8% CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURE DUE February __, 2016

EXHIBIT A

NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS CONVERTIBLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. THIS SECURITY AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.

Original Issue Date: February __, 2014

Original Conversion Price (subject to adjustment herein): $0.50

$_______________

8% CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURE

DUE February __, 2016

THIS 8% CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURE is one of a series of duly authorized and validly issued 8% Convertible Debentures of Novelos Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation, (the “Company”), having its principal place of business at 0000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000, designated as its 8% Convertible Debenture due February __, 2016 (this debenture, the “Debenture” and, collectively with the other debentures of such series, the “Debentures”).

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the Company promises to pay to ________________________ or its registered assigns (the “Holder”), or shall have paid pursuant to the terms hereunder, the principal sum of $_______________ on February __, 2016 (the “Maturity Date”) or such earlier date as this Debenture is required or permitted to be repaid as provided hereunder, and to pay interest to the Holder on the aggregate unconverted and then outstanding principal amount of this Debenture in accordance with the provisions hereof. This Debenture is subject to the following additional provisions:

Section 1. Definitions. For the purposes hereof, in addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Debenture, (a) capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Purchase Agreement and (b) the following terms shall have the following meanings:

“Bankruptcy Event” means any of the following events: (a) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X) thereof commences a case or other proceeding under any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debt, relief of debtors, dissolution, insolvency or liquidation or similar law of any jurisdiction relating to the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof, (b) there is commenced against the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof any such case or proceeding that is not dismissed within 60 days after commencement, (c) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof is adjudicated insolvent or bankrupt or any order of relief or other order approving any such case or proceeding is entered, (d) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof suffers any appointment of any custodian or the like for it or any substantial part of its property that is not discharged or stayed within 60 calendar days after such appointment, (e) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, (f) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof calls a meeting of its creditors with a view to arranging a composition, adjustment or restructuring of its debts or (g) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof, by any act or failure to act, expressly indicates its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any of the foregoing or takes any corporate or other action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing.

“Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

“Buy-In” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(c)(v).

“Change of Control Transaction” means the occurrence after the date hereof of any of (a) an acquisition after the date hereof by an individual or legal entity or “group” (as described in Rule 13d-5(b)(1) promulgated under the Exchange Act) of effective control (whether through legal or beneficial ownership of capital stock of the Company, by contract or otherwise) of in excess of 50% of the voting securities of the Company (other than by means of conversion or exercise of the Debentures and the Securities issued together with the Debentures), (b) the Company merges into or consolidates with any other Person, or any Person merges into or consolidates with the Company and, after giving effect to such transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such transaction own less than 50% of the aggregate voting power of the Company or the successor entity of such transaction, (c) the Company sells or transfers all or substantially all of its assets to another Person and the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such transaction own less than 50% of the aggregate voting power of the acquiring entity immediately after the transaction, (d) a replacement at one time or within a three year period of more than one-half of the members of the Board of Directors which is not approved by a majority of those individuals who are members of the Board of Directors on the Original Issue Date (or by those individuals who are serving as members of the Board of Directors on any date whose nomination to the Board of Directors was approved by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are members on the date hereof), or (e) the execution by the Company of an agreement to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound, providing for any of the events set forth in clauses (a) through (d) above.

“Conversion” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.

“Conversion Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

“Conversion Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(b).

“Conversion Schedule” means the Conversion Schedule in the form of Schedule 1 attached hereto.

“Conversion Shares” means, collectively, the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Debenture in accordance with the terms hereof.

“Debenture Register” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).

“Event of Default” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(a).

“Forced Conversion” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d).

“Forced Conversion Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d).

“Forced Conversion Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d).

“Forced Conversion Notice Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d).

“Holder Optional Redemption Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(b).

“Holder Optional Redemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(b).

“Holder Optional Redemption Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(b).

“Interest Conversion Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

“Interest Notice Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

“Interest Payment Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

“Interest Share Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

“Late Fees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(d).

“New York Courts” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9(d).

“Notice of Conversion” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

“Optional Redemption” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).

“Optional Redemption Amount” means the sum of (a) 100% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Debenture, (b) accrued but unpaid interest and (c) all other amounts due in respect of the Debenture.

“Optional Redemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).

“Optional Redemption Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).

