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                       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 11, 2002

                         BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.,
                            a Delaware Corporation
           (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


           Delaware                   000-26727                   68-0397820
(State or other jurisdiction of      (Commission                (IRS Employer
 incorporation or organization)      File Number)            Identification No.)


371 Bel Marin Keys Boulevard, Suite 210, Novato, California              94949
(Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:               (415) 884-6700


                                 Not Applicable
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
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Item 5.  Other Events.

     On September  11, 2002 the Board of  Directors  of BioMarin  Pharmaceutical
Inc. (the "Company") authorized a dividend of one preferred share purchase right
(a "Right") for each share of common stock,  $.001 par value per share  ("Common
Shares") of the Company  outstanding  at the close of business on September  23,
2002 (the  "Record  Date").  As long as the  Rights are  attached  to the Common
Shares,  the Company will issue one Right (subject to adjustment)  with each new
Common  Share  so  that  all  such  shares  will  have  attached  Rights.   When
exercisable,  each Right will entitle the registered holder to purchase from the
Company one one-hundredth of a share of Series B Junior Participating  Preferred
Stock  (the  "Preferred  Shares")  at a price of $35.00 per  one-hundredth  of a
Preferred Share,  subject to adjustment (the "Purchase Price").  The description
and  terms  of the  Rights  are set  forth in a  Rights  Agreement,  dated as of
September  11,  2002,  as the same may be amended from time to time (the "Rights
Agreement"),  between the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New Jersey
limited liability company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

     Initially,  the Rights will be attached  to all Common  Stock  certificates
evidencing shares then outstanding,  and no separate Rights certificates will be
distributed.  Until the earlier to occur of (i) ten (10) days following a public
announcement  that a person or group of  affiliated  or  associated  persons has
acquired, or obtained the right to acquire,  beneficial ownership of 15% or more
of the Common Shares (an "Acquiring  Person") or (ii) ten (10) business days (or
such later date as may be determined  by action of the Board of Directors  prior
to such time as any person or group of affiliated  persons  becomes an Acquiring
Person)  following the  commencement  or  announcement of an intention to make a
tender  offer or exchange  offer the  consummation  of which would result in the
beneficial  ownership  by a person or group of 15% or more of the Common  Shares
(the earlier of (i) and (ii) being called the "Distribution  Date"),  the Rights
will be  represented,  with  respect  to any of the  Common  Share  certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate.

     The Rights Agreement  provides that until the Distribution Date (or earlier
redemption,  exchange, termination or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will
be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date
(or earlier redemption,  exchange, termination or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Share certificates  issued after the close of business on the Record Date
upon  transfer  or new  issuance of the Common  Shares  will  contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or
earlier  redemption,  exchange,  termination  or expiration of the Rights),  the
surrender for transfer of any  certificates  for Common Shares,  with or without
such  notation or a copy of this  Summary of Rights,  will also  constitute  the
transfer of the Rights  associated  with the Common Shares  represented  by such
certificate.  As soon as practicable  following the Distribution Date,  separate
certificates  representing the Rights ("Right  Certificates")  will be mailed to
holders  of record of the  Common  Shares  as of the  close of  business  on the
Distribution Date and such separate Right  Certificates alone will represent the
Rights.

     The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will
expire on September 23, 2012 subject to the Company's  right to extend such date
(the "Final  Expiration  Date"),  unless  earlier  redeemed or  exchanged by the
Company or terminated.



     Each  Preferred  Share  purchasable  upon  exercise  of the Rights  will be
entitled, when, as and if declared, to a minimum preferential quarterly dividend
payment of $0.01 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate  dividend of 100
times  the  dividend,  if any,  declared  per  Common  Share.  In the  event  of
liquidation,  dissolution  or  winding  up of the  Company,  the  holders of the
Preferred Shares will be entitled to a minimum preferential  liquidation payment
of  $10,000  per share  (plus any  accrued  but  unpaid  dividends)  but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share.
Each Preferred  Share will have 100 votes and will vote together with the Common
Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger,  consolidation or other transaction
in which Common Shares are exchanged,  each Preferred  Share will be entitled to
receive 100 times the amount  received per Common Share.  Preferred  Shares will
not  be  redeemable.  These  rights  are  protected  by  customary  antidilution
provisions. Because of the nature of the Preferred Share's dividend, liquidation
and  voting  rights,  the  value  of  one  one-hundredth  of a  Preferred  Share
purchasable  upon  exercise of each Right  should  approximate  the value of one
Common Share.

