BIOTIME INC
DEF 14A, 1998-04-16
BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS, (NO DIAGNOSTIC SUBSTANCES)
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                              [BIOTIME LETTERHEAD]



                                            April 16, 1998


Dear Shareholder:


         You are  cordially  invited  to  attend  the  1997  Annual  Meeting  of
Shareholders  of  BioTime,  Inc.  which will be held on Monday,  May 18, 1998 at
10:00 a.m. at the  Ritz-Carlton  Hotel,  600  Stockton  Street,  San  Francisco,
California.

         The Notice and Proxy  Statement on the following  pages contain details
concerning  the business to come before the meeting.  Management  will report on
current  operations and there will be an opportunity  for discussion  concerning
the  Company and its  activities.  Please sign and return your proxy card in the
enclosed  envelope to ensure that your shares will be  represented  and voted at
the  meeting  even if you  cannot  attend.  You are urged to sign and return the
enclosed proxy card even if you plan to attend the meeting.

         Finally,  please  note  that in the  accompanying  proxy  statement  we
propose to increase the number of authorized common shares to 40 million.  While
management  has no  current  plans to  issue  additional  shares,  we feel it is
desirable to maintain  flexibility  for future  financings  or stock  dividends.
Please support this measure.

         I look forward to personally  meeting all  shareholders who are able to
attend.



                                            Paul Segall, Ph. D.
                                            Chairman and Chief Executive Officer



<PAGE>



                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

                             To Be Held May 18, 1998

         NOTICE IS HEREBY  GIVEN that the  Annual  Meeting  of  Shareholders  of
BioTime,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  will be held at the  Ritz-Carlton  Hotel,  600
Stockton Street,  San Francisco,  California,  on May 18, 1998 at 10:00 a.m. for
the following purposes:

         1. To elect eight (8) directors of the Company to hold office until the
next Annual Meeting of Shareholders  and until their  respective  successors are
duly elected and qualified;

         2. To amend the  Company's  Articles of  Incorporation  to increase the
number of authorized common shares, no par value,  available for issuance in the
future.

         3.  To  ratify  the  appointment  of  Deloitte  &  Touche  LLP  as  the
independent accountants of the Company for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1998;
and

         4. To  transact  such other  business as may  properly  come before the
meeting or any adjournments of the meeting.

         The Board of  Directors  has fixed the close of  business  on  Tuesday,
March 31,  1998,  as the record date for  determining  shareholders  entitled to
receive  notice of and to vote at the  Annual  Meeting  or any  postponement  or
adjournment thereof.

         Whether  or not you expect to attend  the  meeting  in person,  you are
urged to sign and date the enclosed form of proxy and return it promptly so that
your shares of stock may be represented and voted at the meeting.  If you should
be present at the meeting, your proxy will be returned to you if you so request.


                                             By Order of the Board of Directors,


                                             Judith Segall
                                             Vice President and Secretary




Berkeley, California
April 16, 1998


<PAGE>



                                 PROXY STATEMENT

                         ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

                           To Be Held on May 18, 1998

         The  accompanying  proxy is  solicited  by the  Board of  Directors  of
BioTime,  Inc., a California corporation (the "Company" or "BioTime") having its
principal offices at 935 Pardee Street,  Berkeley,  California 94710, for use at
the Annual Meeting of  Shareholders of the Company (the "Meeting") to be held at
10:00 a.m.  on Monday,  May 18,  1998 at the  Ritz-Carlton  Hotel, 600  Stockton
Street, San Francisco, California. Properly executed proxies in the accompanying
form that are received at or before the Meeting will be voted in accordance with
the directions noted on the proxies.  If no direction is indicated,  such shares
will be voted FOR (i) each nominee for election as director,  (ii)  amending the
Company's  Articles of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized common
shares, no par value, and (iii) approval of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche
LLP as independent  accountants  for the Company for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1998.