“Optional Redemption Notice Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).

“Optional Redemption Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).

“Original Issue Date” means the date of the first issuance of the Debentures, regardless of any transfers of any Debenture and regardless of the number of instruments which may be issued to evidence such Debentures.

“Permitted Indebtedness” means (a) the indebtedness evidenced by the Debentures, (b) the Indebtedness existing on the Original Issue Date and set forth on Schedule 3.1(aa) attached to the Purchase Agreement, (c) lease obligations and purchase money indebtedness of up to $2,000,000, in the aggregate, incurred in connection with the acquisition of capital assets and lease obligations with respect to newly acquired or leased assets and (d) indebtedness that (i) is expressly subordinate to the Debentures pursuant to a written subordination agreement with the Purchasers that is acceptable to each Purchaser in its sole and absolute discretion and (ii) matures at a date later than the 91^st day following the Maturity Date.

“Permitted Lien” means the individual and collective reference to the following: (a) Liens for taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies not yet due or Liens for taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves (in the good faith judgment of the management of the Company) have been established in accordance with GAAP, (b) Liens imposed by law which were incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s business, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’ Liens, statutory landlords’ Liens, and other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of the Company’s business, and which (x) do not individually or in the aggregate materially detract from the value of such property or assets or materially impair the use thereof in the operation of the business of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries or (y) are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, which proceedings have the effect of preventing for the foreseeable future the forfeiture or sale of the property or asset subject to such Lien, (c) Liens incurred in connection with Permitted Indebtedness under clauses (a), (b) and (d) thereunder, (d) Liens in existence on the date hereof, (e) Liens arising under licensing or collaboration agreements or joint ventures or similar transactions, and (f) Liens incurred in connection with Permitted Indebtedness under clause (c) thereunder, provided that such Liens are not secured by assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries other than the assets so acquired or leased.

“Purchase Agreement” means the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of February __, 2014 among the Company and the original Holders, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with its terms.

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“Share Delivery Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(c)(ii).

“Subsequent Financing” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(b).

“Successor Entity” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(e).

“Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for trading.

Section 2. Interest.

a) Payment of Interest in Cash or Kind. The Company shall pay interest to the Holder on the aggregate unconverted and then outstanding principal amount of this Debenture at the rate of 8% per annum, payable on each Optional Redemption Date (as to that principal amount then being redeemed), on each Holder Optional Redemption Date (as to that principal amount then being redeemed) and on the Maturity Date (each such date, an “Interest Payment Date”) (if any Interest Payment Date is not a Business Day, then the applicable payment shall be due on the next succeeding Business Day), in cash or, at the Company’s option, in duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock at the Conversion Price (the dollar amount to be paid in shares, the “Interest Share Amount”) or a combination thereof.

b) Company’s Election to Pay Interest in Cash or Kind. Subject to the terms and conditions herein, the decision whether to pay interest hereunder in cash, shares of Common Stock or a combination thereof shall be at the sole discretion of the Company. Prior to the commencement of any Interest Notice Period, the Company shall deliver to the Holder a written notice of its election to pay interest hereunder on the applicable Interest Payment Date either in cash, shares of Common Stock or a combination thereof and the Interest Share Amount as to the applicable Interest Payment Date, provided that the Company may indicate in such notice that the election contained in such notice shall apply to future Interest Payment Dates until revised by a subsequent notice. During any Interest Notice Period, the Company’s election (whether specific to an Interest Payment Date or continuous) shall be irrevocable as to such Interest Payment Date. Subject to the aforementioned conditions, failure to timely deliver such written notice to the Holder shall be deemed an election by the Company to pay the interest on such Interest Payment Date in cash. The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to the Holder on an Interest Payment Date shall be reduced by the number of Interest Conversion Shares previously issued to the Holder in connection with such Interest Payment Date.

