8-K

                       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): May 8, 2001



                               CuraGen Corporation
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


     Delaware                       0-23223                    06-1331400
  ----------------            --------------------         ------------------
  (State or other                 (Commission                (IRS Employer
  jurisdiction of                 File Number)             Identification No.)
  incorporation)


                        555 Long Wharf Drive, 11th Floor
                          New Haven, Connecticut 06511
           ---------------------------------------------------------
            (Address of principal executive offices)     (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (203) 401-3330


ITEM 5.   OTHER EVENTS.

     On May 8, 2001, the Registrant issued a press release announcing that it
has discovered a new member of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) family
that has been named PDGF-D.  The newly discovered protein occurs naturally in
the human body and may have broad applications as a therapeutic because of its
unique cellular activity and biochemical properties.  In addition, the
Registrant's scientists are evaluating fully human monoclonal antibodies for
inhibiting the function of PDGF-D as potential therapeutics to treat cancer, and
cardiovascular and kidney diseases.  A copy of the press release is attached to
this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

     Exhibit 99.1 - Press Release dated May 8, 2001.


                                 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.


                                    CURAGEN CORPORATION
                                    (Registrant)



Date: May 8, 2001                 By: /s/  David Wurzer
                                     --------------------------
                                     Executive Vice President and
                                     Chief Financial Officer

EX-99.1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

Contact:
- ---------

Mark R. Vincent
Director of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
mvincent@curagen.com
CuraGen Corporation
1-888-GENOMICS
www.curagen.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- ---------------------

              CURAGEN DISCOVERS NOVEL GROWTH FACTOR IN PDGF FAMILY

  - SCIENTISTS EVALUATING ANTIBODIES AS POTENTIAL THERAPEUTICS IN CANCER, AND
                      CARDIOVASCULAR AND KIDNEY DISEASES -

NEW HAVEN, CONN. - MAY 8, 2001 - CuraGen Corporation (Nasdaq: CRGN), an
integrated genomics-based biopharmaceutical company, today announced that
CuraGen scientists have discovered a new member of the platelet-derived growth
factor (PDGF) family that has been named PDGF-D.  This newly discovered protein
occurs naturally in the human body and may have broad applications as a
therapeutic because of its unique cellular activity and biochemical properties.
In addition, CuraGen scientists are currently evaluating fully human monoclonal
antibodies for inhibiting the function of this protein as potential therapeutics
to treat cancer, and cardiovascular and kidney diseases.

The unique activity of this protein, as well as CuraGen's proprietary approach
for discovering potential protein and antibody therapeutics, are discussed in
the May 1, 2001 issue of the journal Nature Cell Biology, a publication of the
Nature Publishing Group. An online abstract of the paper is accessible on the
Internet at http://www.nature.com/ncb/ and at http://www.curagen.com.

"CuraGen is delivering on its business plan of applying its genomic technologies
and expertise to discover proteins and antibodies for use as therapeutics to
treat unmet medical needs.  Our unique, high-throughput approach enables CuraGen
scientists to discover and evaluate proteins as potential therapeutics, while
simultaneously raising antibodies against these proteins for use as potential
therapeutics or diagnostic markers.  This newly discovered protein is further
validation that CuraGen's integrated and systematic approach to drug discovery
and development is generating promising and timely results," remarked Jonathan
M. Rothberg, Ph.D., Founder, Chairman, and CEO of CuraGen Corporation.

"This is another early stage success exemplifying CuraGen's comprehensive
approach for advancing novel proteins and antibodies into therapeutics to treat
human disease.  PDGF-D is over-expressed in renal and ovarian cancers, and its
biological activity suggests it plays an important role in cardiovascular and
kidney disease.  We are actively evaluating antibodies as potential therapeutics
to counter the effects of this protein in these disease indications," stated
Henri Lichenstein, Ph.D., Director of Drug Development for CuraGen Corporation.



"CuraGen has established an efficient and effective strategy for identifying
proteins, antibody, and small molecule targets that are relevant to the
development of novel pharmaceutical products.  Our comprehensive approach to
target discovery and validation has enabled our scientific teams to amass a
large number of proteins and high-quality antibody and small molecule drug
targets, which are forming the basis for CuraGen's emerging pipeline of
therapeutics," stated Richard Shimkets, Ph.D., Director of Internal Discovery
for CuraGen Corporation.

CuraGen's novel proteins, antibody, and small molecule drug targets are derived
from the Company's proprietary database of over 5 million human expressed
sequences and are the subject of approximately 450 patent applications spanning
more than 1800 pharmaceutically relevant genes and proteins.  Pharmaceutically
relevant genes are identified through a systematic approach that includes the
study of animal and clinical models, drug response studies, large-scale
datamining of sequence and pathway databases and human genetics.  Once
discovered, the role of potential targets and therapeutics is validated through
the application of CuraGen's proprietary technologies and through a combination
of gene expression confirmation for quantitatively measuring gene expression
profiles across hundreds of diseased and matched normal tissues and cells and
biochemical, cellular, and animal assays.  CuraGen scientists conduct these
processes in order to establish causal roles in disease and to suggest which
specific disease indications a therapeutic candidate may have the greatest
potential in treating.

CuraGen Corporation is an integrated genomics-based biopharmaceutical company
that is advancing the discovery and development of pharmaceutical and life
science products through the systematic application of genomics.  CuraGen's
fully integrated, Internet-based functional genomic technologies, services, and
bioinformatic systems are designed to rapidly generate comprehensive information
about genes, human genetic variations, gene expression, protein interactions,
protein pathways, and potential drugs that affect these pathways.  The Company
is applying this comprehensive functional genomic platform to develop protein,
antibody, and small molecule therapeutics.  CuraGen has conducted research with
collaborators including Abgenix, Bayer, Biogen, COR Therapeutics, Dupont/Pioneer
Hi-Bred International, Gemini Genomics, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Hoffmann-La
Roche, Monsanto, Ono Pharmaceuticals, and Roche Vitamins.  CuraGen is
headquartered in New Haven, Conn., and additional Company information is
available at www.curagen.com.

This release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties, including the therapeutic and clinical potential of
protein therapeutics, antibody and small molecule drug targets, the scale and
speed at which drug targets and candidates can be turned into drugs, CuraGen's
continued ability to rapidly deliver high quality, novel drug targets, and
CuraGen's ability to commercialize products and derive profits from
commercialized products.  Such statements are based on management's current
expectations and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-
looking statements.  The Company cautions investors that there can be no
assurance that actual results or business conditions will not differ materially
from those projected or suggested in such forward-looking statements as a result
of various factors, including, but not limited to, the following:  CuraGen's
expectation that it will incur operating losses in the near future, the early
stage of development of CuraGen's products and technologies, uncertainties
related to preclinical and clinical testing and trials, uncertainties
surrounding the availability of additional funding, CuraGen's reliance on
research collaborations, the actions of competitors and the development of
competing technologies, CuraGen's ability to protect its patents and proprietary
rights, patent infringement actions and uncertainties relating to
commercialization rights.