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                                  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 11, 1998
                                                           ------------

                              NEOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



         Delaware                     0-28782                     93-0979187
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction       (Commission                  (IRS Employer
    (of incorporation)             File Number)              Identification No.)


                 157 Technology Drive, Irvine, California 92618
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (949) 788-6700
                                                           --------------

                                 Not Applicable
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
                (Telephone area code changed from (714) to (949)

                             Exhibit Index on Page 3
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ITEM 5.    OTHER EVENTS

           Reference is made to the press release issued to the public by the
Registrant on May 11, 1998, the text of which is attached hereto as Exhibit
99.1, for a description of the events reported pursuant to this Form 8-K.

ITEM 7.    EXHIBITS

               EXHIBIT:
               --------

                 99.1               PRESS RELEASE DATED MAY 11, 1998.




                                    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 thereunto duly authorized.

                                                   NEOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.



Date:  May 11, 1998                                By:    /s/ Samuel Gulko
                                                      --------------------------
                                                      Samuel Gulko
                                                      Chief Financial Officer
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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX





        EXHIBITS                                      DESCRIPTION
        --------                                      -----------
                                                                      
         99.1                               Press Release dated May 11, 1998