c) Interest Calculations. Interest shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year, consisting of twelve 30 calendar day periods, and shall accrue daily commencing on the Original Issue Date until payment in full of the outstanding principal, together with all accrued and unpaid interest, and other amounts which may become due hereunder, has been made. Payment of interest in shares of Common Stock (other than the Interest Conversion Shares issued prior to an Interest Notice Period) shall otherwise occur pursuant to Section 4(c)(ii) herein and, solely for purposes of the payment of interest in shares, the Interest Payment Date shall be deemed the Conversion Date. Interest shall cease to accrue with respect to any principal amount converted, provided that, the Company actually delivers the Conversion Shares within the time period required by Section 4(c)(ii) herein. Interest hereunder will be paid to the Person in whose name this Debenture is registered on the records of the Company regarding registration and transfers of this Debenture (the “Debenture Register”). Except as otherwise provided herein, if at any time the Company pays interest partially in cash and partially in shares of Common Stock to the holders of the Debentures, then such payment of cash shall be distributed ratably among the holders of the then-outstanding Debentures based on their (or their predecessor’s) initial purchases of Debentures pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

d) Late Fee. All overdue accrued and unpaid interest to be paid hereunder shall entail a late fee at an interest rate equal to the lesser of 12% per annum or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law (the “Late Fees”), whichever is less, which shall accrue daily from the date such interest is due hereunder through and including the date of actual payment in full.

e) Prepayment. Except as otherwise set forth in this Debenture, the Company may not prepay any portion of the principal amount of this Debenture without the prior written consent of the Holder.

Section 3. Registration of Transfers and Exchanges.

a) Different Denominations. This Debenture is exchangeable for an equal aggregate principal amount of Debentures of different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same. No service charge will be payable for such registration of transfer or exchange.

b) Investment Representations. This Debenture has been issued subject to certain investment representations of the original Holder set forth in the Purchase Agreement and may be transferred or exchanged only in compliance with the Purchase Agreement and applicable federal and state securities laws and regulations.

c) Reliance on Debenture Register. Prior to due presentment for transfer to the Company of this Debenture, the Company and any agent of the Company may treat the Person in whose name this Debenture is duly registered on the Debenture Register as the owner hereof for the purpose of receiving payment as herein provided and for all other purposes, whether or not this Debenture is overdue, and neither the Company nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Section 4. Conversion.

a) Voluntary Conversion. At any time after the Original Issue Date until this Debenture is no longer outstanding, this Debenture shall be convertible, in whole or in part, into shares of Common Stock at the option of the Holder, at any time and from time to time (subject to the conversion limitations set forth in Section 4(d) hereof). The Holder shall effect conversions by delivering to the Company a Notice of Conversion, the form of which is attached hereto as Annex A (each, a “Notice of Conversion”), specifying therein the principal amount of this Debenture to be converted and the date on which such conversion shall be effected (such date, the “Conversion Date”). If no Conversion Date is specified in a Notice of Conversion, the Conversion Date shall be the date that such Notice of Conversion is deemed delivered hereunder. No ink-original Notice of Conversion shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Conversion form be required. To effect conversions hereunder, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Debenture to the Company unless the entire principal amount of this Debenture, plus all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, has been so converted. Conversions hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding principal amount of this Debenture in an amount equal to the applicable conversion. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the principal amount(s) converted and the date of such conversion(s). The Company may deliver an objection to any Notice of Conversion within three (3) Business Days of delivery of such Notice of Conversion. In the event of any dispute or discrepancy, the records of the Holder shall be controlling and determinative in the absence of manifest error. The Holder, and any assignee by acceptance of this Debenture, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following conversion of a portion of this Debenture, the unpaid and unconverted principal amount of this Debenture may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.

b) Conversion Price. The conversion price in effect on any Conversion Date shall be equal to $0.50, subject to adjustment herein (the “Conversion Price”).

c) Mechanics of Conversion.

i. Conversion Shares Issuable Upon Conversion of Principal Amount. The number of Conversion Shares issuable upon a conversion hereunder shall be determined by the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the outstanding principal amount of and interest on this Debenture to be converted by (y) the Conversion Price; provided that the Company may, with the consent of the Holder, pay interest accrued but unpaid on the principal converted in cash in lieu of shares.

ii. Delivery of Certificate Upon Conversion. Not later than three (3) Trading Days after each Conversion Date (the “Share Delivery Date”), the Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Holder (A) a certificate or certificates representing the Conversion Shares which, on or after the earlier of (i) the six month anniversary of the Original Issue Date or (ii) the Effective Date, shall be free of restrictive legends and trading restrictions (other than those which may then be required by the Purchase Agreement) representing the number of Conversion Shares being acquired upon the conversion of this Debenture (including, if the Company has given continuous notice pursuant to Section 2(b) for payment of interest in shares of Common Stock at least 20 Trading Days prior to the date on which the Notice of Conversion is delivered to the Company, shares of Common Stock representing the payment of accrued interest otherwise determined pursuant to Section 2(a) but assuming that the Interest Notice Period is the 20 Trading Days period immediately prior to the date on which the Notice of Conversion is delivered to the Company and excluding for such issuance the condition that the Company deliver Interest Conversion Shares as to such interest payment prior to the commencement of the Interest Notice Period) and (B) a bank check in the amount of accrued and unpaid interest (if the Company has elected or is required to pay accrued interest in cash). On or after the earlier of (i) the six month anniversary of the Original Issue Date or (ii) the Effective Date, the Company shall deliver any certificate or certificates required to be delivered by the Company under this Section 4(c) electronically through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions.

iii. Failure to Deliver Certificates. If, in the case of any Notice of Conversion, such certificate or certificates are not delivered to or as directed by the applicable Holder by the Share Delivery Date, the Holder shall be entitled to elect by written notice to the Company at any time on or before its receipt of such certificate or certificates, to rescind such Conversion, in which event the Company shall promptly return to the Holder any original Debenture delivered to the Company and the Holder shall promptly return to the Company the Common Stock certificates issued to such Holder pursuant to the rescinded Conversion Notice.

iv. Obligation Absolute. The Company’s obligations to issue and deliver the Conversion Shares upon conversion of this Debenture in accordance with the terms hereof are absolute and unconditional, irrespective of any action or inaction by the Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect to any provision hereof, the recovery of any judgment against any Person or any action to enforce the same, or any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, limitation or termination, or any breach or alleged breach by the Holder or any other Person of any obligation to the Company or any violation or alleged violation of law by the Holder or any other Person, and irrespective of any other circumstance which might otherwise limit such obligation of the Company to the Holder in connection with the issuance of such Conversion Shares; provided, however, that such delivery shall not operate as a waiver by the Company of any such action the Company may have against the Holder. In the event the Holder of this Debenture shall elect to convert any or all of the outstanding principal amount hereof, the Company may not refuse conversion based on any claim that the Holder or anyone associated or affiliated with the Holder has been engaged in any violation of law, agreement or for any other reason, unless an injunction from a court, on notice to Holder, restraining and or enjoining conversion of all or part of this Debenture shall have been sought and obtained. In the absence of such injunction, the Company shall issue Conversion Shares or, if applicable, cash, upon a properly noticed conversion.

v. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Certificates Upon Conversion. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder such certificate or certificates by the Share Delivery Date pursuant to Section 4(c)(ii), and if after such Share Delivery Date the Holder is required by its brokerage firm to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise), or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Conversion Shares which the Holder was entitled to receive upon the conversion relating to such Share Delivery Date (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder (in addition to any other remedies available to or elected by the Holder) the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including any brokerage commissions) for the Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the product of (1) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that the Holder was entitled to receive from the conversion at issue multiplied by (2) the actual sale price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed (including any brokerage commissions) and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reissue (if surrendered) this Debenture in a principal amount equal to the principal amount of the attempted conversion (in which case such conversion shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued if the Company had timely complied with its delivery requirements under Section 4(c)(ii). For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted conversion of this Debenture with respect to which the actual sale price of the Conversion Shares (including any brokerage commissions) giving rise to such purchase obligation was a total of $10,000 under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence, the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver certificates representing shares of Common Stock upon conversion of this Debenture as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

vi. Reservation of Shares Issuable Upon Conversion. The Company covenants that it will at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock for the sole purpose of issuance upon conversion of this Debenture and payment of interest on this Debenture, each as herein provided, free from preemptive rights or any other actual contingent purchase rights of Persons other than the Holder (and the other holders of the Debentures), not less than such aggregate number of shares of the Common Stock as shall (subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement) be issuable (taking into account the adjustments and restrictions of Section 5) upon the conversion of the then outstanding principal amount of this Debenture and payment of interest hereunder. The Company covenants that all shares of Common Stock that shall be so issuable shall, upon issue, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

vii. Fractional Shares. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the conversion of this Debenture. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such conversion, the Company shall at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Conversion Price or round up to the next whole share.

