DIAMETRICS MEDICAL INC
8-K, 1996-11-21
ELECTROMEDICAL & ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS
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<PAGE>
 
                       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): November 6, 1996



                           DIAMETRICS MEDICAL, INC.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


          Minnesota                    0-21982                   41-1663185
- ----------------------------    -----------------------    --------------------
(State or other jurisdiction    (Commission file number)      (IRS employer
      of incorporation)                                     identification No.)



                 2658 Patton Road, Roseville, Minnesota  55113
                 ---------------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:     (612)639-8035
                                                   -----------------------

                                Not Applicable
         -------------------------------------------------------------
         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

                        Exhibit Index Appears on Page 5
<PAGE>
 
Item 2.   Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.
          ------------------------------------ 

               On November 6, 1996, pursuant to an Agreement for the sale of the
               whole of the issued share capital of Biomedical Sensors Limited
               (the "Agreement") between Diametrics Medical, Inc. ("Diametrics")
               and Howmedica, Inc. ("Howmedica"), a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc.
               ("Pfizer"), Diametrics Medical, Inc. ("Diametrics") acquired
               Biomedical Sensors Limited, a private limited company
               incorporated in England and Wales ("BSL"), together with certain
               related assets of two other subsidiaries of Pfizer. The Agreement
               was negotiated at arms' length. As a result of the acquisition,
               which will be accounted for as a purchase, Diametrics acquired
               all of the outstanding capital stock of BSL and BSL became a
               wholly-owned subsidiary of Diametrics; certain of the assets were
               acquired by BSL and others by Diametrics. In connection with the
               acquisition, Diametrics paid $1.5 million in cash and $7.3
               million by the issuance to Howmedica of a Senior Secured Fixed
               Rate Loan Note due November 4, 2002 and bearing interest at the
               rate of 8.75% per year. Certain post-closing adjustments may be
               made to these amounts following a review of cash on hand and
               certain accrued liabilities and accounts payable; any additional
               amounts due resulting from these adjustments will be paid in
               cash. The cash used in the transaction came from cash and
               investments on hand.

               A copy of the Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit No. 2.1.
     
Item 7.   Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
          ------------------------------------------------------------------ 

               (a)  Financial Statements of Business Acquired
                    -----------------------------------------

                    The required financial statements of BSL are not included in
                    this Current Report on Form 8-K. These financial statements
                    will be provided in an amendment to this Current Report on
                    Form 8-K as soon as practicable, but not later than January
                    16, 1997.

               (b)  Pro Forma Financial Information
                    -------------------------------

                    The required pro forma financial information relative to the
                    acquisition of BSL is not included in this Current Report on
                    Form 8-K. The pro forma financial information will be
                    provided in an amendment to this Current Report on Form 8-K
                    as soon as practicable, but not later than January 16, 1997.

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
               (c)  Exhibits
                    --------

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

                    2.1            Agreement for the sale of the whole of the
                                   issued share capital of Biomedical Sensors
                                   Limited between the Company and Howmedica,
                                   Inc. dated November 6, 1996.

                    2.2            Senior Secured Fixed Rate Loan Note due
                                   November 4, 2002, in the original principal
                                   amount of $7,300,000 from the Company to
                                   Howmedica, Inc.

                    2.3            Transitional Services Agreement, dated as of
                                   November 6, 1996, by and among Howmedica
                                   Inc., Howmedica GmbH, the Company and
                                   Biomedical Sensors Ltd.

                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
     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.

Date: November 21, 1996                      DIAMETRICS MEDICAL, INC.


                                             /s/ Laurence L. Betterley
                                             ----------------------------------
                                             Laurence L. Betterley
                                             Chief Financial Officer

                   

                                      -4-
<PAGE>
 
                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit
- -------
Number    Item                                                              Page
- ------    ----                                                              ----

2.1       Agreement for the sale of the whole of the issued share capital 
          of Biomedical Sensors Limited between the Company and Howmedica, 
          Inc. dated November 6, 1996......................................

2.2       Senior Secured Fixed Rate Loan Note due November 4, 2002, in the
          original principal amount of $7,300,000 from the Company to 
          Howmedica, Inc...................................................

2.3       Transitional Services Agreement, dated as of November 6, 1996, by
          and among Howmedica Inc., Howmedica GmbH, the Company and 
          Biomedical Sensors Ltd...........................................

<PAGE>
 
                                                                     EXHIBIT 2.1



                             DATED 6 NOVEMBER 1996
                             ---------------------


                                HOWMEDICA, INC


                                    - and -


                           DIAMETRICS MEDICAL, INC.


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

                                   AGREEMENT

           for the sale of the whole of the issued share capital of

                          BIOMEDICAL SENSORS LIMITED

              --------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
                                   CONTENTS

Clause No      Description
- ---------      -----------

1.             Interpretation

2.             Sale of Shares and Consideration

3.             Adjustment to the Consideration

4.             Completion

5.             Warranties

6.             Confidential Information

7.             Pension Provisions and Employees

8.             Product Liability Indemnities

9.             Whole Agreement and Purchaser's Remedies

10.            Access to Books and Records etc.

11.            General Provisions


FIRST SCHEDULE (Particulars of the Company)

SECOND SCHEDULE(Particulars of Contract Shares and allocation of the 
                Consideration)

THIRD SCHEDULE(Details of the Properties)

FOURTH SCHEDULE(The Warranties)

FIFTH SCHEDULE(Taxation Covenant)


ANNEXURE 1 (Form of Loan Note)
ANNEXURE 2 (details of patents and patent Applications)
ANNEXURE 3 (details of Trade Marks)
ANNEXURE 4 (details of the Specified Individuals and their respective rates of 
            pay etc)
            
                                       i
<PAGE>
 
THIS AGREEMENT is made on the 6th day of November 1996

BETWEEN:

(1)  HOWMEDICA, INC incorporated in the State of Delaware, USA with its
     principal office at 235 East 42nd Street, New York, NY  10017 (hereinafter
     called the "VENDOR");

(2)  DIAMETRICS MEDICAL, INC. incorporated in the State of Minnesota with its
     principal office at 2658 Patton Road, St. Paul, Minnesota 56118, (the
     "PURCHASER").

WHEREAS:

(A)  BIOMEDICAL SENSORS LIMITED (the "COMPANY") ( further details of which are
     set out and contained in the First Schedule hereto) is a private limited
     company incorporated in England and Wales with number 1676781 and, as at
     the date hereof, has an authorized share capital of (Pounds)29,829,089
     divided into 22,829,089 Ordinary shares of (Pounds)1 each all of which
     (inclusive of those mentioned in Recital (B) below) have been issued fully
     paid, or credited as fully paid, and 7,000,000 9% non-cumulative redeemable
     preference shares of (Pounds)1 each all of which have been issued fully
     paid.

(B)  The Company issued to the Vendor, on 10 July 1996, a zero coupon loan note
     in respect of a principal amount of (Pounds)29,215,000 which indebtedness
     has been satisfied and extinguished by the allotment and issue to Vendor of
     20,479,089 Ordinary Shares of (Pounds)1 each of the Company all of which
     shares were issued credited as fully paid.

(C)  The Vendor has agreed to sell and the Purchaser has agreed to purchase the
     Contract Shares (as hereinafter defined) upon the terms and subject to the
     conditions hereinafter appearing.

IT IS HEREBY AGREED as follows:

1.   INTERPRETATION

1.1  In this Agreement and the Recitals and Schedules hereto unless the context
     requires otherwise:

     "ACCOUNTING DATE" means 30th November 1995;

     "ACCOUNTS" means the audited balance sheet of the Company as at the
     Accounting Date and the audited profit and loss account of the Company for
     the financial year of the

                                       1
<PAGE>
 
     Company ended on the Accounting Date and the directors' report and other
     documents annexed thereto;

     "THE ACCOUNTANTS" means the Purchaser's Accountants and the Vendor's
     Accountants;

     "AFFILIATES" means any subsidiaries from time to time of the Purchaser;

     "BUSINESS DAY" means a day which is not a Saturday or Sunday or a bank or
     other public holiday in New York;

     "CASH CONSIDERATION" means that amount of the Consideration to be paid in
     cash at Completion pursuant to Clause 2;

     "COMPANIES ACT" means the Companies Act 1985;

     "COMPANY'S AUDITORS" means KPMG of Arlington Business Park, Theale,
     Reading, RG7 4SD;

     "COMPANY LOAN NOTE" means the zero coupon loan note issued by the Company
     on 10 July 1996 and which is referred to in Recital (B) hereinbefore
     appearing;

     "COMPLETION" means completion of the obligations of the parties hereunder
     in accordance with the provisions of Clause 4;

     "COMPLETION DATE" means the date on which Completion is to take place
     pursuant to Clause 4.1;

     "CONSIDERATION" means the consideration for the purchase of the Contract
     Shares as specified in Clause 2.2;

     "CONTRACT SHARES" means all of the issued shares of the Company as at
     Completion, comprising those issued shares referred to in Recital (A)
     hereinbefore appearing;

     "DESCRIPTIVE MEMORANDUM" means the information memorandum prepared by
     Pfizer Inc. relating to the Company a copy of which is annexed to the
     Disclosure Letter;

     "DIRECTORS" means the directors of the Company at the date hereof
     immediately prior to Completion, being the persons named as such in the
     First Schedule;

     "DISCLOSED MATTERS" means any fact, matter, event or circumstance which is
     disclosed in this Agreement or the Disclosure Letter (or treated by the
     Disclosure Letter as being disclosed) and any information ascertainable
     from the documents and information concerning the Company which were
     available for inspection (and, without limitation

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
     thereto the Purchaser acknowledges that the documents listed in Annexure 5
     to the Disclosure Letter were available for inspection) by the Purchaser
     (irrespective of whether or not the Purchaser, any Related Party or any of
     their respective advisers in fact inspected the same) ;

     "DISCLOSURE LETTER" means the letter of even date herewith written by the
     Vendor to the Purchaser qualifying the Warranties;

     "LOAN NOTE" means the senior secured interest bearing loan note to be
     issued by the Purchaser pursuant to Clause 2.4, such note to be in the form
     of the draft set out in Annexure 1 hereto;

     "MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTS" means the unaudited management accounts of the
     Company prepared by the directors of the Company for internal purposes in
     respect of certain periods between 1 December 1995 and 27 September 1996,
     copies of which are annexed to the Disclosure Letter;

     "NYSE" means the New York Stock Exchange;

     "PFIZER GROUP" means Pfizer Inc and any of its subsidiaries from time to
     time;

     "PROPERTIES" means the land and buildings specified in the Third Schedule;

     "UK PROPERTIES" means all properties specified in Part I of the Third
     Schedule;

     "US PROPERTIES" means all properties specified in Part II of the Third
     Schedule;

     "PURCHASER'S ACCOUNTANTS" means KPMG, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA;

     "PURCHASER'S LAWYERS" means Dorsey & Whitney L.L.P. of Pillsbury Center
     South, 220 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, USA;

     "RELATED PARTY" means any subsidiary undertaking and parent undertaking of
     the Purchaser and any subsidiary undertaking of such parent undertaking and
     any person who immediately following Completion will become interested
     (within the same meaning as in section 208 of the Companies Act) in the
     Contract Shares;

     "SHARES CHARGE" means a charge in the agreed terms, over the shares in the
     Company as security for the Purchaser's obligations under the Loan Note;

     "SPECIFIED ASSET VALUE" means the sum of cash and trade debtors less
                                                                     ----
     trade creditors and accrued compensation and related items and other
     accrued liabilities calculated in accordance with the provisions of Clause
     3.2;

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
     "SPECIFIED ASSET VALUE CALCULATION" means the calculation prepared in
     accordance with Clause 3.2 in connection with the ascertainment of the
     Specified Asset Value as at the Completion Date;

     "SPECIFIED INDIVIDUALS" means those persons listed in Annexure 4 and
     references to a Specified Individual shall mean any one of those Specified
     Individuals;

     "TAXES ACT 1988" means the Income and Corporation Taxes Act l988;

     "TCGA 1992" means the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992;

     "VENDOR'S ACCOUNTANTS" means KPMG, New York, USA;

     "VENDOR'S UK SOLICITORS" MEANS THEODORE GODDARD OF 150 ALDERSGATE STREET,
     LONDON EC1A 4EJ;
 
     "WARRANTIES" means the warranties specified in the Fourth Schedule;

     reference to a document as "IN THE AGREED TERMS" means that document in a
     form agreed and a copy of which has been initialed for the purposes of
     identification by or on behalf of the parties hereto;

     the expression "SO FAR AS THE VENDOR IS AWARE" means the actual knowledge
     of the Vendor after inquiry of the Directors (other than Mr. T. Audley) by
     the Vendor;
     
     references to any statutory provision include any re-enactment or statutory
     modification or extension thereof in force at the date hereof and also
     include any orders, regulations, instruments or other subordinate
     legislation made prior to the date hereof under the statutory provision
     referred to;

     the masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter and the singular
     number includes the plural and vice versa;

     references to Clauses, sub-Clauses, Schedules and Annexures are references
     to clauses and sub-clauses of, and schedules and annexures to, this
     Agreement;

     words and phrases the definitions of which are contained or referred to in
     Part XXVI of the Companies Act shall be construed as having the meanings
     thereby attributed to them;

     "PERSON" includes any individual, company, corporation, firm, partnership,
     joint venture, association, government department or agency, local
     authority, organisation or trust (in

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
     each case whether or not having separate legal personality) and references
     to any of the same shall include a reference to the others.

1.2  The Schedules and Annexures hereto form part of and are incorporated in
     this Agreement and the term "this Agreement" means this Agreement together
     with the Schedules and Annexures hereto.

1.3  The index, headings and sub-headings are included in this Agreement for
     ease of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this
     Agreement.

2.   SALE OF SHARES AND CONSIDERATION

2.1  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement the Vendor shall sell
     and the Purchaser shall purchase the Contract Shares.

2.2  The Contract Shares shall be sold free from all liens, charges, equities
     and encumbrances and together with all rights attached or attaching thereto
     (including, in respect of the Contract Shares, the right to all dividends
     or distributions declared, made or paid thereon after the date hereof) for
     a total consideration of US$8,800,000, subject to adjustment in accordance
     with Clause 3.

2.3  Notwithstanding the provisions of Clause 2.5 the Purchaser shall not be
     obliged to complete the purchase of any of the Contract Shares unless the
     purchase of all the Contract Shares is completed simultaneously.

2.4  The Consideration shall be paid as to US$1,500,000 in cash and satisfied as
     to US$7,300,000 by the issue by the Purchaser of the Loan Note in the
     principal sum of US$7,300,000, the respective amounts to be allocated to
     the different Contract Shares being specified in columns (2) and (3) of the
     Second Schedule save that any additional Consideration payable pursuant to
     Clause 3 shall be paid as provided therein.

2.5  All monies payable under this Clause 2 shall be paid in full on the due
     date for payment thereof without any deduction, set-off or counterclaim
     whatsoever whether under or arising from any other provision of this
     Agreement or otherwise and the Purchaser expressly waives any right to set-
     off against or to deduct from any monies otherwise due for payment by it
     hereunder any claim which it may have against the Vendor.

2.6. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Clause 2 the parties have
     agreed to allocate (i) US$1,561,438 of the Consideration to the purchase by
     the Purchaser of certain United States assets from members of the Pfizer
     Group relating to the business of the Company and (ii) US$1,146,917 of the
     Consideration to the purchase by the Company of certain German assets from
     members of the Pfizer Group relating to the business of the Company and the
     parties agree that if and insofar as any filings are required to be made in

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
     the United States in relation to the purchase by the Purchaser of certain
     assets they shall co-operate so as to reflect, in such filings such amounts
     allocated as aforesaid.

3.   ADJUSTMENT TO THE CONSIDERATION

3.1  The Vendor and the Purchaser shall procure that there shall be ascertained
     by the Company the amount of cash (both in hand and at bank) in the Company
     as at the close of business on the Completion Date and, insofar as the same
     shall reasonably be practicable, there shall be prepared on the Completion
     Date:

     (i)  a list of all trade debtors and all trade creditors as at the close
          of business on the Completion Date (including details of the amounts
          owed in each case)

     (ii) a list of all accrued compensation and related items and other
          accrued liabilities (as such items and liabilities were calculated
          for the purpose of the Management Accounts) as at the close of
          business on the Completion Date

     (a copy of each such list being then delivered to the Vendor and the
     Purchaser at Completion) and the Purchaser shall ensure that as soon as
     practicable following Completion, and in any event not later than 30 days
     after the Completion Date, such lists and details shall be further reviewed
     and checked, and modified if necessary, and that a draft of the Specified
     Asset Value Calculation ("draft Specified Asset Value Calculation") shall
     be prepared by the Purchaser in accordance with Clause 3.2 and delivered to
     the Vendor together with such lists as aforesaid (with any changes to such
     lists from those delivered on the Completion Date being identified and
     explained).

3.2  The draft Specified Asset Value Calculation shall be prepared:

     (a)  stating the cash (in hand and at bank), trade debtors, trade creditors
          and accrued compensation and related items and other accrued
          liabilities (as such items and liabilities were calculated for the
          purpose of the Management Accounts) of the Company as at the close of
          business on the Completion Date; and

     (b)  using the same accounting principles, policies, bases and practices as
          were used in the preparation of the Accounts subject to the following
          adjustments:

          (i)  amounts owed to or by other companies in the Pfizer Group, if
               any, shall be ignored and excluded; and

          (ii) the amount of US$350,000 is to be debited against trade debtors
               as an allowance for uncollectable trade debts (and no other
               adjustment is to be made for uncollectable trade debts)

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
          (iii)  there shall be treated as an accrued liability the amount of
                 US$336,000 with respect to exchanging patient data modules
 
          (iv)   there shall be treated as an accrued liability an amount
                 equivalent to the cost of repairing or replacing customer
                 returns at the Company as at the Completion Date (such amount
                 presently estimated to be in the region of US$115,000)

     (c)  so as to show the Specified Asset Value, which shall be first
          expressed in pounds sterling (other than the amounts of US$350,000 and
          US$336,000 referred to in sub-paragraphs (b)(ii) and (iii) above) and
          then converted into US Dollars at the average exchange rate (as
          reflected in Bloomberg spot quotations ) for the 30 calendar days
          immediately preceding the Completion Date.

3.3  As soon as practicable after delivery of the draft Specified Asset Value
     Calculation to the Vendor, the Vendor and the Purchaser shall each use
     their reasonable endeavours to agree the Specified Asset Value. If the
     Vendor agrees with the Specified Asset Value it shall so confirm to the
     Purchaser in writing. If agreement is not reached as to the Specified Asset
     Value within 20 days following such delivery, the parties shall procure
     that the draft Specified Asset Value Calculation is delivered to the
     Accountants within 3 Business Days of the expiry of such period.

3.4  As soon as practicable and, in any event, within 40 days after delivery of
     the draft Specified Asset Value Calculation to the Accountants in
     accordance with Clause 3.3 ("the Review Period"), the Accountants shall
     review the draft Specified Asset Value Calculation and endeavour to agree
     what adjustments (if any) need to be made to it in order for it to comply
     with Clause 3.2.

