8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 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) April 2, 1997


                                   SCIOS INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)



         Delaware                       0-11749                95-3701481
(State of Other Jurisdiction          (Commission             (IRS Employer
        of Incorporation)             File Number)          Identification No.)



             2450 Bayshore Parkway, Mountain View, California 94043
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)



        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (415) 966-1550




Item 5.  Other Events

         On April 2, 1997, Scios Inc. announced that it suspended development of
AURICULIN(R)  anaritide  for the  treatment  of oliguric  acute  renal  (kidney)
failure based upon the results of an interim analysis of data. The press release
is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2 and incorporated herein by reference.


Exhibits.

         99.2     Press Release dated April 2, 1997



         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant has duly caused this amendment to be signed on its behalf of the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                   SCIOS INC.

                                   /s/ John H. Newman
Date:  April 2. 1997               By:
                                       John H. Newman
                                       Vice President of Legal Affairs





                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

                                   SCIOS INC.

                     Report on Form 8-K dated April 2, 1997




Exhibit     Description                           Method of Filing
- -------     -----------                           ----------------

99.2        Press Release dated April 2, 1997     Filed electronically herewith

EX-99

                                  EXHIBIT 99.2

                     SCIOS SUSPENDS DEVELOPMENT OF AURICULIN
                        FOR OLIGURIC ACUTE RENAL FAILURE


Mountain View, CA - April 2, 1997 - Scios Inc.  (Nasdaq:  SCIO) today  announced
that it has  suspended  development  of  AURICULIN(R)  anaritide  based upon the
results of an interim  analysis  of data from an ongoing  250-patient  Phase III
study in oliguric  acute renal  failure.  The study was suspended due to the low
probability  that a  positive  outcome  could be  obtained  with  respect to its
primary clinical endpoint, dialysis-free survival.

"We are  disappointed  that the results of this pivotal Phase III clinical trial
of  AURICULIN  in oliguric  acute renal  failure  failed to confirm the positive
results we observed in a subgroup of patients in our first Phase III acute renal
failure  trial," said Richard L. Casey,  chairman and chief  executive  officer.
"Despite this development, we remain optimistic about the viability of the other
products in our pipeline.  Specifically,  we still expect to achieve our goal of
filing a New Drug  Application for NATRECOR(R) BNP in the first half of 1998. In
addition,  FIBLAST(R)  trafermin is showing  promise in a number of indications.
Members of our clinical, regulatory and product development staffs who have been
involved in the  development of AURICULIN  will be assigned to either  NATRECOR,
for acute  congestive heart failure,  or FIBLAST,  for a variety of vascular and
neurological disorders."

AURICULIN was under  development in collaboration  with Genentech,  Inc. The two
companies  will be discussing  the future of their  collaboration  over the next
several months.

Except for historical  information  contained herein, this news release contains
forward-looking  statements that involve risks and uncertainties,  including the
timing and outcome of product development activities, as well as the other risks
detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on
Form 10-K for the year  ended  December  31,  1996 and  reports on form 10-Q for
subsequent quarters.

Scios is a  biopharmaceutical  company  engaged in the  discovery,  development,
manufacture and  commercialization  of novel human  therapeutics.  Scios has two
major clinical  development  programs.  NATRECOR(R) BNP is in Phase III clinical
studies  for  the  treatment  of  acute  congestive  heart  failure.  FIBLAST(R)
trafermin  is in Phase II  clinical  trials  for a variety of  neurological  and
vascular  conditions.  The Company has research and  development  collaborations
with Wyeth-Ayerst  Laboratories,  the  pharmaceutical  division of American Home
Products  Corporation,  Kaken  Pharmaceutical  Co., Ltd. and Novo Nordisk A/S of
Denmark.   Scios'  profitable   commercial   operations   division  markets  six
psychiatric products.

                                       ###
Release No. 3-97
Contact:  Anne Bowdidge, Scios Inc. 415/ 962-5814