When it was approved by the FDA in 1985, Seldane was the first non-sedating antihistamine to relieve the symptoms of allergies. In very rare instances � about once in a million � the drug caused sudden cardiac death in users. That may not sound like a lot, until you learn that billions of prescriptions were written for this blockbuster drug, resulting in hundreds of deaths.
"Early on, we identified the ion channel target that was being adversely affected by drugs like Seldane. That was the basis for starting our company," explains ChanTest CEO Arthur "Buzz" Brown. Today, the Cleveland-based medical company is regarded as the leader in preclinical cardiac safety testing. Seldane, by the way, was withdrawn from the market in 1997.
As a contract research organization, ChanTest provides pharmaceutical research services to drug companies, speeding the drug discovery process while making those drugs safer and more effective. "Our customers say, 'We have this drug and we want to make sure it has these beneficial effects and doesn't have these adverse cardiac effects,'" adds Brown.
The recipient of two rounds of Ohio Third Frontier funding, ChanTest is growing by leaps and bounds. These grants have allowed the company to add some 50 jobs in recent years, bringing the payroll up to approximately 70.
"The pharmaceutical market is in great turmoil right now," says Brown. "But this can be very good for us as drug companies reduce their R and D departments and outsource the work to firms like ours."
Source: Arthur "Buzz" Brown, ChanTest
Writer: Douglas Trattner