3.5  If:
     (a)  the Accountants agree that no adjustments need to be made to the draft
          Specified Asset Value Calculation; or

     (b)  the Accountants agree on the adjustments to be made to the draft
          Specified Asset Value Calculation in order for it to comply as
          aforesaid,

     they shall:

     (i)    (in the circumstances mentioned in (b) above) jointly incorporate
            into, and reflect any such adjustments in, the draft Specified Asset
            Value Calculation;

     (ii)   jointly report to the Vendor and the Purchaser that they have
            carried out such work as they consider necessary under this Clause
            3.5 and that in their opinion the Specified Asset Value Calculation
            annexed to their report has been drawn up

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
            in accordance with the provisions of Clause 3.2 and comply with
            those provisions; and

     (iii)  specify in such report the amount of the Specified Asset Value,
            and the amount (if any) by which the Consideration should be
            increased or reduced under this Clause 3.

     and the Specified Asset Value Calculation annexed to such report and the
     Specified Asset Value specified in such report shall be the Specified Asset
     Value Calculation and the Specified Asset Value respectively for all
     purposes of this Agreement and shall in the absence of manifest error be
     final and binding on the Vendor and the Purchaser, and the date of such
     report shall for all purposes of this Agreement be the date of agreement of
     the Specified Asset Value

3.6  If the Accountants are unable to agree within the Review Period on:

     (a)  whether adjustments need to be made to the draft Specified Asset
            Value Calculation; or

     (b)  the amount of the Specified Asset Value,

     the Accountants shall forthwith jointly notify the Vendor and the Purchaser
     in writing of the matter or matters in dispute between the Accountants and
     the Vendor and the Purchaser shall thereupon forthwith endeavour in good
     faith to resolve and agree such matter or matters by negotiation

3.7  If the Vendor and the Purchaser have not resolved any such matter in
     dispute as is referred to in Clause 3.6 within 45 days after notification
     by the Accountants, then such matter or matters shall thereupon be referred
     to such firm of independent chartered accountants as the Vendor and the
     Purchaser may agree within 14 days of a request by either of them to the
     other or, failing such agreement within such time, as the president for the
     time being of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
     may nominate on the application of the Vendor or the Purchaser
     ("INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS") for determination on the following basis:

     (a)  the Independent Accountants shall be instructed to notify the Vendor
          and the Purchaser of their determination of any such matter as soon as
          possible;

     (b)  the Vendor and the Purchaser shall be entitled to make written
          submissions to the Independent Accountants and to have sight of and to
          comment on any submissions made by the other but subject thereto the
          Independent Accountants shall have power to determine the procedure to
          be followed in relation to their determination;

                                       8
<PAGE>
 
     (c)  in making such submissions the Vendor and the Purchaser shall, where
          appropriate, state their respective best estimates of monetary amounts
          of the matters referred for determination; 

     (d)  in making their determination the Independent Accountants shall act as
          experts and not as arbitrators, their decision as to any matter
          referred to them for determination shall in the absence of manifest
          error be final and binding in all respects on the Vendors and the
          Purchaser (but shall be without prejudice to the Purchaser's right to
          claim under the Warranties or otherwise in respect of any matter); and

     (e)  the fees and expenses of the Independent Accountants shall be borne
          and paid as to one half by the Vendor and as to the other half by the
          Purchaser.

3.8  Following any agreement between the Vendor and the Purchaser or any
     determination by the Independent Accountants in accordance with Clause 3.7,
     the Accountants shall:

     (a)  jointly incorporate into and reflect in the draft Specified Asset
          Value Calculation, the matters agreed between the Vendor and the
          Purchaser and/or determined by the Independent Accountants, together
          with any adjustments which may have been agreed between the
          Accountants in accordance with Clause 3.7; and

     (b)  report on such adjusted accounts in the terms set out in Clauses
          3.5(b)(ii) and 3.5(b)(iii)

     and the Specified Asset Value Calculation as annexed to such report and the
     Specified Asset Value stated in such report shall be the Specified Asset
     Value Calculation and the Specified Asset Value respectively for all
     purposes of this Agreement and shall, in the absence of manifest error, be
     final and binding on the Vendor and the Purchaser, and the date of such
     report shall for all purposes of this Agreement be the date of
     determination of the Specified Asset Value.

3.9  Following Completion and until the Specified Asset Value shall have been
     agreed or determined the  Purchaser and the Vendor shall:

     (a)  give or procure that the Accountants and the Independent Accountants
          are given unrestricted access at all reasonable times to all books and
          records of the Company which are in the possession or under the
          control of the Vendor or the Purchaser (as the case may be); and

     (b)  generally provide the Accountants and the Independent Accountants with
          such other information and assistance as they may reasonably require
          (including access 

                                       9
<PAGE>
 
          to and assistance at reasonable times from personnel employed by the
          Vendor or the Purchaser, as the case may be) in relation to the
          review, agreement or determination of the Specified Asset Value
          Calculation and the Specified Asset Value.

3.10  The Vendor and the Purchaser shall use their respective reasonable
      endeavours to procure that the Accountants comply with the requirements
      placed upon them under this Clause 3 (including, without limitation, the
      provisions relating to timing).

3.11  The fees and expenses of the Vendor's Accountants and of the Purchaser's
      Accountants in respect of the matters to be dealt with by them under this
      Clause 3 shall be for the account of the Vendor and the Purchaser
      respectively.

3.12  If the Specified Asset Value is less than zero the Consideration shall be
      reduced by an amount equal to the shortfall and the Vendor shall, within
      14 days following the agreement or determination of the Specified Asset
      Value pay such sum to the Purchaser. If the Specified Asset Value is more
      than US$0 the Purchaser shall pay to the Vendor an amount by way of
      additional Consideration equal to the excess, such additional
      Consideration to be paid within 14 days following the agreement or
      determination of the Specified Asset Value.

4.    COMPLETION
 
4.1   Completion shall take place at the offices of Pfizer Inc in New York City,
      New York, USA at 10.00 a.m. on 5 November 1996 or on such other date as
      the Vendor and the Purchaser may agree in writing.

4.2   Save as the parties shall otherwise agree on Completion the Vendor shall
      deliver to the Purchaser (or procure that the same are delivered to the
      Purchaser's lawyers or solicitors in the United Kingdom):

      4.2.1  transfers in favour of the Purchaser or as it shall direct of all
             of the Contract Shares duly executed by the registered holders
             thereof together with the certificates therefor;

      4.2.2  the certificates of incorporation (original and on any re-
             registration or change of name), the statutory books and the common
             seals and any securities seals of the Company;

      4.2.3  evidence of the extinguishment of any further liability of the
             Company under the Company Loan Note;
 
      4.2.4  the lists contemplated by paragraphs (i) and (ii) of Clause 3.1;
 

                                       10
<PAGE>
 
      4.2.5  evidence of the transfer into the Purchaser of the leases and/or
             tenancies of the US Properties, and of transfer into the Company
             and/or the Purchaser of the equipment and inventory used in the
             business of the Company as specified in two Bills of Sale in the
             agreed terms of even date;

      4.2.6  evidence that there shall have been transferred and assigned to
             the Company, by assignments in the agreed terms, certain
             intellectual property rights as specified in such assignments;

      4.2.7  evidence that agreements in the agreed terms shall have been
             entered into between certain members the Pfizer Group and the
             Company with respect to certain matters concerning intellectual
             property rights (as more particularly set out in such agreements);

      4.2.8  evidence that an agreement in the agreed terms shall have been
             entered into concerning the provision of certain services to the
             Company with respect to its business in Germany

4.3   Save as the parties shall otherwise agree on Completion the Vendor shall
      procure:

      4.3.1   the appointment as directors of the Company and as Secretary of
              the Company of such person or persons as the Purchaser shall have
              nominated and procure the resignation(s) of Tony Audley as
              director of the Company and of Dr. Robert Thomas as the secretary
              of the Company each delivering to the Purchaser a deed of
              resignation in the agreed terms acknowledging that the person so
              resigning has no claim for compensation for loss of office or
              wrongful dismissal or unfair dismissal or redundancy payment or
              any other claim against the Company;

      4.3.2  the revocation (if required by the Purchaser) by the board of
             directors of the Company of all authorities relating to bank
             accounts and the giving by such board of authority to such persons
             as the Purchaser may nominate to operate the same accounts or such
             other accounts with the same or such other bank or banks as the 
             Purchaser may require.

4.4   Save as the parties shall otherwise agree on Completion the Purchaser
      shall:

      4.4.1  pay the Cash Consideration to the Vendor's account at Chase
             Manhattan Bank NA in New York City, ABA No. 021000021 bank account
             number 0361034655 in the name of the Vendor, by way of a wire
             transfer so that Vendor will receive value in respect of the Cash
             Consideration with effect from and including the Completion Date;

                                       11
<PAGE>
 
     4.4.2   issue to the Vendor the Loan Note;
 
     4.4.3   execute and deliver to the Vendor the Shares Charge
 
     4.4.4   deliver to the Vendor duly executed stock transfer forms and
             share certificates in respect of the shares the subject of the
             Shares Charge

4.5  On and following Completion the Purchaser undertakes to the Vendor that it
     shall use its reasonable endeavours to procure the release of each relevant
     company in the Pfizer Group from (i) the guarantee and/or suretyship given
     in the lease dated 16 April 1992 relating to the property at Isaac Lord
     Building, Short Street, High Wycombe (details of which appear in the
     Disclosure Letter) and (ii) any liability under or in respect of the lease
     of 293 Great Valley Parkway referred to in Part II of the Third Schedule,
     and pending such release the Purchaser undertakes to the Vendor that it
     shall indemnify and keep indemnified each relevant company in the Pfizer
     Group in respect of such guarantee, suretyship, and liability and from and
     against all losses, costs, liabilities, expenses, claims and demands
     arising out of or in connection with the same.

4.6  This Agreement shall notwithstanding Completion remain in full force and
     effect in regard to any of the provisions remaining to be performed or
     carried into effect.

5.   WARRANTIES

5.1  The Vendor hereby warrants to the Purchaser in the terms of the Fourth
     Schedule and acknowledges that the Purchaser is entering into this
     Agreement in reliance on each of the Warranties.

5.2  The Warranties are given subject to the Disclosed Matters.

5.3  In the absence of fraud on the part of the Vendor, the aggregate amount of
     the liability of Vendor under this Agreement shall not exceed the amount of
     the Cash Consideration plus the principal sum payable under the Loan Note
     provided that the Vendor may, at its sole discretion, elect by notice in
     writing to the Purchaser to satisfy all or any part of such liability by a
     reduction in an equivalent amount of the principal sum payable under the
     Loan Note (and in such event such reduction shall be given effect to and
     the Vendor shall have no further liability to the Purchaser in respect of
     that part of the aforementioned liability elected so to be satisfied).

5.4  No liability shall attach to Vendor under this Agreement unless the
     aggregate amount of such liability shall exceed US$100,000 in which event
     the liability of Vendor shall not be limited by this Clause 5.4 (but
     without prejudice to the other provisions of this Clause 5).

                                       12
<PAGE>
 
5.5  No liability shall attach to Vendor under this Agreement in respect of any
     claim where the amount of such liability in respect of that claim is less
     than US$5,000.

5.6  Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that:

     5.6.1   it is a company experienced and knowledgeable in the medical
             devices industry and in products of the sort produced and sold by
             the Company , and is familiar with the issues, problems and
             concerns faced by companies (such as the Company) operating in such
             industry;

     5.6.2   the Vendor and the Company have, prior to the date hereof, given
             the Purchaser unrestricted access to all books, records, premises
             and employees of the Company, and has also permitted the Purchaser
             to speak and meet with such customers of and suppliers to the
             Company as the Purchaser may have requested, for the purpose of the
             Purchaser undertaking such due diligence as it thinks fit in
             relation to the Company, its business and affairs;

     5.6.3   it has carried out such inspections, reviews, and interviews as
             it deems sufficient and is satisfied with the quality, quantity,
             and completeness of information and assistance provided

5.7  The Vendor acknowledges that the Company has been selling the products
     described in the Disclosure Letter since about 1992 under trade agreements
     containing various warranties and representations to its customers,
     examples of which have been provided to the Purchaser by the Vendor (and
     are annexed to the Disclosure Letter) and the Vendor believes those
     representations to be true. Nonetheless, the Vendor and Purchaser
     acknowledge that they have seriously negotiated the many terms and
     conditions of this Agreement and have thereby carefully allocated various
     risks, costs and other matters between them and attempted to reduce any
     uncertainty and to simplify resolution of any disputes which might arise
     with respect to this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing and FOR THE
     AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT no representation or warranty is or has been given by
     the Vendor (and this Agreement and the warranties shall be so construed
     accordingly) to the Purchaser:

     5.7.1   that the technology applicable to or used in the design,
             manufacture, testing or labeling of blood gas sensors (or any other
             products of the Company) is fit for the purpose for which such
             products have been designed, or is otherwise appropriate or
             represents the state of the art for making a blood gas sensor that
             will perform in foreseeable settings with a degree of safety,
             efficacy, or reliability satisfactory to user-practitioners,
             patients or regulators; and/or

     5.7.2   (although the Company believes that the products of the Company
             are safe, effective, and represent the state of art for such
             products and that its inspection,

                                       13
<PAGE>
 
                 quality control, testing and record keeping procedures are
                 complete, adequate and accurate) that the products of the
                 Company, and/or their design and manufacture, and/or the
                 inspection, quality control, testing (both in vitro and in
                 vivo), clinical trials, or clinical uses of such products, are
                 or ever will be or can ever be made sufficiently free from
                 imperfections as to permit confidence in the performance of
                 such products, or that the records or record keeping with
                 respect to any and all of the foregoing is, or has been,
                 complete, adequate or accurate.

     5.8  No claim shall be capable of being made against Vendor under this
          Agreement unless written notice thereof (specifying full details of
          the breach or other event to which such claim shall relate and the
          Purchaser's bona fide estimate of the amount thereof) shall have been
          given to Vendor promptly after a claim has arisen and in any event:

          5.8.1  in the case of claims under those Warranties set out in
                 paragraphs 3,4 and 7 to 29 (inclusive) and paragraphs 47, 48
                 and/or 49 of the Fourth Schedule not later than the date which
                 is 12 months after the date of Completion;

          5.8.2  in the case of claims under those Warranties set out in
                 paragraphs 1, 2 and/or 5 of the Fourth Schedule not later than
                 the date which is 18 months after the date of Completion;

          5.8.3  in the case of claims under those Warranties set out in
                 paragraphs 30 to 45 (inclusive) of the Fourth Schedule not
                 later than the date which is 7 years after the date of
                 Completion

          Any such claim which may be made shall (if it has not been previously
          satisfied, settled or withdrawn) be deemed to be withdrawn at the
          expiration of one year from the date of giving notice of such claim in
          accordance with Clause 5.8 (or, in the case of notified claims falling
          within Clause 5.20, one year from the date that the contingent
          liability in question becomes an actual liability) unless legal
          proceedings in respect thereof have been commenced by the issuing and
          service of such proceedings against Vendor and the subject matter of
          any such claim which shall be so deemed withdrawn shall not be capable
          of being the subject of a further claim.

     5.9  Payment of any claim under this Agreement shall pro tanto satisfy and
          discharge any other claim under this Agreement which is capable of
          being made in respect of the same subject matter.

     5.10 No liability shall attach to Vendor in respect of a claim under this
          Agreement to the extent that:

                                       14
<PAGE>
 
     5.10.1    such claim arises or is increased as a consequence of a change in
               the law or a change or withdrawal of any previously published
               practice or concession of any tax authority after the date
               hereof;

     5.10.2    such claim arises or is increased as the result of any provision
               or reserve made in respect thereof in the Accounts or the
               Management Accounts being insufficient by reason of any increase
               in rates of taxation made after the date hereof or arises or is
               increased as the result of the retrospective imposition of
               taxation as a consequence of a change in the law after the date
               hereof;

     5.10.3    such claim or the events giving rise to such claim arise or such
               claim is increased as a result of an act, omission or transaction
               by or at the request of or with the approval of the Purchaser or
               the Company or its directors, officers or employees effected
               after Completion otherwise than in the ordinary course of
               business as presently carried on by the Company or as required by
               operation of law or any agreement of the Company which is in
               existence prior to Completion;

     5.10.4    such claim or the event giving rise to such claim would not have
               arisen if the policies of insurance effected by the Company (or
               equivalent policies) as at the Completion Date had been
               maintained in force after Completion;

     5.10.5    the liability giving rise to such claim has been taken into
               account in the Management Accounts;

     5.10.6    a provision or reserve (identified as such) in respect thereof is
               made in the Management Accounts or to the extent that the subject
               matter of the claim was taken into account in computing the
               amount of any such provision or reserve;

     5.10.7    such claim results from or is increased or extended by the change
               of the accounting reference date of the Company on Completion or
               any subsequent change thereafter or by any change in the
               accounting policies of the Company after Completion.

5.11 The Vendor shall have no liability to the Purchaser under the Warranties
     (or any of them) by reason of the bad trade debts of the Company, the
     amount accrued for patient data module expenses and/or the amount accrued
     for customer returns for repairs exceeding the amount provided therefor in
     the Accounts or in the Management Accounts, or exceeding the amount allowed
     therefor pursuant to Clause 3.2.

5.12 In assessing any liability of the Vendor  under this Agreement there shall
     be taken into account:

                                       15
<PAGE>
 
     5.12.1    any benefit (excluding taxation benefit) accruing to the
               Purchaser or the Company as a direct consequence of the relevant
               breach; and

     5.12.2    the amount of any reserve or provision for liability within the
               Accounts which has not been fully utilised at the date of claim
               in respect of the relevant breach but to the extent so taken into
               account shall not thereafter be available as a provision.

5.13 The effect of the application of Clauses 5.9 to 5.12 shall first be taken
     into account for the purpose of determining the amount of liability for the
     purposes of Clauses 5.4 and 5.5.

5.14 The Purchaser shall not be entitled to recover any sum in respect of any
     claim for breach of any of the Warranties or otherwise obtain reimbursement
     or restitution more than once in respect of any one breach of the
     Warranties.

5.15 In the event that the Purchaser or the Company is entitled to recover from
     a third party (whether by payment, discount, credit, relief or otherwise
     howsoever) any sum in relation to any loss, liability or damage which is
     the subject of a claim under this Agreement or which may give rise to a
     claim under this Agreement, the Purchaser shall (or shall procure that the
     Company shall):

     5.15.1    notify the Vendor as soon as reasonably practicable and provide
               such information and assistance as the Vendor may require
               relating to such entitlement and the action taken or proposed to
               be taken by the Purchaser or the Company in respect of it;

     5.15.2    take (at the expense of the Vendor ) such reasonable steps or
               proceedings as the Vendor may require and shall act in accordance
               with any such requirements of the Vendor subject to the Purchaser
               being indemnified by Vendor against all reasonable costs and
               expenses incurred in connection therewith and shall keep the
               Vendor promptly informed of the progress of any such steps,
               proceedings or actions.

5.16 In the event of the Vendor having paid to the Purchaser an amount in
     respect of a claim under this Agreement and subsequent to the date of
     making such payment the Purchaser or the Company recovers from a third
     party (whether by payment, discount, credit, relief or otherwise howsoever)
     a sum which is referable to that payment then the Purchaser shall forthwith
     repay or procure the repayment by the Company to the Vendor of so much of
     the amount paid by the third party as does not exceed the sum paid by the
     Vendor to the Purchaser less the reasonable costs of the Purchaser or the
     Company in recovering such sum.

