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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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                                    FORM 8-K

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                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) JULY 9, 1997
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                         ALEXION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
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             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


         DELAWARE                    0-27756                 13-3648318
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(State or Other Jurisdiction       (Commission               (IRS Employer
     of Incorporation)             File Number)            Identification No.)


     25 SCIENCE PARK, NEW HAVEN, CT                        06511
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                 (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:       (203) 776-1790
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                                 NOT APPLICABLE
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS

     On July 9, 1997, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. issued the press release
filed herewith as Exhibit 99.

ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

     (C) EXHIBITS.

     99. Press Release dated July 9, 1997.








                                   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.

                                       ALEXION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

Date: July 10, 1997                    By: /s/ LEONARD BELL, M.D.
                                           ----------------------
                                       Name:  Leonard Bell, M.D.
                                       Title: President, Chief Executive
                                              Officer, Secretary and Treasurer




                                                                     EXHIBIT 99

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

      Contact:    Leonard Bell, M.D.            Kate de Santis (Investor)
                  President and CEO             Susan Farley (Media)
                  Alexion Pharmaceuticals       Dewe Rogerson Inc.
                  203/776-1790                  212/688-6840

               ALEXION RECEIVES $11.2 MILLION IN PRIVATE PLACEMENT

New Haven, CT, July 9, 1997 -- Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALXN)
today announced that it has received from institutional investors $11.2 million
from the private placement of stock announced last month. Robertson, Stephens &
Company LLC served as Placement Agent in the transaction.

"We believe that these proceeds will allow us to importantly augment the
clinical development of our lead C5 complement inhibitors and more broadly
advance the manufacturing, preclinical development and clinical development of
our portfolio product candidates," said Dr. Leonard Bell, President and Chief
Executive Officer of Alexion.

Proceeds from the private placement will be used to fund the Company's research
and development activities including ongoing and planned clinical studies,
production of clinical trial material, preclinical studies, and for general
corporate purposes.

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is engaged in the
development of selective immunotherapeutic drugs that generally are designed to
inhibit the disease-causing segments of the immune system while preserving the
disease-preventing aspects of the immune system. The Company is developing three
technology platforms: C5 Complement Inhibitors and Apogen T-Cell Therapeutics
which together target severe cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders; and
xenografts for organ transplants.

This news release contains forward looking statements. Such statements are
subject to certain factors which may cause the Alexion's plans to differ or
results to vary from those expected including unexpected preclinical or clinical
results, the need for additional research and testing, delays in manufacturing,
access to capital and funding, delays in development of commercial relationships
and a variety of risks set forth from time to time in the Alexion's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Alexion's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended July 31, 1996 and those risks as
discussed in Alexion's Registration Statement (Registration No. 333-29617).
Alexion undertakes no obligation to publicly release results of any of these
forward-looking statements which may be made to reflect events or circumstances
after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. At
the time of sale to investors, the shares of Common Stock had not been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered
and





sold in the United States absent registration under such Act or an applicable
exemption from registration. Subsequent to the sale, a registration statement
relating to the resale of the shares was declared effective by the Securities
and Exchange Commission. This press release shall not constitute an offer to
sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Common Stock nor shall there be
any sale of these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or
sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the
securities laws of any such state.