8-K

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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
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                                    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): February 9, 2000


                                AFFYMETRIX, INC.
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               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)



        Delaware                     0-28218                    77-0319159
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(State of Incorporation)      (Commission File Number)       (I.R.S. Employer
                                                             Identification No.)


             3380 Central Expressway, Santa Clara, California 95051
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                     Address of Principal Executive Offices



       Registrant's telephone number, including area code : (408) 731-5000


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ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

         On February 9, 2000, Genetic MicroSystems, Inc. ("GMS"), a
Massachusetts corporation, merged with and into GMS Acquisition, Inc. ("Merger
Sub"), a Massachusetts corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Affymetrix,
Inc. (the "Company"). As a result of the merger, GMS became a wholly owned
subsidiary of the Company. In the merger, each share of GMS common and preferred
stock issued and outstanding prior to the consummation of the merger (other than
those shares owned by the Company or GMS) was converted into, and became
exchangeable for the right to receive 0.2797 of a share of common stock of the
Company, together with the associated purchase rights. Moreover, each option or
warrant exercisable for GMS common or preferred stock issued and outstanding
prior to the consummation of the merger (other than those options or warrants
owned by the Company or GMS) was converted into an option or warrant exercisable
for the same fraction of a share of Affymetrix common stock, together with
associated purchase rights, under the same terms and conditions as existed for
the original option or warrant. As a result of the merger, the Company will
issue, in the aggregate, 1,070,000 shares of common stock of the Company.

          A copy of the press release issued in connection therewith is filed
as an Exhibit hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

         Exhibit 99.1         Press Release.







                                   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.



                                AFFYMETRIX, INC.


Dated: February 11, 2000       By:   /s/ Vern Norviel
                                  ---------------------------------------------
                               Name:  Vern Norviel
                               Title: Senior Vice President, General Counsel
                                      and Corporate Secretary





                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.              Description
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   99.1                  Press Release

EX-99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Contact: Affymetrix, Inc.
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         Edward M. Hurwitz                        Anne Bowdidge
         Vice President and                       Associate Director
         Chief Financial Officer                  of Investor Relations
         (408) 731-5000                           (408) 731-5925

                   AFFYMETRIX COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF GENETIC
                                  MICROSYSTEMS

SANTA CLARA, CA -FEBRUARY 10, 2000- Affymetrix,  Inc., (NASDAQ:  AFFX) announced
today the completion of its acquisition of Genetic  MicroSystems,  Inc. (GMS), a
privately-held  DNA  instrumentation  company  located in Woburn,  Mass.  In the
acquisition,  which was announced on September 13, 1999,  Affymetrix  will issue
shares of its common stock in exchange for all of the outstanding  capital stock
of GMS. The transaction is intended to qualify as a tax-free  reorganization and
to be  accounted  for as a pooling of  interests.  GMS will  operate as a wholly
owned  subsidiary of Affymetrix  and will maintain its facilities and operations
in Woburn, Mass.

Affymetrix  will offer the GMS product line as a complement  to its  GeneChip(R)
platform  for  researchers  who  want the  flexibility  to make  low-volumes  of
microarrays  using both known and unknown  genes.  Affymetrix  will  continue to
market its GeneChip platform to researchers desiring quantitative,  reproducible
genetic data for both expression and genotyping applications.

"Now  that the  acquisition  is  complete,  we can  accelerate  our  efforts  to
integrate GMS' capabilities to enhance our existing product offerings, including
software,  instrumentation  and  applications  support,"  said Susan E.  Siegel,
President  of  Affymetrix.  "This  acquisition  further  expands  our ability to
provide the research community with a comprehensive  solution for all their gene
expression analysis needs and other DNA array applications."

Affymetrix is a leader in  developing  and  commercializing  systems to acquire,
analyze and manage complex  genetic  information in order to improve the quality
of life. The Company's  GeneChip  system consists of disposable DNA probe arrays
containing gene sequences on a chip,  reagents for use with the probe arrays,  a
scanner,  and other  instruments  to process  the probe  arrays and  software to
analyze and manage  genetic  information.  The  Company's  spotted  array system
enables  individual  researchers to create and analyze custom  microarrays on an
easy-to-use,  cost efficient platform.  Additional information on Affymetrix and
GeneChip technology can be found at www.affymetrix.com.







All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward-looking
statements  within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities  Exchange Act as
amended,  including statements regarding Affymetrix'  "expectations," "beliefs,"
"hopes," "intentions,"  "strategies" or the like. Such statements are subject to
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially for
Affymetrix from those projected,  including,  but not limited to,  uncertainties
relating to technological approaches, product development, manufacturing, market
acceptance,  uncertainties  related to cost and pricing of Affymetrix  products,
dependence  on  collaborative  partners,  uncertainties  relating to sole source
suppliers,  uncertainties  relating  to  FDA  and  other  regulatory  approvals,
competition,   risks  relating  to  intellectual  property  of  others  and  the
uncertainties of patent protection and litigation.  These and other risk factors
are  discussed  in  Affymetrix'  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year  ended
December 31, 1998,  Form l0-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1999, Form S-3
filed July 12, 1999, as amended,  Form S-3 filed  December 10, 1999 and Form S-4
filed October 14, 1999 as amended. Affymetrix expressly disclaims any obligation
or   undertaking   to  release   publicly   any  updates  or  revisions  to  any
forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Affymetrix'
expectations  with  regard  thereto  or any  change in  events,  conditions,  or
circumstances on which any such statements are based.  Affymetrix,  GeneChip and
the Affymetrix logo are registered trademarks used by Affymetrix, Inc.