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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.6

         THIS WARRANT HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933,
AS AMENDED, OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE AND MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED
OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
OR EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE FOREGOING LAWS.

         VOID AFTER 5:00 P.M. EASTERN TIME ON JANUARY 26, 2006 (THE "EXPIRATION
DATE")


                           INTERLEUKIN GENETICS, INC.

                      WARRANT TO PURCHASE 330,000 SHARES OF
            COMMON STOCK, $0.001 PAR VALUE PER SHARE ("COMMON STOCK")

         For VALUE RECEIVED, Special Situations Fund III, L.P.,
("Warrantholder"), is entitled to purchase, subject to the provisions of this
Warrant, from Interleukin Genetics, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Company"), at
any time not later than 5:00 P.M., Eastern time, on the Expiration Date, at an
exercise price per share equal to $3.00 (the exercise price in effect being
herein called the "Warrant Price"), 330,000 shares ("Warrant Shares") of Common
Stock. The number of Warrant Shares purchasable upon exercise of this Warrant
and the Warrant Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as
described herein.

         Section 1. Registration. The Company shall maintain books for the
transfer and registration of the Warrant. Upon the initial issuance of the
Warrant, the Company shall issue and register the Warrant in the name of the
Warrantholder.

         Section 2. Transfers. As provided herein, this Warrant may be
transferred only pursuant to a registration statement filed under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act") or an exemption from such
registration; provided, however, this Warrant may only be transferred to an
affiliate of the Warrantholder. Subject to such restrictions, the Company shall
transfer this Warrant from time to time upon the books to be maintained by the
Company for that purpose, upon surrender thereof for transfer properly endorsed
or accompanied by appropriate instructions for transfer and such other documents
as may be reasonably required by the Company to establish that such transfer is
being made in accordance with the terms hereof, and a new Warrant shall be
issued to the transferee and the surrendered Warrant shall be canceled by the
Company.

         Section 3. Exercise of Warrant. Subject to the provisions hereof, the
Warrantholder may exercise this Warrant in whole or in part at any time upon
surrender of the Warrant, together with delivery of the duly executed Warrant
exercise form attached hereto (the "Exercise Agreement") and payment by cash,
certified check or wire transfer of funds for the Warrant Price for that number
of Warrant Shares then being purchased, to the Company during normal business
hours on any business day at the Company's principal executive
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offices (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by
notice to the holder hereof). The Warrant Shares so purchased shall be deemed to
be issued to the holder hereof or such holder's designee, as the record owner of
such shares, as of the close of business on the date on which this Warrant shall
have been surrendered (or evidence of loss, theft or destruction thereof and
security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company), the Warrant Price shall have
been paid and the completed Exercise Agreement shall have been delivered.
Certificates for the Warrant Shares so purchased, representing the aggregate
number of shares specified in the Exercise Agreement, shall be delivered to the
holder hereof within a reasonable time, not exceeding seven (7) business days,
after this Warrant shall have been so exercised. The certificates so delivered
shall be in such denominations as may be requested by the holder hereof and
shall be registered in the name of such holder or such other name as shall be
designated by such holder. If this Warrant shall have been exercised only in
part, then, unless this Warrant has expired, the Company shall, at its expense,
at the time of delivery of such certificates, deliver to the holder a new
Warrant representing the number of shares with respect to which this Warrant
shall not then have been exercised.

                  Each exercise hereof shall constitute the representation and
warranty of the Warrantholder to the Company that the representations and
warranties contained in Article 5 of the Purchase Agreement (as defined below)
are true and correct in all material respects with respect to the Warrantholder
as of the time of such exercise.

         Section 4. Compliance with the Securities Act of 1933. Neither this
Warrant nor the Common Stock issued upon exercise hereof nor any other security
issued or issuable upon exercise of this Warrant may be offered, sold or
transferred except as provided in this agreement and in conformity with the
Securities Act, and then only against receipt of an agreement of such person to
whom such offer of sale is made to comply with the provisions of this Section 4
with respect to any resale or other disposition of such security. The Company
may cause the legend set forth on the first page of this Warrant to be set forth
on each Warrant or similar legend on any security issued or issuable upon
exercise of this Warrant, unless counsel for the Company is of the opinion as to
any such security that such legend is unnecessary.

         Section 5. Payment of Taxes. The Company will pay any documentary stamp
taxes attributable to the initial issuance of Warrant Shares issuable upon the
exercise of the Warrant; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
required to pay any tax or taxes which may be payable in respect of any transfer
involved in the issuance or delivery of any certificates for Warrant Shares in a
name other than that of the registered holder of this Warrant in respect of
which such shares are issued, and in such case, the Company shall not be
required to issue or deliver any certificate for Warrant Shares or any Warrant
until the person requesting the same has paid to the Company the amount of such
tax or has established to the Company's satisfaction that such tax has been
paid. The holder shall be responsible for income taxes due under federal, state
or other law, if any such tax is due.

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         Section 6. Mutilated or Missing Warrants. In case this Warrant shall be
mutilated, lost, stolen, or destroyed, the Company shall issue in exchange and
substitution of and upon cancellation of the mutilated Warrant, or in lieu of
and substitution for the Warrant lost, stolen or destroyed, a new Warrant of
like tenor and for the purchase of a like number of Warrant Shares, but only
upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss,
theft or destruction of the Warrant, and with respect to a lost, stolen or
destroyed Warrant, reasonable indemnity or bond with respect thereto, if
requested by the Company.

         Section 7. Reservation of Common Stock. The Company hereby represents
and warrants that there have been reserved, and the Company shall at all
applicable times keep reserved until issued (if necessary) as contemplated by
this Section 7, out of the authorized and unissued Common Stock, sufficient
shares to provide for the exercise of the rights of purchase represented by the
Warrant. The Company agrees that all Warrant Shares issued upon exercise of the
Warrant shall be, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Warrant
Shares, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of
Common Stock of the Company.

         Section 8. Adjustments. Subject and pursuant to the provisions of this
Section 8, the Warrant Price and number of Warrant Shares subject to this
Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as set forth
hereinafter.

                  (a) If the Company shall at any time or from time to time
while the Warrant is outstanding, pay a dividend or make a distribution on its
Common Stock in shares of Common Stock, subdivide its outstanding shares of
Common Stock into a greater number of shares or combine its outstanding shares
into a smaller number of shares or issue by reclassification of its outstanding
shares of Common Stock any shares of its capital stock (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing corporation), then the number of Warrant Shares
purchasable upon exercise of the Warrant and the Warrant Price in effect
immediately prior to the date upon which such change shall become effective,
shall be adjusted by the Company so that the Warrantholder thereafter exercising
the Warrant shall be entitled to receive the number of shares of Common Stock or
other capital stock which the Warrantholder would have received if the Warrant
had been exercised immediately prior to such event upon payment of a Warrant
Price that has been adjusted to reflect a fair allocation of the economics of
such event to the Warrantholder. Such adjustments shall be made successively
whenever any event listed above shall occur.

                  (b) If any capital reorganization, reclassification of the
capital stock of the Company, consolidation or merger of the Company with
another corporation in which the Company is not the survivor, or sale, transfer
or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company's assets to
another corporation shall be effected, then, as a condition of such
reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other
disposition, lawful and adequate provision shall be made whereby each
Warrantholder shall thereafter have the right to purchase and receive upon the
basis and upon the terms and conditions

