As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 17, 2004
Registration No. 333-______

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

                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                       ---------------------------------

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

                        MANHATTAN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        Delaware      787 Seventh Avenue, 48th Floor         36-3898269
    (State or other         New York, NY 10019            (I.R.S. Employer
     jurisdiction of    Telephone (212) 554-4525         Identification No.)
    Incorporation or    Facsimile (212) 554-4545
      organization) (Address of principal executive offices)

                      -------------------------------

                Common Stock Options Issued Outside of Any Plan
                  between April 12, 2000 and February 24, 2003
                           (Full title of the Plans)

                          ---------------------------

       Nicholas J. Rossettos                   Copies to:
      Chief Financial Officer          Christopher J. Melsha, Esq.
  Manhattan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.    Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP
  787 Seventh Avenue, 48th Floor       90 South 7th Street, Suite 3300
        New York, NY 10019              Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
     Telephone (212) 554-4555             Telephone: (612) 672-8200
  (Name and address of agent for          Facsimile: (612) 642-8343
             service)

                      ------------------------------------

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
============================================================================
                             Proposed    Proposed
                             Maximum     Maximum
         Title of            Amount to   Offering   Aggregate    Amount of
Securities to be Registered     be        Price      Offering   Registration
                            Registered  Per Share     Price         Fee
                               (1)         (2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock,  par  value    876,090       $0.40    $350,436       $44.40
$.001 per share
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock,  par  value      5,000        4.38     $21,900        $2.77
$.001 per share
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock,  par  value      5,000       20.94    $104,700       $13.27
$.001 per share
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock,  par  value    189,000        1.25    $236,250       $29.93
$.001 per share
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock,  par  value    115,000        1.00    $115,000       $14.57
$.001 per share
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

TOTAL:                      1,190,090               $828,286      $104.94
============================================================================

(1)   There is also being registered hereunder an indeterminate
      number of shares of common stock as shall be issuable as a
      result of a stock split, stock dividend, combination or
      other change in the outstanding shares of common stock.
(2)   The Offering Price per Share in based upon the exercise
      price of each of the options, in accordance with Rule 457(g).

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

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


<PAGE>


                              PART I

     As permitted by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, this
registration statement omits the information specified in Part I of Form S-8.
The documents containing the information specified in Part I of this
registration statement will be sent or given to eligible employees as specified
in Rule 428(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"). Such documents are not being filed with the Commission either
as part of this registration statement or as prospectuses or prospectus
supplements pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the Securities Act.


<PAGE>


                                    PART II

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
-------------------------------------------------

     The following  documents  filed by the  Registrant  with the Securities and
Exchange Commission are hereby incorporated by reference herein:

    1.  Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002
        (filed on April 14, 2003);

    2.  Quarterly Reports on Form 10-QSB for the quarters ended March 31, 2003
        (including amendment thereto filed on August 11, 2003), June 30, 2003,
        and September 30, 2003;

    3.  Current Reports on Form 8-K filed March 10, 2003, August 15, 2003,
        September 23, 2003, and November 11, 2003, and on Form 8-K/A filed May
        9, 2003;  and

    4.  The description of capital stock as set forth on Form 8-A filed on
        November 28, 1995 (No. 00-27282).

     All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 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 in this Registration Statement and to
be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.
-----------------------------------

     Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
------------------------------------------------

     As a condition to consenting to allow the Registrant to incorporate by
reference into this registration statement its audit report, KPMG LLP ("KPMG")
has required the Registrant, and the Registrant has agreed, to indemnify and
hold KPMG harmless against and from any and all legal costs and expenses
incurred by KPMG in successful defense of any legal action or proceeding that
arises as a result of KPMG's consent to the incorporation by reference of its
audit report on the Registrant's past financial statements incorporated by
reference in this registration statement.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
---------------------------------------------------

