Janet Woodcock has joined the Board of Directors of Every Cure

Janet Woodcock recently joined the Every Cure Board of Directors, focused on “rediscovering” old drugs.

This initiative aims to explore and potentially repurpose existing medications for new therapeutic uses, thereby enhancing treatment options for patients. Woodcock’s extensive background in drug regulation and her leadership roles at the FDA position her well to contribute valuable insights to this organization.

About Every Cure

Every Cure, co-founded by Dr. David Fajgenbaum, is a pioneering organization dedicated to repurposing existing drugs to treat various diseases, particularly rare and underserved conditions.

The organization has made significant strides in advancing drug repurposing, having helped develop 28 repurposed drugs over the past 15 years, with 14 of these initiatives directly led by Fajgenbaum.

The organization focuses on low-cost, generic drugs that can have a substantial impact on patient care rather than solely on high-priced pharmaceuticals. Recently, Every Cure received a $48.3 million contract from ARPA-H to develop an AI-powered platform known as MATRIX.

This initiative aims to leverage artificial intelligence to identify promising drug-disease pairings rapidly, potentially revolutionizing the way existing medications are utilized in treating various conditions.

About Janet Woodcock

Janet Woodcock is a American physician renowned for her extensive career at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Throughout her tenure, she held various pivotal roles, including Principal Deputy Commissioner, Acting Commissioner, and Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). Her leadership has been instrumental in modernizing drug approval processes and enhancing safety standards within the pharmaceutical industry.

Woodcock served as Acting Commissioner of the FDA from January 20, 2021, to February 17, 2022, during a particularly critical period marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Her guidance was crucial as the agency navigated unprecedented challenges in public health and drug regulation. She spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at improving drug safety and efficacy, notably introducing risk management strategies and developing the Sentinel Network to monitor drug safety.

Janet Woodcock earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Bucknell University before obtaining her Doctor of Medicine degree from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She further honed her expertise through specialized training in rheumatology.

Over the course of her career, Woodcock has received numerous accolades recognizing her contributions to public health. Among these honors are the Nathan Davis Award from the American Medical Association and the Biotechnology Heritage Award, both of which highlight her impactful work in drug development and regulatory science.

She approaches retirement in early 2024 after nearly four decades with the FDA.

David Fajgenbaum:

“Thrilled about Janet Woodcock joining the Every Cure Board of Directors and thankful for the great piece in STAT by Matthew Herper!”

Stefan Meier:

“Janet Woodcock’s experience will surely boost Every Cure’s mission to rediscover old drugs for rare diseases. As a medical professional, I find this approach intriguing, especially when it comes to diseases with no known treatments.”

Mattew Herper:

“Janet Woodcock, former FDA official, joins board of patient group focused on ‘rediscovering’ old drugs Woodcock + David Fajgenbaum = ???”

Krzysztof Potempa:

“An organization scouring thousands of existing drugs to see if any can cure hard-to-treat diseases has a powerful new ally: Janet Woodcock, who for decades was one of the most influential figures at the Food and Drug Administration.”

More posts like this on oncodaily.com