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

                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
                         August _, 2004 (July 30, 2004)

                           HEMISPHERX BIOPHARMA, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



                           Delaware 0-27072 52-0845822
               (state or other juris- (Commission (I.R.S. Employer
           diction of incorporation) File Number) (Identification No.)


              1617 JFK Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (215) 988-0080


          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)





ITEM 5.           OTHER EVENTS AND REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE


Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. has issued the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1
and which is incorporated by this reference herein.

ITEM 7.           FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

 (c) Exhibits.  The following exhibits are filed herewith:

         99.1     Text of press release dated August 2, 2004.






                                                    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.


                                                HEMISPHERX BIOPHARMA, INC.


August 2, 2004                              By: s/William A. Carter
                                                William A. Carter, M.D.,
                                                President





                                                               Exhibit 99.1

Hemispherx Biopharma Announces Private Placement of Common Stock and Warrants

Monday August 2, 4:12 pm ET

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS  WIRE)--Aug. 2, 2004--Hemispherx  Biopharma, Inc. (AMEX:
HEB - News)  announced  today it has entered  into  definitive  agreements  with
selected accredited  institutional  investors,  including current  shareholders,
relating  to  a  private  placement  of  approximately  3.6  million  shares  of
Hemispherx Biopharma's common stock and warrants to purchase up to approximately
1,085,000 additional shares of Hemispherx  Biopharma's common stock at $2.08 per
unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $7.5 million.  The five-year
warrants  are  exercisable  at a price of $2.86 per share.  Subject to customary
closing conditions, the private placement is scheduled to close during the first
week of August 2004.

No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained in
this press release.  This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or
the  solicitation  of an  offer  to buy nor  shall  there  be any  sale of these
securities  in any state in which  such  offer,  solicitation  or sale  would be
unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any
such state.

The  securities to be sold in this private  placement  have not been  registered
under the  Securities  Act of 1933 or any state  securities  laws and  unless so
registered may not be offered or sold in the United States (or to a U.S. person)
except  pursuant to an exemption  from, or in a transaction  not subject to, the
registration  requirements  of the Securities  Act of 1933 and applicable  state
securities laws. As part of this transaction, Hemispherx Biopharma has agreed to
file a registration  statement covering the resale of the shares of common stock
to be  acquired  by the  investors  and  shares of common  stock  issuable  upon
exercise of the warrants to be acquired by the investors.

About Hemispherx

Hemispherx  Biopharma,  based in Philadelphia,  is a  biopharmaceutical  company
engaged in the  manufacture  and clinical  development  of new drug entities for
treatment of viral and immune-based  chronic  disorders.  Its flagship  products
include Alferon N and the experimental  immunotherapeutics/antivirals Ampligen
and Oragens(TM). These novel proteins, approved for a category of STD infection,
and  experimental  nucleic  acids are being  developed  for  globally  important
chronic viral  diseases and disorders of the immune system  including  HPV, HIV,
CFS and  Hepatitis.  Its  platform  technology  includes  large and small  agent
components  for  potential   treatment  of  various  chronic  viral  infections.
Hemispherx  has  approximately  270  patents  comprising  its core  intellectual
property estate, a fully  commercialized  product (Alferon N) and GMP certified
manufacturing  facilities for its novel pharma  products.  For more  information
please visit  www.hemispherx.net.  The statement contained in this press release
regarding   the   anticipated   closing   of   the   private   placement   is  a
"forward-looking"  statement  which  is  subject  to  risks  and  uncertainties,
including the ability of Hemispherx Biopharma to meet the closing conditions for
the private placement and market risks generally.  Information contained in this
news  release   other  than   historical   information,   should  be  considered
forward-looking  and is subject to various risk factors and  uncertainties.  For
instance,  the strategies and operations of Hemispherx Biopharma involve risk of
competition,   changing  market  conditions,  change  in  laws  and  regulations
affecting these industries and numerous other factors  discussed in this release
and in the Company's  filings with the Securities and Exchange  Commission.  Any
specifically referenced investigational drugs and associated technologies of the
company (including  Ampligen and Oragens(TM)) are experimental in nature and as
such are not designated safe and effective by a regulatory authority for general
use and are legally  available only through  clinical trials with the referenced
disorders. Only Clinical Studies under well-controlled  conditions can establish
efficacy  and  safety  of any  product.  Clinical  trials  for  other  potential
indications of the approved biologic Alferon do not imply that the product will
ever be specifically approved commercially for these other treatment indication.
Hemispherx   Biopharma   undertakes  no  obligation  to  revise  or  update  any
forward-looking  statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may
arise after the date of this press release.

Contact:
     Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc.
     Investor Relations
     Dianne Will, 518-398-6222
     Fax: 518-398-6369
     or
     CEOcast, Inc. for Hemispherx
     Kevin Theiss 212-732-4300 x225