Immunex Corp. stock picked up $1.50 on Tuesday, closing at$45, after Kidder, Peabody analyst Robert Kupor upgraded hisrating to a "buy" from "hold," based on the potential of thecompany's antagonists to interleukin-1 and tumor necrosisfactor. Kupor's six-month target price for the stock(NASDAQ:IMNX) is $55 to $60.

"Importantly, Immunex will be the only biotech company withantagonists to both of these cytokines -- the two majorendogenous mediators of inflammation -- and so be in theunique position of being able to test both products, eitherindividually or in combination, in a broad range of majordiseases," Kupor wrote.

Kupor said the Seattle company's Leukine granulocytemacrophage colony stimulating factor "should be viewed as amodest but growing product which will increasingly supportImmunex's expanding clinical program."

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