                                       16
<PAGE>
 
5.17 In the event that the Purchaser or the Company shall be in receipt of any
     claim by another person which might constitute or give rise to a claim
     under this Agreement, the Purchaser shall as soon as reasonably practicable
     notify the Vendor giving full details as far as practicable and shall not
     settle or compromise any such claim or make any admission of liability
     without the prior written consent of the Vendor such consent not to be
     unreasonably withheld. The Vendor shall be entitled to require the
     Purchaser to take or to procure that the Company takes (at the expense of
     the Vendor) such reasonable steps or proceedings as Vendor may consider
     necessary in order to mitigate any claim under this Agreement. The
     Purchaser shall and/or shall procure that the Company shall act in
     accordance with any such requirements of the Vendor subject to the
     Purchaser being indemnified by the Vendor against all reasonable costs and
     expenses incurred in connection therewith and shall keep the Vendor
     promptly informed of the progress of such acts.

5.18 Where a breach of this Agreement shall be in respect of a matter where the
     Company shall be insured against any loss or damage arising therefrom, the
     Purchaser shall procure that the Company shall make and diligently pursue a
     claim against its insurers for compensation for such loss or damage
     suffered and any claim against the Vendor shall be limited (in addition to
     all other limitations on the liability of the Vendor elsewhere referred to
     herein) to the amount by which the amount of the loss or damage suffered by
     the Purchaser as a result of such breach shall exceed the compensation paid
     by the said insurers to the Company or the Purchaser.

5.19 In relation to any claim under this Agreement or any fact, matter, event or
     circumstance which may give rise to a claim the Purchaser shall allow (and
     shall procure that the Company shall allow) the Vendor, their advisers and
     their agents to investigate any such claim, fact, matter, event or
     circumstance and whether and to what extent any amount is payable in
     respect thereof and shall make available (and shall procure that the
     Company makes available) and shall use its best endeavours to procure that
     the auditors (both present and then current) of the Company make available
     to the Vendor, their advisers and their agents, all such property,
     information and assistance (including access to properties and any of their
     books, correspondence, audit papers or other documents or records and the
     right to copy the same and making available employees and directors to give
     assistance) as may reasonably be required by the Vendor.

5.20 If any claim under this Agreement shall arise by reason of some liability
     of the Company which, at the time the claim is notified to the Vendor, is
     contingent only, the Vendor shall not be under any obligation to make any
     payment to the Purchaser in respect of such claim until such time as the
     contingent liability shall become an actual liability.

5.21 Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to relieve the Purchaser from any
     common law duty to mitigate any loss or damage incurred by it.

                                       17
<PAGE>
 
5.22 Any amount paid by the Vendor to the Purchaser in respect of any breach of
     this Agreement shall be treated as a reduction in the Consideration.

5.22 The Purchaser warrants to the Vendor that:

     5.23.1    it has not relied on any representation, warranty, covenant or
               undertaking of the Vendor or any other persons save for any
               representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking expressly set
               out in this Agreement. The Purchaser acknowledges that no
               representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking (whether
               express or implied, statutory or otherwise) made or alleged to
               have been made by or on behalf of the Vendor in connection with
               or arising out of the sale of the Contract Shares and which is
               not expressly set out in this Agreement shall give rise to any
               liability on the part of the maker or makers thereof or any other
               person or persons who might otherwise be liable in respect of the
               making thereof;

     5.23.2    the Purchaser is duly incorporated and validly existing under the
               laws of the State of Minnesota;

     5.23.3    the Purchaser has power to enter into this Agreement and to
               perform the obligations expressed to be assumed by it and has
               taken all necessary corporate action to authorise the execution,
               delivery and performance of this Agreement;

     5.23.4    this Agreement has been duly executed by the Purchaser;
 
     5.23.5    the execution, delivery and performance of the terms of this
               Agreement by the Purchaser will not violate any provision of:

               (a)  any law or regulation or any order or decree of any
                    authority, agency or court binding on the Purchaser;

               (b)  the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws of the Purchaser;

               (c)  any loan stock, bond, debenture or other deed, mortgage,
                    contract or other undertaking or instrument to which the
                    Purchaser is a party;

     5.23.6    in acquiring the Contract Shares the Purchaser is acting as
               principal and not as agent or broker for any other person.

5.24 The Vendor undertakes that, in the event of any claim being made against
     the Vendor whether under the Warranties or otherwise in connection with the
     sale of the Shares to the Purchaser, the Vendor will not make any claim
     against the Company, or against any employee of the Company (other than, in
     respect of claims in excess of US$10,000, the

                                       18
<PAGE>
 
     Directors), on which or on whom the Vendor may have relied before agreeing
     to any term of this Agreement or authorising any statement in the
     Disclosure Letter.

5.25 Each of the Warranties will be construed as a separate Warranty and will
     not be limited or restricted by reference to, or inference from, the terms
     of any other Warranty.

5.26 For the purposes of references in this Clause 5 to the amount expressed in
     US Dollars where claims or liability in respect of claims (as the case may
     be) is ascertained in pounds sterling or in any currency other than US
     Dollars then such amount shall be translated into US Dollars at an exchange
     rate equivalent to the average exchange rate during the 30 day period
     immediately prior to the date upon which such claim is first made or, where
     claims are contingent and fall within Clause 5.20, the date upon which such
     contingent liability becomes an actual liability.

6.   CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

6.1  The Purchaser hereby undertakes to the Vendor that if Completion does not
     take place it will not and will procure that no Related Party will without
     the prior written consent of the Vendor at any time divulge or communicate
     to any person any confidential information concerning the business,
     accounts, finance or contractual arrangements or other dealings,
     transactions or affairs of the Company which may be within or may come to
     its knowledge and it shall use its reasonable endeavours to prevent the
     publication or disclosure of any such confidential information concerning
     such matters and it shall forthwith return or procure the return of all
     documents and copies thereof relating to such arrangements or affairs
     unless such information or such documents are generally available to the
     public or they were obtained otherwise than from Vendor or its advisers or
     agents.

6.2  Vendor hereby undertakes to the Purchaser and its Affiliates that it will
     not at any time after Completion divulge or communicate to any person other
     than to its professional or financial advisers or to officers or employees
     of the Vendor or of other companies in the Pfizer Group or to the extent
     required by any applicable law or by the rules or regulations of the NYSE
     or any other recognised investment exchange (as defined by section 207 of
     the Financial Services Act 1986) or by any other regulatory body , or by
     the Internal Revenue Service or any other tax authority or equivalent body
     in any jurisdiction, any confidential information concerning the business,
     accounts, finance or contractual arrangements or other dealings,
     transactions or affairs of the Company.

7.   PENSION PROVISIONS AND EMPLOYEES

7.1  The Company is the principal employer under the Biomedical Sensors Limited
     Staff Benefits Plan (the "Plan") which is an exempt approved scheme within
     the meaning of Section 592(1) of the Taxes Act 1988. It is an insured
     arrangement with London & Manchester Insurance Company Limited and is
     contracted-out of the State earnings

                                       19
<PAGE>
 
     related pension scheme. The Plan provides pension and other benefits for
     and in respect of certain employees of the Company related to their final
     salaries at retirement.

7.2  The Purchaser agrees to offer employment as of  the Completion Date to each
     of the Specified Individuals at a rate of pay at least equal to the rate of
     pay for each such Specified Individual in effect on the Business Day
     immediately preceding the Completion Date, such rate being set out in
     Annexure 4. Annexure 4 sets forth the name of each of each Specified
     Individual, his current rate of pay, position, date of hire and summary
     details of severance benefits. For the purposes of its obligations under
     this Clause 7.2 the Purchaser shall be entitled to rely on the accuracy of
     Annexure 4. The Purchaser shall have no obligation whatsoever with regard
     to any employees of the Vendor or of any company in the Pfizer Group in the
     United States and Germany, including but not limited to retired employees,
     who are not or shall have ceased to be employees in the United States and
     Germany as of the Business Day immediately preceding the Completion Date,
     or to employees in the United States and Germany who do not accept the
     offer of employment given by the Purchaser in accordance with this Clause
     7.2 and who do not work for the Purchaser for at least one day. The
     Purchaser shall be solely responsible for all salaries or wages accruing on
     or after the Completion Date with respect to the employees in the United
     States and Germany whom the Purchaser is obliged to offer employment as
     aforesaid. The Purchaser may, at its discretion, change the conditions of
     employment after the Completion Date except for the pay comparability
     requirements and severance pay obligations described in Annexure 4 which
     shall remain unchanged for a period of six (6) months from the Completion
     Date. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, after such six (6)
     month period, the Purchaser shall provide pay and severance plans, programs
     and policies which are no less favourable than those provided to other
     similarly situated employees of the Purchaser.

7.3  The Purchaser agrees to procure that the pay comparability requirements and
     severance pay obligations enjoyed by employees of the Company at the
     Completion Date shall remain unchanged for a period of six (6) months from
     the Completion Date. After such six (6) month period, the Purchaser shall
     procure that such employees shall continue to enjoy pay and severance
     plans, programs and policies which are no less favourable than those
     provided to other similarly situated employees of the Purchaser.

7.4  Except as expressly provided herein, nothing contained herein, expressed or
     implied, is intended to confer upon any employee of the Vendor or of any
     company in the Pfizer Group any right to continued employment with the
     Purchaser or any Affiliate of the Purchaser for any period by reason of
     this Agreement. In addition, the provisions of this Agreement, in
     particular Clause 7.2, are for the sole benefit of the parties to this
     Agreement and are not for the benefit of any third party.

7.5  Vendor undertakes that, save with the consent of the Purchaser and/or the
     Company, during the period of 2 years following completion it will not
     knowingly, and whether 

                                       20
<PAGE>
 
     directly or indirectly, (i) solicit the services of any employees of the
     Company or (ii) approach any such employees with a view to engaging their
     services whether as employees or otherwise.

8.   PRODUCT LIABILITY INDEMNITIES

8.1  The Vendor shall indemnify and keep indemnified the Purchaser and the
     Company from and against all proceedings and claims against, and
     liabilities of, the Company arising after Completion in respect of any
     personal injury occurring prior to Completion arising out of the use of any
     products manufactured or supplied by the Company prior to Completion
     PROVIDED THAT notice of any claim by the Purchaser or by the Company under
     this Clause 8.1 shall have been given, in accordance with Clause 8.2,
     within three (3) years following the date of Completion. For the avoidance
     of doubt the Vendor shall have and bear no liability of whatsoever nature
     in respect of (i) any personal injury occurring on or after Completion
     except to the extent directly attributable to any action or failure to act
     on the part of the Company prior to Completion, (ii) any personal injury
     arising or resulting from any products, or the use of any products,
     manufactured or supplied by the Company on or after Completion or (iii) any
     such proceedings, claims and liabilities which shall not have been notified
     to the Vendor within the period of three (3) years as aforesaid.

8.2  The Purchaser shall notify (or procure the Company to notify) the Vendor of
     any proceedings, claims and liabilities which could, or might, be the
     subject of a claim under Clause 8.1 (such proceedings, claims and
     liabilities being hereinafter referred to as "Relevant Claims") as soon as
     such Relevant Claims are commenced, threatened, made, instituted or arise.
     Such notification shall include full details of any such Relevant Claims
     and shall be accompanied by any relevant documentation received by the
     Purchaser and/or the Company in respect thereof.

8.3  The Purchaser agrees and undertakes that the Vendor shall have the right to
     undertake, in the Company's name, the conduct of any negotiations or
     defence in relation to any Relevant Claims, whether or not legal
     proceedings are instituted, and to compromise or settle any Relevant Claims
     on any basis that it thinks fit, subject to the Vendor agreeing as follows:

     8.3.1     that it will undertake such negotiations and/or defence with
               appropriate skill and attention and shall use its best endeavours
               to adhere to all procedural matters and requirements required for
               the proper conduct of any litigation;

     8.3.2     that it will keep both the Purchaser and the Company informed of
               the progress of such negotiations and defence and consult with
               both the Purchaser and the Company in relation thereto;

                                       21
<PAGE>
 
     8.3.3     that it will indemnify the Company against all legal costs and
               expenses incurred by the Vendor in respect of the conduct of such
               negotiations and defence, all amounts agreed to be paid pursuant
               to any compromise or settlement of any Relevant Claims and all
               damages, costs and expenses in relation to any Relevant Claims in
               the event of a finding of liability against the Company.

8.4  Until such time as the Vendor shall elect, under Clause 8.3, to undertake
     the conduct of any negotiations or defence in relation to any Relevant
     Claims, the Purchaser agrees and undertakes to procure that the Company
     will itself, to the extent that the Company shall reasonably be in a
     position so to do, vigorously challenge and defend any Relevant Claims,
     whether or not legal proceedings are instituted and that:

     8.4.1     the Company will undertake any negotiations and/or defence with
               appropriate skill and attention and shall use its reasonable
               endeavours to adhere to all reasonable procedural matters and
               requirements required for the proper conduct of any litigation;

     8.4.2     the Company will in the selection of legal counsel to represent
               it in such negotiations and/or defence consult the Vendor and
               accede to its reasonable request;

     8.4.3     the Company and the Purchaser will each keep the Vendor informed
               of the progress of such negotiations and/or defence and will
               consult closely with the Vendor at all stages thereof and will
               take no significant decisions in relation thereto without first
               giving the Vendor reasonable opportunity to comment on the same

     the Vendor will indemnify the Company against all legal costs and expenses
     incurred by the Company in respect of the conduct of any negotiations
     and/or defence in relation to any Relevant Claims and, subject to
     compliance by the Purchaser and the Company with the foregoing and with
     Clause 8.7, all amounts agreed to be paid pursuant to any compromise or
     settlement of any Relevant Claims and all damages, costs and expenses in
     relation to any Relevant Claims in the event of a finding of liability
     against the Company.

8.5  The Purchaser agrees to allow, and to procure that the Company will allow
     the Vendor and its legal and other professional advisers, upon the giving
     of reasonable notice, to all of the Company's records which may in the
     opinion of the Vendor be relevant to any Relevant Claims, to all of the
     Company's records which may be relevant to any product which is the subject
     of any Relevant Claims and to such of the Company's employees as the Vendor
     shall consider desirable or necessary in connection with assessing any
     Relevant Claims and/or the undertaking of any negotiations and/or defence
     in respect of any Relevant Claims.

                                       22
<PAGE>
 
8.6  The Purchaser shall itself bear, or procure that the Company bears, any
     costs incurred by either the Purchaser or the Company in complying with
     their obligations under Clause 8.5.

8.7  The Purchaser agrees and undertakes that neither the Purchaser nor the
     Company shall act in any manner or do anything, which might compromise or
     prejudice any negotiations or defence in respect of any Relevant Claims
     without, in any case, the Vendor giving its approval thereto, save that if
     the Vendor shall not within a reasonable time elect to undertake the
     conduct of any negotiations or defence in respect of any Relevant Claims
     then the Vendor shall not unreasonably withhold the giving of such approval
     as aforesaid. In the event of any breach of this Clause 8.7 the Vendor
     shall cease to have any liability under Clause 8.1.

8.8  The Purchaser shall indemnify and keep indemnified, and shall procure that
     the Company shall indemnify and keep indemnified, on a joint and several
     basis, the Vendor for itself and also on behalf of each member of the
     Pfizer Group from and against all proceedings, claims and liabilities in
     respect of any personal injury occurring after Completion and whether
     arising out of the use of any products manufactured or supplied by the
     Company prior to or after Completion which shall not expressly be the
     subject of the indemnity given by the Vendor in Clause 8.1.

9.   WHOLE AGREEMENT AND PURCHASER'S REMEDIES

9.1  This Agreement (together with any documents referred to herein) constitutes
     the whole agreement between the parties hereto.

9.2  The Purchaser (for itself and as agent and trustee for and on behalf of
     each Related Party and their respective directors, officers, employees,
     agents and advisers) irrevocably and unconditionally waives any right it
     may have to claim damages and/or to rescind this Agreement in respect of
     any false or misleading statement (other than a statement made
     fraudulently) made to it or a Related Party or any of their respective
     directors, officers, employees, agents and advisers and upon which it
     relied in entering into this Agreement but which is not expressly set out
     in this Agreement.

9.3  The Purchaser (for itself and as agent and trustee for and on behalf of
     each Related Party and their respective directors, officers, employees,
     agents and advisers) agrees that no representation, warranty, covenant or
     undertaking is or was given in or in relation to the Descriptive Memorandum
     or, unless and to the extent that any of the Warranties expressly applies
     to the same, any information, expression of opinion or future intention,
     forecast, speculation, assessment, projection, illustration, estimate,
     budget or advice contained or referred to in the Descriptive Memorandum or
     in any documentation made available to, or inspected by, the Purchaser or
     its advisers in connection with the due diligence undertaken by it in
     relation to the Company.

                                       23
<PAGE>
 
9.4  No breach of this Agreement shall in any event give rise to a right on the
     part of the Purchaser to rescind or terminate this Agreement. The sole
     remedy of the Purchaser in respect of any breach of this Agreement shall be
     in damages and shall be subject to the limitations contained in this
     Agreement.

9.5  The Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that the express terms of this
     Agreement are in lieu of all warranties, conditions, terms, undertakings
     and obligations implied by statute, common law or otherwise, all of which
     are hereby excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law.

9.6  The Vendor hereby confirms and undertakes to the Purchaser that it will not
     (and will procure that each of its Affiliates will not) at any time after
     the Completion Date in any circumstances bring any action claim or demand
     against the Company in respect of the Company Loan Note (or any
     indebtedness of the Company represented by the Company Loan Note)

10   ACCESS TO BOOKS AND RECORDS ETC

10.1 The Purchaser acknowledges:

     (i)    that, pursuant to an Agreement dated 30 June 1988, as amended by a
            so-called First Amendment and a so-called Second Amendment, (the
            `Original Purchase Agreement') made between the then shareholders
            (the "Sellers") of Biomedical Sensors (Holdings) Limited (`BSHL')
            (which was at that time, and so remained until 23 October 1996, the
            immediate parent company of the Company) and Howmedica International
            Inc (`HII') (which is the subsidiary of the Vendor) HII purchased
            the entire issued share capital of BSHL;

     (ii)   that it has been provided with a copy of the Original Purchase 
            Agreement;

     (iii)  that pursuant to Section 2.6 (i) of the Original Purchase Agreement
            HII undertook certain obligations concerning the keeping by the
            Company of certain books and records, the provision of certain
            information to the Sellers and permitting certain access to and
            examination of such books and records;

     (iv)   that HII's obligations under such Section 2.6(i) aforesaid are not
            yet discharged; and

     (v)    that if HII were unable to discharge its obligation sunder Section
            2.6(i) aforesaid it might be in breach thereof and incur liability
            and/or be subject to other legal remedies available to Sellers

                                       24
<PAGE>
 
10.2  The Purchaser undertakes and represents to the Vendor , for itself, and on
      behalf also of HII, (i) that the Purchaser will procure that the Company
      shall preserve for at least 30 months following the date hereof the books
      and records of the Company respecting sales of the MPC (as defined in the
      Original Purchase Agreement) and all other information falling within
      Section 2.6(i) aforesaid, including any amounts due to the Sellers (ii)
      that the Purchaser will procure that the Company will not destroy any such
      books and records without first notifying HII and the Vendor of such
      intention and giving the Vendor and HII reasonable opportunity themselves
      to take possession of such books and records or otherwise to take copies
      thereof (iii) that the Purchaser will procure that the Company will permit
      the Vendor, HII and/or the Sellers and/or any other persons contemplated
      to have access by Section 2.6(i) aforesaid (or any of them) access to all
      such records and books as will enable HII fully to discharge its
      obligations under the Original Purchase Agreement and, in particular,
      Section 2.6(i) thereof and (iv) that if, within the period of 30 months
      following the date hereof the Company, or the business or undertaking
      thereof, shall be sold or transferred to any other person the Purchaser
      will procure that the purchaser or transferee enters into and delivers to
      the Vendor and HII a similar undertaking to this one in favour of the
      Vendor and HII.

