QUINTILES TRANSNATIONAL CORP
8-K, 1998-12-16
COMMERCIAL PHYSICAL & BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
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<PAGE>   1
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 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): December 16, 1998




                          QUINTILES TRANSNATIONAL CORP.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


 NORTH CAROLINA                      340-23520                  56-1714315
 (State or other               (Commission File No.)          I.R.S. Employer
  jurisdiction                                             Identification Number
of incorporation)



             4709 CREEKSTONE DRIVE, RIVERBIRCH BUILDING, SUITE 200,
                       DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA 27703-8411
                    (Address of principal executive offices)


                                 (919) 941-2000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


                                       N/A
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
<PAGE>   2

ITEM 5.           OTHER EVENTS.

         On December 14, 1998, Quintiles Transnational Corp. (the "Company")
issued a press release announcing the execution of a letter of intent to
negotiate a definitive agreement under which the Company will acquire
substantial assets of Hoechst Marion Roussel's Kansas City -based Drug
Innovation and Approval organization and open a Kansas City contract research
facility. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.01 and
incorporated herein by reference.

         On December 14, 1998, the Company entered into a Merger Agreement (the
"Merger Agreement") with QTRN Acquisition Corp., a North Carolina corporation
and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company ("Sub"), and Pharmaceutical
Marketing Services Inc., a Delaware corporation ("PMSI"), which provides for
PMSI to merge with and into Sub (the "Merger").

         The Merger Agreement calls for the individual PMSI shareholders to 
exchange their PMSI common stock for Company common stock either by exchanging
all their shares at closing, or electing to exchange half of their shares at
closing and defer receipt of the other half for 75 days. If the shareholder
elects to defer, he or she will also receive a contingent value payment for each
share of Company common stock received on the 75th day after closing (the
"CVPs"). Payment under the CVPs, if any, will equal the difference between the
Company stock price used to determine the final exchange ratio at closing and
the average Company stock price over a defined period ending on the 75th day
after closing. A PMSI shareholder who elects to defer receipt of Company shares
may choose to receive those shares at any time prior to the 75th day after
closing but will forfeit the right to receive CVPs with respect to such shares.
In addition, the right to receive a cash payment, if any, will terminate if at
any time during the 20 trading days preceding the 75th day following the
Effective Time either (i) a shareholder's "short position" in Quintiles Common
Stock (determined in accordance with Rule 14e-4(a) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), but without taking into account
the right to receive a cash payment) exceeds such shareholder's "long position"
in Quintiles Common Stock (determined in accordance with such rule) or (ii) a
shareholder takes any action to manipulate the price of Quintiles Common Stock
which would violate Section 9 of the Exchange Act. The final exchange ratio for
determining the number of Company shares to be issued to PMSI shareholders will
be determined by dividing $15.40 by the average closing price per share of
Company common stock during a defined trading period prior to closing.

         Consummation of the Merger is subject to certain conditions, including
the approval of the Merger by the PMSI shareholders and the receipt of required
regulatory approvals, including the expiration of the applicable waiting period
under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended.
Under certain circumstances the Merger Agreement may be terminated if Company
stock is trading outside of the $41.55 to $62.32 range.

         In connection with the Merger Agreement, the Company and PMSI also
entered into a Stock Option Agreement, whereby under certain circumstances the
Company may exercise an option to purchase up to 19.9 percent of PMSI's shares
at approximately $12 per share (the "Stock Option Agreement").

         The foregoing descriptions of the Merger Agreement, the CVPs and the
Stock Option Agreement, and the transactions contemplated thereby, do not
purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the
Merger Agreement, the terms of the CVPs and the Stock Option Agreement, attached
as exhibits hereto. A press release issued by the Company on December 15, 1998
announcing the execution of the Merger Agreement is also attached hereto as
Exhibit 99.04 and incorporated herein by reference.


                                       2
<PAGE>   3
ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS


         (c)      Exhibits.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit Number    Description of Exhibit
- --------------    ----------------------
<S>               <C>
2.01              Merger Agreement, dated as of December 14, 1998, among
                  Quintiles Transnational Corp., QTRN Acquisition Corp., and
                  Pharmaceutical Marketing Services Inc.
99.01             Press Release, dated December 14, 1998 of Quintiles
                  Transnational Corp.
99.02             Terms of Contingent Value Payment
99.03             Stock Option Agreement, dated December 14, 1998, between
                  Quintiles Transnational Corp. and Pharmaceutical Marketing
                  Services Inc.
99.04             Press Release, dated December 15, 1998 of Quintiles
                  Transnational Corp.
</TABLE>






                                       3
<PAGE>   4
                                   SIGNATURES

         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.


                                  QUINTILES TRANSNATIONAL CORP.



                                  By:  /s/ Rachel R. Selisker
                                      ------------------------------------------
Dated: December 16, 1998              Rachel R. Selisker
                                      Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice
                                      President Finance








                                       4
<PAGE>   5

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit Number    Description of Exhibit
- --------------    ----------------------
<S>               <C>
2.01              Merger Agreement, dated as of December 14, 1998, among
                  Quintiles Transnational Corp., QTRN Acquisition Corp., and
                  Pharmaceutical Marketing Services Inc.
99.01             Press Release, dated December 14, 1998 of Quintiles
                  Transnational Corp.
99.02             Terms of Contingent Value Payment
99.03             Stock Option Agreement, dated December 14, 1998, between
                  Quintiles Transnational Corp. and Pharmaceutical Marketing
                  Services Inc.
99.04             Press Release, dated December 15, 1998 of Quintiles
                  Transnational Corp.
</TABLE>






                                       5

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 2.01




                                MERGER AGREEMENT


                          DATED AS OF DECEMBER 14, 1998


                                  BY AND AMONG


                         QUINTILES TRANSNATIONAL CORP.,

                             QTRN ACQUISITION CORP.,

                                       AND

                     PHARMACEUTICAL MARKETING SERVICES INC.

<PAGE>   2
         MERGER AGREEMENT, dated as of December 14, 1998, by and among Quintiles
Transnational Corp., a North Carolina corporation ("Parent"), QTRN Acquisition
Corp., a North Carolina corporation and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of
Parent ("Sub"), and Pharmaceutical Marketing Services Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company").

         WHEREAS, the respective Boards of Directors of Parent, Sub and the
Company have determined that the merger of the Company with and into Sub (the
"Merger"), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement, would be fair and in the best interests of their respective
stockholders;

         WHEREAS, such Boards of Directors have approved the Merger, pursuant to
which each share of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company (the
"Company Common Stock", which term also refers to and includes, unless the
context otherwise requires, the associated Rights, as defined in Section 8.04)
issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time of the Merger (as
defined in Section 1.03), other than shares owned directly by the Company,
Parent or Sub, will be converted into the right to receive, at the election of
each holder of Company Common Stock, either (i) common stock, par value $.01 per
share, of Parent ("Parent Common Stock") or (ii) Parent Common Stock and a
Contingent Value Payment (individually a "CVP" and collectively the "CVPs"),
pursuant to the terms and conditions of the CVPs as described in Exhibit A
hereto;

         WHEREAS, the Merger and this Agreement require the vote of the holders
of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Company Common Stock for the
approval thereof (the "Company Stockholder Approval");

         WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and as a condition of Parent's willingness to enter into this Agreement, Parent
and the Company are entering into a stock option agreement, dated as of the date
hereof, in the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Stock Option Agreement"), pursuant
to which the Company is granting Parent an option to purchase shares of Company
Common Stock;

         WHEREAS, Parent, Sub, and the Company desire to make certain
representations, warranties, covenants, and agreements in connection with the
Merger and also to prescribe various conditions to the Merger;

         WHEREAS, for federal income tax purposes, it is intended that the
Merger shall qualify as a reorganization under the provisions of Section 368(a)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement and the Stock Option
Agreement, the parties agree as follows:
<PAGE>   3
                                    ARTICLE I

                                   THE MERGER

         SECTION 1.01. THE MERGER. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions
set forth in this Agreement, and in accordance with the North Carolina Business
Corporation Act (the "NCBA") and the Delaware General Corporation Law (the
"DGCL"), the Company shall be merged with and into Sub at the Effective Time of
the Merger. At the Effective Time of the Merger, the separate existence of the
Company shall cease, and the Sub shall continue as the surviving corporation.

         SECTION 1.02. CLOSING. Unless this Agreement shall have been terminated
and the transactions herein contemplated shall have been abandoned pursuant to
Section 7.01, and subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set
forth in Article VI, the closing of the Merger (the "Closing") will take place
at 10:00 a.m. on the first business day after satisfaction of the conditions set
forth in Article VI (or as soon as practicable thereafter following satisfaction
or waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VI) (the "Closing Date"), at
the offices of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P.,
2500 First Union Capitol Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27602, unless another
date, time or place is agreed to in writing by the parties hereto.

         SECTION 1.03. EFFECTIVE TIME OF THE MERGER. Upon the Closing, the
parties shall file with the Secretary of State of the State of North Carolina
and the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware articles (or certificate in
Delaware) of merger (the "Articles of Merger") executed in accordance with the
relevant provisions of the NCBCA and the DGCL and shall make all other filings
or recordings required under the NCBCA and the DGCL. The Merger shall become
effective at such time on the Closing Date as the Articles of Merger are duly
filed with the Secretary of State of the State of North Carolina and the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, or at such other time on the
Closing Date as is permissible in accordance with the NCBCA and the DGCL and as
Sub and the Company shall agree should be specified in the Articles of Merger
(the time the Merger becomes effective being the "Effective Time of the
Merger").

         SECTION 1.04. EFFECTS OF THE MERGER. The Merger shall have the effects
set forth in the applicable provisions of the NCBCA and the DGCL. As used
herein, "Surviving Corporation" shall mean and refer to the Sub, at and after
the Effective Time of the Merger, as the surviving corporation in the Merger.

         SECTION 1.05. ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION; BY-LAWS.

                  (a)      At the Effective Time of the Merger, and without any
further action on the part of the Company or Sub, the articles of incorporation
of Sub as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time of the Merger shall
be the articles of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation at the Effective
Time of the Merger until thereafter amended as provided therein or by applicable
law, except that the name of Sub in such articles of incorporation will be
changed to be Quintiles Scott-Levin, Inc.


                                       2
<PAGE>   4
                  (b)      At the Effective Time of the Merger, and without any
further action on the part of the Company or Sub, the by-laws of Sub as in
effect immediately prior to the Effective Time of the Merger shall be the
by-laws of the Surviving Corporation at the Effective Time of the Merger until
thereafter changed or amended as provided therein or by applicable law.

         SECTION 1.06. DIRECTORS. The directors of Sub immediately prior to the
Effective Time of the Merger shall be the directors of the Surviving Corporation
at the Effective Time of the Merger, until the earlier of their resignation or
removal or until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified, as
the case may be.

         SECTION 1.07. OFFICERS. The officers of Sub immediately prior to the
Effective Time of the Merger shall be the officers of the Surviving Corporation
at the Effective Time of the Merger, until the earlier of their resignation or
removal or until their respective successors are duly elected or appointed and
qualified, as the case may be.

                                   ARTICLE II

    EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON THE CAPITAL STOCK OF THE CONSTITUENT CORPORATIONS

         SECTION 2.01. EFFECT ON CAPITAL STOCK. As of the Effective Time of the
Merger, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the
Company, Sub or any holder of any shares of Company Common Stock or any shares
of capital stock of Sub:

                  (a)      Cancellation of Treasury Stock and Parent-Owned
Company Common Stock. Each share of Company Common Stock that is owned by the
Company, Parent or Sub shall automatically be cancelled and retired and shall
cease to exist, and no cash, Parent Common Stock, CVPs or other consideration
shall be delivered or deliverable in exchange therefor.

                  (b)      Conversion of Company Common Stock. Subject to
Section 2.02(e), each issued and outstanding share of Company Common Stock
(other than shares cancelled pursuant to Section 2.01(a)) shall be converted
into the right to receive, at the election of the holder thereof, either (i) on
the Closing Date, that fraction of a fully paid and nonassessable share of
Parent Common Stock determined by dividing Fifteen Dollars and Forty Cents
($15.40) by the "Average Trading Price" (the "Exchange Ratio") or (ii) (A) on
the Closing Date, that fraction of a fully paid and nonassessable share of
Parent Common Stock determined by dividing the Exchange Ratio in half and (B) at
any time on or prior to the Maturity Date (as defined in Exhibit A), as
specified by such holder, that fraction of a fully paid and nonassessable share
of Parent Common Stock determined by dividing the Exchange Ratio in half and (C)
on the Maturity Date, on the terms but subject to the further conditions
described in Exhibit A and the following two sentences, a CVP (the consideration
described in each of subparagraphs 2.01(b)(i) and 2.01(b)(ii) herein is
individually referred to as the "Per Share Merger Consideration"). For each
share of Parent Common Stock received by a former holder of Company Common Stock
on the Maturity Date, Parent shall pay to such holder, on the terms but subject
to the further conditions set forth in Exhibit A, cash equal to the amount, if
any, as determined by Parent, by which the Average Trading Price exceeds the CVP
Average Trading 


                                       3
<PAGE>   5
Price (as defined in Exhibit A). Shares of Parent Common Stock received by a
former holder of Company Common Stock prior to the Maturity Date shall not give
rise to any entitlement to a CVP. For purposes of this Agreement, "Average
Trading Price" shall mean the average of the closing prices per share of the
Parent Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market (or such United States
exchange on which the Parent Common Stock is then listed) for the aggregate of
ten (10) trading days ending on the day which is two (2) days immediately
preceding the Closing Date.

                  (c)      Cancellation and Retirement of Company Common Stock.
As of the Effective Time of the Merger, all shares of Company Common Stock
issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time of the Merger
shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be cancelled and retired
and shall cease to exist, and each holder of a certificate representing any such
shares of Company Common Stock (collectively, the "Certificates") shall, to the
extent such Certificate represents such shares, cease to have any rights with
respect thereto, except the right to receive the Parent Common Stock and CVPs
(and cash in lieu of fractional shares) to be issued or paid in consideration
therefor upon surrender of such certificate in accordance with Section 2.02.

         SECTION 2.02. EXCHANGE OF CERTIFICATES.

                  (a)      Exchange Agent. As of the Effective Time of the
Merger, Parent shall enter into an agreement with a bank or trust company
organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof with capital,
surplus and undivided profits of at least Five Hundred Million Dollars
($500,000,000) as may be designated by Parent (and acceptable to the Company)
(the "Exchange Agent") which shall provide that Parent shall deposit, or cause
to be deposited, with the Exchange Agent, for the benefit of holders of the
Certificates, for exchange in accordance with this Article II, certificates
representing the shares of Parent Common Stock (such certificates for shares of
Parent Common Stock, together with any dividends or distributions with respect
thereto with a record date on or after the Effective Time of the Merger and any
cash payable in lieu of any fractional shares of Parent Common Stock, being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Fund"), issuable pursuant to Section
2.01 in exchange for outstanding shares of Company Common Stock.

                  (b)      Exchange Procedures. Parent shall use commercially
reasonable efforts to cause the Exchange Agent to mail, as soon as reasonably
practicable after the Effective Time of the Merger, to each holder of record of
Certificates immediately prior to the Effective Time of the Merger whose shares
were converted pursuant to Section 2.01(b), (i) a letter of transmittal (which
shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the
Certificates shall pass, only upon delivery of the Certificates to the Exchange
Agent, and which shall be in such form and have such other provisions as Parent
may reasonably specify) and (ii) instructions for use in effecting the surrender
of the Certificates in exchange for, at the election of such holder, either (A)
certificates representing all of the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable
immediately to such holder or (B) certificates representing half of the shares
of Parent Common Stock issuable immediately to such holder, with certificates
representing the remaining half of the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable to
such holder and the CVPs to be issued or paid, as the case may be, on or prior
to the Maturity Date. The Letter of Transmittal shall also include instructions
for former holders of Certificates who elect to receive Per Share Merger


                                       4
<PAGE>   6
Consideration in accordance with Section 2.01(b)(ii) to specify the time of
issuance of Parent Common Stock pursuant to Section 2.01(b)(ii)(B). Upon
surrender of a Certificate for cancellation to the Exchange Agent together with
such letter of transmittal, duly executed, the holder of such Certificate, in
accordance with its election, shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor
either (x) a certificate representing that number of whole shares of Parent
Common Stock which such holder has the right to receive in respect of the
Certificate surrendered pursuant to the provisions of this Article II (after
taking into account all shares of Company Common Stock then held by such holder)
and cash in lieu of any fractional shares of Parent Common Stock as contemplated
by Section 2.02(e) (such certificate and cash in lieu of any fractional shares
to be issued and paid immediately) or (y) (A) a certificate representing half of
that number of whole shares of Parent Common Stock which such holder has a right
to receive in respect of the Certificate surrendered pursuant to the provisions
of this Article II (after taking into account all shares of Company Common Stock
then held by such holder) and cash in lieu of any fractional shares of Parent
Common Stock as contemplated by Section 2.02(e), (B) a certificate representing
the remaining whole shares of Parent Common Stock which such holder has a right
to receive (such certificate to be issued at the time or times specified by such
holder) and (C) a CVP, and the Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be
cancelled. In the event of a transfer of ownership of shares of Company Common
Stock which is not registered in the transfer records of the Company, a
certificate representing the proper number of shares of Parent Common Stock may
be issued to a transferee if the Certificate is presented to the Exchange Agent,
accompanied by all documents required to evidence and effect such transfer and
by evidence that any applicable stock transfer taxes have been paid. Until
surrendered as contemplated by this Section 2.02, each Certificate shall be
deemed at any time after the Effective Time of the Merger to represent only the
Parent Common Stock and CVPs into which the shares of Company Common Stock
represented by such Certificate have been converted as provided in this Article
II and the right to receive upon such surrender cash in lieu of any fractional
shares of Parent Common Stock as contemplated by this Section 2.02.

                  (c)      Distributions with Respect to Unexchanged Shares. No
dividends or other distributions with respect to Parent Common Stock with a
record date on or after the Effective Time of the Merger shall be paid to the
holder of any unsurrendered Certificate with respect to the shares of Parent
Common Stock represented thereby, and no cash payment in lieu of fractional
shares shall be paid to any such holder pursuant to Section 2.02(e), in each
case until the surrender of such Certificate in accordance with this Article II.
Subject to the effect of applicable laws, following surrender of any such
Certificate there also shall be paid to the holder of the certificate
representing whole shares of Parent Common Stock issued in exchange therefor
without interest (i) at the time of such surrender, the amount of any cash
payable in lieu of a fractional share of Parent Common Stock to which such
holder is entitled pursuant to Section 2.02(e) and the amount of any dividends
or other distributions with a record date on or after the Effective Time of the
Merger theretofore paid (but withheld pursuant to the immediately preceding
sentence) with respect to such whole shares of Parent Common Stock, and (ii) at
the appropriate payment date, the amount of any dividends or other distributions
with a record date on or after the Effective Time of the Merger but prior to
such surrender and a payment date subsequent to such surrender payable with
respect to such whole shares of Parent Common Stock.


                                       5
<PAGE>   7
                  (d)      No Further Ownership Rights in Company Common Stock.
All shares of Parent Common Stock and CVPs issued and made upon conversion of
shares of Company Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof, and all cash
paid pursuant to Sections 2.02(c) and 2.02(e), shall be deemed to have been
issued in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such shares of Company
Common Stock (including with respect to the Rights), and there shall be no
further registration of transfers on the stock transfer books of the Surviving
Corporation of the shares of Company Common Stock which were outstanding prior
to the Effective Time of the Merger. If, after the Effective Time of the Merger,
Certificates are presented to the Surviving Corporation for any reason, they
shall be cancelled and exchanged as provided in this Article II.

                  (e)      No Fractional Shares.

                           (i)      No certificates or scrip representing
fractional shares of Parent Common Stock shall be issued upon the surrender for
exchange of Certificates, and such fractional share interests will not entitle
the owner thereof to vote or to any rights of a stockholder of Parent. In lieu
of such issuance of fractional shares, Parent shall pay each holder of
Certificates an amount in cash equal to the product obtained by multiplying (a)
the fractional share interest to which such holder (after taking into account
all shares of Company Common Stock held immediately prior to the Effective Time
of the Merger by such holder) would otherwise be entitled by (b) the Average
Trading Price.

                           (ii)     As soon as practicable after the
determination of the amount of cash, if any, to be paid to holders of
Certificates with respect to any fractional share interests, the Exchange Agent
shall make available such amounts to such holders of Certificates, subject to
and in accordance with the terms of Section 2.02(c).

                  (f)      Termination of Exchange Fund. Any portion of the
Exchange Fund deposited with the Exchange Agent pursuant to this Section 2.02
which remains undistributed to the holders of the Certificates for six months
after the Effective Time of the Merger shall be delivered to Parent, upon
demand, and any holders of Certificates prior to the Merger who have not
theretofore complied with this Article II shall thereafter look only to Parent
and only as general creditors thereof for payment of their claim for Parent
Common Stock, cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock and any
dividends or distributions with respect to Parent Common Stock to which such
holders may be entitled.

                  (g)      No Liability. None of Parent, Sub, the Company or the
Exchange Agent shall be liable to any person in respect of any shares of Parent
Common Stock (or dividends or distributions with respect thereto) or cash from
the Exchange Fund delivered to a public official pursuant to any applicable
abandoned property, escheat or similar law. If any Certificates shall not have
been surrendered prior to three years after the Effective Time of the Merger, or
immediately prior to such earlier date on which any Parent Common Stock, any
cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock or any dividends or
distributions with respect to Parent Common Stock would otherwise escheat to or
become the property of any Governmental Entity (as defined in Section 3.01(d)),
any such Parent Common Stock or cash shall, to the extent permitted by
applicable law, become the property of the Surviving Corporation, free and clear
of all claims or interest of any person previously entitled thereto.


