8-K

                       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 1934

                          Date of Report: July 24, 2001

                           TITAN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
              ----------------------------------------------------
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

                                    DELAWARE
              ----------------------------------------------------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

          0-27436                                       94-3171940
- -----------------------------------          -----------------------------------
     (Commission File Number)                 (IRS Employer Identification No.)


400 OYSTER POINT BLVD., SUITE 505, SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA         94080
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (650) 244-4990
                                                   ------------------





Item 5.  OTHER EVENTS

         On July 24, 2001, the Registrant and Novartis Pharma AG announced their
plan to conduct additional clinical trials to further strengthen the profile of
iloperidone (Zomaril) for the treatment of schizophrenia. Data from these
studies will be included in the initial regulatory submissions, the first of
which is expected to be filed in the U.S. around the end of 2002.

         Reference is made to the related press release filed as Exhibit 20.1
hereto, which is incorporated by reference herein.

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

         (c)      Exhibits

                  20.1   Press Release dated July 24, 2001


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                                  SIGNATURES

         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.

                                       TITAN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.


                                       By:  /s/  ROBERT E. FARRELL
                                           -------------------------------------
                                              Robert E. Farrell, Executive Vice
                                           President and Chief Financial Officer

Dated:  July 24, 2001


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EX-20.1

                                                                    Exhibit 20.1

[Titan Pharmaceuticals Inc. Logo]

COMPANY:                      MEDIA:                     INVESTORS:
Louis R. Bucalo, M.D.         Alison Roselli             Amy Mumma
Chairman, President & CEO     Ogilvy Public Relations    Ogilvy Public Relations
Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.   212-880-5257               212-884-4036
Tel: 650-244-4990


          TITAN AND NOVARTIS PLAN ADDITIONAL CLINICAL TRIALS TO FURTHER
             STRENGTHEN PROFILE OF ILOPERIDONE FOR THE TREATMENT OF
                                 SCHIZOPHRENIA


    STUDIES TO DATE SUPPORT SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF NOVEL DEVELOPMENT COMPOUND

South San Francisco, CA / Basel 24 July 2001 - Titan Pharmaceuticals Inc. and
Novartis Pharma AG announced today that they will initiate dose-related trials,
including once-a-day dosing, which will more fully profile iloperidone. The
companies also said that clinical trials conducted to date support the favorable
efficacy, safety and tolerability profile of iloperidone in the treatment of
acute schizophrenia.

Additional studies will further investigate once-a-day-dosing, demonstrate a
favorable safety profile when switching from other antipsychotic agents to
iloperidone, and support the competitive profile of the compound. Data from
these studies will be included in the initial regulatory submissions. The first
submission is anticipated in the US around the end of 2002, followed by filings
elsewhere. Studies in additional indications such as acute mania are also
planned.

"We believe iloperidone represents an improvement in the treatment of
schizophrenia," said Joerg Reinhardt, Global Head of Development for Novartis
Pharma. "We recognize the need not only for an effective, well-tolerated
medication but also for simplified dosing to enhance overall compliance in this
often poorly compliant patient population. Therefore we have decided it is
important to include additional once-daily dosing studies in our program. We
believe the additional studies will strengthen the clinical profile of
iloperidone and will facilitate iloperidone's successful regulatory review both
in the United States and Europe", said Joerg Reinhardt.

The most recently completed placebo-controlled trial, Study 3005, investigated
two dose ranges of iloperidone for six weeks. Results from the high dose arm
(20-24 mg/day) showed a statistically significant improvement in symptoms
measured by the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Positive
and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS). Results from the low dose arm (12-16
mg/day), showed statistically significant results for iloperidone compared

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with placebo at weeks three, four and five, as well as a numerical trend at week
six. The favorable safety and tolerability profile of iloperidone was
reconfirmed in this study, with overall low incidence of extra-pyramidal
symptoms (EPS), and cardiovascular effects, little weight gain and low sedation,
which frequently affect patient compliance with agents in this class.

Analysis of safety and efficacy data from Phase III clinical trials, with more
than 3500 patients at some 300 sites around the world, shows that iloperidone is
efficacious and possesses a favorable safety and tolerability profile. Overall,
the development program has studied a range of doses from 4-24 milligrams per
day.

Long-term data from three double blind safety studies in approximately 1200
patients shows that patients in the iloperidone arm experienced a mean weight
gain of only 1.6-3.7 kg at 52 weeks and minimal EPS which remains stable or even
improves over 52 weeks. There was no increase in serum prolactin, no seizures,
and minimal effect on heart rate and blood pressure over 52 weeks.

Novartis acquired the rights to develop, manufacture and market iloperidone
worldwide from Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of South San Francisco, California in
November 1997.

"More than 45 million people worldwide suffer from schizophrenia and many
patients and physicians are unsatisfied with current therapeutic options," said
Titan Chairman and CEO, Dr. Louis R. Bucalo. "We believe that iloperidone has
clinical benefits that can help satisfy some of the unmet medical needs of these
patients, and we are committed to making it available to them as soon as
possible in a dose regimen that will be most advantageous to them."

Approximately 1% of the world's population, 45 million people in total, suffer
from schizophrenia. Despite major gains in diagnosis and treatment of the
disease during the 1990's, this large market remains unsatisfied by current
antipsychotic therapies. One common problem is the fact that many patients
discontinue therapy because of troubling or dangerous side effects such as
weight gain, impaired motor function, and cognitive disorders.

The foregoing press release contains forward-looking statements that can be
identified by terminology such as "will, believe, planned, show, can help, may,
as soon as possible, will be", or similar expressions. Such forward looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that
may cause the actual results involving iloperidone to be materially different
from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by
such statements. In particular, management's expectations could be affected, by
among other things, uncertainties relating to clinical trials, unexpected
regulatory delays or restrictions or government regulation generally; the
company's ability to obtain or maintain patent and other proprietary
intellectual property protection; and competition in general. Any of these
factors can cause the results to defer materiality.

Novartis (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in
pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In
2000, the Group's ongoing businesses achieved sales of CHF 29.1 billion (USD
17.2 billion) and a net income of CHF 6.5 billion (USD 3.9 billion). The Group
invested approximately CHF 4.0 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in R&D. Headquartered
in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis employs about 69 000 people and operates

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in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please consult
http://www.novartis.com.

Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ASE: TTP) is a biopharmaceutical company developing
proprietary therapeutics for the treatment of central nervous system disorders,
cancer and other serious and life-threatening diseases.



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