<ARTICLE>                     5
<CIK>                         0000790705
<NAME>                        Tekelec
<MULTIPLIER>                                         1,000
<CURRENCY>                                    U.S. DOLLARS

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                        9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-2000
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                          1
<CASH>                                              84,789
<SECURITIES>                                        37,454
<RECEIVABLES>                                       88,796
<ALLOWANCES>                                         1,272
<INVENTORY>                                         24,620
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                   268,304
<PP&E>                                              68,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                      40,034
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     450,578
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                               87,112
<BONDS>                                                  0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                    0
<PREFERRED>                                              0
<COMMON>                                           146,836
<OTHER-SE>                                          80,557
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                       450,578
<SALES>                                            217,965
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                   217,965
<CGS>                                               79,690
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                      199,141
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                   119,452
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                         0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   6,539
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                     17,807
<INCOME-TAX>                                        11,415
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                  6,392
<DISCONTINUED>                                           0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                          0
<CHANGES>                                                0
<NET-INCOME>                                         6,392
<EPS-BASIC>                                           0.11
<EPS-DILUTED>                                         0.10
<FN>
Data listed for "EPS-Primary is the newly defined "BASIC EPS"