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Welcoming remarks
J. steroid Biochem. Vol. 20, No. 1, p. xiii, 1984 Pergamon Press Ltd. Printed in Great Britain
WELCOMING
Fruit of the passion of our chemists, steroids have also attracted and seduced our pharmacologists and our biochemists. The latter spent a lot of time and energy on clarifying the mechanism of action of these molecules. Moreover, in preparing thousands of original products, we have been able to reveal interesting relationships between the structure and the activity of these compounds. At a very early stage, our research on the receptors of these information transmitters enabled us to develop, amongst other things, an efficient steroid screening system. You will be familiar with some of the results obtained, such as Moxestrol and Promegestone. Logically, this steroid vocation also lead us to carry out research on natural hormone antagonists. Thus, in our Research Centre, RU 486 was recently developed: a compound which has certainly attracted much attention to itself! The Steroid has yet to reveal all of its many secrets. A short while ago, the cytosolic receptors of certain steroids were described in Saccharomyces and Candida preparations. Why not consider this a new opening, not only for human therapy but also for phytosanitary problems? Steroids and plants-their common history dates back a long way. But perhaps the development of genetical engineering will enable us to begin a new chapter. I am indeed an unwavering supporter of steroids. But, even in remaining neutral, I feel it is right to be optimistic and I wish a long life to the Steroid.
REMARKS
My past as an endocrinologist and Roussel Uclaf’s inclination towards steroids permits me to open this Sixth Symposium of the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry. It is a great pleasure to welcome you to our
Head Office. The name Roussel Uclaf has been, is still and, I hope, will continue to be synonymous with the Steroid. It is not surprising that a group like ours has invested so much of its research potential and energy in these molecules which were discovered at the beginning of the 19th Century. Amongst all those messengers which ensure the processes of intercellular communication, do not steroids play a role of prime importance? As vehicles of information, these molecules ensure that numerous physiological processes function well and they are therefore indispensable for life. Fifteen years ago, 90% of our research was devoted to steroids and 80% of production by our chemical manufacturing plants concerned these molecules. It must be said that the know-how, the expertise of our chemists in stereospecific multi-step syntheses has lead to outstanding industrial achievements: for example, the first industrial synthesis of cortisone in 1950. This manufacturing process, using ox’s bile as opposed to diosgenin, has made us for over 30 years a leader in the corticosteroid bulk sales market. The first and, in fact, almost unique total industrial synthesis of nor-steroids is also the work of Roussel Uclaf. This dates back to 1958. Success was such that the building in which we are gathered together today was called the “Cortancyl Palace”. Scandalmongers maintained that the building symbolized the profit made on steroid sales.
Dr. E. SAKE Chairman of the Directory of Roussel-Uclaf
xtll
WELCOMING
Fruit of the passion of our chemists, steroids have also attracted and seduced our pharmacologists and our biochemists. The latter spent a lot of time and energy on clarifying the mechanism of action of these molecules. Moreover, in preparing thousands of original products, we have been able to reveal interesting relationships between the structure and the activity of these compounds. At a very early stage, our research on the receptors of these information transmitters enabled us to develop, amongst other things, an efficient steroid screening system. You will be familiar with some of the results obtained, such as Moxestrol and Promegestone. Logically, this steroid vocation also lead us to carry out research on natural hormone antagonists. Thus, in our Research Centre, RU 486 was recently developed: a compound which has certainly attracted much attention to itself! The Steroid has yet to reveal all of its many secrets. A short while ago, the cytosolic receptors of certain steroids were described in Saccharomyces and Candida preparations. Why not consider this a new opening, not only for human therapy but also for phytosanitary problems? Steroids and plants-their common history dates back a long way. But perhaps the development of genetical engineering will enable us to begin a new chapter. I am indeed an unwavering supporter of steroids. But, even in remaining neutral, I feel it is right to be optimistic and I wish a long life to the Steroid.
REMARKS
My past as an endocrinologist and Roussel Uclaf’s inclination towards steroids permits me to open this Sixth Symposium of the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry. It is a great pleasure to welcome you to our
Head Office. The name Roussel Uclaf has been, is still and, I hope, will continue to be synonymous with the Steroid. It is not surprising that a group like ours has invested so much of its research potential and energy in these molecules which were discovered at the beginning of the 19th Century. Amongst all those messengers which ensure the processes of intercellular communication, do not steroids play a role of prime importance? As vehicles of information, these molecules ensure that numerous physiological processes function well and they are therefore indispensable for life. Fifteen years ago, 90% of our research was devoted to steroids and 80% of production by our chemical manufacturing plants concerned these molecules. It must be said that the know-how, the expertise of our chemists in stereospecific multi-step syntheses has lead to outstanding industrial achievements: for example, the first industrial synthesis of cortisone in 1950. This manufacturing process, using ox’s bile as opposed to diosgenin, has made us for over 30 years a leader in the corticosteroid bulk sales market. The first and, in fact, almost unique total industrial synthesis of nor-steroids is also the work of Roussel Uclaf. This dates back to 1958. Success was such that the building in which we are gathered together today was called the “Cortancyl Palace”. Scandalmongers maintained that the building symbolized the profit made on steroid sales.
Dr. E. SAKE Chairman of the Directory of Roussel-Uclaf
xtll