gets

Ve tA 4

2

 

 

} _ STANFORD UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
STANFORD, CALIFORNIA 94305 ¢ (415) 321-1200

 

STanrorp UNrversiry ScHooL oF MEDICINE
Department of Genetics

August 11, 1972

Dr. Amel Menotti
Bristol Laboratories
Syracuse, W.Y.

Dear Amel:

Meany years have passed since I wes a consultant with the antibiotics
development program at Bristol. But I am still dismayed and disappointed
at the gap between scademic end applied research, particularly in the
potential uses of ideas from microbial genetics and metabolic regulation.

Since I came out to California 13 years ago, I have not seen much
dramatic change, certoinly nothing to match the very rapid progress in
basic molecular biology of this era. Still I have continued to hope
that my own research might bear some practical, humanly useful fruits
besides its general impact on biological thinking. Experience tells
thet this will not be as simple as some sudden intellectual inspiration;
end I em well awere of the new problems that face drug development as
® consequence of contemporary formulations of regulatory policy.

Iwas then deeply gratified to hear from my friend and colleasue(at
Berkeley) Don Glasser that he was taking part in the organization of a
new company, CETUS which wes specifically aimed at filling the kinds of
gaps that had distréssed me. Besides the base in molecular biology that
most closely corresponds to my own interests, the C5TUS team also has
perticular skills in instrumentation -- electronic, mechanicsl and com-
puter-based -- which open a new dimension insthe automation of screening
and test procedures. Glaeser has already demonstrated some remarkable
achievments with an automated microbiological facility at Berkeley.

At any rate, while CETUS already has some products that might in-
terest you, we sre still formulating basic research strategies, both
in the selection of the most effort-worthy problems, and in the contrac-=
tual framework for pursuing them in collaboration with established phar-
meceutical firms. We have in mind innovations both in the search for
new antibiotics and in the improvement of existing processes.

Far from an imposition, I was confident that you would welcome at
least this much information about these looming opportunities; and I
have asked Dr. Cape of CETUS to eppend s more detailed statement of our
Plans, which ere being discussed concurrently with a number of other
firms. If there is anything here that you would want to follow up,
you need but to call Dr. Cape who will take it from there. Nothing would
be better than 3 personal visit by you; and should you be in the area,

I would look forward to seeing you egain.

With best of wishes and recollections, Sincerely,

Foshue Lederberg
LT. J. P. KENNEDY, JR. LABORATORIES FOR MOLECULAR MEDICINE, DEDICATED TO RESEARCH IN MENTAL RETARDATION

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY HEREDITY NEUROBIOLOGY DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE