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:  FEBRUARY  3,  1999
(Date  of  earliest  event  reported)


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


DELAWARE     0-27488     94-3136539
(State  or  other  jurisdiction     (Commission     (IRS  Employer
of  incorporation)     File  Number)     Identification  No.)


3174  PORTER  DRIVE,  PALO  ALTO,  CALIFORNIA    94304
(Address  of  principal  executive  offices)       (Zip  Code)


Registrant's  telephone  number,  including  area  code:  (650)  855-0555



Item  5.     Other  Events.
             -------------

     Attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein is the
press  release  dated  February  3, 1999 setting forth financial information for
Incyte  Pharmaceuticals,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  for the quarter and year ended
December  31,  1998,  and  forward-looking  statements relating to the Company's
financial  targets for 1999, and announcing the Company's decision not to pursue
its  proposed tracking stock recapitalization that was announced in August 1998.

Item  7.  Financial  Statements  and  Exhibits.
          ------------------------------------

     (c)     Exhibits

     99.1     Press  release  dated  February  3,  1999.







                                    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  hereunto  duly  authorized.


     Dated:  February  5,  1999


INCYTE  PHARMACEUTICALS,  INC.



By         /s/  Denise  M.  Gilbert
           ------------------------
Name:      Denise  M.  Gilbert

Title:     Executive  Vice  President  and
           Chief  Financial  Officer








                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1
                                                                    ------------

FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE
- -----------------------

Contact:     Denise  Gilbert     Dayna  Wheeler
     Chief  Financial  Officer     Investor  Relations
     (650)  845-4515     (650)  845-4589

           INCYTE REPORTS YEAR-END RESULTS AND 1999 FINANCIAL TARGETS
             ANNOUNCES DECISION NOT TO PURSUE TRACKING STOCK VEHICLE

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, FEBRUARY 3, 1999 -- Incyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:
INCY) today reported revenues of $134.8 million and a net income of $3.5 million
or  $0.12  per  diluted  share  for the year ended December 31, 1998.  Excluding
one-time  charges  related  to  the  Synteni  and  Hexagen  acquisitions, Incyte
reported  net  income  of  $15.5 million or $0.54 per diluted share for the year
ended December 31, 1998.  Revenues increased 50% from the $90.0 million reported
for calendar 1997.  Net income and earnings per share excluding one-time charges
increased  more  than  100%  from  $6.9  million  and  $0.26  per diluted share,
respectively, for the year ended December 31, 1997.  Excluding the impact of the
programs  contained within the Incyte Genetics business unit announced in August
1998 and the one-time charges, net income would have been $23.2 million or $0.80
per  diluted  share.

For  the  quarter  ended  December  31,  1998, Incyte reported revenues of $36.6
million resulting in net income of $1.5 million or $0.05 per diluted share. This
represents  an  increase  of approximately 35% in revenues and a decrease in net
income  and  diluted  earnings per share from $3.1 million and $0.11 per diluted
share  reported  for the fourth quarter of 1997.  The net income for the quarter
and  year  ended  December  31,  1998  were  impacted by the ramp up in expenses
related  to  the  genomic  sequencing  and  single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)
discovery  programs  previously attributed to the Incyte Genetics business unit.
Excluding  the  impact  of  this  business unit, net income would have been $6.9
million  or  diluted  earnings per share of $0.23 for the quarter ended December
31,  1998.

Revenues  were  driven  predominantly by database subscriptions, which increased
approximately 40% to $105.6 million. Reagent revenues generated by the Company's
Genome  Systems  subsidiary  increased  75% to $8.8 million.  Microarray service
revenues, fueled by the growth of the Synteni business acquired in January 1998,
ended  the  year  at  $8.0  million.  Incyte  signed  five  major new multi-year
microarray  collaborations  in  1998  with  Amgen,  Monsanto,  Novartis,
Schering-Plough  and  Zeneca.  Only  the  Monsanto  microarray  agreement  had a
significant  impact  on  1998 revenues with the remaining agreements expected to
impact  revenues  in  1999.  The  remaining revenues were attributed to software
license  revenues, contract sequencing and intellectual property related license
fees.