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herein specified and in lieu of the Warrant Shares immediately theretofore
issuable upon exercise of the Warrant, such shares of stock, securities or
assets as would have been issuable or payable with respect to or in exchange for
a number of Warrant Shares equal to the number of Warrant Shares immediately
theretofore issuable upon exercise of the Warrant, had such reorganization,
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other disposition not
taken place, and in any such case appropriate provision shall be made with
respect to the rights and interests of each Warrantholder to the end that the
provisions hereof (including, without limitations, provision for adjustment of
the Warrant Price) shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly equivalent as may
be practicable in relation to any shares of stock, securities or properties
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise thereof. The Company shall not effect
any such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other disposition unless prior
to or simultaneously with the consummation thereof the successor corporation (if
other than the Company) resulting from such consolidation or merger, or the
corporation purchasing or otherwise acquiring such assets or other appropriate
corporation or entity shall assume the obligation to deliver to the holder of
the Warrant such shares of stock, securities or assets as, in accordance with
the foregoing provisions, such holder may be entitled to purchase and the other
obligations under this Warrant. The provisions of this paragraph (b) shall
similarly apply to successive reorganizations, reclassifications,
consolidations, mergers, sales, transfers or other dispositions.

                  (c) In case the Company shall fix a payment date for the
making of a distribution to all holders of Common Stock (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(other than cash dividends or cash distributions payable out of consolidated
earnings or earned surplus or dividends or distributions referred to in Section
8(a)), or subscription rights or warrants, the Warrant Price to be in effect
after such payment date shall be determined by multiplying the Warrant Price in
effect immediately prior to such payment date by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding multiplied
by the Market Price per share of Common Stock (as defined below), less the fair
market value (as determined by the Company's Board of Directors in good faith)
of said assets or evidences of indebtedness so distributed, or of such
subscription rights or warrants, and the denominator of which shall be the total
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding multiplied by such Market Price per
share of Common Stock. "Market Price" shall mean the average of the closing bid
prices of the Common Stock over the twenty (20) consecutive trading days
preceding the date in question. Such adjustment shall be made successively
whenever such a payment date is fixed.

                  (d) For a period ending twenty-four (24) months after the
first effective date of the registration statement filed pursuant to the
Registration Rights Agreement described in Section 14 below, the Warrant Price
shall be subject to adjustment on a basis consistent with the provisions of
Section 7.1(a) of the Purchase Agreement by and between the Company and the
Investors named therein dated January __, 2001 (the "Purchase Agreement"),
except that the Warrant Price shall be adjusted to a price equal to 125% of the
adjusted Purchase Price, if such adjustment to the Warrant Price would result in
a lower

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Warrant Price and that the adjustment shall be made regardless of whether the
Holder of this Warrant then holds any other shares of Common Stock subject to
adjustment under the terms of Section 7.1(a) of the Purchase Agreement. Such
adjustments shall be made successively whenever required.

                  (e) An adjustment shall become effective immediately after the
payment date in the case of each dividend or distribution and immediately after
the effective date of each other event which requires an adjustment.

                  (f) In the event that, as a result of an adjustment made
pursuant to Section 8(a), the holder of this Warrant shall become entitled to
receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than shares of Common
Stock, the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of this
Warrant shall be subject thereafter to adjustment from time to time in a manner
and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect
to the Warrant Shares contained in this Warrant.

         Section 9. Fractional Interest. The Company shall not be required to
issue fractions of Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the Warrant. If any
fraction of a Warrant Share would, except for the provisions of this Section, be
issuable upon the exercise of the Warrant (or specified portions thereof), the
fractional share shall be disregarded and the number of shares to be issued upon
exercise shall be the number of whole shares only.

         Section 10. Benefits. Nothing in this Warrant shall be construed to
give any person, firm or corporation (other than the Company and the
Warrantholder) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim, it being agreed
that this Warrant shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company and
the Warrantholder.

         Section 11. Notices to Warrantholder. Upon the happening of any event
requiring an adjustment of the Warrant Price, the Company shall promptly give
written notice thereof to the Warrantholder at the address appearing in the
records of the Company, stating the adjusted Warrant Price and the adjusted
number of Warrant Shares resulting from such event and setting forth in
reasonable detail the method of calculation and the facts upon which such
calculation is based. In the event of a dispute with respect to any such
calculation, the certificate of the Company's independent certified public
accountants shall be conclusive evidence of the correctness of any computation
made, absent manifest error. Failure to give such notice to the Warrantholder or
any defect therein shall not affect the legality or validity of the subject
adjustment.

