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United States
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13G

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. __)*

Cell Therapeutics Inc.


(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, no par value


(Title of Class of Securities)

150-934-10-7


(CUSIP Number)

November 7, 2003


(Date of Event Which Requires Filing This Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:

     
[   ]   Rule 13d-1(b)
 
[X]   Rule 13d-1(c)
 
[   ]   Rule 13d-1(d)

*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).

 


 

             
CUSIP No.   150-934-10-7        
 
 
             
1.   Names of Reporting Persons   BB Biotech AG  
 
             
    I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only):   N/A
 
             
2.   Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)      
             
    (a) [X]        
             
    (b) [  ]        
             
3.   SEC Use Only        
 
             
4.   Citizenship or Place of Organization   Switzerland  
 
                 
  Number of Shares Beneficially   5.

  Sole Voting Power   0
  Owned by Each Reporting
  Person with:              
   
6.

  Shared Voting Power   1,750,000
 
                 
   
7.

  Sole Dispositive Power   0
 
                 
   
8.

  Shared Dispositive Power   1,750,000
 
             
9.    Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned
by Each Reporting Person
  1,750,000
 
             
10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares     [  ]
             
11.   Percent of Class Represented by amount in Row (9)   5.1%
 
             
12.   Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) HC,CO
 

Page 2 of 8


 

             
CUSIP No.   150-934-10-7        
 
 
             
1.   Names of Reporting Persons   Biotech Target N.V.  
 
             
    I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only):   N/A
 
             
2.   Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)      
             
    (a) [X]        
             
    (b) [  ]        
             
3.   SEC Use Only        
 
             
4.   Citizenship or Place of Organization   Netherlands Antilles  
 
                 
  Number of Shares Beneficially
5.

  Sole Voting Power   0
  Owned by Each Reporting
  Person with:              
   
6.

  Shared Voting Power   1,750,000
 
                 
   
7.

  Sole Dispositive Power   0
 
                 
   
8.

  Shared Dispositive Power   1,750,000
 
             
9.    Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned
by Each Reporting Person
  1,750,000
 
             
10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares     [  ]
             
11.   Percent of Class Represented by amount in Row (9)   5.1%
 
             
12.   Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) CO
 

Page 3 of 8


 

             
Item 1            
    1(a)   Name of Issuer:  Cell Therapeutics Inc.
         
    1(b)   Address of Issuer’s Principal Executive Offices:    
       
501 Elliot Avenue West, Suite 400, Seattle, WA 98119  
       
           
Item 2          
    2(a)   Name of Person Filing: BB Biotech AG (“BB Biotech”), on behalf of Biotech Target N.V. (“BioTarget”), its wholly-owned subsidiary and record owner of the securities.
    2(b)   Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence:
        BB Biotech AG:   Vordergasse 3, CH-8300 Schaffhausen, Switzerland
        Biotech Target N.V.: De Ruyterkade 62, Willemstad, Curacao
Netherlands Antilles
         
   2(c) Citizenship:
 Switzerland
     
   2(d) Title of Class of Securities
 Common Stock, no par value
     
   2(e) CUSIP Number
 150-934-10-7
 
     
 

Item 3

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

         
a [ ]   Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of 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 [ ]   An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E);
f [ ]   An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);
g [ ]   A parent holding company or control person in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);
h [ ]   A savings associations as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);
i [ ]   A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940;
j [ ]   Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J)

Page 4 of 8


 

Item 4. Ownership

     Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and percentage of the class of securities of the issuer identified in Item 1.

         
(a)   Amount beneficially owned:
 1,750,000
     
(b)   Percent of class:
 5.1%
     
(c)   Number of shares as to which the person has:    
       
(i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote
 0
   
(ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote
 1,750,000
   
(iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
 0
   
(iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
 1,750,000
   

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

     If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following: [ ]

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

N/A


Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company or Control Person.

     This statement is filed jointly by BB Biotech and Biotech Target. BioTarget is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BB Biotech.

Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group

N/A


Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group

N/A

Page 5 of 8


 

Item 10. Certification

     By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.

Page 6 of 8


 

SIGNATURES

     After reasonable inquiry and the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

             
            BB Biotech AG
 
Date:   November 17, 2003

 
  By:   /s/ Roland Maier

Signatory Authority
 
        Name:   Roland Maier

 
        Title:   Signatory Authority

 
 
            Biotech Target N.V.
 
Date:   November 17, 2003

 
  By:   /s/ Roland Maier

Signatory Authority
 
        Name:   Roland Maier

 
        Title:   Signatory Authority

Page 7 of 8


 

Exhibit A

Joint Filing Statement

     Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(f)(1), we, the undersigned, hereby express our agreement that the attached Schedule 13G (including all amendments thereto) is filed on behalf of each of the undersigned.

           
           BB Biotech AG
   
Date:
November 17, 2003
  By:  
/s/ Roland Maier
 
   
         
Signatory Authority
   
      Name:  
Roland Maier
       
      Title:  
Signatory Authority
       
   
   
          Biotech Target N.V.
   
Date:
November 17, 2003
  By:  
/s/ Roland Maier
 
   
         
Signatory Authority
           
      Name:  
Roland Maier
       
   
      Title:  
Signatory Authority
       

WASDOCS-#7179295-v2

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