CHIRON CORP
S-8, 1997-12-17
PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS
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<PAGE>



      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 17, 1997
                                                  Registration No. 333-
                                                                 --------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                Washington, D.C. 20549

                               -----------------------
                                       FORM S-8
                                REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                        UNDER
                              THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                               -----------------------
                                  CHIRON CORPORATION
                (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
           DELAWARE                                        94-2754624
(State or other jurisdiction                   (IRS Employer Identification No.)
of incorporation or organization)
                       4560 HORTON STREET, EMERYVILLE, CA 94608
                 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

                              --------------------------
              CHIRON CORPORATION SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN
                               (Full title of the Plan)

                               -----------------------
                                WILLIAM G. GREEN, ESQ.
                      SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                                  CHIRON CORPORATION
                       4560 HORTON STREET, EMERYVILLE, CA 94608
                       (Name and address of agent for service)
                                    (510) 655-8730
            (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

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

                           CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

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

                               PROPOSED          PROPOSED
 TITLE OF                      MAXIMUM           MAXIMUM
SECURITIES       AMOUNT        OFFERING          AGGREGATE       AMOUNT OF
  TO BE          TO BE          PRICE             OFFERING      REGISTRATION
REGISTERED     REGISTERED      PER SHARE           PRICE            FEE
- ------------   ----------      ---------           -----            ---

Deferred
Compensation
Obligations   $4,600,000.00       100%          $4,600,000.00    $1,357.00

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


<PAGE>




                                       PART II

                  Information Required in the Registration Statement



Item 3.  INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

    Chiron Corporation, (the "Registrant") hereby incorporates by reference
into this Registration Statement the following documents previously filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"):

    a.   The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
         December 29, 1996 filed with the SEC on March 31, 1997;

    b.   The Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended
         March 30, 1997, June 29, 1997 and September 28, 1997 filed with the
         SEC on May 14, 1997, August 11, 1997 and November 12, 1997,
         respectively;

    c.   The Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
         October 23, 1997; and

    d.   The Registrant's Registration Statement (No. 0-12798) on Form 8-A
         filed with the SEC on August 28, 1984 in which there is described the
         terms, rights and provisions applicable to the Registrant's
         outstanding Common Stock.

    All reports and definitive proxy or information statements filed pursuant
to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
"1934 Act") after the date of this Registration Statement 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 then remaining unsold
shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement
and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.  Any
statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of
this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or
in any subsequently filed document which also is deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Item 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

    The securities consist of deferred compensation obligations of the
Registrant outstanding under the Registrant's Supplemental Executive Retirement
Plan (the "Plan"). The Plan is a non-qualified deferred compensation program
under the Internal Revenue Code which is designed to operate in conjunction with
the Registrant's 401(k) Plan (the "Qualified Plan"). The principal features of
the non-qualified Plan may be summarized as follows:

    STRUCTURE.  The Plan is comprised of three separate programs:

         Supplemental Salary Deferral Program.  Under this program each
    selected participant will have the right, by prior irrevocable election, to
    defer up to fifteen percent (15%) of his or her compensation for each
    calendar year for which the election is in effect, LESS the maximum dollar
    amount which may be contributed on the participant's behalf to the
    Qualified Plan for that year in compliance with the applicable limitations
    of Internal Revenue Code Sections 401(a)(17), 402(g)(1) and/or 415.


1
<PAGE>
         Supplemental Matching Contribution Program.  This program will
    supplement the matching contribution allocated to the participant's account
    each year under the Qualified Plan by providing such individual with the
    additional level of matching contribution which would have otherwise been
    allocated to his or her Qualified Plan account had that allocation not been
    reduced by reason of the compensation limitation imposed under Internal
    Revenue Code Sections 401(a)(17), 402(g) and/or 415.

         Supplemental Retirement Contribution Program. This program will
    supplement the retirement contribution allocated to the participant's
    account each year under the Qualified Plan by providing such individual
    with the additional level of retirement contribution which would have
    otherwise been allocated to his or her account under the Qualified Plan had
    that allocation not been reduced by reason of the compensation limitation
    imposed under Internal Revenue Code Sections 401(a)(17) and/or 415.

