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                   Certificate of Designation

                               of

          Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock

                               of

                      CV THERAPEUTICS, INC.

                 (Pursuant to Section 151 of the
                Delaware General Corporation Law)

                 (Exhibit A to Rights Agreement)



     CV  Therapeutics, Inc., a corporation organized and existing

under  the  General  Corporation Law of  the  State  of  Delaware

(hereinafter  called the "Company"), hereby  certifies  that  the

following resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors of the

Corporation as required by Section 151 of the General Corporation

Law at a meeting duly called and held on February 2, 1999


          Resolved,  that pursuant to the authority  granted
          to  and  vested in the Board of Directors  of  the
          Company in accordance with the provisions  of  its
          Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation,
          the Board of Directors hereby creates a series  of
          Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share, of the
          Company  and  hereby  states the  designation  and
          number   of   shares,  and  fixes   the   relative
          designations  and  the  powers,  preferences   and
          rights,  and  the qualifications, limitations  and
          restrictions   thereof   (in   addition   to   the
          provisions   set  forth  in  the  Certificate   of
          Incorporation of the Company, which are applicable
          to the Preferred Stock of all classes and series),
          as follows:

          Series   A   Junior  Participating  Preferred
          Stock:

     Section 1.     Designation and Amount.  Three Hundred Thousand
(300,000)  shares  of  Preferred Stock, $  .001  par  value,  are
designated  "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock"  with
the  designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the
qualifications,  limitations  and restrictions  specified  herein
(the  "Junior  Preferred Stock").  Such number of shares  may  be
increased  or decreased by resolution of the Board of  Directors;
provided,  that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares  of
Junior Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares
then  outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance
upon  the exercise of

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outstanding options, rights or warrants  or upon  the conversion of
any outstanding securities issued by  the Company convertible into
Junior Preferred Stock.

Section 2.     Dividends and Distributions.

          (A)  Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any
series  of  Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking  prior
and  superior  to  the  Junior Preferred Stock  with  respect  to
dividends,  the holders of shares of Junior Preferred  Stock,  in
preference  to the holders of Common Stock, par value  $.001  per
share  (the  "Common Stock"), of the Company, and  of  any  other
junior  stock,  shall be entitled to receive,  when,  as  and  if
declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available
for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first
day  of April, July, October and January in each year (each  such
date  being  referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend  Payment
Date"),  commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment  Date
after  the  first issuance of a share or fraction of a  share  of
Junior  Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded  to  the
nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $l.00 or (b) subject to
the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the
aggregate  per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100  times
the  aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash
dividends  or other distributions, other than a dividend  payable
in  shares  of  Common Stock or a subdivision of the  outstanding
shares  of  Common  Stock  (by  reclassification  or  otherwise),
declared  on  the  Common Stock since the  immediately  preceding
Quarterly  Dividend Payment Date or, with respect  to  the  first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of  any
share  or fraction of a share of Junior Preferred Stock.  In  the
event  the Company shall at any time declare or pay any  dividend
on  the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect
a  subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than  by
payment  of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a  greater
or  lesser  number of shares of Common Stock, then in  each  such
case  the  amount to which holders of shares of Junior  Preferred
Stock  were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause
(b)  of  the  preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying
such  amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the  number
of  shares  of  Common Stock outstanding immediately  after  such
event  and  the denominator of which is the number of  shares  of
Common  Stock  that were outstanding immediately  prior  to  such
event.

(B)  The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Junior Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this
Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution
on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of
Common Stock); provided, that in the event no dividend or
distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during
the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the
next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of
$1.00 per share on the Junior Preferred Stock shall nevertheless
be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

(C)  Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Junior Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such
shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the
record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from
the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is
a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record
date for the determination of holders of shares of Junior

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Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and
before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which
events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative
from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.  Accrued but unpaid
dividends shall not bear interest.  Dividends paid on the shares
of Junior Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount
of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares
shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all
such shares at the time outstanding.  The Board of Directors may
fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Junior Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend
or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not
more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment
thereof.