     Under provisions of the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the
Registrant, directors and officers will be indemnified for any and all
judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses, including
attorneys fees, in connection with threatened, pending or completed actions,
suits or proceedings, whether civil, or criminal, administrative or
investigative (other than an action arising by or in the right of the
Registrant), if such director or officer has been wholly successful on the
merits or otherwise, or is found to have acted in good faith and in a manner he
or she reasonably believes to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Registrant, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. In addition,
directors and officers will be indemnified for reasonable expenses in connection
with threatened, pending or completed actions or suits by or in the right of
Registrant if such director or officer has been wholly successful on the merits
or otherwise, or is found to have acted in good faith and in a manner he or she
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Registrant, except in the case of certain findings by a court that such person
is liable for negligence or misconduct in his or her duty to the Registrant
unless such court or the Delaware Court of Chancery also finds that such person
is nevertheless fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity. The Registrant's
Certificate of Incorporation also eliminates the liability of directors of the
Registrant for monetary damages to the fullest extent permissible under Delaware
law.

      Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law states:

          "(a) A corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who
was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending
or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative
or investigative (other than an action arising by or in the right of the
corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the
corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement
actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or
proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to
be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect
to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his
conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by
judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or
its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did
not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or
not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct
was unlawful.

          (b) A corporation shall have power to indemnify any person who was or
is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a
judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director,
officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the
request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise against
expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in
connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in
good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the
best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be
made in respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have
been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that
the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought
shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but
in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and
reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expense which the Court of Chancery or
such other court shall deem proper."

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.
---------------------------------------------

      Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.
------------------

  Exhibit     Description
  -------     -----------
    4.1       Registrant's 1995 Stock Option Plan (incorporated by reference to
              Exhibit 10.18 to the Registrant's Form 10-QSB for the quarter
              ended September 30, 1996).
    4.2       Form of Notice of Stock Option Grant issued to employees of the
              Registrant from April 12, 2000 to February 21, 2003 (incorporated
              by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the Registrant's Registration
              Statement on Form S-8 filed March 24, 1998 (File No. 333-48531)).
    4.3       Schedule of Notices of Stock Option Grants, the form of which is
              attached as Exhibit 4.2.
    4.4       Form of Stock Option Agreement issued to employees  of the
              Registrant from April 12, 2000 to February 21, 2003 (incorporated
              by reference to Exhibit 99.3 to the Registrant's Registration
              Statement on Form S-8 filed March 24, 1998 (File No. 333-48531)).
    5.1       Opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP.
   23.1       Consent of J.H. Cohn LLP.
   23.2       Consent of Weinberg & Company, P.A.
   23.3       Consent of KPMG LLP.
   23.4       Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP (included in
              Exhibit 5.1).
   24.1       Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereof).

Item 9.  Undertakings.
----------------------

(a)   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1) 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 of 1933;

          (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;

          (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)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii)
do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form
S-8 or Form F-3, and the information required to be included in a
post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to section 13
or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

     (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (3) 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.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 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 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 connected 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of
such issue.


<PAGE>


                            SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 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 and State of New York, on the 11th day of February,
2004.

                          Manhattan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.


                          By:  /s/ Leonard Firestone
                                  Leonard Firestone
                             President and Chief Executive Officer

                         POWER OF ATTORNEY

     Each person whose signature to this Registration Statement appears below
hereby constitutes and appoints Nicholas J. Rossettos as his or her true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, to sign on
his or her behalf individually and in the capacity stated below and to perform
any acts necessary to be done in order to file all amendments to this
Registration Statement and any and all instruments or documents filed as part of
or in connection with this Registration Statement or the amendments thereto and
each of the undersigned does hereby ratify and confirm all that said
attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitutes, shall do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof. The undersigned also grants to said attorney-in-fact, full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts necessary or incidental to the
performance and execution of the powers herein expressly granted. This Power of
Attorney shall remain in effect until revoked in writing by the undersigned.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed as of the 11th day of February, 2004, by
the following persons in the capacities indicated.

