<PAGE>   1
   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 22, 2000
                                                      Registration No. 333-_____

================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                   ----------

                         AURORA BIOSCIENCES CORPORATION
             (Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

                                   ----------

            DELAWARE                                     33-0669859
 (State or Other Jurisdiction of            (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 Incorporation or Organization)

                              11010 TORREYANA ROAD
                           SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121
                                 (858) 404-6600
               (Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,
        Including Area Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)

                                   ----------

                    CERTAIN NON-PLAN STOCK OPTION AGREEMENTS
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                   ----------

                             Stuart J. M. Collinson
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                         AURORA BIOSCIENCES CORPORATION
                              11010 Torreyana Road
                           San Diego, California 92121
                                 (858) 404-6600
 (Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code,
                              of Agent for Service)

                                   ----------

                                   Copies to:
                              Thomas A. Coll, Esq.
                              David B. Berger, Esq.
                               COOLEY GODWARD LLP
                        4365 Executive Drive, Suite 1100
                           San Diego, California 92121
                                 (858) 550-6000

                                   ----------

<PAGE>   2

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===============================================================================================================
                                               PROPOSED MAXIMUM     PROPOSED MAXIMUM
 TITLE OF SECURITIES         AMOUNT TO BE          OFFERING             AGGREGATE              AMOUNT OF
   TO BE REGISTERED         REGISTERED (1)    PRICE PER SHARE(2)   OFFERING PRICE (2)     REGISTRATION FEE (2)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                         <C>               <C>                  <C>                    <C>
     Common Stock
   (par value $.01)         4,354 shares           $17.79               $77,458                  $21
===============================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)     On October 2, 2000, the Registrant completed the acquisition of Quorum
        Sciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Quorum"). In connection with
        the acquisition, the Registrant assumed the obligations under certain
        Non-Plan Stock Option Agreements and is obligated to issue up to 4,354
        shares of common stock of the Registrant pursuant to the exercise of
        stock options outstanding under such Non-Plan Stock Option Agreements on
        the date the acquisition of Quorum was consummated. The Registrant does
        not anticipate issuing any additional stock options pursuant to any
        additional Non-Plan Stock Option Agreements.

(2)     Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the
        registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) of the Securities Act of 1933,
        as amended (the "Securities Act"). The price per share and aggregate
        offering price are calculated on the basis of the weighted average
        exercise price of $17.79 for 4,354 shares subject to outstanding stock
        options granted pursuant to Non-Plan Stock Option Agreements.



                                       1
<PAGE>   3

                 INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

        The following documents filed by AURORA BIOSCIENCES CORPORATION (the
"Company") with the Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated by
reference into this Registration Statement:

        (a) The Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 1999, as amended by forms 10-K/A filed on March 22, 2000 and September 26,
2000 respectively.

        (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") since the end
of the fiscal year covered by the annual report referred to in (a) above.

        (c) The description of the Company's Common Stock which is contained in
a registration statement on Form S-1 filed on March 14, 1997 (Registration No.
33-23407), including any amendment or report filed for the purposes of updating
such description.

        All reports and other documents subsequently filed by the Company
pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part of this
registration statement from the date of the filing of such reports and
documents.


                            DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

        Not applicable.


                     INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

        Not applicable.


                    INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

        The Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws include
provisions to (i) eliminate the personal liability of its directors for monetary
damages resulting from breaches of their fiduciary duty to the extent permitted
by Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporations Law ("DGCL") and (ii)
require the Registrant to indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable law, including circumstances in which
indemnification is otherwise discretionary. Pursuant to Section 145 of the DGCL,
a corporation generally has the power to indemnify its present and former
directors, officers, employees and agents against expenses incurred by them in
connection with any suit to which they are, or are threatened to be made, a
party by reason of their serving in such positions so long as they acted in good
faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the
best interests of the corporation and with respect to any criminal action, they
had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. The Registrant
believes that these provisions are necessary to attract and retain qualified
persons as directors and officers. These provisions do not eliminate the
directors' or officers' duty of care, and, in appropriate circumstances,
equitable remedies such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief will
remain available under the DGCL. In addition, each director will continue to be
subject to liability pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, for breach of the
director's duty of loyalty to the Registrant, for acts or omissions not in good
faith or involving intentional misconduct, for knowing violations of law, for
acts or omissions that the director believes to be contrary to the best
interests of the Registrant or its stockholders, for any transaction from which
the director derived an improper personal benefit, for acts or omissions
involving a reckless disregard for the director's duty to the Registrant or its
stockholders when the director was aware or should have been aware of a risk of
serious injury to the Registrant or its stockholders, for acts or omission that
constitute an unexcused pattern of inattention that amounts to an abdication of
the director's duty to the Registrant or its stockholders, for improper
transactions between the director and the Registrant and for improper loans to
directors and officers. The provision also does not affect a director's
responsibilities under any other law, such as the federal securities law or
state or federal environmental laws.



                                       2
<PAGE>   4

        The Registrant has entered into indemnity agreements with each of its
directors and executive officers that require the Registrant to indemnify such
persons against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts
incurred (including expenses of a derivative action) in connection with any
proceeding, whether actual or threatened, to which any such person may be made a
party by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or an
executive officer of the Registrant or any of its affiliated enterprises,
provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Registrant and,
with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his
conduct was unlawful. The indemnification agreements also set forth certain
procedures that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification
thereunder.

        At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving a
director or officer of the Registrant as to which indemnification is being
sought nor is the Registrant aware of any threatened litigation that may result
in claims for indemnification by any officer or director

        The Registrant has an insurance policy covering the officers and
directors of the Registrant with respect to certain liabilities, including
liabilities arising under the Securities Act or otherwise.

                       EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

        Not applicable.

                                    EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER
<S>             <C>
   5.1          Opinion of Cooley Godward LLP

   23.1         Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

   23.2         Consent of Cooley Godward LLP is contained in Exhibit 5.1 to
                this Registration Statement

   24.1         Power of Attorney is contained on the signature pages


</TABLE>

                                  UNDERTAKINGS

1.      The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

        (a) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

               (i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act;

               (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration
statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of
securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not
exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of
the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (Section 230.424(b) of this
chapter) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more
than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the
"Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement.



                                       3
<PAGE>   5

               (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
any material change to such information in the registration statement;

               Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(i) and (a)(ii) do not
apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment
by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the issuer
pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference herein.

        (b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

        (c) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

2. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

3. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.



                                       4
<PAGE>   6

                                   SIGNATURES


        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on November 22, 2000.


                                     AURORA BIOSCIENCES CORPORATION


                                     By:  /s/ Stuart J. M. Collinson
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Stuart J. M. Collinson
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer




                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Stuart J. M. Collinson and John
Pashkowsky, and both or either of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and
agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his
name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or either of them, or their or his substitutes or substitute, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                 SIGNATURE                                 TITLE                            DATE
<S>                                               <C>                                <C>

/s/ Stuart J.M. Collinson                         Chief Executive Officer,           November 22, 2000
------------------------------------              President and Director
        STUART J.M. COLLINSON                     (Principal Executive Officer)


/s/ John Pashkowsky                               Vice President of Finance and      November 22, 2000
------------------------------------              Treasurer (Principal
          JOHN PASHKOWSKY                         Financial and Accounting
                                                  Officer)


/s/ James C. Blair                                Director                           November 22, 2000
------------------------------------
           JAMES C. BLAIR
</TABLE>



                                       5
<PAGE>   7

<TABLE>
<S>                                               <C>                                <C>
/s/ John D. Mendlein                              Director                           November 22, 2000
------------------------------------
          JOHN D. MENDLEIN


/s/ Hugh Y. Rienhoff, Jr.                         Director                           November 22, 2000
------------------------------------
        HUGH Y. RIENHOFF, JR.


                                                  Director                           November ___, 2000
------------------------------------
         ROY A. WHITFIELD


/s/ Wendell Wierenga                              Director                           November 22, 2000
------------------------------------
         WENDELL WIERENGA


/s/ Timothy J. Wollaeger                          Director                           November 22, 2000
------------------------------------
       TIMOTHY J. WOLLAEGER
</TABLE>



                                       6
<PAGE>   8

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
  EXHIBIT
  NUMBER                               DESCRIPTION
<S>          <C>
    5.1      Opinion of Cooley Godward LLP

