content: <HTML><HEAD>
  <TITLE>Current Report on Form 8-K</TITLE>
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  <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P><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="5" 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="3" COLOR="#000000"><B>CURRENT REPORT </B></FONT></P><P
  STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="3" 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="3" 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 5, 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>
  <TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" ALIGN="center">
  
  <TR>
  <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 of incorporation)</B></FONT></P></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" 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="bottom" 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 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:-6px"><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 5, 2003, the Registrant publicly disseminated a press release announcing that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted the company&#146;s new drug application for Ranexa</FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"
  COLOR="#000000"><SUP></SUP></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000"><SUP>&#153;</SUP></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000"> (ranolazine) for
  filing. </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 5, 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>
  <TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
  <TR>
  <TD WIDTH="5%"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">(c)</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">Exhibits. </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE><P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:-6px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P>
  <TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="80%" BORDER="0" ALIGN="center">
  
  <TR>
  <TD VALIGN="top" WIDTH="5%"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:2%; text-indent:-2%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">99.1</FONT></P></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
  <TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="74%"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">Registrant&#146;s Press Release dated March 5, 2003.</FONT></P></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 5, 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" ALIGN="center" WIDTH="44%"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">/s/&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;T<SMALL>RICIA</SMALL> B<SMALL>ORGA</SMALL>
  S<SMALL>UVARI&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</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" ALIGN="center" WIDTH="44%"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">Tricia Borga Suvari</FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"
  ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">Vice President and General Counsel</FONT></P></TD></TR>
  </TABLE>
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text: Current Report on 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 5, 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 5, 2003, the Registrant publicly disseminated a press release announcing that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted the company's new drug application for Ranexa
  ™
  (ranolazine) for
  filing.
  The foregoing description is qualified
  in its entirety by reference to the Registrant's Press Release dated March 5, 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 5, 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 5, 2003
  CV THERAPEUTICS, INC.
  By:
  /s/    T
  RICIA
  B
  ORGA
  S
  UVARI
  Tricia Borga Suvari
  Vice President and General Counsel