10.3  The Purchaser agrees that at any time, upon reasonable notice thereof
      being given to the Purchaser and at the cost of the Vendor, the Vendor may
      take and retain such copies of the Company's records as it may require in
      order to be able to comply with its obligations under Section 2.6(i)
      aforesaid. The Purchaser also acknowledges that the Vendor and/or HII has
      retained copies of certain of such books and records for such purpose and
      agrees that the Vendor and/or HII may retain these notwithstanding
      Completion taking place.

10.4  The Purchaser acknowledges that the Company has itself given to the Vendor
      and to HII acknowledgments, undertakings and representations in terms
      substantially similar (mutatis mutandis) to these set out in Clauses 10.1,
      10.2 and 10.3 above.

10.5  Purchaser agrees forthwith to give directly to HII acknowledgments,
      undertakings and representation in terms substantially similar to these
      set out in Clause 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3

11.   GENERAL PROVISIONS

11.1  COSTS

      Each of the parties hereto shall pay its own costs of and incidental to
      the negotiation, preparation and completion of this Agreement.

11.2  ANNOUNCEMENTS

      No announcement or circular in connection with the subject matter of this
      Agreement shall be made by or on behalf of the Vendor without the prior
      approval of the Purchaser 

                                       25
<PAGE>
 
      or by the Purchaser without the prior approval the Vendor save that in the
      event that the Purchaser is required by any applicable law or by the
      regulations of any stock exchange or other securities market on which any
      shares in or other securities of the Purchaser are listed to make any
      announcement or issue any circular the Purchaser may do so after first
      consulting the Vendor as to the contents thereof.

11.3  TIME OF THE ESSENCE

      Time shall be of the essence as regards any date or period mentioned in
      any Clause of this Agreement save only to the extent that any date or
      period may be altered by mutual agreement between the Vendor and the
      Purchaser whereupon time shall be of the essence as regards such date or
      period as so altered.

11.4  VARIATION

      No modification, variation or amendment of this Agreement shall be
      effective unless such modification, variation or amendment is in writing
      and has been signed by or on behalf of both the parties hereto.

11.5  NO ASSIGNMENT

      The Purchaser shall not be entitled to assign the benefit of this
      Agreement (or any part of it) to any other person and the Vendor shall not
      be entitled to assign its obligations under this Agreement (or any part of
      it) to any other person. The Purchaser confirms to Vendor that it is not
      acquiring the Contract Shares with a view to disposing of any of the
      Contract Shares or any of the assets of the Company other than in the
      ordinary course of business.

11.6  FURTHER ASSURANCE

      At any time after Completion each of the parties shall, at the request and
      cost of the other, execute such further documents and do such acts and
      things as may reasonably be necessary for the purpose of giving effect to
      the provisions of this Agreement.

11.7  INVALIDITY

      If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or
      unenforceable (in whole or in part) such provision or part shall to that
      extent be deemed not to form part of this Agreement but the remainder of
      this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
 
11.8  COUNTERPARTS

                                       26
<PAGE>
 
       This Agreement may be entered into in any number of counterparts and by
       the parties to it on separate counterparts, each of which when so
       executed and delivered shall be an original, but all the counterparts
       shall together constitute one and the same agreement.

11.9   GOOD FAITH

       In the implementation of this Agreement the parties undertake to observe
       the utmost good faith in their dealings with each other.
 
11.10  ACTIONS REQUIRED OF THIRD PARTIES

       Each of the parties agrees to use its reasonable endeavours to ensure, so
       far as it is reasonably practicable so to do, that any actions required
       of any member of the same group of companies as either such party in
       order to give effect to the transaction contemplated by this Agreement
       are duly undertaken.

11.11  GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

       This Agreement shall be governed by English law and the parties hereto
       hereby submit to the jurisdiction of the English Courts.

11.12  NOTICES

       Any notice required or authorised to be given hereunder and any process
       to be served in relation to or arising out of this Agreement ("NOTICE")
       shall be in writing and may be served personally or delivered to the
       address of the relevant party or parties as specified below, or to such
       other address as any one of the parties may from time to time notify to
       the other parties hereto for this purpose by Notice, or sent by
       registered mail (return receipt requested), certified mail or by a
       courier (with a receipt being obtained) addressed to the address of the
       relevant party or parties as specified below or to such other address as
       any one of the parties may from time to time notify to the other parties
       hereto for this purpose by Notice:

       11.12.1      if to the Vendor:
                    Address:  235 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10071
                    Attention:  Robert C. Ross

       11.12.2      if to the Purchaser:
                    Address:       2658 Patton Road
                                   St. Paul
                                   Minnesota 56118

                    Attention:     Chief Financial Officer

                                       27
<PAGE>
 
11.13  SERVICE OF NOTICES

       Any Notice served personally shall be deemed to have been given upon such
       service and any Notice delivered to the address specified in Clause 11.12
       shall be deemed to have been given when delivered. PROVIDED ALWAYS that
       if a Notice which is served personally or delivered is given on a day
       that is not a Business Day the relevant Notice shall be deemed to be
       given on the Business Day next following that day and PROVIDED FURTHER
       that if a Notice which is served personally or delivered is given after
       5.30 p.m. on a Business Day the relevant Notice shall be deemed to be
       given at 9.30 a.m. on the Business Day next following such Business Day.

AS WITNESS the hands of the parties hereto or their duly authorised
representatives the day and year first before written.

                                       28
<PAGE>
 
                                FIRST SCHEDULE

    (PARTICULARS OF THE COMPANY AS AT THE DATE HEREOF, PRIOR TO COMPLETION)


Date of incorporation:        9th November 1982

Place of Incorporation:       England and Wales

Registered Number:            1676781

Registered Office:            5 Manor Court Yard, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
                              HP13 5RE

Share capital (authorised):   (Pounds)29,829,089 divided into 22,829,089
                              Ordinary shares of (Pounds)1 each in the capital
                              of the Company and 7,000,000 9% non-cumulative
                              redeemable preference shares of (Pounds)1 each in
                              the capital of the Company.

Share capital (issued):       22,829,089 Ordinary shares issued fully paid or
                              credited as fully paid and 7,000,000 9% non-
                              cumulative redeemable preference shares issued
                              fully paid.

Shareholders
- ------------

H Inc.                        22,479,089 Ordinary shares of (Pounds)1 each in
                              the capital of the Company

                              7,000,000 9% non-cumulative redeemable preference
                              shares of (Pounds)1 each in the capital of the
                              Company

Directors:                    Tony George Robert Audley
                              Roy Johnson
                              Peter Albrighton

Secretary:                    Dr Robert Thomas

Accounting Reference Date:    30th November

Auditors:                     KPMG

Subsisting Mortgages, debentures and other registered charges: There exists a
charge over the George Street Premises in favour of Nuffield College in respect
of monies due or to become due under a licence for alterations dated 21.12.83.

                                       29
<PAGE>
 
                               SECOND SCHEDULE 

     (PARTICULARS OF CONTRACT SHARES AND ALLOCATION OF THE CONSIDERATION)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 
          (1)                 (2)                           (3)
          
          CONTRACT            AMOUNT OF                     AMOUNT OF
          SHARES              CONSIDERATION                 CONSIDERATION
                              TO BE PAID IN                 TO BE SATISFIED BY
                              CASH (US$) FOR THE            THE ISSUE OF THE 
                              CONTRACT SHARES               LOAN NOTE (US$ 
                              SPECIFIED IN COLUMN (1)       PRINCIPAL AMOUNT)
          <S>                 <C>                           <C> 

          22,829,089                $1,150,000              $5,575,000
          Ordinary Shares
          of (Pounds)1 each

          7,000,000                 $350,000                $1,725,000
          9% non-cumulative
          redeemable
          preference shares
          of (Pounds)1 each
                                    ------------            ------------- 
                                    US$1,500,000            US$7,300, 000
                                    ============            =============
</TABLE> 

                                       30
<PAGE>
 
                                THIRD SCHEDULE

                          (DETAILS OF THE PROPERTIES)

                                    PART I
                                (UK PROPERTIES)

1.   GEORGE STREET, HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKS

     Under lease dated 1st December 1980 between:

     (1) Warden and Fellows of Nurfield College in the University of Oxford
     (2) JM Jones & Sons (Holdings) Limited

     Term:  25 years from 29.09.80

     Current Rent:  (Pounds)105,000 p.a.

2.   SHORT STREET, HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKS

     Lease dated 16.04.92 between:

     (1)  AJ and SC Packford
     (2)  The Company
     (3)  Pfizer Inc (surety)

     Term: 4 years from and including 16.04.92 Extended by a Deed of Variation
     dated 15.04.96 (to which Pfizer Inc is not a party) to 5 years from and
     including 16.04.92

     Current Rent:  (Pounds)41,000 p.a. (As adjusted by deed of variation)

3.   4 MANOR COURT YARD, HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKS
 
     Lease of 4 Manor Court. Yard (formerly Unit 1D) dated 16.01.90 between:

     (1)  Bluevale Limited
     (2)  The Company

     Term:  25 years to 15.01.2015 (break clause at Jan 1998)

     Current Rent:  (Pounds)27,500

                                       31
<PAGE>
 
     Title No: 4 Manor Court:   BM 147113
 
4.   5 MANOR COURT YARD, HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKS
 
     Lease of 5 Manor Court. Yard (formerly Unit 1E) dated 16.01.90 between:
 
     (1)  Bluevale Limited
     (2)  The Company
 
     Term: 25 years to 15.01.2015 (break clause at Jan 1998)
 
     Current Rent: (Pounds)27,500

     Title No: 5 Manor Court :  BM 147114



                                    PART II
                                (US PROPERTIES)


1.   293 Great Valley Parkway Great Valley Corporate Center, Malvern PA 19355
     between:

     (1)  Morehall Associates Limited Partnership
     (2)  Biomedical Sensors, a division of Shiley Inc.

     Agreement for lease of premises dated 11.11.91
 
     Term: to 31 October 1997
 
     Current Rent:  US$25,650
 
2.   Paoli Technology Enterprise Center Lease dated 24.07.87 between:
 
     (1)  PTEC Associates, Inc.
     (2)  Biomedical Sensors Inc
 
     Term:  Annual (renewable July)
 
     Current Rent:  US$27,000
 
     Total annual costs:  US$35,000

                                       32
<PAGE>
 
                                FOURTH SCHEDULE
                                 THE WARRANTIES


In accordance with Clause 5 of the Agreement the Vendor gives each of the
following warranties, representations and undertakings subject to the matters
stated in the Disclosure Letter and Clause 5 but otherwise subject to no
qualification whatever.


ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS

1.1  As at the Accounting Date the balance sheet contained in the Accounts gave
     a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company at the
     Accounting Date.

1.2  As at the Accounting Date the profit and loss account contained in the
     Accounts gave a true and fair view of the profit of the Company during the
     financial period to which it related.

2    Copies of the Management Accounts have been supplied to the Purchaser and,
     so far as the Vendor is aware, the information in such Accounts is fair and
     not misleading.

3    The information contained in Schedule 1 and the details of the Contract
     Shares contained in Schedule 2 are true and accurate in all respects.

4.1  So far as the Vendor is aware compliance has been made with all legal
     requirements in connection with the formation of the Company and all issues
     and grants of shares, debentures, notes, mortgages or other securities of
     the Company.

4.2  So far as the Vendor is aware the statutory books (including all registers
     and minute books) of the Company have been properly kept and contain an
     accurate record of the matters which should be dealt with in those books
     and no notice or allegation that any of them is materially incorrect or
     should be rectified in any material way has been received.

POSITION SINCE THE ACCOUNTING DATE

5.   Since the Accounting Date there has not been:

                                       33
<PAGE>
 
     5.1  any commitment made involving any single item of material capital
          expenditure by the Company in excess of (Pounds)30,000, nor
          commitments made by the Company in aggregate involving capital
          expenditure in excess of (Pounds)300,000;
 
     5.2  any acquisition by the Company of any asset otherwise than in the
          ordinary course of business;

     5.3  any acquisition by the Company of any other business or body corporate
          or any part thereof or any share or shares therein;

     5.4  except in the ordinary course of business any disposal of any of the
          assets of the Company;
 
     5.5  save with respect to the issue of shares in connection with the
          matters mentioned in Recital (B) , any issue of share or loan capital
          by the Company, any increase in the authorised share capital of the
          Company, any purchase or redemption by the Company of any shares in
          the Company or any reduction of the capital of the Company;

     5.6  except for any dividends provided for in the Accounts, any
          distribution by the Company (whether of capital or income) or dividend
          or bonus declared or paid on any part of its share capital.

     5.7  any loan made by the Company which remains outstanding which has
          become due and payable in whole or in part to the Company;

     5.8  any trade and business of the Company which has been carried on other
          than in the ordinary and normal course;

     5.9  any change to Company's accounting reference date.

CAPITAL

6.1  The Company has not allotted or issued any share capital currently in
     existence other than the shares shown in Schedules 1 and 2 as being issued.

6.2  No Contract has been entered into which requires or may require the Company
     to allot or issue any share or loan capital and the Company has not
     allotted or issued any securities which are convertible into share or loan
     capital.

THE PROPERTIES

                                       34
<PAGE>
 
7.1   The Third Schedule specifies all the land and buildings owned, used or
      occupied by the Company whether freehold or leasehold or of any other
      tenure and whether situated in England and Wales or elsewhere.

7.2   The Company is not now nor will at Completion be under any obligation to
      purchase, lease, sublease, use or otherwise occupy or to acquire any
      rights of any nature whatsoever in respect of any other land or buildings
      wheresoever situated.

7.3   The Properties are now and will at Completion be of the respective tenures
      specified in that Schedule

7.4   All deeds and other documents necessary to prove or show title to each of
      the Properties are in the possession of or held to the order of the
      Company

8.1   The UK Properties are free from all mortgages, charges, liens, debentures
      (whether fixed or floating), options, covenants, agreements, claims and
      overriding interests (as defined in section 70 of the Land Registration
      Act 1925) or any other encumbrance affecting the Company's title to the
      Properties.

8.2   The US Properties are free from all mortgages, liens and other
      encumbrances affecting the Company's title to the US Properties.

8.3   As far as the Vendor is aware there are no subsisting disputes or
      outstanding notices or, in the case of leasehold property, rights for the
      lessor thereof to break the term.

9.    All rents and service charges have been paid to date and during the
      Company's ownership of the relevant Property so far as the Vendor is aware
      no notice of any alleged material breach of any of the terms of any lease
      or tenancy agreement under which any of the Properties is held has been
      received by the Company.

10.1  All leases, tenancies, licences and agreements to which any of the
      Properties are subject are either summarised in the particulars thereof
      set out in the Third Schedule hereto or are referred to or annexed to the
      Disclosure Letter.

10.2  There are no rent reviews in the course of being determined or, save as
      disclosed in the leases, tenancy agreements, licence agreements or other
      agreements supplied to the Purchaser by the Vendor, exercisable by the
      lessor from a date prior to the Completion Date.

OTHER ASSETS

11.   The Company is the owner of all fixed and loose plant, equipment, raw
      materials and vehicles and every other asset reflected in the accounts and
      used in connection with its 

                                       35
<PAGE>
 
      business (hereinafter together referred to as "plant and equipment"). So
      far as the Vendor is aware the plant and equipment is free from any credit
      sale, conditional sale or hire purchase agreement or agreement reserving
      title to any other person or for payment on hiring or deferred terms
      except for:

      11.1  any hire or lease agreement in the ordinary course of business;

      11.2  reservation of title provisions in respect of goods and materials
            acquired by the Company in the ordinary course of business; and

      11.3  liens arising in the ordinary course of business by operation of
            law.


LOANS, CHARGES AND GUARANTEES

12.1  The Company has not now outstanding and has not agreed (conditionally or
      unconditionally) to create any loan capital (whether secured or unsecured)
      or any mortgage, debenture, charge, lien or other encumbrance over any of
      its assets or undertaking whether present or future.

12.2  So far as the Vendor is aware the Company had no outstanding indebtedness
      as of 27 September 1996 which is not reflected in the Management Accounts
      as at 27 September 1996.

13.1  No guarantee or indemnity has been given or granted by the Company in
      respect of the discharge of the liabilities or the performance of any of
      the obligations (whether present or future) of any other person or any
      suretyship in respect thereof.

13.2  The Company does not have the benefit of any guarantee or indemnity given
      by any third party save as disclosed in the Disclosure Letter.

14.   The Company is not in material default under the terms of any borrowing
      made by it.

15.   There are no loans made by or to the Company to or by any of its directors
      or members.

16.   The Company has not applied for or received any grant, subsidy, payment or
      allowance from any government, authority, body or agency (whether supra-
      national, national, regional or local) which may at any time be or become
      repaid or repayable.

INSOLVENCY

                                       36
<PAGE>
 
17.1  No order has been made and no resolution has been passed for the winding-
      up of the Company and no meeting has been convened and so far as the
      Vendor is aware no petition has been presented for the purpose of winding-
      up the Company.

17.2  No administration order has been made and so far as the Vendor is aware no
      petition for such an order has been presented in respect of the Company.

17.3  No receiver (which expression shall include an administrative receiver)
      has been appointed in respect of the Company or all or any of its assets.

17.4  The Company is not insolvent or unable to pay its debts within the meaning
      of section 123 of the Insolvency Act 1986.

17.5  No voluntary arrangement has been approved under Part I Insolvency Act
      1986 and no compromise or arrangement has been sanctioned under section
      425 of the Act in respect of the Company.

17.6  No distress, execution or other process which remains undischarged has
      been levied on the assets of the Company, the Company has not stopped the
      payment of its debts or received a written demand pursuant to Section
      123(1)(a) Insolvency Act 1986 and it is not unable to pay its debts within
      the meaning of Section 123 Insolvency Act 1986 nor could it be deemed to
      be unable to pay its debts within the meaning of Section 123 Insolvency
      Act 1986.

17.7  The Vendor is not aware that the Company has received notice of a
      disqualification order made pursuant to the provisions of the Company
      Directors Disqualification Act 1986 against any current officer or
      employee of the Company.


CONDUCT OF BUSINESS, CONTRACTS, ETC.

