content: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, DC  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)  April  27, 1999
  
  
                                         SCIOS INC.                     
                     (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
  
  
  
           Delaware                   0-11749                   95-3701481    
  (State of Other Jurisdiction      (Commission               (IRS Employer
          of Incorporation)         File Number)            Identification No.)
  
  
  
              2450 Bayshore Parkway, Mountain View, California  94043
                       (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
  
  
  
         Registrant's telephone number, including area code  (650) 966-1550
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
  
  Item 5.  Other Events
  
           On April 27, 1999,  Scios Inc.  announced  that the U.S.  Food and Drug
  Administration  did not approve the  company's  new drug  application  (NDA) for
  Natrecor(R)  (nesiritide) in the treatment of acute episodes of congestive heart
  failure. The agency determined that there are uncertainties  remaining about the
  effectiveness and safety of Natrecor at this time necessitating further study of
  the drug. The press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and  incorporated
  herein by reference.
  
  
  Exhibits.
  
           99.1     Press Release dated April 27, 1999
  
  
  
           Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
  the  registrant has duly caused this amendment to be signed on its behalf of the
  undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
  
                                                       SCIOS INC.
  
  
  Date:  April 28, 1999                              By: s/s John H. Newman    
                                                         John H. Newman
                                                         Senior Vice President
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
                             INDEX TO EXHIBITS
  
                                 SCIOS INC.
  
                 Report on Form 8-K dated April  28, 1999
  
  
  
  
  Exhibit   Description                              Method of Filing
  
  99.1      Press Release dated April 27, 1999       Filed electronically herewith
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
                                    Exhibit 99.1
  
  
                NATRECOR(R) NEW DRUG APPLICATION NOT APPROVED BY FDA
  
                     -- Additional data required for approval--
  
  
  MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA - April 27, 1999 - Scios Inc. (Nasdaq: SCIO) announced
  today that the U.S. Food and Drug  Administration  did not approve the company's
  new drug  application  (NDA) for  Natrecor(R)  (nesiritide)  in the treatment of
  acute  episodes of  congestive  heart  failure  (CHF).  Calling  their action "a
  particularly  difficult decision," the agency determined there are uncertainties
  remaining  about  the   effectiveness  and  safety  of  Natrecor  at  this  time
  necessitating further study of the drug.
  
  "We are disappointed in today's decision, nevertheless we will work closely with
  the FDA to define what additional clinical studies are required for the approval
  of Natrecor," said Richard B. Brewer, President and CEO of Scios Inc.
  
  The FDA acknowledged that Natrecor reduced  pulmonary  capillary wedge pressure,
  increased  cardiac  output,  and produced some evidence of symptomatic  benefit.
  However,  the  agency  determined  that  further  study is needed to define  the
  consequences of the pharmacodynamic  profile,  specifically as it relates to the
  onset of effect and the recovery from hypotension if it occurs.
                                      - More -
  
  Natrecor  was  developed  by Scios Inc. In 1998 Scios  entered into a commercial
  alliance for the worldwide commercialization of Natrecor with Bayer AG.
  
  The  statements  in this  press  release  that  are  not  historical  facts  are
  forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, and may include
  references to the ability to provide the  additional  data  requested by the FDA
  for the approval of Natrecor,  as well as the other risks  detailed from time to
  time in the Company's SEC reports,  including its annual report on Form 10-K for
  the year ended December 31, 1998 and subsequent reports on Form 10-Q.
  
  Scios is a  biopharmaceutical  company  engaged in the  discovery,  development,
  manufacture and  commercialization  of novel human therapeutics.  In addition to
  its Natrecor  collaboration  with Bayer AG,  Scios has research and  development
  collaborations with Wyeth-Ayerst  Laboratories,  the pharmaceutical  division of
  American Home Products  Corporation,  Kaken  Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Eli Lilly
  and Company, The DuPont Pharmaceuticals Company and Novo Nordisk A/S of Denmark.
  Scios'  commercial   operations  division  markets  six  psychiatric   products.
  Additional  information  on  Scios  is  available  at its web  site  located  at
  http://www.sciosinc.com and in the Company's various filings with the Securities
  and Exchange Commission.
  
