EXHIBIT 10.18

                                        AMENDMENT

This amendment (the "Amendment"), dated March 25, 2003, is being made between
Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the
State of Delaware, with offices at 750 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York
10022 ("Keryx"), and Children's Medical Center Corporation, 300 Longwood Avenue,
Boston, Massachusetts 02155 ("CMCC").

WHEREAS the parties executed a License Agreement, dated November 12, 1999,
pursuant to which, among other things, meet certain development milestones (the
"License Agreement"); and

WHEREAS the parties have determined that the proper development and funding of
the technology that is the subject of the License Agreement justifies amendments
to the clauses addressing the development milestones;

IT IS HEREBY AGREED by and between the parties:

      1.    Article III.B.1 of the License Agreement shall be amended to read as
            follows:

            B. Licensee shall accomplish development of Licensed Products and/or
Licensed Processes according to the following timetable:

                  1.    file an Initial New Drug Application ("IND") for a
                        Licensed Product with United States Food and Drug
                        Administration ("FDA") or its foreign equivalent in a
                        country with reasonably comparable requirements within
                        forty eight (48) months from the identification of the
                        first lead compound; and

      2.    This Amendment shall not be deemed to alter in any manner any rights
            and/or obligations of either party except as specifically set forth
            above.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Amendment, by proper
persons duly authorized.

KERYX BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC.             CHILDRENS MEDICAL CENTER CORPORATION


By: /s/ Michael S. Weiss                   By:/s/ Donald P. Lombardi
    --------------------------                ---------------------------------

Name: Michael S. Weiss                     Name: Donald P. Lombardi

Title: Chief Executive Officer             Title: Chief Intellectual Property
                                                  Officer