BIOMARIN PHARMACEUTICAL INC
OFFER LETTER FOR LOUIS DRAPEAU
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<FILENAME>offerletter.txt
<DESCRIPTION>OFFER LETTER FOR LOUIS DRAPEAU
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EXHIBIT 10.1


    371 Bel Marin Keys Blvd., Suite #210, Novato, CA 94949   tel. 415.884.6700









June 14, 2002

Louis Drapeau
8 Whiting Court
Moraga, CA 94556

Subject: Offer of Employment

Dear Lou:

     I am pleased to offer you the  position  of VP,  Finance,  Chief  Financial
Officer and Secretary at BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. You will report to Fredric
D. Price,  Chairman and Chief  Executive  Officer.  You will be responsible  for
Financial  Control  and  Accounting,  Investor  Relations,  Financial  Analysis,
Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, and other duties as required. Contingent
on  approval  at the next  Board  of  Director's  meeting,  you will be named an
officer of the Company.

     Your  starting  salary at  BioMarin  will be  $250,000  per  year,  payable
bi-weekly.

     In addition,  the Company will grant you stock options to purchase  150,000
shares of the common stock of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. The exercise price of
125,000 shares will be $9.25. The exercise price for the remaining 25,000 shares
will be equal to the NASDAQ closing price on your first day of  employment.  All
of these options will vest as follows: 6/48ths upon the completion of six months
of employment and 1/48 per month  thereafter.  The options will expire ten years
after the date of grant.  You will receive a detailed Stock Option  Agreement in
the coming month.

     You will accrue  vacation  at the rate of four weeks per year.  You will be
eligible to be covered by the Company's benefit plans including medical, dental,
disability and group life insurance.

     Your employment is "at-will." This policy of at-will employment is the sole
and  entire  agreement  concerning  the  duration  of your  employment,  and the
circumstance  under  which you may be  terminated,  and may only be  modified in
writing and signed by you and the Chief  Executive  Officer of the  Company.  No
verbal statements or  representations  or implied conduct can modify this policy
of at-will employment.

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         SEVERANCE

     (1)  Voluntary  resignation:  In the  event  that you  resign  or leave the
Company  for any  other  voluntary  reason,  or in the  event  that the  Company
terminates  your  employment  for  cause,  you will not be  eligible  to receive
severance pay under the Company's policy.

     (2)  Change of  control:  In the event  that the  Company  terminates  your
employment  for  reasons  other  than  cause  within  one year after a change of
control,  you will be eligible to receive benefits as specified by the Company's
Change of Control Plan document.

     (3) Termination not related to a Change of Control:

               a) Basic  severance  without a  release:  In the  event  that the
          Company  terminates your employment for reasons other than cause,  not
          related  to a change  of  control,  you will be  eligible  to  receive
          severance pay, in accordance with the Company's severance policy.

               b) Enhanced  severance  with a release:  The Company will, at the
          time of such termination,  offer you an enhanced severance pay package
          equal to six months of base  salary  continuation,  and will  continue
          your participation in the Company's medical insurance plan, in lieu of
          the basic Company policy on severance pay, in  consideration  for your
          agreement,  at the time of such  termination,  to release  the Company
          from all claims. A copy of the release agreement that the Company uses
          is attached only as a sample.

     It is an essential  condition of this offer that you  acknowledge  that you
have  received,  understood  and agree to the terms of the BioMarin  Proprietary
Information and Inventions  Agreement,  a copy of which is appended hereto,  and
which you agree to sign and execute upon acceptance of this offer.

     This offer of employment is contingent on your providing  BioMarin with the
legally required proof of your identity and  authorization to work in the United
States.

     If you accept this offer,  you can plan on starting on or before  Thursday,
August 1, 2002.

     We are eagerly looking forward to working with you. As you know, this is an
exciting time at BioMarin,  and I believe you will find this a  challenging  and
rewarding experience.

     Please confirm your acceptance of this offer by signing below and returning
to me by  Wednesday,  June 19,  2002,  otherwise  this offer will expire on that
date.
                                          Sincerely,

                                          /s/ Fredric D. Price
                                          --------------------
                                              Fredric D. Price
                                              Chairman & Chief Executive Officer


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I accept this offer and the conditions stated herein:


/s/ Louis Drapeau
-----------------
Signature

Print Name:  Louis Drapeau
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Date: June 14, 2002
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Attachments:
         Sample Release Agreement
         BioMarin Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement

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