Exhibit 3.1(a)


                            CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
                                       OF
                          CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
                                       OF
                                 SCIOS NOVA INC.


     Scios Nova Inc., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue
of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:

     FIRST: The name of this corporation is Scios Nova Inc.

     SECOND: The date on which the Certificate of Incorporation of the
corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware is
April 8, 1988. The date on which the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
the corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware
is September 3, 1992.

     THIRD: The Board of Directors of the Corporation, acting in accordance with
the provisions of Section 141(f) and 242 of the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware adopted resolutions to amend Article I in its entirety to read
as follows:

                                       "I.

                   The name of this corporation is Scios Inc."

     FOURTH: Thereafter pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors this
Certificate of Amendment was submitted to the stockholders of the corporation
for their approval in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Scios Nova Inc. has caused this Certificate of
Amendment to be signed by its Chief Executive Officer and attested to by its
Secretary this 26th day of March 1996.

                                        SCIOS NOVA INC.

                                        By:     /s/ Richard L. Casey
                                             ---------------------------------
                                             Richard L. Casey
                                             Chief Executive Officer


ATTEST:

/s/ John H. Newman
---------------------------
John H. Newman
Secretary