Norbert Bischofberger
{{Short description|Austrian scientist}}
{{Infobox scientist
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| name = Norbert Bischofberger
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| image = Norbert Bischofberger crop 2012 CHF HIV AIDS 079.jpg
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|01|10}}
| birth_place = Mellau, Austria
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| education = University of Innsbruck, ETH Zurich
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| doctoral_advisor = Oskar Jeger
| academic_advisors = George M. Whitesides
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| known_for = antiviral drugs
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Dr. Norbert Bischofberger (born 10 January 1956 in Mellau, Austria) is an Austrian scientist and one of the inventors of the antiviral drug Tamiflu generically known as oseltamivir, which is, as of 2009, the only oral medication on the market to treat influenza A and B as well as the 2009 Pandemic H1N1 (swine flu), the spread of which caused an ongoing pandemic in 2009.{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/austria/5915085/Inventor-of-Tamiflu-profits-from-swine-flu-pandemic.html |title=Inventor of Tamiflu profits from swine flu pandemic |author=Allan Hall |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=2009-07-27 |accessdate=2009-07-31 }} Bischofberger is currently the President & Chief Executive Officer of Kronos Bio, and previously was the Executive Vice President, Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer at Gilead Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in antivirals.
Education
Bischofberger has received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Innsbruck, a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at the ETH Zurich with Oskar Jeger, and has done postdoctoral work at Harvard University with George M. Whitesides and Syntex Research.{{cite web|title=Norbert W. Bischofberger, PhD {{!}} Gilead|url=http://www.gilead.com/about/senior-management/senior-management/leadership-bio3|website=www.gilead.com|publisher=Gilead|accessdate=20 March 2018}}
Tamiflu
He worked as part of the DNA synthesis group at Genentech from 1986 to 1990, before joining Gilead in 1990 as Director of Organic Chemistry.{{cite magazine|url=https://people.forbes.com/profile/norbert-w-bischofberger/36998|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304160908/http://people.forbes.com/profile/norbert-w-bischofberger/36998|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 4, 2009|title=Norbert W. Bischofberger|magazine=Forbes|accessdate=2009-07-31}} In 1993, he began work, as head of a team, to create Tamiflu. In 1996, clinical studies were carried out on the drug, which was the first orally active commercially developed anti-influenza medication. Explaining the motivation behind this, he said, "We decided to create a pill and not a medication to inhale because especially people who suffer from influenza struggle with breathing difficulties. And the agent would only reach the lung,"{{cite web|url=http://www.austriantimes.at/?id=12991|title=Scientist who invented ´Tamiflu´ predicts dark times|author=Thomas Hochwarter|publisher=Austrian Times|date=2009-05-01|accessdate=2009-07-31}} Three years later, the right to market and develop Tamiflu were sold to Roche, with Bischofberger and Gilead retaining the intellectual rights to it.{{cite news|url=http://www.mmail.com.my/content/9283-blessing-disguise-tamiflu-inventor|title=Blessing in disguise for Tamiflu inventor|newspaper=Malay Mail|date=2009-07-28|accessdate=2009-07-31}}
Bischofberger has publicly displayed pessimism over the risk viruses pose, saying, "I think the threat by new bacterial or viral agents is higher than the potential of a nuclear war."
Other activities
- Kronos Bio, President & Chief Executive Officer, Member of the Board of Directors (since 2018)
- Morphic Therapeutics, Member of the Board of Directors (since 2019)[https://morphictx.com/2019/06/14/morphic-therapeutic-appoints-former-gilead-leader-norbert-bischofberger-ph-d-to-board-of-directors/ Morphic Therapeutic Appoints Former Gilead Leader Norbert Bischofberger, Ph.D., to Board of Directors] Morphic Therapeutics, press release of June 14, 2019.
- Bayer, Member of the supervisory board (since 2017)[https://www.bayer.com/en/supervisory-board-of-bayer-ag.aspx Supervisory Board] Bayer.
- InCarda Therapeutics, Member of the Board of Directors (since 2016)[https://incardatherapeutics.com/2016/06/06/incarda-therapeutics-elects-dr-norbert-bischofberger-to-board-of-directors/ InCarda Therapeutics Elects Dr. Norbert Bischofberger to Board of Directors] InCarda Therapeutics, press release of June 6, 2016.
References
{{Reflist|3}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090304160908/http://people.forbes.com/profile/norbert-w-bischofberger/36998 Forbes.com profile]
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Category:20th-century Austrian chemists