 
23.  DOES THE OPTION PLAN HAVE ANY OF THE SAME BENEFITS AS A QUALIFIED
     RETIREMENT PLAN (INCLUDING A 401(K) PLAN) AND WILL MY PARTICIPATION IN THE
     OPTION PLAN AFFECT MY PARTICIPATION IN THE COMPANY'S 401(K) PLAN?
 
     The Option Plan is not a qualified retirement plan and therefore does not
have the same tax deferral benefits. Your participation in the Option Plan does
not affect your ability to participate in the Company's 401(k) plan.
 
     The following materials respond to questions you may have about the tax
consequences of participating in the Option Plan. You should understand,
however, that this tax information is not complete, nor does it
 
                                        9
<PAGE>   15
 
address state or local tax laws or the application of laws if you live outside
the United States. Furthermore, because tax laws and regulations are constantly
changing, and interpretations of these laws and regulations by the courts and
tax authorities can change the way the laws and regulations apply to you, the
information may need to be updated after the date of issuance of this
prospectus. Therefore, you should consult with an accountant, lawyer or other
person competent to give tax advice if you have questions relating to the tax
consequences of participation in, and the sale of shares received under the
Option Plan.
 
24.  DO I HAVE TO PAY TAX WHEN I RECEIVE A STOCK OPTION OR EXERCISE THE STOCK
     OPTION? WILL THE COMPANY WITHHOLD THE AMOUNT OF TAXES DUE?
 
     Normally, neither you nor the Company have to pay any tax or receive any
deductions when you are granted an option under the Option Plan. Whether you
will have to pay tax on exercise of an option will depend on whether the option
is an incentive stock option or a non-qualified stock option.
 
     If you exercise a non-qualified stock option when the market price is
higher than the exercise price, you generally are required to pay tax on the
"profit", that is, the difference between the exercise price and the market
price of the stock on the date of exercise. Your profit on the exercise will be
characterized as ordinary income.
 
     Generally the Company is required by the IRS to withhold 28% of your profit
from your wages or to otherwise ensure that this amount will be paid to the IRS.
Additional amounts will usually be withheld for state taxes. The Compensation
Committee may provide you with the option of having shares that would otherwise
be delivered to you on exercise of an option withheld or delivering shares you
already hold valued at the withholding amount.
 
     If you exercise an incentive stock option, unless you are subject to the
alternative minimum tax (see Question 34), you do not have to pay any tax at the
time of exercise on the difference between the exercise price and the market
price of the stock on the date of exercise. You may eventually pay tax on this
amount when you sell the stock.
 
25.  HOW MUCH TAX DO I HAVE TO PAY WHEN I SELL STOCK RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THE
     EXERCISE OF A NON-STATUTORY STOCK OPTION?
 
     If you exercised your option when the exercise price was lower than the
market price, you generally should have paid tax on the difference between the
two. If you then sell your stock at a price greater than the market price on the
date of exercise, you generally will have to pay tax on the difference between
the selling price and the market price at the time of exercise. Your profit will
be characterized as short or long-term capital gain depending on whether you
held the stock for more than one year from the date the option was exercised.
 
     If you exercised your option when the exercise price was lower than the
market price but you sell the stock at a price lower than the market price at
the time of exercise, you will be entitled to report a capital loss equal to the
difference between the sale price and the market price at the time of exercise.
Your loss will be characterized as a long-term or short-term capital loss
depending on whether you held the stock for more than one year from the date the
option was exercised.
 
26.  WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORDINARY INCOME AND CAPITAL GAINS?
 
     Long-term capital gains of individuals are subject to a maximum marginal
federal income tax rate of 28%. This is in contrast to a maximum rate of 39.6%
for ordinary income of some individuals.
 
     Notwithstanding the presence or absence for any individual taxpayer of a
difference between the rate of tax on capital gains and the rate of tax on
ordinary income, there are other differences under the Internal Revenue Code
between capital gains and ordinary income. For example, capital gains and losses
are "netted" against other capital gains and losses and only $3,000 of net
capital losses may be deducted against ordinary income in any year by any
individual taxpayer.
 
                                       10
<PAGE>   16
 
27.  WHEN DO I PAY TAX ON STOCK RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THE EXERCISE OF AN
     INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION?
 
     Except for the possible application of the alternative minimum tax (see
Question 34), you normally pay no tax on the exercise of an incentive stock
option until you sell or otherwise dispose of the stock.
 
     You should be aware that transfer of legal title to the stock received upon
exercise of an incentive stock option in a transaction that is not a sale may
still be taxable as a disposition of the stock. Generally, such transfers
include gifts, but do not include a transfer into joint ownership with right of
survivorship if you remain one of the joint owners, a pledge or a transfer by
bequest or inheritance, exchanges qualifying under certain provisions of the
Internal Revenue Code regarding tax-free exchanges of stock, or certain
transfers to a spouse or former spouse incident to a divorce.
 
28.  HOW IS MY PROFIT TAXED? WHAT IF I LOSE MONEY?
 
     How your profit or loss is characterized will depend on how long you held
the stock from the date the incentive stock option was granted and the date you
exercised the option.
 
     If, before you dispose of the stock, you hold the stock for two years or
more from the date on which the incentive stock option is granted and one year
or more from the date on which you exercised your option, your gain or loss is
characterized as long-term capital gain or loss.
 
     If you dispose of your stock within two years from the date on which the
option was granted or within one year from the date on which you exercised your
option, a portion of your profit will be characterized as ordinary income and
the sale is called a "disqualifying disposition."
 
     The portion of your profit which is characterized as ordinary income is
equal to the lesser of:
 
          a. the difference between the market price of the stock on the date
     you exercised the option and the exercise price of the option but in no
     event less than zero, or
 
          b. the difference between the sale price and the exercise price of the
     option but in no event less than zero.
 
     Any profit you make over the amount characterized as ordinary income is
characterized as capital gain which will be long-term or short-term depending on
whether the stock was held for more than one year from the date of exercise.
 
     For example, assume you were granted an option on January 1, 1995 for 10
shares at an exercise price of $8.00 per share. You exercise the option on
January 1, 1996 when the market price is $10.00 per share and you sell the stock
on July 1, 1996 when the market price is $9.00 per share for a $10.00 aggregate
profit. Because you sold the stock before January 1, 1997, the date which is two
years after the date of grant and one year from the date of exercise, all or a
portion of your profit is ordinary income. The amount of ordinary income is
equal to the lesser of (a) $10.00 (market price on date of exercise) -- $8.00
(exercise price) = $2.00 per share or $20.00 for 10 shares or (b) $9.00 (sale
price) -- $8.00 (exercise price) = $1.00 per share or $10.00 for 10 shares. All
of your $10.00 profit will be ordinary income. If the market price on the date
of exercise had been $9.00 and the sale price had been $10.00, then of your
$20.00 profit, $10.00 would be characterized as ordinary income and $10.00 would
be characterized as short-term capital gain.
 
     If you lose money on the sale of the stock you will be able to report the
loss as a capital loss which will be long-term or short term depending on
whether the stock was held for more than one year from the date of exercise.
 
     Different rules will apply if, under the Internal Revenue Code, you are not
entitled to report a loss on the sale of your stock if you were to lose money on
the sale. For example, if you sell your stock to your spouse at a loss, you are
not entitled to report the sale as a loss and any subsequent tax consequences on
the further disposition of the stock are determined under the section of the
Internal Revenue Code which governs such situations. Other dispositions of
stock, described in the Internal Revenue Code, may have similar consequences.
 
                                       11
<PAGE>   17
 
29.  IS THERE ANY WITHHOLDING ON THE EXERCISE OF MY INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION OR
     THE SALE OF THE STOCK ACQUIRED ON EXERCISE?
 
     There is no withholding required upon the exercise of an incentive stock
option. The Company is required to report to the IRS any ordinary income
recognized by you as a result of a sale which is a disqualifying disposition
described in Question 28, if such information is available to the Company. The
Company may be required in the future to withhold taxes on such ordinary income
from your salary.
 
30.  DO I HAVE TO COMPLETE ANY FORMS AFTER I SELL OR TRANSFER MY STOCK?
 
     Yes, if you sell or transfer stock received pursuant to an incentive stock
option within two years after the date the option covering the stock was granted
to you or within one year after you exercise your option, you should complete
and deliver to Kathy Panko or Karen Strand the disqualifying disposition survey
provided to you.
 
31.  ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL TAX RULES WHICH APPLY TO ME IF THE COMPANY HAS THE
     RIGHT TO REPURCHASE MY STOCK AFTER I EXERCISE MY OPTION?
 
     Yes.  Generally, if the Company has the right to repurchase your stock
after you exercise your option it is because, under the terms of your option,
you were allowed to exercise all of your option, even the unvested portion. In
this situation the Company may retain a right to repurchase any shares which are
unvested under the option until they vest.
 
     If the Company has the right to repurchase your stock after you exercise
your option, your stock is subject to what is called a "risk of forfeiture." If
there is a risk of forfeiture, the amount of ordinary income you must report and
the time at which you must report your income may be different than described
above.
 
     The special tax rules applicable to Non-Qualified Stock Options and
Incentive Stock Options are as follows:
 
                           NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION
 
     In the case of stock issued pursuant to a non-qualified stock option and
subject to a right of repurchase by the Company, you do not owe tax on the date
of exercise but instead owe tax on the dates(s) the risk of forfeiture with
respect to the shares disappears, i.e., the date the Company no longer has the
right to repurchase the stock.
 
     For example, assume that on April 1, 1994 you are granted an option to
purchase 20 shares of stock for $8.00 per share. The terms of the option
indicated that you vest in 10% of the shares on December 31, 1996, an additional
15% of the shares on December 31, 1997, an additional 25% of the shares on
December 31, 1998, and an additional 50% of the shares on December 31, 1999. You
may exercise the option immediately but the Company has the right to repurchase
all of the stock if you leave the Company before December 31, 1996, 90% of the
stock if you leave the Company before December 31, 1997, and 75% of the stock if
you leave the Company before December 31, 1998 and 50% of the stock if you leave
the Company before December 31, 1999. On February 20, 1995 you exercise your
option with respect to all of the shares when the market price is $10.00.
Normally you would owe tax on $40.00, the difference between the exercise price
and the market price on the date of exercise. However, because all the shares
are subject to a risk of forfeiture you do not calculate the tax on February 20.
Assume that on December 31, 1996 the market price is $11.00 per share. On that
date a risk of forfeiture disappeared with respect to 2 shares. In other words,
the Company no longer had the right to repurchase 2 of your 20 shares.
Accordingly, with respect to those 2 shares you owe tax on the difference
between the exercise price and the market price on December 31, or tax on $6.00.
 
     If the market price of the stock continues to rise after December 31, 1996,
you will end up paying more ordinary income tax as a result of your exercise of
the option than you would have if the stock you received upon exercise had not
been subject to a risk of forfeiture and you owed tax only on the difference
between the exercise price and the market price on the date of exercise.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>   18
 
     If you want to avoid this result you can file what is called a Section
83(b) election within 30 days after the exercise of the option and report
ordinary income equal to the difference, if any, between the market price and
the exercise price on the date of exercise. When you later sell your shares, any
additional gain or any loss will be characterized as capital gain or loss, which
will be long-term or short-term depending on whether the shares are held for
more than one year from the date you exercised your option. You should be aware,
however, that if you file an 83(b) election and you subsequently lose the right
to own the shares because, for example, you leave the Company and the Company
repurchases the shares at cost, you will not be able to report the amount you
paid in taxes as a loss on the stock and will not be able to have the taxes
refunded.
 
                             INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION
 
     If stock you received pursuant to the exercise of an incentive stock option
is subject to a right of repurchase by the Company and you dispose of the stock
after the right of repurchase has disappeared in a disqualifying disposition
(see Question 28) the amount of ordinary income you must report is calculated
differently. In this case, the amount of ordinary income is equal to the lesser
of:
 
          a. the difference, if any, between the exercise price and the market
     price of the stock on the date or dates the risk of forfeiture disappears
     but not less than zero, or
 
          b. the profit, if any, on the sale of the stock but not less than
     zero.
 
     If your profit is more than the amount that must be reported as ordinary
income, then the remainder of the profit is characterized as capital gain which
will be long-term or short-term depending on whether the stock was held for more
than one year from the date of sale.
 
     For example, assume that on January 1, 1994 you received an incentive stock
option for 20 shares at a price per share of $10.00. The terms of the option
indicated that you vested in only 25% of the shares initially with the remainder
of the shares vesting at a rate of 25% per quarter. On February 1, 1994 you
exercise the option when the stock is worth $10.00 per share. You do not have to
pay any tax at the time of exercise. On April 1, 1994, when the second 25% of
the shares vests, the market price is $11.00 per share and on July 1, 1994, when
the third 25% of the remaining shares vests the market price is $9.00 per share.
On August 1, 1994, you sell the 15 vested shares when the market price is $12.00
per share for a total profit of $30.00 (15 X $2.00). Because you did not hold
the stock for more than one year, the sale is a disqualifying disposition and
you are required to recognize ordinary income.
 
