By Carmie O. Carpio
JULY 20, 2007
Asianjournal.com
Filipino Scientist Behind $700M Pain Breakthrough
MAKATI CITY — After years of tedious doubled in the succeeding year.
research, Filipino scientist Dr. Baldomero The science of pain
Olivera and his team at the University of Olivera’s three decades of dedication
Utah discovered a major breakthrough to developing drugs from animal wildlife
in pain management. Now, deadly pain earned him this year’s “Scientist of the
might have finally met its match in Year” award from the Harvard Foundation.
Ziconotide (trade name Prialt). In that span of time he had already
The breakthrough research was published 158 medical abstracts on
presented by none other than Olivera conotoxins. He had been teaching Biology
himself to doctors, scientists, investors, in the University of Utah since the 1970s
students and the media gathered at the where he is currently associate professor
Filipinas Heritage Museum on July 6. His and, of course, a renowned scientist.
talk, “Turning Killers into Pain Killers”, was
Moreover, Olivares’ interest in sea
His colorful career began after finishing
part of Innovation Forum, a series of bi-
cone snails became instrumental in his
Summa Cum Laude at the University of
monthly forums on various technologies
discovery of a new pharmaceutical class
the Philippines in 1960. He then went
sponsored by the Ayala Foundation and
called conopeptides, the active ingredient
on to graduate school and earned his
InfoDev.
in Ziconotide. And in 1992, Olivera’s team
PhD in Chemistry from the California
Seaside discovery
was able to determine the analgesic-like
Institute of Technology. He furthered his
This major discovery opens a new
qualities of conopeptide. From there,
specialization doing postdoctoral work at
drug pipeline for pain and other serious
Ziconotide was made available to the
Stanford University.
diseases. Olivera is among the few
public via Prialt.
Olivera then returned to the Philippines
scientists who have chosen to tap animal
Non-narcotic pain relief
and became a research associate professor
wildlife as a pharmacological source of
Before Prialt, there was morphine, a
of Biochemistry at the UP College of
treatment.
highly potent opiate analgesic drug that
Medicine. In 1970, he returned to the US
Olivera developed a keen interest in
effectively relieves severe pain. Morphine,
to start teaching in Utah where he has
seashells as a young boy in the Philippines.
however, is a narcotic — a controlled
been consistently awarded the title of
He would gather and bring them home so
substance and therefore not readily
“Distinguished Professor of Biology” since
he could compare them with the diagrams
accessible to those who need urgent
1992.
in the pages of his books on marine life.
relief from extreme pain.
Upended patent
One particular seashell, the cone
Prialt, on the other hand, has none of
Sadly, Olivera wasn’t able to patent
snail, became the focus of Olivares and
the habit-forming qualities of morphine.
his research. Consequently, he never
his team. Studying them had been like
Administered via a spinal pump, patients
profited from the sales of Prialt. But
second nature to Olivares since cone
now have a safer pain-killing alternative.
Olivera saw that as a challenge. To recoup
snails are abundant in tropical countries
Prialt is believed to be more powerful
his investment, in 1996 he founded the
like the Philippines. The team’s curiosity
than morphine. In recent years, Prialt has
Utah-based startup group Cognetix. This
was particularly aroused by the duality
been the better choice for the treatment
pharmaceutical and research company
of the seashell being exquisite on the
or management of pain caused by a
had been developing four conopeptide
outside but highly lethal on the inside.
variety of diseases such as AIDS, cancer,
compounds to treat pain and myocardial
After further research, they found out that
epilepsy, Alzheimer’s.
infarction.
the cone snail’s venom which contains
The US Food & Drug Administration
Olivera now serves as director of the
conotoxins has an equally antidotal effect.
approved Prialt for severe chronic pain
Olivera Lab and has since been leading the
Conotoxins is now being considered
in December 2004. Formerly known as
way in further research and development
to yield new drugs for the treatment
Neurex, it was bought in 1998 by Ireland’s
of conotoxins — a technological
of Parkinson’s disease and other brain
Elan Pharmaceuticals for $700 million. In
advancement that will definitely benefit
disorders aside from pain.
2005, sales reached $6.1 million, and then
mankind. (AJ)
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