UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13G


                    UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                               (AMENDMENT NO. __)*

                          Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                           Common Stock, no par value
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    64125C10
                            -----------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

*The  remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting  person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any  subsequent  amendment  containing  information  which  would  alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise  subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but  shall be  subject  to all other  provisions  of the Act  (however,  see the
Notes).

                                Page 1 of 5 pages

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CUSIP NO.         64125C10          13G                 PAGE  2   OF   5   PAGES
                                                            -----    -----      
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



- ------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1     NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
        S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

        Abingworth Bioventures SICAV
- ------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2     CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                    (a)  [  ]

                                                                    (b)  [  ]
- ------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  3     SEC USE ONLY

- ------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  4     CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

        Luxembourg
- ------------------------- ----- ------------------------------------------------
                           5    SOLE VOTING POWER
       NUMBER OF
                                878,970
                          ----- ------------------------------------------------
         SHARES            6    SHARED VOTING POWER
      BENEFICIALLY
        OWNED BY                - 0 -
                          ----- ------------------------------------------------
          EACH             7    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
       REPORTING
         PERSON                 878,970
                          ----- ------------------------------------------------
          WITH             8    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                                - 0 -
- ------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  9     AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

        878,970
- ------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 10     CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*[ ]

- ------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 11     PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

        5.2%
- ------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 12     TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON *

        CO
- ------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!

                                Page 2 of 5 pages







ITEM 1(A).        Name of Issuer:  Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.

ITEM 1(B).        Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
                  3050 Science Park Road, San Diego, CA   92121

ITEM 2(A).        Name of Person Filing:  Abingworth Bioventures SICAV ("ABS")

ITEM 2(B).        Address of Principal  Business Office or, if None,  Residence:
                  The address of the principal business office of ABS is 231 Val
                  des Bons Malades, L-2121 Luxembourg-Kirchberg.

ITEM 2(C).        Citizenship:  ABS is a corporation organized under the laws of
                  Luxembourg.

ITEM 2(D).        Title of Class of Securities:  Common Stock, no par value.

ITEM 2(E).        CUSIP Number:  64125C10

ITEM 3.           If this  statement  is filed  pursuant to Rules  13d-1(b),  or
                  13d-2(b), check whether the person filing is a:

                  (a) [   ]  Broker  or  Dealer  registered  under Section 15 of
                             the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act").

                  (b) [   ]  Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act.

                  (c) [   ]  Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of
                             the Act.

                  (d) [   ]  Investment Company  registered  under  Section 8 of
                             the Investment Company Act of 1940.

                  (e) [   ]  Investment Adviser registered  under Section 203 of
                             the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

                  (f) [   ]  Employee  Benefit  Plan,   Pension  Fund  which  is
                             subject   to  the   provisions   of  the   Employee
                             Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or Endowment
                             Fund; see Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F) of the Act.

                  (g) [   ]  Parent  Holding  Company,  in accordance  with Rule
                             13d-1(b)(ii)(G) of the Act.

                  (h) [   ]  Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(H)of
                             the Act.

                  Not  applicable.  This  statement on Schedule 13G is not filed
                  pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b) or Rule13d-2(b).


                               Page 3 of 5 pages




ITEM 4.           Ownership.

                  (a)      Amount  Beneficially  Owned:  ABS is the  record  and
                           beneficial owner of 878,970 shares of Common Stock as
                           of December 31, 1996.

                  (b)      Percent of Class:  5.2%. The foregoing  percentage is
                           calculated  based on the 16,766,473  shares of Common
                           Stock  reported to be  outstanding  in the  Quarterly
                           Report on Form 10-Q of Neurocrine  Biosciences,  Inc.
                           for the quarter ended September 30, 1996.

                  (c)      Number of shares as to which such person has:

                            (i)     sole  power to vote or to  direct  the vote:
                                    878,970 shares.

                            (ii)    shared  power to vote or to direct the vote:
                                    0 shares.

                            (iii)   sole  power  to  dispose  or to  direct  the
                                    disposition of: 878,970 shares.

                            (iv)    shared  power to  dispose  or to direct  the
                                    disposition of: 0 shares.

ITEM 5.           Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 6.           Ownership  of More than  Five  Percent  on  Behalf of  Another
                  Person.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 7.           Identification  and  Classification  of the  Subsidiary  Which
                  Acquired the Security  Being Reported on by the Parent Holding
                  Company.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 8.           Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

                  Not applicable

ITEM 9.           Notice of Dissolution of Group.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 10.          Certification.

                  Not  applicable.  This  statement on Schedule 13G is not filed
                  pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b).


                                Page 4 of 5 pages




                                    SIGNATURE

         After  reasonable  inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and belief,
the  undersigned  certifies that the  information set forth in this statement is
true, complete and correct.

Date:    February 4, 1997


ABINGWORTH BIOVENTURES SICAV

By:  /s/ Karl U. SANNE
   ----------------------
   Name: Karl U. SANNE

Title:  Director


By:  /s/ Fernand HEIM
   ----------------------
   Name: Fernand HEIM

Title:  Mandatory