18.1  The Company is not a party to any agreement a copy of which has not been
      supplied to the Purchaser or details of which have not been given in the
      Disclosure Letter:

      18.1.1   which is of a long term nature or involves obligations of a
               material nature or magnitude; nor

      18.1.2   which is outside the ordinary course of business of the Company.
 
19.1  So far as the Vendor is aware, with respect to each medical device
      currently manufactured or marketed by the Company, excepting medical
      devices currently manufactured or marketed by the Company in Japan,
      application has been made by or on behalf of the Company for or there has
      been obtained by or on behalf of the Company all applicable 

                                       37
<PAGE>
 
      licenses, registrations, approvals, clearances, and authorisations
      required by local, state, or federal agencies, foreign or domestic,
      regulating the safety, effectiveness, manufacturing or market clearance of
      such medical device which are necessary for such medical device to be
      manufactured or marketed in the jurisdiction or jurisdictions in which it
      is currently manufactured or marketed.

19.2  With respect to each medical device currently manufactured or marketed by
      the Company in Japan, the Company has, where necessary for such medical
      device to be manufactured or marketed, a `Shonin' Product Approval/Licence
      (but no warranty is given as to whether the Company has any import
      licences which may be necessary for such medical device to be manufactured
      or marketed in Japan).

19.3  So far as the Vendor is aware, all material written data and information
      submitted by the Company to all such authorities are truthful and accurate
      in all material respects and no material facts have been omitted from such
      submissions

20.   There are no agreements in force which (whether conditionally or
      unconditionally) require or confer the right to require the allotment or
      issue of any share capital of the Company now or at any time in the future
      and no person is entitled to any option in respect of any of the Contract
      Shares.


                            DIRECTORS AND EMPLOYEES

21.   So far as the Vendor is aware there is no subsisting contract of service
      between the Company and any director or employee of the Company which
      cannot be terminated without breach of contract by giving prior notice of
      three months or less under which emoluments are at a rate in excess of
      (Pounds)30,000 per annum.

22.   There has not since the Accounting Date been any material alteration in
      the terms of employment or any material increase in any fees or emoluments
      paid or payable to any director or employee of the Company.

23.   There is no share option or share incentive scheme of any nature
      whatsoever in operation by or in relation to the Company for any of its
      directors or employees.

24.   So far as the Vendor is aware no employee of the Company as at the date
      hereof has been engaged by the Company since the Accounting Date other
      than in the ordinary course of business and/or so far as the Vendor is
      aware no person employed by the Company at or since the Accounting Date
      has, since the Accounting Date, ceased or given or received notice to
      cease, to be so employed.

25.   So far as the Vendor is aware the Company is not involved, and has not
      during the 12 months prior to the date of this Agreement been involved, in
      any strike, lock-out, 

                                       38
<PAGE>
 
      industrial or trade dispute or any negotiations with any trade union or
      body of employees.

                                    PENSIONS

26.1  Full particulars of all plans, schemes, or arrangements in relation to
      death, disability or retirement for or in respect of the employees of the
      Company have been disclosed.

26.2  Full particulars of the basis on which the Company makes, or is liable to
      contributions to any of the plans, schemes or arrangements referred to in
      paragraph 26.1 hereof have been disclosed in writing to the Purchaser.

27.   All contributions which are payable by the Company in respect of any of
      the plans, schemes or arrangements referred to in paragraph 26.1 hereof
      and all contributions due from the employees of the Company as members of
      such plans, schemes or arrangements have been duly made at the date
      hereof.

28.   With the exception of the pension scheme details of which appear in the
      Disclosure Letter there are no:

      28.1  agreements or arrangements for the provision of any relevant
            benefits (as defined in Section 612(1) of the Taxes Act 1988) or
            similar benefit (including any pension, annuity, lump sum, gratuity
            or other like benefit) to be given on retirement, or in anticipation
            of retirement or after retirement in connection with past service,
            or to be given on or in anticipation of or in connection with any
            change in the nature of the service of the person in question or on
            death or disability; or

      28.2  informal or ex-gratia pension arrangements, customs or practices
            (whether or not legally enforceable or schemes involving the Company
            for the provision of such benefits;
 
      for any employee, former employee, director or former director, officer or
      former officer of the company or for any dependents of any such person and
      no proposals for such arrangements have been announced by the Company.

                                   LITIGATION

29.1  As at the date hereof the Company is not involved in any material
      litigation, arbitration, prosecution or other legal proceedings nor has it
      been threatened in writing therewith.


29.2  The Vendor is not aware of any unsatisfied judgment or unfulfilled order
      outstanding against the Company or that the Company is a party to any
      outstanding undertaking or 

                                       39
<PAGE>
 
      assurance given to a court, tribunal or any other person in connection
      with the determination or settlement of any claim or proceedings.

                             TAXES AND DUTIES ETC.

      Tax Residence
      -------------

30.1  The Company is resident in the United Kingdom for the purposes of United
      Kingdom taxation and has not been resident for taxation purposes in any
      other country under the laws of that country.

30.2  The Company has not at any time, prior to the Transfer Date, been subject
      to Taxation in any jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom or, prior to
      the Transfer Date, had a branch outside the United Kingdom or any
      permanent establishment (as that expression is defined in the respective
      double taxation relief orders current at the date hereof) outside the
      United Kingdom.

30.3  The Company is not assessable and has not at any time been assessable to
      tax under Section 78 Taxes Management Act 1970.

      Accounts and Returns
      --------------------

31.1  Full provision was made in the Accounts for taxation assessed on or
      measured by reference to all profits earned up to the Accounting Date and
      other taxation liabilities for which the Company was at the Accounting
      Date liable to be assessed and so far as the Vendor is aware, having also
      made enquiry of the Company's Auditors, all liabilities (including
      contingent and deferred liabilities) of the Company for tax as at the
      Accounting Date are fully provided for in the Accounts.

31.2  The Company has properly and punctually effected all requisite
      registrations, made all relevant returns, kept all relevant records, given
      all relevant notices and made all relevant payments for the purposes of
      taxation and there are not, nor, so far as the Vendor is aware are there
      likely to be, any disputes whatsoever with the Inland Revenue or other
      taxation authorities, the Companies Registry, the Department of Trade,
      Customs and Excise authorities, H.M. Treasury, The Bank of England or any
      other governmental (whether national or local) department or body whether
      in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.


      Penalties and Interest
      ---------------------- 

31.3  The Company has not within the period of six years ending on the date
      hereof paid or become liable to pay any penalty or interest charged by
      virtue of the provisions of the Taxes Management Act 1970 or otherwise.

                                       40
<PAGE>
 
       Investigation
       -------------

31.4   The Company has not within the period of six years ending on the date
       hereof been subject to an investigation, audit or visit (other than of a
       routine nature) involving HM Customs and Excise, the Inland Revenue or
       any other relant tax. authority.

       PAYE and Employees
       ------------------

32.1.  The Company has properly operated the Pay As You Earn and National
       Insurance systems deducting tax as required by law and all sums in
       respect thereof have been paid to the Inland Revenue (in so far as such
       taxation ought to have been paid).

32.2.  So far as the Vendor is aware, having also made enquiry of the Company's
       Auditors, prior to the date hereof the Company has not made any payment
       to or provided any benefit for any officer or employee or ex-officer or
       ex-employee of the Company which is not allowable as a deduction in
       calculating the profits of the Company for taxation purposes and the
       Company is under no obligation to make any such payments or provide any
       such benefit.

       Deductions
       ----------

33.    All payments by the Company to any person prior to the date hereof which
       ought to have been made under deduction of tax have been so made and the
       Company has accounted to the Inland Revenue for the tax so deducted to
       the extent it ought to have done so.

       Value Added Tax
       ---------------

34.1   The Company is a registered and taxable person for the purposes of value
       added tax and, so far as the Vendor is aware, has complied in all
       material respects with the requirements relating to VAT.

34.2   The Company is not and has not been a member of a VAT group for United
       Kingdom tax purposes.

34.3   No claim has been made at the date hereof by the Company for bad debt
       relief under section 36 of the Value Added Tax Act 1994.

34.4   The Company has not elected to waive exemption from value added tax under
       the provisions of paragraph 2 of Schedule 10 to the Value Added Tax Act
       1994 in respect of any interest in land or buildings held by the Company.

                                       41
<PAGE>
 
34.5   The Company has not within the period of 6 years preceding the date
       hereof purchased or otherwise acquired any capital items which may be
       subject to adjustment of input tax under Part XI of the Value Added Tax
       Regulations 1995.

34.6   So far as the Vendor is aware the Company has not within the two years
       ending on the date hereof been served with any penalty liability notice
       or any surcharge liability notice or been issued with any written warning
       for the purposes of value added tax.

34.7   The Company has not been required by the Commissioners of Customs &
       Excise to give security.

34.8   The Company is not, and has agreed to become, an agent, manager or factor
       for the purposes of Section 47 of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 of any
       person who is not resident in the United Kingdom.

34.9   All supplies of goods and services made by the Company are taxable
       supplies for the purposes of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 and so far as
       Vendor is aware the Company has not been and will not be denied credit
       for any input tax by reason of the operation of Section 26 of the Value
       Added Tax Act 1994 or otherwise

       Capital Allowances
       ------------------

35.    If a pool of capital assets of the Company were disposed of at the date
       hereof, or a disposal is made of any asset not in a pool at the date
       hereof, for a consideration equal to the book value of that pool of
       assets or (as the case may be) that asset in or adopted for the purpose
       of the Accounts no balancing charge under the Capital Allowances Act 1990
       would arise.

       Chargeable Gains
       ----------------

36.1   If each of the capital assets of the Company were disposed of at the date
       hereof for a consideration equal to the book value of that asset in or
       adopted for the purpose of the Accounts no liability to corporation tax
       on a chargeable gain would arise.

36.2   The Company has not at any time:

       36.2.1  acquired any asset from any company which at the time of the
               acquisition was a member of the same group of companies as
               defined in Section 170 TCGA 1992;

       36.2.2  been a party to any such reconstruction as is described in
               Section 343 of the Taxes Act 1988;

                                       42
<PAGE>
 
       36.2.3  been the subject or otherwise involved in any arrangements as are
               referred to in Section 240(11) or 410 of the Taxes Act 1988;

       36.2.4  been and so far as the Vendor's are aware there are no
               circumstances by virtue of which the Company could be, assessed
               or charged to corporation tax by virtue of the provisions of
               Section 178(9), 179(11), 190 or 191 TCGA and is not entitled to
               recover or liable to have recovered from it any sums paid
               pursuant to any of those Section; or

       36.2.5  ceased to be a member of a group of companies in such
               circumstances that a profit or grain was deemed to accrue to the
               Company by virtue of Section 178 or 179 TCGA 1992 and neither the
               execution of this Agreement nor Completion will result in any
               profit or gain being deemed to accrue to the Company for any
               taxation purpose whether pursuant to Section 178 or 179 TCGA 1992
               or otherwise.

       Group Relief and Advance Corporation Tax
       ----------------------------------------

37.    The Disclosure Letter contains:

       37.1    full and complete particulars of all arrangements and agreements
               relating to group relief (as defined in section 402 of the Taxes
               Act 1988) to which the Company is or has been a party in the
               three years ending on the date hereof and:

               37.1.1  all claims made by the Company for group relief whether
                       or not made in the said three year period were, when
                       made, valid and have been or will be allowed by way of
                       relief from corporation tax;

               37.1.2  the Company has not at any time made and is not liable to
                       make any payment under any such arrangement or agreement;

               37.1.3  the Company has received all payments due to it under any
                       such arrangement or agreement for surrender of group
                       relief made by it;

       37.2    and complete particulars of all arrangements and agreements to
               which the Company is or has been a party under section 240 of the
               Taxes Act 1988 (set-off of surplus advance corporation tax) in
               the three years ending on the date hereof and:

               37.2.1  the Company has not paid and is not liable to pay any
                       advance corporation tax which is or may become incapable
                       of set off against the Company's liability to corporation
                       tax; and

                                       43
<PAGE>
 
               37.2.2  the Company has received all payments due to it under any
                       such arrangement or agreement for all surrenders of
                       advance corporation tax made by it.

       Distributions
       -------------

38.    No distribution within the meaning of Part VI of the Taxes Act 1988 has
       been made by the Company since 30th June 1988 except dividends shown in
       its audited accounts nor is the Company bound to make any such
       distribution.

39.    The Company has not issued any bonus share capital since 30th June 1988.

40.    Except as reflected in the Accounts there is no liability (including a
       contingent liability) of the Company which arises under section 189 TCGA
       (capital distribution of chargeable gains: recovery of tax from
       shareholder).

       Foreign Companies and Overseas Trade etc
       ----------------------------------------

41.    No claim has been made by the Company under section 13 of the TCGA
       (foreign assets: delayed remittances) or section 279 TCGA 1992 (foreign
       assets: delayed remittance) or section 584 (unremittable overseas income)
       of the Taxes Act 1988.


       Close Companies
       ---------------

42.    The Company is not nor has in the last 6 years been a close company as
       defined in section 414 Taxes Act 1988.

       Inheritance Tax
       ---------------

43.1   There is not outstanding any Inland Revenue charge under section 237 of
       the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 over any assets of or shares in the Company.

43.2   No person has by virtue of section 212 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984
       (powers to raise tax) any power of sale, mortgage or charge in relation
       to any shares, securities or assets of the Company.

       Stamp Duty
       ----------

44.1   All documents in the possession or under the control of the Company to
       which the Company is a party and which attract stamp duty have been
       properly stamped, no claim for exemption from or reduction of stamp duty
       is outstanding and no exemption already granted can be withdrawn,
       canceled or deemed not allowed and so far as the Vendor is aware there is
       no outstanding liability to or in respect of stamp duty reserve tax.

                                       44
<PAGE>
 
       Anti-Avoidance
       --------------

44.2   Other than transactions carried into effect in accordance within the
       terms of a relevant application and corresponding valid and effective
       consent or clearance obtained on the basis of full and accurate
       disclosure to the Inland Revenue, the Company has not at any time since
       the Company became a member of the Pfizer Group nor, so far as the Vendor
       is aware, prior to that date, been a party to any transaction to which,
       and circumstances have not arisen as a result of which, any of the
       following provisions have been or could reasonably be applied:

       44.2.1   section 139(5) TCGA 1992 (Company reconstruction or
                amalgamation: transfer of assets);

       44.2.2   sections 135 and 136 TCGA 1992 (exchange of securities and
                reconstruction or amalgamation involving issue of securities);

       44.2.3   sections 213 to 218 Taxes Act 1988 and section 192 TCGA 1992
                (demergers);

       44.2.4   sections 56 (transactions in deposits etc), 399 (dealings in
                commodity futures etc), 410 (arrangements for transfer of
                company), 395 (leasing contracts), 116 (arrangements for
                transferring relief) and section 118 (restrictions on relief) of
                the Taxes Act; and

       44.2.5   sections 703, 729, 730, 747, 765, 768, 768A, 770, and 776 to 787
                (inclusive) Taxes Act 1988.


       Post Accounting Date
       --------------------

45.    So far as the Vendor is aware since the Accounting Date:

       45.1  no event has occurred outside the ordinary course of business of
             the Company which has given rise or will or may give rise to a
             liability to Taxation on the Company in respect of deemed (as
             opposed to actual) income, profit or gains; and

       45.2  the Company has not entered into any transaction outside the
             ordinary course of business of the Company which has given rise or
             may give rise to a liability to Taxation on a chargeable gain.

 
                                   INSURANCE

                                       45
<PAGE>
 
46.    Particulars of the Company's insurances have been disclosed to the
       Purchaser.


                           INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ETC.

47.    The Company owns the intellectual property listed in Annexures 2 and 3.

48.    All intellectual property used by the Company in connection with its
       business is registered in the name of the Company as proprietor if such
       intellectual property is capable of registration and no licences,
       registered user or other rights in respect thereof have been granted to
       any third party.

49.    So far as the Vendor is aware the Company has not received any notice
       that any person is infringing any of the Company's patents.

                                 MISCELLANEOUS

50.    The Vendor has full power to enter into and perform this Agreement and
       this Agreement constitutes obligations binding on the Vendor in
       accordance with its terms.

51.    So far as the Vendor is aware the execution of this Agreement and the
       observance and performance of its provisions will not and will not be
       likely to:-

       51.1  result in a material breach of any Contract, law, regulation,
             order, judgment, injunction, undertaking, decree or other like
             imposition to or by which the Company and/or the Vendor is party or
             are bound, or entitle any person to terminate or avoid any Contract
             to which the Company and/or the Vendor is party, or have any
             material effect on any such Contract;

       51.2  result in any present or future indebtedness of the Company
             becoming due and payable, or capable of being declared due and
             payable, prior to its stated maturity date or in any financial
             facility of the Company being withdrawn.

                                       46
<PAGE>
 
                                 FIFTH SCHEDULE

                               TAXATION COVENANT


PART I - INTERPRETATION

1.   Interpretation

     In this SCHEDULE:

1.1  save as herein otherwise provided words and expressions defined in Clause 1
     of this Agreement shall bear the same meanings in this Schedule and any
     provisions in the Agreement concerning matters of interpretation or
     construction shall apply equally to this Schedule; the following
     expressions have the following meanings unless inconsistent with the
     context:-

     EXPRESSION             MEANING

     "ACT"                  Advance corporation tax

     "the Auditors"         The auditors for the time being of the Company

     "the Balance Sheet"    The audited balance sheet of the Company as at the
                            Accounting Date

     "CAA"                  Capital Allowances Act 1990

     "Claim"                Any notice, demand, assessment, letter or other
                            document issued, or action taken, by or on behalf of
                            any Taxation Authority and the submission of any
                            Taxation form, return or computation from which, in
                            either case, it appears to the Purchaser that the
                            Company is or may be subject to a Liability to
                            Taxation or other liability in respect of which the
                            Vendor is or may be liable under paragraph 2 of this
                            Schedule

     "Dispute"              Any dispute, appeal, negotiations or other
                            proceedings in connection with a Claim

     "Event"                Any event, fact or circumstance whatsoever including
                            but not limited to:

                                       47
<PAGE>
 
                                (a) any transaction, action or omission (whether
                                    or not the Company is party to it);     

                                (b) the earning, receipt or accrual for any
                                    Taxation purpose of any income, profits or
                                    gains; 

                                (c) the incurring for any Taxation purpose of
                                    any loss or expenditure;  
                                                              
                                (d) the declaration, payment or making of any
                                    dividend or other distribution;

                                (e) the sale and purchase of the Contract Shares
                                    pursuant to this Agreement; and

                                (f) Completion

     "FA"                       Finance Act

     "Group Relief"             The meaning given to that expression by section
                                402 ICTA

     "ICTA"                     Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988

     "IHTA"                     Inheritance Tax Act 1984

     "Liability to Taxation"    Any liability of the Company to make an actual
                                payment of Taxation (whether or not the Company
                                is primarily so liable and whether or not the
                                Company has any right of recovery against any
                                other person) and the Company shall be treated
                                for the purposes of the Covenant in Part II of
                                this Schedule as having a liability to make an
                                actual payment of Taxation in circumstances
                                where the Company would have had such a
                                liability but for the utilisation of any Relief
                                which arises after Completion.

