Abstract

The session on 15th November is about innovation in the business world and the role played by ‘intrapreneurs’ in taking discoveries to market. It tracks the progress of two block buster drugs – Viagra and Relpax.

Dr David Brown is a scientist, intrapreneur and has held many senior positions in the Bio/Pharma industry. He has a truly distinguished record of not only doing the science, but also of taking key discoveries to market. Dr Brown is one of the patent holders of that ‘accidental’ discovery Viagra, one of the biggest brand names of recent years. He is also part of the team that actually made it a commercial success taking it through the early years of drug efficacy trials.

When? 15th November 2011. Registration is from 18:00. The lecture starts at 18:30. Networking from 20:00. Refreshments are provided.

Where? University of Cambridge Department of Engineering, LT0 , Trumpington Street, Cambridge

Registration: Please register online at http://www.cfel.jbs.cam.ac.uk/programmes/enterprisetuesday/register.html

Dr David Brown FRSC , Managing Director of Alchemy Biomedical Consulting

Dr David Brown has over 30 years experience in the pharmaceutical / biotechnology industry both in research and in senior executive roles. He served with 4 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies: Zeneca, Pfizer, GlaxoWellcome, and Hoffman La-Roche; and also as President and Chief Executive of Cellzome AG. Whilst at Pfizer he was named co-inventor on the patent for Viagra, a treatment for male impotence, and he led the team that developed it. The drug is also marketed for treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension under the trade name Revatio. He also had a pivotal role in the discovery of Relpax, a treatment for migraine. While at Roche in Switzerland, he was a Director of the company and had responsibility over 2000 staff focused on drug discovery.

Since 2005 Dr Brown has pursued a portfolio of roles dedicated to bringing new medical treatments to both the developed and developing world. He has been heavily involved with OneWorld Health, San Francisco, where his work, and that of the organization, is dedicated to bringing medicines to the poorest of the poor in the world. In particular he has been responsible for development of a global strategy to reduce child deaths from diarrheal diseases etc. This work has been funded by Bill Gates through his charitable trust. In the developed world, his work focuses mostly on finding breakthrough treatments for bone disorders and also on different types of pain. He is an Honorary Fellow in Human Clinical Pain at Manchester University.

Dr Brown has extensive experience of leadership at both Chief Executive and Board level. He has previously served on the boards of Cellzome AG in Germany and the Institute for One World Health in San Francisco. He currently serves on the boards of Crescendo Biologics, Amura Ltd and Indigix Ltd and is Chair of Babraham Biotechnologies Ltd. He is also Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of Heptares Ltd. He is also co-founder and Chairman of a charity (FMVSO) supporting a school and orphanage for destitute children in India.

Further information about the Enterprise Tuesday series is available at http://www.cfel.jbs.cam.ac.uk/programmes/enterprisetuesday/programme/timetable.html