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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13G


                   UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934*





                              Antares Pharma, Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)


                          Common Stock, $.01 par value
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                    036642106
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                  July 9, 2003
           -----------------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event which requires filing of this Statement)

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

[ ] Rule 13d-1(b)

[X] 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
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).




CUSIP No. 036642106                    13G                 Page  2  of  9  Pages

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

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

            SDS Merchant Fund, L.P.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*           (a) [X]

                                                                        (b) [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3       SEC USE ONLY


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

    4       CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

            Delaware
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                           5      SOLE VOTING POWER
      NUMBER OF                   1,000,925
        SHARES     -------------------------------------------------------------
     BENEFICIALLY
       OWNED BY            6      SHARED VOTING POWER
         EACH                     0
      REPORTING    -------------------------------------------------------------
        PERSON             7      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
         WITH
                                  1,000,925
                   -------------------------------------------------------------
                           8      SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                                  0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           1,000,925
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*

           [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   11      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

           7.0%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   12      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           PN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT




CUSIP No. 036642106                    13G                 Page  3  of  9  Pages

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

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

            SDS Capital Partners, LLC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*           (a) [X]

                                                                        (b) [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3       SEC USE ONLY


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

    4       CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

            Delaware
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                           5      SOLE VOTING POWER
      NUMBER OF                   0
        SHARES     -------------------------------------------------------------
     BENEFICIALLY
       OWNED BY            6      SHARED VOTING POWER
         EACH                     1,000,925
      REPORTING    -------------------------------------------------------------
        PERSON             7      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
         WITH
                                  0
                   -------------------------------------------------------------
                           8      SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                                  1,000,925
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           1,000,925
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*

           [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   11      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

           7.0%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   12      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           CO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT




CUSIP No. 036642106                    13G                 Page  4  of  9  Pages

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

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

            Mr. Steven Derby
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*           (a) [X]

                                                                        (b) [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3       SEC USE ONLY


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

    4       CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

            United States
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                           5      SOLE VOTING POWER
      NUMBER OF                   0
        SHARES     -------------------------------------------------------------
     BENEFICIALLY
       OWNED BY            6      SHARED VOTING POWER
         EACH                     1,000,925
      REPORTING    -------------------------------------------------------------
        PERSON             7      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
         WITH
                                  0
                   -------------------------------------------------------------
                           8      SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                                  1,000,925
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

           1,000,925
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   10      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*

           [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   11      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

           7.0%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   12      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

           IN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT



CUSIP No. 036642106                    13G                 Page  5  of  9  Pages

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

Item 1(a).        Name of Issuer:

                  Antares Pharma, Inc.

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

                  707 Eagleview Boulevard
                  Suite 414
                  Exton, Pennsylvania 19341

Item 2(a).        Name of Person Filing.
Item 2(b).        Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence.
Item 2(c).        Citizenship.

                  SDS Merchant Fund, L.P. (the "Reporting Person")
                  c/o SDS Capital Partners, LLC
                  53 Forest Avenue, 2nd Floor
                  Old Greenwich, CT 06870
                  Delaware limited partnership

                  SDS Capital Partners, LLC (the "General Partner")
                  53 Forest Avenue, 2nd Floor
                  Old Greenwich, CT 06870
                  Delaware limited liability company

                  Mr. Steven Derby ("Mr. Derby")
                  Sole Managing member of the General Partner
                  53 Forest Avenue, 2nd Floor
                  Old Greenwich, CT 06870
                  United States citizen

Item 2(d).        Title of Class of Securities:

                  Common Stock, par value $.01 per share

Item 2(e).        CUSIP Number:

                  036642106

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

                  Not Applicable

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



CUSIP No. 036642106                    13G                 Page  6  of  9  Pages

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item 4. Ownership.        As of July 9, 2003:

   1.   The Reporting Person.

   (a)      Amount beneficially owned: 1,000,925 shares of Common Stock.

   (b)      Percent of Class:7.0%

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

            (i)   sole power to vote or direct the vote: 1,000,925

            (ii)  shared power to vote or direct the vote:   0

            (iii) sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of: 1,000,925

            (iv)  shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of:   0

   2.   The General Partner - same as Mr. Derby, see below.

   3.   Mr. Derby.

  (a)      Amount beneficially owned: 1,000,925 shares of Common Stock.

  (b)      Percent of Class:7.0%

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

           (i)   sole power to vote or direct the vote:  0

           (ii)  shared power to vote or direct the vote: 1,000,925

           (iii) sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of:  0

           (iv)  shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of: 1,000,925

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.

        Not applicable.




CUSIP No. 036642106                    13G                 Page  7  of  9  Pages

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

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.

Item 10. Certification.

         By signing below,  the Reporting  Person certifies that, to the best of
         its  knowledge  and  belief,  the  securities  referred  to above  were
         acquired and are held in the  ordinary  course of business and were not
         acquired  and are not held for the  purpose  of or with the  effect  of
         changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and
         were  not  acquired  and  are  not  held  in  connection  with  or as a
         participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.




CUSIP No. 036642106                    13G                 Page  8  of  9  Pages

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

                                    SIGNATURE

    After  reasonable  inquiry  and to the best of the  Reporting  Person's
knowledge and belief,  the Reporting  Person  certifies that the information set
forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated: July 21, 2003

                                                 SDS MERCHANT FUND, L.P.
                                                 By:  SDS Capital Partners, LLC,
                                                       its General Partner


                                                 By: /s/ Steven Derby
                                                     ---------------------------
                                                     Name: Steven Derby
                                                     Title:   Managing Member


                                                 SDS CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC


                                                 By: /s/ Steven Derby
                                                     ---------------------------
                                                     Name: Steven Derby
                                                     Title:   Managing Member



                                                 /s/ Steven Derby
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                         Steven Derby


CUSIP No. 036642106                    13G                 Page  9  of  9  Pages

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

                                    EXHIBIT A
                             JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

         This  Agreement  is filed as an exhibit to Schedule  13G being filed by
SDS Merchant  Fund,  L.P.,  SDS Capital  Partners,  LLC and Mr.  Steven Derby in
compliance with Rule 13d-1(k) of the Securities and Exchange  Commission,  which
requires an agreement in writing  indicating that the Schedule 13G to which this
Agreement is attached is filed on behalf of the below-named companies, that they
are  each  responsible  for  the  timely  filing  of the  Schedule  13G  and any
amendments  thereto and for the  completeness  and  accuracy of the  information
concerning such persons contained therein.


Dated:  July 21, 2003


                                                 SDS MERCHANT FUND, L.P.
                                                 By:  SDS Capital Partners, LLC,
                                                       its General Partner


                                                 By: /s/ Steven Derby
                                                     ---------------------------
                                                     Name: Steven Derby
                                                     Title:   Managing Member


                                                 SDS CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC


                                                 By: /s/ Steven Derby
                                                     ---------------------------
                                                     Name: Steven Derby
                                                     Title:   Managing Member



                                                 /s/ Steven Derby
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                         Steven Derby