     "Relief"                   (a) any relief, allowance, exemption, set-off,
                                    deduction or credit available from, against
                                    or in relation to Taxation or in the
                                    computation for any Taxation purpose of
                                    income, profits or gains; and

                                (b) any right to a repayment of Taxation

                                       48
<PAGE>
 
     "Saving"                 The reduction or elimination of any liability of
                              the Company to make an actual payment of
                              corporation tax in respect of which the Vendor
                              would not have been liable under paragraph 2 of
                              this Schedule by the use of any Relief arising
                              wholly as a result of a Liability to Taxation in
                              respect of which the Vendor has made a payment
                              under such paragraph 2

     "Taxation"               (a)  any tax duty, impost or levy, past or
                                   present, of the United Kingdom or elsewhere,
                                   whether governmental, state, provincial,
                                   local governmental or municipal, including
                                   but not limited to income tax (including
                                   income tax required to be deducted or
                                   withheld from or accounted for in respect of
                                   any payment under section 203 ICTA or
                                   otherwise), corporation tax, ACT, capital
                                   gains tax, inheritance tax, VAT, customs and
                                   other import or export duties, rates, stamp
                                   duty, stamp duty reserve tax, national
                                   insurance and social security contributions;
                                   and

                              (b)  any fine, penalty, surcharge, interest or
                                   other imposition relating to any tax, duty,
                                   impost or levy mentioned in paragraph (a) of
                                   this definition or to any account, record,
                                   form, return or computation required to be
                                   kept, preserved, maintained or submitted to
                                   any person for the purposes of any such tax,
                                   duty, impost or levy

     "Taxation Statute"       Any authority, whether of the United Kingdom or
                              elsewhere, competent to impose, assessor collect
                              Taxation, including but not limited to the Board
                              of Inland Revenue, the Commissioners of Customs
                              and Excise and the Department of Social Security

     "Taxation Statute"       Any statute (and all regulations and other
                              documents having the force of law under such
                              statute) published, enacted, issued or coming into
                              force on or before the date of this Agreement
                              relating to Taxation
 
     "TCGA"                   Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992
 
     "TMA"                    Taxes Management Act 1970
 

                                       49
<PAGE>
 
     "VAT"                         Value added tax
 
     "VATA"                        Value Added Tax Act 1994

1.2  references to Events include Events which are deemed to have occurred for
     any Taxation purpose and references to income, profits or gains earned,
     received or accrued for any Taxation purpose include income, profits or
     gains which are deemed to have been earned, received or accrued for any
     Taxation purpose;

1.3  references to the loss of a Relief include the disallowance of a Relief and
     the failure to obtain a Relief (whether as a result of the surrender of the
     Relief to another company or otherwise);

1.4  any stamp duty which is charged on any document, or in the case of a
     document which is outside the United Kingdom any stamp duty which would be
     charged on the document if it were brought into the United Kingdom, which
     is necessary to establish the title of the Company to any asset or in the
     enforcement or production of which the Company is interested, and any
     interest, fine or penalty relating to such stamp duty, will be deemed to be
     a liability of the Company to make an actual payment of Taxation; and

1.5  references to any statute or statutory provisions will, unless the context
     otherwise requires, be construed as including references to any earlier
     statute or the corresponding provisions of any earlier statute, whether
     repealed or not, directly or indirectly amended, consolidate, extended or
     replaced by such statute or provisions, and to any subsequent statute or
     the corresponding provisions of any subsequent statute directly or
     indirectly amending, consolidating, extending, replacing or re-enacting the
     same, and will include any orders, regulations, instruments or other
     subordinate legislation made under the relevant statute or statutory
     provisions.

PART II - TAX COVENANT

2.   Covenant

2.1  Subject to the provisions of this Part II of this Schedule the Vendor
     covenants with the Purchaser to pay to the Purchaser an amount equal to:-

2.2  any liability to Taxation which has arisen or arises as a result of any
     Event which occurred on or before Completion, whether or not such Liability
     to Taxation has been discharged on or before Completion; and

2.3  any Liability to Taxation which arises under section 767A ICTA, section 132
     FA 1988 or section 179, 189, 190 or 191 TCGA as a result of the combined
     effect of two or more Events, the first of which occurred on or before
     Completion; and

                                       50
<PAGE>
 
2.4  any Liability to Taxation which arises as a result of any Event which
     occurs after Completion pursuant to a legally binding obligation (whether
     or not conditional) entered into by the Company on or before Completion
     otherwise than in the ordinary course of business of the Company; and

2.5  any liability of the Company to make a payment in respect of Taxation which
     has arisen or arises as a result of or in connection with any Event which
     occurred on or before Completion, whether or not such liability has been
     discharged on or before Completion, including but not limited to:-

     2.5.1   any liability of the Company to make a payment in respect of
             Taxation under any indemnity, covenant, guarantee or charge entered
             into by the Company on or before Completion; and

     2.5.2   any liability of the Company to make a payment in respect of
             Taxation under any agreement or arrangement relating to the
             surrender of Group Relief, ACT or any other Relief or to any VAT
             Group, in either case entered into by the Company on or before
             Completion; and

2.6  any costs, fees or expenses reasonably and properly incurred by the Company
     or the Purchaser in connection with:-

     2.6.1   any liability to taxation or other liability in respect of which
             the Vendors are liable under any of paragraphs 2.1 to 2.4; or

     2.6.2   taking or defending any action (including but not limited to
             legal proceedings) under this Part II of this Schedule

3.   Exclusions

3.1  The Vendor will not be liable under paragraph 2 of this Schedule in respect
     of a Liability to Taxation or other liability of the Company to the extent
     to which:-

     3.1.1   such Liability to Taxation or other liability was discharged on or
             before the Accounting Date and the discharge of such Liability to
             Taxation or other liability was recognised in the Balance Sheet or
             the Management Accounts; or

     3.1.2   provision or reserve was made or reflected in the Balance Sheet or
             the Management Accounts for such Liability to Taxation or other
             liability; or

     3.1.3   such Liability to Taxation or other liability would not have arisen
             but for any Event which occurred in the ordinary course of business
             of the Company after the Accounting Date and on or before
             Completion; or
 

                                       51
<PAGE>
 
        3.1.4   payment has already been made in respect of such Liability to
                Taxation or other liability under this Part II of this Schedule
                or under the Warranties; or

        3.1.5   such Liability to Taxation or other liability would not have
                arisen but for a change in legislation (including but not
                limited to an increase in rates of Taxation) or in the published
                practice or concession of any Taxation Authority first enacted
                or announced after Completion; or

        3.1.6   such Liability to Taxation or other liability would not have
                arisen but for a voluntary act, transaction or omission of the
                Company after Completion:-

                3.1.6.1   otherwise than pursuant to a legally binding
                          obligation entered into by the Company on or before
                          Completion or imposed on the Company by any
                          legislation whether coming into force before, on or
                          after Completion; and

                3.1.6.2   which the Purchaser was aware or ought reasonably to
                          have been aware would give rise to the Liability to
                          Taxation or other liability in question; and

                3.1.6.3   otherwise than in the ordinary course of business of
                          the Company

3.1.7   to the extent that such Tax Liability arises by virtue of any disclaimer
        or disallowance of industrial building or other capital allowances or
        other transaction by the Company after Completion which has the effect
        of increasing the Tax Liability of the Company in respect of any period
        ending on or before the Accounting Date;

3.1.8   to the extent that the Tax Liability arises or is increased in
        consequence of any failure by the Purchaser to comply with, or failure
        to procure the compliance of the Company with, any of their respective
        obligations under this Schedule;

3.1.9   to the extent that such Tax Liability results from or is increased or
        extended by the change of the accounting reference date of the Company
        after Completion or by any change in the accounting policies of the
        Company after Completion or the payment of any unusual or abnormal
        dividend;

3.1.10  to the extent that such liability has been reflected or taken into
        account in calculations for the purposes of Clause 3 of this Agreement
        dealing with adjustment to the consideration.

3.2     For the purposes of paragraph 3.1.3 of this Schedule none of the
        following will be regarded as an Event occurring in the ordinary course
        of business of the Company:-

        3.2.1   any distribution (within the meaning of Part VI (with section
                418 ICTA) or deemed distribution;

                                       52
<PAGE>
 
        3.2.2   any Event which gives rise to a Liability to Taxation in respect
                of deemed (as opposed to actual) income, profits or gains;

        3.2.3   the Company ceasing, or being deemed to cease, to be a member of
                any group of companies or associated with any other company for
                any Taxation purpose;

        3.2.4   any Event which gives rise to a Liability to Taxation under Part
                VIII TMA;

        3.2.5   any Event which gives rise to a Liability to Taxation under Part
                XVII ICTA;

        3.2.6   any Event which gives rise to a Liability to Taxation primarily
                chargeable against or attributable wholly or partly to or
                recoverable wholly or partly from any other person;

        3.2.7   any scheme, arrangement or transaction designed partly or wholly
                or containing steps or stages designed partly or wholly for the
                purpose of avoiding or reducing or deferring a Liability to
                Taxation;

        3.2.8   the creation, cancellation or reorganisation of any share or
                loan capital of the Company;

        3.2.9   the failure by the Company to deduct or account for any
                Taxation; or

        3.2.10  any Event which gives rise to any fine, penalty, surcharge,
                interest or other imposition relating to any Taxation.

4.      Deductions from payments

4.1     Except as required by law all payments by the Vendor under this Part II
        of this Schedule will be made free and clear of all deductions and
        withholdings (whether in respect of Taxation or otherwise).

4.2     If any deduction or withholding is required by law to be made from any
        payment by the Vendor under this Part II of this Schedule or if
        (ignoring any available Relief) the Purchaser is subject to Taxation in
        respect of any payment by the Vendor under this Part II of this
        Schedule, the Vendor covenants with the Purchaser to pay to the
        Purchaser such additional amount as is necessary to ensure that the net
        amount received and retained by the Purchaser (after taking account of
        such deduction or withholding or Taxation) is equal to the amount which
        it would have received and retained had the payment in question not been
        subject to the deduction or withholding or Taxation. 

 .       Due date for payment

                                       53
<PAGE>
 
5.1     The due date for the making of a payment by the Vendor under this Part
        II of this Schedule will be the later of:

        5.1.1   the date falling five Business Days after the Purchaser has
                served notice on the Vendor demanding such payment; or

        5.1.2   in any case involving a liability of the Company or the
                Purchaser to make an actual payment (whether or not a payment of
                Taxation), the later of the date mentioned in paragraph 5.1.1
                above and the date falling five clear Business Days before the
                last date upon which the payment is required to be made to the
                person entitled to the payment (after taking into account any
                postponement of the due date for payment of any Taxation which
                is obtained).

6.      Claims procedure

6.1     The Purchaser will as soon as reasonably practicable give notice of any
        Claim to the Vendor, provided that the giving of such notice will not be
        a condition precedent to the liability of the Vendor under paragraph 2
        of this Schedule.

6.2     Provided that the Vendor indemnifies and secures the Company, the
        Purchaser and all other members of the same group of companies as the
        Purchaser to the reasonable satisfaction of the Purchaser against all
        losses, costs, damages and expenses (including interest on overdue
        Taxation) which may be incurred thereby, the Purchaser will procure that
        the Company, at the Vendor's cost and expense, takes such action and
        gives such information and assistance in connection with its Taxation
        affairs as the Vendor may reasonably and promptly request to dispute,
        appeal against, settle or compromise any Claim, including but not
        limited to:

        6.2.1   applying to postpone (so far as legally possible) the payment of
                any Taxation; and

        6.2.2   (except in the case of a Claim where any Taxation Authority
                alleges dishonest or fraudulent conduct on the part of the
                Vendor or the Company or any person acting on their or its
                behalf) allowing the Vendor to undertake, at its own cost and
                expense, the conduct of the Dispute.

6.3     The Vendor will not without the prior written consent (such consent not
        to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of the Purchaser in relation to
        any Dispute conducted by it or at its request, take the following
        actions:

        6.3.1   the settlement or compromise of the relevant Claim;

        6.3.2   transmission to any Taxation Authority of any written or oral
                communication pertaining to the subject matter of the Dispute;
                and

                                       54
<PAGE>
 
        6.3.3   the agreement of any matter which is likely to affect the amount
                of the relevant Claim or any future Liability to Taxation.

6.4     The Purchaser may withhold its consent to the taking of any action
        mentioned in paragraph 6.3 which it reasonably considers to be
        materially prejudicial to the business or Taxation affairs of the
        Company, the Purchaser or any other member of the same group of
        companies as the Purchaser or on any other reasonable ground.

6.5     The Vendor will promptly and fully inform the Purchaser of all matters
        relating to any Dispute conducted by or at the request of the Vendor and
        will provide the Purchaser with copies of all correspondence and other
        documents relating thereto.

6.6     Without prejudice to the liability of the Vendor under this Part II of
        this Schedule:

        6.6.1   the Purchaser will be entitled to appoint its own solicitors and
                other professional advisers in relation to any Dispute conducted
                by or at the request of the Vendor, in addition to those
                appointed by the Vendor;

        6.6.2   the Purchaser will not be obliges to procure that the Company
                appeals against any assessment to or demand for Taxation unless
                within ten Business Days of the Purchaser giving notice thereof
                to the Vendor in accordance with paragraph 6.1 the Vendor have
                given notice to the Purchaser to do so;

        6.6.3   the Purchaser will not be obliged to prevent the Company from
                making a payment of Taxation at the time necessary to avoid
                incurring any fine, penalty, surcharge, interest or other
                imposition in respect of any unpaid Taxation.

7.      Limitations

7.1     The Vendor will not be liable under paragraph 2 of this Schedule in
        respect of a Liability to Taxation or other liability of the Company
        unless within seven years after the date of this Agreement the Purchaser
        has given notice to the Vendor of any Claim whatsoever relating to such
        Liability to Taxation or other liability, or of any Event which may give
        rise to such a Claim.

7.2     The aggregate amount of the liability of the Vendor under this Schedule
        shall not exceed the amount of the Cash Consideration plus such amount
        to the principal sum payable under the Loan Note as shall from time to
        time (prior to any claim under this Schedule or any other claim under
        this Agreement having been agreed or determined) have been paid to the
        Vendor.

                                       55
<PAGE>
 
7.3     No liability shall attach to the Vendor under this Schedule unless the
        aggregate amount of such liability shall exceed US$100,000 in which
        event the liability of the Vendor shall not be limited by this paragraph
        7.3 (but without prejudice to other provisions of this deed).

7.4     No liability shall attach to the Vendor under this Schedule in respect
        of any claim where the amount of such liability in respect of the claim
        is less than US$5,000.

7.5     No liability shall attach to the Vendor under paragraph 2 of this
        Schedule to the extent that the Purchaser has not provided full and
        accurate information in respect of any possible Claim against the Vendor
        within 12 months of becoming aware of such Claim and if the Purchaser or
        the Company shall receive an assessment in respect of which there is a
        time limit prescribed by law within which to appeal and the Purchaser or
        the Company does not give notice of such assessment to the Vendor within
        10 Business Days of receipt of such assessment then the Vendor's
        liability under paragraph 2 of this Schedule shall be reduced to t he
        extent that the Vendor's ability to resist the assessment under the
        provisions of paragraph 6 above is prejudiced by such failure and the
        Liability to Taxation in question could have been avoided as a result of
        action taken at the request of the Vendor under paragraph 6 had notice
        been given within the said 10 day period.

8.      Savings

8.1     If (at the Vendor's request and expense) the Auditors determine that the
        Company has obtained a Saving, the Purchaser will as soon as reasonably
        practicable thereafter repay to the Vendor the lesser of:

        8.1.1   the amount of the Saving (as determined by the Auditors); and

        8.1.2   the amount paid by the Vendor under paragraph 2 of this Schedule
                in respect of the Liability to Taxation which gave rise to the
                Saving less any part of that amount previously repaid to the
                Vendor under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise.

8.2     The Company will be entitled to use in priority to any Relief which
        gives rise to a Saving any other Relief available to it (including by
        way of surrender by another company to it) to reduce or eliminate any
        liability to make an actual payment of corporation tax.

8.3     The Company will not obtain a Saving until the last date upon which it
        would have been obliged to make the actual payment of corporation tax
        which has been reduced or eliminated in order to avoid incurring
        interest thereon.

8.4     In determining whether the Company has obtained a Saving, the Auditors
        will act as experts and not as arbitrators and their determination will
        (in the absence of manifest error) be conclusive and binding on the
        parties.

                                       56
<PAGE>
 
9.      Recovery from other persons

9.1     If the Company recovers from any other person (including any Taxation
        Authority but excluding the Purchaser, any other member of the same
        group of companies as the Purchaser and any officer or employee of any
        such company) any amount which is referable to a Liability to Taxation
        or other liability of the Company in respect of which the Vendor has
        made a payment under paragraph 2, the Purchaser will repay to the Vendor
        the lesser of:

        9.1.1   the amount so recovered (less any losses, costs, damages and
                expenses incurred by the Company, the Purchaser or any other
                member of the same group of companies as the Purchaser as a
                result of the recovery of that amount); and

        9.1.2   the amount paid by the Vendor under paragraph 2 in respect of
                the Liability to Taxation or other liability in question less
                any part of such amount previously repaid to the Vendor under
                any provision of this Agreement or otherwise.

9.2     If the Purchaser becomes aware that the Company is entitled to recover
        any amount mentioned in paragraph 9.1 the Purchaser will as soon as
        reasonably practicable give notice of that fact to the Vendor and
        provided that the Vendor indemnifies and secure the Company, the
        Purchaser and all other members of the same group of companies as the
        Purchaser to the reasonable satisfaction of the Purchaser against all
        losses, costs, damages and expenses which may be incurred thereby, the
        Purchaser will procure that the Company, at the Vendor's cost and
        expense, takes such action as the Vendor may reasonably and promptly
        request to effect such recovery.

9.3     The action which the Vendor may request the Company to take under
        paragraph 9.2 does not include:

        9.3.1   any action which the Purchaser considers to be materially
                prejudicial to the business or Taxation affairs of the Company,
                the Purchaser or any other member of the same group of companies
                as the Purchaser or to which the Purchaser object on any other
                reasonable ground; or

        9.3.2   allowing the Vendor to undertake the conduct of any action
                necessary to effect recovery of the amount in question.

10.     Mitigation

10.1    If it appears that a Claim may arise under this Part II of this Schedule
        and that by taking certain action that Claim may be avoided then the
        Purchaser shall at the Vendor's request procure that the Company:

                                       57
<PAGE>
 
        10.1.1  uses such Reliefs (other than Reliefs arising in the Company by
                reference to an accounting period commencing or expenditure
                incurred after Completion) available to them such Reliefs to be
                used in priority to Reliefs arising after Completion;

        10.1.2  take all action, make all elections, save in respect of matters
                after the date of this Agreement, so as to reduce or eliminate
                the Vendor's liability under this Agreement;

        10.1.3  at the Vendor's request and expense deliver to the Vendor a
                certificate from the Company's auditors for the time being
                confirming that all such Reliefs have been so used and elections
                made.

11.     Assignment

        The Purchaser shall not be entitled to assign the benefit of the
        Taxation Covenant contained in this Schedule or any part of it to any
        other person.

