The son of a physician-entrepreneur, young Paul Janssen (1926 to 2003, right) dreamed of creating a company that would profit from its own research efforts. When Germany occupied Belgium during World War II, Janssen secretly enrolled in college, where his love for chemistry grew. While in medical school, Janssen traveled to the United States, seeking exposure to advanced pharmacology research and winning chess matches to fund his trip. After obtaining his medical degree, he worked with several European scientists, including Nobel laureate Corneille Heymans. In 1953, “Dr. Paul” set out to achieve his childhood dream. He started his first laboratory within his father’s company building. Constantly drawing novel compounds, Janssen manipulated known structures to enhance specific physiological effects. Synthesizing more than 1,100 new drugs in the first 3 years (and hundreds of thousands thereafter), Janssen Pharmaceutica would gain renown for haloperidol, droperidol, and etomidate. Dr. Paul’s fascination with the piperidine ring, the fundamental structure of morphine and meperidine, also led to the development of fentanyl (upper left) and its derivatives sufentanil and alfentanil (lower left). (Copyright © the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology. www.woodlibrarymuseum.org)
The son of a physician-entrepreneur, young Paul Janssen (1926 to 2003, right) dreamed of creating a company that would profit from its own research efforts. When Germany occupied Belgium during World War II, Janssen secretly enrolled in college, where his love for chemistry grew. While in medical school, Janssen traveled to the United States, seeking exposure to advanced pharmacology research and winning chess matches to fund his trip. After obtaining his medical degree, he worked with several European scientists, including Nobel laureate Corneille Heymans. In 1953, “Dr. Paul” set out to achieve his childhood dream. He started his first laboratory within his father’s company building. Constantly drawing novel compounds, Janssen manipulated known structures to enhance specific physiological effects. Synthesizing more than 1,100 new drugs in the first 3 years (and hundreds of thousands thereafter), Janssen Pharmaceutica would gain renown for haloperidol, droperidol, and etomidate. Dr. Paul’s fascination with the piperidine ring, the fundamental structure of morphine and meperidine, also led to the development of fentanyl (upper left) and its derivatives sufentanil and alfentanil (lower left). (Copyright © the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology. www.woodlibrarymuseum.org)
Jane S. Moon, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California.