    ACCOUNTS.  The Registrant will establish on its books and records a special
account for each individual for whom compensation is deferred under the
Supplemental Salary Deferral Program or to whom a supplemental benefit is
allocated under either the Supplemental Matching Contribution Program or the
Supplemental Retirement Contribution Program.  However, the Registrant's
obligation to pay the balance credited to such account will at all times be an
unfunded and unsecured obligation.  The Registrant will be under no obligation
to establish any trust, escrow arrangement or other fiduciary relationship for
the purpose of segregating funds for the payment of the account balances
maintained under the Plan.  Although the Registrant has established a so-called
"rabbi trust" with The Northern Trust Company in order to accumulate a reserve
for satisfying its liabilities under the Supplemental Salary Deferral Program,
no participant will have any beneficial interest in those trust assets, and the
assets will be available for the satisfaction of creditor claims in the event of
the Registrant's insolvency or bankruptcy.

    INVESTMENT RETURN.  The balance credited to each participant's account
under the Plan will be credited with interest at the end of each calendar
quarter.  The interest rate used will be based on the Moody's Corporate Bond
Yield Average.  The participant will at all times be vested in his or her
account balance to the same extent he or she is vested in the corresponding
account balance maintained for such individual under the Qualified Plan.

    DISTRIBUTION.   The account balance will become payable either (i) in a
lump sum following the participant's termination of employment with the
Registrant or (ii) in a series of annual installments, provided the participant
has reached age fifty-five (55) and has been employed by the Registrant for a
period of at least ten (10) years. The account balance may be distributed prior
to the participant's termination of employment upon (i) the occurrence of an
immediate and heavy financial hardship for which the participant does not have
any other available resources or (ii) the forfeiture by the participant of
fifteen percent (15%) of his or her vested account balance.  Accrued benefits
may not otherwise be assigned or alienated.

    AMENDMENT/TERMINATION.  The Plan may be amended or terminated at any time,
but no such plan amendment or termination will adversely affect the benefits
which the participants have accrued to date under the Plan; provided that the
Registrant may make a current distribution of each participant's account upon
plan termination.

    There is no dollar limit on the total amount of compensation which may be
deferred by participants over the term of the Plan.  As of December 1, 1997, the
total dollar amount of the Registrant's outstanding deferred compensation
obligations under the Plan was $0.

Item 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

    Not applicable.
                                         II-2

<PAGE>

Item 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

    Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the
Bylaws of the Registrant contain certain provisions covering indemnification of
corporate directors, officers and employees under certain conditions and subject
to certain limitations.

    In addition, the Registrant has entered into supplemental indemnification
agreements with its directors which broaden the scope of indemnity beyond that
expressly provided by the Bylaws or the Delaware General Corporation Law.  These
supplemental contracts are permissible under the General Corporation Law and
have been approved by the Registrant's stockholders.  Accordingly, the
indemnification agreements with directors will (i) confirm the present indemnity
provided to them by the Registrant's Bylaws and give them assurance that this
indemnity will continue to be provided despite future changes in the Bylaws, and
(ii) provide that, in addition, the directors shall be indemnified to the
fullest possible extent permitted by law against all expenses (including
attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and settlement amounts, incurred or paid by
them in any action or proceeding, including any action by or in the right of the
Registrant, on account of their service as a director or officer of the
Registrant, or as a director or officer of any subsidiary of the Registrant, or
as a director, officer, or similar official of any other company or enterprise
when they are serving in such capacities at the request of the Registrant.  The
indemnification agreements further provide that expenses incurred by a director
in such cases shall be paid in advance, subject to the director's obligation to
reimburse the Registrant in the event it ultimately determines that the director
is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under any of the provisions
of the indemnification agreement.  However, no indemnity will be provided to any
director under the agreements as described in clause (ii) of the third sentence
of this paragraph on account of conduct which is finally adjudged to be
knowingly fraudulent, deliberately dishonest or to constitute willful
misconduct.  In addition, no indemnification will be provided if a final court
adjudication shall determine that such indemnification is not lawful, or in
respect to any suit in which judgment is rendered against a director for an
accounting of profits made from a purchase or sale of securities of the
Registrant in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, as amended, or of
any similar statutory provision, or on account of any remuneration paid to a
director which is finally adjudged to have been paid in violation of law.  The
indemnification agreements also contain provisions designed to protect the
Registrant from unreasonable settlements or redundant legal expenditures.

