content: <PAGE>
   
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                                  _______________
                                          
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                          SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
  
  
                                 SEPTEMBER 30, 1997
                  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
  
  
  
                                  ALZA CORPORATION
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
               _____________________________________________________
  
  
  DELAWARE                        1-6247                           77-0142070
  (State or other          (Commission File Number)            (I.R.S. Employer
   Jurisdiction of                                             Identification No.)
   Incorporation)
   
                     ________________________________________
  
                                     950 Page Mill Road
                                       P.O. BOX 10950
                              PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA 94303-0802
                               (Address of Principal Executive
                                     Offices)(Zip Code)
  
  
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (650) 494-5000
  
  
               _____________________________________________________
  <PAGE>
   
  ITEM 2.  ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS.
  
       On September 30, 1997, ALZA Corporation ("ALZA") completed a special
  distribution of shares of Crescendo Pharmaceuticals Corporation ("Crescendo")
  Class A Common Stock to the holders of ALZA Common Stock and ALZA's outstanding
  convertible subordinated debentures. Holders of record on September 18, 1997
  (the "Record Date") received one Crescendo share for every 20 shares of ALZA
  Common Stock owned on the Record Date, one Crescendo share for every 36 shares
  of ALZA Common Stock into which the holder's 5% convertible subordinated
  debentures were convertible on the Record Date, and one Crescendo share for
  every 37 shares of ALZA Common Stock into which the holder's 5 1/4% zero coupon
  convertible subordinated debentures were convertible on the Record Date, with
  cash distributed in lieu of fractional shares.  Prior to the distribution, ALZA
  contributed $300 million in cash to Crescendo.  The Crescendo shares are quoted
  on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "CNDO."
  
       Under agreements between ALZA and Crescendo, ALZA will undertake the
  development of products for Crescendo. ALZA has the option to license each
  Crescendo product and an option to purchase all the Crescendo Class A Common
  Stock at a price set according to a predetermined formula.
  
       Approximately 4,965,470 shares of Crescendo were distributed. The
  distribution is expected to be a taxable dividend to the holders of ALZA Common
  Stock and taxable interest to holders of the debentures.
  
       The press release announcing the completion of the distribution is attached
  as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.
  
  
  ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.
  
  (c) Exhibits
  
  Exhibit 99.1 - Press Release issued by ALZA Corporation on September 30, 1997.
  <PAGE>
   
                                     SIGNATURE
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                     ALZA CORPORATION
  
  
                                     /s/Peter D. Staple
                                     ------------------
                                     By:  Peter D. Staple
                                     Senior Vice President and General Counsel
  
  Date:  October 2, 1997
  <PAGE>
   
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
                                          
  
  Exhibit 99.1 - Press Release issued by ALZA Corporation on September 30, 1997.
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K FOR PERIOD SEPTEMBER 30, 1997", "secsgml_size_bytes": 4062}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ALZA CORP", "cik": "0000004310", "assigned-sic": "2834", "irs-number": "770142070", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-06247", "film-number": "97690917"}, "business-address": {"street1": "950 PAGE MILL RD", "street2": "PO BOX 10950", "city": "PALO ALTO", "state": "CA", "zip": "94303-0802", "phone": "4154945000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "950 PAGE MILL RD", "street2": "PO BOX 10950", "city": "PALO ALTO", "state": "CA", "zip": "94303"}}
text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                                  _______________
                                          
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                          SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
                                 SEPTEMBER 30, 1997
                  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
  
                                  ALZA CORPORATION
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
               _____________________________________________________
  
  DELAWARE                        1-6247                           77-0142070
  (State or other          (Commission File Number)            (I.R.S. Employer
   Jurisdiction of                                             Identification No.)
   Incorporation)
   
                     ________________________________________
  
                                     950 Page Mill Road
                                       P.O. BOX 10950
                              PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA 94303-0802
                               (Address of Principal Executive
                                     Offices)(Zip Code)
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (650) 494-5000
  
               _____________________________________________________
  ITEM 2.  ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS.
  
       On September 30, 1997, ALZA Corporation ("ALZA") completed a special
  distribution of shares of Crescendo Pharmaceuticals Corporation ("Crescendo")
  Class A Common Stock to the holders of ALZA Common Stock and ALZA's outstanding
  convertible subordinated debentures. Holders of record on September 18, 1997
  (the "Record Date") received one Crescendo share for every 20 shares of ALZA
  Common Stock owned on the Record Date, one Crescendo share for every 36 shares
  of ALZA Common Stock into which the holder's 5% convertible subordinated
  debentures were convertible on the Record Date, and one Crescendo share for
  every 37 shares of ALZA Common Stock into which the holder's 5 1/4% zero coupon
  convertible subordinated debentures were convertible on the Record Date, with
  cash distributed in lieu of fractional shares.  Prior to the distribution, ALZA
  contributed $300 million in cash to Crescendo.  The Crescendo shares are quoted
  on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "CNDO."
  
       Under agreements between ALZA and Crescendo, ALZA will undertake the
  development of products for Crescendo. ALZA has the option to license each
  Crescendo product and an option to purchase all the Crescendo Class A Common
  Stock at a price set according to a predetermined formula.
  
       Approximately 4,965,470 shares of Crescendo were distributed. The
  distribution is expected to be a taxable dividend to the holders of ALZA Common
  Stock and taxable interest to holders of the debentures.
  
       The press release announcing the completion of the distribution is attached
  as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.
  
  ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.
  
  (c) Exhibits
  
  Exhibit 99.1 - Press Release issued by ALZA Corporation on September 30, 1997.
  SIGNATURE
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                     ALZA CORPORATION
  
                                     /s/Peter D. Staple
                                     ------------------
                                     By:  Peter D. Staple
                                     Senior Vice President and General Counsel
  
  Date:  October 2, 1997
  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                          
  
  Exhibit 99.1 - Press Release issued by ALZA Corporation on September 30, 1997.