                                       6
<PAGE>   8
                  (h)      Investment of Exchange Fund. The Exchange Agent shall
invest any cash included in the Exchange Fund as directed by Parent on a daily
basis. Any interest and other income resulting from such investments shall be
paid to Parent. The Exchange Fund may be invested by the Exchange Agent, as
directed by Parent, in (i) obligations of or guaranteed by the United States,
(ii) commercial paper rated A-1, P-1 or A-2, P-2, and (iii) time deposits with,
including certificates of deposits issued by, any office located in the United
States of any bank or trust company organized under Federal law or under the law
of any state of the United States or of the District of Columbia and that has
capital, surplus and undivided profits of at least Five Hundred Million Dollars
($500,000,000), and any net earnings with respect thereto shall be paid to
Parent as and when requested by Parent. If, for any reason (including losses),
the Exchange Fund is inadequate to pay the amounts to which holders of shares of
Company Common Stock shall be entitled, Parent shall be liable for and shall
deposit in the Exchange Fund sufficient funds to make the required payments.

         SECTION 2.03. TREATMENT OF OPTIONS.

                  (a)      At the Effective Time of the Merger, each outstanding
option to purchase Company Common Stock (a "Company Stock Option") issued
pursuant to the Company's Non-Employee Directors' Stock Option Plan (the
"Director Plan") or the Company's Stock Option and Restricted Stock Purchase
Plan (the "Option Plan" and, collectively with the Director Plan, the "Company
Stock Plans"), whether vested or unvested, shall be deemed to constitute an
option to acquire, on the same terms and conditions as were applicable under
such Company Stock Option, those shares of Parent Common Stock and CVPs which
the holder of such Company Stock Option would have been entitled to receive
pursuant to the Merger if such holder had exercised such option in full
immediately prior to the Effective Time of the Merger (utilizing the Exchange
Ratio as set forth in Section 2.01 of this Agreement), at a price per share
equal to (y) the aggregate exercise price for the shares of Company Common Stock
purchasable pursuant to such Company Stock Option divided by (z) the number of
full shares of Parent Common Stock deemed purchasable pursuant to such Company
Stock Option (a "Converted Option"); provided, however, that in the case of any
option to which Section 421 of the Code applies by reason of its qualification
under Section 422 of the Code ("incentive stock options"), the option price, the
number of shares of Parent Common Stock purchasable pursuant to such option and
the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in order
to comply with Section 424(a) of the Code. If the relevant Company Stock Option
is not exercised prior to the Maturity Date (as defined in Exhibit A), any CVPs
due pursuant thereto shall terminate and become null and void. If the relevant
Company Stock Option is exercised, in whole or in part prior to the Maturity
Date (as defined in Exhibit A), upon the sale of any shares of Parent Common
Stock received upon the exercise of the relevant Company Stock Option, the CVPs
due pursuant to such shares sold shall terminate and become null and void.

                  (b)      As soon as practicable after the Effective Time of
the Merger, Parent shall deliver to the holders of Company Stock Options
appropriate notices setting forth such holders' rights pursuant to the Company
Stock Plans and the agreements evidencing the grants of such Company Stock
Options shall continue in effect on the same terms and conditions (subject to
adjustments required by this Section 2.03 after giving effect to the Merger and
the provisions set forth above and until otherwise determined). If necessary,
Parent shall comply with the terms of 


                                       7
<PAGE>   9
the Company Stock Plans and ensure, to the extent required by, and subject to
the provisions of, the Company Stock Plans, that Company Stock Options that
qualified as incentive stock options prior to the Effective Time of the Merger
continue to qualify as incentive stock options after the Effective Time of the
Merger.

                  (c)      Parent shall take all corporate action necessary to
reserve for issuance a sufficient number of shares of Parent Common Stock for
delivery upon exercise of Company Stock Options. At the Effective Time of the
Merger, Parent shall file a registration statement on Form S-8, as the case may
be (or any successor or other appropriate forms), or another appropriate form,
with respect to the shares of Parent Common Stock and CVPs subject to such
options and shall use its reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of
such registration statement or registration statements (and maintain the current
status of the prospectus or prospectuses contained therein) for so long as such
options remain outstanding. With respect to those individuals who subsequent to
the Merger will be subject to the reporting requirements under Section 16(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), where
applicable, Parent shall administer the Company Stock Plans in a manner that
complies with Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act to the extent the
Company Stock Plans complied with such rule prior to the Merger.

         SECTION 2.04. TREATMENT OF DEBT SECURITIES.

                  (a)      Provided that this Agreement shall not have been
terminated in accordance with Section 7.01 hereof, the Company shall issue a
notice of redemption for all of the Company's outstanding 6 1/4% Convertible
Subordinated Debentures due 2003 (the "Debentures") at such price and on such
other terms and conditions as are specified for the redemption of all of the
Debentures under the indenture (the "Indenture) in effect therefor (the "Debt
Redemption"), with the Debt Redemption to occur on February 1, 1999 (the
"Redemption Date"). Prior to the Effective Time and in any event not later than
one business day prior to the Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with
the Trustee (as defined in the Indenture) an amount in cash sufficient to redeem
the Debentures in full, together with interest accrued thereon to the Redemption
Date. The Company covenants and agrees that, subject to the terms and conditions
of this Agreement, including but not limited to the conditions in the Debt
Redemption, it will redeem the Debentures on the Redemption Date.

                  (b)      All mailings to the holders of the Debentures in
connection with the Debt Redemption shall be subject to the prior review,
comment and approval of Parent (which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed).


                                       8
<PAGE>   10
                                   ARTICLE III

                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

         SECTION 3.01. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. Except as
set forth in the disclosure schedule (each section of which qualifies the
correspondingly numbered representation and warranty only) of the Company
attached hereto (the "Company Disclosure Schedule"), the Company represents and
warrants to Parent and Sub as follows:

                  (a)      Organization, Standing and Corporate Power. Each of
the Company and each of its Subsidiaries (as defined in Section 3.01(b)) is duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction in which it is organized and has the requisite corporate power and
authority to carry on its business as now being conducted. Each of the Company
and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is
in good standing in each jurisdiction (domestic or foreign) in which the nature
of its business or the ownership or leasing of its properties makes such
qualification or licensing necessary, other than in such jurisdictions where the
failure to be so qualified or licensed (individually or in the aggregate) could
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in
Section 8.04) with respect to the Company. The Company has made available to
Parent complete and correct copies of the Company's Amended Certificate of
Incorporation, as amended (the "Certificate of Incorporation"), and the
Company's Amended and Restated By-laws, as amended (the "By-Laws"), as currently
in effect and identified on Section 3.01(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.
The Company has made available to Parent and Sub complete and correct copies of
the certificates of incorporation and by-laws (or other organizational
documents) of each of the Company's Subsidiaries, in each case as amended to the
date of this Agreement.

                  (b)      Subsidiaries. The only direct or indirect
subsidiaries (as defined in Section 8.04) of the Company are those listed in
Section 3.01(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule (collectively, the
"Subsidiaries"). All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each
subsidiary of the Company have been validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable and, except as disclosed in Section 3.01(b) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, are owned (of record and beneficially) by the Company, by
another wholly owned subsidiary of the Company or by the Company and another
such wholly owned subsidiary, free and clear of all pledges, claims, liens,
charges, encumbrances and security interests of any kind or nature whatsoever
(collectively, "Liens"). Except for the ownership interests set forth in Section
3.01(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company does not own, directly
or indirectly, any capital stock or other ownership interest in any corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, business association, joint venture or
other entity.

                  (c)      Capital Structure. The authorized capital stock of
the Company consists of 25,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock, par value
$.01 per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.01 per
share ("Company Preferred Stock"). As of the close of business on September 30,
1998, there were: (i) 12,396,721 shares of Company Common Stock issued and
outstanding; (ii) 918,254 shares of Company Common Stock held in the treasury of
the Company or held by Subsidiaries; (iii) 2,370,000 shares of Company Common
Stock reserved for issuance upon exercise of Company Stock Options available for


                                       9
<PAGE>   11
grant pursuant to the Company Stock Plans; and (iv) 2,450,000 shares of Company
Common Stock issuable upon conversion of currently outstanding Debentures. As of
the close of business on September 30, 1998, there were 1,993,900 shares of
Company Common Stock issuable upon exercise of awarded but unexercised Company
Stock Options, with an exercise price per each awarded but unexercised Company
Stock Option as is set forth in Section 3.01(c)(iii) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule. Except as set forth above, as of the close of business on September
30, 1998, there were no shares of capital stock or other equity securities of
the Company issued, reserved for issuance or outstanding. All outstanding shares
of capital stock of the Company are, and all shares which may be issued pursuant
to the Company Stock Plans and the Debentures will be, when issued, duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and not subject to
preemptive rights. All securities issued by the Company were issued in
compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal and state
securities laws and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Other than the Debentures, there are no outstanding bonds, debentures, notes or
other indebtedness or debt securities of the Company having the right to vote
(or convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote)
on any matters on which stockholders of the Company may vote (collectively,
"Voting Debt"). Except as set forth above and except pursuant to the Stock
Option Agreement, there are no outstanding securities, options, warrants, calls,
rights, commitments, agreements, arrangements or undertakings of any kind to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them
is bound obligating the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, deliver or
sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or sold, additional shares of capital
stock or other equity or voting securities of the Company or of any of its
Subsidiaries or obligating the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue,
grant, extend or enter into any such security, option, warrant, call, right,
commitment, agreement, arrangement or undertaking. Other than the Stock Option
Agreement and except as disclosed in Section 3.01(c) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, (i) there are no outstanding contractual obligations, commitments,
understandings or arrangements of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to
repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or make any payment in respect of any
shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (ii) to
the knowledge of the Company, there are no irrevocable proxies with respect to
shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Except as set
forth in Section 3.01(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, there are no
agreements or arrangements pursuant to which the Company is or could be required
to register shares of Company Common Stock or other securities of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"), or other agreements or arrangements with or, to the knowledge
of the Company, among any securityholders of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries with respect to securities of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.

                  Since September 30, 1998, except as disclosed in Section
3.01(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company has not (A) issued or
permitted to be issued any shares of capital stock, or securities exercisable
for or convertible into shares of capital stock, of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, other than (1) pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement, (2) the
grant of any employee stock options prior to the date of this Agreement pursuant
to the Company Stock Plans, (3) the issuance of Company Common Stock upon
exercise of the options granted pursuant to the Company Stock Plans prior to the
date of this Agreement and (4) upon conversion of Debentures outstanding on such
date; (B) repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired, directly or indirectly
through one or more Subsidiaries, any shares of capital 


                                       10
<PAGE>   12
stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or (C) declared, set aside,
made or paid to the stockholders of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
dividends or other distributions on the outstanding shares of capital stock of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (excluding dividends declared, set aside,
made or paid by wholly-owned Subsidiaries to the Company or any wholly owned
Subsidiaries).

                  (d)      Authority; Noncontravention. The Company has the
requisite corporate power and authority to enter into each of this Agreement and
the Stock Option Agreement and, subject to the Company Stockholder Approval in
the case of this Agreement, to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby
and thereby. The execution and delivery of each of this Agreement and the Stock
Option Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all
necessary corporate action on the part of the Company, subject, in the case of
this Agreement, to the Company Stockholder Approval. This Agreement and the
Stock Option Agreement have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and
(assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Parent and Sub)
constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the
Company in accordance with their respective terms, subject to the effects of
bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and
other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, general equitable
principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and an
implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Except as set forth in Section
3.01(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedule (and except for the "Repurchase
Rights" of holders of the Debentures), the execution and delivery of each of
this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement does not, and the consummation by
the Company of the transactions contemplated by each of this Agreement and the
Stock Option Agreement and compliance by the Company with the provisions hereof
and thereof will not, conflict with, or result in any breach or violation of, or
any default (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) under, or give
rise to a right of termination, cancellation or acceleration of, or a "put"
right with respect to any obligation under, or to a loss of a material benefit
under, or result in the creation of any Lien under, (i) the Certificate of
Incorporation or By-laws or the comparable charter or organizational documents
of any of the Company's Subsidiaries, (ii) any loan or credit agreement, note,
note purchase agreement, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease or any other contract,
agreement, instrument, permit, concession, franchise or license to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets are bound or
(iii) subject to the governmental filings and other matters referred to in the
following sentence, any judgment, order, decree, statute, law, ordinance, rule,
regulation or arbitration award applicable to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or their respective properties or assets, other than, in the case
of clauses (ii) and (iii), any such conflicts, breaches, violations, defaults,
rights, losses or Liens that individually or in the aggregate could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the
Company. No consent, approval, order or authorization of, or registration,
declaration or filing with, or notice to, any international organization, the
government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political
subdivision thereof, whether state, provincial, local or otherwise, or any
court, administrative agency or commission or other governmental authority,
regulatory body or agency, domestic or foreign (a "Governmental Entity"), or any
other third party is required by or with respect to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and
the Stock Option Agreement by the Company or the consummation by the Company of
the transactions 


                                       11
<PAGE>   13
contemplated hereby and thereby or the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder or thereunder, except for (i) such filings, if any, in
connection with or compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements
Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act"), the National Association of Securities
Dealers (the "NASD"), the provisions of the DGCL, the provisions of the NCBCA,
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), Section 4043 of
ERISA and the Exchange Act as may be required in connection with this Agreement
and the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby, (iii) the filing of the Articles of Merger with the Secretary of State
of the State of North Carolina and the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware and appropriate documents with the relevant authorities of other states
in which the Company is qualified to do business and (iv) such other consents,
approvals, orders, authorizations, registrations, declarations, filings or
notices the failure of which to make or obtain, individually or in the
aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to (x) prevent or materially delay
consummation of the Merger or the transactions contemplated hereby or
performance of the Company's obligations hereunder or under the Stock Option
Agreement or (y) have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company.

                  (e)      SEC Documents; Undisclosed Liabilities. The Company
has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") all reports,
schedules, forms, statements and other documents required pursuant to the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act since July 1, 1995 (collectively, and in
each case including all exhibits and schedules thereto and documents
incorporated by reference therein, the "SEC Documents"). Except as set forth in
Section 3.01(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, as of their respective
dates, the SEC Documents complied as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and
the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to such
SEC Documents. As of their respective dates, (i) none of the SEC Documents
(including any and all financial statements included therein) filed pursuant to
the Securities Act or any rule or regulation thereunder contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading and (ii) none of the SEC Documents (including any and all financial
statements included therein) filed pursuant to the Exchange Act or any rule or
regulation thereunder contained any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. Except to the extent that information
contained in any SEC Document has been revised or superseded by a later filed
SEC Document, none of the SEC Documents (including any and all financial
statements included therein) contains any untrue statement of a material fact or
omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. The consolidated financial statements of
the Company included in all SEC Documents filed since July 1, 1995 (the "SEC
Financial Statements") and the unaudited consolidated quarterly financial
statements for the period ending September 30, 1998 which have been provided to
Parent (the "Interim Financial Statements") comply as to form in all material
respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and
regulations of the SEC with respect thereto, have been prepared in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles (except, in the case of unaudited
consolidated quarterly financial statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the
SEC), applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may
be indicated in the notes thereto). The SEC Financial 


                                       12
<PAGE>   14
Statements and the Interim Financial Statements fairly present the consolidated
financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the
dates thereof and the consolidated results of their operations and cash flows
for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited quarterly
statements, to normal recurring audit adjustments). Except as disclosed in
Section 3.01(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any
of its Subsidiaries has any liabilities or obligations of any nature (whether
accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) required by generally accepted
accounting principles to be recognized or disclosed on a consolidated balance
sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries or in the notes thereto, except (i)
liabilities reflected in the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Company
as of September 30, 1998 or the notes thereto set forth in the Interim Financial
Statements (the "Interim Balance Sheet"), (ii) liabilities disclosed in any
Recent SEC Document and (iii) liabilities incurred since September 30, 1998 in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice.

                  (f)      Information Supplied. None of the information
supplied or to be supplied by the Company for inclusion or incorporation by
reference in (i) the registration statement of Parent on Form S-4 to be filed
with the SEC in connection with the issuance of Parent securities in the Merger
(the "Form S-4") will, at the time the Form S-4 is filed with the SEC, at any
time it is amended or supplemented or at the time it becomes effective under the
Securities Act, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading or (ii) the Proxy Statement will, at the date
it is first mailed to the Company's stockholders or at the time of the
Stockholders Meeting (as defined in Section 5.01(c)), contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. The Proxy
Statement will comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements
of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, except
that no representation is made by the Company with respect to statements made or
incorporated by reference therein based on information supplied in writing by
Parent or Sub specifically for inclusion or incorporation by reference therein.

                  (g)      Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Except as
disclosed in Section 3.01(g) of the Company Disclosure Schedule or in the Recent
SEC Documents (as defined in Section 8.04), since June 30, 1998, each of the
Company and each of its Subsidiaries has conducted its business only in the
ordinary course consistent with past practice, and there is not and has not been
since June 30, 1998: (i) any Material Adverse Change (as defined in Section
8.04) with respect to the Company; (ii) any material change by the Company in
its accounting methods, principles or practices, except as required by
concurrent changes in generally accepted accounting principles, (iii) any
material reevaluation by the Company of any of its assets, including, without
limitation, writing down the value of capitalized inventory or writing off notes
or accounts receivable other than in the ordinary course, (iv) any declaration,
setting aside or payment of any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash,
stock or property) with respect to any of the Company's capital stock, (v) any
condition, event or occurrence which individually or in the aggregate, could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the
Company or give rise to a Material Adverse Change with respect to the Company;
(vi) any action or failure to act which, if it had been taken or not taken after
the execution of this Agreement, would have required the consent of Parent
pursuant to this Agreement; or (vii) any


                                       13
<PAGE>   15
condition, event or occurrence which, individually or in the aggregate, could
reasonably be expected to prevent or materially delay the ability of the Company
to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock
Option Agreement or perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder.

                  (h)      Litigation; Labor Matters; Compliance with Laws.

                           (i)      Except as disclosed in Section 3.01(h)(i) of
the Company Disclosure Schedule or in the Recent SEC Documents, there is (1) no
suit, action, arbitration or proceeding pending, and (2) to the knowledge of the
Company, no suit, action, arbitration or proceeding threatened against or
investigation pending, in each case with respect to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company or
prevent or materially delay the ability of the Company to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement or to
perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder, nor is there any judgment,
decree, citation, injunction, rule or order of any Governmental Entity or
arbitrator outstanding against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which,
individually or in the aggregate, has or could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company or prevent or materially
delay the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement or to perform its obligations
hereunder or thereunder. To the knowledge of the Company, except as disclosed in
Section 3.01(h)(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule or in the Recent SEC
Documents, there is no reasonable basis for any action, suit, arbitration or
proceeding that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company or prevent or
materially delay the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement or to perform its
obligations hereunder or thereunder.

                           (ii)     Section 3.01(h)(ii) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule contains an accurate list of all of the Company's and each
Subsidiary's employees, showing for each his or her department and 1998 and 1999
annual salary and bonus. Except as disclosed in Section 3.01(h)(ii) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule or in the Recent SEC Documents, (1) neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to, or bound by, any collective
bargaining agreement, contract or other agreement or understanding with a labor
union or labor organization; (2) to the knowledge of the Company, neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is the subject of any proceeding asserting
that it or any of its Subsidiaries has committed an unfair labor practice or
seeking to compel it to bargain with any labor organization as to wages or
conditions of employment; (3) there is no strike, work stoppage or other similar
labor dispute involving it or any of its Subsidiaries pending or, to its
knowledge, threatened; (4) no grievance is pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which,
individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company; (5) to the knowledge of the
Company, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all
applicable laws (domestic and foreign), agreements, contracts, and policies
relating to employment, employment practices, wages, hours and terms and
conditions of employment except for failures so to comply, if any, that,
individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company; (6) the Company and each of
its 


                                       14
<PAGE>   16
Subsidiaries has complied in all material respects with its payment obligations
to all bonuses, benefits and other compensation due and payable to such
employees under any policy, practice, agreement, plan, program of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries or any statute or other law; (7) neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries is liable for any severance pay, retention bonus or
other payments to any employee or former employee arising from the transactions
contemplated hereunder, termination of employment or otherwise under any
compensation, benefit or severance policy, practice, agreement, plan, or program
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the knowledge of the Company
will the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have any liability which exists or
arises, or may be deemed to exist or arise, under any applicable law or
otherwise, as a result of or in connection with the transactions contemplated
hereunder or as a result of the termination by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries of any persons employed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
on or prior to the Effective Time of the Merger, excluding any such payment or
liability which does not exceed $25,000 (or does exceed $25,000 solely as a
result of statutory regulations governing severance payments) individually or
$250,000 in the aggregate with all such other payments not disclosed in Section
3.01(h)(ii) of the Company Disclosure Schedule; and (8) the Company and each of
its Subsidiaries is in compliance with its obligations pursuant to the Worker
Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 ("WARN"), to the extent
applicable, and all other employee notification and bargaining obligations
arising under any collective bargaining agreement or statute.

                           (iii)    Each of the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries holds all permits, licenses, variances, exemptions, orders and
approvals of all Governmental Entities which are material to the operation of
the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (the
"Company Permits"). The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the
terms of the Company Permits, except where the failure so to comply,
individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect with
respect to the Company. Except as disclosed in Section 3.01(h)(iii) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule, the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries
are not being conducted in violation of any law (domestic or foreign), ordinance
or regulation of any Governmental Entity, except for possible violations which,
individually or in the aggregate, do not and could not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company.

                           (iv)     Except as disclosed in Section 3.01(h)(iv)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, each of the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries have in the past duly complied, and are presently duly complying,
with all applicable laws (whether statutory or otherwise), rules, regulations,
orders, judgments or decrees (the "Laws") of all Governmental Entities,
including, without limitation, privacy and data protection Laws of any
Governmental Entity, except where the failure to have so complied or to be
presently complying would neither have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to
the Company nor constitute violations of criminal laws that could subject the
Company or any Subsidiary to criminal liability. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary has received any notification of or has any knowledge of any asserted
material failure by it to comply with any of such Laws.


                                       15
<PAGE>   17
                  (i)      Employee Benefit Plans.

                           (i)      Section 3.01(i) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule contains a true and complete list of each "employee benefit plan"
(within the meaning of section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA")), governmental plan or government-mandated or
arrangement providing for pension or welfare or other employee benefits for
which contributions are required under any applicable Law ("Governmental
Plans"), stock purchase, stock option, severance, employment, change-in-control,
fringe benefit, collective bargaining, bonus, incentive, deferred compensation
and all other employee benefit plans, agreements, programs, policies or other
arrangements relating to employment, benefits or entitlements, whether or not
subject to ERISA (including any funding mechanism therefor now in effect or
required in the future as a result of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or otherwise), whether formal or informal, oral or written, legally
binding or not under which any employee or former employee of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries has any present or future right to benefits or under which
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has any present or future liability. All
such plans, agreements, programs, policies and arrangements are herein
collectively referred to as the "Company Plans."

