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<!-- RR Donnelley Xcelerate Taxonomy Schema, based on XBRL 2.1  http://www.edgar-online.com/ -->
<!-- Version: 6.21.0 -->
<!-- Round: 2 -->
<!-- Creation date: 2014-08-05T13:34:08Z -->
<!-- Copyright (c) 2005-2013 R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company All Rights Reserved. -->
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        <link:definition>101 - Document - Document and Entity Information</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>103 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>104 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>105 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (unaudited)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>107 - Disclosure - ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>108 - Disclosure - INVESTMENTS</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>109 - Disclosure - FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>110 - Disclosure - SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>111 - Disclosure - STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>112 - Disclosure - REAL ESTATE</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>113 - Disclosure - LOSS PER COMMON SHARE</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>114 - Disclosure - RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>115 - Disclosure - ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>116 - Disclosure - INVESTMENTS (Tables)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>117 - Disclosure - FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Tables)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>119 - Disclosure - REAL ESTATE (Tables)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>120 - Disclosure - Investments (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>121 - Disclosure - Summary of Investments Classified as Available-For-Sale Securities (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>122 - Disclosure - Available-For-Sale Investments in Unrealized Loss Position (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>123 - Disclosure - Assets Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>124 - Disclosure - Compensation Expense Related to Share-Based Compensation (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>125 - Disclosure - Share-Based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>126 - Disclosure - Weighted-Average Assumptions for Stock Option Grants using Black-Scholes Option-Pricing Model (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>127 - Disclosure - Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>128 - Disclosure - Real Estate - Additional Information (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>129 - Disclosure - Changes to Accrued Cease-Use Liability (Detail)</link:definition>
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        <link:definition>130 - Disclosure - Loss Per Common Share - Additional Information (Detail)</link:definition>
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  <element name="RenewalOptionTermsAdditionalPeriod" id="nbix_RenewalOptionTermsAdditionalPeriod" type="xbrli:durationItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="SaleLeasebackTransactionLeasePeriod" id="nbix_SaleLeasebackTransactionLeasePeriod" type="xbrli:durationItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="SecondSubleaseMember" id="nbix_SecondSubleaseMember" type="nonnum:domainItemType" abstract="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="ShelfRegistrationMember" id="nbix_ShelfRegistrationMember" type="nonnum:domainItemType" abstract="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="SubleasedAgreementArea" id="nbix_SubleasedAgreementArea" type="num:areaItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="SubleaseMember" id="nbix_SubleaseMember" type="nonnum:domainItemType" abstract="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="SubleaseTerm" id="nbix_SubleaseTerm" type="xbrli:durationItemType" abstract="false" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
  <element name="ThirdSubleaseMember" id="nbix_ThirdSubleaseMember" type="nonnum:domainItemType" abstract="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item"/>
</schema>


