Teams from Abbott Laboratories, Merck Research Laboratories, Pfizer Inc, and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals are being honored by the ACS for improving children's health and wellness by creating commercial products based on chemistry.
The teams will be honored as Heroes of Chemistry at the American Chemical Society's 226th national meeting in New York City on Sept. 7. This year's Heroes ceremony will recognize industrial chemists and chemical engineers who are improving children's health and wellness by creating commercial products based on chemistry.
"The broad range of invaluable products that our 2003 Heroes of Chemistry have developed and commercialized has dramatically advanced the health, well-being and lifestyles of children around the world," said ACS President Elsa Reichmanis, Ph.D. "The chemical advances made by the honorees serve as testimonials to the valuable role chemists and chemical engineers play in improving lives. It is with pride that the ACS recognizes them as Heroes of Chemistry."
The Heroes of Chemistry program will be held in conjunction with a celebration for the 80th anniversary of Chemical & Engineering News, the society's newsmagazine. Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D., director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University, will be the keynote speaker at the joint event. Carson has gained worldwide recognition as the principal surgeon in the separation of the conjoined Binder twins in Germany and, most recently, for his role in the separation of the Bijani twins from Iran.
The Heroes program, started in 1996 by the ACS, honors industrial chemists and chemical engineers who create commercially successful products that improve the quality of life. Each year Heroes of Chemistry are nominated by their own companies to recognize their talent, creativity and innovation within specific segments of the chemistry industry.
Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Ill., developed Kaletra® (lopinavir/ritonavir), a unique antiretroviral agent used to treat HIV infection. The drug, which received simultaneous adult and pediatric approvals, is the first HIV protease inhibitor to receive Food and Drug Administration approval for use in children as young as six months old. Protease is an enzyme HIV uses in the final stages of its reproduction process. Kaletra has stopped progression of the virus and strengthened the immune systems of HIV-infected children, many of whom have not responded to other therapy.
Merck Research Laboratories, Kirkland, Canada, discovered and developed Singulair® to help control asthma in adults and children as young as 12 months. This year the FDA also approved the medication for the relief of symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis in patients two years and older. Singulair® works by blocking substances in the body called leukotrienes, an underlying cause of asthma and allergy symptoms.
Pfizer Inc, Ann Arbor, Mich., developed Neurontin®, an anticonvulsant used to treat childhood epilepsy. Epilepsy is common in children, with 75 percent of the cases developing before the age of 20. Neurontin® has no reactions with other drugs and this is significant since many children with epilepsy also have other conditions which require medication. The drug controls seizures and, because many children with epilepsy have normal cognition, they can live normal lives when the episodes subside
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Sanford, N.C., developed Prevnar® — the first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to help protect infants and young children against invasive pneumococcal disease caused by seven common strains of Streptococcus pneumonia. Many have termed the introduction of the vaccine as the most important advance in pediatric medicine in the last decade. Prior to the introduction of Prevnar®, Streptococcus pneumoniae was a leading cause of meningitis, bacteremia, pneumonia and bacterial otitis media in young children. Pneumococcal disease can result in hearing loss, learning disabilities, speech and hearing problems and brain damage.
The Abbott Laboratories award winners:
Dale J. Kempf, Ph.D., is senior research fellow, Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development. He received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1982.
Daniel W. Norbeck, Ph.D., is corporate vice president, Global Pharmaceutical Discovery, Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development. He received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1984.
Hing L. Sham, Ph.D., is director, Metabolic Disease Research, Pharmaceutical Products Division. He received a Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry from the University of Hawaii in 1980.
The Merck Research Laboratories award winners:
Robert N. Young, Ph.D., is vice president of medicinal chemistry at Merck Research Laboratories. He received a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of British Columbia in 1971.
Robert J. Zamboni, Ph.D., is vice president of the medicinal chemistry department at Merck Research Laboratories. He received a Ph.D. in organic synthesis from McGill University in 1978.
Marc Labelle, Ph.D., is former director of medicinal chemistry at Merck Research Laboratories and currently holds the same position at Tularik Inc. He received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the Universit‚ de Montréal in 1983.
The Pfizer Inc award winners:
Johannes H. Hartenstein, Ph.D. (retired), was senior director, chemistry, Parke-Davis, Ann Arbor. Mich. He received a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Freiburg, Germany, in 1963.
Gerhard Satzinger, Ph.D. (retired), was director of research and development, Goedecke, Germany. He received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Erlangen, Germany in 1957.
James R. Zeller, Ph.D., is senior director, Pfizer Global Research & Development, Holland Laboratories, Holland, Mich. He received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Wayne State University in 1981.
The Wyeth Pharmaceuticals award winners:
Steven H. Doares, Ph.D., is associate director, bacterial vaccine development department. He received a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Georgia in 1990
Ronald J. Eby, Ph.D., is distinguished research scientist and manager, carbohydrate chemistry department. He received a Ph.D. in chemistry from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 1974.
Chia-Lung Hsieh, Ph.D. (deceased), was director of product development and scale-up, Lederle-Praxis Biologicals. He received a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Utah in 1972.
Bradley E. Kosiba, Ph.D., is director, vaccine development operations. He received a PhD. in biochemistry from Brandeis University in 1981.
Maya Koster is senior research scientist. She received a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Rochester, Rochester, N.Y., in 1982.
Kent D. Murphy is senior staff engineer, protein purification, Baxter Diagnostics, Inc. He received an M.S. in chemical engineering from Manhattan College in 1986.
Velupillai Puvanesarajah, Ph.D., is director of analytical development. He received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from York University, Canada, in 1983.
Dan Joseph Speelman is associate director, analytical development. He received an M.S. in virology from the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in 1981.