                           (ii)     With respect to each Company Plan, the
Company has delivered to Parent a current, accurate and complete copy (or, to
the extent no such copy exists, an accurate description) thereof and, to the
extent applicable, (A) any related trust agreement, annuity contract or other
funding instrument; (B) the most recent determination letter; (C) the current
summary plan description and other written communications by the Company to its
employees concerning the extent of the benefits provided under a Company Plan;
and (D) for the most recent year (i) the Form 5500 and attached schedules; (ii)
audited financial statements; (iii) actuarial valuation reports; and (iv)
attorney's response to an auditor's request for information.

                           (iii)    (A) Each Company Plan has been established
and administered in material compliance with its terms and with the applicable
provisions of ERISA, the Code and other applicable laws, rules and regulations
(including the applicable laws, rules and regulations of any foreign
jurisdiction); (B) each Company Plan which is intended to be qualified within
the meaning of Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and, except for the
Scott-Levin 401(k) and Profit Sharing Plan, has received a favorable
determination letter as to its qualification and nothing has occurred, whether
by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification;
(C) with respect to any Company Plan, no actions, suits or claims (other than
routine claims for benefits in the ordinary course) are pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened, no facts or circumstances exist which
could give rise to any such actions, suits or claims and the Company will
promptly notify Parent in writing of any pending claims or, to the knowledge of
the Company, any threatened claims arising between the date hereof and the
Effective Time of the Merger; (D) neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of
the Company, any other party has engaged in a prohibited transaction, as such
term is defined under Section 4975 of the Code or ERISA Section 406, which would
subject the Company or Parent or its Subsidiaries to any material taxes,
penalties or other liabilities under the Code or ERISA; (E) no event has
occurred and no condition exists that would subject the Company, either directly
or by reason of its affiliation with any member of its "Controlled Group"
(defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of
organizations within the meaning of 


                                       16
<PAGE>   18
Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code), to any material tax, fine or
penalty imposed by ERISA, the Code or other applicable laws, rules and
regulations (including the applicable laws, rules and regulations of any foreign
jurisdiction); (F) all insurance premiums required to be paid and all
contributions required to be made under the terms of any Company Plan, the Code,
ERISA or other applicable laws, rules and regulations (including the applicable
laws, rules and regulations of any foreign jurisdiction) as of the Effective
Time of the Merger have been or will be timely paid or made prior thereto and
adequate reserves have been provided for on the Company's balance sheet for any
premiums (or portions thereof) and for all benefits attributable to service on
or prior to the Effective Time of the Merger; (G) except for the Source
Informatics America, PMSI Scott-Levin and Walsh America 401(k) Retirement Plan,
each Company Plan with respect to which a Form 5500 has been filed, no material
change has occurred with respect to the matters covered by the most recent Form
since the date thereof; and (H) no Company Plan provides for an increase in
benefits on or after the Effective Time of the Merger.

                           (iv)     No Company Plan is subject to Title IV of
ERISA, and no Company Plan is a multiemployer plan as defined in Section
4001(A)(3) of ERISA. The Company has never been required to contribute to or
sponsored any multiemployer plan or any plan subject to Title IV of ERISA.

                           (v)      Except as set forth in Section 3.01(i)(v) of
the Company Disclosure Schedule, no Company Plan exists which could result in
the payment to any Company employee of any money or other property or rights or
accelerate or provide any other rights or benefits to any Company employee as a
result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, whether or not such
payment would constitute a parachute payment within the meaning of Section 280G
of the Code.

                           (vi)     (i) Each Company Plan which is intended to
meet the requirements for tax-favored treatment under Subchapter B of Chapter 1
of Subtitle A of the Code meets such requirements; and (ii) the Company has
received a favorable determination from the Internal Revenue Service with
respect to any trust intended to be qualified within the meaning of Section
501(c)(9) of the Code.

                           (vii)    Except as provided in Section 3.01(i)(vii)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, no independent contractor or other contract
employee has participated or is entitled to participate in any Company Plan.

                           (viii)   The Employee Stock Purchase Plan approved by
the Board of Directors of the Company on December 30, 1997 (the "Employee Stock
Purchase Plan") has not been put into effect and no person, including any
employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, has purchased or has any
right to purchase any shares of capital stock of the Company thereunder.

                  (j)      Taxes.

                           (i)      Except as disclosed in Section 3.01(j) of
the Company Disclosure Schedule: (A) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries,
and any consolidated, combined, unitary or aggregate group of which the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries is or has been a 


                                       17
<PAGE>   19
member has timely filed all Tax Returns required to be filed by it, or requests
for extensions to file such Tax Returns have been timely filed, granted and have
not expired; (B) all such Tax Returns are complete and correct in all material
respects; (C) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries, and any consolidated,
combined, unitary or aggregate group of which the Company or any of it
Subsidiaries is or has been a member, has paid all Taxes due or has provided
adequate reserves in its financial statements (other than in respect of deferred
taxes) for any Taxes that have not been paid; (D) no material claim for unpaid
Taxes has been asserted by a Tax authority or has become a lien against the
property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than with respect to
Taxes not yet due and payable) or is being asserted against the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries; (E) no audit or other proceeding with respect to any Taxes
due from or with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Tax
Return filed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is being conducted by any
governmental or Tax authority and the Company and its Subsidiaries have not
received notification in writing that any such audit or other proceeding with
respect to Taxes or any Tax Return is pending; (F) no extension of the statute
of limitations on the assessment of any Taxes has been granted by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries; and (G) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
is subject to liability for Taxes of any Person (other than the Company or its
Subsidiaries), including, without limitation, liability arising from the
application of Treasury Regulation section 1.1502-6 or any analogous provision
of state, local or foreign law, or as a transferee or successor, by contract, or
otherwise. As used herein, "Taxes" shall mean all taxes of any kind, including,
without limitation, those on or measured by or referred to as income, gross
receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, franchise, profits, license, withholding,
payroll, employment, social security, transfer, net worth, excise, severance,
stamp, occupation, premium, value added, property or windfall profits taxes,
customs, duties or similar fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatsoever,
together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional
amounts imposed by any governmental authority, domestic or foreign. As used
herein, "Tax Return" shall mean any return, report or statement required to be
filed with any governmental authority with respect to Taxes.

                           (ii)     Except as disclosed in Section 3.01(j)(ii)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries holds any indebtedness of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.

                           (iii)    Except as disclosed in Section 3.01(j)(iii)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries nor any other Person on behalf of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries has agreed to or is required to make (or has pending any
application to make) any adjustments pursuant to Section 481(a) of the Code or
any similar provision of state, local or foreign law by reason of a change in
accounting method initiated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

                           (iv)     Except as set forth in Section 3.01(j)(iv)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, none of the assets of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries is (i) property required to be treated as being owned by
another person pursuant to the provisions of Section 168(f)(8) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1954, as amended and in effect immediately prior to the
enactment of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, or (ii) "tax-exempt use property"
within the meaning of Section 168(h)(1) of the Code.


                                       18
<PAGE>   20
                           (v)      None of the issued and outstanding Company
Common Stock is subject to a "substantial risk of forfeiture" within the meaning
of Section 83 of the Code.

                  (k)      Properties. Except as disclosed in Section 3.01(k) of
the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company or one of its Subsidiaries (i) has
good and marketable title to all the properties and assets (A) reflected in the
Interim Balance Sheet as being owned by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries
(other than any such properties or assets sold or disposed of since September
30, 1998 in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice) and
(B) acquired after September 30, 1998 which are material to the Company's
business on a consolidated basis, in each case free and clear of all Liens,
except statutory Liens securing payments not yet due and such Liens as do not
materially affect the use of the properties or assets subject thereto or
affected thereby or otherwise materially impair business operations at such
properties and (ii) is the lessee of all leasehold estates (x) reflected in the
Interim Balance Sheet and (y) acquired after September 30, 1998 which are
material to its business on a consolidated basis (except for leases that have
expired by their terms since the date thereof) and is in possession of the
properties purported to be leased thereunder, and each such lease is in full
force and effect and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of, and
is legally enforceable against, the respective parties thereto (except as
affected by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization,
moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights
generally, general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing), and
there is no default thereunder by the lessee or, to the Company's knowledge, the
lessor that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company. The Company has not
received written notice and does not otherwise have knowledge of any pending,
threatened or contemplated condemnation proceeding affecting any premises owned
or leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any part thereof or of
any sale or other disposition of any such owned or leased premises or any part
thereof in lieu of condemnation.

                  (l)      Environmental Matters. Except as could not reasonably
be expected to result in any liability under or relating to Environmental Laws
(as defined in Section 8.04) to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which,
individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company:

                           (i)      each of the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries holds and is, and has been, in compliance with all Environmental
Permits (as defined in Section 8.04), and each of the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries is, and has been, otherwise in compliance with all Environmental
Laws and, to the knowledge of the Company, there are no conditions that might
prevent or interfere with such compliance in the future;

                           (ii)     neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has received any written Environmental Claim or has knowledge of
any other Environmental Claim or threatened Environmental Claim;

                           (iii)    neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has entered into any consent decree, order or agreement under or
relating to any Environmental Law;


                                       19
<PAGE>   21
                           (iv)     there are no past (including, without
limitation, with respect to assets or businesses formerly owned, leased or
operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) or present actions,
activities, events, conditions or circumstances, including without limitation
the release, threatened release, emission, discharge, generation, treatment,
storage or disposal of Hazardous Materials, that could reasonably be expected to
give rise to liability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any
Environmental Laws; and

                           (v)      no modification, revocation, reissuance,
alteration, transfer, or amendment of the Environmental Permits, or any review
by, or approval of, any third party of the Environmental Permits is required in
connection with the execution or delivery of this Agreement or the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby or the continuation of the business of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries following such consummation.

                  (m)      Contracts; Debt Instruments.

                           (i)      Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is, or has received any notice or has any knowledge that any other
party is, or by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby, will be, in
default in any respect under any contract, agreement, commitment, arrangement,
lease, policy or other instrument to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any such subsidiary is bound,
except for those defaults which could not reasonably be expected, either
individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect
to the Company; and, to the knowledge of the Company, there has not occurred any
event, nor will this transaction by its terms cause the occurrence of any event,
that with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both would constitute
such a default.

                           (ii)     The Company has made available to Parent (x)
true and correct copies (or accurate English translations) of all loan or credit
agreements, notes, bonds, mortgages, indentures and other agreements and
instruments pursuant to which any indebtedness (as defined in section 8.04) of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount in
excess of $500,000 is outstanding or may be incurred and (y) accurate
information regarding the respective principal amounts currently outstanding
thereunder.

                           (iii)    Except as set forth in Section 3.01(m)(iii)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any non-competition agreement or any
other agreement nor is there any judgment, decree, injunction, rule or order of
any Governmental Authority or arbitrator outstanding against the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, that, following the Effective Time of the Merger, would
impose any material restriction on the ability of Parent or any of its
subsidiaries, now or hereafter acquired, (including the Company and its
Subsidiaries) to conduct any of the businesses currently conducted by any of
them or which purports to limit or restrict in any material respect the manner
in which, or the geographic area in which, Parent or any of its subsidiaries
(including the Company and its Subsidiaries) is entitled to conduct all or any
material portion of the business of Parent, the Company or any of their
subsidiaries.


                                       20
<PAGE>   22
                           (iv)     Except as set forth in Section 3.01(m)(iv)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any agreement which, pursuant to the
requirements of Form 10-K under the Exchange Act, would be required to be filed
as an exhibit to an Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company, except agreements
included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Company's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998 or any Recent SEC Document.

                           (v)      Set forth in Section 3.01(m)(v) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule are all: (a) (i) data supply and data processing
contracts involving payments by the Company and its Subsidiaries in excess of
$250,000 on an annualized basis, (ii) customer contracts between the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries and third parties involving payments by customers
exceeding $250,000 per annum; (b) contracts between the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any of their respective directors, officers,
employees or affiliates or any former directors, officers, employees or
affiliates, on the other hand involving payments in excess of $75,000 per annum;
(c) joint venture and/or agreements and development agreements to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party; and (d) contracts between the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any of National Data
Corporation, IMS Health Incorporated, or Source Informatics Inc., on the other
hand.

                           (vi)     Section 3.01(m)(vi) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule lists all charter client and partner client agreements to or
by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries was a party or bound immediately
prior to August 5, 1998, all of which have been transferred to IMS Health
Incorporated.

                           (vii)    As of the date hereof, with respect to each
of its current customers, and as of the date of the Effective Time of the Merger
with respect to at least all of its current customers who accounted for at least
90% of the Company's revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 1998, except as
disclosed in Section 3.01(m)(vii) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the
Company has no knowledge that any such customer intends to terminate or
otherwise modify its relationship with the Company or its Subsidiaries or to
decrease or limit the services rendered or products sold by the Company or its
Subsidiaries.

                  (n)      Brokers. Except as disclosed in Section 3.01(n) of
the Company Disclosure Schedule, no broker, investment banker, financial advisor
or other person, whose fees and expenses will be paid by the Company (pursuant
to fee agreements which have been provided to Parent), is entitled to any
broker's, finder's, financial advisor's or other similar fee or commission in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock
Option Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company.
The Company agrees to indemnify Parent and Sub and to hold Parent and Sub
harmless from and against any and all claims, liabilities or obligations with
respect to any other fee, commission or expense asserted by any person on the
basis of any act or statement alleged to have been made by the Company or any of
its affiliates.

                  (o)      Opinion of Financial Advisor. The Company has
received as of the date of this Agreement the opinion of SG Cowen Securities
Corporation to the effect that, as of such date, the Per Share Merger
Consideration is fair, from a financial point of view, to the holders of Company
Common Stock (other than Parent and its affiliates).


                                       21
<PAGE>   23
                  (p)      Board Recommendation; State Antitakeover Law. The
Board of Directors of the Company, at a meeting duly called and held, has by
unanimous vote of those directors present (i) determined that this Agreement and
the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby,
including the Merger, taken together, are fair to and in the best interests of
the stockholders of the Company, approved the Stock Option Agreement for the
purposes of Section 203(a)(i) of the DGCL and has taken all other actions
necessary on the part of the Company to render the restrictions on business
combinations contained in Section 203 of the DGCL inapplicable to this
Agreement, the Merger and the Stock Option Agreement and (ii) resolved to
declare the Merger "advisable" and to recommend that the holders of the shares
of Company Common Stock adopt this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
herein, including the Merger.

                  (q)      Required Company Vote. The Company Stockholder
Approval, being the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of
the Company Common Stock, is the only vote of the holders of any class or series
of the Company's securities necessary to approve this Agreement, the Merger and
the other transactions contemplated hereby. There is no vote of the holders of
any class or series of the Company's securities necessary to approve the Stock
Option Agreement.

                  (r)      Intellectual Property.

                           (i)      Except as otherwise noted in Section
3.01(r)(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company or one of its
Subsidiaries owns or has the right to use all Intellectual Property material to
the operation of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently
conducted or to products or services currently under development by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries (collectively, "Material Intellectual Property"), and
has the right to use, license, sublicense or assign the same without liability
to, or any requirement of consent from, any other person or party; in this
regard, to the knowledge of the Company, no facts or circumstances exist which
would affect the validity, subsistence or existence of any Material Intellectual
Property. Except as set forth in Section 3.01(r)(i) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, all Material Intellectual Property is either owned by the Company or
its Subsidiaries free and clear of all Liens or is used pursuant to an agreement
or license and each such agreement or license is valid and enforceable and in
full force and effect and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in
default under or in breach of any such license or agreement and, to the
knowledge of the Company, none of the licensors is in default under or in breach
of any such license or agreement. Unless otherwise noted in Section 3.01(r)(i)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, (i) none of the Material Intellectual
Property infringes or otherwise conflicts with any proprietary or other right of
any person or party; (ii) there is no pending or threatened litigation,
adversarial proceeding, administrative action or other challenge or claim
relating to any of the Material Intellectual Property; (iii) there is no
outstanding judgment, order, writ, injunction or decree relating to any of the
Material Intellectual Property; (iv) there is currently no infringement by any
third party of any of the Material Intellectual Property; and (v) the Material
Intellectual Property owned, used or possessed by the Company or its
Subsidiaries is sufficient and adequate to conduct the business of the Company
and its Subsidiaries to the full extent as such business is currently conducted.


                                       22
<PAGE>   24
                           (ii)     Except as otherwise noted in Section
3.01(r)(ii) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, each of the Company and each of
its Subsidiaries has taken reasonable steps to protect, maintain and safeguard
their Material Intellectual Property, including any Material Intellectual
Property for which improper or unauthorized disclosure would impair its value or
validity, and has executed appropriate nondisclosure agreements and made
appropriate filings and registrations in connection with the foregoing.

                           (iii)    The Company or one of its Subsidiaries is
the sole and exclusive owner of all Software (which term includes, without
limitation, all computer programs, whether in source code or object code form,
algorithms, edit controls, methodologies, applications, flow charts and any and
all systems documentation (including, but not limited to, data entry and data
processing procedures, report generation and quality control procedures), logic
and designs for all programs, and file layouts and written narratives of all
procedures used in the coding or maintenance of the foregoing) that is required
to conduct the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries to the full extent
such businesses are currently conducted. Set forth in Section 3.01(r)(iii)(a) of
the Company Disclosure Schedule is a true and complete list of all Software
owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Except as set forth in Section
3.01(r)(iii)(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, all of the Software owned by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is Year 2000 Compliant (as defined in
Section 8.04). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this
Section 3.01(r)(iii), the term "Software" does not include any software used or
held for use by the Company or its Subsidiaries and not owned by the Company or
its Subsidiaries, including but not limited to any software licensed or leased
by third parties to the Company or its Subsidiaries and commonly available
"shrink wrap" software copyrighted by third parties (collectively, the "Third
Party Software"). All of the Third Party Software required to conduct the
businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries to the full extent such
businesses are currently conducted is used pursuant to an agreement or license
and each such agreement or license is valid and enforceable and in full force
and effect and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default
under or in breach of any such license or agreement and, to the knowledge of the
Company, none of the licensors is in default under or in breach of any such
license or agreement. To the Company's knowledge, except as set forth in Section
3.01(r)(iii)(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, all of the Third Party
Software is Year 2000 Compliant.

                           (iv)     The Company or one of its Subsidiaries is
the sole and exclusive owner of all Databases (which term includes, without
limitation, all databases, documentation and written narratives of all
procedures used in connection with the collection, processing and distribution
of data contained in the databases) that are required to conduct the businesses
of the Company and its Subsidiaries to the full extent such businesses are
currently conducted. The Databases, together with the Third Party Databases (as
defined below), contain that data heretofore used by the Company and its
Subsidiaries in the operation of their respective businesses. Set forth in
Section 3.01(r)(iv)(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule is a true and complete
list of all Databases owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Except as
set forth in Section 3.01(r)(iv)(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the
Databases are Year 2000 Compliant. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set
forth in this Section 3.01(r)(iv), the term "Databases" does not include any
databases used or held for use by the Company and its Subsidiaries and not owned
by the Company and its Subsidiaries, including, but not limited to, any
databases licensed or leased by third parties to the Company and databases
generally 


                                       23
<PAGE>   25
available to the public (collectively, the "Third Party Databases"). All of the
Third Party Databases required to conduct the businesses of the Company and its
Subsidiaries to the full extent such businesses are currently conducted are used
pursuant to an agreement or license and each such agreement or license is valid
and enforceable and in full force and effect and neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries is in default under or in breach of any such license or
agreement and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the licensors is in
default under or in breach of any such license or agreement. To the Company's
knowledge, except as set forth in Section 3.01(r)(iv)(d) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, all of the Third Party Databases are Year 2000 Compliant.

                           (v)      Except as set forth in Section 3.01(r)(v) of
the Company Disclosure Schedule, to the knowledge of the Company, no
confidential or trade secret information of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries has been provided to any party except subject to written
confidentiality agreements.

                  (s)      Ownership of Parent Common Stock. Neither the Company
nor, to its knowledge, any of its affiliates or associates (as such terms are
defined under the Exchange Act), (i) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly,
or (ii) is a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of, in each case, shares of
capital stock of Parent which in the aggregate represent 5% or more of the
outstanding shares of such capital stock.

                  (t)      Rights Agreement.

                           (i)      The Rights Agreement has been amended so as
to provide that neither Parent nor Sub will become an "Acquiring Person" or a
"Principal Party" and that no "Triggering Event", "Section 14 Event," "Shares
Acquisition Date" or "Distribution Date" (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement) will occur as a result of the public announcement of or
approval, execution or delivery of this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement
or the public announcement of or consummation of the Merger or the acquisition
of shares of Company Common Stock by Parent pursuant to the Stock Option
Agreement.

                           (ii)     The Board of Directors of the Company has
not exercised its option to exchange the Rights for shares of Company Common
Stock as set forth in Section 25 of the Rights Agreement.

                           (iii)    The Company has taken all actions necessary
with respect to all of the outstanding Rights so that, immediately prior to and
after the Effective Time of the Merger, (A) neither Company nor Parent or Sub
will have any obligations under the Rights or the Rights Agreement and (B) the
holders of the Rights will have no rights under the Rights or the Rights
Agreement, including without limitation the right to exercise the Rights set
forth in Section 8 of the Rights Agreement.

                  (u)      Investment Company Act of 1940. The Company is not
and prior to the Effective Time of the Merger will not be an "investment
company", "unit investment trust", "management company", "closed-end company",
"open-end company", "face-amount certificate 


                                       24
<PAGE>   26
company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company" that is required
to be registered under Section 8 of the United States Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended.

         SECTION 3.02. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND SUB. Parent
and Sub represent and warrant to the Company as follows:

                  (a)      Organization, Standing and Corporate Power. Each of
Parent and Sub is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under
the laws of the State of North Carolina and has the requisite corporate power
and authority to carry on its business as now being conducted. Each of Parent
and Sub is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing in
each jurisdiction (domestic or foreign) in which the nature of its business or
the ownership or leasing of its properties makes such qualification or licensing
necessary, other than in such jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified
or licensed (individually or in the aggregate) could not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to Parent. Parent has made
available to the Company complete and correct copies of the articles of
incorporation and by-laws of Parent and of Sub.

