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  <periodOfReport>2003-08-21</periodOfReport>
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    <issuer>
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        <issuerName>DIACRIN INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DCRN</issuerTradingSymbol>
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            <rptOwnerCik>0000903292</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FRASER THOMAS H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O DIACRIN INC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>96 13TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHARLESTOWN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02129</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
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      <officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
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          <value>Common Stock</value>
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      <securityTitle>
        <value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value>
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        <value></value>
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          <value>20000</value>
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        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <footnoteId id="F9"/>
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          <value>D</value>
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      <exerciseDate>
        <footnoteId id="F9"/>
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      <expirationDate>
        <value>2007-03-17</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
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          <value>20000</value>
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  <footnotes>
    <footnote id="F1">Disposed of pursuant to a merger agreement between the issuer and GenVec, Inc. in exchange for 811,986 shares of GenVec common stock having an aggregate value of $1,875,688 on the effective date of the merger.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F2">These stock options, which provide for vesting in four equal annual installments beginning on December 17, 1998, were assumed by GenVec in connection with the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 45,876 shares of GenVec common stock at an exercise price of $7.03 per share.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F3">These stock options, which provide for vesting in four equal annual installments beginning on December 21, 1999, were assumed by GenVec in connection with the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 38,230 shares of GenVec common stock at an exercise price of $3.44 per share.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F4">These stock options, which provide for vesting in four equal annual installments beginning on December 30, 2000, were assumed by GenVec in connection with the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 38,230 shares of GenVec common stock at an exercise price of $4.09 per share.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F5">These stock options, which provide for vesting in four equal annual installments beginning on December 27, 2001, were assumed by GenVec in connection with the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 38,230 shares of GenVec common stock at an exercise price of $3.07 per share. </footnote>
    <footnote id="F6">These stock options, which provide for vesting in four equal annual installments beginning on January 14, 2003, were assumed by GenVec in connection with the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 99,398 shares of GenVec common stock at an exercise price of $1.36 per share.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F7">These stock options, which provide for vesting in four equal annual installments beginning on January 13, 2004, were assumed by GenVec in connection with the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 45,876 shares of GenVec common stock at an exercise price of $0.70 per share.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F8">This stock option, which is fully vested and immediately exercisable, was assumed by GenVec in connection with the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 76,460 share of GenVec common stock at an exercise price of $1.64 per share.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F9">This stock option, which is fully vested and immediately exercisable, was assumed by GenVec in connection with the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 30,584 shares of GenVec common stock at an exercise price of $7.85 per share.</footnote>
  </footnotes>
  <ownerSignature>
    <signatureName>/s/ Thomas H. Fraser</signatureName>
    <signatureDate>2003-08-21</signatureDate>
  </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

