EXHIBIT 23.1

                         Independent Auditors' Consent

The Board of Directors
Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc.:

We consent to the  incorporation by reference in the  registration  statement on
Form S-3 to be filed on June 4,  2004 of  Encysive  Pharmaceuticals  Inc.  ("the
Company")  of  our  report  dated  February  19,  2004,   with  respect  to  the
consolidated  balance sheets of the Company and  subsidiaries as of December 31,
2003 and  2002,  and the  related  consolidated  statements  of  operations  and
comprehensive loss,  stockholders'  equity, and cash flows for each of the years
in the three-year  period ended  December 31, 2003,  which report appears in the
December 31, 2003 annual report on Form 10-K of the Company.

/s/ KPMG, LLP

Houston, Texas
June 3, 2004