                  (b)      Capital Structure.

                           (i)      As of the date of this Agreement, the
authorized capital stock of Parent consists of 200,000,000 shares of Parent
Common Stock, 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.01 per share, of
Parent (the "Parent Preferred Stock"). As of the close of business on June 30,
1998, there were: (i) 75,612,627 shares of Parent Common Stock issued and
outstanding; (ii) 2,435,843 shares of Parent Common Stock reserved for issuance
upon exercise of stock options available for grant pursuant to Parent's stock
option and stock purchase plans (such plans, collectively, the "Parent Stock
Plans"); (iii) 5,152,560 shares of Parent Common Stock issuable upon exercise of
awarded but unexercised stock options; (iv) 3,474,250 shares of Parent Common
Stock issuable upon conversion of outstanding 4 1/4% Convertible Subordinated
Notes due 2000 (the "Parent Notes") and (v) no shares of Parent Preferred Stock
outstanding. Except as set forth above, as of the close of business on June 30,
1998 there were no shares of capital stock or other equity securities of Parent
issued, reserved for issuance or outstanding. All outstanding shares of capital
stock of Parent are, and all shares which may be issued as described above will
be, when issued, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable
and not subject to preemptive rights. Except for the Parent Notes, at the time
of the execution of this Agreement, there are no outstanding bonds, debentures,
notes or other indebtedness or debt securities of Parent having the right to
vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to
vote) on any matters on which stockholders of Parent may vote. Except as set
forth above or in Section 3.02(b) of the disclosure schedule delivered by Parent
and Sub to the Company at the time of the execution of this Agreement (the
"Parent Disclosure Schedule"), there are no outstanding securities, options,
warrants, calls, rights, commitments, agreements, arrangements or undertakings
of any kind to which Parent is a party or by which it is bound obligating Parent
to issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or sold, additional
shares of capital stock or other equity or voting securities of Parent or
obligating Parent to issue, grant, extend or enter into any such security,
option, warrant, call, right, commitment, agreement, arrangement or undertaking.
There are no outstanding contractual obligations, commitments, understandings or
arrangements of Parent to 


                                       25
<PAGE>   27
repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or make any payment in respect of any
shares of capital stock of Parent.

                                (ii)  From June 30, 1998 to the date of this
Agreement, except as set forth in Section 3.02(b) of the Parent Disclosure
Schedule, Parent did not (A) issue or permit to be issued any shares of capital
stock, or securities exercisable for or convertible into shares of capital
stock, of Parent, other than pursuant to or as permitted by the terms of the
Parent Stock Plans; (B) repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, directly or
indirectly through one or more subsidiaries, any shares of capital stock of
Parent; or (C) declare, set aside, make or pay to the stockholders of Parent
dividends or other distributions on the outstanding shares of capital stock of
Parent.

                                (iii) The authorized capital stock of Sub
consists of 1,000 shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, all of which
have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by
Parent, free and clear of any Lien.

                                (iv)  As of the Closing Date, all the issued and
outstanding shares of the common stock of Sub will be owned by Parent free and
clear of any Lien.

               (c) Authority; Noncontravention. Parent and Sub have all
requisite corporate power and authority to enter into each of this Agreement and
the Stock Option Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby and thereby. The execution and delivery of each of this Agreement and the
Stock Option Agreement by Parent and Sub and the consummation by Parent and Sub
of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by
all necessary corporate action on the part of Parent and Sub. This Agreement and
the Stock Option Agreement have been duly executed and delivered by each of
Parent and Sub, as applicable, and (assuming due authorization, execution and
delivery by the Company) constitute valid and binding obligations of Parent and
Sub, as applicable, enforceable against them in accordance with their terms,
subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance,
reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors' rights
generally, general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. The
execution and delivery of each of this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement
does not, and the consummation by Parent and Sub of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and compliance by Parent and Sub, as applicable,
with the provisions of this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement will not,
conflict with, or result in any breach or violation of, or default (with or
without notice or lapse of time, or both) under, or give rise to a right of
termination, cancellation or acceleration of, or a "put" right with respect to
any obligation under, or to a loss of a material benefit under, or result in the
creation of any Lien under, (i) the articles of incorporation or by-laws of
Parent, Sub or any other subsidiary of Parent, (ii) any loan or credit
agreement, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease or any other contract,
agreement, instrument, permit, concession, franchise or license to which Parent,
Sub or any other subsidiary of Parent is a party or by which any of their
respective properties or assets are bound or (iii) subject to the governmental
filings and other matters referred to in the following sentence, any judgment,
order, decree, statute, law, ordinance, rule, regulation or arbitration award
applicable to Parent, Sub or any other subsidiary of Parent or their respective
properties or assets, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), any
such conflicts, breaches, violations, defaults, rights, losses or Liens that
individually or in the


                                       26
<PAGE>   28
aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect
with respect to Parent. No consent, approval, order or authorization of, or
registration, declaration or filing with, or notice to, any Governmental Entity
or any other third party is required by or with respect to Parent or Sub in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Stock Option
Agreement by Parent and Sub, as applicable, or the consummation by Parent and
Sub of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, except for (i)
such filings, if any in connection with or compliance with the HSR Act, the
NASD, the provisions of the DGCL, the provisions of the NCBCA, the Securities
Act, Section 4043 of ERISA and the Exchange Act as may be required in connection
with this Agreement, the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby, (ii) such other consents, approvals, orders,
authorizations, registrations, declarations, filings or notices as may be
required under the "takeover" or "blue sky" laws of various states and (iii)
such other consents, approvals, orders, authorizations, registrations,
declarations, filings or notices the failure of which to make or obtain,
individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to (x)
prevent or materially delay consummation of the Merger or the other transactions
contemplated hereby or performance of Parent's and Sub's obligations hereunder
or under the Stock Option Agreement or (y) have a Material Adverse Effect with
respect to Parent.

                  (d) Parent SEC Documents; Undisclosed Liabilities. Except as
set forth in Section 3.02(d) of the Parent Disclosure Schedule, Parent has filed
with the SEC all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents
required to be filed by it pursuant to the Securities Act and the Exchange Act
since November 1, 1996 (collectively, and in each case including all exhibits
and schedules thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, the
"Parent SEC Documents"). Except as set forth in Section 3.02(d) of the Parent
Disclosure Schedule, as of their respective dates, the Parent SEC Documents
complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the rules and
regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to such Parent SEC
Documents, and none of the Parent SEC Documents (including any and all financial
statements included therein) as of such dates contained any untrue statement of
a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Except as set
forth in Section 3.02(d) of the Parent Disclosure Schedule, except to the extent
that information contained in any Parent SEC Document has been revised or
superseded by a later filed Parent SEC Document, none of the Parent SEC
Documents (including any and all financial statements included therein) contains
any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. Except as disclosed in Section 3.02(d) of the Parent Disclosure
Schedule, the consolidated financial statements of Parent included in all Parent
SEC Documents filed since November 1, 1996 (the "Parent SEC Financial
Statements") comply as to form in all material respects with applicable
accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with
respect thereto, have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles (except, in the case of unaudited consolidated quarterly
financial statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC), applied on a
consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the
notes thereto) and fairly present the consolidated financial position of Parent
and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and the consolidated
results of their operations and cash flows for the periods then ended 


                                       27
<PAGE>   29

(subject, in the case of unaudited quarterly statements, to normal recurring
year-end audit adjustments).

                  (e) Information Supplied. None of the information supplied or
to be supplied by Parent or Sub for inclusion or incorporation by reference in
(i) the Form S-4 will, at the time the Form S-4 is filed with the SEC, at any
time it is amended or supplemented or at the time it becomes effective under the
Securities Act, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading or (ii) the Proxy Statement will, at the date
it is first mailed to the Company's stockholders or at the time of the
Stockholders Meeting, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
are made, not misleading. The Form S-4 will comply as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder, except that no representation is made by
Parent or Sub with respect to statements made or incorporated by reference
therein based on information supplied in writing by the Company specifically for
inclusion or incorporation by reference therein.

                  (f) Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Except as disclosed
in Section 3.02(f) of the Parent Disclosure Schedule, since December 31, 1997,
there is not and has not been: (i) any Material Adverse Change with respect to
Parent; (ii) any condition, event or occurrence which, individually or in the
aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or
give rise to a Material Adverse Change with respect to Parent; or (iii) any
condition, event or occurrence which, individually or in the aggregate, could
reasonably be expected to prevent or materially delay the ability of Parent and
Sub to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock
Option Agreement or perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder.

                  (g)      Litigation; Compliance with Laws.

                           (i)      Except as disclosed in Section 3.02(g)(i) 
of the Parent Disclosure Schedule or in the Parent SEC Documents, there is (1)
no suit, action, arbitration or proceeding pending, and (2) to the knowledge of
Parent, no suit, action, arbitration or proceeding threatened against or
investigation pending, in each case with respect to Parent or any of its
subsidiaries that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to Parent or prevent or
materially delay the ability of Parent and Sub to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or to perform their obligations hereunder and
under the Stock Option Agreement nor is there any judgment, decree, citation,
injunction, rule or order of any Governmental Entity or arbitrator outstanding
against Parent or any of its subsidiaries which, individually or in the
aggregate, has or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect
with respect to the Parent or prevent or materially delay the ability of the
Parent to consummate transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock
Option Agreement or to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. To the
knowledge of Parent, except as disclosed in Section 3.02(g)(i) of the Parent
Disclosure Schedule or in any SEC Document filed by Parent prior to the date of
this Agreement with respect to any period ending, or date occurring, after
December 31, 1997, there is no reasonable basis for any action, suit,
arbitration or proceeding that, individually or in the 


                                       28
<PAGE>   30

aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with
respect to Parent or prevent or materially delay the ability of Parent or Sub to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option
Agreement or to perform their obligations hereunder or thereunder.

                           (ii)     Except as disclosed in Section 3.02(g)(ii)
of the Parent Disclosure Schedule, the businesses of Parent and its subsidiaries
are not being conducted in violation of any law (domestic or foreign), ordinance
or regulation of any Governmental Entity, except for possible violations which,
individually or in the aggregate, do not and could not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to Parent.

                  (h) Brokers. No broker, investment banker, financial advisor
or other person is entitled to any broker's, finder's, financial advisor's or
other similar fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement based upon arrangements made by
or on behalf of Parent or Sub. Parent agrees to indemnify the Company and to
hold the Company harmless from and against any and all claims, liabilities or
obligations with respect to any other fee, commission or expense asserted by any
person on the basis of any act or statement alleged to have been made by Parent
or its affiliates.

                  (i) Interim Operations of Sub. Sub was formed on November 4,
1998 solely for the purpose of engaging in the transactions contemplated hereby,
has engaged in no other business activities and has conducted its operations
only as contemplated hereby.

                  (j) Required Vote. This Agreement has been approved by Parent,
as the sole stockholder of Sub. No other vote of holders of any class or series
of securities of Parent or Sub is necessary to approve this Agreement, the
Merger, the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby.

                  (k) Ownership of Company Common Stock. Except as contemplated
by the Stock Option Agreement, neither Parent nor, to its knowledge, any of its
affiliates or associates (as such terms are defined under the Exchange Act), (i)
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, or (ii) is a party to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or
disposing of, in each case, shares of capital stock of the Company, which in the
aggregate represent 5% or more of the outstanding shares of such capital stock.


                                   ARTICLE IV

            COVENANTS RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PRIOR TO MERGER

         SECTION 4.01.  CONDUCT OF BUSINESS.

                  (a) Conduct of Business by the Company. During the period from
the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time of the Merger (except as
otherwise expressly contemplated by the terms of this Agreement), and except as
approved by Parent, the Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries
to, act and carry on its and their respective businesses in


                                       29
<PAGE>   31

the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and use its and
their respective reasonable efforts to preserve substantially intact its and
their current business organizations, keep available the services of its and
their current officers and employees and preserve its and their relationships
with customers, suppliers, licensors, licensees, advertisers, distributors and
others having significant business dealings with it and them. Without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, during the period from the date of this
Agreement to the Effective Time of the Merger, the Company shall not, and shall
not permit any of its Subsidiaries to:

                           (i)    (x)  declare, set aside or pay any dividends 
on, or make any other distributions in respect of, any of its capital stock,
other than dividends and distributions by a direct or indirect wholly owned
domestic Subsidiary to its parent, (y) split, combine or reclassify any capital
stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or issue or authorize the
issuance of any other securities in respect of, in lieu of or in substitution
for shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (z)
purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or any other securities thereof (other than the
Debentures as contemplated by Section 2.04) or any rights, warrants or options
to acquire any such shares or other securities;

                           (ii)   authorize for issuance, issue, deliver, sell,
pledge or otherwise encumber any shares of its capital stock, any other voting
securities or any securities convertible into, or any rights, warrants or
options to acquire, any such shares, voting securities or convertible securities
or any other securities or equity equivalents (including without limitation
stock appreciation rights), other than the issuance of Company Common Stock upon
the exercise of Company Stock Options awarded prior to the date of this
Agreement but unexercised on the date of this Agreement in accordance with their
present terms;

                           (iii)  (A) amend the Certificate of Incorporation or
By-Laws or comparable charter or organizational documents of any Subsidiary, or
(B) amend or terminate the Rights Agreement;

                           (iv)   acquire or agree to acquire by merging or 
consolidating with, or by purchasing a substantial portion of the stock or
assets of, or by any other manner, any business or any corporation, partnership,
joint venture, association or other business organization or division thereof;

                           (v)    other than as set forth in Section  4.01(a)(v)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule with respect to the disposition of certain
assets, sell, lease, license, mortgage or otherwise encumber or subject to any
Lien or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets other than any such
properties or assets the value of which do not exceed $100,000 individually and
$250,000 in the aggregate, except sales of inventory in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice;

                           (vi)   (A)  incur any indebtedness for borrowed money
or guarantee any such indebtedness of another person, issue or sell any debt
securities or warrants or other rights to acquire any debt securities of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, guarantee any debt securities of another
person, enter into any "keep well" or other agreement to maintain any financial
statement condition of another person or enter into any arrangement having the

                                       30
<PAGE>   32

economic effect of any of the foregoing, except for short-term borrowings
incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and
intercompany indebtedness between the Company and its wholly-owned Subsidiaries
or between such wholly owned Subsidiaries, or (B) make any loans, advances or
capital contributions to, or investments in, any other person, other than to the
Company or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary, or (C) invest or hold
cash or cash equivalents in instruments with a maturity date exceeding 90 days,
(D) or use any cash outside the ordinary course of the PMSI Scott-Levin, Inc.
business except as set forth on Schedule 4.01(a)(vi).

                           (vii)  acquire or agree to acquire any assets, other
than inventory in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice,
or make or agree to make any capital expenditures, except capital expenditures
that either are contemplated (with respect to both nature and amount) by the
Company's capital budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999 (a true and
correct copy of which is included in Schedule 4.01(a)(vii) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule) or do not exceed $100,000 in the aggregate;

                           (viii) other than as set forth in Section 4.01(c)
(viii) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, pay, discharge or satisfy any claims
(including claims of stockholders), liabilities or obligations (absolute,
accrued, asserted or unasserted, contingent or otherwise), except for the
payment, discharge or satisfaction of (x) liabilities or obligations in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or in accordance with
their terms as in effect on the date hereof and other liabilities and
obligations not exceeding $100,000 individually or $250,000 in the aggregate, or
(y) claims settled or compromised to the extent permitted by Section
4.01(a)(xii), or waive, release, grant, or transfer any rights of material value
or modify or change in any material respect any existing material license,
lease, contract or other document, other than in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice;

                           (ix)   adopt a plan of complete or partial 
liquidation or resolutions providing for or authorizing such a liquidation or a
dissolution, merger, consolidation, restructuring, recapitalization or
reorganization;

                           (x)      enter into or amend any collective
bargaining agreement;

                           (xi)     change any material accounting principle
used by it, except as required by generally accepted accounting principles;

                           (xii)    settle or compromise any litigation or claim
(whether or not commenced prior to the date of this Agreement), other than
settlements or compromises of litigation or claims that neither provide for
injunctive or similar relief that could be material to the business or
operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries nor require payments (after
giving effect to insurance proceeds actually received or reasonably believed by
management of the Company to be receivable) in settlement or compromise
exceeding $50,000 provided that the aggregate amount paid in connection with the
settlement or compromise of all such litigation matters shall not exceed
$250,000;

                           (xiii) engage in any transaction with, or enter into
any agreement, arrangement, or understanding with, directly or indirectly, 
any of the Company's affiliates,

                                       31

<PAGE>   33

including, without limitation, any transactions, agreements, arrangements or
understandings with any affiliate or other Person covered under Item 404 of SEC
Regulation S-K that would be required to be disclosed under such Item 404, other
than such transactions of the same general nature, scope and magnitude as are
disclosed in the Company SEC Documents;

                           (xiv)  other than as set forth in Section 4.01(a)
(xiv) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, transfer to any person or entity any
rights to its Intellectual Property, other than the provision of data or the
granting of end-user licenses in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practice to customers of the Company or its Subsidiaries;

                           (xv)   enter into or amend any agreement pursuant to
which any other party is granted exclusive marketing or other exclusive rights
of any type or scope with respect to any of its products or technology; or

                           (xvi)  authorize, or commit or agree to take, any of
the foregoing actions.

                  (b) Changes in Employment Arrangements. Other than as set
forth in Section 4.01(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries shall (i) adopt or amend (except as may be required
by law) any Company Plan for the benefit or welfare of any employee, officer,
director or former director, officer or employee other than increases for
individuals (other than executive officers and directors) in the ordinary course
of business consistent with past practice, increase the compensation or fringe
benefits of any director, officer, employee or former director, officer or
employee or pay any benefit not required by any existing plan, arrangement or
agreement or (ii) take any action to implement the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

                  (c) Severance. Except as contemplated by the proviso to the
immediately preceding paragraph (b), neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries shall grant any new or modified severance or termination
arrangement or increase or accelerate any benefits payable under its severance
or termination pay policies in effect on the date hereof.

                  (d) WARN. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
shall effectuate a "plant closing" or "mass layoff," as those terms are defined
in WARN, or similar restructuring affecting in whole or in part any site of
employment, facility, operating unit or employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, without notifying Parent and Sub in advance and without complying
with the notice requirements and other provisions of WARN or any applicable
foreign laws or regulations.

                  (e) Tax Elections. Other than as set forth in Section 4.01(e)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, except as consistent with past practice,
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall make any tax election or
settle or compromise any federal, state, local or foreign tax liability.

                  (f) Tax-Free Reorganization Treatment. No party shall, and
none shall permit any of its subsidiaries to, intentionally take or cause to be
taken any action which would disqualify the Merger as a "reorganization" within
the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code.

                                       32
<PAGE>   34

                  (g) Nominee Shares. The Company shall cause any person who
owns any shares of capital stock of any of the Company's Subsidiaries, whether
in trust or pursuant to any other nominee arrangement with the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries, to transfer, effective not later than the Effective Time of
the Merger, all right, title and interest in and to such shares to Parent or any
person designated by Parent.

                  (h) Other Actions. Neither the Company nor Parent shall, or
shall permit any of their respective subsidiaries to (i) intentionally take any
action or fail to take any action that, if taken or not taken on or prior to the
date of this Agreement, would have resulted in any of its representations and
warranties set forth in this Agreement being untrue in any material respect
other than the possible issuance of securities by Parent after the date of this
Agreement, or (ii) intentionally take any action that would or reasonably might
be expected to result in any of the conditions to the Merger set forth in
Article VI not being satisfied or in a violation of any provision of the Stock
Option Agreement. The Company and Parent shall promptly advise the other party
orally and in writing of (x) any action or failure to act of the type set forth
in clause (i) above, (y) the failure by such party to comply with any covenant,
condition or agreement hereunder or under the Stock Option Agreement and (z) any
event which could reasonably be expected to cause the conditions set forth in
Article VI not being satisfied; provided, however, that no such notice shall
affect the representations, warranties, covenants and agreement of the parties
or the conditions to their obligations hereunder.


                                       33
<PAGE>   35

                                    ARTICLE V

                              ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS

         SECTION 5.01.  PREPARATION OF FORM S-4 AND PROXY STATEMENT; STOCKHOLDER
MEETING.

                  (a) Promptly following the date of this Agreement, the Company
shall prepare the Proxy Statement, and Parent shall prepare and file (or cause
to be prepared and filed) with the SEC the Form S-4 in which the Proxy Statement
will be included. Parent and the Company shall each use its reasonable efforts
to have the Form S-4 declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as
practicable after such filing. The Company will use its reasonable efforts to
cause the Proxy Statement to be mailed to the Company's stockholders as promptly
as practicable after the Form S-4 is declared effective under the Securities
Act. Parent shall also take any action (other than qualifying to do business in
any state in which it is not now so qualified or filing a general consent to
service of process) required to be taken under any applicable state securities
laws in connection with the registration and qualification of the Parent
securities to be issued in the Merger, and the Company shall furnish all
information relating to the Company and its stockholders as may be reasonably
requested in connection with any such action. The information provided and to be
provided by Parent, Sub and the Company, respectively, (i) for use in the Form
S-4, at the time the Form S-4 becomes effective, shall be true and accurate in
all material respects and shall not omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make such information not misleading and (ii) for
use in the Proxy Statement, on the date the Proxy Statement is mailed to the
Company's stockholders and on the date of the Stockholders Meeting referred to
below, shall be true and correct in all material respects and shall not omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make such information, in the light of the circumstances under which the
statements therein were made, not misleading, and the Company and Parent each
agree to correct any information provided by it for use in the Form S-4 and/or
the Proxy Statement which shall have become false or misleading.

                  (b) All mailings to the Company's stockholders in connection
with the Merger, including the Proxy Statement, shall be subject to the prior
review, comment and approval of Parent (such approval not to be unreasonably
withheld or delayed).

