This book answers the questions about the process and costs of pharmaceutical R & D in a compelling narrative focused on the discovery and development of important new medicines. It gives an insider's account of the pharmaceutical industry drug discovery process, the very real costs of misperceptions about the industry, the high stakes--both economic and scientific--of developing drugs, the triumphs that come when new compounds reach the market and save lives, and the despair that follows when new compounds fail. In the book, John LaMattina, former president of Pfizer Global Research and Development, weaves themes critical to a vital drug discovery environment in the context. This is a story that Dr. LaMattina is uniquely qualified to tell.

John L. LaMattina, PhD, retired as president of Pfizer Global Research and Development in 2007 where he managed more than 13,000 scientists and support professionals in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Dr. LaMattina has received numerous awards including an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of New Hampshire.