Robin Cook - Acceptable Risk

“I’m not denying we have a potential product,” Stanton said after putting his beer back down. “We all know that. But we don’t have a currently marketable product. So trust me, in the current economic climate, it is not the time for a public offering. What we could do is a private offering, which has the benefit of less loss of control. The last alternative is to approach additional venture capitalists. Of course this approach would require the most sacrifice of stock and hence equity. In fact we’d have to dilute what we already hold.”

A murmur of dissatisfaction arose from the researchers.

“I don’t want to give away any more stock,” Edward said. “It’s going to be too valuable when Ultra hits the market. Why can’t we just borrow the money?”

“We don’t have any collateral to secure such a loan,” Stanton said. “Borrowing the kind of money we’ll need without collateral means paying exorbitant interest since it will not come from the usual sources. And since it’s not from the usual sources, the people you have to deal with don’t allow any hiding behind a corporate shield should things go sour. Do you understand what I’m saying, Edward?”

“I get the drift,” Edward said. “But investigate the possibility anyway. Let’s not leave any stone unturned that would avoid giving up any more equity. It would be a shame, because Ultra is such a sure thing.”

“Are you as confident of that as you were when we formed the company?” Stanton asked.

“More so,” Edward said. “Every day I’m more convinced. Things are going very well, and if they continue as they are we might be in a position to file an IND-an Investigative New Drug application-within six to eight months, which is far different than the usual three and a half years.”

“The faster you move, the better the financial situation becomes,” Stanton said. “It would be even better if you could pick up the pace.”

Eleanor let out a short, derisive laugh.

“We are all working at maximum velocity,” François said.

“It’s true,” Curt said. “Most of us are sleeping less than six hours a night.”

“There’s one thing that I haven’t started doing,” Edward said. “I’ve not yet contacted the people I know at the FDA. I want to start laying the groundwork to get Ultra at least considered for the expedited track. What we’ll do eventually is try the drug on severe depression as well as AIDS and maybe even terminal cancer patients.”

“Anything that saves time helps,” Stanton said. “I can’t stress that fact enough.”

“I think we get the message,” Edward said.

“Any better idea of Ultra’s mode of action?” Stanton asked.

Edward asked Gloria to tell Stanton what they’d just discovered.

“Just this morning we found low levels of a natural enzyme in the brains of rats that metabolize Ultra,” Gloria said.

“Is that supposed to excite me?” Stanton asked sarcastically.

“It should,” Edward said, “provided you remember anything from the four years you wasted at medical school.”

“It strongly suggests that Ultra could be a natural brain molecule, or at least structurally very close to a natural molecule,” Gloria said. “Additional support for this theory is the stability of the binding of Ultra to neuronal membranes. We’re beginning to think the situation could be somewhat akin to the relationship between morphine-like narcotics and the brain’s own endorphins.”

“In other words,” Edward said, “Ultra is a natural brain autocoid, or internal hormone.”

“But the levels are not the same throughout the brain,” Gloria said. “Our initial PET scans suggests Ultra concentrates in the brain stem, the midbrain, and the limbic system.”

“Ah, the limbic system,” Stanton said. His eyes lit up. “That I remember. That’s the part of the brain associated with the animal inside us and his basic drives: like rage, hunger, and sex. See, Edward, my medical education wasn’t a complete waste.”

“Gloria, tell him how we think it works,” Edward said, ignoring Stanton’s comment.

“We think it buffers the levels of the brain’s neurotransmitiers,” Gloria said. “Something similar to the way a buffer maintains the pH of an acid-base system.”

“In other words,” Edward said, “Ultra, or the natural molecule if it is different than Ultra, functions to stabilize emotion. At least that was its initial function. It was to bring emotion back from extremes created by a disturbing event like seeing a saber-tooth tiger in your cave. Whether the extreme emotion is fear or anger or whatever, Ultra buffers the neurotransmitters, allowing the animal or primitive human being to quickly return to normal to face the next challenge.”

“What do you mean by ‘initial function’?” Stanton asked.

“With our latest work we believe the function has evolved as the human brain has evolved,” Edward said. “Now we believe the function has gone from merely stabilizing emotion to bringing it more into the realm of voluntary control.”

Stanton’s eyes lit up again. “Wait a second,” he said as he struggled to understand. “Are you saying that if a depressed patient were to be given Ultra, all he’d have to do is desire not to be depressed?”

“That’s our current hypothesis,” Edward said. “The natural molecule exists in the brain in minute amounts but plays a major role in modulating emotion and mood.”

“My God!” Stanton said. “Ultra could be the drug of the century!”

“That’s why we’re working nonstop,” Edward said.

“What are you doing now?” Stanton asked.

“We’re doing everything,” Edward said. “We’re studying the molecule from every vantage point possible. Now that we know it binds to a receptor, we want to know the binding protein. We want to know the binding protein’s structure or structures since we suspect Ultra binds with different side chains in different circumstances.”

“When do you think we can start marketing in Europe and Japan?” Stanton asked.

“We’ll have some idea once we start clinical trials,” Edward said. “But that won’t happen until we get the IND from the FDA.”

“We’ve got to speed the process up somehow,” Stanton said. “This is crazy! We’ve got a billion-plus drug and we could go bankrupt.”

“Wait a second,” Edward said suddenly, drawing everyone’s attention. “I just got an idea. I just thought of a way to save some time. I’ll start taking the drug myself.”

For a few minute there was absolute silence in the room save for the ticking of a clock on the mantel and the raucous cry of sea gulls down by the river.

“Is that a wise move?” Stanton asked.

“Damn right it is,” Edward said, warming to the idea. “Hell, I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. With the results of the toxicity studies we’ve already done, I’m confident to take Ultra without the slightest qualm.”

“It’s true we’ve seen no toxicity whatsoever,” Gloria said.

“Tissue cultures seem to thrive on the stuff,” David said. “Particularly neural cell cultures.”

“I don’t think taking an experimental drug is a good idea,” Kim said, speaking up for the first time. She was standing in the doorway to the foyer.

Edward flashed her a scowl for interrupting. “I think it is a masterful idea,” he said.

“How will it save time?” Stanton asked.

“Hell, we’ll have all the answers before we even begin clinical trials,” Edward said. “Think how easy it will make designing the clinical protocols.”

“I’ll take it as well,” Gloria said.

“Me too,” Eleanor said.

One by one the other researchers agreed that it was a fabulous idea and offered to participate.