    23.1     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

    23.2     Consent of Cooley Godward LLP is contained in Exhibit 5.1 to
             this Registration Statement

    24.1     Power of Attorney is contained on the signature pages


</TABLE>



                                       7
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "a66302s-8.txt", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19590}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AURORA BIOSCIENCES CORP", "cik": "0001010919", "assigned-sic": "8731", "irs-number": "330669859", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-50554", "film-number": "775934"}, "business-address": {"street1": "11010 TORREYANA ROAD", "city": "SAN DIEGO", "state": "CA", "zip": "92121", "phone": "619-4046635"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "11010 TORREYANA RD", "city": "SAN DIEGO", "state": "CA", "zip": "92121"}}
1
   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 22, 2000
                                                      Registration No. 333-_____

================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                   ----------

                         AURORA BIOSCIENCES CORPORATION
             (Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

                                   ----------

            DELAWARE                                     33-0669859
 (State or Other Jurisdiction of            (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 Incorporation or Organization)

                              11010 TORREYANA ROAD
                           SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121
                                 (858) 404-6600
               (Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,
        Including Area Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)

                                   ----------

                    CERTAIN NON-PLAN STOCK OPTION AGREEMENTS
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                   ----------

                             Stuart J. M. Collinson
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                         AURORA BIOSCIENCES CORPORATION
                              11010 Torreyana Road
                           San Diego, California 92121
                                 (858) 404-6600
 (Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code,
                              of Agent for Service)

                                   ----------

                                   Copies to:
                              Thomas A. Coll, Esq.
                              David B. Berger, Esq.
                               COOLEY GODWARD LLP
                        4365 Executive Drive, Suite 1100
                           San Diego, California 92121
                                 (858) 550-6000

                                   ----------
2
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===============================================================================================================
                                               PROPOSED MAXIMUM     PROPOSED MAXIMUM
 TITLE OF SECURITIES         AMOUNT TO BE          OFFERING             AGGREGATE              AMOUNT OF
   TO BE REGISTERED         REGISTERED (1)    PRICE PER SHARE(2)   OFFERING PRICE (2)     REGISTRATION FEE (2)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock
   (par value $.01)         4,354 shares           $17.79               $77,458                  $21
===============================================================================================================
(1)     On October 2, 2000, the Registrant completed the acquisition of Quorum
        Sciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Quorum"). In connection with
        the acquisition, the Registrant assumed the obligations under certain
        Non-Plan Stock Option Agreements and is obligated to issue up to 4,354
        shares of common stock of the Registrant pursuant to the exercise of
        stock options outstanding under such Non-Plan Stock Option Agreements on
        the date the acquisition of Quorum was consummated. The Registrant does
        not anticipate issuing any additional stock options pursuant to any
        additional Non-Plan Stock Option Agreements.

(2)     Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the
        registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) of the Securities Act of 1933,
        as amended (the "Securities Act"). The price per share and aggregate
        offering price are calculated on the basis of the weighted average
        exercise price of $17.79 for 4,354 shares subject to outstanding stock
        options granted pursuant to Non-Plan Stock Option Agreements.

                                       1
3

                 INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

        The following documents filed by AURORA BIOSCIENCES CORPORATION (the
"Company") with the Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated by
reference into this Registration Statement:

        (a) The Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 1999, as amended by forms 10-K/A filed on March 22, 2000 and September 26,
2000 respectively.

        (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") since the end
of the fiscal year covered by the annual report referred to in (a) above.

        (c) The description of the Company's Common Stock which is contained in
a registration statement on Form S-1 filed on March 14, 1997 (Registration No.
33-23407), including any amendment or report filed for the purposes of updating
such description.

        All reports and other documents subsequently filed by the Company
pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part of this
registration statement from the date of the filing of such reports and
documents.

                            DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

        Not applicable.

                     INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

        Not applicable.