     To calculate the ordinary income, you calculate the difference between the
exercise price of $10.00 and the market price of the stock on the date of
exercise, or, if later, the dates the risk of forfeiture disappeared. On the
date of exercise there was no spread with respect to the first 25% vested
installment. Therefore, you recognize no ordinary income with respect to these 5
shares. On April 1 the market price was $11.00 and the risk of forfeiture
disappeared with respect to 5 shares, so the difference between the exercise
price and the market price was $1.00 per share or an aggregate of $5.00. On July
1, the market price was $9.00 and the risk of forfeiture disappeared with
respect to another 5 shares. Since the market price was less than the exercise
price you do not put the negative difference in the calculation.
 
     The aggregate difference between the exercise price and the market prices
on the dates the risk of forfeiture lapsed is $5.00, which is less than the
$20.00 profit made on the 10 shares with respect to which there was a risk of
forfeiture. Therefore, $5.00 of your $30.00 profit will be treated as ordinary
income and $25.00 will be short-term capital gain.
 
     If you lose money on the sale of your stock, the loss will be a capital
loss and will be long-term or short-term depending on whether the stock was held
for more than one year from the date of exercise, or, if later, the dates the
risk of forfeiture disappeared.
 
     In order to avoid having to calculate the ordinary income in the manner
discussed above you may make the 83(b) election discussed earlier in this
question. Once the election is filed, your ordinary income should be calculated
in the manner described in Question 28.
 
                                       13
<PAGE>   19
 
     Please see Kathy Panko or Karen Strand for further information and the form
of election if you think you should be filing an 83(b) election. Remember that
this must be done within 30 days after you exercise your option. Filing an 83(b)
election may also affect your alternative minimum tax liability, if any (see
Question 34).
 
32.  WHAT ARE THE TAX CONSEQUENCES IF I USE SHARES I ALREADY OWN TO PAY THE
     EXERCISE PRICE OF MY NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION?
 
     If you pay the exercise price of your non-qualified stock option with
shares of the Company which you own immediately prior to the exercise, you will
have a tax-free exchange of the previously held shares of stock for an
equivalent number of the shares of stock received under the option. If you
receive additional shares in the exchange, you will pay taxes on ordinary income
equal to the difference between the market value on the date of exercise of such
additional shares and the amount of cash, if any, you paid upon exercise.
 
     The tax basis and capital-gain holding period of the shares received under
the option in the tax-free exchange will be the same as the tax basis and
holding period of the shares used to pay the exercise price. The tax basis of
the additional shares you receive will equal the amount of ordinary income you
had to report and the amount of any cash paid on exercise, and your holding
period for the additional shares will begin on the date of exercise.
 
     For example, assume that on January 1, 1996 you bought 10 shares of stock
on the open market when the market price was $6.00 per share. The price of the
stock goes up and on January 1, 1997, when the market price is $10.00 per share,
you exercise a non-qualified stock option to purchase 20 shares at an exercise
price of $9.00 per share for an aggregate exercise price of $180.00. Using all
of your previously existing shares to pay $100.00 of the exercise price (10 x
$10.00 market price), you pay $80.00 cash for the remainder of the exercise
price. Accordingly, on the date of exercise you are deemed to have a tax-free
exchange of the 10 previously held shares for 10 of the new shares. You will
also recognize ordinary income equal to the market price of the 10 additional
shares you received, $100.00, minus the amount of cash you paid on exercise,
$80.00, or $20.00.
 
     If you sell the 10 shares which you received in the tax-free exchange for
$11.00 per share on March 1, 1997, you will recognize a $5.00 per share profit,
which will be a long-term capital gain because you are allowed to add the period
which you held the original 10 shares to the period you held the new 10 shares.
If on the same day you also sell the 10 additional shares, you will have a
taxable profit equal to $110.00 minus the amount of cash you paid, $80.00, and
the amount of income you recognized, $20.00, or a taxable profit of $10.00. This
profit will be characterized as a short-term capital gain because you held the
stock for only two months.
 
33.  WHAT ARE THE TAX CONSEQUENCES IF I USE SHARES I ALREADY OWN TO PAY THE
     EXERCISE PRICE OF INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS?
 
     Under proposed regulations, if you pay the exercise price of an incentive
stock option, in whole or in part, with shares you already own immediately prior
to the exercise, you are deemed to have made a tax-free exchange of the
previously-held shares for an equivalent number of shares received under the
option. For example, assume you purchased 10 shares on the open market for $6.00
per share on January 1, 1996. On February 1, 1997 you exercise an incentive
stock option covering 20 shares at $10.00 per share using 10 of your already
owned shares as payment of $100.00 of the purchase price and delivering $100.00
in cash in payment of the exercise price of the additional shares. You are
deemed to have made a tax-free exchange of 10 of your already owned shares for
the 10 new shares received on exercise. You recognize no profit at this point,
even though you have used shares you bought at $6.00 per share to buy the same
number of shares with a value of $10.00 per share.
 
     However, ordinary income could be recognized (see Question 28) if the
already owned shares were acquired upon exercise of an incentive stock option or
under an employee stock purchase plan as defined in Section 423 of the Internal
Revenue Code and the exchange were treated as a disposition. The exchange will
be treated as a disposition if the already owned shares are exchanged within two
years of the grant of option
 
                                       14
<PAGE>   20
 
relating to the already owned shares or within one year after the exercise of
such option. The tax basis, holding periods and consequences of a subsequent
disposition of shares received upon exercise will depend on whether the shares
disposed of are equivalent shares or additional shares received at the time of
exercise ("additional shares").
 
     For purposes of calculating any capital gain or loss upon a subsequent
taxable disposition, your basis in the equivalent shares will be equal to your
basis in the shares surrendered plus any ordinary income recognized by reason of
the exchange, and the holding period of the surrendered shares will carry over
to the equivalent shares.
 
     If you use only shares you already own to pay the exercise price, your
basis in any additional shares will be zero for purposes of calculating any
capital gain upon a later disposition. For purposes of calculating any ordinary
income upon a disqualifying disposition of the additional shares the amount
treated as having been paid for the additional shares will be zero. To the
extent you use other forms of payment, your basis should be equal to the amount
of the other form of payment, and it will reduce the amount of ordinary income
upon a disqualifying disposition by the same amount. The holding period for the
additional shares will begin on the date of exercise for all purposes. In the
event of a disqualifying disposition of shares acquired upon such an exercise of
an incentive stock option with stock, the shares with the lowest basis (i.e.,
the additional shares and not the equivalent shares) will be treated as having
been disposed of first.
 
34.  WHAT ARE THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF MY EXERCISE OF OPTIONS IF I AM SUBJECT TO
     THE ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX?
 
     The alternative minimum tax is a separately computed tax equal to a
marginal rate of up to 28% of alternative minimum taxable income that is imposed
only if and to the extent you would pay more tax if your taxes are computed
pursuant to the alternative minimum tax rules than the tax you would pay if
computed in the regular manner. The alternative minimum tax takes into account
what are called tax preference items and other adjustments that are not taken
into account when calculating taxes in the regular manner. One of the
adjustments is the inclusion in taxable income of the difference between the
exercise price of an incentive stock option and the market price of the stock
option on the date of exercise, if that amount constitutes a profit. When you
sell the stock, you are allowed, for purposes of calculating your alternative
minimum tax in the year of sale, to decrease the profit by the adjustment amount
previously included in the alternative minimum taxable income.
 
     If you are subject to a risk of forfeiture (see Question 31), the amount of
the adjustment will be calculated using market prices on the dates the
forfeiture lapses rather than the date you exercise the option, and the
adjustment must be made in the year in which the risk of forfeiture disappears.
It may be possible, however, to make a valid election under Section 83(b) within
30 days of the date of exercise to have the market price on the date of exercise
be the price used in the calculation of your alternative minimum tax and to make
the adjustment in the year of exercise. However, if a Section 83(b) election is
made, there may be implications for purposes of calculating ordinary income, if
any, in the event of a disqualifying disposition.
 
35.  WHAT HAPPENS TO MY OPTION OR STOCK ISSUED UNDER THE OPTION PLAN IN THE
     EVENT GENENTECH IS ACQUIRED BY A PERSON OTHER THAN ROCHE?
 
     The Option Plan provides that, in the event of a "corporate transaction",
each option outstanding under the Option Plan will be automatically accelerated
so that the option becomes fully exercisable with respect to the total number of
shares subject to such option. However, an option will not be accelerated if, as
part of the corporate transaction, the option is either assumed by the successor
Company or replaced with a comparable option or the option is replaced by a
comparable cash incentive program or such acceleration is otherwise limited by
the terms of the option grant. Corporate transactions include a merger or
acquisition in which Genentech does not survive, a sale or other disposition of
all or substantially all of the assets of Genentech or any reverse merger in
which Genentech survives but in which 50% or more of Genentech's outstanding
voting stock held by persons other than Roche or its affiliates is transferred
to new holders.
 
                                       15
<PAGE>   21
 
     In addition, the Option Plan sets forth provisions applicable upon a
"change in control". Generally speaking, a change in control is (i) the
acquisition by a person, other than Genentech or a Company controlling
Genentech, of securities of Genentech representing 30% or more of the voting
power of Genentech's then outstanding securities pursuant to a transaction not
approved by the Board or (ii) a change in composition of the Board within any
36-month period so that the majority of the Board is not made up of members who
either have been members of the Board since the beginning of the period, or have
been elected by at least a majority of the members who were members continuously
during the period. Upon such a change in control, each option will be
automatically accelerated immediately prior to the change in control so that the
option will be exercisable for all or any portion of the shares subject to the
option, at the election of the optionee, unless limitations included in the
option at the time of grant preclude such treatment.
 
     The Option Plan provides that exercise by Roche of its rights to designate
nominees to the Board of Directors will not constitute a change in control. The
Committee has authority under the Option Plan to impose additional limitations
at the date of grant with respect to the acceleration of options and vesting
upon corporate transactions and changes in control.
 
36.  WHAT HAPPENS IF THE VESTING OF MY OPTIONS ACCELERATES UPON A CHANGE OF
     CONTROL?
 
     In the event that there is a change in control of the Company, payments
received by certain optionees that are contingent upon the change in control may
constitute "parachute payments." If, by reason of such change in control, the
exercisability of outstanding options is accelerated, the value of the
acceleration is added to other contingent payments, if any, in determining
whether the optionee has received "excess parachute payments." As used herein,
the terms "parachute payments" and "excess parachute payments" shall have the
meanings given to them in Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code. In general,
if an optionee receives excess parachute payments, an excise tax equal to 20% of
the amount of such excess parachute payments is imposed on the optionee, and the
Company does not receive a deduction for such amount.
 
                           B. AUTOMATIC GRANT PROGRAM
 
37.  ARE NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE OPTIONS UNDER THE OPTION
     PLAN?
 
     Yes.  Under the Automatic Grant Program portion of the Option Plan, on
April 30, 1995, each individual who is a non-employee member of the Board was
automatically granted a non-statutory option to purchase 15,000 shares of
Redeemable Common Stock (now exercisable for shares of Special Common Stock).
Each non-employee member of the Board who is first elected to the position after
April 30, 1995 was automatically granted a non-statutory option for the same
number of shares. All options granted under the Automatic Grant Program have an
exercise price equal to 100% of the closing selling price on the trading day
prior to the grant date. Each option granted under the Automatic Grant Program
will vest in increments of 5,000 shares on each of the first, second and third
anniversaries of the grant date and be exercisable until the expiration or
earlier termination of the option term. Such options will have a term of ten
years, and will not be assignable or transferable otherwise than by will or by
the laws of descent and distribution. Each employee member of the Board who
becomes a non-employee member of the Board following April 30, 1995 will be
automatically granted such an option immediately upon the date of his or her
change of status. After April 30, 1995, options will no longer be granted to
non-employee board members under the Company's 1990 Stock Option/Stock Incentive
Plan.
 
     If a holder of an option issued under the Automatic Grant Program ceases to
be a member of the Board for a reason other than the holder's death, the option
will remain exercisable for a period ending on the earlier of (i) the expiration
of the three month period following the cessation of membership on the Board or
(ii) the expiration of the option. If a holder of an option issued under the
Automatic Grant Program ceases to be a member of the Board due to the holder's
death, the option may be exercised by the holder's estate or transferee pursuant
to a will or applicable law for a period ending on the earlier of (i) the
expiration of the 12-month period following the date of the optionee's death or
(ii) the expiration of the option.
 