    The Registrant maintains liability insurance for each of its directors and
officers which provides for coverage for certain liabilities for which
indemnification by the Registrant may not be permissible under applicable law
and public policy, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

Item 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

    Not applicable.

Item 8. EXHIBITS

Exhibit Number  Exhibit
- --------------  -------
     4          Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders: Chiron
                Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan.
     5          Opinion of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP.
    23.1        Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, Independent Auditors.
    23.2        Consent of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP is contained in
                Exhibit 5.
    24          Power of Attorney.  Reference is made to page II-5 of this
                Registration Statement.


                                         II-3

<PAGE>

Item 9. UNDERTAKINGS

    A.   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:  (1) to file, during any
period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to
this Registration Statement (i) to include any prospectus required by
Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act"), (ii) to reflect
in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this
Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof)
which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
information set forth in this Registration Statement, and (iii) 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 this Registration Statement; PROVIDED, however, that
clauses (1)(i) and (1)(ii) shall 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 Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d)
of the 1934 Act that are incorporated by reference into the registration
statement; (2) that for the purpose of determining any liability under the 1933
Act 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; and (3) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold upon the
termination of the Registrant's Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan.

    B.   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each filing of the Registrant's
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the 1934 Act that is
incorporated by reference into this 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.

    C.   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the 1933 Act
may be permitted to directors, officers or controlling persons of the Registrant
pursuant to the indemnity provisions summarized in Item 6 above, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 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 1933 Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                      SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that
it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Emeryville, State of California, on this 15th
day of December, 1997.


                                       CHIRON CORPORATION


                                       By: /s/ Edward E. Penhoet, Ph.D
                                           --------------------------------
                                           Edward E. Penhoet, Ph.D
                                           President and Chief Executive
                                           Officer

                                         II-4
<PAGE>


                                  POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

         That the undersigned officers and directors of Chiron Corporation, a
Delaware corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint Edward E. Penhoet, Ph.D.
and William J. Rutter, Ph.D., and each of them, the lawful attorneys and agents,
with full power and authority to do any and all acts and things and to execute
any and all instruments which said attorneys and agents, and any one of them,
determine may be necessary or advisable or required to enable said corporation
to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules or
regulations or requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in
connection with this Registration Statement.  Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing power and authority, the powers granted include the power and
authority to sign the names of the undersigned officers and directors in the
capacities indicated below to this Registration Statement, to any and all
amendments, both pre-effective and post-effective, and supplements to this
Registration Statement, and to any and all instruments or documents filed as
part of or in conjunction with this Registration Statement or amendments or
supplements thereof, and each of the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms
all that said attorneys and agents, or any of them, shall do or cause to be done
by virtue hereof.  This Power of Attorney may be signed in several counterparts.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has executed this Power of
Attorney as of the date indicated.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following
persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Signatures                        Title                                        Date
- ----------                        -----                                        ----
<S>                               <C>                                          <C>
/s/ Edward E. Penhoet, Ph.D.      President, Chief Executive Officer,          December 15, 1997
- ------------------------------    Chief Financial Officer and Director
Edward E. Penhoet, Ph.D.          (Principal Executive Officer, Principal
                                  Financial and Accounting Officer)


/s/ William J. Rutter, Ph.D.      Chairman of the Board                        December 15, 1997
- ------------------------------
William J. Rutter, Ph.D.


/s/ Lewis W. Coleman              Director                                     December 15, 1997
- ------------------------------
Lewis W. Coleman


/s/ Pierre E. Douaze              Director                                     December 15, 1997
- ------------------------------
Pierre E. Douaze


/s/ Donald A. Glaser, Ph.D.       Director                                     December 15, 1997
- ------------------------------
Donald A. Glaser, Ph.D.


