Cortech Inc. said it has begun enrolling patients for a Phase IIstudy of its bradykinin antagonist, Bradycor (CP-0127), inpatients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)and suspected sepsis.

SIRS describes all patients at risk of shock, organ failure anddeath from common inflammatory responses to non-infectiousstimuli, including trauma and burns, and to infectious stimulicausing sepsis, the company said.

Cortech (NASDAQ:CRTQ) of Denver said this initial Phase IIstudy is designed to investigate the subset of SIRS patients whohave infections from gram-negative, gram-positive or otherorganisms as the initiating event and is expected to be followedby studies in SIRS patient with trauma and burns. The trial willmeasure Bradycor's effect on mortality, organ failure and otheroutcomes.

Bradycor blocks the action of bradykinin, a peptide that isgenerated in response to injury and which is a mediator ofpain, endothelial cell damage, hypotension and edema. A PhaseI trial in healthy volunteers showed that Bradycor was safewith continuous intravenous infusions of up to three days at awide range of doses, the company said.

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