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
  
  
  
        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 17, 2000
  
                                VENTRO CORPORATION
              (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
             DELAWARE                      0-26811                77-0465496
  (State or other jurisdiction of  (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer
  incorporation or organization)                             Identification No.)
  
  
  
                               1500 Plymouth Street
                          Mountain View, California 94043
                (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
  
  
                                  (650) 567-8900
               (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  
                                Chemdex Corporation
           (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
  <PAGE>
  
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
       On February 17, 2000, the registrant changed its name from Chemdex
  Corporation to Ventro Corporation. On March 1, 2000, the National Market ticker
  for the registrant's common stock will be changed from "CMDX" to "VNTR."
  <PAGE>
  
                                    SIGNATURES
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
  amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
  by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
  
  
                                          Ventro Corporation
                                          (Registrant)
  
  
  
  Date: February 22, 2000                 By: /s/ James Stewart
        ------------------                    -----------------------------
                                              Chief Financial Officer
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metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "VENTRO CORP", "cik": "0001047499", "assigned-sic": "5160", "irs-number": "770465469", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-26811", "film-number": "550543"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1500 PLYMOUTH ST", "city": "MOUNTAIN VIEW", "state": "CA", "zip": "94043", "phone": "6508130300"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1500 PLYMOUTH ST", "city": "MOUNTAIN VIEW", "state": "CA", "zip": "94043"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "CHEMDEX CORP", "date-changed": "19990510"}}
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
  
        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 17, 2000
  
                                VENTRO CORPORATION
              (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
  
             DELAWARE                      0-26811                77-0465496
  (State or other jurisdiction of  (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer
  incorporation or organization)                             Identification No.)
  
                               1500 Plymouth Street
                          Mountain View, California 94043
                (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
  
                                  (650) 567-8900
               (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  
                                Chemdex Corporation
           (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
       On February 17, 2000, the registrant changed its name from Chemdex
  Corporation to Ventro Corporation. On March 1, 2000, the National Market ticker
  for the registrant's common stock will be changed from "CMDX" to "VNTR."
  SIGNATURES
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
  amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
  by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
                                          Ventro Corporation
                                          (Registrant)
  
  Date: February 22, 2000                 By: /s/ James Stewart
        ------------------                    -----------------------------
                                              Chief Financial Officer