         The enclosed proxy confers discretionary authority to vote with respect
to any and all of the  following  matters that may come before the Meeting:  (1)
matters that the Company's  Board of Directors  does not know a reasonable  time
before  the  Meeting  are  to be  presented  at the  Meeting;  and  (2)  matters
incidental to the conduct of the Meeting.  Management does not intend to present
any business  for a vote at the Meeting  other than the matters set forth in the
accompanying  Notice of Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders,  and as of the date of
this Proxy  Statement,  no  shareholder  has  notified  the Company of any other
business that may properly come before the meeting.  If other matters  requiring
the vote of the  shareholders  properly come before the Meeting,  then it is the
intention of the persons  named in the attached  form of proxy to vote the proxy
held by them in accordance with their judgment on such matters.

         Only  shareholders of record at the close of business on March 31, 1998
are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Meeting.  On that date,  there were
9,935,579  of  the  Company's  Common  Shares  issued  and  outstanding,   which
constitutes the only class of voting securities of the Company outstanding. Each
of the  Company's  Common  Shares is  entitled  to one vote in the  election  of
directors and in all other matters that may be acted upon at the Meeting, except
that  shareholders  may elect to cumulate  votes in the  election of  directors.
Under  cumulative  voting,  each  shareholder  may  give  one  candidate  or may
distribute among two or more  candidates,  a number of votes equal to the number
of  directors to be elected  multiplied  by the number of Common  Shares  owned.
Shareholders may not cumulate votes unless at least one shareholder gives notice
of his or her  intention to cumulate  votes at the Meeting.  The enclosed  proxy
confers discretionary authority to cumulate votes.


                                        1

<PAGE>



         Any  shareholder  giving a proxy has the power to revoke  that proxy at
any time before it is voted. A proxy may be revoked by filing with the Secretary
of the Company  either a written  revocation or a duly executed  proxy bearing a
date  subsequent to the date of the proxy being revoked,  or by voting in person
at the  meeting.  Any  shareholder  may attend the  Meeting  and vote in person,
whether or not such shareholder has previously submitted a proxy, but attendance
at the Meeting will not revoke a proxy unless the shareholder votes in person.

         The Company will bear all of the costs of the  solicitation  of proxies
for use at the  Meeting.  In  addition  to the use of the mails,  proxies may be
solicited by a personal interview, telephone and telegram by directors, officers
and  employees  of the  Company,  who will  undertake  such  activities  without
additional  compensation.   Banks,  brokerage  houses  and  other  institutions,
nominees or fiduciaries  will be requested to forward the proxy materials to the
beneficial  owners of the  Common  Shares  held of record  by such  persons  and
entities  and will be  reimbursed  for  their  reasonable  expense  incurred  in
connection with forwarding such material.

         This Proxy Statement and the accompanying form of proxy are first being
sent or given to the Company's shareholders on or about April 16, 1998.


                              ELECTION OF DIRECTORS


         At the Meeting,  eight  directors  will be elected to hold office for a
one-year  term until the 1998 Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders,  and until their
successors have been duly elected and qualified. All of the nominees named below
are incumbent directors.

         It is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed proxy,  unless
such proxy specifies otherwise, to vote the shares represented by such proxy FOR
the  election of the  nominees  listed  below.  In the  unlikely  event that any
nominee  should be unable to serve as a director,  proxies may be voted in favor
of a substitute nominee designated by the Board of Directors.

Directors and Nominees

         Paul  Segall,  Ph.D.,  55, is Chairman and Chief  Executive  Officer of
BioTime  and has  served as a  director  of the  Company  since  1990.  He was a
research scientist for Cryomedical  Sciences,  Inc. ("CMSI") and a member of its
Board of Directors from 1987 to December  1990,  serving as Director of Research
and Vice President of Research for CMSI,  from April 1988 until 1989. Dr. Segall
received a Ph.D. in Physiology  from the University of California at Berkeley in
1977.