                                     ###
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text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, DC  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)  April  27, 1999
  
                                         SCIOS INC.                     
                     (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
  
           Delaware                   0-11749                   95-3701481    
  (State of Other Jurisdiction      (Commission               (IRS Employer
          of Incorporation)         File Number)            Identification No.)
  
              2450 Bayshore Parkway, Mountain View, California  94043
                       (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
  
         Registrant's telephone number, including area code  (650) 966-1550
  Item 5.  Other Events
  
           On April 27, 1999,  Scios Inc.  announced  that the U.S.  Food and Drug
  Administration  did not approve the  company's  new drug  application  (NDA) for
  Natrecor(R)  (nesiritide) in the treatment of acute episodes of congestive heart
  failure. The agency determined that there are uncertainties  remaining about the
  effectiveness and safety of Natrecor at this time necessitating further study of
  the drug. The press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and  incorporated
  herein by reference.
  
  Exhibits.
  
           99.1     Press Release dated April 27, 1999
  
           Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
  the  registrant has duly caused this amendment to be signed on its behalf of the
  undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
  
                                                       SCIOS INC.
  
  Date:  April 28, 1999                              By: s/s John H. Newman    
                                                         John H. Newman
                                                         Senior Vice President
  INDEX TO EXHIBITS
  
                                 SCIOS INC.
  
                 Report on Form 8-K dated April  28, 1999
  
  Exhibit   Description                              Method of Filing
  
  99.1      Press Release dated April 27, 1999       Filed electronically herewith
  Exhibit 99.1
  
                NATRECOR(R) NEW DRUG APPLICATION NOT APPROVED BY FDA
  
                     -- Additional data required for approval--
  
  MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA - April 27, 1999 - Scios Inc. (Nasdaq: SCIO) announced
  today that the U.S. Food and Drug  Administration  did not approve the company's
  new drug  application  (NDA) for  Natrecor(R)  (nesiritide)  in the treatment of
  acute  episodes of  congestive  heart  failure  (CHF).  Calling  their action "a
  particularly  difficult decision," the agency determined there are uncertainties
  remaining  about  the   effectiveness  and  safety  of  Natrecor  at  this  time
  necessitating further study of the drug.
  
  "We are disappointed in today's decision, nevertheless we will work closely with
  the FDA to define what additional clinical studies are required for the approval
  of Natrecor," said Richard B. Brewer, President and CEO of Scios Inc.
  
  The FDA acknowledged that Natrecor reduced  pulmonary  capillary wedge pressure,
  increased  cardiac  output,  and produced some evidence of symptomatic  benefit.
  However,  the  agency  determined  that  further  study is needed to define  the
  consequences of the pharmacodynamic  profile,  specifically as it relates to the
  onset of effect and the recovery from hypotension if it occurs.
                                      - More -
  
  Natrecor  was  developed  by Scios Inc. In 1998 Scios  entered into a commercial
  alliance for the worldwide commercialization of Natrecor with Bayer AG.
  
  The  statements  in this  press  release  that  are  not  historical  facts  are
  forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, and may include
  references to the ability to provide the  additional  data  requested by the FDA
  for the approval of Natrecor,  as well as the other risks  detailed from time to
  time in the Company's SEC reports,  including its annual report on Form 10-K for
  the year ended December 31, 1998 and subsequent reports on Form 10-Q.
  
  Scios is a  biopharmaceutical  company  engaged in the  discovery,  development,
  manufacture and  commercialization  of novel human therapeutics.  In addition to
  its Natrecor  collaboration  with Bayer AG,  Scios has research and  development
  collaborations with Wyeth-Ayerst  Laboratories,  the pharmaceutical  division of
  American Home Products  Corporation,  Kaken  Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Eli Lilly
  and Company, The DuPont Pharmaceuticals Company and Novo Nordisk A/S of Denmark.
  Scios'  commercial   operations  division  markets  six  psychiatric   products.
  Additional  information  on  Scios  is  available  at its web  site  located  at
  http://www.sciosinc.com and in the Company's various filings with the Securities
  and Exchange Commission.
  
                                     ###