     The Purchase  Price  payable,  and the number of Preferred  Shares or other
securities  or  property  issuable,  upon  exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment  from time to time to  prevent  dilution  (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or  warrants  to  subscribe  for or  purchase  Preferred  Shares or  convertible
securities  at less than the current  market  price of the  Preferred  Shares or
(iii) upon the  distribution to holders of the Preferred  Shares of evidences of
indebtedness,  cash,  securities or assets or of subscription rights or warrants
(other than those referred to above).

     In the event that a person becomes an Acquiring Person or if the Company is
the surviving  corporation in a merger with an Acquiring Person or any affiliate
or associate of an  Acquiring  Person and the Common  Shares were not changed or
exchanged,  each holder of a Right,  other than Rights that are or were acquired
or beneficially  owned by the Acquiring Person (which Rights will be void), will
thereafter  have the right to receive,  upon  exercise  thereof,  that number of
Common Shares having a market value of two times the then-current Purchase Price
of the Right. In the event that, after a person has become an Acquiring  Person,
the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or
more than 50% of its assets or earning power are sold, proper provision shall be
made so that each holder of a Right shall  thereafter have the right to receive,
upon the exercise thereof at the then-current  Purchase Price of the Right, that
number of shares of common stock of the  acquiring  company which at the time of
such  transaction  would  have a market  value  of two  times  the  then-current
Purchase Price of the Right.

     For example, at an exercise price of $35.00 per Right, each Right not owned
by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following a Trigger Event
would  entitle its holder to  purchase  $70.00  worth of Common  Stock (or other
consideration,  as noted above) for $35.00. Assuming that the Common Stock had a
per share value of $10.00 at such time,  the holder of each valid Right would be
entitled to purchase seven shares of Common Stock for $35.00.

     At any time  after a person  becomes an  Acquiring  Person and prior to the
earlier of one of the events  described  in the last  sentence  of the  previous
paragraph  or the  acquisition  by such  Acquiring  Person of 50% or more of the
outstanding  Common  Shares,  the Board of  Directors  may cause the  Company to
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person,  which will
be  void),  in whole or in part,  for that  number of  Common  Shares  having an
aggregate  value  equal to the  Spread  (the  excess of the value of the  Common
Shares  issuable upon the exercise of a Right over the Purchase Price) per Right
(subject to adjustment).



     No  adjustment  in the  Purchase  Price will be required  until  cumulative
adjustments  require an  adjustment  of at least 1% in the  Purchase  Price.  No
fractional  Preferred  Shares  or  Common  Shares  will be  issued  (other  than
fractions of Preferred Shares which are integral  multiples of one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company,  be represented
by depository  receipts),  and in lieu  thereof,  a payment in cash will be made
based on the market price of the  Preferred  Shares or Common Shares on the last
trading date prior to the date of exercise.

     The Rights may be redeemed in whole,  but not in part,  at a price of $.001
per Right (the  "Redemption  Price") by the Board of Directors at any time prior
to the time that an Acquiring  Person has become  such.  The  redemption  of the
Rights  may be made  effective  at  such  time,  on such  basis  and  with  such
conditions  as the Board of  Directors  in its sole  discretion  may  establish.
Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights,  the right to exercise the Rights
will  terminate  and the only right of the  holders of Rights will be to receive
the Redemption Price.

     Until a Right is exercised, it will not entitle its holder to any rights as
a stockholder of the Company,  including,  without limitation, the right to vote
or to receive dividends.

     Any of the  provisions of the Rights  Agreement may be amended by the Board
of Directors for so long as the Rights are then redeemable, and after the Rights
are no longer  redeemable,  the  Company  may  amend or  supplement  the  Rights
Agreement  in any manner that does not  adversely  affect the  interests  of the
holders of the Rights.

     The Rights are  designed to assure that all of the  Company's  stockholders
receive fair and equal  treatment  in the event of any proposed  takeover of the
Company and to guard against  partial tender offers,  open market  accumulations
and other  abusive  tactics to gain  control of the Company  without  paying all
stockholders a control premium.  The Rights will cause substantial dilution to a
person or group that  acquires 15% or more of the  Company's  stock on terms not
approved by the Company's  Board of  Directors.  The Rights should not interfere
with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors
at any time before a person or group has become an Acquiring Person.

     The  Rights  Agreement  and the text of the press  release  announcing  the
declaration  of the Rights are  incorporated  herein by reference as exhibits to
this Current Report. The foregoing description of the Rights is qualified in its
entirety by reference to such exhibits.




Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Statements and Exhibits.

         (a)      Financial Statements of Business Acquired.

                  Not Applicable.

         (b)      Pro Forma Financial Information.

                  Not Applicable.

         (c)      Exhibits.