              Name                               Title
              ----                               -----
   /s/ Leonard Firestone          President and Chief Executive
   -------------------------
      Leonard Firestone             Officer (Principal Executive
                                    Officer)

   /s/ Nicholas J. Rossettos      Chief Operating Officer, Chief
   -------------------------
      Nicholas J. Rossettos         Financial Officer, Treasurer and
                                    Secretary  (Principal Financial
                                    and Accounting Officer)

   /s/ Joshua Kazam               Director
   -------------------------
      Joshua Kazam

   /s/ Joan Pons Gimbert          Director
   -------------------------
      Joan Pons Gimbert

   /s/ David M. Tanen             Director
   -------------------------
      David M. Tanen

   /s/ Michael Weiser             Director
   -------------------------
      Michael Weiser


<PAGE>



                         INDEX TO EXHIBITS


  Exhibit     Description
    4.1       Registrant's 1995 Stock Option Plan (incorporated by reference to
              Exhibit 10.18 to the Registrant's Form 10-QSB for the quarter
              ended September 30, 1996).
    4.2       Form of Notice of Stock Option Grant issued to employees
              of the Registrant from April 12, 2000 to February 21,
              2003 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the
              Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed March 24,
              1998 (File No. 333-48531)).
    4.3       Schedule of Notices of Stock Option Grants, the form of which is
              attached as Exhibit 4.2.
    4.4       Form of Stock Option Agreement issued to employees of the
              Registrant from April 12, 2000 to February 21, 2003 (incorporated
              by reference to Exhibit 99.3 to the Registrant's Registration
              Statement on Form S-8 filed March 24, 1998 (File No. 333-48531)).
    5.1       Opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP.
   23.1       Consent of J.H. Cohn LLP.
   23.2       Consent of Weinberg & Company, P.A.
   23.3       Consent of KPMG LLP.
   23.4       Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP (included in
              Exhibit 5.1).
   24.1       Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereof).
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "v01587_s8.txt", "secsgml_size_bytes": 20960}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "MANHATTAN PHARMACEUTICALS INC", "cik": "0001001316", "assigned-sic": "2834", "irs-number": "363898269", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-112888", "film-number": "04608347"}, "business-address": {"street1": "787 SEVENTH AVENUE", "street2": "48TH FLOOR", "city": "NEW YORK", "state": "NY", "zip": "10019", "phone": "2125544555"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "787 SEVENTH AVENUE", "street2": "48TH FLOOR", "city": "NEW YORK", "state": "NY", "zip": "10019"}, "former-company": [{"former-conformed-name": "ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGY VENTURES INC", "date-changed": "20000330"}, {"former-conformed-name": "ATLANTIC PHARMACEUTICALS INC", "date-changed": "19960703"}]}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 17, 2004
Registration No. 333-______

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

                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                       ---------------------------------

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

                        MANHATTAN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        Delaware      787 Seventh Avenue, 48th Floor         36-3898269
    (State or other         New York, NY 10019            (I.R.S. Employer
     jurisdiction of    Telephone (212) 554-4525         Identification No.)
    Incorporation or    Facsimile (212) 554-4545
      organization) (Address of principal executive offices)

                      -------------------------------

                Common Stock Options Issued Outside of Any Plan
                  between April 12, 2000 and February 24, 2003
                           (Full title of the Plans)

                          ---------------------------

       Nicholas J. Rossettos                   Copies to:
      Chief Financial Officer          Christopher J. Melsha, Esq.
  Manhattan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.    Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP
  787 Seventh Avenue, 48th Floor       90 South 7th Street, Suite 3300
        New York, NY 10019              Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
     Telephone (212) 554-4555             Telephone: (612) 672-8200
  (Name and address of agent for          Facsimile: (612) 642-8343
             service)

                      ------------------------------------

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
============================================================================
                             Proposed    Proposed
                             Maximum     Maximum
         Title of            Amount to   Offering   Aggregate    Amount of
Securities to be Registered     be        Price      Offering   Registration
                            Registered  Per Share     Price         Fee
                               (1)         (2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock,  par  value    876,090       $0.40    $350,436       $44.40
$.001 per share
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock,  par  value      5,000        4.38     $21,900        $2.77
$.001 per share
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock,  par  value      5,000       20.94    $104,700       $13.27
$.001 per share
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock,  par  value    189,000        1.25    $236,250       $29.93
$.001 per share
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock,  par  value    115,000        1.00    $115,000       $14.57
$.001 per share
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

TOTAL:                      1,190,090               $828,286      $104.94
============================================================================

(1)   There is also being registered hereunder an indeterminate
      number of shares of common stock as shall be issuable as a
      result of a stock split, stock dividend, combination or
      other change in the outstanding shares of common stock.
(2)   The Offering Price per Share in based upon the exercise
      price of each of the options, in accordance with Rule 457(g).

