Malcolm F.G. Stevens is Awarded
the First IUPAC-Richter Prize
The
newly established IUPACRichter Prize in Medicinal Chemistry has
been awarded in 2006 for the first time. The recipient is Professor
Malcolm F.G. Stevens, Ph.D., D.Sc., OBE, of Nottingham University,
U.K.
Dr. Stevens received this award in recognition of his leadership and
contributions to the discovery of anticancer drugs. His work has resulted
in the discovery of six novel small molecule agents that have progressed
into clinical trials. Among them is Temozolomide (Temodal), used
to treat glioblastoma multiforme (a deadly brain cancer), which is licensed
to the Schering-Plough Corporation and has been marketed worldwide since
1999. Another product, Phortress, is in early-stage clinical trial against
breast tumors; other products from his current research, exploiting
other mechanisms for anticancer agents, are also expected to enter development.
The IUPAC-Richter Prize -a plaque and a check for USD 10000- will be
presented on 29 August 2006 at the XIXth International Symposium of
Medicinal Chemistry in Istanbul, Turkey. The plaque is signed by Prof.
Bryan Henry, president of IUPAC, and Erik Bogsch, chief executive officer
of Gedeon Richter Limited.
Dr. Stevens studied pharmacy at the University of Nottingham, England,
and obtained his Ph.D. in 1963, also at Nottingham. He was subsequently
awarded a D.Sc. in 1979 for his published research on the novel synthesis
of heterocyclic compounds. He pursued an academic career, spending 7
years as a lecturer in medicinal chemistry at Heriot-Watt University
in Edinburgh, Scotland, and then as a reader (i.e., an associate professor)
in medicinal chemistry at Aston University in Birmingham, England. He
was appointed professor of experimental cancer chemotherapy at Aston
in 1979, and starting in 1983, spent 6 years as head of the Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences. In 1992 he returned to Nottingham University
as Cancer Research UK professor of experimental cancer chemotherapy
and director of the Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, the position that
he holds today. In addition, he is also chief scientific officer of
Pharminox, a spin-off of Oxford University focused on the discovery
and development of novel small molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer.
Dr. Stevens has received other forms of recognition from learned societies
during his career: the UK Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Interdisciplinary
Award (1991), the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain Harrison
Memorial Medal (1994), the RSC George and Christine Sosnovsky Award
for chemical contributions to cancer research (2002), and the American
Association for Cancer Research Bruce F. Cain Memorial Award (2003)
for translational cancer research.
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<prize announcement published in
Chem. Int. Sep 2006 - see issue
index>