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  <p align="center" style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
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  <p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">UNITED STATES<br>
  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION<br>
  </font></b><b>Washington,
  D.C. 20549</b></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <div align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="center"></div>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Form&nbsp;8-K</font></b></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Current Report Pursuant to Section&nbsp;13
  or 15(d)&nbsp;of<br>
  The Securities Exchange Act of 1934</font></b></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Date of Report
  (Date of earliest event reported):<b> May&nbsp;9,
  2008</b></font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <div align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="center"></div>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Metabasis Therapeutics,&nbsp;Inc.<br>
  </font></b>(Exact name of
  registrant as specified in its charter)</p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <div align="center">
  
  <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
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    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Delaware</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
    <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">000-50785</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
    <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">33-0753322</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(State or other
    jurisdiction of<br>
    incorporation)</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
    <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Commission File
    Number)</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
    <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(I.R.S. Employer<br>
    Identification No.)</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
    <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
    <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
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    <td width="66%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:66.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">11119
    North Torrey Pines Road</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
    <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="66%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:66.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">La Jolla,
    California</font></b></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
    <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">92037</font></b></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="66%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:66.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Address of
    principal executive offices)</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
    <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
    <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Zip Code)</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  
  </div>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area
  code:&nbsp;<b>(858)&nbsp;587-2770</b></font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Not
  Applicable.<br>
  </font></b>(Former name or
  former address, if changed since last report.)</p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Check
  the appropriate box below if the Form&nbsp;8-K filing is intended to
  simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
  following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
   <tr>
    <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.66%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;">o</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.84%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="93%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:93.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Written
    communications pursuant to Rule&nbsp;425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
    230.425)</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.66%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.84%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="93%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:93.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.66%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;">o</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.84%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="93%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:93.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Soliciting
    material pursuant to Rule&nbsp;14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
    240.14a-12)</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.66%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.84%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="93%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:93.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.66%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;">o</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.84%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="93%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:93.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pre-commencement
    communications pursuant to Rule&nbsp;14d-2(b)&nbsp;under the Exchange Act (17
    CFR 240.14d-2(b))</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.66%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.84%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="93%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:93.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
    <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.66%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Wingdings" style="font-size:10.0pt;">o</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.84%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
    </td>
    <td width="93%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:93.5%;">
    <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pre-commencement
    communications pursuant to Rule&nbsp;13e-4(c)&nbsp;under the Exchange Act (17
    CFR 240.13e-4(c))</font></p>
    </td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  
  <div style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 6.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;">
  
  <p style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  </div>
  
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>
  
  </div>
  <!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='',FILE='C:\JMS\C900145\08-14127-1\task2932400\14127-1-ba.htm',USER='c900145',CD='May 11 16:59 2008' -->
  
  
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  <div>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 5.02.&#160;
  Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors;
  Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.</font></b></p>
  
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(c)&nbsp; Effective May&nbsp;9, 2008, in
  connection with the previously announced departure of John W. Beck, C.P.A., our
  former Senior Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer,
  our board of directors appointed Paul K. Laikind, Ph. D., our current President
  and Chief Executive Officer, as our Chief Financial Officer and Trisha
  Millican, our current Corporate Controller, as our Principal Accounting
  Officer, each on an interim basis until we identify an appropriate candidate to
  fill the position of Chief Financial and Principal Accounting Officer on a
  permanent basis.</font></p>
  
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Biographical information regarding Dr.&nbsp;Laikind
  was provided in our proxy statement for our 2008 annual meeting of stockholders
  filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April&nbsp;29, 2008.</font></p>
  
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Ms.&nbsp;Millican, age 35, joined us in August&nbsp;2006
  as our Corporate Controller. She has over 12 years of financial management,
  accounting and auditing experience. Prior to joining us, from 2003 to 2006, Ms.&nbsp;Millican
  served as the Controller of Discovery Partners International,&nbsp;Inc. (now
  Infinity Pharmaceuticals,&nbsp;Inc.), a publicly held biotechnology company,
  where she was a key participant in acquisitions/divestitures and the reverse
  merger with Infinity Pharmaceuticals,&nbsp;Inc. From 2000 to 2003, she held
  various financial management positions with Nanogen,&nbsp;Inc., a publicly held
  biotechnology company. Ms.&nbsp;Millican was also an auditor with Deloitte&nbsp;&amp;
  Touche LLP. Ms.&nbsp;Millican holds a B.S. in Accountancy and is a certified
  public accountant in the state of California.&#160;
  We entered into our standard form of indemnity agreement for executive
  officers with Ms.&nbsp;Millican in connection with her appointment as our
  interim Principal Accounting Officer.</font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2</font></p>
  
  <div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>
  
  </div>
  <!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='2',FILE='C:\JMS\C900145\08-14127-1\task2932400\14127-1-ba.htm',USER='c900145',CD='May 11 16:59 2008' -->
  
  
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  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SIGNATURE</font></b></p>
  
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">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:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  
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    <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Paul K. Laikind</font>  </font></p>
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  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Date: May&nbsp;12, 2008</font></p>
  
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  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3</font></p>
  
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text: 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):
  May 9,
  2008
  Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc.
  (Exact name of
  registrant as specified in its charter)
  Delaware
  000-50785
  33-0753322
  (State or other
    jurisdiction of
  incorporation)
  (Commission File
    Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
  Identification No.)
  11119
    North Torrey Pines Road
  La Jolla,
    California
  92037
  (Address of
    principal executive offices)
  (Zip Code)
  Registrant's telephone number, including area
  code:
  (858) 587-2770
  Not
  Applicable.
  (Former name or
  former address, if changed since last report.)
  Check
  the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
  simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
  following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
  o
  Written
    communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
    230.425)
  o
  Soliciting
    material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
    240.14a-12)
  o
  Pre-commencement
    communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17
    CFR 240.14d-2(b))
  o
  Pre-commencement
    communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17
    CFR 240.13e-4(c))
  Item 5.02. 
  Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors;
  Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
  (c)  Effective May 9, 2008, in
  connection with the previously announced departure of John W. Beck, C.P.A., our
  former Senior Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer,
  our board of directors appointed Paul K. Laikind, Ph. D., our current President
  and Chief Executive Officer, as our Chief Financial Officer and Trisha
  Millican, our current Corporate Controller, as our Principal Accounting
  Officer, each on an interim basis until we identify an appropriate candidate to
  fill the position of Chief Financial and Principal Accounting Officer on a
  permanent basis.
  Biographical information regarding Dr. Laikind
  was provided in our proxy statement for our 2008 annual meeting of stockholders
  filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 29, 2008.
  Ms. Millican, age 35, joined us in August 2006
  as our Corporate Controller. She has over 12 years of financial management,
  accounting and auditing experience. Prior to joining us, from 2003 to 2006, Ms. Millican
  served as the Controller of Discovery Partners International, Inc. (now
  Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.), a publicly held biotechnology company,
  where she was a key participant in acquisitions/divestitures and the reverse
  merger with Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. From 2000 to 2003, she held
  various financial management positions with Nanogen, Inc., a publicly held
  biotechnology company. Ms. Millican was also an auditor with Deloitte &
  Touche LLP. Ms. Millican holds a B.S. in Accountancy and is a certified
  public accountant in the state of California. 
  We entered into our standard form of indemnity agreement for executive
  officers with Ms. Millican in connection with her appointment as our
  interim Principal Accounting Officer.
  2
  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.
  METABASIS THERAPEUTICS, INC.
  By:
  /s/ Paul K. Laikind
  Paul K. Laikind, Ph.D.
  President, Chief Executive Officer and Interim
  Chief Financial Officer
  Date: May 12, 2008
  3