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

===================================================================
PART I

     As permitted by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, this
registration statement omits the information specified in Part I of Form S-8.
The documents containing the information specified in Part I of this
registration statement will be sent or given to eligible employees as specified
in Rule 428(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"). Such documents are not being filed with the Commission either
as part of this registration statement or as prospectuses or prospectus
supplements pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the Securities Act.
PART II

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
-------------------------------------------------

     The following  documents  filed by the  Registrant  with the Securities and
Exchange Commission are hereby incorporated by reference herein:

    1.  Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002
        (filed on April 14, 2003);

    2.  Quarterly Reports on Form 10-QSB for the quarters ended March 31, 2003
        (including amendment thereto filed on August 11, 2003), June 30, 2003,
        and September 30, 2003;

    3.  Current Reports on Form 8-K filed March 10, 2003, August 15, 2003,
        September 23, 2003, and November 11, 2003, and on Form 8-K/A filed May
        9, 2003;  and

    4.  The description of capital stock as set forth on Form 8-A filed on
        November 28, 1995 (No. 00-27282).

     All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 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 in this Registration Statement and to
be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.
-----------------------------------

     Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
------------------------------------------------

     As a condition to consenting to allow the Registrant to incorporate by
reference into this registration statement its audit report, KPMG LLP ("KPMG")
has required the Registrant, and the Registrant has agreed, to indemnify and
hold KPMG harmless against and from any and all legal costs and expenses
incurred by KPMG in successful defense of any legal action or proceeding that
arises as a result of KPMG's consent to the incorporation by reference of its
audit report on the Registrant's past financial statements incorporated by
reference in this registration statement.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
---------------------------------------------------

     Under provisions of the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the
Registrant, directors and officers will be indemnified for any and all
judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses, including
attorneys fees, in connection with threatened, pending or completed actions,
suits or proceedings, whether civil, or criminal, administrative or
investigative (other than an action arising by or in the right of the
Registrant), if such director or officer has been wholly successful on the
merits or otherwise, or is found to have acted in good faith and in a manner he
or she reasonably believes to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Registrant, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. In addition,
directors and officers will be indemnified for reasonable expenses in connection
with threatened, pending or completed actions or suits by or in the right of
Registrant if such director or officer has been wholly successful on the merits
or otherwise, or is found to have acted in good faith and in a manner he or she
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Registrant, except in the case of certain findings by a court that such person
is liable for negligence or misconduct in his or her duty to the Registrant
unless such court or the Delaware Court of Chancery also finds that such person
is nevertheless fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity. The Registrant's
Certificate of Incorporation also eliminates the liability of directors of the
Registrant for monetary damages to the fullest extent permissible under Delaware
law.

      Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law states:

          "(a) A corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who
was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending
or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative
or investigative (other than an action arising by or in the right of the
corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the
corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement
actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or
proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to
be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect
to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his
conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by
judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or
its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did
not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or
not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct
was unlawful.

          (b) A corporation shall have power to indemnify any person who was or
is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a
judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director,
officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the
request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise against
expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in
connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in
good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the
best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be
made in respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have
been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that
the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought
shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but
in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and
reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expense which the Court of Chancery or
such other court shall deem proper."

