Exhibit 1.3

                      FIRST AMENDMENT TO ENGAGEMENT LETTER

         This First Amendment to Engagement Letter (this "Amendment") is entered
into this 3rd day of October, 2002, by and between REEDLAND CAPITAL PARTNERS, an
Institutional  Division  of  Financial  West Group  ("Reedland"),  and  BIOMARIN
PHARMACEUTICAL INC. (the "Company").

                            W I T N E S S E T H :

Whereas,  on August 15, 2001, the Company  entered into that certain  Engagement
Letter  agreement with Reedland,  a copy of which is attached  hereto as Exhibit
"A" and incorporated herein by this reference (the "Engagement Letter"); and

Whereas,  the Company and Reedland  desire to amend the terms of the  Engagement
Letter to extend the term of Reedland's engagement;

NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the above premises and the mutual covenants
contained herein, and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as
follows:

1.       The  first sentence  of the third paragraph of page 1 of the Engagement
         Letter shall be and is hereby deemed amended in its entirety to read as
         follows:

         "The  term  of  Reedland's  engagement  (the  "Engagement  Period")  as
         placement  agent  for  the  offer  and sale  of the Common Stock to the
         Investor will commence on the date of  actual receipt by Reedland of an
         executed copy  of this Engagement  Letter from the  Company and, unless
         extended pursuant to the further written agreement of the parties, will
         expire  upon  the earlier of (i)  twenty-six (26) months  following the
         execution of the  Engagement Letter  by the  Company, or  (ii) the date
         that the Offering is terminated by the Company or the Investor."

2.       All of the  other terms  and conditions of the Engagement  Letter shall
         remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed
by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized, as of the date first above written.


REEDLAND CAPITAL PARTNERS                         BIOMARIN PHARMACEUTICAL INC.


By: /s/ Thomas J. Griesel                      By: /s/ Louis Drapeau
    ---------------------                          -----------------
    Thomas J. Griesel                              Louis Drapeau
    Senior Vice President                          Vice President, Finance,
                                                   Secretary and Chief Financial
                                                   Officer (Principal Financial
                                                   and Accounting Officer)