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Ivor Royston - Hybritech archives

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Held at: Science History Institute Archives [Contact Us]315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Science History Institute Archives. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Dr. Ivor Royston was born in Retford, England in 1945. His family moved to the United States when he was nine years old. He attended Johns Hopkins University from which he received his M.D. in 1970. He was interesting in cancer research from the start and attended Stanford University for his internship and residency so that he could work with leading specialists in the field. After a three year stint as a researcher with the Public Health Service at N.I.H. (1972-1975) he accepted a teaching position at the University of California-San Diego where he remained until 1990. In 1990 he co-founded the San Diego Regional Cancer Center (now the Sydney Kimmel Cancer Center) to provide cutting-edge cancer therapy. In 1993 he co-founded Forward Ventures, a venture capital firm to underwrite research in the life sciences. Dr. Royston also served on the National Cancer Advisory Board as a Clinton Administration appointee. While a faculty member at UCSD Royston co-founded Hybritech to market the advanced monoclonal antibody therapies he was developing. His rationale was that only a private, for-profit venture would be able to raise the amounts needed to fund this research, but many in the academic community criticized this move. After surviving government investigations and at least one lawsuit by a rival, Hybritech was a successful enough venture that Eli Lilly and Company purchased it.

Hybritech was one of the first biotech companies and pioneered the development of monoclonal antibodies and medical monitoring tests, such as the PSA Test, to detect cancers in their earliest, most treatable stages of development.

This collection is a private scrapbook kept by Dr. Royston documenting the highpoints of his Hybritech venture.

Source of acquisition--Royston, Ivor, Dr. Method of acquisition--Gift;; Date of acquisition--2007.

The miscellaneous materials were re-organized chronologically.

Publisher
Science History Institute Archives
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research but has not been fully processed and described.

Collection Inventory

Gene Therapy Approval — articles and correspondence, 1981-1993.
Box 1 Folder 1
"The Genetic assault on Cancer," NY Times Magazine, October 24, 1982.
Box 1 Folder 2
Articles pertaining to dispute over cell line taken to Japan, 1983.
Box 1 Folder 3
General

IR accused a researcher of illegally removing an antibody from the UCSD lab; settlement reached.

Articles pertaining to Hybritech going public, 1984-1986.
Box 1 Folder 4
General

Incl. shareholder reports, financial analysis and magazine articles.

Newspaper clippings pertaining to Hybritech going public, 1984-1986.
Box 1 Folder 5
Articles pertaining to IDEC, 1986-1990.
Box 1 Folder 6
General

IDEC was the successor to Hybritech; files includes minutes, press releases and articles by affiliated researchers.

National Science Foundation investigation, 1987.
Box 1 Folder 7
General

IR and three other UCSD scientists accused of improperly handling Federal grant money; all are cleared.

"San DNAgo," Forbes magazine, May 26, 2003.
Box 1 Folder 8
Program: "The American Jewish Community of San Diego presents An Evening Honoring Dr. Ivor Royston', October 16, 2003.
Box 1 Folder 9
Hybritech Corporation — original materials and newsclippings, 1978-1981.
Box 2
General

Also incl. material on Herbert Boyer and Genentech.

Hybritech Corporation — original materials and newsclippings, 1981-1983.
Box 3
General

Incl. Goldman-Sachs' "Private Offering Memorandum."

Hybritech Corporation — magazine and newspaper clippings pertaining to Hybritech, 1983-1994.
Box 4 Folder 1
Hybritech Corporation — Hybritech financials, stock data and reports, 1984.
Box 4 Folder 2
VHS-format videocassette — "Tribute Video: Dr. Ivor Royston"—American Jewish Committee, San Diego Chapter-David and Dorothea Garfield Human Relations Award Dinner, October 16, 2003.
Box 5 Object 1
Beta-format videocassette — news clips: (1) Hagawara Affair, 1983 CBS; (2) Dillman & Herz, 1983; (3) Biotherapeutics-Oldham, 1986 CBS News; (4) Marshall Goldberg, 1986 ABC News, 1983-1986.
Box 5 Object 2

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