Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a New Haven-based biopharmaceutical company, has contributed a $345,000 unrestricted gift to the School of Medicine toward basic scientific research in cancer and antiviral research.
The research was begun by Yung-Chi Cheng, the Henry Bronson Professor of Pharmacology and professor of medicine, and the late Tai-Shun Lin, senior research scientist. The research will be conducted in laboratories at the Yale Cancer Center, one of 26 nationally designated comprehensive cancer centers, and the pharmacology department.
"We are very appreciative of this generous gift from Vion," states Carolyn W. Slayman, deputy dean for academic and scientific affairs. "The funding will allow Dr. Cheng and his colleagues to move ahead quickly with some of their most promising cancer and antiviral research."
Professor Cheng, director of the Yale Cancer Center's Developmental Therapeutics Program and a medical school faculty member since 1989, is internationally known for his work in cancer and viral pharmacology. He concentrates his research on viruses and forms of cancer that may have a viral basis, such as cervical cancer and nasal-pharyngeal carcinoma. He also has helped develop assays for detecting antibodies for such cancers, and this has allowed for earlier diagnosis than with previous methods.
John A. Spears, president and chief executive officer of Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. says, "We are very pleased to be able to provide this latest grant which completes a $1,045,000 commitment that Vion made in 1994 to support novel research being carried out in one of Yale s preeminent laboratories.
"Yale has made and will continue to make important discoveries in anti-cancer and antiviral research, which are the primary areas of focus for Vion," Mr. Spears adds. "We look forward to further collaboration between Vion and Yale."
In 1994, Vion obtained from Yale exclusive licenses to several novel oncology and antiviral technologies, which the company is developing. Vion -- which is dedicated to discovering, developing and marketing oncology and antiviral products -- has continued to support work at Yale through a research support agreement, as well as research grants.