8-K

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

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                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                                 March 10, 2006
                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

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                               ZYMOGENETICS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


            Washington                  0-33489             91-1144498
   (State or other Jurisdiction      (Commission          (IRS Employer
        of Incorporation)            File Number)     Identification Number)

               1201 Eastlake Avenue East
                  Seattle, Washington                       98102-3702
        (Address of principal executive offices)            (Zip Code)

                                  206-442-6600
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

          (Former Name or 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))

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ITEM 5.02  DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR PRINCIPAL OFFICERS; ELECTION OF DIRECTORS;
           APPOINTMENT OF PRINCIPAL OFFICERS

     On March 10, 2006, Judith A. Hemberger, Ph.D. was appointed to the
ZymoGenetics, Inc. Board of Directors. Dr. Hemberger is not serving on any
committees of the Board of Directors at this time.

      A press release announcing the election of Dr. Hemberger, dated March 13,
2006, is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by
reference.


ITEM 9.01  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(d)  Exhibits.

     99.1  Press Release issued March 13, 2006 by ZymoGenetics, Inc.



                                    SIGNATURE

     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.

                                                ZYMOGENETICS, INC.

Date: March 14, 2006                            By:    /s/ JAMES A. JOHNSON
                                                       -------------------------
                                                Name:  James A. Johnson
                                                Title: Senior Vice President and
                                                       Chief Financial Officer



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number     Document Description
- --------------     ---------------------------------------------------------
99.1               Press release issued March 13, 2006 by ZymoGenetics, Inc.

EX-99.1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

CONTACT
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Investor Relations                              Media Relations
John Calhoun, M.D., MBA                         Susan W. Specht, MBA
Director, Corporate Communications &            Corporate Communications Manager
Investor Relations                              (206) 442-6592
(206) 442-6744

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

           DR. JUDITH HEMBERGER JOINS ZYMOGENETICS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
               - DRUG DEVELOPMENT VETERAN NAMED TO BIOTECH BOARD -

Seattle, March 13, 2006-- ZymoGenetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZGEN) today announced that
Judith A. Hemberger, Ph.D. has joined the company's Board of Directors. Dr.
Hemberger has many years of global pharmaceutical and biotech industry executive
experience.

"Judith Hemberger has overseen successful biotech and pharmaceutical companies,
and her insight will be of significant value to ZymoGenetics as we continue to
move product candidates through the clinic," said Bruce L. A. Carter, Ph.D.,
President and Chief Executive Officer of ZymoGenetics. He added, "Her expertise
in global medical affairs, regulatory affairs and commercial development will be
an asset, adding further depth to an already strong Board."

Judith Hemberger, Ph.D., is an experienced biotech industry executive with over
25 years of global pharmaceutical and biotech industry experience. Dr. Hemberger
recently announced her retirement from Pharmion Corporation, effective April 1,
2006, where she was a founder and has served as its Executive Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer and a director since its inception in 2000. From 1997 to
1999, she worked as a consultant to various healthcare companies. During this
period she also served as a Senior Vice President of Business Development at
AVAX Technologies, Inc., a vaccine technology company. From 1979 to 1997, Dr.
Hemberger worked in various capacities at Marion Laboratories, a pharmaceutical
company, and its successor companies Marion Merrell Dow and Hoechst Marion
Roussel, where she led a number of strategic functions including Professional
Education, Global Regulatory Affairs, Global Medical Affairs and Commercial
Development. Her final role at Hoechst Marion Roussel was Senior Vice President
of Global Drug Regulatory Affairs. Dr. Hemberger received a B.S. in biology and
chemistry from Mount St. Scholastica College (St. Benedictine College), a Ph. D.
in Pharmacology from the University of Missouri and an M.B.A from Rockhurst
College. Dr. Hemberger currently serves on the board of directors of Myogen,
Inc., Perrigo Company, PRA International and Renovis, Inc.



About ZymoGenetics
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ZymoGenetics creates novel protein drugs that will significantly help patients
fight their diseases. The Company is developing a diverse pipeline of potential
proprietary product candidates that are moving into and through clinical
development. These candidates span a wide array of clinical opportunities that
include bleeding, autoimmune diseases and cancer. ZymoGenetics intends to
commercialize these product candidates through internal development,
collaborations with partners, and out-licensing of patents from its extensive
patent portfolio. For further information, visit www.zymogenetics.com.

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking
statements are based on the current intent and expectations of the management of
ZymoGenetics. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and
involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. ZymoGenetics'
actual results and the timing and outcome of events may differ materially from
those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements because of risks
associated with our unproven discovery strategy, preclinical and clinical
development, regulatory oversight, intellectual property claims and litigation
and other risks detailed in the company's public filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2004. Except as required by law, ZymoGenetics undertakes
no obligation to update any forward-looking or other statements in this press
release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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