</TABLE>

                                         II-5
<PAGE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Signatures                        Title                                        Date
- ----------                        -----                                        ----
<S>                               <C>                                          <C>
/s/ Alex Krauer, Ph.D.            Director                                     December 15, 1997
- ------------------------------
Alex Krauer, Ph.D.


/s/ Vaughn D. Bryson              Director                                     December 15, 1997
- ------------------------------
Vaughn D. Bryson


/s/ Jack W. Schuler               Director                                     December 15, 1997
- ------------------------------
Jack W. Schuler


/s/ Pieter J. Strijkert, Ph.D.    Director                                     December 15, 1997
- ------------------------------
Pieter J. Strijkert, Ph.D.


/s/ Paul L. Herrling              Director                                     December 15, 1997
- ------------------------------
Paul L. Herrling



</TABLE>

                                         II-6


<PAGE>


                          SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549


                                       EXHIBITS

                                          TO

                                       FORM S-8

                                      UNDER THE

                                SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                                  CHIRON CORPORATION




                                         II-7

<PAGE>




                                    EXHIBIT INDEX




   Exhibit No.                    Exhibit
   -----------                    -------

     4             Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders: Chiron
                   Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan.
     5             Opinion of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP.
    23.1           Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, Independent Auditors.
    23.2           Consent of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP is contained in
                   Exhibit 5.
    24             Power of Attorney.  Reference is made to page II-5 of this
                   Registration Statement.


<PAGE>

                                  CHIRON CORPORATION
                        SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN


                                      ARTICLE I
                                       PURPOSE

    This Plan is designed to restore to selected employees of Chiron 
Corporation and its affiliates certain benefits that cannot be provided under 
the Chiron 401(k) Plan.  It shall  be effective for compensation earned after 
December 31, 1997.

    This Plan is intended to be a plan that is unfunded and that is 
maintained by Chiron Corporation primarily for the purpose of providing 
deferred compensation for a select group of management or highly compensated 
employees within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act 
of 1974 ("ERISA").

                                      ARTICLE II
                                     DEFINITIONS

    In this Plan, the following terms have the meanings indicated below:

    2.01 "ACCOUNT" means a bookkeeping entry used to record supplemental 
deferrals and contributions made on a Participant's behalf under Article III 
of the Plan and interest credited to these supplemental deferrals and 
contributions under Article IV of the Plan.  To the extent it considers 
necessary or appropriate, the Committee or its delegate shall maintain a 
separate subaccount for each type of supplemental deferral or contribution 
under the Plan or shall otherwise provide a means for determining that 
portion of an account attributable to each type.   

    2.02 "AFFILIATE" means an entity other than the Company whose employees 
participate in the 401(k) Plan.

    2.03 "BENEFICIARY" means the person or persons, natural or otherwise, 
entitled to receive a Participant's vested Account if the Participant dies 
before distribution of his or her entire vested Account.  A Participant's 
Beneficiary shall, at any time, be the person or persons then designated, 
whether affirmatively or by default, as the Participant's beneficiary under 
the 401(k) Plan.  If the Participant no longer has a beneficiary under the 
401(k) plan, the Participant may designate one or more primary Beneficiaries 
and one or more secondary Beneficiaries for purposes of this Plan.  Any such 
designation will be made in writing pursuant to such procedures as the 
Committee may establish and delivered to the Committee before the 
Participant's death.  The Participant may revoke or change this designation 
at any time before his or her death by following such procedures as the 
Committee may establish.  If there is no effective Beneficiary designation on 
file when such a Participant dies, the Participant's vested Account will be 
distributed to the

                                      1

<PAGE>

Participant's spouse if surviving at the Participant's death, or if there is 
no such spouse, the Participant's estate.

    2.04 "CHIRON 401(K) PLAN" means the Chiron Corporation 401(k) Plan, as 
amended from time to time.  

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

    2.06 "COMMITTEE" means the committee established pursuant to Article XIV 
of the Chiron 401(k) Plan, as constituted from time to time.  The Committee 
has full discretionary authority to administer and interpret the Plan, to 
determine eligibility for Plan benefits, to select employees for Plan 
participation, and to correct errors.  The Committee may delegate its duties 
and responsibilities and, unless the Committee expressly provides to the 
contrary, any such delegation will carry with it the Committee's full 
discretionary authority to accomplish the delegation.  Decisions of the 
Committee and its delegate will be final and binding on all persons.

    2.07 "COMPANY" means Chiron Corporation.

    2.08 "COMPENSATION" means compensation as established pursuant to Article 
II of the Chiron 401(k) Plan, as constituted from time to time.

    2.09 "ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE" means an officer of the Company or of an 
Affiliate at the level of Vice President (i.e., any position with a title 
that includes the term Vice President) or above who has been selected by the 
Committee for Plan participation.  An individual will automatically cease to 
be an Eligible Employee on the earliest of (i) the date the individual ceases 
to be an officer of the Company or an Affiliate at the level of Vice 
President or above, (ii) the date specified by the committee for such 
cessation or (iii) the date the Plan is terminated.

    2.10 "MATCHING CONTRIBUTION" means a matching contribution pursuant to 
Section 5.02 of the Chiron 401(k) Plan.

    2.11 "PARTICIPANT" means a current or former Eligible Employee who 
retains an Account.

    2.12 "PLAN" means this Chiron Corporation Supplemental Executive 
Retirement Plan, as amended from time to time.

    2.13 "PLAN YEAR" means the plan year defined in the Chiron 401(k) Plan.

    2.14 "RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTION" means a retirement contribution pursuant 
to Section 5.03 of the Chiron 401(k) Plan.

    2.15 "SALARY DEFERRAL" means a salary deferral pursuant to Section 5.01 
of the Chiron 401(k) Plan.

                                      2

<PAGE>

    2.16 "TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT" means termination of employment with the 
Company and all Affiliates, other than by reason of death.

                                     ARTICLE III
                             DEFERRALS AND CONTRIBUTIONS

    3.01  SUPPLEMENTAL SALARY DEFERRALS.  

         (a)  ELECTIONS.  In order to be eligible for supplemental salary 
deferrals for each Plan Year, an Eligible Employee must make an election to 
make Salary Deferrals for such Plan Year.  Such election generally must be 
made before the calendar year in which the Compensation is earned, in 
accordance with such procedures as the Committee shall specify.  However, if 
an individual first becomes an Eligible Employee during a Plan Year, an 
Eligible Employee may elect, within 30 days after he or she is first notified 
that he or she is eligible to participate in the Plan, to defer Compensation 
for services performed during that Plan Year and after the election.  
Elections will remain in effect for one Plan Year or, if the Committee so 
permits, all subsequent Plan Years during which the individual remains an 
Eligible Employee.  Such election may be revoked, but any revocation cannot 
be made effective before the first day of the first Plan year beginning after 
the date the revocation is filed.

         (b)  LATE ELECTION.  If an Eligible Employee does not make a timely 
election for a Plan Year, no supplemental salary deferral will be made under 
the Plan on behalf of that Eligible Employee with regard to that election for 
that Plan Year.

         (c)  AMOUNT.  The amount of an Eligible Employee's supplemental 
salary deferral will be equal to the portion of the Salary Deferral otherwise 
elected by such Eligible Employee which could not be contributed to the 
Chiron 401(k) Plan due to the limitations of Code Sections 401(a)(17), 
402(g)(1) and/or 415.

         (d)  CREDITING.  Supplemental salary deferrals will be credited to 
Eligible Employees' Accounts as of the date that the Salary Deferrals to 
which the supplemental salary deferrals relate would otherwise have  been 
credited to the Chiron 401(k) Plan.

    3.02  SUPPLEMENTAL MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS.  

         (a)  AMOUNT.  The amount of an Eligible Employee's supplemental 
matching contribution for a Plan Year will be equal to the amount by which 
that Eligible Employee's Matching Contribution for that Plan Year was reduced 
due to the reduction of such Eligible Employee's Salary Deferral or Matching 
Contributions as a result of the Code Sections 401(a)(17), 402(g)(1) and/or 
415; provided that supplemental matching contributions attributable to Salary 
Deferral reductions under the Chiron 401(k) Plan shall not be made unless 
supplemental salary deferrals equal to such reductions are made hereunder.

