May 15, 2023
The venom of the Brazilian pit viper Bothrops jararaca causes a sudden and catastrophic drop in blood pressure. Armed with this knowledge, David Cushman and Miguel Ondetti set out to isolate the active component. In this 1999 interview with Princeton University professor Leon Rosenberg, Cushman tells the story of their Lasker Award-winning work that resulted in ACE inhibitors for the treatment of hypertension. Cushman and Ondetti were recognized not only for their development of a life-saving medication, but also for their innovative approach to drug design. Listen to the incredible story of captopril, one of the first drugs developed through rational design.
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. The transcript of the entire 43-minute interview, along with the transcript for a 54-minute interview with Ondetti, can be found here: http://ow.ly/wGL750Oo4uQ