                  (c) The Company will, as promptly as practicable following the
date of this Agreement and in consultation with Parent, duly call, give notice
of, convene and hold a meeting of its stockholders (the "Stockholders Meeting")
for the purpose of adopting this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement to the extent required by the DGCL. The Company will, through its
Board of Directors, recommend to its stockholders approval of the foregoing
matters, as set forth in Section 3.01(p); provided, however, that the Board of
Directors of the Company may fail to make or withdraw or modify such
recommendation, but only to the extent that the Board of Directors of the
Company shall have concluded in good faith on the basis of written advice from
outside counsel that the failure to take such action would be contrary to the
fiduciary duties of the Board of Directors of the Company to the stockholders of
the Company under applicable law. Any such recommendation, together with a copy
of the opinion referred to in Section 3.01(o), shall be included in the Proxy
Statement. The Company 


                                       34
<PAGE>   36

will use its best efforts to hold such meeting as soon as practicable after the
Form S-4 shall have been declared effective.

         SECTION 5.02.  ACCESS TO INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY.

                  (a) Each of the Company and Parent shall, and shall cause its
respective subsidiaries, officers, employees, counsel, financial advisors and
other representatives to, afford to the other party and its representatives
reasonable access during normal business hours, during the period prior to the
Effective Time of the Merger, to its properties, books, contracts, commitments,
personnel and records, and, during such period, each of the Company and Parent
shall, and shall cause its respective subsidiaries, officers, employees and
representatives to, furnish promptly to the other party (i) a copy of each
report, schedule, registration statement and other document filed by it during
such period pursuant to the requirements of Federal or state securities laws and
(ii) all other information concerning its business, properties, financial
condition, operations and personnel as such other party may from time to time
reasonably request. Each of the Company and Parent will hold, and will cause its
respective directors, officers, employees, accountants, counsel, financial
advisors and other representatives and affiliates to hold, any nonpublic
information in confidence to the extent required by, and in accordance with, the
provisions of the confidentiality agreement, dated October 13, 1998, between
Parent and the Company (the "Confidentiality Agreement"), which Confidentiality
Agreement (except for Section 2 thereof) shall continue in full force and effect
following the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

                  (b) No investigation pursuant to this Section 5.02 or
otherwise shall affect any representations or warranties of the parties herein
or the conditions to the obligations of the parties hereto.

         SECTION 5.03. REASONABLE EFFORTS. Upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this Agreement, each of the parties agrees to use its
reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or
cause to be done, and to assist and cooperate with the other parties in doing,
all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable laws and regulations
to consummate and make effective, in the most expeditious manner practicable,
the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including
(i) obtaining all consents, approvals, waivers, licenses, permits or
authorizations as are required to be obtained (or, which if not obtained, would
result in an event of default, termination or acceleration of any agreement or
any put right under any agreement) under any applicable law or regulation or
from any Governmental Entities or third parties in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) defending any lawsuits or
other proceedings challenging this Agreement and (iii) accepting and delivering
additional instruments necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement. The parties agree that each of Parent and Sub, on the one hand,
and the Company, on the other hand, shall have the opportunity to negotiate and
consult directly with all applicable Governmental Entities and third parties in
connection with their consideration of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 5.03 to the contrary,
neither party shall be required to: (i) expend material sums of money or grant
material financial or other accommodations to any party, (ii) divest any
material operations or (iii) set aside any material assets in order to satisfy
the terms of this Section 5.03.

                                       35
<PAGE>   37

         SECTION 5.04.  INDEMNIFICATION.

                  (a) From and after the Effective Time of the Merger, Parent
and the Surviving Corporation shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless each
person who is now, or has been at any time prior to the date hereof or who
becomes prior to the Effective Time of the Merger, eligible for indemnification
pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Company or the
comparable charter or organizational documents of any Subsidiary (the
"Indemnified Parties") against (i) all losses, claims, damages, costs, expenses,
liabilities or judgments or amounts that are paid in settlement of or in
connection with any claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation based in
whole or in part on or arising in whole or in part out of the fact that such
person is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, pertaining to any matter existing or occurring at or prior to the
Effective Time of the Merger, whether asserted or claimed prior to, or at or
after, the Effective Time of the Merger (the "Indemnified Liabilities") and (ii)
all Indemnified Liabilities based in whole or in part on, or arising in whole or
in part out of, or pertaining to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby, in each case to the extent the Company or such Subsidiary would have
been permitted under the Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws, or such other
constituent organizational documents, as the case may be, to indemnify such
person. Nothing contained herein shall limit any rights to indemnification which
any Indemnified Party may have under any indemnification agreement or the
Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws or the constituent organizational
documents of any Subsidiary. In the event any such claim, action, suit,
proceeding or investigation is brought against any Indemnified Parties (whether
arising before or after the Effective Time of the Merger), (i) any counsel
retained by the Indemnified Parties for any period after the Effective Time of
the Merger shall be reasonably satisfactory to Parent and the Surviving
Corporation (it being understood that Reboul, MacMurray, Hewitt, Maynard &
Kristol is acceptable to Parent and the Surviving Corporation); (ii) after the
Effective Time of the Merger, Parent or the Surviving Corporation shall pay all
reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel for the Indemnified Parties
promptly as statements therefor are received; and (iii) after the Effective Time
of the Merger, the Surviving Corporation will cooperate in the defense of any
such matter, provided that the Surviving Corporation shall not be liable for any
settlement of any claim effected without its written consent, which consent,
however, shall not be unreasonably withheld. Any Indemnified Party wishing to
claim indemnification under this Section 5.04, upon learning of any such claim,
action, suit, proceeding or investigation, shall notify Parent and the Surviving
Corporation (but the failure so to notify Parent or the Surviving Corporation
shall not relieve them from any liability which they may have under this Section
5.04 except to the extent such failure materially prejudices Parent and the
Surviving Corporation), and shall deliver to Parent and the Surviving
Corporation the undertaking, if any, required by Section 145(e) of the DGCL.
Parent and the Surviving Corporation shall be liable for the fees and expenses
hereunder with respect to only one law firm to represent the Indemnified Parties
as a group with respect to each such matter unless there is, under applicable
standards of professional conduct, a conflict between the positions of any two
or more Indemnified Parties that would preclude or render inadvisable joint or
multiple representation of such parties.

                  (b) Parent shall cause to be maintained in effect for three
years from the Effective Time of the Merger directors' and officers' liability
insurance coverage covering persons who are directors and officers of the
Company on the date of this Agreement, with respect to matters occurring prior
to the Effective Time of the Merger, and containing terms and


                                       36
<PAGE>   38

conditions which are not less advantageous to such persons than the policies of
the Company in effect on the date hereof (the "Company Insurance"); provided
that Parent shall not be required to spend annually in excess of 150% of the
annual premium for the Company Insurance paid by the Company as of the date of
this Agreement (the "Current Premium"), which Current Premium the Company
represents is Two Hundred Eight Thousand Dollars ($208,000) per annum; provided,
further, that if Parent would be required to spend annually in excess of 150% of
the Current Premium to obtain insurance having terms not less advantageous than
the Company Insurance, the Surviving Corporation will be required to spend up to
such amount to maintain or procure as much insurance coverage as can be procured
for such premium.

         SECTION 5.05. PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS. Neither Parent and Sub, on the one
hand, nor the Company, on the other hand, will issue any press release or public
statement with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and
the Stock Option Agreement, including the Merger, without the other party's
prior consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), except
as may be required by applicable law, court process or by obligations pursuant
to any agreement with any securities exchange or quotation system on which
securities of the disclosing party are listed or quoted. In addition to the
foregoing, Parent, Sub and the Company will consult with each other before
issuing, and provide each other the opportunity to review and comment upon, any
such press release or other public statements with respect to such transactions.
The parties agree that the initial press release or releases to be issued with
respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be mutually
agreed upon prior to the issuance thereof.

         SECTION 5.06.  NO SOLICITATION.

                  (a) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall
(whether directly or indirectly through advisors, agents or other
intermediaries), nor shall the Company or any of its Subsidiaries authorize or
permit any of its or their officers, directors, agents, representatives or
advisors to, (a) solicit, initiate or take any action knowingly to encourage or
facilitate the submission of inquiries, proposals or offers from any person
(other than Sub or Parent) relating to (i) any acquisition or purchase of 15% or
more of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries or of over
15% of any class of equity securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
(ii) any tender offer (including a self tender offer) or exchange offer that if
consummated would result in any Person (as defined in Section 8.02) beneficially
owning 15% or more of any class of equity securities of the Company or any of
its significant Subsidiaries, (iii) any merger, consolidation, business
combination, sale of substantially all assets, recapitalization, liquidation,
dissolution or similar transaction involving the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute more
than 15% of the consolidated assets of the Company other than the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, or (iv) any other transaction the consummation
of which would or could reasonably be expected to impede, interfere with,
prevent or delay the Merger (collectively, "Transaction Proposals"), or agree to
or endorse any Transaction Proposal, or (b) enter into or participate in any
discussions or negotiations regarding any of the foregoing, or furnish to any
other person any information with respect to its business, properties or assets
or any of the foregoing, or otherwise cooperate in any way with, or assist or
participate in, facilitate or encourage, any effort or attempt by any other
person (other than Sub or Parent) to do or seek any of the foregoing; provided,
however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit the Company (either directly or
indirectly


                                       37
<PAGE>   39

through advisors, agents or other intermediaries) from (i) furnishing
information pursuant to an appropriate confidentiality letter (which letter
shall not be less favorable to the Company in any material respect than the
Confidentiality Agreement) concerning the Company and its businesses, properties
or assets to a third party who has made an unsolicited bona fide written
Transaction Proposal, (ii) engaging in discussions or negotiations with such a
third party who has made an unsolicited bona fide written Transaction Proposal,
(iii) following receipt of an unsolicited bona fide written Transaction
Proposal, taking and disclosing to its stockholders a position contemplated by
Rule 14d-9 or Rule 14e-2(a) under the Exchange Act or otherwise making
disclosure to its stockholders, (iv) following receipt of an unsolicited bona
fide written Transaction Proposal, failing to make or withdrawing, modifying or
amending its recommendation referred to in Section 3.01(p), and/or (v) taking
any action required to be taken by the Company pursuant to an order by any court
of competent jurisdiction (other than an order that has been reversed, withdrawn
or stayed), but in each case referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) through
(v) only to the extent that the Board of Directors of the Company shall have
concluded in good faith on the basis of written advice from outside counsel that
the failure to take such action would be contrary to the fiduciary duties of the
Board of Directors of the Company to the stockholders of the Company under
applicable law; provided, further, that, to the extent that it may do so without
acting in a manner contrary to its fiduciary duties under applicable law, the
Board of Directors of the Company shall advise Parent promptly prior to the
taking of any such action and, in addition, if the Board of Directors of the
Company receives a Transaction Proposal, then the Company shall promptly inform
Parent of the material terms and conditions of such proposal and the identity of
the person making it. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries will immediately
cease and cause its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, advisors, agents
and other intermediaries to cease any and all existing activities, discussions
or negotiations with any parties conducted heretofore with respect to any of the
foregoing, and shall use its reasonable efforts to cause any such parties in
possession of confidential information about the Company that was furnished by
or on behalf of the Company to return or destroy all such information in the
possession of any such party or in the possession of any agent or advisor of any
such party.

                  (b) Except as set forth in this Section 5.06(b), the Board of
Directors of the Company shall not (i) fail to make or withdraw or modify, or
propose to withdraw or modify, in a manner adverse to Parent, the approval or
recommendation of the Merger and this Agreement by the Board of Directors of the
Company, (ii) approve or recommend, or propose to approve or recommend, any
Transaction Proposal or (iii) cause the Company to enter into any agreement
(including, without limitation, any letter of intent) with respect to any
Transaction Proposal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors
of the Company, after consultation with and based upon the written advice of
outside legal counsel, determine in good faith that it is necessary to do so in
order to comply with its fiduciary duties to the stockholders of the Company
under applicable law, the Board of Directors of the Company may approve or
recommend a Superior Proposal (as defined below) or cause the Company to enter
into an agreement with respect to a Superior Proposal, but in each case only (i)
after providing reasonable written notice to Parent (a "Notice of Superior
Proposal") advising Parent that the Board of Directors of the Company has
received a Superior Proposal, specifying the terms and conditions of such
Superior Proposal and identifying the person making such Superior Proposal and
(ii) if Parent does not make within three business days of Parent's receipt of
the Notice of Superior Proposal, an offer which the Board of Directors of the
Company, after consultation with 


                                       38
<PAGE>   40

its financial advisors, determines is superior to such Superior Proposal. The
term "Superior Proposal" means any Transaction Proposal that the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment (after
consultation with a financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation) to be
more favorable to the Company's stockholders than the Merger, including as part
of such determination, that, as to any cash consideration to be paid pursuant to
the Superior Proposal, the person making the Superior Proposal has all requisite
funds on hand or has provided customary financing commitments for the requisite
funds.

         SECTION 5.07. BENEFIT MATTERS. From and after the Effective Time of the
Merger, Parent shall accord to all employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries
that become Continuing Employees benefits that Parent normally makes available
to its employees under Parent employee benefit plans (as defined in Section 3(3)
of ERISA), in each case as if such Continuing Employee had been employed by
Parent for the length of time such Continuing Employee has been employed by the
Company (provided no such amount of time shall be credited for purposes of the
vesting or other provisions of any option, other than Converted Options, granted
to any such Continuing Employee to purchase shares of Parent Common Stock).

         SECTION 5.08. NASDAQ LISTING. Parent shall use all reasonable efforts
to cause the shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued in the Merger and the
shares of Parent Common Stock to be reserved for issuance upon exercise or
conversion of Company Stock Options to be approved for listing on the Nasdaq
National Market System, subject to official notice of issuance.

         SECTION 5.09. TAKEOVER STATUTE. If any "fair price", "moratorium",
"control share acquisition", "interested shareholder" or other similar
anti-takeover statute or regulation is or may become applicable to the Merger or
the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option
Agreement, each of Parent and the Company and their respective boards of
directors shall grant such approvals and take such actions as are necessary so
that such transactions may be consummated as promptly as practicable on the
terms contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement, as the case
may be, or the Merger and otherwise act to eliminate or minimize the effects of
such statute or regulation on such transactions.

         SECTION 5.10. SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE. The Company shall give prompt
written notice to Parent, and Parent shall give prompt written notice to the
Company, of (i) the occurrence, or non-occurrence, of any event the occurrence,
or nonoccurrence, of which would be likely to cause (x) any representation or
warranty contained in this Agreement to be untrue or inaccurate or (y) any
covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement not to be complied
with or satisfied and (ii) any failure of the Company or Parent, as the case may
be, to comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition or agreement to be
complied with or satisfied by it hereunder; provided, however, that the delivery
of any notice pursuant to this Section 5.10 shall not have any effect for the
purpose of determining the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Article
VI of this Agreement or otherwise limit or affect the remedies available
hereunder to any party.

                                       39
<PAGE>   41

                                   ARTICLE VI

                              CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

         SECTION 6.01. CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS OF EACH PARTY TO EFFECT THE
MERGER. The respective obligations of each party to effect the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated herein shall be subject to the satisfaction on
or prior to the Closing Date of the following conditions, any or all of which
may be waived, in whole or in part, to the extent permitted by applicable law:

                  (a) Effectiveness of Form S-4. The Form S-4 shall have been
declared effective by the SEC under the Securities Act. No stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Form S-4 shall have been issued by the SEC and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the knowledge of
the Company or Parent, threatened by the SEC. Any material "blue sky" and other
state securities laws applicable to the registration and qualification of the
Parent securities issuable or required to be reserved for issuance pursuant to
this Agreement shall have been complied with.

                  (b) Stockholder Approval. The Company Stockholder Approval
shall have been obtained.

                  (c) No Order. No Governmental Entity or federal, state or
foreign court of competent jurisdiction shall have enacted, issued, promulgated,
enforced or entered any statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree,
injunction or other order (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) which is
in effect and which materially restricts, prevents or prohibits consummation of
the Merger or any transaction contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however,
that the parties shall use all reasonable efforts to cause any such decree,
judgment, injunction or other order to be vacated or lifted.

                  (d) HSR Act and Other Waiting Periods. The applicable waiting
period under the HSR Act shall have expired or been terminated and all other
waiting periods specified under applicable laws, and all extensions thereof, the
passing of which is legally required prior to the consummation of the Merger,
shall have expired or been terminated.

                  (e) NASDAQ Listing. The shares of Parent Common Stock issuable
to stockholders of the Company in accordance with this Agreement shall have been
authorized for listing on the Nasdaq National Market upon official notice of
issuance.

                  (f) Other Approvals. Other than the filing of merger documents
in accordance with the NCBCA and DGCL, all authorizations, consents, waivers,
orders or approvals required to be obtained, and all filings, notices or
declarations required to be made, by the Company and Parent prior to the
consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereunder
shall have been obtained from, and made with, all required Governmental Entities
except for such authorizations, consents, waivers, orders, approvals, filings,
notices or declarations the failure to obtain or make which would not have a
Material Adverse Effect with respect to Parent.


                                       40
<PAGE>   42

         SECTION 6.02. ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS OF PARENT AND SUB.
The obligations of Parent and Sub to effect the Merger and the transactions
contemplated in this Agreement are also subject to the following conditions:

                  (a) Representations and Warranties. Each of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement that
is qualified as to "materiality," "Material Adverse Change" or "Material Adverse
Effect" shall be true and correct, each of the other representations and
warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct
in all material respects and the Company Disclosure Schedule and each of the
schedules attached to this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material
respects, in each case as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the
Closing Date, except (i) for changes specifically permitted by this Agreement
and (ii) that those representations and warranties which address matters only as
of a particular date shall have been true and correct as of such date. Parent
shall have received a certificate of the chief executive officer and chief
financial officer of the Company to such effect.

                  (b) Agreements and Covenants. The Company shall have performed
or complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants required
by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it on or prior to the
Closing Date. Parent shall have received a certificate of the chief executive
officer and chief financial officer of the Company to that effect.

                  (c) No Litigation. There shall not be pending or threatened by
any Governmental Entity any suit, action or proceeding (i) challenging or
seeking to restrain or prohibit the consummation of the Merger or any other
transaction contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement or
seeking to obtain from the Company, Sub or Parent or any of their respective
affiliates any material amount of damages, (ii) seeking to prohibit or limit the
ownership or operation by Parent or the Company or any of their respective
affiliates of any material portion of their business or assets or to dispose of
or hold separate any material portion of their business or assets, as a result
of the Merger or any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement or the
Stock Option Agreement, (iii) seeking to impose limitations on the ability of
Parent to acquire or hold, or exercise full rights of ownership of, any shares
of the common stock of the Surviving Corporation, including, without limitation,
the right to vote such common stock on all matters properly presented to the
stockholders of the surviving corporation or (iv) seeking to prohibit Parent or
any of its Subsidiaries from effectively controlling in any material respect the
business or operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. No
suit, action or proceeding by any other person shall be pending that seeks any
of the relief or remedies described in clauses (i) through (iv) of the
immediately preceding sentence as to which there is a reasonable possibility of
success or that otherwise could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect with respect to Parent or the Company.

                  (d) Third Party Approvals. All consents, waivers or approvals
required to be obtained from third parties under contracts, agreements or
similar instruments to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party,
or by which any of them is bound, in connection with the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained, except to the extent
that the failure to obtain such consents, waivers or approvals would not, in 


                                       41
<PAGE>   43

the aggregate, result in violations, defaults (with or without notice or lapse
of time or both), rights of termination, cancellation or acceleration, or losses
of benefit that would have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company
or Parent.

                  (e) Rights Agreement. None of the events described in Section
8, Section 14 or Section 25, or the second sentence of Section 3(a) of the
Rights Agreement shall have occurred. The right of the Board of Directors of the
Company to redeem the Rights pursuant to Section 24 of the Rights Agreement
shall be in effect and the Rights shall not have become nonredeemable and shall
not become nonredeemable upon consummation of the Merger.

                  (f) Employment Agreements. The Employment Agreements
identified on Schedule 6.02(f), substantially in the form of Exhibit C attached
hereto (collectively, the "Employment Agreements") shall have been executed and
delivered to Parent.

                  (g) Tax Opinion. Parent shall have received an opinion of
Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.C., counsel to
Parent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Parent, to the effect
that the Merger will qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section
368 of the Code. The issuance of such opinion shall be conditioned on the
receipt by such counsel of representation letters from each of Parent, Sub and
the Company and in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.C. The specific
provisions of each such representation letter shall be in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to such counsel, and each such representation letter
shall be dated on or before the date of such opinion and shall not have been
withdrawn or modified in any material respect.

                  (h) Key Man Life Insurance. The Company shall have obtained
and maintain in full force and effect key man life insurance on the life of Joy
Scott, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Parent, in the amount of
Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) with all proceeds payable to the Company.

         SECTION 6.03. ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY. The
obligation of the Company to effect the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated in this Agreement are also subject to the following conditions:

                  (a) Representations and Warranties. Each of the
representations and warranties of Parent and Sub contained in this Agreement
that is qualified as to "materiality," "Material Adverse Change" or "Material
Adverse Effect" shall be true and correct, and each of the other representations
and warranties of Parent and Sub contained in this Agreement shall be true and
correct in all material respects, in each case as of the Closing Date as though
made on and as of the Closing Date, except (i) for changes specifically
permitted by this Agreement and (ii) that those representations and warranties
which address matters only as of a particular date shall remain true and correct
as of such date. The Company shall have received a certificate of a duly
authorized officer of Parent and Sub to such effect.

                  (b) Agreements and Covenants. Parent and Sub shall have
performed or complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants
required by this Agreement


                                       42
<PAGE>   44

to be performed or complied with by them on or prior to the Closing Date. The
Company shall have received a certificate of a duly authorized officer of Parent
and Sub to that effect.

                  (c) Tax Opinion. The Company shall have received an opinion of
Reboul, MacMurray, Hewitt, Maynard & Kristol, counsel to the Company, in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that the
Merger will qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368 of the
Code. The issuance of such opinion shall be conditioned on the receipt by such
counsel of representation letters from each of Parent, Sub, and the Company, in
each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Reboul, MacMurray,
Hewitt, Maynard & Kristol. The specific provisions of each such representation
letter shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such counsel,
and each such representation letter shall be dated on or before the date of such
opinion and shall not have been withdrawn or modified in any material respect.