     Section 3.     Voting Rights.  The holders of shares of Junior
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

          (A)  Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth,  each  share of Junior Preferred Stock shall  entitle  the
holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of
the  stockholders of the Company.  In the event the Company shall
at  any  time  declare or pay any dividend on  the  Common  Stock
payable  in  shares of Common Stock, or effect a  subdivision  or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of  Common
Stock  (by  reclassification or otherwise than by  payment  of  a
dividend  in  shares of Common Stock) into a  greater  or  lesser
number  of  shares of Common Stock, then in each  such  case  the
number  of  votes per share to which holders of shares of  Junior
Preferred  Stock were entitled immediately prior  to  such  event
shall  be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction,  the
numerator  of  which  is  the number of shares  of  Common  Stock
outstanding  immediately after such event and the denominator  of
which  is  the  number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock  that  were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(B)  Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other
Certificate of Designation creating a series of Preferred Stock
or any similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Junior
Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any
other capital stock of the Company having general voting rights
shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a
vote of stockholders of the Company.

(C)  Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law,
holders of Junior Preferred Stock shall have no special voting
rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the
extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as
set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.

     Section 4.     Certain Restrictions.

          (A)  Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Junior Preferred Stock  as  provided
in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and
unpaid  dividends and distributions, whether or not declared,  on
shares of Junior Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid
in full, the Company shall not:

               (i)  declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions,
on  any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or
upon  liquidation,  dissolution or  winding  up)  to  the  Junior
Preferred Stock;

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(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions,
on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with
the Junior Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the
Junior Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total
amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then
entitled;

(iii)     redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Junior Preferred Stock, provided that the Company may at any time
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior
stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Company ranking
junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation
or winding up) to the Junior Preferred Stock; or

(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of Junior Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock
ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Junior Preferred Stock,
except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by
publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all
holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors,
after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and
other relative rights and preferences of the respective series
and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair
and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

          (B)  The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the Company
to  purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock  of  the Company unless the Company could, under  paragraph
(A)  of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares
at such time and in such manner.

     Section 5.     Reacquired Shares.  Any shares of Junior Preferred
Stock  purchased  or  otherwise acquired by the  Company  in  any
manner  whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly  after
the  acquisition  thereof.   All such  shares  shall  upon  their
cancellation  become authorized but unissued shares of  Preferred
Stock  and  may be reissued as part of a new series of  Preferred
Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance  set
forth  herein,  in  the  Amended  and  Restated  Certificate   of
Incorporation,  or  in  any  other  Certificate  of   Designation
creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock  or  as
otherwise required by law.

Section 6.     Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.  Upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, no
distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Junior Preferred Stock unless,
prior thereto, the holders of shares of Junior Preferred Stock
shall have received $100 per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether
or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the
holders of shares of Junior Preferred Stock shall be entitled to
receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision
for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the
aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares
of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking
on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Junior Preferred Stock,
except distributions made ratably on the Junior Preferred Stock
and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to
which

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the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such
liquidation, dissolution or winding up.  In the event the Company
shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a
dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser
number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the
aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Junior Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the
proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted
by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which
is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.

Section 7.     Consolidation, Merger, etc.  In case the Company
shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other
transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for
or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other
property, then in any such case each share of Junior Preferred
Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed
into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of
stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in
kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of
Common Stock is changed or exchanged.  In the event the Company
shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a
dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser
number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the
amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the
exchange or change of shares of Junior Preferred Stock shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding
immediately prior to such event.

Section 8.     No Redemption.  The shares of Junior Preferred
Stock shall not be redeemable.

Section 9.     Rank.  The Junior Preferred Stock shall rank, with
respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of
assets, junior to all series of any other class of the Company's
Preferred Stock.

Section 10.    Amendment.  The Amended and Restated Certificate
of Incorporation of the Company shall not be amended in any
manner which would materially alter or change the powers,
preferences or special rights of the Junior Preferred Stock so as
to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the
holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of
Junior Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class.

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     In  Witness  Whereof,  the undersigned  have  executed  this
certificate as of February 2, 1999.



                                   /s/ Louis G. Lange
                                   Louis  G.  Lange, Chairman  of
                                   the Board
                                   And Chief Executive Officer




                                   /s/ Alan C. Mendelson
                                   Alan C. Mendelson, Secretary