During the fourth quarter of 1998 Incyte announced two major combined microarray
and  database  partnerships, one with Schering Plough focusing on pharmaceutical
applications and a second with Zeneca focusing on agricultural applications.  In
addition  to  access  to  Incyte  microarray services, Schering-Plough will have
multi-year  access to the LifeSeq  gene sequence and expression database and the
LifeSeq  FL  database  of full-length genes.  Zeneca will have multi-year access
to  Incyte's  PhytoSeq  database  which will contain sequence information from a
range  of  agriculturally  important  crops including wheat, maize and rice.  In
January  1999,  Incyte announced that Pharmacia & Upjohn expanded their existing
genomic  database  agreement  to  include Incyte's PathoSeq  database containing
genomic  information  for  over  40  bacterial  and  fungal  microorganisms.

Today  Incyte  also  announced  the renewal of two of its database partnerships.
Abbott  Laboratories  renewed  its  LifeSeq  database  subscription  and added a
microarray  access  agreement.  The  second  agreement,  with Johnson & Johnson,
represents  a  major  expansion that gives Johnson & Johnson access to the broad
portfolio  of  Incyte  database  and software products including the new LifeSeq
Gold  assembled  database,  the  LifeSeq  Atlas  mapping database and the ZooSeq
animal database.  Johnson & Johnson will continue to have access to the PathoSeq
database  added  in  March  1998.

On  the  patent front, during the fourth quarter Incyte was granted an exclusive
license to a pioneering patent from the Montefiore Medical Center which includes
claims  covering  methods  for  measuring  gene expression using a defined array
(Patent  No.  4,981,783).  In  addition,  Incyte  was issued its first expressed
sequence  tag  (EST)  patent  covering  ESTs  encoding  44 novel protein kinases
(Patent  No. 5,817,479).  Finally, in January 1999, the United States Patent and
Trademark  Office  notified  Incyte that the claims of a two-color hybridization
patent licensed exclusively to Incyte were allowable and as a result recommended
that  an  interference  be  declared  with  Patent  No.  5,800,992  assigned  to
Affymetrix,  Inc.


TRACKING  STOCK
- ---------------

Separately  Incyte announced that it will not pursue a tracking stock vehicle to
finance  the  programs  of  the new business unit, Incyte Genetics, announced in
August  1998.  The  adoption  of an accelerated time frame for the human genomic
sequencing and mapping programs, coupled with the reduced cost estimates and the
projected  positive  cash flow from its database business, have given Incyte the
ability  to  finance  the  programs  designated for Incyte Genetics from current
financial  resources.

"We  are  very  encouraged  by  the  results  of  the  first four months' of the
genome-wide  sequencing and mapping initiatives announced in August," said Randy
Scott,  Ph.D.,  President and Chief Scientific Officer of Incyte.  "The strategy
of  targeting  gene-rich  segments  of the human genome based on the competitive
advantage afforded Incyte by our LifeSeq database has surpassed our expectations
for  enhanced gene discovery compared to conventional random shotgun sequencing.
We  now have identified the 5' and 3' ends of approximately 110,000 human genes.
Our goal is now to have sequenced, mapped and filed for intellectual property on
the  novel  and  most commercially relevant genes by the second half of the year
2000."

"We  are  very pleased that Incyte can pursue its mapping and genomic sequencing
programs  to completion without creation of the tracking stock vehicle" said Roy
A.  Whitfield,  Chief  Executive  Officer of Incyte.  "Further, we can avoid the
risk  that  the  tracking  stock  vehicle would threaten Incyte's ability to use
pooling of interests accounting for acquisitions and therefore limit our ability
to  continue  with our aggressive merger and acquisition strategy, and not incur
the  complexity  and  administrative  costs  associated  with  a  tracking stock
vehicle."


1999  TARGETS
- -------------

The  following  statements  are based on current expectations.  These statements
are forward-looking, and actual results may differ materially.  These statements
do  not  reflect the potential impact of any mergers or acquisitions that may be
completed  after  the  date  of  this  release.

Incyte  currently expects revenues to increase 40% in 1999 to approximately $190
million.  This includes an increase of 25-30% in database subscription revenues.
Microarray  service  revenues  are  expected  to make a significant contribution
increasing  from  less  than  10% of revenues in 1998 to approximately 15-20% of
total  revenues  in  1999.