                                       16
<PAGE>   22
 
     In general, in the event of a corporate transaction, each option shall
automatically accelerate and become exercisable for any or all of the shares
subject to the option immediately prior to the specified effective date for such
corporate transaction. Upon the consummation of a corporate transaction, all
options to the extent not exercised will terminate.
 
     In general, in the event of a change in control, all options will
automatically accelerate and become fully exercisable. In addition, each option
that has been outstanding for at least six months may be surrendered after the
change in control for a cash payment from the Company in an amount equal to the
excess of the fair market value of the shares of Special Common Stock subject to
such option over the aggregate option price payable for such shares.
 
                                C. MISCELLANEOUS
 
38. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER FEATURES OF THE OPTION PLAN?
 
     (i)  The number of shares subject to the Option Plan is 4,500,000. As of
June 30, 1995, options covering 220,000 shares remained to be granted under the
Plan. Shares subject to options granted under the Option Plan which expire or
are canceled or terminated for any reason prior to exercise shall be available
for future option grants under the Option Plan; however, shares repurchased by
the Company pursuant to repurchase rights shall not be available for subsequent
issuance;
 
     (ii)  The number of shares available for issuance under the Option Plan,
the maximum number of shares that may be issued to an employee, the number of
shares that may be issued to non-employee directors, the number of shares and
the exercise price of each outstanding option under the Option Plan shall all be
appropriately adjusted by the Compensation Committee to reflect any stock
dividend, stock split, combination, exchange or other change in the Company's
capital structure, including changes due to a Corporate Transaction, subject to
the terms of the Option Plan regarding Corporate Transactions (see Question 35);
 
     (iii)  The Compensation Committee may, with the consent of option holders,
cancel any or all outstanding options granted under the Option Plan and grant in
substitution new options under the Option Plan;
 
     (iv)  The cash proceeds received upon exercise of options granted under the
Option Plan will be used for general corporate purposes;
 
     (v)  The implementation of the Option Plan, the granting of any stock
option and the issuance of shares under the Plan shall be subject to the
Company's procurement of all approvals and permits required by applicable
regulatory authorities;
 
     (vi)  Neither the establishment of the Option Plan, any term thereunder nor
any action by the Compensation Committee shall be construed so as to grant any
individual the right to remain employed by the Company or its parent or
subsidiaries for any period and the Company (and any parent or subsidiaries
employing such person) may terminate any employee at any time and for any
reason, with or without cause; and
 
     (vii)  Nothing in the Option Plan shall limit the Company's exercise of all
of its rights and powers, including its right to grant options outside of the
Option Plan.
 
                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
 
     For a discussion of the factors relating to the grant and exercise of stock
options under the Option Plan please refer to the information contained under
the heading "The 1994 Stock Option Plan" above. Sales of Special Common Stock
under the Option Plan will be made directly by the Company upon exercise of
options granted under the Option Plan without the use of any underwriters or
dealers.
 
                                       17
<PAGE>   23
 
                    DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIAL COMMON STOCK
 
     Set forth below is a description of the terms of the Special Common Stock.
 
     Effective upon consummation of the Merger, the Certificate of Incorporation
of Genentech was amended by operation of the Merger to, among other things,
authorize the issuance by Genentech of Special Common Stock.
 
     Under Article Third of the Certificate of Incorporation ("Article Third"),
as amended in connection with the Merger ("Amended Article Third"), the rights,
preferences, privileges and restrictions of the Special Common Stock and the
Common Stock are identical in all respects, except as specifically set forth in
Article Third. Set forth below is a description of the terms of the Special
Common Stock, including (i) the differences between such terms and the terms of
the Common Stock as set forth in Article Third and (ii) the differences between
the Special Common Stock and the Redeemable Common Stock. THE FOLLOWING
DESCRIPTION OF THE TERMS OF THE SPECIAL COMMON STOCK DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE
COMPLETE AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO THE TEXT OF AMENDED
ARTICLE THIRD.
 
     As indicated above, Amended Article Third sets forth the terms of and the
rights and preferences with respect to the Special Common Stock. In addition, as
was the case in Article Third, it provides that Preferred Stock (as hereinafter
defined) may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Genentech
Board is authorized to fix or alter the dividend rights, dividend rate,
conversion rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption (including
sinking fund provisions), the redemption price or prices, and the liquidation
preferences of any wholly unissued series of Preferred Stock, and the number of
shares constituting any such series and the designation thereof, or any of them;
and to increase or decrease the number of shares of any series subsequent to the
issue of shares of that series, but not below the number of shares of such
series then outstanding. In case the number of shares of any series shall be so
decreased, the shares constituting such decrease shall resume the status which
they had prior to the adoption of the resolution originally fixing the number of
shares of such series. Were Roche not to own its current position in Genentech,
the authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock could be used by the
Genentech Board to make a change in control of Genentech more difficult, or to
discourage an attempt to acquire control of Genentech. For example, the
Genentech Board could, subject to certain limitations, authorize and issue a
class of Preferred Stock which is entitled to vote as a class with respect to
mergers or other extraordinary transactions. The Genentech Board has no current
intention of using the authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock for any
such purposes.
 
AUTHORIZED SHARES
 
     Article Third authorized the issuance of 100,000,000 shares of preferred
stock ("Preferred Stock"), 100,000,000 shares of Redeemable Common Stock and
200,000,000 shares of Common Stock. Amended Article Third did not change the
number of authorized shares of capital stock of the Company, but replaced the
Redeemable Common Stock with the Special Common Stock and amended the terms
thereof as described below.
 
VOTING RIGHTS
 
     As was the case in Article Third, Amended Article Third provides that the
holders of Special Common Stock (or Redeemable Common Stock, in the case of
Article Third) and Common Stock are, on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders, entitled to one vote per share, voting together as a single class
unless otherwise provided for in the Certificate of Incorporation or required by
applicable law.
 
DIVIDENDS; RECLASSIFICATIONS; MERGERS
 
     Holders of Special Common Stock and Common Stock are entitled to receive
such dividends and other distributions in cash or property as may be declared
thereon by the Genentech Board from time to time out of assets or funds of
Genentech legally available therefor, and shall share equally on a per share
basis in all such dividends and other distributions. In the case of dividends or
other distributions payable in stock of Genentech other than Preferred Stock,
including distributions pursuant to stock splits or divisions of stock of
Genentech
 
                                       18
<PAGE>   24
 
other than Preferred Stock, only shares of Common Stock shall be paid or
distributed with respect to shares of Common Stock and only shares of Special
Common Stock in an amount per share equal to the amount per share paid or
distributed with respect to shares of Common Stock shall be paid or distributed
with respect to Special Common Stock. In the case of any combination or
reclassification of the Special Common Stock or the Common Stock, the Special
Common Stock or the Common Stock, as the case may be, shall also be combined or
reclassified so that the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately following such combination or reclassification shall bear the same
relationship to the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
prior to such combination or reclassification as the number of shares of Special
Common Stock outstanding immediately following such combination or
reclassification bears to the number of shares of Special Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to such combination or reclassification. Amended
Article Third did not effect any substantive amendments to this provision.
 
     In the event Genentech enters into any consolidation, merger, combination
or other transaction in which the Common Stock is exchanged for or changed into
other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case
each share of Special Common Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged
or changed into an amount per share, equal to the aggregate amount of stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged;
provided that any such stock may be made redeemable on terms no less favorable
to the holder thereof than the terms upon which the Special Common Stock is
redeemable pursuant to the Call Rights; and provided, further, that any such
stock shall be subject to a right on the part of the holder to put such stock on
terms no less favorable to the holder thereof than the terms upon which the
Special Common Stock is required to be redeemed by the Company pursuant to the
provisions of Amended Article Third providing holders of Special Common Stock
the right to require the purchase of all or a portion (at the election of the
holder) of their shares of such stock for 30 business days beginning in July
1999 (unless such right is accelerated following the occurrence of certain
Insolvency Events (as hereinafter defined) at a price of $60 per share (the "Put
Rights"). Except for such requirements with respect to the Put Rights, Amended
Article Third did not effect any substantive amendments to this provision.
 
LIQUIDATION
 
     As was the case in Article Third, Amended Article Third provides that upon
any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of Genentech, no distribution shall
be made (1) to the holders of shares of Common Stock unless, prior thereto, the
holders of shares of Special Common Stock (Redeemable Common Stock in the case
of Article Third) shall have received $.01 per share, plus an amount equal to
declared and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon to the date of such
payment; provided that the holders of shares of Special Common Stock shall be
entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share equal to the aggregate amount
to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the
holders of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Special Common Stock, except
distributions made ratably on the Special Common Stock and all such other parity
stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares
are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
 
CALL RIGHTS
 
     Subject to the provisions of the Amended and Restated Governance Agreement,
between Genentech and Roche, as such agreement may be amended from time to time
(the "Amended Governance Agreement"), the Special Common Stock may, and where
the Amended Governance Agreement so requires, shall be redeemed, in whole but
not in part, at the option of Genentech, during certain periods, at certain
prices and upon certain terms and conditions (the "Call Rights"). Under the
Amended Governance Agreement, Genentech has agreed that it shall, subject to the
provisions of the Amended Governance Agreement, redeem the Special Common Stock
at the request of Roche and not otherwise. Amended Article Third provides that
the redemption price for any date of redemption (the "Redemption Date") during
the periods set forth below (and prior to final court approval of the proposed
settlement of certain Stockholder Litigation relating to the
 
                                       19
<PAGE>   25
 
Merger and related transactions (the "Stockholder Litigation")) shall be the
price per share set forth opposite such period in the following table, adjusted
if necessary as described below:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      PERIOD                                      PRICE
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------    ------
    <S>                                                                           <C>
    October 1, 1995 to December 31, 1995......................................    $62.50
    January 1, 1996 to March 31, 1996.........................................    $63.75
    April 1, 1996 to June 30, 1996............................................    $65.00
    July 1, 1996 to September 30, 1996........................................    $66.25
    October 1, 1996 to December 31, 1996......................................    $67.50
    January 1, 1997 to March 31, 1997.........................................    $68.75
    April 1, 1997 to June 30, 1997............................................    $70.00
    July 1, 1997 to September 30, 1997........................................    $71.50
    October 1, 1997 to December 31, 1997......................................    $73.00
    January 1, 1998 to March 31, 1998.........................................    $74.50
    April 1, 1998 to June 30, 1998............................................    $76.00
    July 1, 1998 to September 30, 1998........................................    $77.50
    October 1, 1998 to December 31, 1998......................................    $79.00
    January 1, 1999 to March 31, 1999.........................................    $80.50
    April 1, 1999 to June 30, 1999............................................    $82.00
</TABLE>
 
     Upon final court approval of the settlement of the Stockholder Litigation,
each of the redemption prices applicable pursuant to the Call Rights set forth
above will be increased by $0.50 per share of Special Common Stock, resulting in
a final price of $82.50, as provided by the settlement. If such final court
approval occurs after payment of the applicable redemption price pursuant to the
Call Rights, such $0.50 increase will be promptly thereafter paid by Genentech
to such person to whom payment of the applicable redemption price was previously
made. "Final court approval" of the settlement of the Stockholder Litigation is
defined in the settlement papers to mean that the Delaware Court of Chancery has
entered an order approving the settlement on the terms contemplated by the
parties, and that such order is finally affirmed on appeal or is no longer
subject to appeal. The applicable appeal period under Delaware law is 30 days
from the entry of a final order approving the settlement.
 
     Notice of any proposed redemption of the Special Common Stock will be given
by mailing a copy of such notice (the "Call Notification") to the holders of
record of the shares of Special Common Stock, not more than 30 or less than 10
days prior to the date fixed for redemption.
 
                                       20
<PAGE>   26
 
     The redemption prices for the Redeemable Common Stock from September 1990
through June 30, 1995 were as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      PERIOD                                      PRICE
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------    ------
    <S>                                                                           <C>
    Prior to December 31, 1990................................................    $38.00
    January 1 to March 31, 1991...............................................    $39.00
    April 1, 1991 to June 30, 1991............................................    $40.00
    July 1, 1991 to September 30, 1991........................................    $41.25
    October 1, 1991 to December 31, 1991......................................    $42.50
    January 1, 1992 to March 31, 1992.........................................    $43.75
    April 1, 1992 to June 30, 1992............................................    $45.00
    July 1, 1992 to September 30, 1992........................................    $46.25
    October 1, 1992 to December 31, 1992......................................    $47.50
    January 1, 1993 to March 31, 1993.........................................    $48.75
    April 1, 1993 to June 30, 1993............................................    $50.00
    July 1, 1993 to September 30, 1993........................................    $51.25
    October 1, 1993 to December 31, 1993......................................    $52.50
    January 1, 1994 to March 31, 1994.........................................    $53.75
    April 1, 1994 to June 30, 1994............................................    $55.00
    July 1, 1994 to September 30, 1994........................................    $56.25
    October 1, 1994 to December 31, 1994......................................    $57.50
    January 1, 1995 to March 31, 1995.........................................    $58.75
    April 1, 1995 to June 30, 1995............................................    $60.00
</TABLE>
 
PUT RIGHTS
 
     Amended Article Third provides that, unless the Call Rights have been
previously exercised, during the Put Period (as hereinafter defined), each
holder of the Special Common Stock will have (by delivery of the Put Notice (as
hereinafter defined)) the option pursuant to the Put Rights to require the
purchase of all or part of the Special Common Stock held by such holder at a
price of $60 per share, subject to adjustment (the "Put Price"). Holders of the
Redeemable Common Stock did not (and the holders of Common Stock do not) have
any rights comparable to the Put Rights.
 
