RICK MULLIN

COLLABORATION ACS President Reichmanis (center) discusses future interactions with Wyeth's Ruffolo (left) and Abou-Gharbia. PHOTO BY RICK MULLIN

The directors of medicinal chemistry and drug discovery from more than a dozen drug firms met with chemistry faculty from six universities at the newly opened Wyeth Research facility in Collegeville, Pa., earlier this month, as the American Chemical Society convened its first summit on the future of chemistry in pharmaceutical research.

While all agreed that the future is secure, attendees at the ACS pharmaceuticals meeting, which was chaired by ACS President Elsa Reichmanis, raised concerns about medicinal chemistry being eclipsed by biological techniques in drug discovery.

A drop in the number of bachelor's- and master's-degree level scientists entering the field was also a top concern, with discussion centering on improved cooperation between industry and academia in preparing students for careers as pharmaceutical chemists.

Robert R. Ruffolo Jr., president of R&D at Wyeth, set the tone for an afternoon of open discussion in his welcoming address. "Chemistry has always been the bread and butter of this industry," he said. "Nothing will replace the role of the chemist as far as this industry is concerned."

The industry, however, faces a growing problem in finding chemists to do the work, as college students gravitate toward nonscience career training. "There has been a flight from science," he said. "In Europe, by the time a student is 14 years old, it is possible for him or her not to take another science course." Ruffolo said a similar trend is under way in the U.S. "I foresee a time when we don't have the chemists needed to move forward."

Ruffolo argued that the balance of biologists and chemists at major pharmaceutical companies needs to be maintained. "The extremes can be quite destructive," he said.

Frank Walsh, senior vice president for discovery research at Wyeth, noted that the decrease in the number of people entering chemistry is reflected in ACS membership statistics. "Nearly 40% of ACS members are over 50," he said.

Yet Walsh sees potential for an upswing in productivity in the lab, given advances in chemistry, biology, and discovery technologies. The role of the chemist will be key, he said. "Chemistry drives strategies for innovation. Productivity gains are possible with better reactions, technology, and cycle times."

"At some companies chemistry is king; at others biology is king. In reality, progress occurs in middle-ground partnerships."

Biology is also important to efficient innovation, he acknowledged, and while the relative role the two sciences play will vary from company to company, they should not be viewed as separate camps. "At some companies chemistry is king; at others biology is king," Walsh said. "In reality, progress occurs in middle-ground partnerships."

"Chemistry versus biology" was a lively topic of discussion at the meeting. Some chemists extolled the benefits of chemical methodologies such as combinatorial chemistry over biological techniques like the use of RNA interference. Others were of the opinion that biology boils down to organic chemistry and that biologists need to receive better training as chemists.

Most of the discussion, however, centered on training chemists--specifically on fostering an interest in medicinal chemistry among university students. Industry executives seated around the table agreed that intellectual property concerns are a severe barrier to collaboration with academia. Some complained that chemistry professors' involvement with pharmaceutical companies in drug development projects undercuts educational opportunities because of the potential for conflict of interest.

A DISCUSSION of alternative vehicles for collaborative training in medicinal chemistry led to a suggestion that an industry- and government-sponsored research consortium could be established to develop medicines for diseases that afflict poor countries. It was noted that such an effort would help motivate students toward a career in pharmaceuticals, would raise no intellectual property issues, and would enhance the industry's image at a time when it is in need of damage control.

Several attendees noted that negative public opinion of the industry, a factor in students' career decisions, centers more on business practices of major pharmaceutical companies than on the performance of their researchers. Magid Abou-Gharbia, vice president for chemical and screening sciences at Wyeth, said chemists need to do a better job communicating to the public. "We need to educate the public so that they understand what it takes to bring a drug to market."

Participation at the meeting by scientists from every major drug firm other than Pfizer, as well as from smaller companies such as Lexicon Pharmaceuticals and Cephalon, and from contract research firm Albany Molecular Research, speaks to the pharmaceutical industry's concern about the role of chemistry, according to Reichmanis. More than 30 people attended.

Reichmanis said she sees a role for ACS in helping with education and multidisciplinary research. She suggested that ACS may be able to develop a service to help companies locate appropriate applicants for internship programs. The group plans to meet again next year.

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