During  1999  Incyte  plans  to  invest approximately $45 million in the genomic
sequencing,  mapping,  SNP  discovery  programs  and  related  patent  filings
previously  attributed  to  Incyte Genetics.  As a result the Company expects to
report  a  loss  of  approximately  $20 million for 1999.  The Company currently
plans  to  return to profitability in the second half of 2000 driven both by the
reduction  in  expenses  as  the  genomic  sequencing and mapping programs reach
completion and due to growth in database, microarray service and other revenues.

"1999  will be a year of aggressive investment at Incyte as we take advantage of
our  leadership  position in genomic sequencing to capture the commercial return
from  being  the first to map and sequence the commercially relevant sections of
the  human genome," commented Roy A. Whitfield, Incyte's Chief Executive Officer
of  Incyte.  "This significant short-term investment, coupled with the expansion
of  manufacturing  capabilities  for  Incyte's  growing  microarray  service and
expression  database business, will result in a net loss for 1999.  We expect to
enter  the  year  2000  with  a  strong  balance  sheet,  poised  to  return  to
profitability  in  the  second  half  of  the  year."

Incyte  Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a leading provider of an integrated platform of
genomic technologies designed to aid in the understanding of the molecular basis
of  disease.  Incyte  develops  and  markets  genomic  information-based  tools
including  sequence  and expression databases, genomic data management software,
microarray-based gene expression services, and related reagents.  These products
and  services  assist  the  pharmaceutical  and  biotechnology industries in all
phases  of drug discovery and development.  For more information, visit Incyte's
web  site  at  www.incyte.com.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in
this press release, including statements as to expected revenues from microarray
collaborations,  projected  positive  cash  flow  from  the  company's  database
business,  expected  profitability, revenue targets, expected expenditure levels
in  new  programs,  the  adequacy  of capital resources, the ability and time to
complete  the  sequencing  and  mapping  of the human genome, and the statements
under  the  subheading  "1999 Targets" are forward-looking statements within the
meaning  of  the  "safe  harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform  Act  of  1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties  that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the
extent  of  utilization  of  genomic  information  by  the  biotechnology,
pharmaceutical and agricultural industries; risks relating to the development of
new  products and their use by potential collaborators; the ability to implement
technological improvements; the impact of alternative technological advances and
competition;  the  ability  of the Company to obtain and retain customers; early
termination  of  a  database  collaboration  agreement  or  failure  to renew an
agreement  upon expiration; developments in and expenses relating to litigation;
uncertainties related to the issuance and enforcement of patents; the ability to
obtain  results from genomic sequencing operations at levels at least equivalent
to  those  obtained  during  the past four months. and other risks detailed from
time  to  time  in  Incyte's SEC reports, including its Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q  for  the quarter ended September 30, 1998.  Incyte disclaims any intent or
obligation  to  update  these  forward-looking  statements.




                          INCYTE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
                      CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)


DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, 1998(1) 1997(1) -------------- -------------- Assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 50,048 $ 55,598 Restricted cash - 6,000 Marketable securities - available-for-sale 61,185 57,497 Accounts receivable, net 14,318 19,983 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 5,813 3,836 -------------- -------------- Total current assets 131,364 142,914 Property and equipment, net 54,429 38,070 Long-term investments 20,653 14,800 Goodwill and other intangible assets 16,955 - Deposits and other assets 6,889 3,305 -------------- -------------- Total assets $ 230,290 $ 199,089 ============== ============== Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Accounts payable $ 8,244 $ 5,791 Accrued and other current liabilities 7,843 5,416 Accrued compensation 4,786 3,192 Due to joint venture - 6,000 Deferred revenue 29,054 31,815 -------------- -------------- Total current liabilities 49,927 52,214 Non-current liabilities 796 1,173 -------------- -------------- Total liabilities 50,723 53,387 -------------- -------------- Total stockholders' equity 179,567 145,702 -------------- -------------- Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 230,290 $ 199,089 ============== ==============
(1)The condensed consolidated balance sheets has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date INCYTE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS) (UNAUDITED)
Incyte General Incyte Genetics Three Months Three Months Ended December 31, Ended December 31, ------------------- -------------------- x 1998 1997 1998 1997 ------- ------- -------- ------ Revenues $35,779 $26,922 $ 868 $ 425 Research and development 22,737 20,679 4,874 746 Selling, general and administrative 6,593 3,965 1,649 81 ------- ------- -------- ------ Total operating expenses 29,330 24,644 6,523 827 Income (loss) from operations 6,449 2,278 (5,655) (402) Interest and other income, net 1,780 1,735 (14) - Losses from joint venture - - (834) (300) ------- ------- -------- ------ Income (loss) before income taxes 8,229 4,013 (6,503) (702) Provision (benefit) for income taxes 1,374 248 (1,133) (13) Net income (loss) $ 6,855 $ 3,765 $(5,370) $(689) ======= ======= ======== ====== Supplemental pro forma diluted net income per share(2) $ 0.23 $ 0.13
Incyte Consolidated Three Months Ended December 31, 1998 1997(1) -------- -------- Revenues $36,647 $27,347 Research and development 27,611 21,425 Selling, general and administrative 8,242 4,046 -------- -------- Total operating expenses 35,853 25,471 Income (loss) from operations 794 1,876 Interest and other income, net 1,766 1,735 Losses from joint venture (834) (300) -------- -------- Income (loss) before income taxes 1,726 3,311 Provision (benefit) for income taxes 241 235 Net income (loss) $ 1,485 $ 3,076 ======== ======== Basic net income per share $ 0.05 $ 0.12 Diluted net income per share $ 0.05 $ 0.11 Basic shares 27,782 26,118 Diluted shares 29,338 28,399
(1)Restated to reflect the acquisition of Synteni, Inc., which was accounted for as a pooling of interests. (2)The supplemental pro forma net income per share are computed assuming all existing common stock is redesignated as Incyte General Stock on a one-for-one basis. As discussed in the text of this press release, the Company has decided not to proceed with the tracking stock recapitalization. Because the Incyte General and Incyte Genetics business units will be combined, the Company will not publish separate financial information relating to those units after this date. INCYTE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS) (UNAUDITED)
Incyte General Incyte Genetics Twelve Months Twelve Months Ended December 31, Ended December 31, ------------------- -------------------- 1998 1997 1998 1997 -------- ------- --------- -------- Revenues $132,041 $88,863 $ 2,770 $ 1,133 Research and development 89,036 70,152 8,156 2,300 Selling, general and administrative 22,487 13,715 2,951 213 Charge for in-process R&D - - 10,978 - Acquisition-related charges 1,171 - - - -------- ------- --------- -------- Total operating expenses 112,694 83,867 22,085 2,513 Income (loss) from operations 19,347 4,996 (19,315) (1,380) Interest and other income, net 7,280 4,140 (14) - Losses from joint venture - - (1,474) (300) -------- ------- --------- -------- Income (loss) before income taxes 26,627 9,136 (20,803) (1,680) Provision (benefit) for income taxes 4,448 582 (2,096) (34) -------- ------- --------- -------- Net income (loss) $ 22,179 $ 8,554 $(18,707) $(1,646) ======== ======= ========= ======== Net income excluding acquisition charges $ 23,239 Basic net income per share Diluted net income per share Supplemental pro forma diluted net Income per share $ 0.77 $ 0.32 Supplemental pro forma diluted net income Per share excluding acquisition charges(2) $ 0.80
Incyte Consolidated Twelve Months Ended December 31, 1998 1997(1) --------- -------- Revenues $134,811 $89,996 Research and development 97,192 72,452 Selling, general and administrative 25,438 13,928 Charge for in-process R&D 10,978 - Acquisition-related charges 1,171 - --------- -------- Total operating expenses 134,779 86,380 Income (loss) from operations 32 3,616 Interest and other income, net 7,266 4,140 Losses from joint venture (1,474) (300) --------- -------- Income (loss) before income taxes 5,824 7,456 Provision (benefit) for income taxes 2,352 548 Net income (loss) $ 3,472 $ 6,908 ========= ======== Basic net income per share $ 0.13 $ 0.28 Diluted net income per share $ 0.12 $ 0.26 Basic shares 26,921 24,300 Diluted shares 28,899 26,498 Net income excluding acquisition charges $ 15,510 Basic net income per share $ 0.58 Diluted net income per share $ 0.54
(1) Restated to reflect the acquisition of Synteni, Inc., which was accounted for as a pooling of interests. (2) The supplemental pro forma net income per share are computed assuming all existing common stock is redesignated as Incyte General Stock on a one-for-one basis. As discussed in the text of this press release, the Company has decided not to proceed with the tracking stock recapitalization. Because the Incyte General and Incyte Genetics business units will be combined, the Company will not publish separate financial information relating to those units after this date.