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                          PRESS RELEASE


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


                                         Contact:  Dan Spiegelman
                                    SVP & Chief Financial Officer
                                                     650/812-9509
                                                               or
                                                 Christopher Chai
                                            Treasurer & Director,
                                               Investor Relations
                                                     650/812-9560



         CV THERAPEUTICS AMENDS STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN

     PALO  ALTO,  CA (July 21, 19992000) - CV Therapeutics,  Inc.
(Nasdaq: CVTX) announced that its Board of Directors had approved
amendments  to its previously-approved Stockholder  Rights  Plan.
The  amendments  approved  by  the Board  included  lowering  the
trigger percentage from a 20 percent ownership interest to  a  15
percent ownership interest.

     The  Rights Plan, as amended, is designed to enable all  CVT
stockholders to realize the full value of their investment and to
provide for fair and equal treatment for all stockholders in  the
event  that an unsolicited attempt is made to acquire  CVT.   The
Rights  Plan, as amended, is intended as a means to guard against
abusive takeover tactics and is not in response to any particular
proposal.

     The  rights    were  distributed  to  CVT  stockholders   in
February  1999 as a non-taxable dividend and expire in ten  years
from  February  23,  1999,  the  Record  Date.   The  rights  are
exercisable only if a person or group acquires 15 percent or more
of  CVT  Common Stock or announces a tender offer of CVT's Common
Stock.   If a person acquires 15 percent or more of CVT's  Common
Stock,  all rightsholders except the potential buyer are entitled
to  acquire  CVT Common Stock at a discount.  The  effect  is  to
discourage  acquisitions of more than 15 percent of CVT's  Common
Stock without negotiations with the CVT Board of Directors.

     The  rights trade with CVT's Common Stock, unless and  until
they  are separated upon the occurrence of certain future events.
The  rights  distribution was   not taxable to the  stockholders,
and the amendment of the Stockholder Rights Plan is similarly not
taxable  to  the  stockholders.  CVT's  Board  of  Directors  may
terminate the Rights Plan, as amended, at any time or redeem  the
rights  prior to the time a person acquires more than 15  percent
of CVT Common Stock.

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     In  addition  to historical information, this press  release
contains  forward-looking  statements  that  involve  risks   and
uncertainties,  including,  but  not  limited  to   uncertainties
related  to  the  Company's early stage  of  development.   These
factors  are more fully discussed in the Company's Annual  Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999.

     CV Therapeutics, Inc., headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, is  a
biopharmaceutical company focused on the application of molecular
cardiology to the discovery, development and commercialization of
novel,  small  molecule drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular
diseases.  CVT is currently conducting clinical trials for two of
its  products.  Ranolazine, the first in a new class of compounds
known  as partial fatty acid oxidation (pFOX) inhibitors for  the
potential  treatment of angina, is in Phase III clinical  trials.
CVT-510,  an  A1  adenosine receptor agonist, for  the  potential
treatment of atrial arrhythmias, is in Phase II clinical  trials.
For  more information, please visit CV Therapeutics' web site  at
www.cvt.com.

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