SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                     Washington, D.C. 20549
                        ________________

                          SCHEDULE 13G
                        ________________

            INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED
         PURSUANT TO RULES 13d-1(b)(c), AND (d) AND AMENDMENTS
              THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(b)

                       (AMENDMENT NO.  )1

                           Chirex Inc.
                        (NAME OF ISSUER)

                  Common Stock, $.01 par value
                 (TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES)

                          170038-10-3
                        (CUSIP NUMBER)

                          December 31, 1998
        (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)
                  o Rule 13d-1(c)
                  o Rule 13d-1(d)




__________________

1    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 purpose 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).

                               PAGE 1 OF 7 PAGES 





                               13G

CUSIP No. 170038-10-3
_____________________________________________________________________________
     (1)  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON 
          S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. 
          OF ABOVE PERSON 
          Ardsley Advisory Partners
_____________________________________________________________________________
     (2)  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP ** 
                                                                    (a)  [ ] 
                                                                    (b)  [x] 
_____________________________________________________________________________
     (3)  SEC USE ONLY 

_____________________________________________________________________________
     (4)  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION 
          Connecticut
_____________________________________________________________________________

NUMBER OF      (5)  SOLE VOTING POWER 
                    0
SHARES         ______________________________________________________________

BENEFICIALLY   (6)  SHARED VOTING POWER
                    845,000
OWNED BY       ______________________________________________________________

EACH           (7)  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 
                    0
REPORTING      ______________________________________________________________

PERSON WITH    (8)  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 
                    845,000
_____________________________________________________________________________
     (9)  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED
          BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 
          845,000
_____________________________________________________________________________
    (10)  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT 
          IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES **                          [ ] 
_____________________________________________________________________________
    (11)  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED 
          BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)           
          7.1%
_____________________________________________________________________________
    (12)  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON **
          IA
_____________________________________________________________________________
             ** SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!

                               PAGE 2 OF 7 PAGES





                               13G

CUSIP No.  170038-10-3
_____________________________________________________________________________
     (1)  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON 
          S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. 
          OF ABOVE PERSON 
          Philip J. Hempleman
_____________________________________________________________________________
     (2)  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP ** 
                                                                    (a)  [ ] 
                                                                    (b)  [x] 
_____________________________________________________________________________
     (3)  SEC USE ONLY 

_____________________________________________________________________________
     (4)  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION 
          United States
_____________________________________________________________________________

NUMBER OF      (5)  SOLE VOTING POWER 
                    0
SHARES         ______________________________________________________________

BENEFICIALLY   (6)  SHARED VOTING POWER
                    845,000
OWNED BY       ______________________________________________________________

EACH           (7)  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 
                    0
REPORTING      ______________________________________________________________

PERSON WITH    (8)  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 
                    845,000
_____________________________________________________________________________
     (9)  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED
          BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 
          845,000
_____________________________________________________________________________
    (10)  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT 
          IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES **                          [ ] 
_____________________________________________________________________________
    (11)  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED 
          BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)           
          7.1%
_____________________________________________________________________________
    (12)  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON **
          IN
_____________________________________________________________________________
             ** SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!

                               PAGE 3 OF 7 PAGES




ITEM 1(a).  NAME OF ISSUER:  Chirex Inc.

ITEM 1(b).  ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES:
               300 Atlantic Street, Suite 402, Stamford, Connecticut 06901

ITEM 2(a).  NAME OF PERSON FILING:
               Ardsley Advisory Partners and Philip J. Hempleman

ITEM 2(b).  ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL OFFICE OR, IF NONE, RESIDENCE:
               646 Steamboat Road, Greenwich, Connecticut 06836

ITEM 2(c).  CITIZENSHIP: Ardsley Advisory Partners is a Connecticut general
            partnership.  Mr. Hempleman is a United States citizen.

ITEM 2(d).  TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES:  Common Stock, $.01 par value

ITEM 2(e).  CUSIP NUMBER:  170038-10-3

ITEM 3.   IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULES 13d-1(b), OR 13d-
          2(b) or (c), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A:

          (a) [ ]   Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the
                    Exchange Act.

          (b) [ ]   Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Exchange Act.