         Section 12. Identity of Transfer Agent. The Transfer Agent for the
Common Stock is U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation. Upon the appointment of any
subsequent transfer agent for the Common Stock or other shares of the Company's
capital stock issuable upon the exercise of the rights of purchase represented
by the Warrant, the Company will mail to the Warrantholder a statement setting
forth the name and address of such transfer agent.

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         Section 13. Notices. Any notice pursuant hereto to be given or made by
the Warrantholder to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed as
follows:

                  Interleukin Genetics, Inc.
                  135 Beaver Street, 2nd Floor
                  Waltham, MA  02452
                  Attn:    Fenel Eloi
                  Fax:     781/398-0720

or such other address as the Company may specify in writing by notice to the
Warrantholder complying as to delivery with the terms of this Section 13.

         Any notice pursuant hereto to be given or made by the Company to or on
the Warrantholder shall be sufficiently given or made if personally delivered or
if sent by an internationally recognized courier services by overnight or
two-day service, to the address set forth on the books of the Company or, as to
each of the Company and the Warrantholder, at such other address as shall be
designated by such party by written notice to the other party complying as to
delivery with the terms of this Section 13. All such notices, requests, demands,
directions and other communications shall, when sent by courier be effective two
(2) days after delivery to such courier as provided and addressed as aforesaid.

         Section 14. Registration Rights. The initial holder of this Warrant is
entitled to the benefit of certain registration rights in respect of the Warrant
Shares as provided in the Registration Rights Agreement dated as of as of
January 26, 2001.

         Section 15. Successors. All the covenants and provisions hereof by or
for the benefit of the Warrantholder shall bind and inure to the benefit of its
respective successors and assigns hereunder.

         Section 16. Governing Law. This Warrant shall be deemed to be a
contract made under the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to
its conflict of law principles, and for all purposes shall be construed in
accordance with the laws of said State.

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         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Warrant to be
duly executed, as of the day and year first above written.

                                           INTERLEUKIN GENETICS, INC.



                                           By:
                                              ---------------------------------
                                                 Fenel M. Eloi
                                                 Chief Financial Officer and
                                                 Chief Operating Officer

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                           Interleukin Genetics, Inc.
                              WARRANT EXERCISE FORM

To: Interleukin Genetics, Inc.

         This undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right of
purchase represented by the within Warrant ("Warrant") for, and to purchase
thereunder by the payment of the Warrant Price and surrender of the Warrant,
_______________ shares of Common Stock ("Warrant Shares") provided for therein,
and requests that certificates for the Warrant Shares be issued as follows:

                           -------------------------------
                           Name
                           --------------------------------
                           Address
                           --------------------------------

                           --------------------------------
                           Federal Tax ID or Social Security No.

         and delivered by      / /   certified mail to the above address, or

                               / /   electronically (provide DWAC Instructions:

                                     ___________________), or

                               / /   other (specify:

                                     _________________________________________).

and, if the number of Warrant Shares shall not be all the Warrant Shares
purchasable upon exercise of the Warrant, that a new Warrant for the balance of
the Warrant Shares purchasable upon exercise of this Warrant be registered in
the name of the undersigned Warrantholder or the undersigned's Assignee as below
indicated and delivered to the address stated below.

         By exercising the rights represented by this Warrant, the undersigned
hereby certifies that, as of the date of exercise of this Warrant, the
representations and warranties contained in Section 5 of the Purchase Agreement
are true and correct in all material respects with respect to the undersigned.

Dated:                   ,
      -------------------  ----

Note:  The signature must correspond        Signature:
with the name of the registered holder      --------------------------
as written on the first page of the
Warrant in every particular, without        ------------------------------------
alteration or enlargement or any            Name (please print)
change whatever, unless the Warrant
has been assigned.
                                            ------------------------------------

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Address

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Federal Identification or
                                            Social Security No.

                                            Assignee:

                                            ------------------------------------

                                            ------------------------------------

                                            ------------------------------------