Synergen Inc. stock has climbed $3.75 in the past twosessions, closing Monday at $72, on prospects that its AntrilIL-1 receptor antagonist might be used as an anti-bacterialtherapy.

Researchers at Tufts University reported Friday in Sciencethat interleukin-1 can act as a growth stimulant for disease-causing strains of a common bacteria. The scientists alsofound that an agent that blocks IL-1 from binding to its cellsurface receptor blocked the stimulatory effect of IL-1.

The researchers grew virulent and harmless strains of E. colibacteria in the presence of IL-1, and found that the immunesystem messenger enhanced the growth of the virulent, but notthe avirulent, E. coli. Other cytokines, such as tumor necrosisfactor or interleukin-4, did not enhance growth.

However, the researchers said they do not yet know if thebacteria themselves produce the IL-1 as a messenger or if theyare inadvertently spurred by the infected hosts' own cytokineas it is pumped out to fight the infection.

"Our data suggest that IL-1, produced in vivo as a result ofinflammation or in the course of a bacterial infection, couldserve as a growth factor for virulent bacteria," theresearchers concluded, "thereby potentially worseninginfection or the risk of infection."

Analysts speculated that the new finding would expand themarket for Antril. IL-1ra is a naturally occurring substancethat blocks the action of IL-1. Synergen (NASDAQ:SYGN) ofBoulder, Colo., has been developing IL-1ra as a treatment forarthritis and other inflammatory conditions, and sepsis. --Roberta Friedman, Ph.D.

(c) 1997 American Health Consultants. All rights reserved.