viii. Transfer Taxes and Expenses. The issuance of certificates for shares of the Common Stock on conversion of this Debenture shall be made without charge to the Holder hereof for any documentary stamp or similar taxes that may be payable in respect of the issue or delivery of such certificates, provided that, the Company shall not be required to pay any tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any such certificate upon conversion in a name other than that of the Holder of this Debenture so converted and the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver such certificates unless or until the Person or Persons requesting the issuance thereof shall have paid to the Company the amount of such tax or shall have established to the satisfaction of the Company that such tax has been paid. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Conversion and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Conversion Shares.

Section 5. Certain Adjustments for Stock Dividends and Stock Splits.

a) Adjustment. If the Company, at any time while this Debenture is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions payable in shares of Common Stock on shares of Common Stock or any Common Stock Equivalents (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon conversion of, or payment of interest on, the Debentures), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of a reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares or (iv) issues, in the event of a reclassification of shares of the Common Stock, any shares of capital stock of the Company, then the Conversion Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding any treasury shares of the Company) outstanding immediately before such event, and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.

b) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 5 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 5, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding any treasury shares of the Company) issued and outstanding.

c) Notice to the Holder.

i. Adjustment to Conversion Price. Whenever the Conversion Price is adjusted pursuant to Section 5(a), the Company shall promptly deliver to each Holder a notice setting forth the Conversion Price after such adjustment and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

ii. Notice to Allow Conversion by Xxxxxx. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock of rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be filed at each office or agency maintained for the purpose of conversion of this Debenture, and shall cause to be delivered to the Holder at its last address as it shall appear upon the Debenture Register, at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange, provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to convert this Debenture during the 10-day period commencing on the date of such notice through the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.

Section 6. Optional Redemption and Forced Conversion.

a) Optional Redemption at Election of Company. Subject to the provisions of this Section 6(a), at any time after Original Issue Date, the Company may deliver a notice to the Holder (an “Optional Redemption Notice” and the date such notice is deemed delivered hereunder, the “Optional Redemption Notice Date”) of its irrevocable election to redeem some or all of the then outstanding principal amount of this Debenture for cash in an amount equal to the Optional Redemption Amount on the 30^th Trading Day following the Optional Redemption Notice Date (such date, the “Optional Redemption Date”, such 30 Trading Day period, the “Optional Redemption Period” and such redemption, the “Optional Redemption”). The Optional Redemption Amount is payable in full on the Optional Redemption Date. The Company covenants and agrees that it will honor all Notices of Conversion tendered from the time of delivery of the Optional Redemption Notice through the date all amounts owing thereon are due and paid in full. The Company’s determination to pay an Optional Redemption in cash shall be applied ratably to all of the holders of the then outstanding Debentures based on their (or their predecessor’s) initial purchases of Debentures pursuant to the Purchase Agreement

b) Optional Redemption at Election of Holder. Subject to the provisions of this Section 6(b), at any time while this Debenture is outstanding, in the event of any offering by the Company or a Subsidiary of Common Stock, Common Stock Equivalents for cash consideration, Indebtedness or a combination thereof for aggregate gross proceeds of at least $2,000,000 (a “Subsequent Financing”), Holder shall have the right to require the Company to redeem some or all of the then outstanding principal amount of this Debenture, plus all accrued but unpaid interest and other amounts due in respect of the Debenture, in an amount equal to the amount of the Holder’s investment in the Subsequent Financing by delivering notice to the Company on or before the consummation date of the Subsequent Financing (such redemption amount, the “Holder Optional Redemption Amount”, such redemption, the “Holder Optional Redemption” and such notice, the “Holder Optional Redemption Notice”). The Holder Optional Redemption Amount is payable in full on the date the Subsequent Financing is consummated (the “Holder Optional Redemption Date”). The Company covenants and agrees that it will honor all Notices of Conversion tendered from the time of delivery of the Holder Optional Redemption Notice through the date all amounts owing thereon are due and paid in full.

