MATRIX PHARMACEUTICAL INC/DE
8-K, 1998-12-23
PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS
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<PAGE>   1

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


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


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE

                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)   OCTOBER 28, 1998
                                                --------------------------------

                           MATRIX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)


<TABLE>
<S>                                   <C>                       <C>
          DELAWARE                      0-19750                    94-2957068
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction          (Commission                 (IRS Employer
     of incorporation)                File Number)              Identification No.)


34700 CAMPUS DRIVE, FREMONT, CALIFORNIA                               94555
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                            (Zip Code)
</TABLE>


Registrant's telephone number, including area code   (510) 742-9900
                                                  ------------------------------

                                      NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

<PAGE>   2

Item 5. Other Events.

     On October 28, 1998, the Board of Directors of Matrix Pharmaceutical, Inc.
(the "Company") amended its Rights Agreement, dated May 18, 1995, between the
Company and BankBoston, N.A. (the "Rights Agent") (the "Agreement"), to delete
"continuing director" provisions throughout the Agreement.

     The Form of First Amendment to the Rights Agreement between the Company and
the Rights Agent, eliminating "continuing director" provisions, is attached
hereto as an exhibit and is incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing
description of the "continuing director" provisions is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such exhibit.


Item 7. Exhibits.

<TABLE>
<S>                 <C>
        4.1         Form of First Amendment to the Rights Agreement between the 
                    Company and BankBoston, N.A.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>   3

                                    SIGNATURE

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


                                               MATRIX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.



DATE: December 23, 1998                        By: /s/ David G. Ludvigson
                                                  ------------------------------
                                                  Name:  David G. Ludvigson
                                                  Title: Vice President and 
                                                         Chief Financial Officer


<PAGE>   4

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                                     DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION
- -------                                    --------------------
<S>            <C>
  4.1          Form of First Amendment to the Rights Agreement between the Company 
               and BankBoston, N.A.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>   1

                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1


                     FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT
             AND CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 26 THEREOF


     Pursuant to Section 26 of the Rights Agreement (the "Agreement") dated as
May 18, 1995, between Matrix Pharmaceutical, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and The First National Bank of Boston (now known as BankBoston,
N.A.) (the "Rights Agent"), the Company and the Rights Agent hereby amend the
Agreement as of October 28, 1998, as provided below.

     1.   Certain Definitions. Section 1 of the Agreement shall be amended as
follows:

          (a)  The phrase "(upon approval by a majority of the Continuing
Directors (as such term is hereinafter defined))" shall be deleted from the
definition of Acquiring Person.

          (b)  The definition of Continuing Directors shall be deleted. 

     2.   Issue of Rights Certificates. Section 3(a) of the Agreement shall be
amended by deleting the phrase "(upon approval by a majority of the Continuing
Directors)" in the first sentence of the paragraph.

     3.   Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights.
Section 11 shall be amended by deleting the phrase ", upon approval by a
majority of the Continuing Directors," which appears once in the second
paragraph of subsection (a)(ii), five times in subsection (a)(iii), once in
subsection (b), once in subsection (c), once in subsection (d)(i) and once in
subsection (d)(ii). 

     4.   Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power.
Section 13(c) shall be amended by deleting the phrase ", upon approval by a
majority of the Continuing Directors," in the second sentence of the paragraph.

     5.   Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. Section 14(a) shall be
amended by deleting the phrase ", upon approval by a majority of the Continuing
Directors," in the second to last sentence and the last sentence of the
paragraph. 

     6.   Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Section 22 shall be amended by
deleting the phrase ", upon approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors,"
in the first and second sentences of the paragraph.

     7.   Redemption. Section 23 shall be amended as follows: 

          (a)  The phrase "a majority of the Continuing" which appears three
times in the first sentence of subsection (a) shall be replaced with the phrase
"the Board of".

<PAGE>   2

          (b)  The phrase ", upon the approval by a majority of the Continuing
Directors" in the last sentence of subsection (a) shall be deleted. 

     8.   Supplements and Amendments. Section 26 shall be amended by deleting
the phrase "upon approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors," in the
first, second and last sentences of the paragraph.

     9.   Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors. Section 28 shall
be amended as follows: 

          (a)  The phrase "(and, where specifically provided for herein, only
upon approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors)" in the second sentence
of the paragraph shall be deleted.

          (b)  The phrase "(or, where specifically provided for herein, upon
approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors)" in the last sentence of the
paragraph shall be deleted. 

          (c)  The phrase "or the Continuing Directors" in the last sentence of
the paragraph shall be deleted. 

     10.  Severability. Section 30 shall be amended by deleting the phrase ",
upon approval by a majority of the Continuing Directors," in the paragraph.

     The undersigned officer of the Company, being an appropriate officer of the
Company and authorized to do so by resolution of the Board of Directors of the
Company dated as of October 28, 1998, hereby certifies to the Rights Agent that
these amendments are in compliance with the terms of Section 26 of the
Agreement.


                                         MATRIX PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.



                                         By:
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Name:
                                            Title:


Acknowledged and Agreed:

BANKBOSTON, N.A.
as Rights Agent



By:
   ------------------------------------
   Name:
   Title:


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