Faculty Feature: Dr. Peter Goldstein

For this newsletter’s Faculty Feature, Yanyang Chen (SVG Newsletter Editor) and Mar Arikalta (Club Event Leader) had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Peter Goldstein, a Principal Investigator in the C.V. Starr Laboratory for Molecular Neuropharmacology in the Department of Anesthesiology at the Weill Cornell Medical College at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Goldstein is interested in the molecular and cellular mechanisms of anesthetic-induced unconsciousness. He has authored numerous publications and serves on various state and national committees related to the practice of anesthesiology. His clinical practice focuses on anesthesia for neurosurgery and bariatric procedures. He is a scientific co-founder of Akelos, Inc., which is a biopharmaceutical clinical company focused on the translation of innovative science into treatment by developing novel non-narcotic drugs for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Dr. Goldstein is pioneering an alternative route to the opioid-based therapies in this space, hoping to help mitigate the opioid epidemic.

SVG: What is the technology of Akelos, and how is your compound different from other drugs treating neuropathic pain on the market?

Dr. Goldstein: We are looking to develop a treatment for peripheral neuropathic pain. We are targeting the voltage-gated ion channel, HCN1. The fact that our approach is not based on an opioid makes it interesting. To be a long-term success, the compound needs to be restricted to the peripheral compartment such that it does not cross the blood-brain barrier. We designed it in a way that the active portion of the molecule is able to reach its site of action on the channel, meaning it has to be very lipophilic; the other end of the molecule anchors to the cell membrane as it is very hydrophilic, so it doesn't want to cross lipid membranes. All told, this makes for a novel target, novel chemistry, and a novel approach to treating neuropathic pain.

SVG: Have you always thought of translating your research from your lab into the clinic?

Dr. Goldstein: The process did not happen exactly with forethought, but rather serendipitously. Nearing the end of my Residency at Columbia, I was interested in understanding how general anesthetics work due at a very fundamental level. One thing led to another, and I went into the lab to learn about ion channel biophysics and synaptic physiology. It was never "I want to cure pain or treat chronic pain."
Our current efforts clearly arose from those earlier research projects. My colleagues and I worked with many collaborators to design the drug, conduct molecular modeling of the drug mechanism, and test its efficacy and safety in vivo, thereby creating the IP. If you follow the science, you may end up with an invention!

SVG: What was your experience with the patent application and licensing process?

Dr. Goldstein: It's complicated. Your patent application needs to demonstrate that your invention is novel, different, and free from "prior art." This last point is critical - ay attention to prior art - published work that looks very similar to what you're doing. You cannot talk about your work in conferences or publish it before you've applied for your patents. If you think that there is legitimate IP potential, have early detailed conversations with the individuals in the licensing office who are really knowledgeable about the space you were working in. 

SVG: What would be your advice for graduate students and postdocs interested in creating a startup with technology from their labs?

Dr. Goldstein: Do your homework and connect to people who have a successful track record developing a company and bringing a product to market. Being a scientist is very different from being a successful businessman or corporate entrepreneur. There are strict regulations for how you go about raising capital. If you don't do it right, it can lead to serious legal consequences. There's a different way of thinking about things, and so you would need somebody who can bring in that level of expertise to help build the company. Also, investors want to know there is a high likelihood of return on investment and when it's going to happen. Their timeline is, if you're lucky, two years. If it's longer than that, it's too early for almost everybody.