<PAGE>
---------------------------
OMB APPROVAL
---------------------------
OMB Number: 3235-0145
Expires: December 31, 1997
Estimated average burden
hours per response... 14.90
---------------------------
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
(AMENDMENT NO. )*
-----
Aurora Biosciences Corporation
-------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock $.001 Par Value
---------------------------------------------------
(Title of Class of Securities)
051920-10-6
-----------------------------------------
(CUSIP Number)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
Page 1 of 5 pages
<PAGE>
- ----------------------- ---------------------
CUSIP NO. 051920-10-6 13G PAGE 2 OF 5 PAGES
- ----------------------- ---------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
1 I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Abingworth Bioventures SICAV
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
2 (a) [_]
(b) [_]
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEC USE ONLY
3
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
4
Luxembourg
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOLE VOTING POWER
5
NUMBER OF 2,105,262
SHARES -----------------------------------------------------------
SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY 6
-0-
OWNED BY
-----------------------------------------------------------
EACH SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
7
REPORTING 2,105,262
PERSON -----------------------------------------------------------
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 8
-0-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
9
2,105,262
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
10
[_]
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
11
12.4%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
12
CO
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
Page 2 of 5 pages
<PAGE>
Item 1(a). Name of Issuer: Aurora Biosciences Corporation
- ---------- --------------
Item 1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
- ---------- -----------------------------------------------
11010 Torreyana Road, San Diego, CA 92121
Item 2(a). Name of Person Filing: Abingworth Bioventures SICAV ("ABS")
- ---------- ---------------------
Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence:
- ---------- -----------------------------------------------------------
The address of the principal business office of ABS is 231 Val
des Bons Malades, L-2121 Luxembourg-Kirchberg.
Item 2(c). Citizenship: ABS is a corporation organized under the laws
- ---------- -----------
of Luxembourg.
Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock, $.001 par value.
- ---------- ----------------------------
Item 2(e). CUSIP Number: 051920-10-6.
- ---------- ------------
Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b), or 13d-
- ------- --------------------------------------------------------------
2(b), check whether the person filing is a:
------------------------------------------
(a) [_] Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act").
(b) [_] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act.
(c) [_] Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19)
of the Act.
(d) [_] Investment Company registered under Section 8 of
the Investment Company Act of 1940.
(e) [_] Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
(f) [_] Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is
subject to the provisions of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or
Endowment Fund; see Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F) of the
Act.
(g) [_] Parent Holding Company, in accordance with Rule
13d-1(b)(ii)(G) of the Act.
(h) [_] Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(H)
of the Act.
Not applicable. This statement on Schedule 13G is not filed
pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b) or Rule 13d-2(b).
Page 3 of 5 pages
<PAGE>
Item 4. Ownership.
- ------- ---------
(a) Amount Beneficially Owned: ABS is the record and
beneficial owner of 2,105,262 shares of Common Stock as
of December 31, 1997.
(b) Percent of Class: 12.4%. The foregoing percentage is
calculated based on the 17,029,885 shares of Common
Stock reported to be outstanding in the Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q of Aurora Biosciences Corporation
for the quarter ended September 30, 1997.
(c) Number of shares as to which such person has:
(i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
2,105,262 shares.
(ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
0 shares.
(iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of: 2,105,262 shares.
(iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of: 0 shares.
Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.
- ------- --------------------------------------------
Not applicable.
Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
- ------- --------------------------------------------------------
Person.
------
Not applicable.
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
- ------- ---------------------------------------------------------
Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding
-------------------------------------------------------------
Company.
-------
Not applicable.
Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.
- ------- ---------------------------------------------------------
Not applicable
Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group.
- ------- ------------------------------
Not applicable.
Item 10. Certification.
- -------- --------------
Not applicable. This statement on Schedule 13G is not filed
pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b).
Page 4 of 5 pages
<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and belief,
the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is
true, complete and correct.
Date: February 13, 1998
ABINGWORTH BIOVENTURES SICAV
By: /s/M. Rose DOCK
----------------
Name: M. Rose DOCK
Title: Director
--------
By: /s/Fernand HEIM
----------------
Name: Fernand HEIM
Title: Mandatory
---------
Page 5 of 5 pages
