-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 MqRUlT03herpJejgvb0icqZRkBKpp8THp1xwUrBi8NjU0+dDFAHs/lzAo/DdCS2e
 WukfvUyMPY63sEI2IvbGmQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001140361-10-043899.txt : 20101105
<SEC-HEADER>0001140361-10-043899.hdr.sgml : 20101105
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20101105150142
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001140361-10-043899
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20101103
FILED AS OF DATE:		20101105
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20101105

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BAFFI ROBERT
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001274826

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-26727
		FILM NUMBER:		101168293

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O BIOMARIN PHARMACEUTICAL INC.
		STREET 2:		105 DIGITAL DRIVE
		CITY:			NOVATO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94949

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BIOMARIN PHARMACEUTICAL INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001048477
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
		IRS NUMBER:				680397820
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		105 DIGITAL DRIVE
		CITY:			NOVATO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94949
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4155066700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		105 DIGITAL DRIVE
		CITY:			NOVATO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94949
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc1.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-11-03</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001048477</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BIOMARIN PHARMACEUTICAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BMRN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001274826</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BAFFI ROBERT</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BIOMARIN PHARMACEUTICAL INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>105 DIGITAL DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NOVATO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94949</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, Technical Operations</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-10-29</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2010-10-29</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>473</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>11.637</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>69713</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2010-11-03</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>25.244</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>67713</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The reporting person is voluntarily reporting the acquisition of shares of the issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Program (&quot;ESPP&quot;), for the ESPP purchase period of May 1, 2010 to October 29, 2010.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">In accordance with ESPP, these shares have been purchased at 85% of the closing price of issuer's common stock on April 30, 2010.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The price in Column 4 is a weighted average price. The prices actually received range from $25.24 to $25.251. The reporting person will provide to the issuer, any security holder of the issuer, or the SEC staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Laura Randall Woodhead, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-11-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----