     At least 10 and not more than 30 days prior to the beginning of the Put
Period or, in the event of an acceleration of the Put Rights described below, as
soon as practicable following the date of the occurrence of the Insolvency Event
giving rise to such acceleration (but in no event later than the tenth day
following such date), the Company will mail the Put Notification (as hereinafter
defined) to each holder of Special Common Stock. To facilitate the giving of the
Put Notification to the holders of Special Common Stock, the Genentech Board may
fix a record date for determination of holders of Special Common Stock entitled
to be given the Put Notification, which record date may not be more than five
days prior to the date the Put Notification is given pursuant to Amended Article
Third.
 
ADJUSTMENTS
 
     The redemption prices pursuant to the Call Rights and the Put Rights are
subject to appropriate adjustment in the case of any dividend payable in shares
of Special Common Stock, or any subdivision or combination of the Special Common
Stock and, subject to certain exceptions, in the event of certain other
extraordinary dividends payable in respect of the Special Common Stock.
 
CONDITION TO THE COMPANY'S OBLIGATIONS
 
     Notwithstanding any other provision of Amended Article Third, the Company's
obligation to pay the Put Price in respect of shares of Special Common Stock
with respect to which Put Rights have been properly
 
                                       21
<PAGE>   27
 
exercised (and to deposit with the Depositary the requisite funds) is
conditioned upon Genentech's having received from Roche, or any affiliate of
Roche, (i) funds in an amount equal to the product of the number of shares of
Special Common Stock with respect to which Put Rights have been properly
exercised multiplied by the Put Price plus (ii) such additional funds, if any,
sufficient to permit the Company to redeem the shares of Special Common Stock
with respect to which Put Rights have been properly exercised without violating
Section 160 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, any
bankruptcy or insolvency law or other law or regulation for the protection of
creditors.
 
ENFORCEMENT OF ROCHE OBLIGATIONS
 
     Amended Article Third provides that Genentech will take (and will have no
corporate power or capacity not to take) such action as may be necessary to
enforce the obligations of Roche and its affiliates to pay the Put Price (and
any other amounts payable pursuant to the provisions of the Amended Governance
Agreement), including, without limitation, all actions required to cause Roche
and its affiliates to perform their respective obligations described under The
Amended Governance Agreement and under the Guaranty of Roche Holding Ltd.
relating to Roche's obligations in connection with the foregoing.
 
PAYMENT
 
     Call Rights.  Under Amended Article Third, on or prior to the date any Call
Notification (as hereinafter defined) is first sent or given, the Company will
deposit the aggregate redemption price (together with accrued and unpaid
dividends to such date) of the shares to be redeemed with the Depositary, in
trust for payment to the holders of the Special Common Stock, and deliver
irrevocable written instructions authorizing the Depositary to apply such
deposit solely to the redemption of the shares to be redeemed. The amount of
funds required to be deposited in connection with the Call Rights pursuant to
the foregoing sentence will be reduced by the aggregate redemption price of any
shares of Special Common Stock deposited by Roche in lieu of such funds. In the
case of the exercise of the Call Rights, each holder of shares of Special Common
Stock will be paid the redemption price for such shares within three business
days following the surrender of the certificate or certificates representing
such shares to a depositary agent (the "Depositary"), together with a properly
executed letter of transmittal covering such shares. The Company's written
instructions to the Depositary may provide that any of such deposit remaining
unclaimed at the expiration of two years after the date fixed for redemption
pursuant to the Call Rights by the holder of any of such shares be returned to
the Company and revert to the general funds of the Company, after which return
such holder will have no claim against the Depositary but will have a claim as
an unsecured creditor against the Company for the redemption price together with
accrued and unpaid dividends to such redemption date, without interest. The Call
Notification having been duly given, or the Depositary having been irrevocably
authorized by the Company to give said notice, and the redemption price
(together with accrued and unpaid dividends to such redemption date) of the
shares to be redeemed having been deposited then all shares of Special Common
Stock with respect to which such deposit will have been made pursuant to
exercise of the Call Rights will forthwith, whether or not the date fixed for
such redemption shall have occurred or the certificates for such shares shall
have been surrendered for cancellation, be deemed no longer to be outstanding
for any purpose, and all rights with respect to such shares will thereupon cease
and terminate, except the right of the holders of such shares to receive, out of
such deposit in trust, on the redemption date the redemption price (together
with accrued and unpaid dividends to such redemption date) to which they are
entitled, without interest.
 
     Put Rights.  Under the terms of Amended Article Third, promptly following
the end of the Put Period, the Company (or under certain circumstances, Roche)
will deposit or cause to be deposited with the Depositary funds in an amount
sufficient to pay the Put Price for all shares of Special Common Stock with
respect to which the Put Rights have been properly exercised. Each holder of
shares of Special Common Stock who has properly exercised the Put Rights, and
who has surrendered the shares of Special Common Stock with respect to which the
Put Rights have been exercised, will be paid promptly following the end of the
Put Period. In the event of the exercise of the Put Rights for less than all of
the shares of Special Common Stock represented by a certificate, a new
certificate representing the shares of Common Stock into which the
 
                                       22
<PAGE>   28
 
shares of Special Common Stock not redeemed pursuant to the exercise of the Put
Rights have been converted will be issued to the holder of such shares.
 
DEFAULT AND ACCELERATION OF PUT RIGHTS
 
     Unless the Call Rights have been previously exercised, if, prior to the
last day of the Put Period, (i) the Company files a voluntary petition in
bankruptcy or seeks reorganization in order to effect a plan or other
arrangement with creditors or any other relief under the Bankruptcy Reform Act,
Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended or recodified from time to time
(the "Bankruptcy Code"), or under any state or federal law granting relief to
debtors, or (ii) any involuntary petition or proceeding pursuant to the
Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable state or federal law relating to
bankruptcy, reorganization or other relief for debtors is filed or commenced
against the Company and the same is not dismissed within 30 days, or the Company
files an answer admitting the jurisdiction of the court and the material
allegations of any involuntary petition, or (iii) the Company is adjudicated a
bankrupt, or an order for relief is entered by any court of competent
jurisdiction under the Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable state or federal
law relating to bankruptcy, reorganization or other relief for debtors, then,
and upon the occurrence of such event (an "Insolvency Event"), without notice of
any kind whatsoever, the right of the holders of the Special Common Stock to
exercise the Put Rights will accelerate, and the Put will be exercisable
immediately upon the occurrence of such event and until the end of the Put
Period.
 
CONVERSION
 
     Each share of Special Common Stock outstanding following the close of
business on the last day of the Put Period (the "Conversion Date") will, unless
previously called for redemption on or prior to such date, automatically be
converted into one share of Common Stock.
 
     Notice of the Conversion Date will be given by mail to the holders of
record of the shares of Special Common Stock, not more than 30 nor less than 10
days prior to the Conversion Date. Upon request of any holder, Genentech will
issue and deliver to the holder, as promptly as practicable after the Conversion
Date, a replacement certificate for the number of Shares issuable upon
conversion of such Special Common Stock. No shares of Special Common Stock will
be issued after the Conversion Date.
 
     Genentech will provide, free from preemptive rights, out of its authorized
but unissued shares of Common Stock, or out of shares of Common Stock held in
its treasury, sufficient shares of Common Stock to provide for the conversion of
the Special Common Stock outstanding on the Conversion Date. Amended Article
Third will provide that all shares of Common Stock which may be issued upon
conversion of Special Common Stock will upon issue be fully paid and
non-assessable by Genentech and free from all taxes, liens and charges with
respect to the issue thereof. Amended Article Third will further provide that,
if on the Conversion Date the Special Common Stock shall be listed on the NYSE
or on any other national securities exchange or the NASDAQ National Market,
Genentech will, if permitted by the rules thereof, seek to list on each such
exchange or the NASDAQ National Market, as the case may be, all shares of Common
Stock issuable upon conversion of the Special Common Stock.
 
LEGEND
 
     Each certificate representing shares of Special Common Stock bears the
following legend:
 
          "The shares of Callable Putable Common Stock represented hereby are
     subject to (i) redemption at the option of the corporation during the
     periods, at the prices and on the terms and conditions specified in the
     corporation's certificate of incorporation, (ii) an option on the part of
     the holder, under certain circumstances, to require the corporation to
     redeem such shares of Callable Putable Common Stock, at the price and on
     the terms and conditions specified in the corporation's certificate of
     incorporation and (iii) conversion into Common Stock, par value $.02, of
     the corporation on the date specified, and upon the terms and conditions
     set forth in, such certificate of incorporation. After redemption the
     shares represented by this certificate shall cease to be outstanding for
     all purposes and the holder hereof shall be entitled to receive only the
     redemption price of such shares, without interest. After conversion this
 
                                       23
<PAGE>   29
 
     certificate shall represent the shares of Common Stock into which the
     shares of Callable Putable Common Stock represented hereby shall have been
     converted, and this certificate may be exchanged for a new certificate
     representing such shares of Common Stock."
 
CLASS VOTE
 
     In addition to any other affirmative vote required by law or the Genentech
Certificate of Incorporation, any amendment of the provisions of Amended Article
Third requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares
of Common Stock entitled to vote and of the holders of a majority of the shares
of Special Common Stock entitled to vote, each voting separately as a class.
 
PUT AND CALL NOT BUSINESS COMBINATIONS
 
     Amended Article Third provides that the transactions to be consummated
pursuant to the Call Rights or the Put Rights will not be deemed to be "Business
Combinations" for purposes of Article Eleventh of the Genentech Certificate of
Incorporation.
 
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
 
     For purposes of the foregoing discussion of Amended Article Third, the
following terms will have the following meanings:
 
          "Business Day" means any day which is not a Saturday, Sunday or a
     federal holiday.
 
          "Depositary" means the bank or trust company in the Borough of
     Manhattan, the City and State of New York, having combined capital, surplus
     and undivided profits of at least $500 million which is appointed by the
     Company to serve as agent for the purpose of receiving certificates
     representing shares of the Special Common Stock upon exercise of the Put
     Rights or Call Rights, as the case may be, and distributing the Redemption
     Price or the Put Price therefor, as the case may be.
 
          "Put Notice" means a written notice electing to have shares of Special
     Common Stock redeemed by the Company pursuant to the exercise of the Put
     Rights.
 
          "Put Notification" means a written notice from the Company to the
     holders of the Special Common Stock and the holders of options to purchase
     shares of the Special Common Stock informing each such holder of (A) the
     rights of such holder to cause the Company to redeem shares of Special
     Common Stock during the Put Period, (B) the date of the commencement and
     termination of the Put Period, (C) the Put Price, (D) the identity and
     address of the Depositary and (E) instructions as to how to exercise the
     Put Rights. The Put Notification will, in all respects, comply with the
     requirements of the Exchange Act.
 
          "Put Period" means, subject to acceleration upon the occurrence of
     certain Insolvency Events, the period commencing on July 1, 1999 and ending
     on the close of business on the thirtieth Business Day thereafter or such
     later date as may be required under the Exchange Act; provided that, in the
     event of acceleration of the Put Period following the occurrence of an
     Insolvency Event, the Put Period will be the period commencing as soon as
     practicable following the date of the occurrence of the Insolvency Event
     giving rise to such acceleration (but in no event later than ten days
     following such date) and ending on the close of business on the 60th
     Business Day thereafter or such later date as may be required under the
     Exchange Act.
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
     The validity of the Special Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon
by Stephen G. Juelsgaard, Vice President and General Counsel of the Company.
 
                                       24
<PAGE>   30
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
     The consolidated financial statements of Genentech, Inc., incorporated by
reference in the Company's Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December
31, 1994, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as set
forth in their report thereon included therein and incorporated herein by
reference. Such consolidated financial statements are, and audited financial
statements to be included in subsequently filed documents will be, incorporated
herein in reliance upon the reports of Ernst & Young LLP pertaining to such
financial statements (to the extent covered by consents filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission) given upon the authority of such firm as
experts in accounting and auditing.
 
                                MATERIAL CHANGES
 
     As of the date of this Prospectus, and other than the Merger and the
transactions related thereto, no material changes in the Company's affairs,
which have not been described in a report on Form 10-Q, 10-K or 8-K filed under
the Exchange Act, have occurred since the end of the latest fiscal year for
which certified financial statements were included in the latest annual report
to stockholders.
 