                                      3

<PAGE>

         (b)  CREDITING.  Supplemental Matching Contributions will be 
credited to Eligible Employees' Accounts as of the date that the Matching 
Contributions to which the Supplemental Matching Contributions relate would 
otherwise have been credited to the Chiron 401(k) Plan.

    3.03  SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS.  

         (a)  AMOUNT.  The amount of an Eligible Employee's supplemental 
retirement contribution for a Plan Year will be equal to the amount by which 
that Eligible Employee's Retirement Contribution for that Plan Year was 
reduced as a result of Code Sections 401(a)(17) and/or 415.

         (b)  CREDITING.  Supplemental retirement contributions will be 
credited to Eligible Employees' Accounts as of the date that the Retirement 
Contributions to which such Supplemental Retirement Contributions relate 
would otherwise have been credited to the Chiron 401(k) Plan.

                               ARTICLE IV
                                EARNINGS

    Interest will be credited to each Account at the end of each calendar 
quarter, in accordance with procedures approved by the Committee.  The 
interest rate used will be based on the Moody's Corporate Bond Yield Average. 
 The Corporate Bond Yield Average is equal to the average of the Moody's 
Corporate AAA, AA, A and BAA Bond Yield Averages, determined as of the first 
business day of that quarter.  The first quarter for which interest will be 
credited is the calendar quarter beginning January 1, 1998.

                                ARTICLE V
                                 VESTING

    Participants will be 100% vested in that portion of their Accounts 
attributable to supplemental salary deferrals and supplemental matching 
contributions and will vest in that portion of their Accounts attributable to 
supplemental retirement contributions in the same manner that they vest in 
Retirement Contributions.

                               ARTICLE VI
                              DISTRIBUTIONS

    6.01  TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT.  Eligible Employees must elect the 
manner in which their vested Accounts will be paid out upon Termination of 
Employment by following the procedures described below and by satisfying such 
additional requirements as the Committee may determine. 

                                      4

<PAGE>

         (a)  ELECTIONS.  When an Eligible Employee first confirms his or her 
initial participation in the Plan the Eligible Employee must elect, in 
writing, which of the distribution options described below will govern 
payment of the Eligible Employee's vested Account upon the Eligible 
Employee's Termination of Employment.  A Participant may change a 
distribution election with respect to his or her vested Account by submitting 
the change to the Committee, in writing, at least two calendar years before 
the Participant has a Termination of Employment.  However, such a subsequent 
election will be valid only if Termination of Employment occurs more than two 
years after the date of such subsequent election.

         (b)  GENERAL.  Following Termination of Employment, the vested 
portion of a Participant's Account will be distributed, based on the 
Participant's election under (a) above, in a single lump sum within the 30 
day period beginning 30 days after (and ending 60 days after) the date of 
(or, if elected by the Participant, the January 15 of the calendar year 
immediately following) the Participant's Termination of Employment.

         (c)  RETIREMENT.  If the Participant has reached age fifty-five (55) 
and has been employed by the Company for a period of at least ten (10) years 
at the time of Termination of Employment, payment may, if elected by such 
participant in lieu of the time and form of distribution set forth in (b) 
above, begin within the 30 day period beginning 30 days after (and ending 60 
days after) a date elected by the Participant following Termination of 
Employment, but not later than the Participant's 65th birthday, and may be 
made in a single lump sum or in annual installments, not in excess of 10.  
The amount of each installment will be the remaining balance of the 
Participant's vested Account divided by the number of installments remaining 
(including the installment to be made).

         (d)  DEFAULT.  If, upon a Participant's Termination of Employment, 
the Committee does not have a proper distribution election on file for that 
Participant, the vested portion of that Participant's Account will be 
distributed to the Participant in one lump sum within the 30 day period 
beginning 30 days after (and ending 60 days after) the Participant's 
Termination of Employment.

    6.02  DEATH.  If a Participant dies with a vested amount in his or her 
Account, whether or not the Participant was receiving payouts from that 
Account at the time of his or her death, the Participant's Beneficiary will 
receive the entire vested amount in the Participant's Account within the 30 
day period beginning 30 days after (and ending 60 days after) the Committee 
learns of the Participant's death and has verified the Beneficiary's right to 
payment.   

