U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
FORM 4
ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check box if no longer subject to Section 16. 
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
   BOWMAN, JACK L
   3077 SCENIC AVENUE
   LUMMI ISLAND, WA  96262
   USA
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   NEORX CORPORATION
   NERX
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
   ###-##-####
4. Statement for Month/Year
   May 1996
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
   
6. Relationship of Reporting Person to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   (X) Director ( ) 10% Owner ( ) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other 
   (specify below)
   DIRECTOR


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 Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                 |
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1. Title of Security       |2.    |3.    |4.Securities Acquired (A)         |5.Amount of        |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect       |
                           | Transaction |  or Disposed of (D)              |  Securities       |ect   |  Beneficial Ownership     |
                           |      |      |                                  |  Beneficially     |(D)or |                           |
                           |      |    | |                  | A/|           |  Owned at         |Indir |                           |
                           | Date |Code|V|    Amount        | D |    Price  |  End of Year      |ect(I)|                           |
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 Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                   |
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1.Title of Derivative |2.Con-  |3.   |4.    |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount  |8.Price|9.Number    |10.|11.Nature of|
  Security            |version |Transaction | rivative Secu |cisable and|  of Underlying     |of Deri|of Deriva   |Dir|Indirect    |
                      |or Exer |     |      | rities Acqui  |Expiration |  Securities        |vative |tive        |ect|Beneficial  |
                      |cise    |     |      | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/|                    |Secu   |Securities  |(D)|Ownership   |
                      |Price of|     |      | posed of(D)   |Day/Year)  |                    |rity   |Benefi      |or |            |
                      |Deriva- |     |      |               |Date |Expir|                    |       |ficially    |Ind|            |
                      |tive    |     |      |           | A/|Exer-|ation|   Title and Number |       |Owned at    |ire|            |
                      |Secu-   |     |    | |           | D |cisa-|Date |   of Shares        |       |End of      |ct |            |
                      |rity    |Date |Code|V|  Amount   |   |ble  |     |                    |       |Year        |(I)|            |
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Stock Option (Right to|7.00    |05/14|J (1|V|5,000      |A  |(2)  |05/14|Common Stock|5,000  |-      |5,000       |D  |-           |
 Buy)                 |        |/96  |)   | |           |   |     |/06  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |        |     |    | |           |   |     |     |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Explanation of Responses:
(1)  Nonqualified stock option granted pursuant to 1991 Nonemployee Director 
Stock Option Plan in transaction 
exempt under old rule 
16b-3.
(2)  50% exercisable on date of first subsequent annual meeting after grant; 
100% exercisable on date of 
second subsequent annual meeting after 
grant.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
Jack L. Bowman
DATE
June 4, 1996