The Nerviano Perspectiveao = Acceleraf-- 1950-1990 - Farmitalia ® 1950s: first isolation from soil-based microbes of antibiotics with activity against murine tumors. History . @ 1970-1990: Farmitalia, a private Italian company, develops and brings to worldwide registration a family of novel cytotoxic chemoterapeutics (Antracyclines). All the R&D activities are performed and coordinated by the Italian R&D sites (Milano, Nerviano). Epirubicin (Pharmorubicin, Ellence) and Doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Doxil, etc.) are still used to treat a wide range of cancers.The Recent Past . c 1990-2006 - Sugen/Pharmacia/ Pfizer @ 1991: SUGEN is founded to run anti-cancer RTK inhibitors discovery programs (small molecule ATP mimetics belonging to the oxazolidinone amily). ® 1999: Pharmacia&U john a Global Pharma company, acquires SUGEN for $650m. Pharmacia R&D sites in Italy (Preclinical Development, Nerviano) and NJ (Clinical Development, Peapack) are engaged to develop SUGEN drug candidates. ® 2003: Pfizer acquires Pharmacia and supports 50 trials on SU-11248 worldwide. ® 2006: Sunitinib (Sutent) is approved by the FDA Sutent (sales of 400 M¢ in 1st half 2008) is used for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and imatinib-resistant gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST).