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 3, 2001



                          NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC.

             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

          DELAWARE                      0-28150                33-0525145
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION    (COMMISSION FILE NUMBER)    (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
      OF INCORPORATION)                                      IDENTIFICATION NO.)

        10555 SCIENCE CENTER DRIVE, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA       92121
            (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)         (ZIP CODE)

       REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: (858) 658-7600




     This Current Report on Form 8-K is filed by Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., a
Delaware  corporation (the "Company"),  in connection with the matters described
herein.

ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

         Attached as Exhibit 1.1 hereto and  incorporated by reference herein is
the form of  Underwriting  Agreement by and among the Company and Deutsche  Banc
Alex. Brown Inc. and Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation,  as representatives
of the several  underwriters,  to be used in connection with the proposed public
offering of 3,250,000  shares of the Company's common stock, par value $.001 per
share, and the granting of an  over-allotment  option to purchase 487,500 shares
of common  stock to the  underwriters  pursuant  to the  Company's  Registration
Statement  on Form S-3 (File No.  333-73216).  Attached  as  Exhibit  5.1 is the
opinion  of  Latham &  Watkins  relating  to the  legality  of the  shares to be
offered.

ITEM 7.  EXHIBITS.

(c)      Exhibits.

           Exhibit
           Number              Description of Exhibit
           ------              -----------------------
             1.1               Form of Underwriting Agreement
             5.1               Opinion of Latham & Watkins





                                    SIGNATURE

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

Date: December 3, 2001                      NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, Inc.



                                            By:      /s/ PAUL W. HAWRAN
                                                     -------------------------
                                                     Paul W. Hawran
                                                     Senior Vice President and
                                                     Chief Financial Officer