SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                   COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G


                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



                              Neotherapeutics, Inc.
                                -----------------
                                (Name of Issuer)


                                  Common Stock
                               ------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                    640656104
                                   -----------
                                 (CUSIP Number)


                                December 31, 2001
                           ---------------------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)


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

                           |X| Rule 13d-1(b)
                           |_| 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. 640656104                    13G                   Page 2 of 12 Pages


________________________________________________________________________________
1.       NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
         S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

         RBC Global Investment Management Inc.
________________________________________________________________________________
2.       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a)|_|
                                                           (b)|_|

________________________________________________________________________________
3.       SEC USE ONLY

________________________________________________________________________________
4.       CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION  The  jurisdiction of organization
         is Canada (federally incorporated company)

________________________________________________________________________________
                  5.      SOLE VOTING POWER
                          N/A
NUMBER OF      _________________________________________________________________
SHARES            6.      SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY              1,150,000
OWNED BY EACH  _________________________________________________________________
REPORTING         7.      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON WITH               N/A
               _________________________________________________________________
                  8.      SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                          1,150,000

________________________________________________________________________________
9.       AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
         1,150,000

________________________________________________________________________________
10.      CHECK BOX 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*
         Foreign Investment Adviser which received SEC no-action relief to file
         on Schedule 13G as a "Qualified Institutional Investor"

________________________________________________________________________________

               *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!





CUSIP No. 640656104                    13G                   Page 3 of 12 Pages


________________________________________________________________________________
1.       NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
         S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

         RT Investment Management Holdings Inc.
________________________________________________________________________________
2.       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a)|_|
                                                           (b)|_|

________________________________________________________________________________
3.       SEC USE ONLY

________________________________________________________________________________
4.       CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION  The  jurisdiction of organization
         is Canada (federally incorporated company)

________________________________________________________________________________
                  5.      SOLE VOTING POWER
                          N/A
NUMBER OF       ________________________________________________________________
SHARES            6.      SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY              1,150,000
OWNED BY EACH   ________________________________________________________________
REPORTING         7.      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON WITH               N/A
                ________________________________________________________________
                  8.      SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                          1,150,000

________________________________________________________________________________
9.       AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
         1,150,000

________________________________________________________________________________
10.      CHECK BOX 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*
         Foreign Parent Holding Company which received SEC no-action relief to
         file on Schedule 13G as a "Qualified Institutional Investor"
________________________________________________________________________________

               *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!



CUSIP No.     640656104               13G                    Page 4 of 12 Pages

________________________________________________________________________________
1.   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
     S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

     The Royal Trust Company
________________________________________________________________________________
2.   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                 (a)  [_]
                                                                 (b)  [_]
________________________________________________________________________________
3.   SEC USE ONLY

________________________________________________________________________________
4.   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
     The jurisdiction of organization is Canada (federally
     incorporated company)
________________________________________________________________________________
              5.   SOLE VOTING POWER

                   N/A
NUMBER OF     _________________________________________________________________
SHARES        6.   SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY EACH      1,150,000
REPORTING     _________________________________________________________________
PERSON WITH   7.   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

                   N/A
              _________________________________________________________________
              8.   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                   1,150,000
________________________________________________________________________________
9.   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     1,150,000
________________________________________________________________________________
10.  CHECK BOX 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*
     Foreign Trust Company which received SEC no-action relief to file on
     Schedule 13G as a "Qualified Institutional Investor"
________________________________________________________________________________

                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!





CUSIP No.     640656104               13G                    Page 5 of 12 Pages


________________________________________________________________________________
1.   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
     S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

     Royal Mututal Funds Inc.
________________________________________________________________________________
2.   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                 (a)  [_]
                                                                 (b)  [_]
________________________________________________________________________________
3.   SEC USE ONLY


________________________________________________________________________________
4.   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
     The jurisdiction of organization is Canada (federally
     incorporated company)
________________________________________________________________________________
              5.   SOLE VOTING POWER

                   N/A
NUMBER OF     _________________________________________________________________
SHARES        6.   SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY EACH      1,150,000
REPORTING     _________________________________________________________________
PERSON WITH   7.   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

                   N/A
              _________________________________________________________________
              8.   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                   1,150,000
________________________________________________________________________________
9.   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     1,150,000
________________________________________________________________________________
10.  CHECK BOX 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*
     Foreign Investment Adviser which received SEC no-action relief to file on
     Schedule 13G as a "Qualified Institutional Investor"
________________________________________________________________________________

                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!


Item 1(a). Name of Issuer:
           Neotherapeutics Inc.


