UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20594 SCHEDULE 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )* IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corporation (Name of Issuer) Common Stock (Title of Class of Securities) 449370105 (CUSIP Number) Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement [ ]. (A fee is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a previous statement on file reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the class of securities described in Item 1: and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such class.) (See Rule 13d-7). *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).1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON The Capital Group Companies, Inc. 86-0206507 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) (b) SEC USE ONLY 3 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION 4 Delaware 5 SOLE VOTING POWER NONE NUMBER OF SHARED VOTING POWER 6 SHARES BENEFICIALL NONE Y OWNED BY EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING PERSON WITH 920,000 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 8 NONE AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 9 920,000 Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-4 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* 10 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 5.1% TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* 12 HC * SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT! 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Capital Research and Management Company 95-1411037 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) (b) SEC USE ONLY 3 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION 4 Delaware 5 SOLE VOTING POWER NONE NUMBER OF SHARED VOTING POWER 6 SHARES BENEFICIALL NONE Y OWNED BY EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING PERSON WITH 920,000 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 8 NONE AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 9 920,000 Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-4 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* 10 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 5.1% TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* 12 IA * SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT! 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc. 95-4253845 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) (b) SEC USE ONLY 3 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION 4 Maryland 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 920,000 NUMBER OF SHARED VOTING POWER 6 SHARES BENEFICIALL NONE Y OWNED BY EACH SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 7 REPORTING PERSON WITH NONE 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER NONE AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 9 920,000 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 11 5.1% TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* 12 IC * SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT! SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 Schedule 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Amendment No. Item 1(a) Name of Issuer: IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corporation Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 11011 Torreyana Road San Diego, California 92121 Item 2(a) Name of Person(s) Filing: The Capital Group Companies, Inc., Capital Research and Management Company and SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc. Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office: 333 South Hope Street Los Angeles, CA 90071 Item 2(c) Citizenship: N/A Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock Item 2(e) CUSIP Number: 449370105 Item 3 The person(s) filing is(are): (b) [ ] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act. (d) [X] Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act. (e) [X] Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. (g) [X] Parent Holding Company in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G). Item 4 Ownership The Capital Group Companies, Inc., is the parent holding company of a group of investment management companies that hold investment power and, in some cases, voting power over the securities reported in this Schedule 13G. The investment management companies, which include a "bank" as defined in Section 3(a)6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act") and several investment advisers registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, provide investment advisory and management services for their respective clients which include registered investment companies and institutional accounts. The Capital Group Companies, Inc. does not have investment power or voting power over any of the securities reported herein; however, The Capital Group Companies, Inc., may be deemed to "beneficially own" such securities by virtue of Rule 13d-3 under the Act. Capital Research and Management Company, an investment adviser registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and wholly owned subsidiary of The Capital Group Companies, Inc., is the beneficial owner of 920,000 shares or 5.1% of the 18,016,000 shares of Common Stock believed to be outstanding as a result of acting as investment adviser to various investment companies registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940. SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc., an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which is advised by Capital Research and Management Company, is the beneficial owner of 920,000 shares or 5.1% of the 18,016,000 shares of Common Stock believed to be outstanding. Item 5 Ownership of 5% or Less of a Class: [ ] Item 6 Ownership of More than 5% 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 1. Capital Research and Management Company is an Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Capital Group Companies, Inc. 2. Capital Research and Management Company serves as investment adviser to SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc., an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Item 8 Identification and Classification of Members of the Group: N/A Item 9 Notice of Dissolution of the Group: N/A Item 10 Certification By signing below, I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purpose or effect. Signature After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Date: February 12, 1997 Signatu *Larry P. Clemmensen re: Name/Ti Larry P. Clemmensen, President tle: The Capital Group Companies, Inc. Date: February 12, 1997 Signatu *Paul G. Haaga, Jr. re: Name/Ti Paul G. Haaga, Jr., Executive Vice tle: President Capital Research and Management Company Date: February 12, 1997 Signatu *Vincent P. Corti re: Name/Ti Vincent P. Corti, Vice President tle: SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc. *By James P. Ryan Attorney-in-fact Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated February 11, 1997 included as an Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by The Capital Group Companies, Inc. on February 12, 1997 with respect to AAR Corporation. AGREEMENT Los Angeles, CA February 12, 1997 The Capital Group Companies, Inc. ("CGC"), Capital Research and Management Company ("CRMC") and SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc. ("SCWF") hereby agree to file a joint statement on Schedule 13G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act") in connection with their beneficial ownership of Common Stock issued by IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corporation. CGC, CRMC and SCWF state that they are each entitled to individually use Schedule 13G pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c) of the Act. CGC, CRMC and SCWF are each responsible for the timely filing of the statement and any amendments thereto, and for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning each of them contained therein but are not responsible for the completeness or accuracy of the information concerning the others. THE CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES, INC. BY: *Larry P. Clemmensen Larry P. Clemmensen, President The Capital Group Companies, Inc. CAPITAL RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT COMPANY BY: *Paul G. Haaga, Jr. Paul G. Haaga, Jr., Executive Vice President Capital Research and Management Company SMALLCAP WORLD FUND, INC. BY: *Vincent P. Corti Vincent P. Corti, Vice President SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc. *By James P. Ryan Attorney-in-fact Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated February 11, 1997 included as an Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with the Securities