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
  
  
  
                                   June 22, 1999
                 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
  
  
  
                                 ALZA Corporation
              (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
               _____________________________________________________
  
  
  <TABLE>
  <S>                     <C>                                            <C>
      Delaware                              1-6247                            77-0142070
  (State or other                   (Commission File Number)               (I.R.S. Employer
   Jurisdiction of                                                        Identification No.)
   Incorporation)
  </TABLE>
  
                     ________________________________________
                                950 Page Mill Road
                                  P.O. Box 10950
                             Palo Alto, CA  94303-0802
  
                (Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)
  
  
  
  
  
        Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (650) 494-5000
  
  
               _____________________________________________________
  <PAGE>
  
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
       On June 21, 1999, ALZA Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("ALZA"),
  entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with
  Abbott Laboratories, an Illinois corporation ("Abbott"), and AC Merger Sub Inc.,
  a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abbott (the "Merger
  Sub"). Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, and subject to the
  conditions set forth therein (including approval of the transaction by the
  stockholders of ALZA), the Merger Sub will be merged with and into ALZA (the
  "Merger"). At the effective time of the Merger, the separate existence of the
  Merger Sub will cease, ALZA will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abbott and
  each outstanding share of ALZA common stock will be exchanged for 1.2 shares of
  Abbott common stock. The Merger is intended to be a tax-free reorganization
  pursuant to Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and
  is intended to be treated as a pooling of interests for financial reporting
  purposes. A copy of the Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 2.1 and
  incorporated herein by reference.
  
       In addition, Abbott and ALZA entered into two Co-Promotion Agreements with
  respect to certain products of ALZA, which agreements are attached hereto as
  Exhibits 99.2 and 99.3 and incorporated herein by reference.
  
  Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
  
          (c)   Exhibits.
  
  Exhibit No.   Description
  -----------   -----------
  
  Exhibit  2.1  Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among ALZA Corporation, a
                Delaware corporation, Abbott Laboratories, an Illinois
                corporation, and AC Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation, dated
                as of June 21, 1999, including exhibits thereto.
  
  Exhibit 99.1  Press Release dated June 21, 1999.
  
  Exhibit 99.2  Co-Promotion Agreement between ALZA Corporation and Abbott
                Laboratories, dated as of June 21, 1999.
  
  Exhibit 99.3  Co-Promotion Agreement between ALZA Corporation and Abbott
                Laboratories, dated as of June 21, 1999
  <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:  June 25, 1999
  <PAGE>
  
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
  Exhibit  2.1  Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among ALZA Corporation, a
                Delaware corporation, Abbott Laboratories, an Illinois
                corporation, and AC Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation, dated
                as of June 21, 1999, including exhibits thereto
  
  Exhibit 99.1  Press Release June 21, 1999.
  
  Exhibit 99.2  Co-Promotion Agreement between ALZA Corporation and Abbott
                Laboratories, dated as of June 21, 1999
  
  Exhibit 99.3  Co-Promotion Agreement between ALZA Corporation and Abbott
                Laboratories, dated as of June 21, 1999
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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
  
                                   June 22, 1999
                 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, CA  94303-0802
  
                (Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)
  
        Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (650) 494-5000
  
               _____________________________________________________
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
       On June 21, 1999, ALZA Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("ALZA"),
  entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with
  Abbott Laboratories, an Illinois corporation ("Abbott"), and AC Merger Sub Inc.,
  a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abbott (the "Merger
  Sub"). Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, and subject to the
  conditions set forth therein (including approval of the transaction by the
  stockholders of ALZA), the Merger Sub will be merged with and into ALZA (the
  "Merger"). At the effective time of the Merger, the separate existence of the
  Merger Sub will cease, ALZA will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abbott and
  each outstanding share of ALZA common stock will be exchanged for 1.2 shares of
  Abbott common stock. The Merger is intended to be a tax-free reorganization
  pursuant to Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and
  is intended to be treated as a pooling of interests for financial reporting
  purposes. A copy of the Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 2.1 and
  incorporated herein by reference.
  
       In addition, Abbott and ALZA entered into two Co-Promotion Agreements with
  respect to certain products of ALZA, which agreements are attached hereto as
  Exhibits 99.2 and 99.3 and incorporated herein by reference.
  
  Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
  
          (c)   Exhibits.
  
  Exhibit No.   Description
  -----------   -----------
  
  Exhibit  2.1  Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among ALZA Corporation, a
                Delaware corporation, Abbott Laboratories, an Illinois
                corporation, and AC Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation, dated
                as of June 21, 1999, including exhibits thereto.
  
  Exhibit 99.1  Press Release dated June 21, 1999.
  
  Exhibit 99.2  Co-Promotion Agreement between ALZA Corporation and Abbott
                Laboratories, dated as of June 21, 1999.
  
  Exhibit 99.3  Co-Promotion Agreement between ALZA Corporation and Abbott
                Laboratories, dated as of June 21, 1999
  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:  June 25, 1999
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit  2.1  Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among ALZA Corporation, a
                Delaware corporation, Abbott Laboratories, an Illinois
                corporation, and AC Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation, dated
                as of June 21, 1999, including exhibits thereto
  
  Exhibit 99.1  Press Release June 21, 1999.
  
  Exhibit 99.2  Co-Promotion Agreement between ALZA Corporation and Abbott
                Laboratories, dated as of June 21, 1999
  
  Exhibit 99.3  Co-Promotion Agreement between ALZA Corporation and Abbott
                Laboratories, dated as of June 21, 1999