ReoPro® and Periostat®
ReoPro® and Periostat®, SUNY's First Two FDA Approved
Drugs
In the past decade, Stony Brook University has seen FDA
approval for two drugs developed by its scientists. Both
ReoPro®, used with heart patients, and Periostat®, used to
treat periodontal disease, are widely used by the medical
community.
Barry Coller, MD, developed ReoPro® while studying platelet
behavior at Stony Brook. During his research he isolated an
antibody that inhibited platelets from sticking together in
arteries—a major cause of heart attacks. The
antibody, was found to be more effective than aspirin.
Following FDA approval in 1994, ReoPro®, as the antibody was
named, became the most commonly used treatment for
angioplasty patients, making the procedure safer for use
during heart attacks and as a preventative measure.
Dr. Lorne Golub, Professor of Oral Biology and Pathology at
the Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine, discovered that
non-antibacterial tetracyclines can limit the production of
tissue destroying enzymes, in turn limiting the breakdown
of gum and bone tissue. He used this discovery to create
Periostat®, approved by the FDA for treatment of periodontal
disease in 1998. New research shows that Periosta®t may be
useful in treating heart disease, and possibly other
illnesses.