Can you imagine living to 102? I sure can’t.
But, Dr. George Rosenkranz just succumbed his earthly habitat at the ripe old age of 102.
You don’t know who Dr. Rosenkranz was?
He, along with Dr. Carl Djerassi (I reported about this renaissance man here), managed to create a synthetic hormone that formed the basis of the first birth control pill. (You do know that the first oral contraceptive was approved for use only 59 years ago, back in 1960, right? Unfortunately for Rosenkranz, that wasn’t their product- it was Enovid, produced by G.D. Searle. Norinyl would not be approved for four more years. I’ll provide the back story below.)
In 1951, Syntex has synthesized cortisone (this hormone, a steroid, that reduces inflammation) from yams. Syntex’ innovation was that we no make cortisone via a very expensive difficult system, using cattle bile as the precursor.
It was Rosenkranz who assembled the fantastic research team of Djerassi, Luis E. Miramontes, and Alejandro Zaffaroni for Syntex. This team was the reason that Syntex was a powerful international force in steroid pharmaceuticals and one of the first biotechnology pioneers.
Rosenkranz and Djerassi were in Mexico City, working for Syntex. (Rosenkranz escaped to Mexico City, along with many other Jewish scientists (such as Djerassi), during World War II. Because America wasn’t open to Jewish immigration back then. Kind of like how TheDonald is towards Hispanics.) Rosenkranz, a chemical engineer [of course!], would eventually become CEO and Chairman of Syntex. (He retired at the age of 65- and continued to play championship bridge [he had more than 13000 Master’s points] with his wife around the world.)
Syntex’ research crew also made norethindrone (synthetic progesterone) that same year. They intended its use to be to prevent miscarriages- but found out it was a vital component in birth control pills. This product is what made Syntex into a financial powerhouse. (The firm was sold in 1994 for about $ 5 billion to Hoffman-La Roche. Back when $ 5 billion was a ….load of money.)
Interestingly, the reason why Syntex was not the first approved birth control drug was because it picked the wrong marketing partner. Way back in 1956, it made a deal with Parke-Davis to market its progesterone to prevent miscarriages. And, Parke-Davis was unwilling to market the drug- or submit it to the FDA- for birth control because they feared a Catholic boycott of all of its products. It took a few years, but Syntex found a new partner in Johnson and Johnson (and it’s new division Ortho) and then co-marketed the Ortho-Novum product under their own moniker 2 years later as Norinyl.
Another Rosenkranz development is Naproxen (a non-steroidal drug) that combats inflammation – specifically for arthritis.
He was awarded the Biotechnology Heritage Award (this is awarded by BIO- the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, the premier business association for biotechnology ventures, in concert with the Chemistry Heritage Association) in 2013 for his tremendous innovations in biotechnology.
(By the way, Bob Langer won this award the year after Rosenkranz.)
So, I know who to thank for my first cortisone shot ever, yesterday. And that misplaced nostalgia for the 1950’s . We who lived through it wouldn’t care to again. The story of the marketing or non marketing of the Pill is not well known today. I didn’t know it, either. RIP.
I love providing the rest of the story, Alana. Thanks for the visit!
As Paul Harvey used to say, “I now you have heard the REST of the story. Very informative, thanks.
Absolutely! Even though he was a WrongWing cur, I enjoyed his “rest of the story” notes, too!
Thank you Roy for the background on this life-changing product.
I was under the misinformation that marketing politics had changed over the years.
It’s pretty interesting how these companies make their choices, isn’t it, Doug?
I had no idea who he was but am glad to learn of everything he accomplished!
Yeah, I’m with you on that, Jeanine!
Did not know this, and Dr. Rosenkranz must have been doing something right in life if he lived to be 102! That’s amazing!
I’m with you on both accounts, Marcia!
Interesting story. During the 1950s, my mom was on an experimental form of the birth control pill to control symptoms of endometriosis. The pill was better with symptom control than with birth control. My parents had two children and, as far as my dad was concerned, that was enough. My mom campaigned for another kid and my dad told her, yes, on condition that she learned to drive and got a driver’s license. On the day that my mom passed her road test, she stopped taking the pills and I was born exactly nine months later. Years later, I said to my mom that it was a good thing that she passed her road test and she said that it didn’t really matter. “I think that I was already pregnant.” (experimental birth control pills don’t always work!!!)
Perhaps. The real problem with birth control pills is to remember to take them every single day, Alice.
But, I LOVED your story!