                      DISCLOSURE OF COMMISSION POSITION ON
                 INDEMNIFICATION FOR SECURITIES ACT LIABILITIES
 
     Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the
"DGCL") provides, in summary, that directors and officers of Delaware
corporations are entitled, under certain circumstances, to be indemnified
against all expenses and liabilities (including attorneys' fees) incurred by
them as a result of suits brought against them in their capacity as a director
or officer, if they acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed
to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and with
respect to any criminal action or proceeding, if they had no reasonable cause to
believe their conduct was unlawful; provided, that no indemnification may be
made against expenses in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which they
shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation, unless and only to the
extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine
upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all
the circumstances of the case, they are fairly and reasonably entitled to
indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper. Any such
indemnification may be made by the corporation only as authorized in each
specific case upon a determination by the stockholders or disinterested
directors that indemnification is proper because the indemnitee has met the
applicable standard of conduct.
 
     Article SEVENTH of Genentech's Certificate of Incorporation ("Article
SEVENTH") provides that a director of Genentech is not personally liable to the
corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary
duty as a director except for liability (i) for any breach of the director's
duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders, (ii) for acts or
omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing
violation of law, (iii) for paying a dividend or approving a stock repurchase in
violation of Section 174 of the DGCL or (iv) for any transaction from which the
director derived an improper personal benefit.
 
     Article SEVENTH also provides that directors, officers and other
individuals will be indemnified by Genentech to the full extent permitted by law
and shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may otherwise
have or acquire. It provides that each person who was or is made a party to or
is involved in, any action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that he is
or was a director, officer, employee or agent of Genentech (or is or was serving
at the request of Genentech as a director, officer, employee or agent for
another entity) while serving in such capacity shall be indemnified and held
harmless by Genentech, to the full extent authorized by the DGCL, as in effect
(or, to the extent indemnification is broadened, as it may be amended), against
all expense, liability or loss (including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines,
ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts to be paid in settlement) reasonably
incurred by such person in connection therewith. It allows such indemnified
persons to bring suit against Genentech to recover unpaid amounts claimed
thereunder, and if such suit is successful, the expense of bringing such suit
shall be reimbursed by Genentech. It further provides that while it is a defense
to such a suit that the person claiming indemnification
 
                                       25
<PAGE>   31
 
has not met the applicable standards of conduct making indemnification
permissible under Delaware law, the burden of proving the defense shall be on
Genentech and neither the failure of the Board to have made a determination that
indemnification is proper, nor an actual determination by Genentech that the
claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to
the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable
standard of conduct.
 
     Genentech's Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws provide that Genentech
may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any of its
officers, employees or agents against any expense, liability or loss, whether or
not Genentech would have the power to indemnify such person against such
expense, liability or loss under Delaware law. Genentech maintains such
insurance for such purposes.
 
     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the registrant has been
informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is
therefore unenforceable.
 
                                       26
<PAGE>   32
 
                                    PART II
 
                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 14.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION
 
     The following table sets forth all expenses payable by the Company in
connection with the issuance and distribution of the Special Common Stock being
registered. All the amounts shown are estimates except for the registration fee.
 
<TABLE>
        <S>                                                                   <C>
        Registration fee....................................................       *
        Blue Sky fees and expenses..........................................  $  500
        Stock Exchange Listing Fees.........................................  $    *
        Legal fees and expenses.............................................  $5,000
        Accounting fees and expenses........................................  $1,500
        Miscellaneous expenses..............................................  $  500
                                                                              ------
          Total.............................................................  $7,500
                                                                              ======
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
*  All filing fees payable in connection with registration of these securities
   were paid in connection with the filing of (a) the Registrant's Schedule 14A
   dated June 2, 1995, (b) the Registrant's Form S-4, No. 33-59949, dated June
   5, 1995 (the "Form S-4") and (c) Amendment No. 1 to the Form S-4 dated
   September 8, 1995, which filings related to the issuance of Special Common
   Stock (including shares subject to options) as a result of the Merger.
 
ITEM 15.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
 
     See "Disclosure of Commission Position on Indemnification for Securities
Act Liabilities" contained in the prospectus forming a part of this
Post-Effective Amendment No. 2.
 
ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
  EXHIBIT
   NUMBER                                       DESCRIPTION
  --------    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  <C>         <S>
    5-A(2)    Opinion of counsel as to the legality of the securities being registered.
   15-A(2)    Letter re: unaudited financial information.
   23-A(2)    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors.
   23-B(2)    Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5-A(2)).
   24-A(2)    Powers of Attorney.(1)
   99-A(2)    1994 Stock Option Plan, as amended and restated as of October 25, 1995.
   99-B(2)    Letter distributed to option holders, relating to effects of the Merger.
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
(1) Filed as Exhibit 24.1 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4
    (No. 33-59949), filed June 5, 1995, and Amendment No. 1 thereto, filed
    September 8, 1995.
 
ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS
 
     The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
 
          (1) To file, during any period in which offers are being made, a
     post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
 
             (a) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
        Securities Act of 1933;
 
             (b) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after
        the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
        post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or
 
                                      II-1
<PAGE>   33
 
        in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set
        forth in the registration statement;
 
             (c) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
        distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or
        any material change to such information in the registration statement;
 
     Provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(a) and (1)(b) do not apply if the
     information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by 
     those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the re-
     gistrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities 
     Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this 
     registration statement.
 
        (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
     to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
     therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
     to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
        (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
     any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.
 
        (4) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report
     pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
     of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement
     shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
     securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
     time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
        (5) To deliver or cause to be delivered with the prospectus, to each
     person to whom the prospectus is sent or given, the latest annual report to
     security holders that is incorporated by reference in the prospectus and
     furnished pursuant to and meeting the requirements of Rule 14a-3 or Rule
     14c-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and, where interim
     financial information required to be presented by Article 3 or Regulation
     S-X is not set forth in the prospectus, to deliver, or cause to be
     delivered to each person to whom the prospectus is sent or given, the
     latest quarterly report that is specifically incorporated by reference in
     the prospectus to provide such interim financial information.

        (6) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
     Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and
     controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions,
     or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
     Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
     policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the
     event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than
     the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
     officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense
     of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or
     controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the
     Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
     settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
     jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against
     public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
     adjudication of such issue.
 
                                      II-2
<PAGE>   34
 
                                   SIGNATURES
 
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing this Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 on Form S-3 to the
Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 33-59949) and has duly caused this
Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of South San Francisco,
State of California, on the 25th day of October, 1995.
 
                                          GENENTECH, INC.
 
                                          By: /s/  LOUIS J. LAVIGNE, JR.
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Louis J. Lavigne, Jr.
                                            Senior Vice President and
                                            Chief Financial Officer
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                            <C>
PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER:
/s/  ARTHUR D. LEVINSON                        President and Chief Executive Officer
- ---------------------------------------------
Arthur D. Levinson

PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER:
/s/  LOUIS J. LAVIGNE, JR.                     Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
- ---------------------------------------------  Officer
Louis J. Lavigne, Jr.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER:
/s/  BRADFORD S. GOODWIN                       Vice President and Controller
- ---------------------------------------------
Bradford S. Goodwin

DIRECTORS:
/s/  ARTHUR D. LEVINSON
- ---------------------------------------------
Arthur D. Levinson

/s/  HERBERT W. BOYER*
- ---------------------------------------------
Herbert W. Boyer

/s/  JURGEN DREWS*
- ---------------------------------------------
Jurgen Drews

/s/  FRANZ B. HUMER*
- ---------------------------------------------
Franz B. Humer

/s/  LINDA F. LEVINSON*
- ---------------------------------------------
Linda F. Levinson

/s/  J. RICHARD MUNRO*
- ---------------------------------------------
J. Richard Munro

/s/  DONALD L. MURFIN*
- ---------------------------------------------
Donald L. Murfin

</TABLE>
 
                                      II-3
<PAGE>   35
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                            <C>
/s/  JOHN T. POTTS, JR.*
- ---------------------------------------------
John T. Potts, Jr.

/s/  C. THOMAS SMITH, JR.*
- ---------------------------------------------
C. Thomas Smith, Jr.

/s/  ROBERT A. SWANSON*
- ---------------------------------------------
Robert A. Swanson

/s/  DAVID S. TAPPAN, JR.*
- ---------------------------------------------
David S. Tappan, Jr.

*By: /s/  JOHN P. MCLAUGHLIN
- ---------------------------------------------
Attorney-in-Fact
</TABLE>
 
October 25, 1995
 
                                      II-4
<PAGE>   36
 
                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                                                                                   PAGE
- -------                                                                                  ----
<C>       <S>                                                                            <C>
 5-A(2)   Opinion of Counsel...........................................................
15-A(2)   Letter re: unaudited financial information...................................
23-A(2)   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors...........................
23-B(2)   Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5-A(2))..............................
24-A(2)   Power of Attorney(1).........................................................
99-A(2)   1994 Stock Option Plan, as amended and restated as of October 25, 1995.......
99-B(2)   Letter distributed to option holders, relating to effects of the Merger......
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
(1) Filed as Exhibit 24.1 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4
    (No. 33-59949), filed June 5, 1995, and Amendment No. 1 thereto, filed
    September 8, 1995.

<PAGE>   1
 
                                 EXHIBIT 5-A(2)
<PAGE>   2
 
                                                                  EXHIBIT 5-A(2)
 
                        [LETTERHEAD OF GENENTECH, INC.]
 
                                                                October 25, 1995
 
Genentech, Inc.
460 Point San Bruno Boulevard
South San Francisco, California 94080
 
Ladies and Gentlemen:
 
     I am General Counsel of Genentech, Inc. (the "Company") and am rendering
this opinion in connection with the filing by the Company of a Post-Effective
Amendment on Form S-3 (the "Amendment") to a Registration Statement on Form S-4
(No. 33-59949) (the "Registration Statement") with the Securities and Exchange
Commission covering the offering of up to 4,500,000 shares of the Company's
Callable Putable Common Stock, $.02 par value ("Special Common Stock"), and the
4,500,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.02 per share, into which such
shares of Special Common Stock are subject to conversion in accordance with the
provisions of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation (together with the
shares of Special Common Stock, the "Shares"), pursuant to the Company's 1994
Stock Option Plan (the "Plan").
 
     In connection with this opinion, I have examined the Amendment, and related
Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Company's Certificate of
Incorporation and By-laws, as amended, and such other documents, records,
certificates, memoranda and other instruments as in my judgment are necessary as
a basis for this opinion.
 
     On the basis of the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, I am of the opinion
that the Shares, when sold and issued in accordance with the Plan, the
Registration Statement and related Prospectus, will be validly issued, fully
paid, and nonassessable.
 
     I consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Amendment.
 
                                          Very truly yours,
 
                                          By: /s/ STEPHEN G. JUELSGAARD
 
                                            ------------------------------------
                                              Stephen G. Juelsgaard
                                              Vice President and
                                              General Counsel

<PAGE>   1
 
                                EXHIBIT 15-A(2)
<PAGE>   2
 
                                                                 EXHIBIT 15-A(2)
 
                       [LETTERHEAD OF ERNST & YOUNG, LLP]
 
October 24, 1995
 
The Board of Directors and Stockholders
Genentech, Inc.
 
     We are aware of the incorporation by reference in the Post-Effective
Amendment No. 2 on Form S-3 to the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No.
33-59949) of Genentech, Inc. for the registration of up to 4,500,000 shares of
its Callable Putable Common Stock (and the Common Stock into which such Callable
Putable Common Stock may be converted) of our reports dated April 10, 1995 and
July 14, 1995 relating to the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial
statements of Genentech, Inc. which are included in its Forms 10-Q for the
quarters ended March 31, 1995 and June 30, 1995, respectively.
 
     Pursuant to Rule 436(c) of the Securities Act of 1933 our report is not a
part of the registration statement prepared or certified by accountants within
the meaning of Section 7 or 11 of the Securities Act of 1933.
 
                                          Very truly yours,
 
                                          ERNST & YOUNG LLP

<PAGE>   1
 
                                EXHIBIT 23-A(2)
<PAGE>   2
 
                                                                 EXHIBIT 23-A(2)
 
               CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
     We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in the
Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 on Form S-3 to the Registration Statement on Form
S-4 (No. 33-59949), pertaining to the 1994 Stock Option Plan of Genentech, Inc.
for the registration of up to 4,500,000 shares of Callable Putable Common Stock
(and Common Stock into which Callable Putable Common Stock may be converted) and
to the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated January 17, 1995,
with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Genentech, Inc.
incorporated by reference in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended
December 31, 1994, and the related financial statement schedules included
therein, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
                                          ERNST & YOUNG LLP
 
San Jose, California
October 24, 1995

<PAGE>   1
 
                                EXHIBIT 99-A(2)
<PAGE>   2
 
                                                                 EXHIBIT 99-A(2)
 
                             1994 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                    (AS AMENDED EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 25, 1995)
 
                                  ARTICLE ONE
 
                               GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
I.  PURPOSES OF THE PLAN
 
     A. This 1994 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") is intended to promote the
interests of Genentech, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), by
providing a method whereby the Company may retain the services of persons now
employed by or serving as consultants or directors to it, secure and retain the
services of persons capable of filling such positions and provide incentives for
such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company or its
parent or subsidiary corporations.
 
