SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

~~April~~May 141, 2003

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

ESSENTIAL THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

DELAWARE	0-28006	94-3186021
(State or Other Jurisdictionof Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

78 Fourth Avenue, Waltham, MA 02451

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

(781) 647-5554

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Item 53. ~~Other~~Bankruptcy ~~Events~~or Receivership.

On ~~April~~ 11May 1, 2003, Essential Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the ~~Registrant~~“Company”), ~~issued~~and Maret Corporation and The Althexis Company, Inc., the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries (together with the Company, the “Debtors”), filed a ~~press~~voluntary ~~release~~petition ~~announcing~~for relief (the ~~delisting~~“Chapter 11 Filing”) under Chapter 11 of ~~its~~the ~~common~~United ~~stock~~States ~~from~~Bankruptcy Code in the ~~Nasdaq~~United ~~Stock~~States ~~Market~~Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”), Case Nos. 03-11317, 03-11318 and 03-11319. The ~~press~~Debtors ~~release~~remain ~~has~~in ~~been~~possession ~~filed~~of astheir anassets ~~exhibit~~and properties and continue to ~~this~~operate ~~Current~~their ~~Report~~businesses oneach ~~Form~~as 8a “debtor-K,in-possession” ~~attached~~under ~~hereto~~the asjurisdiction ~~Exhibit~~of ~~99.1.~~the Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and orders of the Bankruptcy Court.

A copy of the Company’s joint plan of reorganization filed with the Bankruptcy Court on May 2, 2003 is attached hereto as Exhibit 2.1 and incorporated by reference herein. In addition, a copy of the Company’s press release dated May 2, 2003 announcing the Chapter 11 Filing is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

Exhibit Number		Description
99.1		Press release, dated April 11, 2003.
2.1		Joint Plan of Reorganization, filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on May 2, 2003.
99.1		Press Release, dated May 2, 2003.

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.

Date: April 14, 2003	ESSENTIAL THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Date: May 2, 2003		ESSENTIAL THERAPEUTICS, INC.
	~~By:~~	~~/S/ PAUL J. MELLETT~~By:	/S/ ELIZABETH GRAMMER
		Paul J. Mellett Senior Vice President, Chief FinancialOfficer and Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer)
		Elizabeth Grammer, Vice President and General Counsel

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