                  (d) Bringdown Opinion of Financial Advisor. The Company shall
have received a bringdown of the SG Cowen Securities Corporation opinion dated
as of December 14, 1998, to the effect that as of a date within ten (10) days
prior to the mailing of the Company's Proxy Statement to the Company's
stockholders in connection with the Merger, the Per Share Merger Consideration
is fair, from a financial point of view, to the holders of Company Common Stock
(other than Parent and its affiliates).

                                   ARTICLE VII

                        TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER

         SECTION  7.01.  TERMINATION.  This Agreement may be terminated and
abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time of the Merger, whether before
or after the Company Stockholder Approval:

                  (a) by mutual written consent of Parent and the Company; or

                  (b) by either Parent or the Company if any Governmental Entity
shall have issued an order, decree or ruling or taken any other action
permanently enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting the Merger and such
order, decree, ruling or other action shall have become final and nonappealable;
or

                  (c) by the Company if the Merger shall not have been
consummated on or before May 15, 1999 (other than due to the failure of the
Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement required to be performed
at or prior to the Effective Time of the Merger), or by Parent if the Merger
shall not have been consummated on or before May 15, 1999 (other than due to the
failure of Parent to perform its obligations under this Agreement required to be
performed at or prior to the Effective Time of the Merger); or

                  (d) by either Parent or the Company if at the duly held
meeting of the stockholders of the Company (including any adjournment thereof)
held for the purpose of voting on the Merger, this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the holders of a majority
of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock shall not have 


                                       43
<PAGE>   45

approved the Merger, this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby; or

                  (e) by Parent, if the Company or its Board of Directors shall
have (1) withdrawn, modified or amended in any respect adverse to Parent its
approval or recommendation of this Agreement or any of the transactions
contemplated herein (it being understood that a communication by the Company
that contains only the information described in Rule 14d-9(e) under the Exchange
Act shall not be deemed to be such a modification or amendment or an action
described in clause (5) below), (2) failed as promptly as practicable after the
Form S-4 is declared effective to mail the Proxy Statement to its stockholders
or failed to include in such statement such recommendation, (3) recommended any
Transaction Proposal from a person other than Parent or any of its affiliates,
(4) resolved to do any of the foregoing or (5) in response to the commencement
of any tender offer or exchange offer for more than 15% of the outstanding
shares of Company Common Stock, not recommended rejection of such tender offer
or exchange offer; or

                  (f) by the Company, if, pursuant to and in compliance with
Section 5.06 hereof, the Board of Directors of the Company has approved or
recommended a Superior Proposal; or

                  (g) by the Company upon written notice to the Parent prior to
10:00 a.m. on the day scheduled for the Stockholders Meeting set forth in the
proxy material mailed to the Company's stockholders, if the Average Trading
Price is more than $62.325; provided that the Company shall not be entitled to
terminate this Agreement pursuant to this paragraph (g) if, within twenty-four
(24) hours after the Company notifies Parent in writing of any such proposed
termination, Parent agrees in writing that the Exchange Ratio shall be equal to
0.247091857; or

                  (h) by Parent upon written notice to the Company prior to
10:00 a.m. on the day scheduled for the Stockholders Meeting set forth in the
proxy material mailed to the Company's stockholders, if the Average Trading
Price is less than $41.55; provided that Parent shall not be entitled to
terminate this Agreement pursuant to this paragraph (h) if, within twenty-four
(24) hours after the Parent notifies the Company of any such proposed
termination, the Company agrees in writing that the Exchange Ratio shall be
equal to 0.370637786.

         SECTION 7.02. EFFECT OF TERMINATION. In the event of termination of
this Agreement by either the Company or Parent as provided in Section 7.01, this
Agreement shall forthwith become void and have no effect, without any liability
or obligation on the part of Parent, Sub or the Company, other than the
provisions of Section 3.01(n), Section 3.02(h), the last sentence of Section
5.02(a) (and the provisions of the Confidentiality Agreement referred to
therein, other than Section 2 thereof), this Section 7.02, Section 8.02, Section
8.07 and Section 8.08. Nothing contained in this Section shall relieve any party
for any breach of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set
forth in this Agreement (including, without limitation, liability for damages as
a result of any such breach that gives rise to an inability to satisfy any of
the conditions to Closing set forth in Article VI).

         SECTION 7.03. AMENDMENT. This Agreement, including the Schedules
hereto, may be amended at the sole discretion and agreement of all of the
parties hereto at any time before or 


                                       44
<PAGE>   46

after any required approval of matters presented in connection with the Merger
by the stockholders of the Company; provided, however, that after any such
approval, there shall be made no amendment that by law requires further approval
by such stockholders without the further approval of such stockholders. This
Agreement, including the Schedules hereto, may not be amended except by an
instrument in writing signed on behalf of each of the parties hereto.

         SECTION 7.04. EXTENSION; WAIVER. At any time prior to the Effective
Time of the Merger, the parties hereto may (a) extend the time for the
performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the other parties, (b)
waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties contained in this
Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant to this Agreement or (c) subject
to the proviso of Section 7.03, waive compliance with any of the agreements or
conditions contained in this Agreement. Any agreement on the part of a party to
any such extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument
in writing signed on behalf of such party. The failure of any party to this
Agreement to assert any of its rights under this Agreement or otherwise shall
not constitute a waiver of such rights. No single or partial exercise of any
right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder shall preclude any other or further
exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.
Any waiver shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific
purpose for which given and shall not constitute a waiver to any subsequent or
other exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder.

         SECTION 7.05. PROCEDURE FOR TERMINATION, AMENDMENT, EXTENSION OR
WAIVER. A termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.01, an amendment
of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.03 or an extension or waiver pursuant to
Section 7.04 shall, in order to be effective, require in the case of Parent, Sub
or the Company, action by its Board of Directors or the duly authorized designee
of its Board of Directors.


                                  ARTICLE VIII

                               GENERAL PROVISIONS

         SECTION 8.01. NONSURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. None of
the representations and warranties in this Agreement or in any instrument
delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall survive the Effective Time of the
Merger and all such representations and warranties will be extinguished on
consummation of the Merger and neither the Company, Parent, Sub, nor any
officer, director or employee or stockholder of any of them shall be under any
liability whatsoever with respect to any such representation or warranty after
such time. This Section 8.01 shall not limit any covenant or agreement of the
parties which by its terms contemplates performance after the Effective Time of
the Merger.

         SECTION 8.02.  FEES AND EXPENSES.

                  (a) (i) If this Agreement shall have been terminated in
accordance with its terms (except pursuant to Section 7.01(b)) and either of the
following shall have occurred: (A) prior to such termination, any corporation
(including the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates), partnership,
person, other entity or "group" (as referred to in Section 13(d)(3) of the

                                       45
<PAGE>   47

Exchange Act) other than Parent, Sub or any of their respective affiliates
(collectively, "Persons"), shall have become the beneficial owner of more than
15% of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock; or (B)(x) prior to such
termination, any Person shall have made, or proposed, communicated or disclosed
in a manner which is or otherwise becomes public a bona fide intention to make a
Transaction Proposal (including by making such a Transaction Proposal) and (y)
on or prior to September 15, 1999, the Company either consummates with a Person
a transaction the proposal of which would otherwise qualify as a Transaction
Proposal under Section 5.06 or enters into a definitive agreement with a Person
with respect to a transaction the proposal of which would otherwise qualify as a
Transaction Proposal under Section 5.06 (whether or not such Person is the
Person referred to in clause (x) above); or (ii) if this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to (A) Section 7.01(e) or (B) Section 7.01(f); then the Company shall,
(1) in the case of clauses (a)(i)(A) and (a)(ii)(A) above, promptly, but in no
event later than one business day after the termination of this Agreement, (2)
in the case of clause (a)(i)(B) above, promptly, but in no event later than one
business day after an event specified in subclause (y) thereof shall have
occurred, and (3) in the case of clause (a)(ii)(B) above, prior to (and as a
precondition to) termination under Section 7.01(f) pay Parent a fee of
$8,000,000 in cash which fee shall be payable in same day funds. No termination
of this Agreement at a time when a fee is reasonably expected to be payable
pursuant to this Section 8.02(a) following termination of this Agreement shall
be effective until such fee is paid.

                  (b) In addition, in any case in which a fee is payable
pursuant to paragraph (a) above, the Company shall promptly reimburse Parent and
Sub for documented reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by either of them
in connection with this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement, including
reasonable accounting, investment banking and legal fees and expenses; provided
that the amount of such reimbursement shall not exceed $1,000,000 in the
aggregate.

                  (c) Except as provided otherwise in paragraphs (a) and (b)
above, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the
Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
shall be paid by the party incurring such expenses, except that the cost of
filing, printing and distributing the Proxy Statement and the Form S-4 shall be
borne equally by Parent and the Company.

         SECTION 8.03. NOTICES. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other
communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed
given if delivered personally, sent by overnight courier (providing proof of
delivery) or transmitted by confirmed facsimile to the parties at the following
addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like
notice):

                                       46
<PAGE>   48

                  (a)      if to Parent or Sub, to

                           Quintiles Transnational Corp.
                           4709 Creekstone Drive
                           Riverbirch Building, Suite 200
                           Durham, North Carolina 27703

                           Attention:  General Counsel
                           Fax Number: (919) 941-9113

                           with a copy to:

                           Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett,
                              Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P.
                           2500 First Union Capitol Center
                           Raleigh, North Carolina 27602

                           Attention: Gerald F. Roach, Esq.
                           Fax Number: (919) 821-6800

                  (b)      if to the Company, to

                           Pharmaceutical Marketing Services Inc.
                           45 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 912
                           New York, New York 10111

                           Attention: General Counsel
                           Fax Number: (212) 841-5760

                           with a copy to:

                           Reboul, MacMurray, Hewitt, Maynard & Kristol
                           45 Rockefeller Plaza
                           New York, NY 10111

                           Attention: Robert A. Schwed, Esq.
                           Fax Number: (212) 841-5725


         SECTION 8.04.  DEFINITIONS.  For purposes of this Agreement:

                  (a) an "affiliate" of any person means another person that
directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is
controlled by, or is under common control with, such first person;

                  (b) "Continuing Employees" means all persons who are actively
employed on a full-time basis by the Company or its Subsidiaries immediately
following the Effective Time of the Merger, other than such persons who are
actively employed on a full-time basis by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
other than PMSI Scott-Levin, Inc., if any, as may be identified in writing by
Parent to the Company not less than five business days prior to the Closing
Date;

                  (c) "Environmental Claim" means any written or oral notice,
claim, demand, action, suit, complaint, proceeding or other communication by any
person alleging liability or potential liability (including without limitation
liability or potential liability for investigatory costs, cleanup costs,


                                       47
<PAGE>   49

governmental response costs, natural resource damages, property damage, personal
injury, fines or penalties) arising out of, relating to, based on or resulting
from (A) the presence, discharge, emission, release or threatened release of any
Hazardous Materials at any location, whether or not owned, leased or operated by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (B) circumstances forming the basis of
any violation or alleged violation of any Environmental Law or Environmental
Permit or (C) otherwise relating to obligations or liabilities under any
Environmental Laws;

                  (d) "Environmental Laws" means all applicable foreign,
federal, state, provincial and local statutes, rules, regulations, ordinances,
orders, decrees and common or civil law relating in any manner to contamination,
pollution or protection of human health or the environment, including without
limitation the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act, the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the
Toxic Substances Control Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the
Emergency Planning and Community-Right-to-Know Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act,
all as amended, and similar state and foreign laws;

                  (e) "Environmental Permits" means all permits, licenses,
registrations and other governmental authorizations required under Environmental
Laws for the Company and its Subsidiaries to conduct their operations and
businesses;

                  (f) "Hazardous Materials" means all hazardous or toxic
substances, wastes, materials or chemicals, petroleum (including crude oil or
any fraction thereof) and petroleum products, friable asbestos and
asbestos-containing materials, pollutants, contaminants and all other materials,
and substances regulated pursuant to, or that could reasonably be expected to
provide the basis of liability under, any Environmental Law;

                  (g) "indebtedness" means, with respect to any person, without
duplication, (A) all obligations of such person for borrowed money, or with
respect to deposits or advances of any kind to such person, (B) all obligations
of such person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (C)
all obligations of such person under conditional sale or other title retention
agreements relating to property purchased by such person, (D) all obligations of
such person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or
services (excluding obligations of such person to creditors for raw materials,
inventory, services and supplies incurred in the ordinary course of such
person's business), (E) all capitalized lease obligations of such person, (F)
all obligations of others secured by any Lien on property or assets owned or
acquired by such person, whether or not the obligations secured thereby have
been assumed, (G) all obligations of such person under interest rate or currency
hedging transactions (valued at the termination value thereof), (H) all letters
of credit issued for the account of such person and (I) all guarantees and
arrangements having the economic effect of a guarantee of such person of any
indebtedness of any other person;

                  (h) "Intellectual Property" means all rights, privileges and
priorities provided under federal, state, foreign and multinational law relating
to intellectual property, whether registered or unregistered, including, without
limitation, all (i) (a) inventions, discoveries, processes, formulae, designs,
methods, techniques, procedures, concepts, developments, technology, and
confidential information, new and useful improvements thereof and know-how

                                       48
<PAGE>   50

relating thereto, whether or not patented or eligible for patent protection; (b)
copyrights and copyrightable works, including computer applications, programs,
Software, Databases and related items; (c) trademarks, service marks, trade
names, brand names, product names, corporate names, logos and trade dress, the
goodwill of any business symbolized thereby, and all common-law rights relating
thereto; and (d) trade secrets, data and other confidential information; and
(ii) all registrations, applications, recordings, and licenses or other similar
agreements related to the foregoing;

                  (i) "knowledge" means, with respect to any matter, (i) in the
case of Parent, the knowledge of any director or executive officer of Parent
after due inquiry into such matter and (ii) in the case of the Company, the
knowledge of Messrs. Turner, Davies, Hauser and Ms. Scott after due inquiry into
such matter;

                  (j) "Material Adverse Change" means, when used with respect to
the Company or Parent, any change that, either individually or in the aggregate
with all other such changes, is materially adverse to the Company or Parent, as
the case may be, and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole;

                  (k) "Material Adverse Effect" means, when used with respect to
the Company or Parent, any change, effect, event or occurrence that, either
individually or in the aggregate with all other such changes, effects, events
and occurrences, either (a) is materially adverse to the business, properties,
financial condition or results of operations of the Company or Parent, as the
case may be, and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) will be
materially adverse to the business, properties, financial condition or results
of operations of Parent and its subsidiaries (including the Surviving
Corporation) taken as a whole following the Effective Time of the Merger;

                  (l) "person" means an individual, corporation, partnership,
limited liability company, joint venture, association, trust, unincorporated
organization or other entity;

                  (m) "Recent SEC Documents" means any SEC Documents filed by
the Company prior to the date of this Agreement with respect to any period
ending, or any date occurring, on or after June 30, 1998; and

                  (n) "Rights" means the rights to acquire one-third of a share
of Company Common Stock pursuant to the Rights Agreement;

                  (o) "Rights Agreement" means the Rights Agreement dated as of
January 28, 1998 between the Company and Harris Trust Company of New York;

                  (p) a "subsidiary" of any person means another person, an
amount of the voting securities, other voting ownership or voting partnership
interests of which is sufficient to elect at least a majority of its Board of
Directors or other governing body (or, if there are no such voting interests,
50% or more of the equity interests of which) is owned directly or indirectly by
such first person; and

                                       49
<PAGE>   51

                  (q) "Year 2000 Compliant" means, when used with respect to any
software or database, that such software or database will operate accurately
and, without interruption, accept, possess and in all manner retain full
functionality when referring to, or involving, any year or date in the twentieth
or twenty-first centuries.

         SECTION 8.05. INTERPRETATION. When a reference is made in this
Agreement to a Section, Exhibit or Schedule, such reference shall be to a
Section of, or an Exhibit or Schedule to, this Agreement unless otherwise
indicated. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are
for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement. Whenever the words "include", "includes" or
"including" are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by
the words "without limitation".

         SECTION 8.06. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or
more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement
and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by
each of the parties and delivered to the other parties.

         SECTION 8.07. ENTIRE AGREEMENT; NO THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARIES. This
Agreement and the other agreements referred to herein constitute the entire
agreement, and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, both written
and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter of this
Agreement. All exhibits and schedules referred to in this Agreement, including
without limitation the Company Disclosure Schedule, are intended to be and
hereby are specifically made a part of this Agreement. This Agreement, other
than Section 5.04, is not intended to confer upon any person other than the
parties any rights or remedies.

         SECTION 8.08. GOVERNING LAW. The interpretation and construction of
this Agreement, and all matters relating hereto, shall be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of North Carolina, without
regard to the choice of law principles thereof.

         SECTION 8.09. ASSIGNMENT. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights,
interests or obligations under this Agreement shall be assigned, in whole or in
part, by operation of law or otherwise by any of the parties hereto without the
prior written consent of the other parties hereto. Subject to the preceding
sentence, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be
enforceable by, the parties and their respective successors and assigns.

         SECTION 8.10. ENFORCEMENT. The parties agree that irreparable damage
would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not
performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It
is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or
injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically
the terms and provisions of this Agreement.


                                       50
<PAGE>   52



         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Parent, Sub and the Company have caused this
Agreement to be signed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized,
all as of the date first written above.

                                 QUINTILES TRANSNATIONAL CORP.


                                 By:
                                        /s/ James L. Bierman     
                                        --------------------------------
                                        Name:    James L. Bierman
                                        Title:   Sr. Vice President


                                 QTRN ACQUISITION CORP.


                                 By:
                                        /s/ James L. Bierman     
                                        --------------------------------
                                        Name:    James L. Bierman
                                        Title:   Sr. Vice President


                                 PHARMACEUTICAL MARKETING SERVICES INC.


                                 By:
                                        /s/ Warren J. Hauser             
                                        --------------------------------
                                        Name:    Warren J. Hauser
                                        Title:   Vice President



                                       51
<PAGE>   53



LIST OF OMITTED SCHEDULES AND EXHIBITS TO MERGER AGREEMENT

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         Company Disclosure Schedule
         <S>                           <C>   
              Section 3.01(a)          Organization, Standing and Corporate Power
              Section 3.01(b)          Subsidiaries
              Section 3.01(c)          Capital Structure
              Section 3.01(d)          Authority; Noncontravention
              Section 3.01(e)          SEC Documents; Undisclosed Liabilities
              Section 3.01(g)          Absence of Certain Changes or Events
              Section 3.01(h)          Litigation; Labor Matters; Compliance with Laws
              Section 3.01(i)          Employee Benefit Plans
              Section 3.01(j)          Taxes
              Section 3.01(k)          Properties
              Section 3.01(m)          Contracts; Debt Instruments
              Section 3.01(n)          Brokers
              Section 3.01(r)          Intellectual Property
              Section 4.01(a)          Conduct of Business by the Company
              Section 4.01(b)          Changes in Employment Arrangements
              Section 4.01(e)          Tax Elections
         Parent Disclosure Schedule
              Section 3.02(b)          Capital Structure
              Section 3.02(d)          SEC Documents; Undisclosed Liabilities
              Section 3.02(f)          Absence of Certain Changes or Events
              Section 3.02(g)          Litigation; Compliance with Laws
              Section 6.02(f)          Employment Agreements
         Exhibit C                     Form of Employment Agreement
</TABLE>

The Company hereby agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any Omitted
Schedules and Exhibits to the Commission upon request.



                                       52

<PAGE>   1
                                 EXHIBIT 99.01

         Hoechst Marion Roussel And Quintiles Announce Strategic Partnership
         Agreement

         Quintiles to Acquire Hoechst Marion Roussel Drug Development Facility
         in Kansas City; Agreement Includes Industry's Largest-Ever Service
         Contract

         KANSAS CITY, Mo., and RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Dec. 14
/PRNewswire/ -- Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc., the global pharmaceutical company
of Hoechst AG, and Quintiles Transnational Corp. (Nasdaq: QTRN), the leading
provider of product development services to the pharmaceutical industry, today
announced the signing of a letter of intent to negotiate a definitive agreement
under which Quintiles will acquire substantial assets of Hoechst Marion
Roussel's Kansas City-based Drug Innovation and Approval (DI&A) organization
and open a Kansas City contract research facility. The agreement includes plans
to employ approximately 540 current Hoechst Marion Roussel employees based in
Kansas City, Mo.

         The proposed transaction would guarantee Quintiles revenues of $436
million over five years for continued support and completion of ongoing Hoechst
Marion Roussel development projects. This provides substantial cost savings
over what Hoechst Marion Roussel planned to spend at Kansas City. Beyond the
guaranteed revenue, Hoechst Marion Roussel would agree to offer Quintiles the
opportunity to provide all U.S. outsourcing services up to an additional $144
million. Hoechst Marion Roussel would also grant Quintiles preferred status as
a contract research organization (CRO) partner for other projects as available.

         Under the proposed agreement, Quintiles would purchase and assume
management of Hoechst Marion Roussel's DI&A facility in Kansas City, consisting
primarily of 540,000-square-feet of modern office buildings, laboratories and
related equipment, for approximately $93 million, to be paid in cash. The deal,
which is subject to negotiation of a definitive agreement and review and
approval by U.S. regulatory authorities, is expected to become effective as of
Dec. 31, 1998.

         The addition of the DI&A facility in Kansas City would substantially
expand Quintiles' resources and expertise in pre-clinical and clinical drug
development. Quintiles would take over the daily management of the Hoechst
Marion Roussel development projects currently under way in Kansas City.

         "This significant agreement would add more than 500 experienced and
knowledgeable people to Quintiles and allow us to offer all our customers
access to an even deeper reservoir of therapeutic expertise and services," said
Ludo Reynders, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Quintiles CRO services group.
"This arrangement clearly illustrates what can be accomplished when two
companies work together to create new opportunities that should benefit both
organizations and their customers."

         Commenting on the agreement, Frank L. Douglas, Ph.D., M.D., head of
worldwide Drug Innovation and Approval for Hoechst Marion Roussel, said: "To
remain competitive with the world's best, we recognize we must continually find
ways to improve in the critical areas of innovation, speed, flexibility and
cost. This arrangement will establish a new partnering model in which
Quintiles, by acquiring and assuming management of the Kansas City drug
development facility and reducing infrastructure costs, will provide far-
reaching services and important benefits to Hoechst Marion Roussel.


