tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707387920938157628.post7463075427694230327..comments2023-06-22T10:48:20.302-07:00Comments on Lillian's Heart Journey: Lillian's Heart Birthday and First BiopsyAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654945121600194804noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707387920938157628.post-55699001844653556342012-07-11T15:42:12.997-07:002012-07-11T15:42:12.997-07:00Hello William,
Thanks for your post, I had meant ...Hello William,<br /><br />Thanks for your post, I had meant to reply earlier, but never seem to have the time. It's especially insightful to hear about your development of ganciclovir and MMF, as you correctly guessed that she is on the latter. The former prevent the CMV in her donor heart from spreading to the rest of her body (she did not have it at time of Tx), although I admit an unclear knowledge whether it prevented it only during the time she was on it, or if it is still isolated to her heart. <br /><br />Thank you for the work you've done. Lillian would likely not be alive without it. The drug companies get a lot of flack these days, but we're well aware that Lillian would not be alive without the many, many different drugs she's been given.Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12654945121600194804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707387920938157628.post-28525605536552981152012-06-23T22:34:41.889-07:002012-06-23T22:34:41.889-07:00What an adorable girl. God-bless you all.
I have ...What an adorable girl. God-bless you all.<br /><br />I have a story that you will enjoy. In the late 1980's and into the 1990's I led the development of the drug Cytovene (ganciclovir)while working at Syntex Research in Palo Alto California. I still remember the moment in my office, it must have been about 1988, when I received a telephone call from my colleague at Stanford, Dr. Tom Merigan. During that phone call Tom suggested that we do a clinical study of intravenous ganciclovir in heart transplant patients. I thought it was a great idea (the drug was being used primarily in AIDS patients at that time) but didn't have any money in my budget to conduct such a study (very expensive). So I spoke with my boss Dr. Bob Roe and told him what a boon it would be to be able to prevent CMV in heart transplant patients, because without it they were dying of CMV infection. Somehow Bob found the money and we began the study, which proved that ganciclovir prevented CMV disease in heart Tx patients. This was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in April of 1992. Besides Bob and Tom, one also deserving of credit is the discoverer of ganciclovir Dr. Julien Verheyden.<br /><br />Interestingly, mycophenolate mofetil was also discovered and developed by Syntex at the same time as ganciclovir. I worked on that drug for a short while as well. Lillian is probably on that drug now.<br /><br />All the best to you.<br />William Buhles<br />Davis, CAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707387920938157628.post-4268501215050561202012-03-24T17:49:16.396-07:002012-03-24T17:49:16.396-07:00Poignant review; brings back lots of memories of L...Poignant review; brings back lots of memories of Lillian's INCREDIBLE Heart Journey. Thanks for sharing Andrew and Kathryn. Thank you God for saving little Lillian's life and providing a willing donor family. Please bless both families Lord with comfort and a grateful heart that this child lives on. May she be a blessing and an inspiration to the lives she will touch. With Love, Grandma CarolCarolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17762879049015320548noreply@blogger.com