                    INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

        The Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws include
provisions to (i) eliminate the personal liability of its directors for monetary
damages resulting from breaches of their fiduciary duty to the extent permitted
by Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporations Law ("DGCL") and (ii)
require the Registrant to indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable law, including circumstances in which
indemnification is otherwise discretionary. Pursuant to Section 145 of the DGCL,
a corporation generally has the power to indemnify its present and former
directors, officers, employees and agents against expenses incurred by them in
connection with any suit to which they are, or are threatened to be made, a
party by reason of their serving in such positions so long as they acted in good
faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the
best interests of the corporation and with respect to any criminal action, they
had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. The Registrant
believes that these provisions are necessary to attract and retain qualified
persons as directors and officers. These provisions do not eliminate the
directors' or officers' duty of care, and, in appropriate circumstances,
equitable remedies such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief will
remain available under the DGCL. In addition, each director will continue to be
subject to liability pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, for breach of the
director's duty of loyalty to the Registrant, for acts or omissions not in good
faith or involving intentional misconduct, for knowing violations of law, for
acts or omissions that the director believes to be contrary to the best
interests of the Registrant or its stockholders, for any transaction from which
the director derived an improper personal benefit, for acts or omissions
involving a reckless disregard for the director's duty to the Registrant or its
stockholders when the director was aware or should have been aware of a risk of
serious injury to the Registrant or its stockholders, for acts or omission that
constitute an unexcused pattern of inattention that amounts to an abdication of
the director's duty to the Registrant or its stockholders, for improper
transactions between the director and the Registrant and for improper loans to
directors and officers. The provision also does not affect a director's
responsibilities under any other law, such as the federal securities law or
state or federal environmental laws.

                                       2
4

        The Registrant has entered into indemnity agreements with each of its
directors and executive officers that require the Registrant to indemnify such
persons against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts
incurred (including expenses of a derivative action) in connection with any
proceeding, whether actual or threatened, to which any such person may be made a
party by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or an
executive officer of the Registrant or any of its affiliated enterprises,
provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Registrant and,
with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his
conduct was unlawful. The indemnification agreements also set forth certain
procedures that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification
thereunder.

        At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving a
director or officer of the Registrant as to which indemnification is being
sought nor is the Registrant aware of any threatened litigation that may result
in claims for indemnification by any officer or director

        The Registrant has an insurance policy covering the officers and
directors of the Registrant with respect to certain liabilities, including
liabilities arising under the Securities Act or otherwise.

                       EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

        Not applicable.

                                    EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT
NUMBER
5.1          Opinion of Cooley Godward LLP

   23.1         Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

   23.2         Consent of Cooley Godward LLP is contained in Exhibit 5.1 to
                this Registration Statement

   24.1         Power of Attorney is contained on the signature pages
UNDERTAKINGS

1.      The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

        (a) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

               (i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act;

               (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration
statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of
securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not
exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of
the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (Section 230.424(b) of this
chapter) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more
than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the
"Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement.

                                       3
5

               (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
any material change to such information in the registration statement;

               Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(i) and (a)(ii) do not
apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment
by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the issuer
pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference herein.

        (b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

        (c) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

2. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

3. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                       4
6

                                   SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on November 22, 2000.

                                     AURORA BIOSCIENCES CORPORATION

                                     By:  /s/ Stuart J. M. Collinson
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Stuart J. M. Collinson
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Stuart J. M. Collinson and John
Pashkowsky, and both or either of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and
agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his
name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or either of them, or their or his substitutes or substitute, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.
SIGNATURE                                 TITLE                            DATE
/s/ Stuart J.M. Collinson                         Chief Executive Officer,           November 22, 2000
------------------------------------              President and Director
        STUART J.M. COLLINSON                     (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ John Pashkowsky                               Vice President of Finance and      November 22, 2000
------------------------------------              Treasurer (Principal
          JOHN PASHKOWSKY                         Financial and Accounting
                                                  Officer)

/s/ James C. Blair                                Director                           November 22, 2000
------------------------------------
           JAMES C. BLAIR
5
7
/s/ John D. Mendlein                              Director                           November 22, 2000
------------------------------------
          JOHN D. MENDLEIN

/s/ Hugh Y. Rienhoff, Jr.                         Director                           November 22, 2000
------------------------------------
        HUGH Y. RIENHOFF, JR.

                                                  Director                           November ___, 2000
------------------------------------
         ROY A. WHITFIELD

/s/ Wendell Wierenga                              Director                           November 22, 2000
------------------------------------
         WENDELL WIERENGA

/s/ Timothy J. Wollaeger                          Director                           November 22, 2000
------------------------------------
       TIMOTHY J. WOLLAEGER
6
8

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT
  NUMBER                               DESCRIPTION
5.1      Opinion of Cooley Godward LLP

    23.1     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

    23.2     Consent of Cooley Godward LLP is contained in Exhibit 5.1 to
             this Registration Statement

    24.1     Power of Attorney is contained on the signature pages
7