12.     NOTICES

        The provisions of Clause 10.10 and 10.11 of this Agreement shall apply
        as to the provision of Notices under this Schedule.

                                       58
<PAGE>
 
SIGNED by________________________________)
for and on behalf of                     )
HOWMEDICA, INC                           )
in the presence of:______________________)



SIGNED by________________________________)
for and on behalf of                     )
DIAMETRICS MEDICAL, INC.                 )
in the presence of:______________________)

                                       59
<PAGE>
 
In accordance with Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K, certain schedules to this
agreement, which do not contain information that is material to an investment
decision and that is not otherwise disclosed in the agreement, have not been
included with Exhibit 2.1 as filed.  The following is a list of the contents of
all omitted schedules:

1.   Annexure 1: form of Senior Secured Fixed Rate Loan Note due November 4,
     2002, filed as Exhibit 2.2 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K
     dated November 6, 1996.
 
2.   Annexure 2:  contains information regarding the patents held by BSL.
 
3.   Annexure 3:  contains information regarding trademarks held by BSL.
 
4.   Annexure 4: contains information regarding the compensation of certain U.S.
     and German employees of Pfizer affiliates.

The Company hereby agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted
schedule to the Commission upon request.

                                       60

<PAGE>
 
                                                                     EXHIBIT 2.2


THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER
THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 , AS AMENDED (THE "ACT") OR THE
SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD,
PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED ("TRANSFERRED") WITHIN THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA ITS TERRITORIES OR POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OR TO ANY "U.S. PERSON", AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN RULE 902(O) PROMULGATED UNDER THE ACT, UNLESS THEY ARE REGISTERED
UNDER THE ACT OR ANY EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE.

                            DIAMETRICS MEDICAL, INC.

                      SENIOR SECURED FIXED RATE LOAN NOTE

                              DUE NOVEMBER 4, 2002

Principal Amount:                  $7,300,000
Interest Rate                      8.75% p.a.
Date of Issue:                  6 November, 1996


FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, DIAMETRICS MEDICAL, INC. a corporation
incorporated in the State of Minnesota with its principal office at 2658 Patton
Road, St. Paul, Minnesota  56118 (herein called the "Company"), promises to pay
to HOWMEDICA, INC. a company incorporated under the laws of Delaware, with an
office at 235 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017, or its registered assigns
(the "Holder") the amount of SEVEN MILLION THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
($7,300,000) or such lesser amount as may be owing hereunder on or before the
Final Payment Date together with interest thereon from the Issue Date at the
rate and on the dates specified in Article 3, in accordance with the terms
hereof.

Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings given
such terms in Article 9 hereof.

The following is a statement of the rights of the Holder and the terms and
conditions to which this Note is subject, and to which the Holder, by the
acceptance hereof, agrees:

Article 1      Security
               --------

Section 1.01   Nature of Security The obligations of the Company under this Note
               ------------------
               are secured pursuant to the provisions of the Security Documents.

Section 1.02   Release of Security Provided that no Default or Event of Default
               -------------------
               shall then exist and subject as hereinafter provided the Company
               may at any time during any calendar year (commencing with 1997)
               require by notice given to the Holder that all or any of the
               Shares that are the subject of the Security Documents shall cease
               to form security for the obligations of the Company under this
               Note and be released from the Security Documents PROVIDED THAT:

     (i)       only one such notice may be given in any calendar year;

     (ii)      the Book Value of the Shares must, within four months preceding
               the date upon which any such notice is given, have exceeded the
               unpaid 
<PAGE>
 
               Principal Amount as at the date such notice is given;

     (iii)     such notice shall include a copy of audited financial statements
               of the Company evidencing the Book Value referred to in (ii)
               above;

     (iv)      the maximum number of Shares which may cease to form security as
               aforesaid and be released as aforesaid shall be such number of
               Shares (and if there is more than one class of Share, of each
               class of Shares) as is proportionate (relative to the number of
               Shares then forming such security) to the amount by which the
               Book Value of the Shares shall exceed the then unpaid Principal
               Amount; and

     (v)       in the event that the Book Value of the Shares forming the
               security for the obligations of the Company under this Note shall
               at any time be less than the unpaid Principal Amount, the Company
               shall upon request by the Holder cause such number of Shares (if
               any) not then forming part of such security as is equivalent in
               value to the deficit to form part of such security and to become
               subject to the Security Documents.

Article 2.     The Principal Amount
               --------------------

Section 2.01   Payment of the Principal Amount The Principal Amount, to the
               -------------------------------
               extent not previously paid under the terms of this Note, shall be
               due and payable in full on the Final Payment Date.

Section 2.02   Early Payment of Principal Amount The Company may at any time
               ---------------------------------
               prior to the Final Payment Date pay all or any part of the
               Principal Amount, subject to the Company giving to the Holder not
               less than 3 days, and not more than 30 days, prior notice
               thereof. In the event of such notice being given it may not be
               revoked or withdrawn save with the consent in writing of the
               Holder and the Company shall, subject to such revocation or
               withdrawal, be obliged to make payment on the date specified in
               such notice of the amount of the Principal Amount specified
               therein to be paid.

Section 2.03   Acceleration of Payment of Principal Amount In the event that
               -------------------------------------------
               between the Issue Date and the second anniversary of the Issue
               Date the Company should issue any securities which are listed or
               traded on any Securities Exchange, and the aggregate Net Proceeds
               of Issue in respect of all such issues should exceed
               US$40,000,000 the Company shall be obliged, within 30 days
               following the date upon which the securities which first cause
               such excess are first listed or able to be traded, to pay to the
               Holder the whole of the outstanding Principal Amount.

               If the Principal Amount shall not have become payable as
               aforesaid then, in the event that at any time from and including
               the second anniversary of the Issue Date until 4 November, 2002,
               the Company should issue any securities which are listed or
               traded on any Securities Exchange the Company shall be obliged,
               within 30 days following the date upon which such securities are
               first listed or able to be traded, to pay a proportion of the
               outstanding Principal Amount in accordance with the following
               table such that, according to the amount of Cumulative Net
               Proceeds which would, inclusive of the Net Proceeds of Issue
               arising from the aforementioned issue of securities, have been
               obtained by the Company there shall be due and payable such
               amount of the Principal Amount as shall be equivalent to the
               excess of the amount as  

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
               shown in column (2) of the following table over the actual amount
               of Principal Amount which shall have then been repaid :

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
               -------------------------------------------------------------- 
                           (1)                                     (2)
               CUMULATIVE NET PROCEEDS                    AMOUNT ($)
               ---------------------------------------------------------------
               <S>                                        <C> 
               More than $5,000,000 but                   1,000,000
               less than $ 10,000,000
               ---------------------------------------------------------------
               Between $10,000,000 and $19,999,999        2,500,000
               (inclusive)
               ---------------------------------------------------------------
               Between $20,000,000 and $39,999,999        4,500,000
               (inclusive)
               ---------------------------------------------------------------
               More than $40,000,000 or greater           7,300,000
               ---------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>


Article 3      Interest and Default Interest
               -----------------------------

Section 3.01   Interest Interest shall be payable at the rate of 8.75 per cent
               --------
               per annum by the Company on the outstanding Principal Amount from
               time to time. Such interest shall accrue, on a daily basis, from
               the Issue Date and will be payable, at the Interest Rate, on 31
               December 1997 (in respect of the period from the Issue Date until
               and including 31 December 1997) and thereafter quarterly in
               arrears on 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December of
               each year, or if any such date is not a Business Day, then on the
               next Business Day. If the Principal Amount (or any part thereof)
               shall become due and payable interest up to and including the
               relevant Payment Date shall also be due and payable on such
               Payment Date.

Section 3.02   Default Interest  If any sum due and payable by the Company is
               ----------------                                              
               not paid on its due date for payment under this Note, interest
               shall accrue at the Interest Rate plus 2 per cent. per annum on
               the unpaid sum until the date on which the full amount of the
               unpaid sum is paid to the Holder.

Section 3.03   Calculation Period  Interest in respect of a period of less than
               ------------------                                              
               one year shall be calculated on the basis of the actual number of
               days elapsed and a 365 day year.

Article 4.     Payments
               --------

Section 4.01   Place and Method of Payment  All payments made by the Company in
               ---------------------------                                     
               respect of Principal Amount shall be made to the Holder, upon
               presentation and endorsement (in the case of part payment of
               Principal Amount) or, in the case of payment of the whole of the
               outstanding Principal Amount, surrender of this Note by the
               Holder to the Company, in same day funds to such account of the
               Holder as shall be notified by the Holder to the Company. All
               payments made by the Company in respect of Interest and Default
               Interest will be paid to the Holder as shown in the Register on
               the last Business Day preceding the date fixed for payment of any
               Interest or Default Interest. Payments of Interest and Default
               Interest will be made by US dollar cheque drawn on a bank in New
               York City and mailed to the Holder (or the first named of joint
               Holders) at his address appearing in the Register. Upon
               application by the Holder to the Company not less than 5 Business
               Days before the due date for payment of any Interest or Default
               Interest, such payment may be made by transfer to a US dollar
               account maintained by the payee with a bank in New York City.

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
Section 4.02   Currency of Payments  All payments made by the Company in respect
               --------------------                                             
               hereof, whether for the Principal Amount, Interest, Default
               Interest or otherwise shall be made in US Dollars.

Section 4.03   Payment without Deduction etc  Each payment under this Note shall
               -----------------------------                                    
               be made free and clear of and without any deduction for or on
               account of any set-off or counterclaim.

Section 4.04   Principal Amount Paid in Part  Upon surrender of this Note when
               -----------------------------                                  
               the Principal Amount is paid in part the Company shall either
               execute and deliver to the Holder a new Note in substitution for
               this Note reflecting the reduced outstanding Principal Amount or
               otherwise endorse this Note recording the fact of such payment
               and redeliver the Note to the Holder.

Article 5.     Change of Control etc
               ---------------------

Section 5.01   In the event of:
               --------------- 

               (a)  the Company consolidating or merging into any other Person
                    except that (i) any subsidiary of the Company may merge or
                    consolidate with the Company (provided that the Company
                    shall be the continuing or surviving corporation) and (ii)
                    the Company may consolidate or merge with any other Person
                    provided only that (A) the Company shall be the continuing
                    or surviving corporation or (B) the continuing or surviving
                    Person shall be a corporation organized under the laws of a
                    State of the United States which shall have a credit rating
                    no less favourable than the Company at the time of such
                    merger or consolidation, shall expressly assume in writing
                    all of the obligations of the Company under this Note and
                    the Security Documents, shall have total net worth of less
                    than US$100 million and immediately after such merger or
                    consolidation there shall exist no Default or Event of
                    Default;

               (b)  there occurring any Change of Control unless, following such
                    Change of Control, the continuing or surviving Person shall
                    be a corporation organized under the laws of a State of the
                    United States which shall have a credit rating no less
                    favourable than the Company at the time of such Change of
                    Control and having a total net worth of less than US$100
                    million; or

               (c)  the Company transferring or leasing its assets substantially
                    as an entirety to any Person,

               the Principal Amount shall immediately become due and payable.

Article 6.     Covenants
               ---------

Section 6.01   Payments  The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the
               --------                                                         
               Holder that it shall duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid
               the Principal Amount, Interest and any Default Interest in
               accordance with the terms of this Note. In addition, following a
               default the Company shall pay, upon demand therefor, all of the
               costs and expenses of the Holder incurred in collecting any
               amounts payable under this Note.

Section 6.02   Corporate Existence  Subject to Article 5, the Company shall do
               -------------------                                            
               or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in
               full force and effect its corporate existence, in accordance with
               its organizational documents (as the same may be  

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
               amended from time to time) and its rights (charter and
               statutory), licenses and franchises; provided, however, that the
                                                    --------  -------
               Company shall not be required to preserve any such right, license
               or franchise if its Board shall determine that the preservation
               thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of
               the Company and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in
               any material respect to the Holder.

Section 6.03   Certificate as to Default  The Company shall deliver an Officer's
               -------------------------                                        
               Certificate to the Holder within 5 Business Days after any
               executive officer of the Company comes to actually know of the
               occurrence of any Default or Event of Default and such
               certificate shall specify the nature of such Default or Event of
               Default and the status thereof.

Article 7.     Events of Default and Remedies  "Event of Default", wherever used
               ------------------------------                                   
               herein with respect to this Note, means any one of the following
               events (whatever the reason for such event and whether it shall
               be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law,
               pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any
               order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental
               body):

               (a)  failure to pay the Principal Amount of this Note due on any
                    Payment Date whether by acceleration or otherwise; or

               (b)  default is made in the payment of any Interest on any due
                    date for payment thereof; or

               (c)  failure by the Company to perform or comply in any material
                    respect with the covenants contained in Section 6.01 of this
                    Note and such default or breach continues for a period of 30
                    days after written notice thereof has been given to the
                    Company by the Holder; or

               (d)  default shall be made by the Company in the performance or
                    observance of any obligation, covenant, condition or
                    provision binding on it under the Security Documents and,
                    except where such default is not capable of remedy (in which
                    case no such Notice or continuation as is hereinafter
                    mentioned shall be required), such default continues for 7
                    days after written notice thereof has been given by the
                    Holder to the Company requiring the same to be remedied; or

               (e)  failure by the Company to perform or comply in any material
                    respect with any covenant in this Note (other than a
                    covenant contained in Section 6.01 of this Note) and such
                    default or breach continues for a period of 60 days after
                    written notice thereof has been given to the Company by the
                    Holder; or

               (f)  (i) any present or future indebtedness of the Company for or
                    in respect of moneys borrowed or raised in excess of $25,000
                    becomes (or becomes capable of being declared) due and
                    payable prior to its stated maturity otherwise than at the
                    option of the Company; or (ii) any such indebtedness is not
                    paid when due or, as the case may be, within any applicable
                    grace period; or (iii) the Company fails to pay when due or
                    expressed to be due any amount payable or expressed to be
                    payable by it under any present or future guarantee for any
                    moneys borrowed or raised in excess of $25,000; or (iv) any
                    mortgage, charge, pledge, lien or other encumbrance, present
                    or future, created or assumed by the Company becomes
                    enforceable and the holder thereof takes any steps to
                    enforce it; or

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
               (g)  the Company (i) is, or is deemed for the purposes of any law
                    to be, unable to pay its debts as they fall due or to be
                    insolvent, or admits inability to pay its debts as they fall
                    due; or (ii) suspends making payments on all or any class of
                    its debts or announces an intention to do so, or a
                    moratorium is declared in respect of any of its
                    indebtedness; or (iii) by reason of financial difficulties,
                    begins negotiations with all or any class of its creditors
                    with a view to the readjustment or rescheduling of any of
                    its indebtedness; or

               (h)  (i) any step (including petition, proposal or convening a
                    meeting) is taken with a view to a composition, assignment
                    or arrangement with all or any class of the creditors of the
                    Company; or (ii) a meeting of the Company is convened for
                    the purpose of considering any resolution for (or to
                    petition for) its winding-up or its administration or any
                    such resolution is passed; or (iii) any person presents a
                    petition for the winding-up of the Company or the grant of
                    an administration order (unless such petition is frivolous,
                    vexatious or an abuse of process and (in any such case) is
                    discharged within 60 days); or (iv) any order for the
                    winding-up or administration of the Company is made; or (v)
                    any other step (including petition, proposal or convening a
                    meeting) is taken with a view to the rehabilitation,
                    administration, custodianship, liquidation, winding-up or
                    dissolution of the Company or any other insolvency
                    proceedings involving the Company; or


               (i)  (i) any liquidator, trustee in bankruptcy, judicial
                    custodian, compulsory manager, receiver, administrative
                    receiver, administrator the like is appointed in respect of
                    the Company or any part of its assets; or (ii) the directors
                    of the Company request the appointment of a liquidator,
                    trustee in bankruptcy, judicial custodian, compulsory
                    manager, receiver, administrative receiver, administrator or
                    the like; or (iii) any other steps are taken to enforce any
                    security interest over any part of the assets of the Company
                    unless in the case of any Lien of any nature whatsoever, the
                    amount secured by it is less than 5% of Consolidated
                    Tangible Net Worth; or

               (j)  any attachment sequestration, distress or execution affects
                    any asset of the Company and is not lifted or discharged
                    within 14 days or, if both the aggregate amount of the
                    relevant claim and the aggregate market value of all assets
                    subject to the relevant process are less than 5% of
                    Consolidated Tangible Net Worth, 30 days.

Section 7.02   Acceleration of Payment Date and Annulment
               ------------------------------------------

               (a)  If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Holder
                    may by a notice in writing to the Company, declare the
                    Principal Amount, to be due and payable immediately, and
                    upon any such declaration such Principal Amount shall become
                    immediately due and payable.

               (b)  At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect
                    to this Note has been made and before a judgment or decree
                    for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Holder
                    as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holder, by
                    written notice to the Company, may rescind and annul such
                    declaration and its consequences. No such rescission shall
                    affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent
                    thereon.

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
Section 7.03   Application of Money Collected  Any money collected by the Holder
               ------------------------------                                   
               pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order:

               FIRST:   To the payment of all of the costs and expenses of the
                        Holder in collecting such amounts as provided herein;

               SECOND:  To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid in
                        respect of Interest and Default Interest; and

               THIRD:   To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid in
                        respect of the Principal Amount.

Section 7.04   Rights and Remedies Cumulative  No right or remedy herein
               ------------------------------                           
               conferred upon or reserved to the Holder is intended to be
               exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and
               remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and
               in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or
               now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The
               assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or
               otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or
               employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 7.05   Delay or Omission Not Waiver  No delay or omission of the Holder
               ----------------------------                                    
               to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of
               Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a
               waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein.
               Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the
               Holder may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be
               deemed expedient, by the Holder.

Article 8
- ---------

Registration
- ------------

The Company will keep a register of the Holder of the Note from time to time and
including particulars of the Note.  Any transfers or assignments of the Note
will be recorded by the Company in the Register.

Article 9
- ---------

Definitions
- -----------

Section 9.01  Certain Defined Terms  As used herein, the following terms, unless
              ---------------------                                             
              the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings:

"Auditors" means the auditors from time to time of the Company.
 --------                                                      

"Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company or any committee of such
 -----                                                                      
Board of the Company duly authorized to act for such Board.

"Book Value" means total stockholders equity as shown by audited financial
 ----------                                                               
statements of BSL.

"BSL" means Biomedical Sensors Limited, an English company.
 ---                                                       

"Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday in
 ------------                                                                 
New York, USA.

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
"Change of Control" means any Person, whether alone or together with any
 -----------------                                                      
affiliates of such person, acquires in excess of 50 per cent of the outstanding
voting securities of the Company.

"Company" has the meaning given such term in the preamble hereof and includes an
 -------                                                                        
corporation which shall succeed to or assume the obligations of the Company
under this Note.

"Consolidated Tangible Net Worth" means the total common shareholders equity as
 -------------------------------                                               
shown on the latest audited consolidated balance sheet of the Group from time to
time filed with the Securities Exchange Commission.