Item 1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
           Neotherapeutics Inc.
           157 Technology Drive
           Irvine, CA 92618


Item 2(a). Name of Person Filing:

           1.  RBC Global Investment Management Inc. ("RBC GIM")
           2.  RT Investment Management Holdings Inc. ("RTIM")
           3.  The Royal Trust Company ("RT")
           4.  Royal Mutual Funds Inc. ("RMFI")


Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence:
           1.  RBC Global Investment Management Inc.
               Royal Trust Tower
               77 King Street West, Suite 3800
               Toronto, Ontario  M5K 1H1

           2.  RT Investment Management Holdings Inc.
               Royal Trust Tower, P.O. Box 97
               77 King Street West, Suite 3900
               Toronto, Ontario  M5K 1G8

           3.  The Royal Trust Company
               Royal Trust Tower, P.O. Box 7500, Station A
               77 King Street West, 6th Floor
               Toronto, Ontario M5W 1P9

           4.  Royal Mutual Funds Inc.
               Royal Trust Tower, P.O. Box 7500, Station A
               77 King Street West
               Toronto, Ontario M5W 1P9


Item 2(c). Citizenship:

           Canada

Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities:

           Common Stock

Item 2(e). CUSIP Number:

           640656104




Item 3. If this  statement  is  filed  pursuant  to  Rules  240.13d-1(b)  or
        240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a:

     1.   RBC Global Investment Management Inc. (formerly known as Royal Bank
          Investment Management Inc.) is a Foreign Investment Adviser which
          received SEC no-action relief to file on Schedule 13G as a "Qualified
          Institutional Investor".

     2.   RT Investment  Management  Holdings Inc. is a Foreign  Parent  Holding
          Company which received SEC no-action relief to file on Schedule 13G as
          a "Qualified Institutional Investor".

     3.   The Royal Trust Company is a Foreign Trust Company which received SEC
          no-action relief to file on Schedule 13G as a "Qualified Institutional
          Investor."

     4.   Royal  Mutual  Funds Inc. is a Foreign  Investment  Adviser and Mutual
          Funds Dealer which  received SEC no-action  relief to file on Schedule
          13G as a "Qualified Institutional Investor."


Item 4. Ownership.

          (a) Amount beneficially owned:

          1.  RBC GIM - 1,150,000
          2.  RTIM - 1,150,000
          3.  RT   - 1,150,000
          4.  RMFI - 1,150,000

          (b) Percent of class:

          1.  RBC GIM - 5.1%
          2.  RTIM - 5.1%
          3.  RT   - 5.1%
          4.  RMFI - 5.1%


          (c) Number of shares as to which such person has:

           (i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote

               RBC GIM - N/A

          (ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote

               1.  RBC GIM - 1,150,000
               2.  RTIM - 1,150,000
               3.  RT   - 1,150,000
               4.  RMFI - 1,150,000

         (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of

               RBC GIM - N/A

          (iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of

                1.  RBC GIM - 1,150,000
                2.  RTIM - 1,150,000
                3.  RT   - 1,150,000
                4.  RMFI - 1,150,000





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.

1.   RBC Global Investment Management Inc. ("RBC GIM") is a foreign investment
     advisor. Accounts managed on a discretionary basis by RBC GIM, a
     wholly-owned subsidiary of RT Investment Management Holdings Inc., are
     known to have the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of
     dividends from, or the proceeds from, the sale of such securities. No such
     account holds more than 5% of the class.

2.   RT Investment Management Holdings Inc., a foreign parent holding company
     which received SEC no-action relief to file on Schedule 13G as a Qualified
     Institutional Investor, is reporting holdings over which it is deemed to be
     a beneficial owner by virtue of the fact that the holdings belong to client
     accounts managed on a discretionary basis by RT Investment Management
     Holdings Inc.'s subsidiary foreign investment advisers, including RBC
     Global Investment Management Inc. ("RBC GIM"). No such account holds more
     than 5% of the class.

3.   The Royal Trust Company, a foreign Trust Company which has received SEC
     no-action relief to file on Schedule 13G as a Qualified Institutional
     Investor, is reporting holdings over which it is deemed to be a beneficial
     owner by virtue of its status as trustee and/or as principal. No such
     account holds more than 5% of the class.

4.   Royal Mutual Funds Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada
     is the manager of accounts and has delegated its investment management
     duties to RBC Global Investment Management Inc. ("RBC GIM"). RBC GIM is
     known to have the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of
     dividends from, or the proceeds from, the sale of securities in such
     accounts. No such account holds more than 5 percent of the class.


Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
        Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company.

      Please see attached Exhibit A, Disclosure Respecting Subsidiaries.

Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

      N/A

Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of 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 and are held in the ordinary
course of business and were not acquired and are not held 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 and are not held 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.

                                                        February 14, 2002
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                             (Date)


                                                 /s/ Donald L.F. Cant
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                           (Signature)


                                                 Donald L.F. Cant,
                                                 V.P. Compliance, RBC Global
                                                 Investment Management Inc.
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                           (Name/Title)





                             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.


                                                       February 14, 2002
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                             (Date)


                                                 /s/ M. George Lewis
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                           (Signature)


                                                 M. George Lewis/Director,
                                                 RT Investment
                                                 Management Holdings Inc.
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                          (Name/Title)




                             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.

                                                        February 14, 2002
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                             (Date)


                                                 /s/ Donald L.F. Cant
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                           (Signature)


                                                 Donald L.F. Cant,
                                                 Authorized Signatory
                                                 The Royal Trust Company
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                           (Name/Title)





                             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.


                                                       February 14, 2002
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                             (Date)


                                                 /s/ Rudy Sankovic
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                           (Signature)


                                                 Rudy Sankovic
                                                 V.P. Risk Management and
                                                 Compliance
                                                 Royal Mutal Funds Inc.
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                          (Name/Title)