content: <HTML><HEAD>
  <TITLE>Form 8-K</TITLE>
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  <HR SIZE="3" NOSHADE COLOR="#000000" ALIGN="left"><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
  FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000"><B>UNITED STATES </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></FONT></P><P
  STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000"><B>WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P
  STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000"><B>FORM 8-K </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P
  STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><B>CURRENT REPORT </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"
  COLOR="#000000"><B>Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><B>Securities Exchange Act of 1934 </B></FONT></P><P
  STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><B>Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 18,
  2003 </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000"><B>CV THERAPEUTICS, INC.
  </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000"><B>(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) </B></FONT></P><P
  STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P>
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  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="31%" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><B>Delaware</B></FONT></P></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="31%" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><B>0-21643</B></FONT></P></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="31%" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><B>43-1570294</B></FONT></P></TD></TR>
  <TR>
  <TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center" WIDTH="31%"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000"><B>(State or other jurisdiction</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"
  ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000"><B>of incorporation)</B></FONT></P></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center" WIDTH="31%"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000"><B>(Commission File No.)</B></FONT></P></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center" WIDTH="31%"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000"><B>(I.R.S. Employer</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"
  ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000"><B>Identification No.)</B></FONT></P></TD></TR>
  </TABLE><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><HR WIDTH="17%" SIZE="1" NOSHADE COLOR="#000000"><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
  SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><B>3172 Porter Drive </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
  FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><B>Palo Alto, California 94304 </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000"><B>(Address of Principal Executive
  Offices, including Zip Code) </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><B>(650)
  384-8500 </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000"><B>(Registrant&#146;s Telephone Number, including Area Code) </B></FONT></P><P
  STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><HR SIZE="3" NOSHADE COLOR="#000000" ALIGN="left">
  
  <p Style='page-break-before:always'>
  <HR  SIZE="3" COLOR="#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">
  
  <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><B>Item
  5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Events </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:-6px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">On
  March 18, 2003, the Registrant publicly disseminated a press release announcing that it has received a Notice of Allowance and two newly issued patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office which grant the Registrant additional issued
  claims related to its lead proprietary compound, Ranexa(TM) (ranolazine). </FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"
  SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Registrant&#146;s Press Release dated March 18, 2003, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1. </FONT></P><P
  STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><I>Forward-Looking Statements.</I>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This
  report includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements relate to future events or our future clinical or product development
  or financial performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as &#147;may,&#148; &#147;will,&#148; &#147;should,&#148; &#147;expects,&#148; &#147;plans,&#148; &#147;anticipates,&#148; &#147;believes,&#148;
  &#147;estimates,&#148; &#147;predicts,&#148; &#147;potential&#148; or &#147;continue&#148; or the negative of those terms and other comparable terminology. These statements reflect only management&#146;s current expectations. Important factors that
  could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we make or incorporate by reference in this report are set forth under the heading &#147;Risk Factors&#148; in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and
  Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as may be updated from time to time by our future filings under the Securities Exchange Act. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual
  results, performance or achievements may vary materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. </FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
  SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><B>Item 7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits </B></FONT></P><P
  STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:-6px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Exhibits. </FONT></P><P
  STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:-6px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P>
  <TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
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  <TD WIDTH="8%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">99.1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Registrant&#146;s</FONT></TD>
  <TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">Press Release dated March 18, 2003. </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>
  
  <p Style='page-break-before:always'>
  <HR  SIZE="3" COLOR="#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">
  
  <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><B>SIGNATURES
  </B></FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">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. </FONT></P><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P>
  <TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0">
  
  <TR>
  <TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3" WIDTH="44%"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:2%; text-indent:-2%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">Date:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;March 18, 2003</FONT></P></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3" WIDTH="44%"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">CV THERAPEUTICS, INC.</FONT></P></TD></TR>
  <TR>
  <TD HEIGHT="16"></TD></TR>
  <TR>
  <TD><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="top" WIDTH="2%"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">By:</FONT></P></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="top" WIDTH="44%"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:2%; text-indent:-2%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;/s/&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;T<SMALL>RICIA</SMALL>
  B<SMALL>ORGA</SMALL> S<SMALL>UVARI<U></U></SMALL></FONT></P><HR SIZE="1" NOSHADE COLOR="#000000" ALIGN="left"></TD></TR>
  <TR>
  <TD><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="44%"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:2%; text-indent:-2%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">Tricia Borga Suvari<U></U></FONT></P> <P
  STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><I>Vice President and General Counsel</I></FONT></P></TD></TR>
  </TABLE>
  </BODY></HTML>
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text: Form 8-K
  UNITED STATES
  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
  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 18,
  2003
  CV THERAPEUTICS, INC.
  (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
  Delaware
  0-21643
  43-1570294
  (State or other jurisdiction
  of incorporation)
  (Commission File No.)
  (I.R.S. Employer
  Identification No.)
  3172 Porter Drive
  Palo Alto, California 94304
  (Address of Principal Executive
  Offices, including Zip Code)
  (650)
  384-8500
  (Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code)
  Item
  5.    Other Events
  On
  March 18, 2003, the Registrant publicly disseminated a press release announcing that it has received a Notice of Allowance and two newly issued patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office which grant the Registrant additional issued
  claims related to its lead proprietary compound, Ranexa(TM) (ranolazine).
  The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Registrant's Press Release dated March 18, 2003, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
  Forward-Looking Statements.
  This
  report includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements relate to future events or our future clinical or product development
  or financial performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes,"
  "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of those terms and other comparable terminology. These statements reflect only management's current expectations. Important factors that
  could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we make or incorporate by reference in this report are set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and
  Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as may be updated from time to time by our future filings under the Securities Exchange Act. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual
  results, performance or achievements may vary materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
  Item 7.    Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits
  (c)    Exhibits.
  99.1    Registrant's
  Press Release dated March 18, 2003.
  SIGNATURES
  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.
  Date:    March 18, 2003
  CV THERAPEUTICS, INC.
  By:
  /s/    T
  RICIA
  B
  ORGA
  S
  UVARI
  Tricia Borga Suvari
  Vice President and General Counsel