     B. For purposes of the Plan, the following definitions shall be in effect:
 
          CHANGE IN CONTROL: "Change in Control" shall have the meaning set
     forth in Article Two, II.C. hereof.
 
          CLOSING SELLING PRICE: The Closing Selling Price per share of Special
     Common Stock on any relevant date under the Plan shall be the closing
     selling price per share of Special Common Stock, if such Special Common
     Stock is reported on a national securities exchange or reported on the
     NASDAQ National Market System (or any successor system), for the trading
     day immediately preceding the date in question, as such price is published
     in the Wall Street Journal (or if such publication is not available, a
     comparable publication selected by the Committee).
 
          CONSULTANT: An individual shall be considered to be a Consultant for
     so long as such individual continues to render personal services to the
     Company or one or more of its parent or subsidiary corporations as an
     independent contractor.
 
          CORPORATE TRANSACTION: "Corporate Transaction" shall have the meaning
     set forth in Article Two, II. A. hereof.
 
          EMPLOYEE: An individual shall be considered to be an Employee for so
     long as such individual remains in the employ of the Company or one or more
     of its Parent or Subsidiary.
 
          PARENT: A corporation shall be deemed to be a parent of the Company if
     it is a corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of
     corporations ending with the Company, provided each such corporation in the
     unbroken chain (other than the Company) owns, at the time of the
     determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total
     combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other
     corporations in such chain.
 
          SECTION 16(b) INSIDER: An individual shall be considered to be a
     Section 16(b) Insider on any relevant date under the Plan if such
     individual (A) is at the time an officer or director of the Company subject
     to the short-swing profit restrictions of the regulations promulgated under
     Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934
     Act") or (B) unless Section 16 or regulations promulgated thereunder are
     amended to provide otherwise, was such an officer or director at any time
     during the six month period immediately preceding the date in question and
     made any purchase or sale of Special Common Stock during such six-month
     period.
 
          SERVICE: An individual shall be deemed to be in the Service of the
     Company for so long as such individual renders service on a periodic basis
     to the Company or one or more of its Parent or Subsidiaries as an Employee
     or Consultant.
 
          SPECIAL COMMON STOCK: The Special Common Stock issuable under the Plan
     shall be shares of the Company's Callable Putable Common Stock, par value
     $0.02 per share.
<PAGE>   3
 
          SUBSIDIARY: A corporation shall be deemed to be a subsidiary of the
     Company if it is one of the corporations (other than the Company) in an
     unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company, provided each
     such corporation (other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain)
     owns, at the time of determination, stock possessing 50 percent or more of
     the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other
     corporations in such chain. For purposes of nonstatutory option grants
     under Article Two and all Corporate Transaction provisions of the Plan, the
     term "subsidiary" shall also include any partnership, joint venture or
     other business entity of which the Company owns, directly or indirectly
     through another subsidiary corporation, more than a fifty percent (50%)
     interest in voting power, capital or profits.
 
     C. Stock option grants made to any individual under the Plan shall not in
any way affect, limit or restrict such individual's eligibility to participate
in any other stock plan or other compensation or benefit plan, arrangement or
practice now or hereafter maintained by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary.
 
     D. Except for the grant of options to be made pursuant to the Automatic
Grant Program set forth in Article Three below and Section I of Article Three of
the Company's 1990 Stock Option/Stock Incentive Plan, as amended (the "1990
Plan"), to persons (i) elected or appointed a director of the Company after this
Plan is adopted by the Board and prior to April 30, 1995, or (ii) who become a
non-Employee Board member after this Plan is adopted by the Board and prior to
April 30, 1995, non-Employee Board members shall not be eligible to receive any
option grants or stock issuances under this Plan or any other stock plan of the
Company or any Parent or Subsidiary. The terms of Section I of Article Three of
the 1990 Plan providing for automatic option grants to non-Employee members of
the Board shall terminate on April 30, 1995.
 
II.  ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN
 
     A. The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee (the
"Committee"). The Committee shall be comprised of not less than two (2) Board
members ("Disinterested Directors") who: (i) were not during the one year prior
to serving on the Committee granted or awarded equity securities under this Plan
or any other stock option, stock appreciation, stock bonus or other stock plan
of the Company or its Parent or Subsidiaries, except as permitted by Rule
16b-3(c)(2)(i) promulgated under the 1934 Act ("Rule 16b-3(c)(2)(i)") or (ii)
are otherwise considered to be "disinterested directors" within Rule
16b-3(c)(2)(i), or any other applicable rules, regulations or interpretations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The Board may from time to
time appoint members to the Committee in substitution for (or in addition to)
members previously appointed, and the Board shall have the authority to fill any
and all vacancies on the Committee, however caused. The requirement that the
Committee be composed of disinterested directors shall not apply during any
period in which the Company does not have an equity security registered under
Section 12 of the 1934 Act.
 
     B. Subject to limitations contained elsewhere herein and to the provisions
of Section IV., C. and D. of this Article I relating to adjustments upon changes
in stock, the aggregate number of shares of stock that may be subject to options
granted to any Employee in a calendar year shall not exceed two hundred fifty
thousand (250,000) shares of the Company's Special Common Stock.
 
     C. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have
plenary authority:
 
          (i) to interpret the Plan, to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and
     regulations relating to it, and to make all other determinations deemed
     necessary or advisable in administering the Plan; and
 
          (ii) to change the terms and conditions of any outstanding
     discretionary option grant or unvested stock issuance, provided such action
     does not, without the consent of the holder, adversely affect the rights
     and obligations such individual may have under the Plan or an outstanding
     grant.
 
     D. Determinations of the Committee on all matters relating to the Plan and
any discretionary option grants made hereunder shall be final, binding and
conclusive on all persons having any interest in the Plan or any options granted
issued under the Plan.
 
                                        2
<PAGE>   4
 
III.  STRUCTURE OF THE PLAN
 
     A. The Plan shall be divided into two separate components: the Option Grant
Program specified in Article Two and the Automatic Grant Program specified in
Article Three. Under the Option Grant Program, eligible Employees and
Consultants may be granted options to purchase shares of Special Common Stock at
an exercise price equal to not less than 50% of the Closing Selling Price per
share on the grant date. Under the Automatic Grant Program, non-Employee Board
members shall automatically be granted options to purchase shares of Special
Common Stock on the dates and in the amounts specified in Article Three below at
an exercise price of 100% of the Closing Selling Price per share of Special
Common Stock on the date of grant.
 
     B. The provisions of Articles One, Four and Five of the Plan shall apply to
the Option Grant Program and the Automatic Option Grant Program and shall
accordingly govern the interests of all individuals in the Plan.
 
IV.  ELIGIBILITY FOR OPTION GRANTS
 
     A. The individuals eligible to receive option grants ("Optionees") pursuant
to the Plan shall be limited to (i) those Employees and Consultants selected by
the Committee; and (ii) those non-Employee Board members who are entitled to
option grants pursuant to the Automatic Option Grant Program of Article Three.
 
V.  STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN
 
     A. The Special Common Stock issuable under the Plan shall be made available
either from authorized but unissued shares of Special Common Stock or from
shares of Special Common Stock reacquired by the Company on the open market. The
aggregate number of shares of Special Common Stock issuable over the term of
this Plan, whether through exercised options or direct stock issuances, shall
not exceed 4,500,000 shares (subject to adjustment from time to time in
accordance with subparagraphs C. and D. below).
 
     B. Should an option granted under this Plan expire or terminate for any
reason prior to exercise or surrender in full (including options canceled in
accordance with the cancellation-regrant provisions of the Option Grant
Program), the shares subject to the portion of the option not so exercised or
surrendered shall be available for subsequent option grants under this Plan.
Shares repurchased by the Company pursuant to its repurchase rights under the
Plan shall not be available for subsequent issuance.
 
     C. In the event any change is made to the Special Common Stock issuable
under the Plan by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, combination of
shares, exchange of shares or other change affecting the outstanding Special
Common Stock as a class without receipt of consideration, then appropriate
adjustments shall be made by the Committee to (i) the aggregate number and/or
class of shares issuable under this Plan and the maximum number and/or class of
shares purchasable per Employee pursuant to the applicable limitation of Section
II.B of this Article One and the number and/or class of shares for which the
automatic option grants are to be made pursuant to the provisions of Article
Three, to reflect the effect of such change upon the Company's capital
structure, and (ii) the number and/or class of shares and the exercise price per
share of the stock subject to each outstanding option in order to preclude the
dilution or enlargement of benefits thereunder. All adjustments made by the
Committee pursuant to this subparagraph C. shall be final, binding and
conclusive.
 
     D. Subject to the special priority provisions of Article Five of the Plan,
in the event that (i) the Company is the surviving entity in any Corporate
Transaction that does not result in the termination of outstanding options
pursuant to the Corporate Transaction provisions of the Plan or (ii) the
outstanding options under the Plan are to be assumed in connection with such
Corporate Transaction, then each such continuing or assumed option shall,
immediately after such Corporate Transaction, be appropriately adjusted to apply
and pertain to the number and class of securities which would be issuable, in
consummation of such Corporate Transaction, to an actual holder of the same
number of shares of Special Common Stock as are subject to such option
immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction. Appropriate adjustments shall
also be made to the exercise price payable per share subject to each option,
provided that the aggregate exercise price of such option shall remain the same.
In addition, the aggregate number and/or class of shares issuable under
 
                                        3
<PAGE>   5
 
this Plan shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the effect of such
Corporate Transaction upon the Company's capital structure.
 
                                  ARTICLE TWO
 
                              OPTION GRANT PROGRAM
 
I.  TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS
 
     A. The Committee shall have plenary authority (subject to the express
provisions of the Plan) to determine which Employees and Consultants are to be
granted options under this Option Grant Program, the number of shares to be
covered by each such option, the status of the granted option as either an
incentive stock option ("Incentive Option") which meets the requirements of
Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time
(the "Code"), or a non-statutory option not intended to meet such requirements,
the time or times at which such option is to become exercisable, the time or
times at which such option (or the Shares subject to such option) becomes vested
(referred to herein as the "vesting schedule") and the term for which the option
is to remain outstanding, up to a maximum term of twenty (20) years.
 
     B. The granted options shall be evidenced by instruments in such form as
the Committee shall from time to time approve; provided, however, that each such
instrument shall comply with and incorporate the terms and conditions specified
below, except as such terms and conditions must be modified for Incentive
Options as set forth below in Section III of this Article Two.
 
  1.  Exercise Price.
 
     a. The exercise price per share shall be fixed by the Committee, but in no
event shall the exercise price per share be less than fifty percent (50%) of the
Closing Selling Price per share of Special Common Stock on the date of the
option grant.
 
     b. The exercise price shall become immediately due upon exercise of the
option and shall, subject to the loan provisions of this Article Two, be payable
in one of the alternative forms specified below:
 
          (A) full payment in cash or check made payable to the Company's order;
     or
 
          (B) full payment in shares of Special Common Stock held by the
     Optionee for the requisite period necessary to avoid a charge to the
     Company's reported earnings and valued at the Closing Selling Price on the
     Exercise Date (as such term is defined below); or
 
          (C) full payment in a combination of shares of Special Common Stock
     held by the Optionee for the requisite period necessary to avoid a charge
     to the Company's reported earnings and valued at the Closing Selling Price
     on the Exercise Date and cash or check.
 
     c. For purposes of subparagraph b. above, the Exercise Date shall be the
first date on which there is delivered to the Company both (i) written notice of
the exercise of the option and (ii) payment of the exercise price for the
purchased shares.
 
  2.  Term and Exercise of Options.
 
     a. Each option granted under this Option Grant Program shall be exercisable
in one or more installments over the Optionee's period of Service as shall be
determined by the Committee and set forth in the instrument evidencing such
option; provided, however, that unless no longer required by SEC Rule 16b-3
issued under Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act, no such option granted to a Section
16(b) Insider shall become exercisable in whole or in part within the first six
(6) months after the grant date, except in the event of the Optionee's death or
disability.
 
     b. Except for options granted to Section 16(b) Insiders, an option may be
exercisable by the Optionee or, in the event the Optionee is permanently
disabled (as such term is defined in Section 22(e) of the Code), by his or her
spouse, and such option may be transferred by the Optionee to a trust for such
Optionee's benefit or
 
                                        4
<PAGE>   6
 
the benefit of an immediate family member or by will or the laws of descent or
distribution. An option granted to a Section 16(b) Insider shall, during the
lifetime of such Optionee, be exercisable only by that Optionee and shall not be
assignable or transferable by the Optionee otherwise than by will or by the laws
of descent and distribution.
 
     c. The Committee may, at its discretion, accelerate the vesting schedule of
any outstanding option at any time.
 
  3.  Termination of Service.
 
     a. Should an Optionee cease to continue in Service for any reason (other
than termination due to death or permanent disability) while the holder of one
or more outstanding options under this Option Grant Program, then such options
shall not be exercisable at any time after the earlier of (i) the specified
expiration date of the option term or (ii) the expiration of three (3) months
after the Optionee's cessation of Service. Each such option shall, during the
applicable period following cessation of Service, be exercisable only to the
extent of the number of shares (if any) in which the Optionee is vested on the
date of such cessation of Service; provided, however, that the Committee shall
have the discretion to specify, either at the time the option is granted or at
the time that the Optionee ceases Service, that vesting of such option may be
extended for a period not to exceed three (3) years from the date of cessation
of Service and that the applicable expiration period set forth in clause (ii)
may be increased to a period of up to five (5) years.
 
     b. Should an Optionee cease to continue in Service due to death or
permanent disability while the holder of one or more outstanding options under
this Option Grant Program, then such options shall not be exercisable at any
time after the earlier of (i) the specified expiration date of the option term
or (ii) the expiration of three (3) months after the Optionee's cessation of
Service. Each such option shall, during the applicable period following
cessation of Service, be exercisable only to the extent of the number of shares
(if any) in which the Optionee is vested on the date of such cessation of
Service; provided, however, that the Committee shall have the discretion to
specify, either at the time the option is granted or at the time that the
Optionee ceases Service, that the vesting of such option may be accelerated or
extended from the date of cessation of Service and that the period of
exercisability can be increased up to the expiration date of the option term.
 
     c. Any option granted to an Optionee under this Option Grant Program and
outstanding in whole or in part on the date of the Optionee's death may be
subsequently exercised by the personal representative of the Optionee's estate
or by the person or persons to whom the option is transferred pursuant to the
Optionee's will or in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution in
the case of the Optionee's death, and any option granted to an Optionee under
this Option Grant Program which is outstanding in whole or in part on the date
of the Optionee's cessation of Service due to permanent disability may be
exercised by the Optionee's spouse or designee. Any such exercise must be in
accordance with subparagraph b.
 
     d. The Committee shall have complete discretion, exercisable either at the
time the option is granted or at the time the Optionee ceases Service, to
establish as a provision applicable to the exercise of one or more options
granted under this Option Grant Program that during the limited period of
exercisability following cessation of Service due to retirement, "plant closing"
or "mass layoff" (as such terms are defined at 29 U.S.C. Section 2101) that is
subject to the notice requirements of 29 U.S.C. Section 2102, the option will
continue to vest according to the vesting schedule that would have applied had
the Optionee continued in Service.
 
  4.  Repurchase Rights.
 
     a. Options may provide that notwithstanding any vesting schedule pursuant
to subparagraph 2.a. above, they may be exercised prior to such vesting schedule
so long as the Optionee enters into a repurchase agreement satisfactory to the
Company. The shares of Special Common Stock acquired upon the exercise of one or
more options granted under this Option Grant Program may be subject to
repurchase by the Company, at the exercise price paid per share, upon the
Optionee's cessation of Service prior to vesting in such shares.
 
                                        5
<PAGE>   7
 
     b. Any such repurchase right shall be exercisable by the Company upon such
terms and conditions (including the establishment of the appropriate vesting
schedule and other provision for the expiration of such right in one or more
installments over the Optionee's period of Service) as the Committee may specify
in the instrument evidencing such right, which instrument shall include
appropriate terms with respect to the legending of stock certificates and the
placing of unvested shares into escrow.
 
     c. All of the Company's outstanding repurchase rights shall automatically
terminate, and all shares purchased under this Option Grant Program shall
immediately vest in full, upon the occurrence of any Corporate Transaction or
Change in Control; provided, however, that no such termination of repurchase
rights or immediate vesting of the purchased shares shall occur if (and to the
extent that): (i) the Company's outstanding repurchase rights are to be assigned
to the successor corporation (or parent thereof) in connection with the
Corporate Transaction or (ii) such termination of repurchase rights and
acceleration of vesting are precluded by other limitations imposed by the
Committee either at the time the option is granted or at the time the option
shares are purchased.
 
  5.  Stockholder Rights.
 
     An option holder shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with
respect to any shares covered by the option until such individual shall have
exercised the option, paid the option price and satisfied all other conditions
precedent to the issuance of certificates for the purchased shares.
 
II.  CORPORATE TRANSACTION/CHANGE IN CONTROL
 
     A. In the event of any of the following transactions (a "Corporate
Transaction"):
 
          (i) a merger or acquisition in which the Company is not the surviving
     entity, except for a transaction the principal purpose of which is to
     change the State of the Company's incorporation,
 
          (ii) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially
     all of the assets of the Company to any entity other than a Subsidiary of
     the Company, or
 
          (iii) any reverse merger in which the Company is the surviving entity
     but in which fifty percent (50%) or more of the Company's outstanding
     voting stock held by persons who are not "Subject Persons" as defined in
     Article Eleventh of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation (as in
     effect on September 7, 1990) including persons included in such definition
     by subparagraph (b) thereof is transferred to holders different from those
     who held the stock immediately prior to such merger, then the
     exercisability of each option outstanding under this Option Grant Program
     shall be automatically accelerated so that each such option shall,
     immediately prior to the specified effective date for the Corporate
     Transaction, become fully exercisable with respect to the total number of
     shares of Special Common Stock purchasable under such option and may be
     exercised for all or any portion of such shares. However, an outstanding
     option under this Option Grant Program shall not be so accelerated if and
     to the extent: (i) such option is, in connection with the Corporate
     Transaction, either to be assumed by the successor corporation or parent
     thereof or be replaced with a comparable option to purchase shares of the
     capital stock of the successor corporation or parent thereof, or (ii) such
     option is to be replaced by a comparable cash incentive program of the
     successor corporation based on the value of the option at the time of the
     Corporate Transaction, or (iii) the acceleration of such option is subject
     to other applicable limitations imposed by the Committee at the time of
     grant. The determination of comparability under clause (i) or (ii) above
     shall be made by the Committee, and its determination shall be final,
     binding and conclusive.
 
     B. Upon the consummation of the Corporate Transaction, all outstanding
options under this Option Grant Program shall, to the extent not previously
exercised or assumed by the successor corporation or its parent company,
terminate and cease to be outstanding.
 
     C. In the event of any of the following transactions (a "Change in
Control"):
 
          (i) the acquisition by a person or group of related persons, other
     than the Company or any person controlling, controlled by or under common
     control with the Company, of beneficial ownership (as determined pursuant
     to the provisions of Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of securities of the
     Company
 
                                        6
<PAGE>   8
 
     representing thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of
     the Company's then outstanding securities pursuant to a transaction or
     series of related transactions which the Board does not approve; or
 
          (ii) the first date within any period of thirty-six (36) consecutive
     months or less on which there is effected any change in the composition of
     the Board such that the majority of the Board (determined by rounding up to
     the next whole number) ceases to be comprised of individuals who either (I)
     have been members of the Board continuously since the beginning of such
     period or (II) have been elected or nominated for election as Board members
     during such period by at least a majority of the Board members described in
     clause (I) who were still in office at the time such election or nomination
     was approved by the Board; then the exercisability of each option
     outstanding under this Option Grant Program shall be automatically
     accelerated so that each such option shall become exercisable, immediately
     prior to such Change in Control, for the full number of shares purchasable
     under such option and may be exercised for all or any portion of such
     shares. However, an outstanding option under this Option Grant Program
     shall not be so accelerated if and to the extent one or more limitations
     imposed by the Committee at the time of grant preclude such acceleration
     upon a Change in Control.
 
     D. The grant of options under this Option Grant Program shall in no way
affect the right of the Company to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise
change its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve,
liquidate or sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.
 
III.  INCENTIVE OPTIONS
 
     A. The terms and conditions specified below shall be applicable to all
Incentive Options granted under this Option Grant Program. Options which are
specifically designated as "non-statutory" options when issued under this Option
Grant Program shall not be subject to such terms and conditions.
 
  1.  Option Price.
 
     The option price per share of the Special Common Stock subject to an
Incentive Option shall in no event be less than one hundred percent (100%) of
the Closing Selling Price per share of Special Common Stock on the grant date.
 
  2.  10% Stockholder.
 
     If any individual to whom an Incentive Option is to be granted pursuant to
the provisions of this Option Grant Program is on the grant date the owner of
stock (as determined under Section 424(d) of the Internal Revenue Code)
possessing 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of
stock of the Company or any one of its Parent or Subsidiaries (such person to be
herein referred to as a 10% Stockholder), then (i) the option price per share
shall not be less than one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the Closing Selling
Price per share of Special Common Stock on the grant date and (ii) the maximum
term of the option shall not exceed five (5) years from the grant date.
 
  3.  Dollar Limitation.
 
     The aggregate fair market value (determined on the basis of the Closing
Selling Price in effect on the respective date or dates of grant) of the Special
Common Stock for which one or more options granted to any Employee under this
Plan (or any other option plan of the Company or its Parent or Subsidiaries) may
for the first time become exercisable as incentive stock options under the
Federal tax laws during any one calendar year shall not exceed the sum of One
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000). To the extent the Employee holds two or
more such options which become exercisable for the first time in the same
calendar year, the foregoing limitation on the exercisability thereof as
incentive stock options under the Federal tax laws shall be applied on the basis
of the order in which such options are granted.
 
  4.  Term and Exercise of Options.
 
     a. No Incentive Option shall have a term in excess of ten (10) years from
the grant date.
 
                                        7
<PAGE>   9
 
     b. An Incentive Option shall not be transferable except by will or by the
laws of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable during the lifetime of
the Optionee only by the Optionee.
 
  5.  Termination of Service.
 
     Notwithstanding any term in the Plan to the contrary, an Incentive Option
must be exercised within the three (3) month period commencing with the date of
cessation of Employee status for any reason, except that in the event the
Optionee's cessation of Employee status is due to permanent disability, such
period shall be one (1) year from the date of such cessation of Employee status.
Incentive Options not exercised within the applicable period shall be treated as
non-statutory options.
 
     B. Except as modified by the preceding provisions of this Incentive Options
section, all the provisions of this Option Grant Program shall be applicable to
the Incentive Options granted hereunder. If any option originally granted as an
Incentive Stock Option is modified so as not to qualify under the Code as an
Incentive Stock Option, such modified Incentive Stock Option shall be a
non-statutory option.
 
IV.  CANCELLATION AND RE-GRANT OF OPTIONS
 
     The Committee shall have the authority to effect, at any time and from time
to time, with the consent of the affected option holders, the cancellation of
any or all outstanding options under this Option Grant Program and to grant in
substitution therefor new options under this Plan covering the same or different
numbers of shares of Special Common Stock but having an option price per share
not less than fifty percent (50%) of the Closing Selling Price (one hundred
percent (100%) of the Closing Selling Price in the case of an Incentive Option
or, in the case of a 10% Stockholder, not less than one hundred and ten percent
(110%) of the Closing Selling Price) per share of Special Common Stock on the
new grant date.
 
V.  LOANS OR GUARANTEE OF LOANS
 
     The Committee may assist any Employee (including any officer or director)
in the exercise of one or more options under this Option Grant Program by (a)
authorizing the extension of a loan to such Employee from the Company, (b)
permitting the Employee to pay the option price for the purchased Special Common
Stock in installments over a period of years or (c) authorizing a guarantee by
the Company of a third-party loan to the Employee. The terms of any loan,
installment method of payment or guarantee (including the interest rate and
terms of repayment) shall be established by the Committee in its sole
discretion. Loans, installment payments and guarantees may be granted without
security or collateral, but the maximum credit available to the Optionee shall
not exceed the sum of (i) the aggregate exercise price (less the par value) of
the purchased shares plus (ii) any Federal and State income and employment tax
liability incurred by the Employee in connection with the exercise of the
option.
 
                                 ARTICLE THREE
 
                            AUTOMATIC GRANT PROGRAM
 
I.  AUTOMATIC GRANTS
 
     On April 30, 1995, each individual who is a non-Employee member of the
Board on such date shall automatically be granted a non-statutory option under
this Article Three to purchase 15,000 shares of Special Common Stock. Each
non-Employee who is first appointed or elected a member of the Board after April
30, 1995 shall automatically be granted, on the date of such individual's
election to the Board, a non-statutory option under this Article Three to
purchase 15,000 shares of Special Common Stock. Each Employee director who is
first elected a member of the Board and who subsequently becomes a non-Employee
director after April 30, 1995 shall automatically be granted, on the date of
such individual's change from Employee to non-Employee director, a non-statutory
option under this Article Three to purchase 15,000 shares of Special Common
Stock.
 
