William Canfield
Encyclopedia
William Canfield is a glycobiologist
, chief scientific officer and founder of an Oklahoma City-based biotechnology company, Novazyme, which was acquired by Genzyme
in August 2001 and developed, among other things, an enzyme that can stabilize (but not cure) Pompe disease, based on Canfield's ongoing research since 1998. Canfield subsequently left Genzyme and established, with his partner in the Novazyme operation, John Crowley
, another research laboratory (Cytovance Biologics), which he still heads. He saved Cytovance from bankruptcy by forming an investor group and raising $9 million after Crowley suddenly left the lab in 2005 to become the chief executive officer at Amicus Therapeutics in New Jersey
.
Contrary to the 2010 motion picture Extraordinary Measures
, in which his name has been changed to "Dr. Robert Stonehill" and he is portrayed as an anti-establishment, chronically angry and asocial University of Nebraska researcher, Canfield was the sole founder and original CEO of Novazyme, and was already actively involved in developing a treatment for Pompe disease when he took on John Crowley, a lawyer turned business manager, as a partner to handle the business end of the operation.
from the University of Puget Sound
followed by a Ph.D.
in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
and an M.D. from the School of Medicine at the University of Washington
. Canfield currently holds a faculty position in medical glycobiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
. John Crowley
took over a position as a CEO in Novazyme after leaving Bristol-Myers Squibb in March 2000 and together with Dr. Y. T. Chen at Duke University
pushed for expedited approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a new drug compound, NZ-1001 under orphan drug designation
for the treatment of Glycogen storage disease type II
in October 2005. The FDA stated: “We have determined that Novazyme’s recombinant human highly phosphorylated acid alpha-glucosidase (rhHPGAA) qualifies for orphan designation for enzyme replacement therapy in patients with all subtypes of glycogen storage disease type II (Pompe's disease).” Subsequent research at Genzyme on NZ-1001 along with three other potential compounds brought approval of the first enzyme replacement therapy for Pompe's disease - Alglucosidase alfa
(Myozyme or Lumizyme, Genzyme Inc) in 2006.
Glycobiology
Defined in the broadest sense, glycobiology is the study of the structure, biosynthesis, and biology of saccharides that are widely distributed in nature...
, chief scientific officer and founder of an Oklahoma City-based biotechnology company, Novazyme, which was acquired by Genzyme
Genzyme
Genzyme Corporation is a fully owned subsidiary of Sanofi-Aventis. Before its acquisition, Genzyme was an American biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2010, Genzyme was the world’s third-largest biotechnology company, employing more than 11,000 people around the world...
in August 2001 and developed, among other things, an enzyme that can stabilize (but not cure) Pompe disease, based on Canfield's ongoing research since 1998. Canfield subsequently left Genzyme and established, with his partner in the Novazyme operation, John Crowley
John Crowley (biotech executive)
John Francis Crowley is an American biotechnology executive and entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder of several biotech companies devoted to curing genetic diseases.-Life and career:...
, another research laboratory (Cytovance Biologics), which he still heads. He saved Cytovance from bankruptcy by forming an investor group and raising $9 million after Crowley suddenly left the lab in 2005 to become the chief executive officer at Amicus Therapeutics in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Contrary to the 2010 motion picture Extraordinary Measures
Extraordinary Measures
Extraordinary Measures is a 2010 medical drama film starring Brendan Fraser, Harrison Ford, and Keri Russell. It is distributed by CBS Films and was released on January 22, 2010. It is about parents who form a biotechnology company to develop a drug to save the lives of their children, who have a...
, in which his name has been changed to "Dr. Robert Stonehill" and he is portrayed as an anti-establishment, chronically angry and asocial University of Nebraska researcher, Canfield was the sole founder and original CEO of Novazyme, and was already actively involved in developing a treatment for Pompe disease when he took on John Crowley, a lawyer turned business manager, as a partner to handle the business end of the operation.
Biography
Canfield obtained a B.S. in ChemistryChemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
from the University of Puget Sound
University of Puget Sound
The University of Puget Sound is a private liberal arts college located in the North End of Tacoma, Washington, in the United States...
followed by a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
and an M.D. from the School of Medicine at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. Canfield currently holds a faculty position in medical glycobiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center is the health sciences branch of the University of Oklahoma. Located in Oklahoma City, it serves as the primary place of instruction for many of Oklahoma's health professions...
. John Crowley
John Crowley (biotech executive)
John Francis Crowley is an American biotechnology executive and entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder of several biotech companies devoted to curing genetic diseases.-Life and career:...
took over a position as a CEO in Novazyme after leaving Bristol-Myers Squibb in March 2000 and together with Dr. Y. T. Chen at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
pushed for expedited approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a new drug compound, NZ-1001 under orphan drug designation
Orphan drug
An orphan drug is a pharmaceutical agent that has been developed specifically to treat a rare medical condition, the condition itself being referred to as an orphan disease...
for the treatment of Glycogen storage disease type II
Glycogen storage disease type II
Glycogen storage disease type II is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder which damages muscle and nerve cells throughout the body. It is caused by an accumulation of glycogen in the lysosome due to deficiency of the lysosomal acid alpha-glucosidase enzyme...
in October 2005. The FDA stated: “We have determined that Novazyme’s recombinant human highly phosphorylated acid alpha-glucosidase (rhHPGAA) qualifies for orphan designation for enzyme replacement therapy in patients with all subtypes of glycogen storage disease type II (Pompe's disease).” Subsequent research at Genzyme on NZ-1001 along with three other potential compounds brought approval of the first enzyme replacement therapy for Pompe's disease - Alglucosidase alfa
Alglucosidase alfa
Alglucosidase alfa is an enzyme replacement therapy orphan drug for treatment of Pompe disease , a rare lysosomal storage disorder ....
(Myozyme or Lumizyme, Genzyme Inc) in 2006.