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OU Scientist To Receive Patent Impact Award
By: Morgan Lentes
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The Ohio Patent Impact Award is given out each year to inventors with patents that positively impact the state, and this year, one of Ohio University's own is being recognized.
OU scientist and professor of molecular biology John Kopchick is receiving the award for his work with human growth hormone disorders.
The Ohio Academy of Science and the Ohio State Bar Association give the award to inventors whose successes can be measured in economic, social change, health benefits and the growth of industry or jobs.
"I'm going to tell them how proud of it I am and how proud I am of the students. That's what I just told you. It's an honor for all of us and Ohio University and Athens," said Kopchick.
The award is for Kopchick's research in preventing overactive growth hormones. The medicine was a discovery he says was made by mistake.
"We were trying to come up with a drug that was more potent for the treatment of dwarf children, little kids, and when we were manipulating the molecule, instead of coming up with something more potent to make them grow, we came up with something that inhibited their growth," explained Kopchick.
The drug, Somavert, is now being distributed as a result of his research.
The university gets a share of the royalties from the sales and has so far received $73.5 million from the license of the drug to the Pfizer Corporation.
Kopchick will receive the award at a ceremony at Ashland University on April 14.