<PAGE>   2


         "The end result is, Hoechst Marion Roussel will benefit from cost
savings and gain flexibility," Dr. Douglas said. "The partnership also enables
us to maintain critical momentum on key development projects being worked on by
the Kansas City DI&A organization."

         Upon completion of the deal, the facility and its employees will
become part of the Quintiles CRO service group and take on projects for
pharmaceutical customers worldwide. The new Quintiles group in Kansas City
would offer a wide range of services focused on regulatory approval and product
support, including preclinical activities, clinical phases II-IV, data
management, biostatistics and regulatory services. Within the Hoechst Marion
Roussel global DI&A organization, Kansas City has functioned as the main
operational site for drug development in the United States. The site's
development portfolio covers cardiovascular, respiratory, central nervous
system, anti-infectives, diabetes, arthritis and oncology.

         The DI&A facility in Kansas City, capable of accommodating up to 1,400
employees, is now operating at about 40 percent capacity. Upon completion of
the agreement, Quintiles anticipates expanding operations at the Kansas City
site as business conditions warrant. In particular, the addition of the DI&A
group's preclinical, packaging and distribution capabilities would
significantly increase Quintiles' ability to serve customers in the Americas
and mirror the company's existing facilities and services in Europe.

         Kansas City is one of five locations around the world where Hoechst
Marion Roussel conducts major research and development activities in support of
new and existing pharmaceutical compounds in the company's product portfolio.
The DI&A operations in Kansas City are directed and coordinated from Hoechst
Marion Roussel's global drug development center in Bridgewater, New Jersey. The
Bridgewater center is not affected by this agreement.

         "This is a solid strategic decision for Hoechst Marion Roussel that we
have been working on for some time," said Gerald P. Belle, President of Hoechst
Marion Roussel North America. "Quintiles is making a firm commitment to Kansas
City as the site for a major operational facility in the United States, and
that should be considered a plus for Hoechst Marion Roussel, its associates and
for the Kansas City community."

         The proposed agreement is not related to the recently announced
intention of Hoechst AG and Rhone-Poulenc SA to combine their global life
sciences businesses, creating a new worldwide leader in pharmaceuticals and
agricultural products to be known as Aventis. Pending approval by regulatory
authorities in the United States, Europe and Japan and the approval of Hoechst
and Rhone-Poulenc shareholders, Hoechst Marion Roussel will be integrated into
Aventis Pharma, which will comprise the pharmaceuticals, vaccines and plasma
protein businesses of the two companies. The pharmaceuticals business of
Aventis will be headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, current global
headquarters for Hoechst Marion Roussel.

         Information in this press release is qualified by the description of
the transaction contained in Form 8-K to be filed by Quintiles Transnational
with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week.

         Hoechst Marion Roussel, a world leader in pharmaceutical-based health
care, is dedicated to extending and enhancing human life through the discovery,
development, manufacture and sale of pharmaceutical products. The company's
major products are among the world's leading


<PAGE>   3


therapies for allergic, metabolic and central nervous system disorders and
cardiovascular and infectious diseases. Based in Frankfurt, Germany, Hoechst
Marion Roussel is the pharmaceutical company of Hoechst AG, an international
company that focuses on life sciences. The company's North America headquarters
is in Kansas City, Mo.

         Statements in this news release other than historical information are
forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results
could differ materially depending on factors such as the availability of
resources, the timing and effects of regulatory actions, the strength of
competition, the outcome of litigation and the effectiveness of patent
protection. Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties is set
forth in the 1997 Hoechst AG Annual Report on Form 20-F and other documents of
Hoechst AG on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

         Quintiles Transnational Corp. is the market leader in providing a full
range of integrated product development and marketing services to the
pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. Quintiles also
provides healthcare policy consulting and health information management
services to healthcare and governmental organizations worldwide. Quintiles is
headquartered near Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. With more than
14,000 employees worldwide and offices in 30 countries, Quintiles operates
through specialized work groups dedicated to meeting customers' individual
needs. Visit the Quintiles Transnational web site at www.quintiles.com.

         Information in this press release contains "forward-looking
statements." These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially, including without limitation, whether or
not the proposed acquisition actually occurs, the ability of the assets
acquired to be integrated with Quintiles' current operations, actual operating
performance and utilization of the new facility, the ability to maintain large
client contracts or to enter into new contracts, and the actual costs of
combining the businesses. Additional factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially are discussed in the company's recent filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to its S-3 and
S-4 Registration Statements, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Form 8-Ks, and
its other periodic reports, including Form 10-Q, exhibit 99.01.


/CONTACT: Pat Grebe, Quintiles Transnational Corp., Media Relations -
[email protected]; Charles F. Rouse III, Hoechst Marion Roussel, Media
Relations - [email protected], 816-966-4052; or Greg Connors, Quintiles
Transnational Corp., Investor Relations - [email protected], 919-941-2000/


<PAGE>   1
                                 EXHIBIT 99.02

                                   EXHIBIT A

         The amount of the CVP, if any, due pursuant to Section 2.01(b) of the
Merger Agreement shall be calculated as follows:

                                   ARTICLE I

         SECTION 1.01. Definitions. For all purposes of this Exhibit defined
terms shall have the meanings prescribed in the Merger Agreement, except as
otherwise expressly provided below or unless the context otherwise requires:

         "CVP Average Trading Price" means the average of the closing prices
per share of Parent Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market (or such United
States exchange on which the Parent Common Stock is then listed) for 10 trading
days selected at random by the Exchange Agent, on the Maturity Date, out of the
20 trading days ending with the last trading day immediately preceding the
Maturity Date.

         "Extraordinary Event Price" means the average of the closing prices
per share of Parent Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market (or such United
States exchange on which the Parent Common Stock is then listed) for the 10
trading days ending with the last trading day immediately preceding the closing
date of the Extraordinary Event.

         "Extraordinary Event" means any merger, consolidation, sale,
conveyance or other change of control transaction as a result of which the
Parent Common Stock is no longer listed on the Nasdaq National Market (or such
United States exchange on which the Parent Common Stock was listed immediately
prior to such merger, consolidation, sale, conveyance or other change of
control transaction).

         "Holder" means a holder of a Certificate who has made a valid election
pursuant to Section 2.02(b) of the Merger Agreement to receive shares of Parent
Common Stock and CVPs on the Maturity Date.

         "Maturity Date" means 75 days after the Closing Date.

         "Termination Event" shall occur if the average closing prices per day
per share of Parent Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market (or such United
States exchange on which the Parent Common Stock is then listed) is greater
than or equal to the Average Trading Price for any period of 30 consecutive
trading days between the Closing Date and the Maturity Date (not inclusive of
the Closing Date).

                                   ARTICLE II

         SECTION 2.01. Title and Terms. (a) Subject to Section 2.01(b) hereof,
Parent shall pay to each Holder on the Maturity Date, for each share of Parent
Common Stock to be received by such Holder on the Maturity Date, a CVP in cash
equal to the amount, if any, as determined by Parent, by which (i) the Average
Trading Price exceeds (ii) the CVP Average Trading Price.


<PAGE>   2


         (b) If Parent determines, on the Maturity Date or otherwise, that a
Termination Event has occurred, no CVP shall be payable hereunder or under
Section 2.01(b) of the Merger Agreement. Parent shall promptly give to the
Holders notice of such determination which, absent manifest error, shall be
final and binding on Parent and the Holders. Upon the occurrence of a
Termination Event, all rights to any CVP under Section 2.01(b) of the Merger
Agreement or this Exhibit shall terminate and become null and void and the
Holders thereof shall have no further rights with respect hereto or thereto.
The failure to give such notice or any defect therein shall not affect the
validity of such determination.

         (c) Subject to Section 2.01(b) hereof, if, on or before the Maturity
Date, an Extraordinary Event has occurred, Parent shall promptly give to the
Holders notice of such Event. Parent shall pay to each Holder, as promptly as
practicable after the closing date of the Extraordinary Event (and in lieu of
any payment under Section 2.01(a) hereof), for each share of Parent Common
Stock to be received by such Holder on the Maturity Date, a CVP in cash equal
to the amount, if any, as determined by Parent, by which (i) the Average
Trading Price exceeds (ii) the Extraordinary Event Price.

         (d) In the event Parent shall in any manner subdivide (by stock split,
stock dividend or otherwise) or combine (by reverse stock split or otherwise)
the number of outstanding shares of Parent Common Stock, Parent shall
appropriately adjust the CVP, if any, payable pursuant to Section 2.01(b) of
the Merger Agreement and this Exhibit. Whenever an adjustment is made as
provided in this Section 2.01(d), Parent shall (i) promptly prepare a
certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts
accounting for such adjustment and (ii) mail a brief summary thereof to each
Holder. Such adjustment absent manifest error shall be final and binding on
Parent and the Holders.

         SECTION 2.02. Payment. Payment of any CVP due pursuant to Section
2.01(b) of the Merger Agreement and this Exhibit shall be made only to Holders
on the Maturity Date at the office or agency of Parent maintained for that
purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and at any other
office or agency maintained by Parent for such purpose. Such payment shall be
made in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time is
legal tender for the payment of public and private debts; provided, however,
Parent may pay such amounts by its check payable in such money.

         SECTION 2.03. Persons Deemed Owners. (a) For all purposes under the
Merger Agreement, the owner of any right or title to or interest in a CVP is
that person who is registered as a Holder pursuant to Section 2.02(b) of the
Merger Agreement, and neither Parent nor any agent of Parent shall be affected
by any notice to the contrary.

         (b) All parties to the Merger Agreement have agreed, and each Holder
by his acceptance of Parent Common Stock has agreed, that the right or title to
or interest in any CVP is non-transferable and non-exchangeable, other than a
transfer by the law of descent and distribution or a transfer in connection
with a transfer of a person's entire right to receive the Per Share Merger
Consideration in accordance with the fourth sentence of Section 2.02(b) of the
Merger Agreement, and any attempt to transfer, sell, exchange or otherwise
dispose of such right, title or interest or any beneficial interest therein
(except as aforesaid) shall have no force or effect.


<PAGE>   3


                                  ARTICLE III

     SECTION 3.01. Limitation on Short Selling and Manipulative Conduct. 
     (a)     A Holder shall lose its right to any CVP if at any time during the 
20 trading days preceding the Maturity Date either (i) such Holder's "short
position" in Parent Common Stock (determined in accordance with Rule 14e-4(a)
under the Exchange Act, but without taking into account the CVPs) exceeds such
Holder's "long position" in Parent Common Stock (determined in accordance with
Rule 14e-4(a) under the Exchange Act) or (ii) such Holder takes any action to
manipulate the stock price of Parent Common Stock which would constitute a
violation of Section 9 of the Exchange Act. As a precondition to its obligation
to make any CVP, Parent may request, and any Holder shall be required to deliver
to Parent, reasonably satisfactory evidence of such Holder's short positions and
long positions in Parent Common Stock during such 20 trading day period and a
representation that such Holder did not engage in any manipulative conduct as
set forth in Section 3.01(a)(ii) hereof.

     (b)     For purposes of this Section 3.01, a Holder that is a nominee or
trustee for multiple ultimate beneficial holders shall be disregarded and the
short positions and long positions of each ultimate beneficial owner shall
determine the right of such Holder to receive the CVP otherwise attributable to
such ultimate beneficial owner.


<PAGE>   1
                                 EXHIBIT 99.03

                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT


         STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT, dated as of December 14, 1998 (the
"Agreement"), by and between Pharmaceutical Marketing Services Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("Issuer"), and Quintiles Transnational Corp., a North Carolina
corporation ("Grantee").

         WHEREAS, Grantee, Issuer and QTRN Acquisition Corp., a North Carolina
corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Grantee ("Sub"), are concurrently
herewith entering into a Merger Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the
"Merger Agreement"; capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the
meanings set forth in the Merger Agreement), providing for, among other things,
the merger of Issuer with and into Sub with Sub as the surviving corporation
(the "Merger"); and

         WHEREAS, as a condition to Grantee's willingness to enter into the
Merger Agreement, Grantee has requested that Issuer agree, and Issuer has
agreed, to grant Grantee the Option (as defined below);

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements set forth herein and in
the Merger Agreement, Issuer and Grantee agree as follows:

         1.       GRANT OF OPTION. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, Issuer hereby grants to Grantee an irrevocable option (the "Option") to
purchase up to 2,466,947 (as adjusted as set forth herein) shares (the "Option
Shares") of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of Issuer (the "Issuer
Common Stock") at a cash purchase price per Option Share equal to $12.00 (the
"Purchase Price").

         2.       EXERCISE OF OPTION.

                  (a) If not in material breach of the Merger Agreement,
Grantee may exercise the Option, in whole or in part, at any time or from time
to time following the occurrence of a Purchase Event (as defined below)
provided that, except as otherwise provided herein, the Option shall terminate
and be of no further force and effect upon the earliest to occur of (i) the
Effective Time of the Merger, (ii) 12 months after the first occurrence of a
Purchase Event or (iii) termination of the Merger Agreement prior to the
occurrence of a Purchase Event. Notwithstanding the termination of the Option,
Grantee shall be entitled to purchase those Option Shares with respect to which
it has exercised the Option pursuant to this Section 2(a) in accordance with
the terms hereof prior to the termination of the Option. The termination of the
Option shall not affect any rights hereunder which by their terms extend beyond
the date of such termination.

                  (b) As used herein, a "Purchase Event" means the termination
of the Merger Agreement under any circumstance which would entitle Grantee or
Issuer to receive any fee from Issuer pursuant to Section 8.02(a) of the Merger
Agreement, provided, however, that the termination of the Merger Agreement
(except pursuant to Section 7.01(b) thereof) after the occurrence of any event
described in Section 8.02(a)(i)(B)(x) thereof shall constitute a Purchase


<PAGE>   2


Event hereunder whether or not any event described in Section 8.02(a)(i)(B)(y)
of the Merger Agreement shall have occurred.

                  (c)      In the event Grantee wishes to exercise the Option, 
it shall send to Issuer a written notice (the date of which being herein
referred to as the "Notice Date") specifying (i) the total number of Option
Shares it intends to purchase pursuant to such exercise and (ii) a place and
date not earlier than three business days nor later than 20 business days from
the Notice Date for the closing of such purchase (the "Closing"; and the date
of such Closing, the "Closing Date"); provided that the Closing shall be held
only if (A) such purchase would not otherwise violate or cause the violation of
applicable law (including the HSR Act) and (B) no statute, rule, regulation,
decree, order or injunction shall have been promulgated, enacted, entered into,
or enforced by any Governmental Entity which prohibits delivery of the Option
Shares, whether temporary, preliminary or permanent; provided, however, that
the parties hereto shall use their best efforts to have any such decree, order
or injunction vacated or reversed. If the Closing cannot be consummated by
reason of a restriction set forth in clause (A) or (B) above, notwithstanding
the provisions of Section 2(a), the Closing Date shall be within 20 business
days following the elimination of such restriction.

         3.       PAYMENT AND DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATES.

                  (a)      On each Closing Date, Grantee shall pay to Issuer in
immediately available funds by wire transfer to a bank account designated by
Issuer an amount equal to the Purchase Price multiplied by the Option Shares to
be purchased on such Closing Date.

                  (b)      At each Closing, simultaneously with the delivery of
immediately available funds as provided in Section 3(a), Issuer shall deliver
to Grantee a certificate or certificates representing the Option Shares to be
purchased at such Closing, which Option Shares shall be free and clear of all
Liens, and Grantee shall deliver to Issuer a letter agreeing that Grantee shall
not offer to sell or otherwise dispose of such Option Shares in violation of
applicable law or the provisions of this Agreement. If at the time of issuance
of any Option Shares pursuant to an exercise of all or part of the Option
hereunder, Issuer shall not have redeemed the Rights, or shall have issued any
similar securities, then each Option Share issued pursuant to such exercise
shall also represent a corresponding Right or new rights with terms
substantially the same as and at least as favorable to Grantee as are provided
under the Rights Agreement or any similar agreement then in effect.

                  (c)      Certificates for the Option Shares delivered at each
Closing shall be endorsed with a restrictive legend which shall read
substantially as follows:

                  THE TRANSFER OF THE STOCK REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE IS
SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ARISING UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED,
AND PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF A STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT DATED AS OF DECEMBER 14,
1998. A COPY OF SUCH AGREEMENT WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE HOLDER HEREOF WITHOUT
CHARGE UPON RECEIPT BY THE ISSUER OF A WRITTEN REQUEST THEREFOR.

                  It is understood and agreed that (i) the reference to
restrictions arising under the Securities Act in the above legend shall be
removed by delivery of substitute certificate(s) without such reference if
Grantee shall have delivered to Issuer a copy of a letter from the staff


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<PAGE>   3


of the SEC, or an opinion of counsel in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to Issuer and its counsel, to the effect that such legend is not
required for purposes of the Securities Act; (ii) the reference to restrictions
pursuant to this Agreement in the above legend shall be removed by delivery of
substitute certificate(s) without such reference if the Option Shares evidenced
by certificate(s) containing such reference have been sold or transferred in
compliance with the provisions of this Agreement under circumstances that do
not require the retention of such reference; and (iii) the legend shall be
removed in its entirety if the conditions in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii)
are both satisfied.

         4.       AUTHORIZED STOCK. Issuer hereby represents and warrants to 
Grantee that Issuer has taken all necessary corporate and other action to
authorize and reserve and to permit it to issue, and, at all times from the
date hereof until the obligation to deliver Issuer Common Stock upon the
exercise of the Option terminates, will have reserved for issuance, upon
exercise of the Option, shares of Issuer Common Stock necessary for Grantee to
exercise the Option, and Issuer will take all necessary corporate action to
authorize and reserve for issuance all additional shares of Issuer Common Stock
or other securities which may be issued pursuant to Section 6 upon exercise of
the Option. The shares of Issuer Common Stock to be issued upon due exercise of
the Option, including all additional shares of Issuer Common Stock or other
securities which may be issuable upon exercise of the Option pursuant to
Section 6, upon issuance pursuant hereto, shall be duly and validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable, and shall be delivered free and clear of all
Liens, including any preemptive rights of any stockholder of Issuer.

         5.       PURCHASE NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION. Grantee hereby represents and
warrants to Issuer that any Option Shares or other securities acquired by
Grantee upon exercise of the Option or Substitute Option (as defined below)
will not be taken with a view to the public distribution thereof and will not
be transferred or otherwise disposed of except in a transaction registered or
exempt from registration under the Securities Act.

         6.       ADJUSTMENT UPON CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION, ETC.

                  (a)      In the event of any change in Issuer Common Stock by
reason of a stock dividend, split-up, recapitalization, combination, exchange
of shares or similar transaction, the type and number of shares or securities
subject to the Option, and the Purchase Price therefor, shall be adjusted
appropriately, and proper provision shall be made in the agreements governing
such transaction, so that Grantee shall receive upon exercise of the Option the
number and class of shares or other securities or property that Grantee would
have received in respect of Issuer Common Stock if the Option had been
exercised immediately prior to such event or the record date therefor, as
applicable. If any additional shares of Issuer Common Stock are issued after
the date of this Agreement, the number of shares of Issuer Common Stock subject
to the Option shall be adjusted so that, after such issuance, it equals 19.9%
of the number of shares of Issuer Common Stock then issued and outstanding,
without giving effect to any shares subject to or issued pursuant to the
Option.

                  (b)      In the event that Issuer shall enter into an 
agreement (i) to consolidate with or merge into any person, other than Grantee
or one of its subsidiaries, and shall not be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger, (ii) to permit any person, other
than Grantee or one of its subsidiaries, to merge into Issuer and Issuer shall
be the continuing or surviving corporation, but, in connection with such


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<PAGE>   4


merger, the shares of Issuer Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the
consummation of such merger shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or
other securities of Issuer or any other person or cash or any other property,
or the shares of Issuer Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the
consummation of such merger shall after such merger represent less than 50% of
the outstanding voting securities of the merged company, or (iii) to sell or
otherwise transfer all or substantially all of its assets to any person, other
than Grantee or one of its subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, the
agreement governing such transaction shall make proper provisions so that the
Option shall, upon the consummation of any such transaction and upon the terms
and conditions set forth herein, be converted into, or exchanged for, an option
(the "Substitute Option"), at the election of Grantee, of either (I) the
Acquiring Corporation (as defined below) or (II) any person that controls the
Acquiring Corporation (any such person specified in clause (I) or (II) being
referred to as "Substitute Option Issuer").

                  (c)      The Substitute Option shall have the same terms as
the Option; provided that the exercise price therefor and number of shares
subject thereto shall be as set forth in this Section 6; provided, further,
that the Substitute Option shall be exercisable immediately upon issuance
without the occurrence of a Purchase Event with respect to the Substitute
Option; and provided, further, that if the terms of the Substitute Option
cannot, for legal reasons, be the same as the Option (subject to the variations
described in the foregoing provisos), such terms shall be as similar as
possible and in no event less advantageous to Grantee. Substitute Option Issuer
shall also enter into an agreement with Grantee in substantially the same form
as this Agreement (subject to the variations described in the foregoing
provisos), which shall be applicable to the Substitute Option.

                  (d)      The Substitute Option shall be exercisable for such
number of shares of Substitute Common Stock (as defined below) as is equal to
the Assigned Value (as defined below) multiplied by the number of shares of
Issuer Common Stock for which the Option was theretofore exercisable, divided
by the Average Price (as defined below), rounded up to the nearest whole share.
The exercise price per share of Substitute Common Stock of the Substitute
Option (the "Substitute Option Price") shall then be equal to the Purchase
Price multiplied by a fraction in which the numerator is the number of shares
of Issuer Common Stock for which the Option was theretofore exercisable and the
denominator is the number of shares of Substitute Common Stock for which the
Substitute Option is exercisable.