"Cumulative Net Proceeds" means the aggregate Net Proceeds of Issue obtained by
 -----------------------                                                       
the Company from all issues of equity securities which are listed or traded on
any Securities Exchange by the Company at any time on or after the first
anniversary of the Issue Date;

"Default" means any event, act or condition the occurrence of which is, or after
 -------                                                                        
notice or the passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

"Default Interest" means interest in accordance with Section 3.02.
 ----------------                                                 

"Director's Certificate" means a certificate signed by any Director of the
 ----------------------                                                   
Company.

"Dollars" means the lawful currency of the USA.
 -------                                       

"Event of Default" has the meaning specified in Article 7.
 -------- -------                                         

"Final Payment Date" means the 4th day of November 2002.
 ------------------                                     

"Group" means the Company and its Subsidiaries from time to time.
 -----                                                           

"Holder" has the meaning given such term in the preamble hereof.
 ------                                                         

"Indebtedness" means any indebtedness for money borrowed now or hereafter
 ------------                                                            
existing (other than indebtedness in respect of which the creditor has no right
of recourse to the Company, the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in
relation in the debtor's financial obligations or liabilities in connection with
such indebtedness).

"Interest Rate" means the rate of  8.75 per cent per annum.
 -------------                                             

"Issue Date" means the date upon which this Note was originally issued.
 ----------                                                            

"Lien" means any pledge, mortgage, hypothecation, security interest, lien or
 ----                                                                       
encumbrance.

"Payment Date" means the Final Payment Date and/or, if earlier, any date fixed
 ------------                                                                 
for payment of all or any part of the Principal Amount pursuant to Article 2.

"Net Proceeds of Issue" means the total proceeds of any issue of equity
 ---------------------                                                 
securities by the Company which are listed or traded on any Securities Exchange.

"Note" means this loan note and any replacement therefor.
 ----                                                    

                                       8
<PAGE>
 
"Person" means an individual, corporation, business trust, association, company,
 ------                                                                         
partnership joint venture, trust unincorporated organization or other entity, or
a government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

"Principal Amount means the principal amount of this Note set forth on the face
 ----------------                                                              
hereof, as reduced from time to time by any payment of part pursuant to Section
2.02 thereof.

"Register" means the Register in respect of the Note maintained by the Company
 --------                                                                     
pursuant to Article 8.

"Securities Exchange" means the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock
 -------------------                                                       
Exchange, NASDAQ and/or any other organized market for the trading of, or
dealing in, securities whether in the United States or elsewhere.

"Security Documents" means the Deed of Change of even date herewith executed by
 ------------------                                                            
the Company in favour of the Holder together with any other security documents
or instruments from time to time executed by the Company in connection with its
obligations under this Note.

"Senior Indebtedness" means any Indebtedness owed by the Company to any Person,
 -------------------                                                           
other than any indebtedness evidenced by this Note.

"Shares" means the ordinary, redeemable preference, and other shares of BSL.
 ------                                                                     

"Subsidiary" means any entity whose results are generally required under the
 ----------                                                                 
laws of the United States to be consolidated into the Group accounts of the
Company.

Section 9.02   Form and Interpretation. Words of the masculine gender are to be
               -----------------------                                         
               construed to include correlative words of the feminine and neuter
               genders. Words in the singular number include words of the plural
               number and words in the plural number include words of the
               singular number. Accounting terms used, but not otherwise
               defined, herein will have their respective meanings given to them
               under, and are to be construed in accordance with generally
               accepted accounting principles in the United States.

Article 10     Miscellaneous
               -------------

Section 10.01  Waiver Amendment  Any provision of this Note may be amended,
               ----------------                                            
               waived or modified upon the written consent of the Company and
               the Holder.

Section 10.02  Assignment  The rights and obligations of the Company and the
               ----------                                                   
               Holder shall be binding upon and benefit their respect
               successors, assigns, heirs, administrators and transferees.

Section 10.03  Transfer  Subject as hereafter mentioned this Note may be
               --------                                                 
               transferred or assigned without any restriction thereon. This
               Note may only be transferred or assigned in whole and not in
               part. The transfer or assignment must not be in favour of more
               than four transferees as joint holders. No transfer of the Note
               may be made if in the reasonable opinion of the directors of the
               Company the proposed transferee is engaged in the business of
               commercializing products for critical care blood analysis in
               humans. The transfer or assignment documentation must be
               delivered for registration to the principal office for the time
               being of the Company together with the Note. The Company shall be
               entitled to retain the transfer or assignment documentation. 

                                       9
<PAGE>
 
               The Company shall not be obliged to register any transfer during
               the 14 days immediately preceding any interest payment date. No
               transfer or assignment shall be effective unless and until the
               transfer or assignment is registered in the Register. The Company
               shall be obliged to register any transfer or assignment subject
               to the foregoing.

Section 10.04  Severability  Wherever possible each provision of this Note shall
               ------------                                                     
               be interpreted in such manner as to be effect and valid under
               applicable law. If, however, any provision of this Note shall be
               prohibited by or be invalid under applicable law, such provision
               shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or
               invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provision
               or the remaining provisions of this Note, unless the
               ineffectiveness of such provision materially and adversely alters
               the benefits accruing to the Holder or the Company.

Section 10.05  Notice  Any notices:
               ------              

               (a)  must be in writing and may be given (i) in the case of the
                    Company, at its registered office listed herein, or (ii) in
                    the case of the Holder. at its registered office or to such
                    other address as may have been notified in writing to the
                    Company:

               (b)  will be effectively served:

                    (i)    on the day of receipt where any hand-delivered letter
                           or any telex message is received on a Business Day
                           before or during normal working hours;

                    (ii)   on the following Business Day where any hand-
                           delivered letter or any telex or telophase message is
                           received either on a Business Day or after normal
                           working hours or on any other day; or

                    (iii)  in each case, at such earlier time as the Company and
                           the Holder may agree.

Section 10.06  Article and Section Titles  The article and section titles
               --------------------------                                
               contained in this Note are and shall be without substantive
               meaning or content of any kind whatsoever.

Section 10.07  Governing Law  This Note is governed by and is to be construed in
               -------------                                                    
               accordance with the laws of New York, excluding the body of law
               relating to conflict of laws.

                                       10
<PAGE>
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be issued this 6th day
of November, 1996.



DIAMETRICS MEDICAL, INC.



By_____________________________
       Laurence L. Betterley
Title  Chief Financial Officer

                                       11

<PAGE>
 
                                                                     EXHIBIT 2.3


                        TRANSITIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
                        -------------------------------



     AGREEMENT, made as of the 6th day of November, 1996, among HOWMEDICA INC.,
a Delaware corporation, ("Vendor"), HOWMEDICA GmbH, a German corporation,
("Howmedica Germany") DIAMETRICS MEDICAL, INC., a Minnesota corporation,
("Purchaser") and BIOMEDICAL SENSORS LTD, an English corporation ("BSL").

                              W I T N E S S E T H
                              - - - - - - - - - -

     WHEREAS, Vendor and Purchaser have entered into a Sale and Purchase
Agreement of even date herewith, (the "Sale Agreement"), providing for the sale
by the Vendor to Purchaser of all of the stock of BSL, as more fully set forth
in the Sale Agreement (the "Sale"); and

     WHEREAS, the parties wish to enter into an agreement setting forth the
terms pursuant to which Howmedica Germany, which is an Affiliate of Vendor, will
render, or cause its Affiliates to render, certain services and provide, or
cause its Affiliates to provide, certain facilities to Purchaser or BSL on an
interim basis after the Completion Date (as defined in the Sale Agreement) with
respect to Purchaser's operation of BSL and the Business carried out by BSL.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein,
the signatories covenant and agreement as follows:

ARTICLE 1 - DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES
- -----------------------------------

     1.01  The intent of this Article 1 is to enable Purchaser or BSL, as the
case may be, to receive certain services and to obtain the use of certain
facilities from Howmedica Germany on an interim basis in order to permit
Purchaser and BSL the opportunity to obtain alternate sources of supply of such
services within a reasonable time after the date hereof.

     1.02  The services to be supplied and the facilities to be provided to
Purchaser and BSL shall be the services and facilities identified in Exhibit A
                                                                     ---------
and Exhibit B hereto.
    ---------        

ARTICLE 2 - PERIOD OF SERVICES; TERM
- ------------------------------------

     2.01  The parties agree that all services covered by this Agreement shall
terminate on 30 November, 1996, except that the Purchaser shall have the option
to extend the services for two additional consecutive 30 day periods.  Notice of
any such 30 day extension shall be given to the Vendor in writing at least 14
days prior to the date on which this Agreement would otherwise terminate.  The
provisions of this Agreement shall continue to govern the provision of such
services during any extension period for any such service.

     2.02  Purchaser and BSL agree to proceed as promptly as reasonably possible
after the date hereof to obtain alternate sources of supply for services to be
initially provided hereunder.  As soon as Purchaser or BSL shall obtain an
alternate source of supply of any of the services to be provided hereunder, they
shall promptly notify Howmedica Germany and Vendor and such parties may
thereupon terminate the provision of such service.
<PAGE>
 
                                       2

ARTICLE 3 - COMPENSATION
- ------------------------

     3.01  Purchaser shall pay to Howmedica Germany a fee (in local currency)
for each service which shall be provided to Purchaser and BSL hereunder shall be
as follows:  (1) shared services as defined in Exhibit A will be charged in
accordance with Howmedica Germany's 1996 budgeted charges for such service (in
local currency); (2) Direct Services as defined in Exhibit B shall be charged at
actual cost (in local currency).

     3.02  In the event that within sixty (60) days after (i) receipt of any
invoice for the services hereunder or (ii) receipt of a verification certificate
provided pursuant to Article 9, whichever is later, Purchaser shall notify
Vendor in writing that it does not accept such invoiced Fee and the parties
cannot resolve the matter in a mutually satisfactory manner, then the matter
shall be submitted within thirty (30) days from the date of such notice to
independent public accountants, mutually acceptable to, and at the joint expense
of, the parties.  The decision of such independent public accountants with
respect to such matter shall be binding upon the parties.

ARTICLE 4 - PAYMENT TERMS
- -------------------------

     4.01  Vendor shall invoice Purchaser for services performed hereunder on a
monthly basis.  Payments shall be due net thirty (30) days from date of invoice
and shall provide a statement of the budgeted charges for each such service for
Howmedica Germany for 1996 .  Separate invoices shall be rendered for each of
the respective services rendered pursuant to this Agreement.

ARTICLE 5 - REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; CLAIMS
- --------------------------------------------------

     5.01  The Service Fees will be prepared in a manner consistent with the
1996 budgeted charges for Howmedica Germany.

     5.02  Vendor and Howmedica Germany will perform the services to be
performed by them hereunder in a competent, businesslike manner and shall charge
the Service Fee in accordance with Howmedica Germany's 1996 budgeted charges for
the services. The receipt by Purchaser or BSL of such services shall be an
unqualified acceptance of, and a waiver by Purchaser and BSL of its right to
make any claim (other than one based on gross negligence or fraud) with respect
to such services unless Purchaser gives Vendor written notice of claim within
thirty (30) days after performance by Howmedica Germany, of the service which is
the subject of claim.

     5.03  THERE ARE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES BY EITHER PARTY AND NO
WARRANTY SHALL BE IMPLIED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR AT LAW INCLUDING, WITHOUT
LIMITATION, WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE as to the services to be performed hereunder.

ARTICLE 6 - REIMBURSEMENT OF OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES; COOPERATION
- ----------------------------------------------------------------

     6.01  Purchaser shall reimburse Vendor and Howmedica Germany, within thirty
(30) days of receipt of invoices, for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses
incurred on behalf of Purchaser or BSL hereunder.
<PAGE>
 
                                       3

     6.02  The parties agree to cooperate from and after the Closing Date with
respect to the providing of information and documentation to each other which is
necessary for the provision of transition services hereunder.

ARTICLE 7 - ASSIGNMENT
- ----------------------

     7.01  Neither party shall assign this Agreement, or any part hereof,
without the prior written consent of the other party except that Purchaser may,
at is election assign its rights under this Agreement in whole or in one or more
parts to any one or more Affiliates of the Purchaser and any assignment in
violation of this provision shall be void.  This Agreement shall be binding upon
and shall inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors
and permitted assigns.

ARTICLE 8 - INDEMNIFICATION
- ---------------------------

     8.01  The parties recognize that, for a period of time following the date
hereof, personnel of Purchaser or BSL may be on the premises of Howmedica GmbH
for various business purposes.  Purchaser ("the identifying party") agrees that
it will protect, indemnify and save Howmedica Germany and Vendor (the
"indemnified parties") harmless from and against all liabilities, actions,
damages, claims, demands, judgments, losses, expenses, suits or actions and
attorneys fees, and will defend such parties in any suit for injuries to or
death of any person or persons, or loss of or damage to the property of any
person or persons whomsoever (including without limitation the agents and
employees of the indemnified parties) arising out of the actions of the
indemnifying party's obligations hereunder. The indemnified parties shall give
the indemnifying party prompt notice of any claim, action or suit asserted
against it and the indemnifying party shall have the sole right to defend such
action or suit. In the case of joint or concurring negligence of the parties
giving rise to a loss or claim against either or both, each shall have full
rights of contribution against the other.

ARTICLE 9 - VERIFICATION OF INVOICES
- ------------------------------------

     9.01  If following receipt of any invoice hereunder Purchaser shall notify
Vendor that it questions or disputes all or any part of such invoice, Vendor
shall provide to Purchaser, within thirty (30) days of such request a
certificate, signed by the appropriate department head, explaining the matter or
matters in question in reasonable detail to permit Purchaser to verify the
accuracy of any charges invoiced to it hereunder.

ARTICLE 10 - FORCE MAJEURE
- --------------------------

     10.01  No party hereunder shall be liable to another for its failure to
perform hereunder caused by contingencies beyond its control including, but not
limited to, acts of God, fire, flood, wars, sabotage, strike, government actions
and any other similar occurrence beyond the non-performing party's control.

ARTICLE 11 - INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
- -----------------------------------

     11.01  The parties shall each be an independent contractor in the
performance of its obligations hereunder.

ARTICLE 12 - NOTICES
- --------------------

     12.01  All notices or communications required hereunder shall be deemed
given when actually delivered, or if sent by registered mail, postage prepaid,
return receipt 
<PAGE>
 
                                       4

requested, on the date of receipt, and addresses to the other party at the
address set forth below.


     If to Vendor:

     Howmedica, Inc.
     235 East 42nd Street
     New York, New York 10017
     Attention:  Mr. Charles F. Raeburn
     Telecopy No.:  (212) 573-1895

     With a copy to:

     Pfizer Inc.
     235 East 42nd Street
     New York, New York 10017
     Attention:  Office of the General Counsel
     Telecopy No.:  (212) 573-1445

     If to Purchaser:

     Biomedical Sensors Limited
     5 Manor Courtyard
     Hughenden Avenue
     High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE
     England

     With a copy to:

     Diametrics Medical, Inc.
     2658 Patton Road
     St. Paul, Minnesota 56118

or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like notice.  Any
notice which is delivered personally in the manner provided herein shall be
deemed to have been duly given to the party to whom it is directed upon actual
receipt by such party (or its agent for notices hereunder).  Any notice which is
addressed and mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively
presumed to have been duly given to the party to which it is addressed at the
close of business, local time of the recipient, on the third day after the day
it is so placed in the mail.

ARTICLE 13 - GOVERNING LAW
- --------------------------

     13.01  Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with
            -------------                                                       
and governed by the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made
and to be performed in such jurisdiction.  Should any dispute arise in
connection with this Agreement, the matter in dispute shall be referred to three
arbitrators, one to be appointed by each of the parties hereto and the third by
the two so chosen.  Their decision or that of any two of them shall be final and
binding upon all parties.  The proceedings (including the appointment of the
arbitrators) shall be conducted in accordance with and under the Conciliation
and Arbitration Rules of the International Chamber of Commerce, shall be
conducted in English in New York, New York, and shall be governed by the laws of
the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such
jurisdiction.  With respect to any suit, action or proceeding relating to the
enforcement of such decision 
<PAGE>
 
                                       5

("Proceedings"), each party irrevocably: (I) submits to the non-exclusive
jurisdiction of the United States District Court located in the Borough of
Manhattan in New York City, and (ii) waives any objection which it may have at
any time to the laying of venue of any Proceedings brought in any such court,
waives any claim that such Proceedings have been brought in an inconvenient
forum and further waives the right to object, with respect to such Proceedings,
that such court does not have jurisdiction over such party. Each party not
resident in the State of New York irrevocably appoints each of its Affiliates
resident in the State of New York to receive, for it and on its behalf, service
of process in any Proceedings. If for any reason such Affiliates are unable to
act as its agent for service of process, such party will promptly notify the
other party and within 30 days appoint a substitute process agent acceptable to
the other party. The parties irrevocably consent to service of process given in
the manner provided for notices in Section 14.08. Nothing in this Agreement will
affect the right of any party to serve process in any other manner permitted by
law.

ARTICLE 14 - STANDARD PURCHASE ORDER FORMS
- ------------------------------------------

     14.01  To the degree that either or both of the parties hereto find it
convenient to employ their standard forms of purchase order or acknowledgment of
order in administering the terms of this Agreement, it or they may do so, but
none of the terms and conditions printed or otherwise appearing on such form
shall be applicable except to the extent that it specifies information required
to be furnished by either party hereunder.

ARTICLE 15 - HEADINGS
- ---------------------

     15.01  The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes
only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.

ARTICLE 16 - MODIFICATIONS
- --------------------------

     16.01  This Agreement contains the entire understanding and agreement
between the parties hereto as to the services being performed hereunder.  It may
not be amended or modified except by a written instrument executed by the
parties hereto.

ARTICLE 17 - DEFINED TERMS
- --------------------------

     17.01  Capitalized terms used herein which are not otherwise defined herein
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Purchase Agreement.

ARTICLE 18 - CUMULATIVE EFFECT
- ------------------------------

     18.01  The rights and obligations of the parties under this Agreement shall
be cumulative to and not exclusive of the rights and obligations of the parties
contained in the Purchase Agreement.


ARTICLE 19 - INTERPRETATION
- ---------------------------

     19.01  All references in this Agreement to "Purchaser" or "Vendor" or a
"party" shall be deemed to include such party's Affiliates unless the context
requires otherwise.  All references in this Agreement to "services to be
supplied" or similar language shall be deemed to include "facilities to be
provided" unless the context requires otherwise.  To the extent that this
Agreement purports to impose any obligation on the Affiliates of a party, such
party shall cause its Affiliates to fulfill such obligation.
<PAGE>
 
                                       6

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Agreement as of the
day and year first above written.


                                 HOWMEDICA, INC.


                                 By:_________________________



                                 HOWMEDICA GmbH


                                 By:_________________________



                                 DIAMETRICS MEDICAL, INC.


                                 By:_________________________



                                 BIOMEDICAL SENSORS, LTD


                                 By:_________________________
<PAGE>
 
                                       7


                                   EXHIBIT A

                                Shared Services
                                ---------------

                                Warehousing
                                Distribution/Customer Service
                                Invoicing
                                Payroll
                                General Accounting
                                Administrative Support
<PAGE>
 
                                       8

                                   EXHIBIT B

                                Direct Services
                                ---------------

                                Compensation & Benefits
                                Direct Marketing Expenses
                                        Travel & Expenses
                                        Auto Expenses
                                        Other Direct Expenses


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