SCHEDULE 14A
                                 (Rule 14a-101)
                     INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT

                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
                    Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant [X]
Filed by a party other than the Registrant [ ]

 Check the appropriate box:
 --------------------------
[ ] Preliminary proxy statement
[ ] Definitive proxy statement
[X] Definitive additional materials
[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12


                           HUMAN GENOME SCIENCES, INC.
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                           HUMAN GENOME SCIENCES, INC.
                   (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement)

Payment of filing fee (Check the appropriate box):
[ ] $125 per Exchange Act Rule 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(i)(1), or 14a-6(i)(2).
[ ] $500 per each party to the controversy pursuant to Exchange Act 
    Rule 14a-6(i)(3).
[ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.

(1)      Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
(2)      Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
(3)      Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed 
         pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11:(1)
         -----------------------------------------------------------------------
(4)      Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

[ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange  Act Rule
0-11(a)(2)  and  identify  the  filing  of  which  the  offsetting  fee was paid
previously.  Identify the previous filing by registration  statement  number, or
the form or schedule and the date of its filing.

(1)      Amount previously paid:
         ----------------------------------------------------------------------
(2)      Form, schedule or registration statement no.:
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(3)      Filing party:
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(4)      Date filed:
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1  Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is  calculated  and state how it
   was determined.

 
                                       -1-



                                   SUPPLEMENT
                              DATED MAY 8, 1996 TO
                                 PROXY STATEMENT
                                       OF
                           HUMAN GENOME SCIENCES, INC.


         Subsequent  to  the  date  as of  which  information  as to  beneficial
ownership  of  Common  Stock is given in the  Proxy  Statement  of Human  Genome
Sciences,  Inc. (the "Company"),  HealthCare  Ventures III, L.P. ("HCV III") and
HealthCare Ventures IV, L.P. ("HCV IV") have sold Common Stock of the Company in
a private sale and distributed most of the remaining shares of Common Stock held
by them to the general and limited  partners of HCV III and HCV IV. As a result,
the  number of shares of Common  Stock  beneficially  owned by HCV III,  HCV IV,
directors of the Company who are general  partners of the general partner of HCV
III and HCV IV, and U.S.  Trust,  and Joshua Ruch, a director of the Company who
are distributees of HCV III and HCV IV at the date hereof is as follows:

                                            Number of
Name and Address                           Shares Owned         Percent Owned
- ----------------                           ------------         -------------

HealthCare Ventures III, L.P.                 234,493(1)              1.3%
 Twin Towers at Metro Park
 379 Thornall Street
 Edison, NJ  08837

HealthCare Ventures IV, L.P.                   68,740(2)               *
 Twin Towers at Metro Park
 379 Thornall Street
 Edison, NJ  08837

James H. Cavanaugh, Ph.D.                     386,258(3)              2.1%
 Twin Towers at Metro Park
 379 Thornall Street
 Edison, NJ  08837

William Crouse                                333,462(3)              1.8%
 Twin Towers at Metro Park
 379 Thornall Street
 Edison, NJ  08837

U.S. Trust                                  1,012,005(4)              5.4%
 c/o Rho Management Inc.
 767 Fifth Avenue
 New York, NY 10153


Joshua Ruch                                 1,220,349(5)              6.5%
 C/O Rho Management Co., Inc.
 767 Fifth Avenue
 New York, NY  10153

* Percentage  is less than 1% of the total number of  outstanding  shares of the
Company.


- --------
1  Includes 155,845 shares of Common Stock owned of record by HCV III and 39,324
   shares of Common Stock  issuable upon  exercise of warrants  owned by HCV III
   that are  currently  exercisable.  Messrs.  Cavanaugh,  Werner,  Crouse,  and
   Littlechild  are general  partners of HealthCare  Partners  III,  L.P.  ("HCP
   III").  HCP III, the general partner of HCV III, has the power to vote and to
   dispose  or  direct  the  disposition  of shares  owned by HCV III.  Does not
   include  113,254 shares of Common Stock owned by the general  partners of HCP
   III.

2  Includes  45,646  shares of Common Stock owned of record by HCV IV and 11,547
   shares of Common Stock  issuable  upon  exercise of warrants  owned by HCV IV
   that are  currently  exercisable.  Messrs.  Cavanaugh,  Werner,  Crouse,  and
   Littlechild are general partners of HealthCare  partners IV, L.P. ("HCP IV").
   HCV IV, the  general  partner of HCV IV, has the power to vote and to dispose
   or direct the disposition of shares owned by HCV IV. Does not include 113,254
   shares of Common Stock owned by the general partners of HCP IV.

3  Includes  201,491  shares  of  Common  Stock  owned by HCV III and HCV IV and
   50,871 shares of Common Stock  issuable upon exercise of warrant owned by HCV
   III and HCV IV that are currently exercisable.  Messrs.  Cavanaugh and Crouse
   are general  partners of HCP III and HCP IV, the general  partners of HCV III
   and HCV IV, respectively. See also footnotes 1 and 2 above.

4  Includes  6,005 shares of Common  Stock  issuable  upon  exercise of warrants
   owned by U.S. Trust that are currently  exercisable.  Joshua Ruch, a director
   of the Company,  and Jan Philipp F. Reemtsma are deemed to be the  beneficial
   owners of the shares held by U.S. Trust. See also footnote 5.

5  Mr. Ruch has investment  authority over Mr. Reemtsma's shares of Common Stock
   through his position with Rho Management  Company,  Inc. and may be deemed to
   share voting and dispositive  power over the 1,006,000 shares of Common Stock
   owned by U.S.  Trust and the  6,005  shares of  Common  Stock  issuable  upon
   exercise of warrants  beneficially  owned by Mr. Reemtsma through U.S. Trust.
   Also includes 910 shares of Common Stock  issuable upon exercise of warrants,
   20,000  shares of Common  Stock  held in the name of the Rho  Management  Co.
   Inc.,  Savings  Plan,  and 600 shares of Common Stock held for the account of
   family members of Mr. Ruch. See also footnote 4.