                                        2

<PAGE>



         Ronald S. Barkin, 52, became President of BioTime during October, 1997,
after serving as Executive Vice President  since April 1997. Mr. Barkin has been
a director of the Company since 1990.  Before  becoming an executive  officer of
the Company, Mr. Barkin practiced civil and corporate law for more than 25 years
after getting a J.D. from Boalt Hall, University of California at Berkeley.

         Victoria  Bellport,  32, is Chief Financial  Officer and Executive Vice
President  of BioTime  and has been a director of the  Company  since 1990.  Ms.
Bellport  received a B.A. in  Biochemistry  from the University of California at
Berkeley in 1988.

         Hal Sternberg,  Ph.D., 44, is Vice President of Research of BioTime and
has been a director of the Company since 1990.  He was a research  scientist for
CMSI from 1987 to December 1990,  serving as Vice President of Biochemistry  for
CMSI from November  1987 to 1989.  Dr.  Sternberg  was a visiting  scientist and
research  Associate at the University of California at Berkeley from  1985-1988,
where he supervised a team of  researchers  studying  Alzheimer's  Disease.  Dr.
Sternberg  received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in Biochemistry in
1982.

         Harold Waitz,  Ph.D.,  55, is Vice  President of Engineering of BioTime
and has been a director of the Company since 1990.  He was a research  scientist
for CMSI from 1987 to December 1990, serving as Vice President of Technology for
CMSI from  November  1987 to 1989.  From  1986-1988,  Dr.  Waitz  served as Vice
President of Research at the Winters Institute, a non-profit biomedical research
institution,  at which  Dr.  Waitz  studied  arteriosclerosis  in  primates.  He
received his Ph.D.  in  Biophysics  and Medical  Physics from the  University of
California at Berkeley in 1983.

         Judith Segall,  44, has been Vice President of Technology and Secretary
of BioTime  since 1990 and was a director of the Company from 1990 through 1994,
and from 1995 through the present  date.  She  performed  services on a contract
basis as a biochemist for CMSI during 1989, until the formation of BioTime.  Ms.
Segall  received a B.S. in Nutrition and Clinical  Dietetics from the University
of California at Berkeley in 1989.

         Jeffrey B.  Nickel,  Ph.D.,  54,  joined the Board of  Directors of the
Company  during March 1997.  Dr.  Nickel is the  President of Nickel  Consulting
through which he has served as a consultant  to companies in the  pharmaceutical
and  biotechnology  industries  since  1990.  Prior to starting  his  consulting
business,  Dr.  Nickel  served in a number of  management  positions  for Syntex
Corporation  and Merck &  Company.  Dr.  Nickel  received  his Ph.D.  in Organic
Chemistry from Rutgers University in 1970.

         Milton H.  Dresner,  72,  joined the Board of  Directors of the Company
during  February 1998. Mr. Dresner is Co-Chairman of the Highland  Companies,  a
diversified organization engaged in the development and ownership of residential
and industrial real estate. Mr. Dresner serves as a director of Avatar Holdings,
Inc., a real estate development company, Hudson General Corporation, an aviation
services  company,  and  Childtime  Learning  Centers,  Inc.  a child  care  and
pre-school education services company.

                                        3

<PAGE>


Executive Officers

         Paul Segall, Ronald S. Barkin, Victoria Bellport, Hal Sternberg, Harold
Waitz and Judith Segall are the only executive officers of BioTime.

         There are no family  relationships  among the  directors or officers of
the Company, except that Paul Segall and Judith Segall are husband and wife.


Directors' Meetings, Compensation and Committees of the Board

         The Board of Directors has an Audit Committee, the members of which are
Jeffrey  Nickel and Milton  Dresner.  The purpose of the Audit  Committee  is to
recommend the engagement of the corporation's independent auditors and to review
their  performance,  the plan, scope and results of the audit, and the fees paid
to the corporation's  independent auditors. The Audit Committee also will review
the Company's accounting and financial reporting procedures and controls and all
transactions between the Company and its officers,  directors,  and shareholders
who beneficially own 5% or more of the Common Shares.

