Meet Mr. John Clark, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Global Cancer Technology, Inc., a non-revenue biopharma company developing novel cancer treatments. Mr. Clark has more than four I’m adecades of medical sales and business experience. He specializes in the development and commercialization of medical technologies into corporate entities. Mr. Clark has purchased technologies and developed several patents for various medical applications. Additionally, he serves as a Board of Directors and was chairman of the Board Finance Committee for Palmetto Health, a California-based Hospital System.
Under his leadership, Global Cancer Technology is developing a small PI3K inhibitor drug to treat a deadly brain cancer known as glioblastoma. The drug can cross the blood-brain barrier and has shown promise in preclinical cell and animal studies.
Establishing Global Cancer Technology
Mr. Clark started his journey by selling urology equipment. He was the first to bring hypothermia treatment of the prostate in the U.S. With his distribution business; he was also the first to introduce long pulsed erbium laser for skin resurfacing, which went on to be the forerunner of what is now known as ‘Fraxel’ skin resurfacing treatment.
Mr. Clark was a co-founder of Edmonds Medical Systems, which produced the first underwater treadmill for the medical rehabilitation market. “We got to know a veterinarian who was making underwater treadmills for horses. We figured that if it was good for thoroughbreds, it should be good for humans, so we bought the patents and started making the devices,”– he remembered.
Mr. Clark was a major distributor of Holmium Lasers for spinal discectomies. One day he was in an outpatient surgery center where he discovered how much money could be made using his equipment. So, he bought a million-dollar surgery center and started doing spine surgeries within three months. After the surgery business, Mr. Clark moved on to producing a multi-million dollar machine known as a rotating gamma knife. These machines can kill brain tumors non-invasively. Since Mr. Clark already had a background in producing equipment for treating Brain tumors, he established a multi-million dollar Brain tumor treatment center in Los Angeles in partnership with several neurosurgeons.
Thanks to his involvement in radiation and brain surgery, Mr. Clark was soon approached by scientists from UCSD who had patents that required radiation to activate. So, he acquired patents that utilized nanoparticles that would transfer the drug into a tumor, and once in the tumor, they would fire radiation to activate the drug. Later this company became Global Cancer Technology. As they progressed, some leading scientists approached Mr. Clark with a drug to treat cancer. It was a unique drug and is known as a PI3K inhibitor. The internationally known scientists advised them to develop this drug for glioblastoma, a deadly brain cancer. They also recommended developing it for drug-resistant breast cancer and, ultimately, for psoriasis.
Based on his respect for these brilliant scientists, Mr. Clark went ahead and acquired licenses for these patents and started developing the drug for brain and breast cancer. Today, Mr. Clark and his colleagues at Global Cancer Technology are seeing breakthrough pre-clinical results, and they believe the drug will help improve the lives of cancer patients worldwide.
At this point in my career, I still felt compelled to do something significant. The thought of actually being responsible, in part, for a cure for a deadly disease is a very motivating force. Each time we tested a drug, the preclinical results kept coming back better and better, and it is a commitment it takes hold of you in all your daily efforts. There are people dying that we might be able to help-that is real motivation,”- Mr. Clark explained.
Preparing for the Phase 1 Clinical Trial
Global Cancer Technology has received breakthrough clinical results in glioblastoma and drug-resistant breast cancer studies.
“My vision for global cancer technology is twofold: I want to cure these deadly diseases; secondly, I want to reword my many shareholders who have invested in our company. We plan to be in phase 2 clinical trial with glioblastoma and a phase 1 clinical trial with breast cancer by the end of 2024,”– stated Mr. Clark. “Our company could be valued at more than $100 million, and we will have been acquired through an M&A with a major Pharma company or undergo an IPO.”
Tackling Challenges
Mr. Clark believes Drug development is an exciting industry. Every organization needs to go through a rigid process. When a company fails to make it through the process, it loses, and if it proceeds, every step brings increased valuation to the company. “As an example, in a strong market, phase 1 has a valuation of $25 million, phase 2 has a valuation of $80 million, and phase 3 has a valuation of approximately $250 million. All we have to do is step back and make sure the right scientist at the right universities are structuring the studies for maximum clinical entry,”- he explained.
Looking at the Future
Global Cancer Technology presently has breakthrough preclinical data and preparing to go into a phase 1 clinical trial. It has partnered with multiple leading universities that are studying its compound because of their belief in its potential.
Now the organization’s main priorities are to continue fundraising to keep advancing drug development through the steps necessary for commercialization and to reach a phase 1 clinical trial for glioblastoma at Baylor Scott and White.
