Joseph Schlessinger co-founded (with Axel Ullrich and Steven Evans-Freke) the biotechnology company SUGEN (later acquired by Pfizer in 1991, with the idea of developing anti-cancer therapeutics. In particular, the focus was on ATP-like molecules that would compete with ATP for binding to the catalytic site of receptor tyrosine kinases. This concept has led to the development of an important small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor called Sunitinib. This drug is now sold by Pfizer as Sutent. After a priority review, Sutent was approved by the FDA in 2006 (in less than 6 months) for use in treating renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The FDA approval of Sutent marked the first time that the agency had ever approved a new oncology product for two indications simultaneously. SUGEN was acquired by Pharmacia in 1999, and was finally acquired by Pfizer in 2003.
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