Alexion scientist has an affinity for Oklahoma
Executive Q&A with Russell Rother
BY JIM STAFFORD
Published: November 2, 2008
When Russell Rother left his native Oklahoma for a post doctoral fellowship at Yale University in the early 1990s, it was only a temporary gig.
"The plan was to do a three, four-year post doc and then return to Oklahoma to go after a career in academia,” Rother said. "Things didn’t happen that way. Seventeen years (and) I find myself still in Connecticut.”
What happened along the way was a Connecticut-based biotech startup called Alexion Pharmaceuticals. Rother joined good friend and fellow Oklahoman Scott Rollins and a group of other founding scientists at Alexion in the early 1990s.
The company was built around patents licensed from the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, where Rother and Rollins both worked as they earned their Ph.D.s at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
At Alexion, Rother and Rollins co-developed a drug that became known as Soliris, which won FDA approval in 2007. Soliris has been called a "miracle” drug for its effectiveness in treating a rare blood disorder called PNH.
Rollins left Alexion earlier this year to return to Oklahoma as chief executive officer of Oklahoma City-based Selexys Pharmaceuticals.
Rother, a Watonga native who is now chief scientific officer for Alexion, also wanted to return to Oklahoma to live closer to his parents and five brothers and sisters.
So, he won approval from the company to operate out of a small office at the Presbyterian Health Foundation Research Park and moved back here in May. Rother recently discussed his move back to Oklahoma and his life as a scientist with The Oklahoman. Here are excerpts of that conversation.
Q: What drew you back to Oklahoma after establishing a successful career on the East Coast?
A: I had a very positive experience here, and it took me to leave Oklahoma and the Health Sciences Center and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation to really appreciate that. My experience at OMRF and the supportive nature of that institution was really incredible. I’ve come back over the holidays over the years and have seen the Presbyterian Health Foundation Research Park grow. The concept of having successful biotechnology in Oklahoma thrills me, of course, because I do plan to be here.
Q: How much traveling for Alexion does the relocation of your office to here require?
A: I travel a lot. I fly into Hartford (Conn.) or Newark, N.J. I go back there about one to two times a month. Other times I’m flying to other locations. We have offices set up in Lausanne, Switzerland; we have an office in Brussels, Belgium; we have an office in Paris, France.
Q: That’s tough duty.
A: Oh it’s terrible, terrible.
Q: How does Oklahoma differ from , say, Connecticut for a biotech startup company?
A: It’s a very different game here than it is on the East Coast. Biotech has not had great luck in the Midwest in general, if you call Oklahoma the Midwest. That’s based on a lot of things. It’s based on the ability to get funding. I’m not talking about seed funding as much as I am about later rounds; venture capital is very difficult in Oklahoma. I think the talent pool, people who have experience of bringing drugs from bench to market, is not deep in the Midwest. I think that’s why Oklahoma should be excited to get someone like Scott Rollins now in Oklahoma (at) the helm of Selexys.
Q: Have you considered moving to an Oklahoma-based startup company?
A: Certainly, I would be lying if I had I haven’t thought about it. Scott and I have talked for years about the possibility of coming back and starting a company in Oklahoma. That’s why seeing the (research) park grow has been so thrilling for us. Scott made that move; he was ready to make that move. From my perspective of what I do and what I like to do, Alexion offers me a lot of opportunity as a chief scientific officer and the ability to follow up now in indications with this drug. It’s hard to walk away from. At present, it’s a good time to be at Alexion.
Q: What ringtone is on your cell phone?
A: That’s easy for me. I use no ringtone. I have my phone on vibrate always. Frankly, I think people who carry their phones and don’t have it on vibrate, that’s somewhat rude. If you carry a phone, you can have it on vibrate and not disrupt everyone’s life. I spend my life in meetings and people’s phones going off, it’s so disruptive.
newsok.com |