                                        8
<PAGE>   10
 
II.  TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF GRANT
 
     Each option granted in accordance with the provisions of this Article Three
shall be evidenced by an instrument in such form as the Committee approves from
time to time for grants made under Article Two; provided, however, that each
such automatic grant shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:
 
  A.  Exercise Price.
 
     The exercise price per share shall be one hundred percent (100%) of the
Closing Selling Price per share of Special Common Stock on the grant date.
 
  B.  Term and Vesting of Options.
 
     1.  Except as otherwise specified below, each option shall vest in
increments of 5,000 shares on the first, second and third anniversaries of the
grant date and shall thereafter remain exercisable until the expiration or
earlier termination of the option term.
 
     2.  Each granted option shall have a term of ten (10) years measured from
the grant date.
 
  C.  Exercise of Option.
 
     Upon exercise of the option, the option exercise price for the purchased
shares shall become immediately due and payable in full in one of the
alternative forms specified below:
 
          (i) cash or check payable to the Company's order;
 
          (ii) shares of Special Common Stock held by the optionee for the
     requisite period necessary to avoid a charge to the Company's reported
     earnings and valued at the Closing Selling Price on the date of exercise;
     or
 
          (iii) any combination of the foregoing so long as the total payment
     equals the aggregate exercise price for the purchased shares.
 
  D.  Non-Transferability.
 
     During the lifetime of the Optionee, the option shall be exercisable only
by the optionee and shall not be assignable or transferable by the Optionee
otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.
 
  E.  Effect of Termination of Board Membership.
 
     1.  Should an Optionee cease to be a member of the Board for any reason
(other than death) prior to the expiration date of the automatic grant held by
the optionee under this Article Three, then such grant shall remain exercisable,
for any shares of Special Common Stock for which the option is exercisable at
the time of such cessation of Board membership, for a period not to exceed the
earlier of (i) the expiration of the three (3) month period following the date
of such cessation of Board membership or (ii) the specified expiration date of
the option term.
 
     2.  Should the Optionee's membership on the Board cease by reason of death,
then each outstanding grant held by the optionee under this Article Three may be
subsequently exercised, for any shares of Special Common Stock for which the
option is exercisable at the time of the Optionee's cessation of Board
membership, by the personal representative of the Optionee's estate or by the
person or persons to whom the option is transferred pursuant to the optionee's
will or in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution. Any such
exercise must, however, occur prior to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the
twelve (12) month period following the date of the Optionee's death or (ii) the
specified expiration date of the option term.
 
  F.  Stockholder Rights.
 
     An option holder shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with
respect to any shares covered by an option granted under this Article Three
until such individual shall have exercised the option, paid the option exercise
price in full and satisfied all other conditions precedent to the issuance of
certificates for the purchased shares.
 
                                        9
<PAGE>   11
 
III.  CORPORATE TRANSACTION
 
     A. In the event of a Corporate Transaction, options granted under the
Automatic Grant Program shall be treated as described in Section II of Article
Two, except the provisions of clause (iii) of the penultimate sentence of
Section II A(iii) of Article Two shall not apply.
 
IV.  CHANGE IN CONTROL
 
     A. In the event of a Change in Control, options granted under the Automatic
Grant Program shall be treated as described in Section II of Article Two, except
the last sentence of Section II C.(ii) of Article Two shall not apply.
 
                                  ARTICLE FOUR
 
                                 MISCELLANEOUS
 
I.  TAX WITHHOLDING
 
     A. The Company's obligation to deliver shares upon the exercise or
surrender of stock options granted under Article Two shall be subject to the
satisfaction of all applicable Federal, State and local income and employment
tax withholding requirements.
 
     B. The Committee may, in its discretion and upon such terms and conditions
as it may deem appropriate (including the applicable safe-harbor provisions of
SEC Rule 16b-3 or any successor rule or regulation) provide any or all Optionees
or Recipients with the election to have the Company withhold, from the shares of
Special Common Stock purchased or issued under the Plan, one or more of such
shares with an aggregate Closing Selling Price equal to the designated
percentage (up to 100% specified by the Optionee or Recipient) of the Federal
and State income taxes ("Taxes") incurred in connection with the acquisition of
such shares. In lieu of such direct withholding, one or more Optionees or
Recipients may also be granted the right to deliver unrestricted shares of
Special Common Stock to the Company in satisfaction of such Taxes. The withheld
or delivered shares shall be valued at the Closing Selling Price on the
applicable determination date for such Taxes.
 
II.  AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN
 
     A. The Board shall have the complete and exclusive authority to amend or
modify the Plan in any or all respects whatsoever; provided, however, that no
such amendment or modification shall, without the consent of the holders,
adversely affect rights and obligations with respect to any stock options then
outstanding under the Plan. In addition, with a view to making available the
benefits provided by Section 422 of the Code and/or SEC Rule 16b-3 as in effect
from time to time under the 1934 Act, the Board shall, at the time of each such
amendment, determine whether or not to submit such amendment of the Plan to the
Company's stockholders for approval.
 
     B. No material amendments shall be made to the provisions of the Automatic
Grant Program without the approval of the Company's stockholders.
 
     C. The provisions of the Automatic Grant Program shall not be amended more
than once every six months, as required by SEC Rule 16b-3.
 
III.  EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM OF PLAN
 
     A. The Plan shall become effective when adopted by the Board, but no stock
option granted under the Plan shall become exercisable, and no shares shall be
issued, unless and until the Plan shall have been approved by the Company's
stockholders. If such stockholder approval is not obtained within twelve (12)
months after the date of the Board's adoption of the Plan, then all stock
options previously granted under the Plan shall terminate and no further stock
options shall be granted. Subject to such limitation, the Committee
 
                                       10
<PAGE>   12
 
may grant stock options under the Plan at any time after the effective date and
before the date fixed herein for termination of the Plan.
 
     B. The Plan shall in all events terminate on the date determined by the
Board, but in no event shall the Plan terminate later than February 22, 2004.
Upon such termination, any stock options at the time outstanding under the Plan
shall continue to have force and effect in accordance with the provisions of the
instruments evidencing such grants.
 
     C. Options may be granted under this Plan to purchase shares of Special
Common Stock in excess of the number of shares then available for issuance under
the Plan, provided (i) an amendment to increase the maximum number of shares
issuable under the Plan is adopted by the Board prior to the initial grant of
any such option and within one year thereafter such amendment is approved by the
Company's stockholders, if such stockholder approval is deemed necessary by the
Board, and (ii) each option granted is not to become exercisable, in whole or in
part, at any time prior to the obtaining of such stockholder approval, and
provided further that at any time that the Amended and Restated Governance
Agreement dated as of October 25, 1995 between the Company and Roche Holdings,
Inc. (the "Amended Governance Agreement") remains in effect, any action by the
Board pursuant to the foregoing shall require the approval of a majority of the
Independent Directors (as such term is defined in Article Eleventh of the
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company).
 
IV.  MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
 
     A. Any cash proceeds received by the Company from the issuance of shares
hereunder shall be used for general corporate purposes.
 
     B. The implementation of the Plan, the granting of any stock option
hereunder, and the issuance of Special Common Stock under the Option Grant
Program or the Automatic Grant Program, shall be subject to the Company's
procurement of all approvals and permits required by regulatory authorities
having jurisdiction over the Plan, the stock options granted under it and the
Special Common Stock issued pursuant to it.
 
     C. Neither the action of the Company in establishing the Plan, nor any
action taken by the Board or the Committee hereunder, nor any provision of the
Plan itself shall be construed so as to grant any individual the right to remain
in the employ or service of the Company or any of its Parent or Subsidiaries for
any period of specific duration, and the Company (or any parent or subsidiary
retaining the services of such individual) may terminate such individual's
employment or service at any time and for any reason, with or without cause.
 
     D. Nothing contained in the Plan shall be construed to limit the authority
of the Company to exercise its corporate rights and powers, including (without
limitation) the right of the Company (a) to grant options for proper corporate
purposes otherwise than under this Plan to any Employee or other person, firm or
company or association or (b) to grant options to, or assume the option of, any
person in connection with the acquisition (by purchase, lease, merger,
consolidation or otherwise) of the business and assets (in whole or in part) of
any person, firm, company or association.
 
                                  ARTICLE FIVE
 
                         SPECIAL REDEMPTION PROVISIONS
 
I.  PRIORITY
 
     To the extent there is a conflict between any of the provisions of this
Article Five and any other provision of the Plan, the specific provisions of
this Article Five shall be controlling and shall govern the disposition of all
such options outstanding at the time the Redemption (as defined below) occurs or
no longer can occur.
 
II.  EFFECT OF REDEMPTION ON VESTED OPTIONS
 
     A. If the Special Common Stock shall be redeemed at any time as provided in
Section (c)(ii) of Article Third of the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Company (the "Redemption"), then holders of all outstanding options granted
hereunder, to the extent vested immediately prior to the date fixed for the
Redemption
 
                                       11
<PAGE>   13
 
("Vested Options"), shall promptly be paid for each such Vested Option or right
an amount equal to the product of (i) the excess of the redemption price per
share fixed in Section (c)(ii) of Article Third (without reduction for the
payment of any cash dividends as provided in the fourth sentence of Section
(c)(ii)(C) of Article Third) over the exercise price per share, times (ii) the
number of shares covered by such Vested Option or right.
 
III.  EFFECT OF REDEMPTION ON UNVESTED OPTIONS
 
     A. Upon the Redemption, each option granted under this Plan, to the extent
not vested immediately prior to the date fixed for the Redemption, shall be
replaced by a comparable incentive program. Each such continuing option will
become exercisable, and the shares purchasable thereunder shall vest, in
accordance with the same installment dates such option would have become
exercisable, and such shares would have vested, under the vesting schedule
specified for that option at the time of grant.
 
IV.  EFFECT OF NO REDEMPTION
 
     A. If the Redemption does not occur, upon conversion of the Special Common
Stock into Common Stock, each option granted under this Plan prior to such
conversion shall remain in effect after such conversion upon the same terms and
conditions (including, without limitation, the exercise price per share and the
number of shares) in effect for such option immediately prior to such
conversion, except that the shares purchasable under each such continuing option
shall be shares of Common Stock. Each such continuing option will become
exercisable, and the shares purchasable thereunder shall vest, in accordance
with the same installment dates such option would have become exercisable,
specified for that option at the time of grant.
 
V.  OTHER
 
     A. After the earlier of the Redemption or the Conversion Date (as defined
in Article Third of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company), all
references in the Plan to Special Common Stock shall automatically become
references to Common Stock.
 
     B. The exercise by Roche Holdings, Inc. or its affiliates of its right to
designate nominees to the Board of Directors pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.02
of the Amended Governance Agreement shall not constitute a Change in Control.
 
                                       12

<PAGE>   1
 
                                EXHIBIT 99-B(2)
<PAGE>   2
 
                                                                 EXHIBIT 99-B(2)
 
                        [LETTERHEAD OF GENENTECH, INC.]
 
Dear Genentech Option Holder:
 
     As you may know, Genentech, Inc. (the "Company") recently merged (the
"Merger") with a wholly owned subsidiary of Roche Holdings, Inc. ("Roche"). As a
result of the Merger, each outstanding share of the Company's Common Stock, par
value $.02 per share ("Common Stock") (other than shares held by Roche and its
affiliates), was converted into one share of Callable Putable Common Stock, par
value $.02 per share, of the Company ("Special Common Stock"). In connection
with the Merger, the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") adjusted the
plans pursuant to which your options were granted in order to provide that, upon
exercise of such options, option holders would receive shares of Special Common
Stock in lieu of Common Stock. The differences between the shares of Special
Common Stock and the Common Stock, as well as the details of the Merger itself,
are described more fully in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, which was
distributed to the Company's stockholders and all employees of the Company prior
to voting on the Merger. If you would like an additional copy of the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus, please call Ms. Karen Strand in the legal department.
 
     Again, the effect of this change on your options is that each option to
acquire shares of Common Stock (which, prior to July 1, 1995 constituted
Redeemable Common Stock) now represents an option to acquire a like number of
shares of Special Common Stock. The Board has determined, pursuant to the
provisions of such plans, that this change, and the transactions with Roche,
will have no other effect on your options.
 
     As a result, the appropriate references to "Redeemable Common Stock" or
"Common Stock" in your plan documents are now deemed to refer, as appropriate,
to Special Common Stock. The number of shares which may be acquired by
excercising your options and the price at which such shares may be purchased
remain unaffected.
 
     You should attach a copy of this letter to any options or option agreements
in your possession.
 
                                          GENENTECH, INC.


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