When Drug Research is Personal: An ND Grad’s Journey to Save his Children Through the Power of Entrepreneurship

John F. Crowley is chairman and CEO at Amicus Therapeutics. Crowley's involvement with biotechnology stems from the 1998 diagnosis of two of his children with Pompe disease, a severe and often fatal neuromuscular disorder. In his drive to find a cure for them, he left his position at Bristol-Myers Squibb and became an entrepreneur as the co-founder, president and CEO of Novazyme Pharmaceuticals, a biotech startup conducting research on a new experimental treatment for Pompe disease (which he credits as ultimately saving his children's lives). In 2001, Novazyme was acquired by Genzyme Corporation and Crowley continued to play a lead role in the development of a drug for Pompe disease as a senior vice president at Genzyme Therapeutics. Crowley is also on the HCRI Industry Advisory Board.