                 (e)       In no event, pursuant to any of the foregoing
paragraphs, shall the Substitute Option be exercisable for more than 19.9% of
the aggregate of the shares of Substitute Common Stock outstanding prior to
exercise of the Substitute Option. In the event that the Substitute Option
would be exercisable for more than 19.9% of the aggregate of the shares of
outstanding Substitute Common Stock but for the limitation in the first
sentence of this Section 6(e), Substitute Option Issuer shall make a cash
payment to Grantee equal to the excess of (i) the value of the Substitute
Option without giving effect to the limitation in the first sentence of this
Section 6(e) over (ii) the value of the Substitute Option after giving effect
to the limitation in the first sentence of this Section 6(e). This difference
in value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected by Grantee.

                  (f)      Issuer shall not enter into any transaction described
in Section 6(b) unless the Acquiring Corporation and any person that controls
the Acquiring Corporation assume in writing all the obligations of Issuer
hereunder and take all other actions that may be necessary so that the
provisions of this Agreement are given full force and effect (including,
without


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<PAGE>   5


limitation, any action that may be necessary so that the holders of the other
shares of common stock issued by Substitute Option Issuer are not entitled to
exercise any rights comparable to the Rights by reason of the issuance or
exercise of the Substitute Option and the shares of Substitute Common Stock are
otherwise in no way distinguishable from or have lesser economic value than
other shares of common stock issued by Substitute Option Issuer (other than any
diminution in value resulting from the fact, if applicable, that the shares of
Substitute Common Stock are restricted securities, as defined in Rule 144 under
the Securities Act or any successor provision)).

                  (g)      For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms 
have the following meanings:

                           (1)      "Acquiring  Corporation" means (i) the 
continuing or surviving corporation of a consolidation or merger with Issuer
(if other than Issuer), (ii) Issuer in a merger in which Issuer is the
continuing or surviving corporation and (iii) the transferee of all or
substantially all of Issuer's assets.

                           (2)      "Assigned Value" means the highest of (w)
the price per share of Issuer Common Stock at which a tender offer or exchange
offer for Issuer Common Stock has been made after the date hereof and prior to
the consummation of the consolidation, merger or sale referred to in Section
6(b), (x) the price per share to be paid by any third party or the
consideration per share to received by holders of Issuer Common Stock, in each
case pursuant to the agreement with Issuer with respect to the consolidation,
merger or sale referred to in Section 6(b), (y) the highest bid price per share
for Issuer Common Stock quoted on the Nasdaq National Market (or if such Issuer
Common Stock is not quoted thereon, the highest bid price per share as quoted
on the principal trading market on which such shares are traded as reported by
a recognized source) during the 12-month period immediately preceding the
consolidation, merger or sale referred to in Section 6(b) and (z) in the event
the transaction referred to in Section 6(b) is a sale of all or substantially
all of Issuer's assets, an amount equal to (i) the sum of the price paid in
such sale for such assets (including assumed liabilities) and the current
market value of the remaining assets of Issuer, as determined by a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by Grantee divided by (ii) the
number of shares of Issuer Common Stock outstanding at such time. In the event
that a tender offer or exchange offer is made for Issuer Common Stock or an
agreement is entered into for a merger or consolidation involving consideration
other than cash, the value of the securities or other property issuable or
deliverable in exchange for Issuer Common Stock shall be determined by a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by Grantee.

                           (3)      "Average Price" means the average closing
sales price per share of a share of Substitute Common Stock quoted on the New
York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") (or if such Substitute Common Stock is not quoted
on the NYSE, the highest bid price per share as quoted on the Nasdaq National
Market or, if the shares of Substitute Common Stock are not quoted thereon, on
the principal trading market on which such shares are traded as reported by a
recognized source) for the twenty trading days immediately preceding the fifth
business day prior to the consolidation, merger or sale in question, but in no
event higher than the closing price of the shares of Substitute Common Stock on
the day preceding such consolidation, merger or sale; provided that if
Substitute Option Issuer is Issuer, the Average Price shall be computed with
respect to a share of common stock issued by Issuer, the person merging into
Issuer or by any company which controls such person, as Grantee may elect.


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<PAGE>   6


                           (4)      "Substitute Common Stock" means the shares
of capital stock (or similar equity interest) with the greatest voting power in
respect of the election of directors (or persons similarly responsible for the
direction of the business and affairs) of the Substitute Option Issuer.

         7.       REGISTRATION RIGHTS.

         (a)      Issuer shall, if requested by Grantee or any owner of Option
Shares (collectively with Grantee, the "Owners") at any time and from time to
time within three years of the first exercise of the Option, as expeditiously
as possible prepare and file up to two registration statements under the
Securities Act if such registration is necessary in order to permit the sale or
other disposition of any or all shares of securities that have been acquired by
or are issuable to such Owners upon exercise of the Option in accordance with
the intended method of sale or other disposition stated by such Owners,
including a "shelf" registration statement under Rule 415 under the Securities
Act or any successor provision, and Issuer shall use its best efforts to
qualify such shares or other securities under any applicable state securities
laws. Issuer shall use all reasonable efforts to cause each such registration
statement to become effective, to obtain all consents or waivers of other
parties which are required therefor and to keep such registration statement
effective for such period not in excess of 180 days from the day such
registration statement first becomes effective as may be reasonably necessary
to effect such sale or other disposition. The obligations of Issuer hereunder
to file a registration statement and to maintain its effectiveness may be
suspended for one or more periods of time not exceeding 30 days in the
aggregate if the Board of Directors of Issuer shall have determined that the
filing of such registration statement or the maintenance of its effectiveness
would require disclosure of nonpublic information that would materially and
adversely affect Issuer. Any registration statement prepared and filed under
this Section 7, and any sale covered thereby, shall be at Issuer's expense
except for underwriting discounts or commissions, brokers' fees and the fees
and disbursements of Owners' counsel related thereto. The Owners shall provide
all information reasonably requested by Issuer for inclusion in any
registration statement to be filed hereunder.

         (b)      If during the time period referred to in the first sentence of
subsection (a) of this Section 7 Issuer effects a registration under the
Securities Act of Issuer Common Stock for its own account or for any other
stockholders of Issuer (other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8, or any successor
form), it shall allow the Owners the right to participate in such registration,
and such participation shall not affect the obligation of Issuer to effect two
registration statements for the Owners under this Section 7; provided that, if
the managing underwriters of such offering advise Issuer in writing that in
their opinion the number of shares of Issuer Common Stock requested to be
included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such
offering, Issuer shall include the shares requested to be included therein by
the Owners pro rata with the shares intended to be included therein by Issuer.

         (c)      In connection with any registration pursuant to this Section
7, Issuer and the Owners shall provide each other and any underwriter of the
offering with customary representations, warranties, covenants, indemnification
and contribution in connection with such registration. Issuer shall indemnify
and hold harmless (i) Owner, its affiliates and its officers and directors and
(ii) each underwriter and each person who controls any underwriter
(collectively, the "Underwriters") within the meaning of the Securities Act or
the Exchange Act ((i) and (ii) being referred to as "Indemnified Parties")
against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or


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expenses to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) and
expenses arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained or incorporated by reference in any
registration statement filed pursuant to this paragraph, or arise out of or are
based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; provided, however, that the Issuer shall not be liable in any such
case to the extent that any such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense
arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
in or omission or alleged omission from any such documents in reliance upon and
in conformity with written information furnished to the Issuer by the
Indemnified Parties expressly for use or incorporation by reference therein. As
used in this Agreement, "person" shall have the meaning specified in Sections
3(a)(9) and 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act. Owner and the Underwriters shall
indemnify and hold harmless the Issuer, its affiliates and its officers and
directors against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses to which
the Company, its affiliates and its officers and directors may become subject,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) and expenses arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement of
any material fact contained or incorporated by reference in any registration
statement filed pursuant to this paragraph, or arise our of or are based upon
the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Issuer by Owner or the Underwriters, as applicable, specifically for use or
incorporation by reference therein.

         8.       LISTING. If Issuer Common Stock or any other securities to be
acquired upon exercise of the Option are then listed on the Nasdaq National
Market or other securities market, Issuer, upon the request of any Owner, will
promptly make any filing necessary to list the shares of Issuer Common Stock or
other securities to be acquired upon exercise of the Option on such system or
market and will use its best efforts to obtain approval of such listing as soon
as practicable.

         9.       LIMITATION OF GRANTEE PROFIT.

         (a)      Notwithstanding any other provision herein, in no event shall
Grantee's Total Profit (as defined below) exceed $9,000,000, and, if it
otherwise would exceed such amount, Grantee, at its sole discretion, shall
either (i) reduce the number of shares subject to the Option, (ii) deliver to
Issuer for cancellation shares of Issuer Common Stock (or other securities into
which such Option Shares are converted or exchanged), (iii) pay cash to Issuer,
or (iv) any combination of the foregoing, so that Grantee's actually realized
Total Profit shall not exceed $9,000,000 after taking into account the
foregoing actions.

         (b)      For purposes of this Agreement, "Total Profit" shall mean: (i)
the aggregate amount of (A) Net Proceeds, plus (B) all amounts received by
Grantee on the transfer of the Option, plus (C) all equivalent amounts with
respect to the Substitute Option, plus (D) all amounts received by Grantee
pursuant to Section 8.02(a) and (b) of the Merger Agreement, minus (ii) the
aggregate of (A) all amounts of cash previously paid to Issuer pursuant to this
Section 9 and (B) the value of the Option Shares (or other securities)
previously delivered to Issuer for cancellation pursuant to this Section 9.
"Net Proceeds" shall mean the aggregate


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<PAGE>   8


proceeds of such sale or disposition in excess of the product of the Purchase
Price multiplied by the number of such Option Shares (or securities into which
such shares are converted or exchanged) included in such sale or disposition.

         (c)      Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, nothing
in this Agreement shall affect the ability of Grantee to receive, nor relieve
Issuer's obligation to pay, any payment provided for in Section 8.02(a) or (b)
of the Merger Agreement; provided that if and to the extent the Total Profit
received by Grantee would exceed $9,000,000, following receipt of such payment,
Grantee shall be obligated to comply with the terms of Section 9(a) within 30
days of the latest of (i) the date of receipt of such payment, (ii) the date of
receipt of the Net Proceeds, (iii) the date of receipt of net cash from
disposition of the Option and (iv) the date of receipt of equivalent amounts
pursuant to the sale of the Substitute Option or shares of Substitute Common
Stock (or other securities into which such Substitute Common Stock is converted
or exchanged).

         (d)      For purposes of Section 9(a) and clause (ii) of Section 9(b),
the value of any Option Shares delivered to Issuer shall be the Assigned Value
of such Option Shares and the value of any Substitute Common Stock delivered to
Issuer shall be the Highest Closing Price of such Substitute Common Stock.
"Highest Closing Price" means the highest closing sales price for shares of
Substitute Common Stock quoted on the NYSE (or if the Substitute Common Stock
is not quoted on the NYSE, the highest bid price per share as quoted on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System or, if
the shares of Substitute Common Stock are not quoted thereon, on the principal
trading market on which such shares are traded as reported by a recognized)
during the six-month period preceding the issuance of the Substitute Option.

         (e)      Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the Merger
Agreement to the contrary, if a court shall finally adjudicate that Grantee's
Total Profit is unenforceable, then Net Proceeds shall be limited to the
largest amount enforceable, whether such amount is $9,000,000, $7,000,000,
$5,000,000, $4,000,000, $3,000,000 or $2,000,000. All Net Proceeds in excess of
such limitation shall be remitted to Issuer upon receipt.

         10.      LOSS, THEFT, ETC. OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement (and the Option
granted hereby) are exchangeable, without expense, at the option of Grantee,
upon presentation and surrender of this Agreement at the principal office of
Issuer for other Agreements providing for Options of different denominations
entitling the holder thereof to purchase in the aggregate the same number of
shares of Issuer Common Stock purchasable hereunder. The terms "Agreement" and
"Option" as used herein include any other Agreements and related Options for
which this Agreement (and the Option granted hereby) may be exchanged. Upon
receipt by Issuer of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft,
destruction or mutilation of this Agreement, and (in the case of loss, theft or
destruction) of reasonably satisfactory indemnification, and upon surrender and
cancellation of this Agreement, if mutilated, Issuer will execute and deliver a
new Agreement of like tenor and date. Any such new Agreement executed and
delivered shall constitute an additional contractual obligation on the part of
Issuer, whether or not the Agreement so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated
shall at any time be enforceable by anyone.


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<PAGE>   9


         11.      MISCELLANEOUS.

                  (a)      Expenses. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7
hereof or in the Merger Agreement, each of the parties hereto shall bear and
pay all costs and expenses incurred by it or on its behalf in connection with
the transactions contemplated hereunder, including fees and expenses of its own
financial consultants, investment bankers, accountants and counsel.

                  (b)      Waiver and Amendment. Any provision of this Agreement
may be waived at any time by the party that is entitled to the benefits of such
provision. This Agreement may not be modified, amended, altered or supplemented
except upon the execution and delivery of a written agreement executed by the
parties hereto.

                  (c)      Entire Agreement; No Third-Party Beneficiary;
Severability. Except as otherwise set forth in the Merger Agreement, this
Agreement, together with the Merger Agreement, (a) constitutes the entire
agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both written
and oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and (b)
is not intended to confer upon any person other than the parties hereto any
rights or remedies hereunder. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or a federal or
state regulatory agency to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of
the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or
invalidated. If for any reason such court or regulatory agency determines that
the Option does not permit Grantee to acquire the full number of shares of
Issuer Common Stock (or Substitute Common Stock) as provided in Section 2, as
adjusted pursuant to Section 6, it is the express intention of Issuer to allow
Grantee to acquire such lesser number of shares as may be permissible without
any amendment or modification hereof.

                  (d)      GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA WITHOUT
REGARD TO ANY APPLICABLE CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES.

                  (e)      Descriptive Headings. The descriptive headings
contained herein are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect in
any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

                  (f)      Notices. All notices and other communications
hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given if delivered
personally, telecopied (with confirmation) or mailed by registered or certified
mail (return receipt requested) to the parties at the following addresses (or
at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like notice):


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<PAGE>   10


                           If to Grantee to:

                                    Quintiles Transnational Corp.
                                    4709 Creekstone Drive
                                    Riverbirch Building, Suite 200
                                    Durham, NC  27703
                                    Attention: General Counsel
                                    Telecopier No.: (919) 941-9113

                                    with a copy to:

                                    Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett,
                                        Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P.
                                    2500 First Union Capitol Center
                                    Raleigh, NC  27601
                                    Attention: Gerald F. Roach, Esq.
                                    Telecopier No.: (919) 821-6800

                           If to Issuer to:

                                    Pharmaceutical Marketing Services Inc.
                                    45 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 912
                                    New York, NY 10111
                                    Attention: General Counsel
                                    Telecopier No.: (212) 841-5760

                                    with a copy to:

                                    Reboul, MacMurray, Hewitt, Maynard & Kristol
                                    45 Rockefeller Plaza
                                    New York, NY 10111
                                    Attention:  Robert A. Schwed, Esq.
                                    Telecopier No.: (212) 841-5725

                  (g)      Counterparts. This Agreement and any amendments
hereto may be executed in two counterparts, each of which shall be considered
one and the same agreement and shall become effective when both counterparts
have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other party, it
being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart.

                  (h)      Assignment. Grantee may assign this Agreement in
whole to any affiliate of Grantee at any time. Except as provided in the next
sentence, Grantee may not, without the prior written consent of Issuer (which
shall not be unreasonably withheld), assign this Agreement to any other person.
Upon the occurrence of a Purchase Event, Grantee may sell, transfer, assign or
otherwise dispose of, in whole at any time, its rights and obligations
hereunder. In the case of any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of this
Option, Issuer shall do all things reasonably necessary to facilitate such
transaction. This Agreement shall not be assignable by Issuer except by
operation of law. Subject to the preceding sentence, this


                                      10
<PAGE>   11


Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by
the parties and their respective successors and assigns.

                  (i)      Representations and Warranties. The representations
and warranties contained in Sections 3.01(a) and 3.02(a) of the Merger
Agreement, and, to the extent they relate to this Stock Option Agreement, in
Sections 3.01(c),(d), (p), (q) and (t) and 3.02(c) of the Merger Agreement, are
incorporated herein by reference.


                  (j)      Further Assurances. In the event of any exercise of
the Option by Grantee, Issuer and Grantee shall execute and deliver all other
documents and instruments and take all other action that may be reasonably
necessary in order to consummate the transactions provided for by such
exercise.

                  (k)      Specific Performance. The parties hereto agree that
this Agreement may be enforced by either party through specific performance,
injunctive relief and other equitable relief. Both parties further agree to
waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection
with the obtaining of any such equitable relief and that this provision is
without prejudice to any other rights that the parties hereto may have for any
failure to perform this Agreement.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Issuer and Grantee have caused this Stock Option
Agreement to be signed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized
as of the day and year first written above.


         PHARMACEUTICAL MARKETING SERVICES INC.



         By:      /s/ Warren J. Hauser
                  ---------------------------------
                  Name:      Warren J. Hauser
                  Title:     Vice President



         QUINTILES TRANSNATIONAL CORP.



         By:      /s/ James L. Bierman    
                  ---------------------------------
                  Name:      James L. Bierman
                  Title:     Senior Vice President


                                      11

<PAGE>   1
                                 EXHIBIT 99.04

Quintiles Launches Into Healthcare Informatics Arena With Agreement To Acquire
PMSI, A Leading U.S. Pharma Market Research Company

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Quintiles Transnational
Corp. (Nasdaq: QTRN) today announced a major expansion of its services to
include healthcare information. Quintiles Transnational has signed a definitive
agreement to acquire Pharmaceutical Marketing Services Inc. (PMSI) (Nasdaq:
PMRX) and its core company, Scott-Levin, a leader in pharmaceutical market
information and research services in the U.S.

The PMSI acquisition is valued at approximately $197 million, an amount that
includes approximately $90 million in cash held by PMSI which Quintiles will
receive and about $107 million primarily attributed to Scott-Levin. Upon
completion of the transaction, Quintiles Transnational will have gained
significant capabilities to provide healthcare customers in-depth and timely
market data to enhance their commercial success. Scott-Levin is a recognized
authority in gathering and analyzing data about the U.S. pharmaceutical market,
the world's largest.

"The addition of Scott-Levin launches Quintiles Transnational into the
healthcare informatics field and prepares us for opportunities in a dynamic
market arena," said Dennis Gillings, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Quintiles Transnational Corp. "Scott-Levin's market research audits
are considered the 'platinum standard' for measuring the effectiveness of
pharmaceutical promotion efforts. The contributions of Joy Scott, Scott-Levin's
founder and Chief Executive Officer, and her management team will spur the
development and execution of Quintiles' healthcare information strategies."

Scott-Levin, with revenues of $20.4 million for the first nine months of 1998,
is noted for its market research audits used by virtually all pharmaceutical
companies doing business in the United States; strategic studies in such areas
as sales force structures and strategies and pharmaceutical corporate image;
sophisticated proprietary software for data assimilation and report generation;
and managed care industry audits and databases. In addition, Scott-Levin offers
the industry's most comprehensive legislative and regulatory tracking system
focused exclusively on pharmaceutical and healthcare activities.

"Fast access to high-quality scientific and market information is crucial to
pharmaceutical companies' success in the world of 21st century healthcare,"
said Dennis Turner, PMSI's Chief Executive Officer. "This agreement paves the
way for Quintiles to provide healthcare customers with a rich information
resource to meet their needs for integrated data across the drug development-
marketing continuum."

The agreement calls for individual PMSI shareholders to exchange their PMSI
common stock for Quintiles common stock either by exchanging all their shares
at closing, or electing to exchange half of their shares at closing and defer
receipt of the other half for 75 days. If the shareholder elects to defer, he
or she will also receive a contingent value payment for each Quintiles share
received on the 75th day after closing. The payment, if any, will equal the
difference between the Quintiles stock price used to determine the final
exchange ratio at closing and the average Quintiles stock price over a defined
period ending on the 75th day after closing. The final exchange ratio for
determining the number of Quintiles shares to be issued to PMSI shareholders
will be determined by dividing $15.40 by the average closing price per share of
Quintiles common stock 


<PAGE>   2


during a defined trading period prior to closing. Under
certain circumstances the agreement may be terminated if Quintiles stock is
trading outside of the $41.55 to $62.32 range.

The transaction is expected to be neutral to Quintiles' earnings per share and
will be accounted for under purchase accounting. It is also expected to be tax
free for the PMSI shareholders. Completion of the agreement, which is subject
to approval by PMSI shareholders, regulatory approval and certain other
customary conditions, is expected in the first quarter of next year. In
connection with the merger agreement, Quintiles and PMSI also entered into a
stock option agreement, which Quintiles may exercise under certain
circumstances to purchase up to 19.9 percent of PMSI shares at approximately
$12 per share.

Upon completion, Scott-Levin would operate under its own name as a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Quintiles. Based in Newtown, Pennsylvania, Scott-Levin has
approximately 240 employees.

PMSI provides a range of information and market research services to
pharmaceutical and healthcare companies in the United States to enable them to
optimize their sales and marketing performance. Most of the company's
information services are generated from proprietary databases that contain
unique prescription, physician, managed care and healthcare market data.

Quintiles Transnational Corp. is the market leader in providing a full range of
integrated product development and marketing services to the pharmaceutical,
biotechnology and medical device industries. Quintiles also provides healthcare
policy consulting and health information management services to healthcare and
governmental organizations worldwide. Quintiles is headquartered near Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina. With more than 14,000 employees worldwide and
offices in 30 countries, Quintiles operates through specialized work groups
dedicated to meeting customers' individual needs. Visit the Quintiles
Transnational web site at http://www.quintiles.com.

Information in this press release contains "forward-looking statements." These
statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially, including without limitation, whether or not the proposed
acquisition actually occurs, the ability of the combined businesses to be
integrated with Quintiles' current operations, actual operating performance,
the ability to operate successfully in the new line of business resulting from
the business combination, the ability to maintain large client contracts or to
enter into new contracts, and the actual costs of combining the businesses.
Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are
discussed in the company's recent filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including but not limited to its S-3 and S-4 Registration
Statements, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Form 8-Ks, and its other
periodic reports, including Form 10-Q, exhibit 99.01.

/CONTACT: Pat Grebe, Media Relations, Quintiles Transnational Corp.,
[email protected], or Greg Connors, Investor Relations, Quintiles
Transnational Corp., [email protected], 919-941-2000, or Warren Hauser,
Investor Relations, Pharmaceutical Marketing Services Inc., 212-841-0610/


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