SOME DECISIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CIMETIDINE

The histamine H-2 blocker, cimetidine (Tagamet(TM)), was one of the fi rst drugs discovered by a mechanism-based approach under the direction of Sir James Black at Smith, Kline & French in the United Kingdom. Ci metidine also holds the distinction of being the first drug ever to ac hieve more than $1 billion a year in sales. In this case study, the cr ucial scientific milestones in the discovery and development of cimeti dine are recounted from the perspective of the Director of Research an d placed within the context of the organizational dynamics ongoing in the mid-1960s as Smith, Kline & French sought to retain its independen ce as a pharmaceutical company. The impact of the tremendous success o f cimetidine as an anti-ulcer medication on the SK&F organization and the issue of managing success within a multinational drug research are presented to provide younger scientists with a feel for the tactical issues involved and the outcomes. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.