         The  Company  does  not  have  a  standing  Compensation  Committee  or
Nominating  Committee.  Nominees to the Board of  Directors  are selected by the
entire Board.

         The Board of Directors has a Stock Option  Committee  that  administers
the  Company's  1992  Stock  Option  Plan and  makes  grants of  options  to key
employees,  consultants,  scientific  advisory  board  members  and  independent
contractors of the Company, but not to officers or directors of the Company. The
members of the Stock Option  Committee  are Paul Segall,  Ronald S. Barkin,  and
Victoria Bellport. The Stock Option Committee was formed during September 1992.

          During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997, the Board of Directors met
six times.  No director  attended fewer than 75% of the meetings of the Board or
any committee on which they served.

          Directors of the Company who are not  employees  receive an annual fee
of $20,000,  which may be paid in cash or in Common  Shares,  at the election of
the director. Directors of the Company and members of committees of the Board of
Directors  who are employees of the Company are not  compensated  for serving as
directors  or  attending  meetings  of the  Board or  committees  of the  Board.
Directors  are  entitled  to  reimbursements  for their  out-of-pocket  expenses
incurred  in  attending  meetings  of the  Board  or  committees  of the  Board.
Directors  who are  employees  of the  Company  are  also  entitled  to  receive
compensation in such capacity.

                                        4

<PAGE>



Executive Compensation

          The Company has entered  into  five-year  employment  agreements  (the
"Employment  Agreements")  with Paul Segall,  the Chairman and Chief  Executive
Officer;  Victoria Bellport,  the Chief Financial Officer;  Judith Segall,  Vice
President of Technology and Corporate Secretary;  Hal Sternberg,  Vice President
of Research;  and Harold Waitz,  Vice President of  Engineering.  The Employment
Agreements  will expire on December 31, 2000 but may terminate  prior to the end
of the term if the  employee  (1) dies,  (2) leaves  the  Company,  (3)  becomes
disabled for a period of 90 days in any 150 day period,  or (4) is discharged by
the Board of Directors for failure to carry out the  reasonable  policies of the
Board,  persistent  absenteeism,  or a material breach of a covenant.  Under the
Employment  Agreement,  the executive officers are presently receiving an annual
salary of  $92,000,  and will  receive a  one-time  cash bonus of $25,000 if the
Company  receives at least  $1,000,000 of equity financing from a pharmaceutical
company.  Each executive  officer will be entitled to seek a modification of his
or her Employment  Agreement  before the expiration of the five year term if the
market value of the Company's outstanding capital stock exceeds $75,000,000.

          In the event of the executive  officer's  death during the term of his
or her Employment  Agreement,  the Company will pay his or her estate his or her
salary for a period of six month or until  December  31, 2000,  whichever  first
occurs.  In the  event  that  the  executive  officer's  employment  terminates,
voluntarily or  involuntarily,  after a change in control of the Company through
an acquisition of voting stock,  an  acquisition of the Company's  assets,  or a
merger or consolidation of the Company with another  corporation or entity,  the
executive  officers  will be entitled  to  severance  compensation  equal to the
greater  of (a)  2.99  times  his or her  average  annual  compensation  for the
preceding  five  years and (b) the  balance  of his or her base  salary  for the
unexpired portion of the term of his Employment Agreement.

         The Company  also  entered  into a similar  employment  agreement  with
Ronald S. Barkin, which commenced on April 1, 1997 and expires on March 31, 2002

          Each  executive  officer has also  executed an  Intellectual  Property
Agreement  which  provides  that the  Company  is the  owner  of all  inventions
developed by the executive officer during the course of his or her employment.