          (c) [ ]   Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of
                    the Exchange Act.

          (d) [ ]   Investment company registered under Section 8 of the
                    Investment Company Act.

          (e) [x]   An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-
                    1(b)(1)(ii)(E);

          (f) [ ]   An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance
                    with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);

          (g) [ ]   A parent holding company or control person in accordance
                    with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G); 

          (h) [ ]   A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the
                    Federal Deposit Insurance Act;

          (i) [ ]   A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an
                    investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the
                    Investment Company Act;

          (j) (  )  Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).

     If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c), check this box. o	

                              PAGE 4 OF 7 PAGES




ITEM 4.   OWNERSHIP.

          (a)  Amount beneficially owned: 845,000

          (b)  Percent of class:  

          7.1% (based on the 11,850,461 shares of Common Stock, $.01 par value 
	    reported to be outstanding as of November 13, 1998, as reflected in the
          Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities
          and Exchange Commission by the Company for the quarter ended
          September 30, 1998.)

          (c)  Number of shares as to which such person has:

               (i)   sole power to vote or to direct the vote
                     0
               (ii)  shared power to vote or to direct the vote
                     845,000
               (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
                     0
               (iv)  shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition
                     of 845,000

          By virtue of Mr. Hempleman's position as managing partner of Ardsley 
Advisory Partners, a Connecticut general partnership ("Ardsley"), Mr. Hempleman 
may be deemed to have the shared power to vote or direct the vote of, and the 
shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of, the 845,000 shares of 
Common 
Stock, $.01 par value (the "Common Stock") of Chirex, Inc. (the "Company") held 
by 
the discretionary accounts managed by Ardsley and Mr. Hempleman (including 
accounts of certain clients, including investment partnerships for which (i) 
Ardsley serves as the management company and (ii) a general partnership 
comprised 
of the partners that comprise Ardsley serves as general partner, the 
("Discretionary Accounts")), constituting 7.1% of the 11,850,461 shares of 
Common 
Stock outstanding as of November 6, 1998, as reflected in the quarterly report 
of 
the Company on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by 
the 
Company for the quarter ended September 30, 1998, and, therefore, Mr. Hempleman 
may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of such Common Stock.

ITEM 5.   OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS.
          Not applicable.

ITEM 6.   OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON.
          This Schedule 13G is filed by Ardsley, which is an investment adviser 
registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as 
amended, 
with respect to the 845,000 shares of Common Stock held at December 31, 1998 by 
the Discretionary Accounts managed by Ardsley and Mr. Hempleman.


                                   PAGE 5 OF 7 PAGES






          By reason of the provisions of Rule 13d-3 under the Act, Ardsley and 
Mr. 
Hempleman may be deemed to own beneficially the shares of Common Stock owned by 
the Discretionary Accounts.  Each client for whose account Ardsley had 
purchased 
Common Stock has the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of 
dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, such Common Stock purchased 
for 
his account.  No such client has any of the foregoing rights with respect to 
more 
than five percent of the class of securities identified in Item 2(d).  There is
 no 
agreement or understanding among such persons to act together for the purpose 
of 
acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of any such securities.

          To the knowledge of Ardsley, no other person has the right to receive
 or 
the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the 
sale 
of, a number of such Common Stock which represents more than five percent of 
the 
number of outstanding shares of Common Stock.

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.
          Not applicable.

ITEM 9.   NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP.
          Not applicable.

                                   PAGE 6 OF 7 PAGES





ITEM 10.  CERTIFICATION.  (if filing pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b))

          By signing below Ardsley Advisory Partners and Philip J. Hempleman
certify that, to the best of their knowledge and belief, the securities
referred to above were acquired in the ordinary course of business, were not
acquired for the purpose of and do not have the effect of changing or
influencing the control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired
in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purposes
or effect.



                            SIGNATURE

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




                              February __, 1999




                              /s/ Philip J. Hempleman
                              -----------------------
                              Philip J. Hempleman, as
                              Managing Partner of 
                              Ardsley Advisory Partners



                              /s/ Philip J. Hempleman
                              -----------------------
                              Philip J. Hempleman


                                   PAGE 7 OF 7 PAGES