UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT
     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  December 19, 2008
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                            SANGAMO BIOSCIENCES, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant specified in its charter)


           Delaware                      000-30171               68-0359556
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(State or other jurisdiction     (Commission File Number)    (I.R.S. Employer
      of incorporation)                                      Identification No.)


501 Canal Blvd, Suite A100, Richmond, California        94804
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(Address of principal executive offices)              (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone, including area code:  (510) 970-6000
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         (Former name and former address, if changed since last report)


Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

      |_| Written  communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
(17 CFR 230.425)

      |_| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.14a-12)

      |_|  Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

      |_|  Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))






ITEM 1.01. ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT.

      On December 19, 2008, Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. ("Sangamo") entered into a
License  Agreement  with  Pfizer  Inc.  ("Pfizer"),  pursuant  to which  Sangamo
provided  Pfizer with a limited right to use Sangamo's  proprietary  zinc-finger
nuclease ("ZFN") technology.  Under this agreement, Pfizer received a worldwide,
fully paid, perpetual,  royalty free, non-exclusive  license to use certain ZFN
reagents  for the  elimination  of the  Glutamine  Synthetase  gene in  Pfizer's
Chinese Hamster Ovary ("CHO") cell lines and to use such  ZFN-modified CHO cells
for clinical and commercial  production of  therapeutic  protein  products.  The
license may not be sublicensed although Pfizer may transfer any ZFN-modified CHO
cell lines to a contract  manufacturer solely for such contract  manufacturer to
manufacture Pfizer's  therapeutic  proteins for Pfizer.  Sangamo will receive an
upfront payment of $3.0 million from Pfizer which  constitutes full and complete
payment for the license.

ITEM 7.01  REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

      On December  22,  2008,  Sangamo  issued a press  release  announcing  the
transaction  described  in Item  1.01  above.  A copy of the  press  release  is
attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM  9.01.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(d)   Exhibits. The following document is filed as exhibit to this report:

      99.1  Press Release of Sangamo Biosciences, Inc., dated December 22, 2008





                                   SIGNATURES

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


                                         SANGAMO BIOSCIENCES, INC.


Date: December 22, 2008                  By:  /s/ EDWARD O. LANPHIER II
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Name:  Edward O. Lanphier II
                                              Title: Chief Executive Officer