    6.03  ACCELERATED DISTRIBUTIONS.  Pursuant to the following restrictions, 
a Participant may accelerate the time and form of distribution:

         (a)  HARDSHIP WITHDRAWAL.  If a Participant has an immediate and 
heavy financial need (as defined by Section 8.06 of the Chiron 401(k) Plan) 
and has no other resources reasonably available to meet this need (as defined 
by Section 8.06 of the Chiron 401(k) Plan), 

                                      5

<PAGE>

the Participant may request a hardship withdrawal.  The total hardship 
withdrawal must be approved by the Committee, and shall be limited to the 
amount necessary to meet the financial need and to satisfy the Participant's 
tax liability with respect to such withdrawal, and in no event may such 
amount exceed that portion of the Participant's Account attributable to 
supplemental salary deferrals and supplemental matching contributions.

         (b)  FORFEITURE.  Absent a demonstration of immediate and heavy 
financial need described above in paragraph (a), a Participant may elect to 
receive 85% of his or her entire vested Account in an early distribution at 
any time upon 30 days written request, in which case the remaining fifteen 
percent (15%) of the Participant's entire vested Account shall be permanently 
forfeited.

    6.04   WITHHOLDING.  The Company will deduct from Plan payouts, or from 
other compensation payable to a Participant or Beneficiary, amounts required 
by law to be withheld for taxes with respect to benefits under this Plan.  
The Company reserves the right to reduce any supplemental deferral or 
contribution that would otherwise be made under this Plan on behalf of a 
Participant to satisfy the Participant's tax withholding liabilities.

                               ARTICLE VII
                              PRIOR CCD PLAN

    This Plan shall supersede and replace the Ciba Corning Diagnostics Corp.  
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (the "CCD SERP") effective January 1, 
1998, other than with respect to Supplemental Pension Plan Benefits 
thereunder.  As a result, no further Supplemental Investment Plan Credits 
shall be made under the CCD SERP with respect to compensation earned after 
December 31, 1997 and all Supplemental Investment Plan Credits (including 
earnings thereon as of December 31, 1997) attributable to compensation earned 
by a Participant before January 1, 1998 shall be credited to such 
Participant's Account under this Plan effective January 1, 1998 and shall be 
subject thereafter to this Plan's provisions, including but not limited to 
this Plan's provisions relating to earnings (for periods after December 31, 
1997) and distribution.  However, that portion of an Account attributable to 
Supplemental Investment Plan Credits under the CCD SERP (including earnings 
thereon) shall vest in the same manner that the underlying qualified plan 
contributions (i.e. that they supplemented) vest under the 401(k) Plan. If 
such an individual would not otherwise be a Participant in this Plan 
effective January 1, 1998, he or she must elect no later than December 31, 
1997, in accordance with such procedures as the Committee shall specify, the 
manner in which his or her vested Account will be paid out in accordance with 
Article V of this Plan.

                                      6

<PAGE>



                                     ARTICLE VIII
                                    MISCELLANEOUS

    8.01  LIMITATION OF RIGHTS.  Participation in this Plan does not give any 
individual the right to be retained in the service of the Company or of any 
related entity.

    8.02  SATISFACTION OF CLAIMS.  Payments to a Participant, the 
Participant's legal representative, or Beneficiary in accordance with the 
terms of this Plan will, to the extent thereof, be in full satisfaction of 
all claims that person may have hereunder against the Committee, the Company, 
and all Affiliates, any of which may require, as a condition to payment, that 
the recipient execute a receipt and release in a form determined by the 
Committee, the Company, or an Affiliate.

    8.03  INDEMNIFICATION.  The Company and the Affiliates will indemnify and 
hold harmless the Directors, the members of the Committee, and employees of 
the Company and the Affiliates who may be deemed fiduciaries of the Plan,  
from and against any and all liabilities, claims, costs and expenses, 
including attorneys' fees, arising out of an alleged breach in the 
performance of  their fiduciary duties under the Plan, other than such 
liabilities, claims, costs and expenses as may result from the gross 
negligence or willful misconduct of such persons.  The Company and the 
Affiliates shall have the right, but not the obligation, to conduct the 
defense of such persons in any proceeding to which this Section applies.