                                        5

<PAGE>



          The following  table  summarizes  certain  information  concerning the
compensation  paid to the  Company's  five  most  highly  compensated  executive
officers during the last three fiscal years.

<TABLE>
                                             SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

<CAPTION>
                                                     Annual Compensation                 Long-Term Compensation
                                                     -------------------                 ----------------------

Name and Principal Position                 Year     Salary($)         Bonus             Stock Options (Shares)
- ---------------------------                 ----     ---------         -----            ------------------------
<S>                                         <C>      <C>               <C>              <C>
Paul Segall                                 1997     $90,583            __                        __
   Chairman and Chief Executive Officer     1996     $76,041            __                        __
                                            1995     $67,500            __                        __

Hal Sternberg                               1997     $90,583           $25,000                    __
   Vice President of Research               1996     $76,041            __                        __
                                            1995     $67,500            __                        __

Harold Waitz                                1997     $90,583           $50,000                    __
   Vice President of Engineering            1996     $76,041            __                        __
                                            1995     $67,500            __                        __
Victoria Bellport
   Vice President and                       1997     $90,583           $25,000                    __
    Chief Financial Officer                 1996     $76,041            __                        __
                                            1995     $67,500            __                        __

Judith Segall                               1997     $90,583           $25,000                    __
   Vice President and Corporate Secretary   1996     $76,041            __                        __
                                            1995     $67,500            __                        __
</TABLE>



                                        6

<PAGE>



Stock Options

         The following table provides  information with respect to the Company's
five most highly  compensated  executive  officers,  concerning  the exercise of
options during the last fiscal year and unexercised  options held as of June 30,
1997.

<TABLE>
                                   Aggregated Options Exercised in Last Fiscal Year,
                                           and Fiscal Year-End Option Values

<CAPTION>

                        Number of                               Number of                         Value of Unexercised
                         Shares                            Unexercised Options at               In-the-Money Options at
                        Acquired        Value                  June 30, 1997                        June 30, 1997(1)
                           on          Realized         ---------------------------           ---------------------------
Name                    Exercise         ($)            Exercisable   Unexercisable           Exercisable   Unexercisable
- ----                   ----------       -----           -----------   -------------           -----------   -------------
<S>                    <C>              <C>             <C>           <C>                     <C>           <C>
Paul Segall                 0            --               21,000            0                  $679,980           0
Hal Sternberg               0            --               21,000            0                   679,980           0
Harold Waitz                0            --               21,000            0                   679,980           0
Victoria Bellport           0            --                  0              0                      0              0
Judith Segall               0            --                  0              0                      0              0

<FN>
(1)  Based  on the  average  of the high and low bid  prices  of a Common  Share
($32.38) as reported on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market System on such date.
</FN>
</TABLE>

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

      During the twelve  months ended June 30,  1997,  $87,254 in fees for legal
and consulting  services was paid to Ronald S. Barkin,  Executive Vice President
and a member of the Board of  Directors.  Such fees were paid  prior to April 1,
1997, when Mr. Barkin became a salaried employee. During the twelve months ended
June 30, 1997, $39,500 in fees for consulting services was paid to Jeffrey B.
Nickel, a member of the Board of Directors.


      During September 1995, the Company entered into an agreement for financial
advisory  services with Greenbelt  Corp., a corporation  controlled by Alfred D.
Kingsley and Gary K. Duberstein.  Under this agreement the Company issued to the
financial  advisor  warrants (as adjusted to reflect payment of a stock dividend
during  October 1997) to purchase  304,168 Common Shares at a price of $1.97 per
share, and the Company agreed to issue additional  warrants to purchase up to an
additional  608,336 Common Shares at a price equal to the greater of (a) 150% of
the average  market price of the Common  Shares during the three months prior to
issuance and (b) $2 per share (as adjusted for the Company's subscription rights
distribution during January 1997, and payment of a stock dividend during October
1997). The additional warrants were issued in equal quarterly  installments over
a two year period,  beginning  October 15, 1995.  The Company may  terminate the
financial advisory agreement on 30 days notice. The exercise price and number of
Common  Shares for which the warrants may be exercised are subject to adjustment
to prevent dilution in the event of a stock split, combination,  stock dividend,
reclassification of shares, sale of assets, merger or similar transaction. As of
June 30, 1997, the total number of warrants to purchase Common Shares issued was
836,462. The warrants are exercisable at

