- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------






                       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): SEPTEMBER 26, 1997
                              --------------------
                             CYTOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

       DELAWARE                       0-19871                   04-3078125

(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)      (I.R.S. Employer
 of incorporation)                                        Identification Number)



                          701 GEORGE WASHINGTON HIGHWAY
                           LINCOLN, RHODE ISLAND 02865

          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)



                                 (401) 288-1000

               (Registrant's telephone number including area code)

                               TWO RICHMOND SQUARE
                         PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND 02906

             (Former name or address, if changed since last report)
                              --------------------




- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                               PAGE 1 OF 9 PAGES.
                            EXHIBIT INDEX ON PAGE 5.

                                       -1-







         This report may contain certain  forward-looking  statements regarding,
among other things,  CTI's results of operations,  the progress of CTI's product
development  and  clinical  programs,  the need for,  and timing of,  additional
capital and capital expenditures,  partnering prospects, the need for additional
intellectual  property rights,  effects of regulations,  the need for additional
facilities  and potential  market  opportunities.  CTI's actual results may vary
materially from those contained in such  forward-looking  statements  because of
risks to which CTI is subject such as risks of delays in  research,  development
and  clinical  testing  programs,  obsolescence  of  CTI's  technology,  lack of
available   funding,   competition   from  third   parties,   failure  of  CTI's
collaborators  to  perform,   failure  to  consummate   proposed   transactions,
regulatory constraints,  litigation and other risks to which CTI is subject. See
"Cautionary  Factors Relevant to  Forward-Looking  Statements" filed herewith as
Exhibit 99 and incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 2.  ACQUISITION OF ASSETS

         On September 26, 1997,  CytoTherapeutics,  Inc.  ("CTI")  announced the
closing  of the  merger of  StemCells,  Inc.  ("StemCells")  and a  wholly-owned
subsidiary of CTI.  Through the merger,  CTI acquired  StemCells in exchange for
1,580,000   newly  issued  shares  of  CTI's  common  stock,   $.01  par  value.
Simultaneously with the acquisition of StemCells,  Richard M. Rose, M.D., became
President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of CTI and Dr. Irving Weissman
became a Director of CTI.

         Upon the  consummation  of the  merger,  CTI  entered  into  consulting
arrangements with the principal scientific founders of StemCells including,  Dr.
Weissman, of Stanford University,  Fred Gage, Ph.D., of Salk Institute and David
Anderson,  of the  California  Institute  of  Technology  and the Howard  Hughes
Medical Institute. Under the terms of the consulting arrangements,  each of Drs.
Weissman,  Gage and Anderson will join CTI's Scientific  Advisory Board with Dr.
Weissman serving as the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board.

         To attract and retain Drs. Rose,  Weissman,  Gage and Anderson,  and to
move CTI's  expanded stem cell program  forward,  CTI awarded these  individuals
options to acquire a total of  approximately  one million  six hundred  thousand
shares  of  CTI  common  stock,  at  an  exercise  price  of  $5.25  per  share;
approximately 94,000 of these options are excercisable immediately,  1.1 million
of  these  options  vest  and  become  exercisable  only on the  achievement  of
specified  milestones  related to CTI's stem cell development  program,  such as
corporate  partnering  events,  the initiation of clinical trials and regulatory
filings and approvals; and the remaining 500,000 options vest over eight years.

         Conduct of the stem cells research  following  completion of the merger
will be conducted  pursuant to the  provisions  of an agreement  between CTI and
Drs.  Weissman and Gage  providing for a two year research plan. If the goals of
the research plan are accomplished,  the stem cells research will continue to be
conducted  under an  extension  of such  Research  Plan  approved  by a Research
Committee  consisting  of two  persons  chosen by Drs.  Gage and  Weissman,  two
persons  chosen by CTI and a fifth member  appointed by Drs.  Gage and Weissman,
subject to the  reasonable  approval of CTI.  Increases  in stem cells  research
funding of not more than 25% a year approved by the Committee  will be funded by
CTI as long as the goals of the Research Plan are being met, provided,  however,
that CTI will retain the option of ceasing or reducing neural stem cell research
even if all Research Plan goals are being met by accelerating the vesting of all

                                       -2-






still-achievable  performance-based  options and ceasing or reducing  non-neural
stem  cell  research  even if all Plan  goals are  being  met by  affording  the
scientific  founders the  opportunity to continue  development of the non-neural
stem cell research by licensing the  technology  related to such research to the
founders  in  exchange  for a  payment  to CTI  equal  to all  funding  for such
research, plus royalty payments.

ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS

         Construction  of CTI's new  headquarters  and research and  development
facility has recently been  completed at a cost of  approximately  $7.5 million.
CTI is currently in  negotiations  regarding  the possible sale and leaseback of
such facility.  In addition,  CTI is also involved in active  discussions with a
group of potential  investors regarding a possible investment in CTI's 50% owned
subsidiary,  Modex  Therapeutiques  S.A.,  including  the possible  sale to such
investors  of a  portion  of CTI's  current  ownership  interest.  As  currently
anticipated,  CTI would  reduce  its  current  ownership  in Modex to a minority
position,  receive  cash,  be relieved of certain  future  funding and milestone
obligations,  expand the field of  encapsulated  products  outside  the  central
nervous  system  which  are  exclusively   licensed  to  Modex  and  enter  into
arrangements to manufacture Modex products based on such licensed technology.

         The two  proposed  transactions  described  above  are the  subject  of
ongoing negotiations and no definitive agreements have been reached with respect
to either transaction; there can be no assurance that either transaction will be
completed or, if completed, will be completed on the terms described above.

ITEM 7.  EXHIBITS

     Exhibit 99        Cautionary Factors Relevant to Forward-Looking Statements

                                       -3-








                                   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.

                                            CYTOTHERAPEUTICS,  INC.

                                            By /s/ Frederic A. Eustis III
                                               ---------------------------------
                                               Title:  Executive Vice President

Date:  October 2, 1997


                                       -4-







Exhibit Index                                                              Page
- -------------                                                              -----

Exhibit 99        Cautionary Factors Relevant to Forward-Looking            6
                  Statements
                                                       

                                                        


                                       -5-