                  4.1      Rights Agreement, dated as of September 11, 2002,
                           between BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., a Delaware
                           corporation and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New
                           Jersey limited liability company as Rights Agent
                           (which includes the form of Certificate of
                           Designation, Preferences and Rights of the Series B
                           Junior Participating Preferred Stock of BioMarin
                           Pharmaceutical Inc. as Exhibit A, the form of Right
                           Certificate as Exhibit B and the Summary of Rights to
                           Purchase Preferred Shares as Exhibit C) (Incorporated
                           by reference to the Registrant's Registration
                           Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on
                           September 12, 2002).

                  99       Press Release of the Registrant dated September 12,
                           2002









                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities and Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.,
                                       a Delaware corporation


Date: September 11, 2002               By: /s/ Louis Drapeau
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Louis Drapeau
                                           Chief Financial Officer and Secretary









                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.                Description

4.1                        Rights Agreement, dated as of September 11, 2002,
                           between BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., a Delaware
                           corporation and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New
                           Jersey limited liability company as Rights Agent
                           (which includes the form of Certificate of
                           Designation, Preferences and Rights of the Series B
                           Junior Participating Preferred Stock of BioMarin
                           Pharmaceutical Inc. as Exhibit A, the form of Right
                           Certificate as Exhibit B and the Summary of Rights to
                           Purchase Preferred Shares as Exhibit C) (Incorporated
                           by referenced to the Registrant's Registration
                           Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on
                           September 12, 2002)

99                         Press Release of the Registrant dated September 12,
                           2002





Exhibit 99

NEWS

Contacts:


Joshua Grass                                         Fredda Malkoff
Manager, Investor and Financial Relations            Account Director
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.                         Feinstein Kean Healthcare
(415) 884-6777                                       (617) 577-8110



For Immediate Release:


                     BioMarin Adopts Stockholder Rights Plan

Novato,  California,  September 12, 2002 - BioMarin  Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq
and SWX New  Market:  BMRN)  today  announced  that its Board of  Directors  has
adopted a Stockholder Rights Plan.

BioMarin  adopted the Plan in order to better  protect  stockholders  and assure
that  they  receive  the  full  value of their  investment  in the  event of any
proposed  takeover of the Company.  BioMarin noted that the adoption of the Plan
was not in response to any  specific  attempt to acquire  control of the Company
and that the Company has no  knowledge  of any such  interest on the part of any
person.

Commenting  on the  Plan,  Fredric  D.  Price,  BioMarin's  Chairman  and  Chief
Executive Officer,  said, "It is the responsibility of our Board of Directors to
preserve and enhance  stockholder  value. It is not the intention of the Plan to
prevent  the  acquisition  or takeover of the Company at some time in the future
should the Board of Directors  determine  that such a transaction is in the best
interest of its stockholders.  Rather, the Plan is intended to help insulate the
Company from abusive  takeover tactics which are designed to gain control of the
Company without paying a full, fair price to all of the stockholders."

Terms of the Plan provide for stockholders of record at the close of business on
September  23,  2002 to receive one Right for each  outstanding  share of common
stock held.  The Rights will be exercisable if a person or group acquires 15% or
more of the Company's common stock or announces a tender offer or exchange offer
for 15% or more of the common stock. Depending on the circumstances,  the effect
of the  exercise  of the  Rights  will be to  permit  each  holder of a Right to
purchase  shares of  Preferred  Stock of the  Company  that  have  significantly
superior  dividend,  liquidation,  and voting  rights to the common  stock.  The
Company  will be  entitled  to redeem the Rights at $0.001 per Right at any time
before a person has acquired 15% or more of the  outstanding  common stock.  The
Plan will expire on September 23, 2012.



A letter explaining in greater detail the terms of the Plan will be forwarded to
stockholders following the September 23, 2002 record date.

BioMarin  specializes in the  development and  commercialization  of therapeutic
enzyme products to treat serious, life-threatening diseases and conditions.

This  press  release  contains  forward-looking  statements  about the  business
prospects of BioMarin  Pharmaceutical Inc. These forward-looking  statements are
predictions  and involve risks and  uncertainties  such that actual  results may
differ materially from these statements. Results may differ materially depending
on the  progress  of  BioMarin's  product  programs,  the actual  results of the
current  and  planned  clinical  trials,  actions  of  regulatory   authorities,
availability  of  capital,  future  actions  in the  pharmaceutical  market  and
developments by competitors,  and those factors  detailed in BioMarin's  filings
with the Securities and Exchange  Commission such as 10-Q, 10-K and 8-K reports.
Stockholders   are  urged  not  to  place  undue  reliance  on   forward-looking
statements,  which  speak  only as of the  date  hereof.  BioMarin  is  under no
obligation,  and  expressly  disclaims  any  obligation,  to update or alter any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events
or otherwise.

BioMarin's press releases and other company  information are available online at
http://www.biomarinpharm.com.