                                        7

<PAGE>



the  following  prices:  456,252 at $1.97 per share;  76,042 at $2.41 per share;
76,042 at $9.88  per  share;  76,042 at $9.64 per  share;  76,042 at $10.73 per
share; and 76,042 at $16.11 per share. As of July 15, 1997, warrants to purchase
an additional 76,042 shares were issued and are exercisable at a price of $14.07
per share.

      Under the agreement, upon the request of Greenbelt Corp., the Company will
file a  registration  statement to register the warrants and  underlying  Common
Shares for sale under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended  (the "Act") and
applicable  state  securities  or "Blue Sky"  laws.  The  Company  will bear the
expenses of  registration,  other than any  underwriting  discounts  that may be
incurred by Greenbelt  Corp. in connection with a sale of the warrants or common
shares.  The  Company  shall  not be  obligated  to  file  more  than  two  such
registration  statements,  other  than  registration  statements  on  Form  S-3.
Greenbelt  Corp.  also is entitled to include  warrants and common shares in any
registration  statement  filed by the Company to register  other  securities for
sale under the Act.

      During  April 1998,  the Company  entered  into a new  financial  advisory
services  agreement with Greenbelt  Corp. The agreement  provides for an initial
payment of $90,000 followed by an advisory fee of $15,000 per month that will be
paid  quarterly.  The agreement  will expire on March 31, 2000, but either party
may terminate the agreement earlier upon 30 days prior written notice.

      The Company has agreed to reimburse  Greenbelt  Corp.  for all  reasonable
out-of-pocket  expenses  incurred in connection with its engagement as financial
advisor,  and  to  indemnify  Greenbelt  Corp.  and  the  officers,  affiliates,
employees, agents, assignees, and controlling person of Greenbelt Corp. from any
liabilities  arising out of or in connection with actions taken on behalf of the
Company under the agreement.

                                       8
<PAGE>


                             PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

      The following table sets forth information as of March 19, 1998 concerning
beneficial  ownership of Common Shares by each shareholder  known by the Company
to be the beneficial owner of 5% or more of the Company's Common Shares, and the
Company's  executive  officers and  directors.  Information  concerning  certain
beneficial owners of more than 5% of the Common Shares is based upon information
disclosed by such owners in their reports on Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            Number of         Percent of
                                                             Shares             Total
                                                            ---------         ----------
<S>                                                         <C>               <C>
Alfred D. Kingsley (1)                                      1,250,755            11.5%
Gary K. Duberstein
Greenbelt Corp.
Greenway Partners, L.P.
Greenhouse Partners, L.P.
  277 Park Avenue, 27th Floor
  New York, New York 10172

Paul and Judith Segall (2)                                    709,914             7.1

Essex Investment Management Company                           502,435             5.1
125 High Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02110

Harold D. Waitz (3)                                           499,207             5.0

Hal Sternberg                                                 478,137             4.8

Victoria Bellport                                             196,167             2.0

Ronald S. Barkin (4)                                          190,011             1.9

Jeffrey B. Nickel (5)                                           5,000              *

Milton H. Dresner (6)                                           6,000              *

All officers and directors
as a group (8 persons)(4)(5)(6)                             2,084,436            20.9%
- ---------------------------
<FN>
*        Less than 1%

