The company said it "terminated the employment of substantially all of its operational and staff employees" at its manufacturing facility in Mt. Prospect and its headquarters in Evanston.
Northfield has been working on a blood substitute for use in trauma patients for more than 20 years, but was dealt a crippling blow last week by the Food and Drug Administration, which said the product's risks outweighed its potential benefits.
Like many experimental biotech companies, Northfield does not generate sales or profits because PolyHeme is its only product.
The company's survival has been hinging on federal approval of the blood substitute.
Since its inception in 1985, Northfield has incurred losses of $220 million.
To see more of the Chicago Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.chicagotribune.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Chicago Tribune Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

More News:
Market Updates |
Stock Alerts |
All Trading News |
Stock Index