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
  
  
  
                                  MARCH 16, 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
  
  
               _____________________________________________________
  <PAGE>
   
  ITEM 2.  ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION ASSETS.
  
       On October 4, 1998, ALZA Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
  "Registrant"), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger
  Agreement") with SEQUUS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation
  ("SEQUUS"), and Argyle Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-
  owned subsidiary of the Registrant (the "Merger Sub").  Pursuant to the terms of
  the Merger Agreement, on March 16, 1999 the Merger Sub merged with and into
  Sequus, the separate existence of the Merger Sub ceased, and Sequus became a
  wholly-owned subsidiary of the Registrant and all outstanding shares of SEQUUS'
  common stock were converted into 0.4 shares of the Registrant's common stock. 
  The transaction will be accounted for as a pooling of interests.
  
  
  ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.
  
           (a)  Financial Statement of Business Acquired.
  
                The financial statements of the business acquired are not being
                filed with this Report. Such financial statements, if required,
                will be filed within 60 days after the date this Report is filed
                with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission").
  
           (b)  Pro Forma Financial Information.
  
                The pro forma financial information is not being filed with this
                Report. Such financial statements, if required, will be filed
                within 60 days after the date this Report is filed with the
                Commission.
  
           (c)  Exhibits.
  
  Exhibit No.   Description
  -----------   -----------
  
  Exhibit  2.1  Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among ALZA Corporation, Argyle
                Acquisition Corp. and Sequus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., dated as of
                October 4, 1998, including exhibits thereto. (Incorporated herein
                by reference to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4
                filed on February 11, 1999, File No. 333-72147.)
  
  <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:  March 31, 1999
  <PAGE>
   
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
  Exhibit  2.1  Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among ALZA Corporation, Argyle
                Acquisition Corp. and Sequus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., dated as of
                October 4, 1998, including exhibits thereto. (Incorporated herein
                by reference to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4
                filed on February 11, 1999, File No. 333-72147.)
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 4496}]
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": "99582231"}, "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
  
                                  MARCH 16, 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 2.  ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION ASSETS.
  
       On October 4, 1998, ALZA Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
  "Registrant"), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger
  Agreement") with SEQUUS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation
  ("SEQUUS"), and Argyle Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-
  owned subsidiary of the Registrant (the "Merger Sub").  Pursuant to the terms of
  the Merger Agreement, on March 16, 1999 the Merger Sub merged with and into
  Sequus, the separate existence of the Merger Sub ceased, and Sequus became a
  wholly-owned subsidiary of the Registrant and all outstanding shares of SEQUUS'
  common stock were converted into 0.4 shares of the Registrant's common stock. 
  The transaction will be accounted for as a pooling of interests.
  
  ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.
  
           (a)  Financial Statement of Business Acquired.
  
                The financial statements of the business acquired are not being
                filed with this Report. Such financial statements, if required,
                will be filed within 60 days after the date this Report is filed
                with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission").
  
           (b)  Pro Forma Financial Information.
  
                The pro forma financial information is not being filed with this
                Report. Such financial statements, if required, will be filed
                within 60 days after the date this Report is filed with the
                Commission.
  
           (c)  Exhibits.
  
  Exhibit No.   Description
  -----------   -----------
  
  Exhibit  2.1  Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among ALZA Corporation, Argyle
                Acquisition Corp. and Sequus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., dated as of
                October 4, 1998, including exhibits thereto. (Incorporated herein
                by reference to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4
                filed on February 11, 1999, File No. 333-72147.)
  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:  March 31, 1999
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit  2.1  Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among ALZA Corporation, Argyle
                Acquisition Corp. and Sequus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., dated as of
                October 4, 1998, including exhibits thereto. (Incorporated herein
                by reference to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4
                filed on February 11, 1999, File No. 333-72147.)