(1)      Includes  912,505  Common Shares  issuable upon the exercise of certain
         warrants owned  beneficially  by Greenbelt  Corp. Mr.  Kingsley and Mr.
         Duberstein  may be deemed to  beneficially  own the warrant shares that
         Greenbelt Corp.  beneficially owns. Includes 82,500 Common Shares owned
         by Greenway Partners,  L.P.  Greenhouse  Partners,  L.P. is the general
         partner of Greenway Partners,  L.P. and Mr. Kingsley and Mr. Duberstein
         are the  general  partners  of  Greenhouse  Partners,  L.P.  Greenhouse
         Partners,  L.P.,  Mr.  Kingsley  and Mr.  Duberstein  may be  deemed to
         beneficially  own  the  Common  Shares  that  Greenway  Partners,  L.P.
         beneficially  owns.  Includes 245,850 Common Shares owned solely by Mr.
         Kingsley,  as to which Mr. Duberstein disclaims  beneficial  ownership.
         Includes  9,900 Common  Shares owned  solely by Mr.  Duberstein,  as to
         which Mr. Kingsley disclaims beneficial ownership.

(2)      Includes 517,377 Common Shares held of record by Paul Segall and 192,537 Common Shares held of record by Judith Segall.

(3)      Includes 2,000 Common Shares held for the benefit of Dr. Waitz's minor children.

(4)      Includes 135,000 Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of certain options.

(5)      Includes 5,000 Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of certain options.

(6)      Includes 500 Common Shares that Mr. Dresner may acquire in lieu of cash director's fees during the next sixty
         days.
</FN>
</TABLE>
                                       9
<PAGE>


      COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(a) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

         Section 16(a) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange  Act"),  requires the Company's  directors and executive  officers and
persons  who own  more  than ten  percent  (10%)  of a  registered  class of the
Company's equity securities to file with the Securities and Exchange  Commission
(the "SEC") initial  reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of
Common Shares and other equity  securities of the Company.  Officers,  directors
and greater than ten percent beneficial owners are required by SEC regulation to
furnish the Company with copies of all reports they file under Section 16(a).

         To the Company's knowledge, based solely on its review of the copies of
such reports furnished to the Company and written  representations that no other
reports were required,  all Section 16(a) filing requirements  applicable to its
officers, directors and greater than ten percent beneficial owners were complied
with during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997.



                                       10

<PAGE>



          AMENDMENT OF ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO INCREASE AUTHORIZED
                             NUMBER OF COMMON SHARES


         The Board of  Directors  has  approved an  amendment  to the  Company's
Articles of  Incorporation  to increase the number of  authorized  Common Shares
from 25,000,000 shares to 40,000,000.  The purpose of this amendment is to give
the Company the flexibility to raise additional  capital through the issuance of
additional  shares,  and to obtain and maintain the services of  consultants  by
issuing  warrants to purchase Common Shares.  Common Shares could also be issued
in connection  with the  acquisition of another  business or business  assets or
technology.  There are presently 9,935,579 Common Shares issued and outstanding.
An  additional   1,020,000   Common  Shares  are  reserved  for  issuance  under
outstanding  warrants,  and  1,165,500  Common  Shares are reserved for issuance
under the Company's 1992 Employee Stock Option Plan.

         Although the Company has no present plan,  arrangement or commitment to
issue or sell any Common Shares for cash or in connection  with the  acquisition
of any business,  assets or technology,  the Board of Directors believes that it
is in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders to have a sufficient
number of authorized  but unissued  shares  available for issuance in the future
for such purposes or other  opportunities that may come along. It is likely that
the sale of Common Shares will be the principal  means by which the Company will
raise  additional  capital  until such time as it is able to  generate  earnings
sufficient to finance its operations.

         At the last Annual  Meeting,  the  Company's  shareholders  approved an
amendment  increasing the  authorized  number of Common Shares from 5,000,000 to
25,000,000.  However,  during October 1998, the Company issued  6,553,386 Common
Shares as a stock dividend.  As a result,  the Board of Directors  believes that
the Company has an insufficient  number of authorized but unissued Common Shares
available for the Company's future financing needs.

