UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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SCHEDULE 13D
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 2)
NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES, INC.
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, No Par Value
(Title of Class of Securities)
64125C109
(CUSIP Number)
Wayne P. Merkelson, Esq.
Novartis Corporation
564 Morris Avenue
Summit, NJ 07901-1398
Telephone: (908) 522-6777
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of
Person Authorized to Receive Notices and
Communications)
Copy to:
Spencer D. Klein, Esq.
Shearman & Sterling
599 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Telephone: (212) 848-4000
December 10, 1999
(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)
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If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition which is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box |_|.
<PAGE>
CUSIP No. 64125C109
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1) Names of Reporting Person
S.S. or I.R.S. Identification No. of Above Person
Novartis AG
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2) Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
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3) SEC Use Only
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4) Source of Funds (See Instructions) OO
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5) Check if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings is Required Pursuant to
Items 2(d) or 2(e) [ ]
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6) Citizenship or Place of Organization Switzerland
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(7) Sole Voting Power 0
Number of Shares ------------------------------------------------------------
Beneficially (8) Shared Voting Power 0
Owned by Each ------------------------------------------------------------
Reporting Person (9) Sole Dispositive Power 0
With ------------------------------------------------------------
(10) Shared Dispositive Power 0
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11) Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
0
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12) Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain
Shares (See Instructions) [ ]
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13) Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 0%
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14) Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) CO
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Page 2
<PAGE>
CUSIP No. 64125C109
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1) Names of Reporting Person
S.S. or I.R.S. Identification No. of Above Person
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
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2) Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
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3) SEC Use Only
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4) Source of Funds (See Instructions) OO
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5) Check if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings is Required Pursuant to
Items 2(d) or 2(e) [ ]
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6) Citizenship or Place of Organization Delaware
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(7) Sole Voting Power 0
Number of Shares ------------------------------------------------------------
Beneficially (8) Shared Voting Power 0
Owned by Each ------------------------------------------------------------
Reporting Person (9) Sole Dispositive Power 0
With ------------------------------------------------------------
(10) Shared Dispositive Power 0
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11) Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
0
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12) Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain
Shares (See Instructions) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13) Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 0%
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14) Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) CO
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Page 3
<PAGE>
CUSIP NO. 64125C109 SCHEDULE 13D
Item 1. Security and Issuer
This Amendment No. 2 amends the Statement on Schedule 13D (the
"Schedule 13D") filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 10,
1996 by Ciba-Geigy Limited and subsequently amended on January 23, 1998. This
Amendment No. 2 to Schedule 13D relates to shares of common stock, no par value
(the "Common Stock"), of Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (the "Issuer"). The
principal executive office and mailing address of the Issuer is 10555 Science
Center Drive, San Diego, California 92121. The following amendments to Items 4
and 5 are hereby made. Unless otherwise defined herein, all capitalized terms
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Schedule 13D.
Item 4. Purpose of Transaction.
In a series of transactions culminating on December 10, 1999, Novartis
AG and Novartis Pharamaceuticals Corporation have sold all their interests in
the Common Stock.
Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer.
(a) Novartis owns, beneficially or otherwise, no shares of Common
Stock, and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation owns, beneficially or otherwise,
no shares of Common Stock.
(b) Not applicable.
(c) Novartis AG sold all of its shares of Common Stock in the following
transactions: 49,000 shares sold at a price of $16.523 per share on December 6,
1999; and 1,121,353 shares sold at a price of $14 per share on December 10,
1999.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation sold all of its shares of Common
Stock in the following transactions: 25,000 shares sold at a price of $4.9375
per share on October 20, 1998; 10,000 shares sold at a price of $5 per share on
October 21, 1998; and 307,559 shares sold at a price of $15.1489 per share on
December 2, 1999.
All of these transactions were effected through sales on the open
market.
(d) Not applicable.
(e) On December 10, 1999, Novartis AG ceased to be the beneficial owner
of more than five percent of the Common Stock.
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SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.
Dated: January 14, 1999 NOVARTIS AG
By /s/ J. Vierkotter
------------------------------------
Name: J. Vierkotter
Title: Signatory
By /s/ F. Eichhorn
------------------------------------
Name: F. Eichhorn
Title: Signatory
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<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.
Dated: January 14, 1999 NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS
CORPORATION
By /s/ Wayne P. Merkelson
------------------------------------
Name: Wayne P. Merkelson
Title: Vice President & Assistant
Secretary
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