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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C.  20549

                                  Schedule 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                                (Amendment No. )

                         Avant Immunotherapeutics, Inc.
                                (Name of Issuer)

                                     Class A
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    053491106
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                December 31, 2000
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

/X/ Rule 13d-1(b)   / / Rule 13d-1(c)   / / Rule 13d-1(d)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities,
and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of
the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see
the Notes).

                        (Continued on following page(s))



CUSIP No. 053491106
Schedule 13G

1
NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS

    Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC  94-3244780

2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a)  [  ]                      (b)      [X]

3
SEC USE ONLY

4
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

    Delaware

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:

5 SOLE VOTING POWER             2,816,200

6 SHARED VOTING POWER           - 0 -

7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER        3,155,000

8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER      156,700

9
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

    3,311,700

10
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

11
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

    6.02%

12
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    IA, OO



CUSIP No. 053491106
Schedule 13G

1
NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS

    Dresdner RCM Global Investors
      US Holdings LLC  94-3244780

2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a)  [  ]                      (b)      [X]

3
SEC USE ONLY

4
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

    Delaware

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:

5 SOLE VOTING POWER             2,816,200

6 SHARED VOTING POWER           - 0 -

7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER        3,155,000

8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER      156,700

9
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

    3,311,700

10
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

11
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

    6.02%

12
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    OO, HC



CUSIP No. 053491106
Schedule 13G

1
NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS

    Dresdner Bank AG  13-2722082

2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a)  [  ]                      (b)      [X]

3
SEC USE ONLY

4
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

    Frankfurt, Germany

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:

5 SOLE VOTING POWER             2,816,200

6 SHARED VOTING POWER           - 0 -

7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER        3,155,000

8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER      156,700

9
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

    3,311,700

10
CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

11
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

    6.02%

12
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    BK, HC




Item 1(a) Name of Issuer:

     Avant Immunotherapeutics, Inc.

Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

     119 Fourth Avenue
     Needham, MA 02494

Item 2(a) Name of Person Filing:

   (i)   Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC
   (ii)  Dresdner RCM Global Investors US Holdings LLC
   (iii) Dresdner Bank AG

Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence:

   (i)   Four Embarcadero Center
         San Francisco, California  94111

   (ii)  Four Embarcadero Center
         San Francisco, California  94111

   (iii) Jurgen-Ponto-Platz 1
         60301 Frankfurt, Germany

Item 2(c) Citizenship:

   Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC - Delaware
   Dresdner RCM Global Investors
     US Holdings LLC - Delaware
   Dresdner Bank AG - Frankfurt, Germany

Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities:

    Class A

Item 2(e) CUSIP Number:

    053491106

Item 3.  If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b),
or 13d-2(b), check whether the person filing is a:

  (i)(e)  [X]  An investment adviser in accordance with Section
  240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)

  (ii)(g)  [X]  A parent holding company or control person in accordance with
  Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G).

  (iii)(g)  [X]  A parent holding company or control person in accordance with
  Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G).

Item 4.  Ownership.

   See responses to Items 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11 of Cover Page.

Item 5.  Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

   If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date
hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than
five percent of the class of securities, check the following [  ].

Item 6.  Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

   Not Applicable.

Item 7.  Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company.

   Not Applicable.

Item 8.  Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

   See Exhibit A.

Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group.

   Not Applicable.

Item 10.  Certification.

By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the
securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary course of business
and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the effect of changing
or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not
acquired in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that
purpose or effect.

                                    SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

February 12, 2001

By /s/ Caroline M. Hirst
   Caroline M. Hirst
   In her capacity as
   Chief Operating Officer
   of Dresdner RCM Global
   Investors LLC, Chief Operating Officer of
   Dresdner RCM Global
   Investors US Holdings LLC,
   and as Attorney-In-Fact
   for Dresdner Bank AG




EXHIBIT A

Dresdner RCM Global Investors LLC ("Dresdner RCM") is an investment adviser and
a wholly owned subsidiary of Dresdner RCM US Holdings LLC ("DRCM Holdings").
DRCM Holdings, a Delaware Limited Liability Company, is a wholly owned
subsidiary of  Dresdner Bank AG ("Dresdner").  Dresdner is an international
banking organization headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany.

Dresdner RCM has filed this Schedule 13G pursuant to Section
240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act").
DRCM Holdings and Dresdner have filed this Schedule 13G pursuant to Section
240.13d-(b)(1)(ii)(G) of the Act.

Dresdner RCM, DRCM Holdings and Dresdner are filing a joint statement on
Schedule 13G under the Act in connection with the common stock of
Avant Immunotherapeutics, Inc. Effective with this filing, all three
entities are now filing jointly.

Dresdner RCM, DRCM Holdings and Dresdner are each responsible for the timely
filing of Schedule 13G and any amendments thereto, and for the completeness and
accuracy of the information concerning each of them contained therein, but none
of them is responsible for the completeness or accuracy of the information of
the other.

February 12, 2001

By /s/ Caroline M. Hirst
   Caroline M. Hirst
   In her capacity as
   Chief Operating Officer
   of Dresdner RCM Global
   Investors LLC, Chief Operating Officer
   Dresdner RCM Global
   Investors US Holdings LLC,
   and as Attorney-In-Fact
   for Dresdner Bank AG




EXHIBIT B

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

Dresdner Bank AG, a bank incorporated under the Laws of the Federal Republic of
Germany, having its principal office at Jurgen-Ponto-Platz 1, Frankfurt am Main,
Germany hereby authorizes

                                William L. Price,
                                 Susan C. Gause,
                               Caroline M. Hirst,
                                       or
                                Timothy B. Parker

each of them individually as attorney-in-fact and agent, to represent, sign,
and deliver on behalf of Dresdner Bank AG, Frankfurt am Main, Schedule 13D,
Schedule 13G or Form 13F under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
applicable, and all such other documents and make such other declarations as
the attorney-in-fact shall deem appropriate in connection with the filing of
such schedules and documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "SEC") or with any other necessary person or entity, and to complete such
schedules or documents and to make such statements or do such acts as are
necessary to effect such filing.  This  Power of  Attorney includes the power
to effect such filing on EDGAR, the SEC's  Electronic Data Gathering ,
Analysis, and Retrieval system.  This Power of Attorney is valid for any acts
required to effect the above-mentioned filings and will remain valid until
being revoked by Dresdner Bank AG in writing.

Frankfurt am Main, January 25, 2001.

                                Dresdner Bank AG

By: /s/ Wolfgang Putz
    Wolfgang Putz
Title:  Global Head of Divisional Services

By: /s/ Martin Bartels
    Martin Bartels
Title: Secretary of the Global Asset Management Board