World Heart Conference
Medical Scientist Arterez, Inc., Michigan
USA
Dr. J. B. Tunac is a medical scientist specializing in the discovery and development of drugs. He studies the biochemistry and physiology of the human body and designs drugs to target dysfunctional mechanisms. He obtained undergraduate degree from the University of the Philippines then graduate studies at South Dakota State, Penn State and a doctorate degree at Rutgers University, NJ (The Waksman Institute: known as the birthplace of antibiotics); Dr. Tunac discovered his first drug (Hydroheptin) at the Waksman Institute. This feat prompted Merck to hire Dr. Tunac as a senior scientist and became instrumental in the discovery and development of multi-billion-dollar drugs, including antiparasitic agent (avermectin, Ivomec® Heartgard®); and antibacterial antibiotic (Primaxin®). Avermectin was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in medicine.
Dr. Tunac was recruited Parke-Davis as a Director of the Antibiotics and Chemotherapy program where he was responsible for the development of vidarabine (Vira-A®, antiviral drug), and the anticancer drugs pentostatin (Nipent®) and daunomycin (Daunorubicin®). Dr. Tunac left Parke-Davis to pursue drug discovery independently, initially self-funded by inventing and marketing labwares including the Tunair™ culture flask and a bioreactor (Airmentor™). With this equipment he developed mitomycin (Mitozytrex™), which founded Supergen, Inc.; developed Corifungin™ to treat fungal, amoebic, and protozoal diseases including the deadly brain-eating amoeba Naegleria, which founded Acea Biotech, Inc., and an antiarthritis phenazine, which founded JJPharma, Inc. Dr. Tunac has identified disruption of the cell’s protective shield (glycocalyx) as the upstream cause of xenoplexic (chronic) diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this regard, he developed a ‘natural animal’ model simulating glycocalyx disruption, which triggered CVD, particularly plaque formation (CHD) and reduction in ventricular ejection fraction volume (Heart Failure). He designed and synthesized compounds and when given as combo proved curative of CVD. Moreover, same combo platform proved curative of coronavirus. Pattern of glycocalyx disruption is unique to every disease: in this regard, Dr. Tunac developed a computer recognition program (“Glycalyx Detritus Fingerprint”, GDF) as a tool for accurately diagnosing and predicting onset of diseases. Thus, DNA fingerprint is to forensics, while GDF is to disease diagnoses. Dr. Tunac has more than 30 patents and patents pending and numerous peer reviewed scientific publications. He was awarded “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Metropolitan Center for High Technology, Detroit, MI. He lives in Oxford, Michigan, USA.