A Personal Message
I am retiring, and closing my Neurology Practice and Clinical Trials Site, so I can devote my full efforts to a new startup company, Neurrow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. This startup is dedicated to the discovery of novel treatments for Alzheimer Disease and other Neurodegenerative Diseases. While I love seeing Neurology patients, and treasure my relationships with them, my success with the startup Verrow Pharmaceuticals has convinced me that the drug discovery process is where I need to concentrate all of my efforts. The Covid-19 health crisis accelerated this transition.
An Expression of Gratitude for My Mentors and Colleagues
I am lucky to have been trained and mentored by outstanding physician-scientists at Duke, the NIH, Johns Hopkins, and KU. Among them were James Sidbury, M.D., Madison Spach, M.D., Gordon Guroff, Ph. D., Guy McKhann, M.D., and Dewey Ziegler, M.D. This training and mentoring allowed me to establish an academic-style Institute in an efficient, streamlined, private practice setting. Geoffrey O. Hartzler, M.D., cardiologist and friend, was instrumental for his mentorship in drug and device development.
With the help of other physicians, and Elizabeth S. Rowe, Ph.D., MBA, I was able to develop the Rowe Neurology Institute, consisting of a multi-subspecialty Neurology clinical practice, a basic science laboratory, and a clinical trials center. This bedside-to-bench-to-bedside model led to new discoveries and worldwide patents for new therapies. One of these is CE-Iohexol, a kidney-safe X-Ray contrast agent scheduled to move into Phase II clinical trials in the US soon, with Ligand Pharmaceuticals.
The physicians who were a part of this group over the years include Sanjay Yadav, M.D., Jay Zwibelman, M.D., George Moreng, M.D., Anibal Prentice, M.D., Charles Conrad, M.D., Ashish Trivedi, M.D., Ling Xu, M.D., Andrew Reeves, M.D., Dana Winegarner, D.O., Kenneth VanOwen, M.D., John Sand, M.D., Abraham Rafie, M.D., Carol Guillaume, M.D., and Jeffrey Hellinger, M.D.
John Hunter, Psy.D., together with his administrative business manager, Maria Helms, facilitated all phases of our institute development. Neuropsychologists included Kathleen Keenan, Ph. D., Todd Feaster, Psy.D., Carolyn Karr, Ph. D., and Amelia Winsby, Psy.D. In addition, I have also worked closely with many excellent mid-level providers, including Doug Schell, Arlene O’Shea, Nissa Fisher, Callie LaBeth, Dorsey Paul, Amanda Owens, Melissa Harnsberger, and Sarah Meyer.
Fine technologists have made possible ancillary studies in sleep disorders, neurophysiology, and low-cost MRI in an office setting. These technologists include Lynn Wybar, Tammy Tubbs, Elena Lacy, Lori Abiecunas, Travis Mecum, Mark Varona, Margaret Trout, Ron Chason, Shain Reysack, and Desiree Graves, to name just a few.
Patient education by an informative web presence was engineered and enhanced by Wesley Rowe and Christopher Rowe, and by Maxwell Rowe and Elizabeth Harrison, of Mackey Creative Labs. Scott Hunter, and most recently Jeff Majerus, provided excellent Information Technology support. Other members of our team included physical therapists Shane Jackson, DPT, now at Optimum Physical Therapy, Amy Nichols, DPT, and Kelli Wong Hagen, DPT.
Our basic science laboratory was started in 1996, with the help of my wife and colleague, Elizabeth Rowe, Ph.D., M.B.A., Charles Conrad, M.D., and a good friend and retired biochemist, Robert Roxby, Ph. D., with his wife Susan Roxby. Anibal Prentice, M.D., established a CLIA-approved laboratory for processing muscle and nerve biopsies.
Danhua Wang, Ph. D., Sangita Biswas, Ph.D., Jerry Mosher, Ph. D., Marlies Ozias, Rachel Williams, Ph.D., and Lovella Issisienmay, taught me much in the basic science laboratory of the MidAmerica Neuroscience Research Foundation. Over 175 trials in MS, headache, dementia, and sleep medicine were made possible by excellent clinical research coordinators. These include Leigh Kreshel, Carol Carlton, Priyanka Tadikonda, and Dan Magee, together with mid-level professionals Amanda Owens, N.P., and Melissa Harnsberger, P.A.-C.
To all these mentors and colleagues, I say a sincere “Thank You!”
Vernon Rowe, M.D.
President and CEO, Neurrow Pharmaceuticals, Inc.