IRT2010

   It is a pleasure to announce that the recipient of the Imbach-Townsend Award for 2010 is Professor Robert Vince, of the University of Minnesota, USA. Bob has been a tremendous advocate for medicinal chemistry and drug discovery over the years. He hosted an International Roundtable in 2004. The magnitude of the outstanding accomplishments by Dr. Vince, exemplify the spirit and dedication shown by Professors Imbach and Townsend during their esteemed careers.

   Bob’s career began in research with his Ph. D. work on acyclic nucleosides as enzyme inhibitors, with Dr. Howard J. Schaeffer. A concept that B. R. Baker espoused at the time, and that Dr. Schaeffer was pursuing at SUNY Buffalo. This research was a clear precursor to the discovery of Acyclovir by Schaffer at Burroughs Wellcome, still today the leading drug for the treatment of herpes virus infections.

   Bob designed cyclaradine, the carbocyclic analog of ara-A, a natural and synthetic compound with antiviral activity, which was licensed and pursued as a potential antiviral agent. It was during this time that Bob set up a very productive collaboration with Dr. William M. Shannon, at Southern Research Institute. This collaboration, with regard to antiviral evaluations of new compounds from his laboratory, continued for many years, and transitioned into the carbovir series of compounds.

   The culmination of his research in the area of carbocyclic nucleoside is certainly the discovery and development of carbovir and the licensing of that technology to Glaxo. Ultimately, Abacavir (Ziagen©), which serves as a prodrug form of carbovir triphosphate, was approved for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. This drug, marketed by GlaxoSmithKline, has played an important role in the fight against HIV/AIDS over the last two decades.

   Indicative of Bob’s commitment to science, he founded and dedicated his personal efforts to the establishment of The Center for Drug Design at The University of Minnesota, through royalties generated by his successful research, with a vision toward the advancement of medicinal chemistry and human health.