c) Redemption Procedure. The payment of cash pursuant to an Optional Redemption or a Holder Optional Redemption shall be payable on the Optional Redemption Date or the Holder Optional Redemption Date, as applicable. If any portion of the payment pursuant to an Optional Redemption or a Holder Optional Redemption shall not be paid by the Company by the applicable due date, interest shall accrue thereon at an interest rate equal to the lesser of 12% per annum or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law until such amount is paid in full. Notwithstanding anything herein contained to the contrary, if any portion of the Optional Redemption Amount remains unpaid after such date, the Holder may elect, by written notice to the Company given at any time thereafter, to invalidate such Optional Redemption, ab initio. The Holder may elect to convert the outstanding principal amount of the Debenture pursuant to Section 4 prior to actual payment in cash for any redemption under this Section 6 by the delivery of a Notice of Conversion to the Company.

d) Forced Conversion. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if after the Original Issue Date, the Company raises gross proceeds of at least $8 million, in the aggregate, in one or more subsequent financings (the “Minimum Proceeds”), the Company may, within 3 Trading Days after the receipt of the Minimum Proceeds, deliver a written notice to the Holder (a “Forced Conversion Notice” and the date such notice is delivered to the Holder, the “Forced Conversion Notice Date”) to cause the Holder to convert all or part of the then outstanding principal amount of this Debenture plus, if so specified in the Forced Conversion Notice, accrued but unpaid interest and other amounts owing to the Holder under this Debenture, it being agreed that the “Conversion Date” for purposes of Section 4 shall be deemed to occur on the third Trading Day following the Forced Conversion Notice Date (such third Trading Day, the “Forced Conversion Date”); provided, that no Forced Conversion Notice may be delivered after the date that is 90 days prior to the Maturity Date. Any Forced Conversion shall be applied ratably to all Holders based on their initial purchases of Debentures pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, provided that any voluntary conversions by a Holder shall be applied against the Holder’s pro rata allocation, thereby decreasing the aggregate amount forcibly converted hereunder if only a portion of this Debenture is forcibly converted. For purposes of clarification, a Forced Conversion shall be subject to all of the provisions of Section 4, including, without limitation, limitations on conversions.

Section 7. Negative Covenants. As long as any portion of this Debenture remains outstanding, unless the holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Debentures shall have otherwise given prior written consent, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any of the Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:

a) other than Permitted Indebtedness, enter into, create, incur, assume, guarantee or suffer to exist any indebtedness for borrowed money of any kind, including, but not limited to, a guarantee, on or with respect to any of its property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired or any interest therein or any income or profits therefrom;

b) other than Permitted Liens, enter into, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Liens of any kind, on or with respect to any of its property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired or any interest therein or any income or profits therefrom;

c) repay, repurchase or offer to repay, repurchase or otherwise acquire more than a de minimis number of shares of its Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents other than as to (i) the Conversion Shares or Warrant Shares as permitted or required under the Transaction Documents and (ii) repurchases of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents of departing officers and directors of the Company, provided that such repurchases shall not exceed an aggregate of $100,000 in any calendar year for all officers and directors during the term of this Debenture;

d) repay, repurchase or offer to repay, repurchase or otherwise acquire any Indebtedness, other than the Debentures if on a pro-rata basis, other than regularly scheduled principal and interest payments as such terms are in effect as of the Original Issue Date, provided that such payments shall not be permitted if, at such time, or after giving effect to such payment, any Event of Default exist or occur;

e) pay cash dividends or distributions on any equity securities of the Company;

f) enter into any transaction with any Affiliate of the Company which would be required to be disclosed in any public filing with the Commission, unless such transaction is made on an arm’s-length basis and expressly approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company (even if less than a quorum otherwise required for board approval); or

g) enter into any agreement with respect to any of the foregoing.

Section 8. Events of Default.

a) “Event of Default” means, wherever used herein, any of the following events (whatever the reason for such event and whether such event shall be voluntary or involuntary or effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court, or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

i. any default in the payment of (A) the principal amount of any Debenture or (B) interest and other amounts owing to a Holder on any Debenture, as and when the same shall become due and payable (whether on a Conversion Date or the Maturity Date or by acceleration or otherwise) which default, solely in the case of an interest payment or other default under clause (B) above, is not cured within 3 Trading Days;

ii. the Company shall fail to observe or perform any other covenant or agreement contained in the Debentures (other than a breach by the Company of its obligations to deliver shares of Common Stock to the Holder upon conversion, which breach is addressed in clause (xi) below) which failure is not cured, if possible to cure, within the earlier to occur of (A) 5 Trading Days after notice of such failure sent by the Holder or by any other Holder to the Company and (B) 10 Trading Days after the Company has become aware of such failure;

iii. a material default or event of default (subject to any grace or cure period provided in the applicable agreement, document or instrument) shall occur under (A) any of the Transaction Documents or (B) any other material agreement, lease, document or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is obligated (and not covered by clause (vi) below);

iv. any representation or warranty made in this Debenture, any other Transaction Documents, any written statement pursuant hereto or thereto or any other report, financial statement or certificate made or delivered to the Holder or any other Holder shall be untrue in any material respect as of the date when made or deemed made;

v. the Company or any Significant Subsidiary (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X) shall be subject to a Bankruptcy Event;

vi. the Company or any Subsidiary shall default on any of its obligations under any mortgage, credit agreement or other facility, indenture agreement, factoring agreement or other instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any indebtedness for borrowed money or money due under any long term leasing or factoring arrangement that (a) involves an obligation greater than $150,000, whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, and (b) results in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable;

vii. the Common Stock shall not be eligible for listing or quotation for trading on a Trading Market and shall not be eligible to resume listing or quotation for trading thereon within five Trading Days;

viii. the Company shall be a party to any Change of Control Transaction;

ix. the Company shall fail for any reason to deliver certificates to a Holder prior to the fifth Trading Day after a Conversion Date pursuant to Section 4(c) or the Company shall provide at any time notice to the Holder, including by way of public announcement, of the Company’s intention to not honor requests for conversions of any Debentures in accordance with the terms hereof; or

x. any monetary judgment, writ or similar final process shall be entered or filed against the Company, any subsidiary or any of their respective property or other assets for more than $100,000, and such judgment, writ or similar final process shall remain unvacated, unbonded or unstayed for a period of 45 calendar days.

b) Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs, the outstanding principal amount of this Debenture, plus accrued but unpaid interest and other amounts owing in respect thereof through the date of acceleration, shall become, at the Holder’s election, immediately due and payable in cash at the Mandatory Default Amount. Commencing 5 days after the occurrence of any Event of Default that results in the eventual acceleration of this Debenture, the interest rate on this Debenture shall accrue at an interest rate equal to the lesser of 12% per annum or the maximum rate permitted under applicable law. Upon the payment in full of the Mandatory Default Amount, the Holder shall promptly surrender this Debenture to or as directed by the Company. In connection with such acceleration described herein, the Holder need not provide, and the Company hereby waives, any presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, and the Holder may immediately and without expiration of any grace period enforce any and all of its rights and remedies hereunder and all other remedies available to it under applicable law. Such acceleration may be rescinded and annulled by Xxxxxx at any time prior to payment hereunder and the Holder shall have all rights as a holder of the Debenture until such time, if any, as the Holder receives full payment pursuant to this Section 8(b). No such rescission or annulment shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 9. Miscellaneous.

a) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holder hereunder, including, without limitation, any Notice of Conversion, shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at the address set forth above, or such other facsimile number or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holder delivered in accordance with this Section 9(a). Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the facsimile number or address of the Holder appearing on the books of the Company, or if no such facsimile number or address appears on the books of the Company, at the principal place of business of such Holder, as set forth in the Purchase Agreement. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given.

b) Absolute Obligation. Except as expressly provided herein, no provision of this Debenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and accrued interest on this Debenture at the time, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed. This Debenture is a direct debt obligation of the Company. This Debenture ranks pari passu with all other Debentures now or hereafter issued under the terms set forth herein.

c) Lost or Mutilated Debenture. If this Debenture shall be mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall execute and deliver, in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation of a mutilated Debenture, or in lieu of or in substitution for a lost, stolen or destroyed Debenture, a new Debenture for the principal amount of this Debenture so mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, but only upon receipt of evidence of such loss, theft or destruction of such Debenture, and of the ownership hereof, reasonably satisfactory to the Company.

d) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Debenture shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflict of laws thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretation, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by any of the Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective Affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be commenced in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan (the “New York Courts”). Each party hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New York Courts for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such New York Courts, or such New York Courts are improper or inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Debenture and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Debenture or the transactions contemplated hereby. If any party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Debenture, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorneys fees and other costs and expenses incurred in the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.

e) Waiver. Any waiver by the Company or the Holder of a breach of any provision of this Debenture shall not operate as or be construed to be a waiver of any other breach of such provision or of any breach of any other provision of this Debenture. The failure of the Company or the Holder to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Debenture on one or more occasions shall not be considered a waiver or deprive that party of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any other term of this Debenture on any other occasion. Any waiver by the Company or the Holder must be in writing.

f) Severability. If any provision of this Debenture is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the balance of this Debenture shall remain in effect, and if any provision is inapplicable to any Person or circumstance, it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other Persons and circumstances. If it shall be found that any interest or other amount deemed interest due hereunder violates the applicable law governing usury, the applicable rate of interest due hereunder shall automatically be lowered to equal the maximum rate of interest permitted under applicable law. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law or other law which would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the principal of or interest on this Debenture as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Debenture, and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefits or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Holder, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such as though no such law has been enacted.

g) Remedies, Characterizations, Other Obligations, Breaches and Injunctive Relief. The remedies provided in this Debenture shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Debenture and any of the other Transaction Documents at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief), and nothing herein shall limit the Holder’s right to pursue actual and consequential damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this Debenture. The Company covenants to the Holder that there shall be no characterization concerning this instrument other than as expressly provided herein. Amounts set forth or provided for herein with respect to payments, conversion and the like (and the computation thereof) shall be the amounts to be received by the Holder and shall not, except as expressly provided herein, be subject to any other obligation of the Company (or the performance thereof). The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Holder and that the remedy at law for any such breach may be inadequate. The Company therefore agrees that, in the event of any such breach or threatened breach, the Holder shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any such breach or any such threatened breach, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required. The Company shall provide all information and documentation to the Holder that is requested by the Holder to enable the Holder to confirm the Company’s compliance with the terms and conditions of this Debenture.

h) Next Business Day. Whenever any payment or other obligation hereunder shall be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day.

i) Headings. The headings contained herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Debenture and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

*********************

(Signature Pages Follow)

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Debenture to be duly executed by a duly authorized officer as of the date first above indicated.

	NOVELOS THERAPEUTICS, INC.


	By:
		Name: Title:
	Facsimile No. for delivery of Notices: ____________

ANNEX A

NOTICE OF CONVERSION

The undersigned hereby elects to convert principal under the 8% Convertible Debenture due February __, 2016 of Novelos Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), into shares of common stock (the “Common Stock”), of the Company according to the conditions hereof, as of the date written below. If shares of Common Stock are to be issued in the name of a person other than the undersigned, the undersigned will pay all transfer taxes payable with respect thereto and is delivering herewith such certificates and opinions as reasonably requested by the Company in accordance therewith. No fee will be charged to the holder for any conversion, except for such transfer taxes, if any.

The undersigned agrees to comply with the prospectus delivery requirements under the applicable securities laws in connection with any transfer of the aforesaid shares of Common Stock.

Conversion calculations:

Date to Effect Conversion:

Principal Amount of Debenture to be Converted:

Number of shares of Common Stock to be issued:

Consent to payment of interest cash (at Company’s election): ¨ Yes ¨ No

Signature:

Name:

Address for Delivery of Common Stock Certificates:

DWAC Instructions:

Broker No: ____________

Account No: ___________

Schedule 1

CONVERSION SCHEDULE

The 8% Convertible Debentures due on February __, 2016 in the aggregate principal amount of $____________ are issued by Novelos Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation. This Conversion Schedule reflects conversions made under Section 4 of the above referenced Debenture.

Dated:

Date of Conversion

(or for first entry,
Original Issue Date)

Amount of Conversion

Aggregate Principal Amount Remaining Subsequent to Conversion

(or original Principal Amount)

Company Attest

Document Metadata

Table of Contents

8% CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURE DUE February __, 2016

Document Metadata