    8.04  ASSIGNMENT.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, benefits under 
the Plan and rights thereto are not subject in any manner to anticipation, 
alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, attachment, or 
garnishment by creditors of a Participant or a Beneficiary. 

    8.05  INABILITY TO LOCATE RECIPIENT.  If a benefit under the Plan remains 
unpaid for two years from the date it becomes payable, solely by reason of 
the inability of the Committee to locate the Participant or Beneficiary 
entitled to the payment, the benefit shall be treated as forfeited.  Any 
amount forfeited in this manner shall be restored without interest upon 
presentation of an authenticated written claim by the person entitled to the 
benefit.

    8.06  AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION.  The Company's Board of Directors may, 
at any time, amend or terminate the Plan.  In addition, the Committee may 
amend the Plan (other than this Section 8.06), provided that no such 
amendment may cause any substantial increase in cost to the Company or to any 
Affiliate.  Any amendment must be made in writing; no oral amendment will be 
effective.  No amendment may, without the consent of an affected Participant 
(or, if the Participant is deceased, the Participant's Beneficiary), 
adversely affect the Participant's or the Beneficiary's rights and 
obligations under the Plan with respect to amounts already credited to a 
Participant's Account.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Plan is 
terminated, the Company's Board of Directors may determine that all Accounts 
will be paid out as soon as practicable thereafter in single sum payments.

                                      7

<PAGE>

    8.07  APPLICABLE LAW.  To the extent not governed by Federal law, the 
Plan is governed by the laws of the State of California.  If any provision of 
the Plan is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions of 
the Plan will continue to be fully effective.

    8.08  NO FUNDING.  The Plan constitutes a mere promise by the Company and 
the Affiliates to make payments in the future in accordance with the terms of 
the Plan.  Participants and Beneficiaries have the status of general 
unsecured creditors of the Company and the Affiliates.  Except to the extent 
provided below in Section 8.09, Plan benefits will be paid from the general 
assets of the Company and the Affiliates and nothing in the Plan will be 
construed to give any Participant or any other person rights to any specific 
assets of the Company or the Affiliates.  In all events, it is the intention 
of the Company, all Affiliates and all Participants that the Plan be treated 
as unfunded for tax purposes and for purposes of Title I of ERISA.

    8.09   SALARY DEFERRAL TRUST.  Plan benefits attributable to the 
supplemental salary deferrals of Participants shall be paid from the assets 
of a grantor trust (the "Trust") established by the Company to assist it in 
meeting its obligations and, to the extent that such assets are not 
sufficient, by the Company.  The Trust shall conform to the terms of the 
Internal Revenue Service Model Trust as described in Internal Revenue Service 
Procedure 92-64.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Chiron Corporation has caused this Plan to be 
executed by its duly authorized representative on the date indicated below.


/s/ EDWARD E. PENHOET                  11/14/97
- ---------------------------------   ----------------
      SIGNATURE                         DATE

                                      8

<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 5

         OPINION AND CONSENT OF BROBECK, PHLEGER & HARRISON LLP

                           December 15, 1997

Chiron Corporation
4560 Horton Street
Emeryville, CA 94608

     Re: Chiron Corporation (the "Company")
         S-8 Registration Statement for
         Deferred Compensation Obligations

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We refer to your registration on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") 
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of the deferred compensation 
obligations of the Company under the Company's Supplemental Executive 
Retirement Plan (the "Plan"). We advise you that, in our opinion, when issued 
in accordance with the provisions of the Plan, such obligations will be valid 
and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their 
terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency 
or other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting enforcement 
of creditors' rights or by general principals of equity.

     We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the 
Registration Statement.

                               Very truly yours,



                               BROBECK, PHLEGER & HARRISON LLP



<PAGE>




                                                                  EXHIBIT 23.1

                CONSENT OF KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS


The Board of Directors
Chiron Corporation:

We consent to the use of our reports incorporated herein by reference.






San Francisco, California
December 15, 1997



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