         The   approval  of  the   amendment  of  the   Company's   Articles  of
Incorporation  requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the
issued and outstanding Common Shares.

               The Board of Directors Recommends A Vote "FOR" the
           Approval of the Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation


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            RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

         The Board of Directors  proposes and recommends  that the  shareholders
ratify  the  selection  of the  firm  of  Deloitte  &  Touche  LLP to  serve  as
independent accountants of the Company for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1998.
Deloitte & Touche LLP has served as the Company's independent  accountants since
1991. Unless otherwise  directed by the shareholders,  proxies will be voted FOR
approval  of the  selection  of  Deloitte  & Touche  LLP to audit the  Company's
consolidated  financial  statements.  A representative  of Deloitte & Touche LLP
will attend the Meeting,  and will have an opportunity to make a statement if he
or she so desires and may respond to appropriate questions from shareholders.

 The Board of Directors Recommends a Vote "FOR" Ratification of the Selection of
         Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company's Independent Accountants


                            PROPOSALS OF SHAREHOLDERS


         Shareholders of the Company who intend to present a proposal for action
at the 1998  Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders  of the  Company  must  notify the
Company's  management  of such  intention  by notice  received at the  Company's
principal  executive  offices not later than December 18, 1998 for such proposal
to be included in the Company's  proxy  statement and form of proxy  relating to
such meeting.


                                  ANNUAL REPORT


         The Company's  Annual Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997 is
being mailed to shreholders with this Proxy Statement.  The Annual Report is not
to be regarded as proxy  soliciting  material.  A copy of the  Company's  Annual
Report on Form 10-K filed with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission for the
fiscal  year  ended  June 30,  1997,  without  exhibits,  may be  obtained  by a
shareholder  without  charge,  upon  written  request  to the  Secretary  of the
Company.


                                           By Order of the Board of Directors,


                                           Paul Segall, Ph.D.
                                           Chairman and Chief Executive Officer


April 16, 1998

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                                                                     Appendix

                             PROXY FOR BIOTIME, INC.
                         ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

                                  May 18, 1998

                This Proxy is Solicited by the Board of Directors

         The undersigned  appoints Paul E. Segall and Ronald S. Barkin, and each
of them, with full power of substitution,  as the undersigned's lawful agent and
proxy to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders  of BioTime,  Inc. on May 18,
1998 and any  adjournment  thereof and to represent  and vote all BioTime,  Inc.
Common  Shares  standing  in the name of the  undersigned  upon the books of the
corporation.

DIRECTORS RECOMMEND A VOTE "FOR" PROPOSALS NUMBERED 1, 2, AND 3

1)ELECTION OF    [ ] FOR all nominees listed        [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
  DIRECTORS             below (except as marked           to vote for all
                        to the contrary below)            nominees listed below


RONALD S. BARKIN;  VICTORIA BELLPORT;  MILTON H. DRESNER; JUDITH SEGALL; JEFFREY
B. NICKEL; PAUL SEGALL; HAL STERNBERG; HAROLD WAITZ

** To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee, draw a line through
that person's name**

                                              FOR       AGAINST      ABSTAIN

2) APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT OF ARTICLES          [ ]         [ ]          [ ]
      OF INCORPORATION


4) RATIFYING APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT       [ ]         [ ]          [ ]
      ACCOUNTANTS

                               The  persons named as proxy may also vote on such
                                    other  business as may properly  come before
                                    the Meeting or any adjournment thereof.


                            [ ]       WISH TO ATTEND AND
                                      VOTE SHARES AT MEETING


Please sign exactly as
your shares are registered.       _______________________     __________________
Persons signing as a corporate          Signature                    Date
officer or in a fiduciary
capacity should indicate their    _________________________   __________________
title or capacity.                Signature if Held Jointly          Date

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