Synergen Inc. announced Thursday the opening of a newfacility in Colorado for producing anakinra, the activeingredient in Antril, its drug for sepsis syndrome.

The 75,000-square-foot manufacturing facility will begin large-scale production immediately, the Boulder, Colo., company said.

The plant is one of the largest protein-production plants in theworld and initially will be devoted solely to the production ofanakinra, said company spokesman Paul Laland. "We shouldhave a small amount produced by the end of the year," he said.

Phase III trials of Antril are expected to be completed by theend of the year, and Laland said the company may submit thedrug for FDA approval some time next year.

Synergen will expand its employee base in anticipation of theplant's capability to annually produce about 3,200 pounds ofanakinra, Laland told BioWorld.

Sepsis syndrome is a serious medical condition affecting almosthalf a million people in the U.S. each year. -- Michelle Slade

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