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.
---------------------------------------------

      Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.
------------------

  Exhibit     Description
  -------     -----------
    4.1       Registrant's 1995 Stock Option Plan (incorporated by reference to
              Exhibit 10.18 to the Registrant's Form 10-QSB for the quarter
              ended September 30, 1996).
    4.2       Form of Notice of Stock Option Grant issued to employees of the
              Registrant from April 12, 2000 to February 21, 2003 (incorporated
              by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the Registrant's Registration
              Statement on Form S-8 filed March 24, 1998 (File No. 333-48531)).
    4.3       Schedule of Notices of Stock Option Grants, the form of which is
              attached as Exhibit 4.2.
    4.4       Form of Stock Option Agreement issued to employees  of the
              Registrant from April 12, 2000 to February 21, 2003 (incorporated
              by reference to Exhibit 99.3 to the Registrant's Registration
              Statement on Form S-8 filed March 24, 1998 (File No. 333-48531)).
    5.1       Opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP.
   23.1       Consent of J.H. Cohn LLP.
   23.2       Consent of Weinberg & Company, P.A.
   23.3       Consent of KPMG LLP.
   23.4       Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP (included in
              Exhibit 5.1).
   24.1       Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereof).

Item 9.  Undertakings.
----------------------

(a)   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1) 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 of 1933;

          (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;

          (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)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii)
do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form
S-8 or Form F-3, and the information required to be included in a
post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to section 13
or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

     (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (3) 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.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 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 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 connected 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of
such issue.
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 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 and State of New York, on the 11th day of February,
2004.

                          Manhattan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

                          By:  /s/ Leonard Firestone
                                  Leonard Firestone
                             President and Chief Executive Officer

                         POWER OF ATTORNEY

     Each person whose signature to this Registration Statement appears below
hereby constitutes and appoints Nicholas J. Rossettos as his or her true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, to sign on
his or her behalf individually and in the capacity stated below and to perform
any acts necessary to be done in order to file all amendments to this
Registration Statement and any and all instruments or documents filed as part of
or in connection with this Registration Statement or the amendments thereto and
each of the undersigned does hereby ratify and confirm all that said
attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitutes, shall do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof. The undersigned also grants to said attorney-in-fact, full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts necessary or incidental to the
performance and execution of the powers herein expressly granted. This Power of
Attorney shall remain in effect until revoked in writing by the undersigned.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed as of the 11th day of February, 2004, by
the following persons in the capacities indicated.

              Name                               Title
              ----                               -----
   /s/ Leonard Firestone          President and Chief Executive
   -------------------------
      Leonard Firestone             Officer (Principal Executive
                                    Officer)

   /s/ Nicholas J. Rossettos      Chief Operating Officer, Chief
   -------------------------
      Nicholas J. Rossettos         Financial Officer, Treasurer and
                                    Secretary  (Principal Financial
                                    and Accounting Officer)

   /s/ Joshua Kazam               Director
   -------------------------
      Joshua Kazam

   /s/ Joan Pons Gimbert          Director
   -------------------------
      Joan Pons Gimbert

   /s/ David M. Tanen             Director
   -------------------------
      David M. Tanen

   /s/ Michael Weiser             Director
   -------------------------
      Michael Weiser
INDEX TO EXHIBITS

  Exhibit     Description
    4.1       Registrant's 1995 Stock Option Plan (incorporated by reference to
              Exhibit 10.18 to the Registrant's Form 10-QSB for the quarter
              ended September 30, 1996).
    4.2       Form of Notice of Stock Option Grant issued to employees
              of the Registrant from April 12, 2000 to February 21,
              2003 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the
              Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed March 24,
              1998 (File No. 333-48531)).
    4.3       Schedule of Notices of Stock Option Grants, the form of which is
              attached as Exhibit 4.2.
    4.4       Form of Stock Option Agreement issued to employees of the
              Registrant from April 12, 2000 to February 21, 2003 (incorporated
              by reference to Exhibit 99.3 to the Registrant's Registration
              Statement on Form S-8 filed March 24, 1998 (File No. 333-48531)).
    5.1       Opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP.
   23.1       Consent of J.H. Cohn LLP.
   23.2       Consent of Weinberg & Company, P.A.
   23.3       Consent of KPMG LLP.
   23.4       Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP (included in
              Exhibit 5.1).
   24.1       Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereof).