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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1
 
               CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
     We consent to the reference to our firm under the captions "Selected
Financial Data" and "Experts" and to the use of our report dated February 9,
1996, in the Registration Statement (on Form S-1 dated June 28, 1996) and
related Prospectus of Anergen, Inc. for the registration of 4,600,000 shares of
its Common Stock.
 
                                                               ERNST & YOUNG LLP
 
San Francisco, California
June 28, 1996