What Is The Difference Between Ibrutinib And Acalabrutinib? A Biotech Story
One of the goals I had when writing FOR BLOOD AND MONEY was to highlight the crucial role that physician-scientists like Dr. John Byrd play in the development of cancer drugs. The book is about the development of two rival medicines that have made a difference for patients, particularly those with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or CLL, the most common form of adult leukemia. Some of the important contributions of doctors like Jeff Sharman M.D., Susan O’Brien and Richard Furman are described in the book.
You can order the book here: For Blood and Money: Billionaires, Biotech, and the Quest for a Blockbuster Drug
I would like to briefly talk about Dr. John Byrd here to show how cancer drug development is impossible without dedicated physician-scientists. Dr. Byrd is currently chair of the department of internal medicine at the University of Cincinnati.
The son of a glazier in small-town Arkansas, Dr. Byrd’s family worked hard to give him opportunities that were not available to most in the community where he grew up. He studied at Hendrix College and paid for medical school at the University of Arkansas by joining the army.
Moreover, he retired from the army with the rank of major after a decade and joined the faculty at Ohio State’s College of Medicine. There, Dr. Byrd supported the key clinical trials of Imbruvica, carefully enrolling his patients in these trials and playing a leading role in the study research. After Imbruvica was approved, Dr. Byrd did not stop. Even though the drug was a game changer for CLL patients, he thought he could do better. Dr. Byrd also played a leading role in the clinical trials of Calquence and helped get that drug to CLL patients, too.
Both Imbruvica and Calqence became two of the most lucrative cancer drugs ever developed.
However, Dr. Byrd and the other physician-scientists who worked to get these medicines approved never saw a dime. They are truly in the game for their patients and their passion for medicine.
Lastly, it is an incredible privilege to have been able to tell Dr. Byrd’s story.
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Nathan Vardi
What Is The Difference Between Ibrutinib And Acalabrutinib? A Biotech Story
