Auguron Biosciences

Agouron Pharmaceuticals was a seminal biotechnology company that pioneered the field of structure-based drug design (SBDD). Founded in 1984 and based in La Jolla, California, the company utilized protein crystallography to visualize drug targets at the atomic level, enabling the rational design of potent small molecule inhibitors. Their landmark achievement was the development of Viracept (nelfinavir), a protease inhibitor that revolutionized the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Beyond virology, Agouron's research engine produced significant oncology candidates, including the VEGFR inhibitor axitinib (Inlyta) and the PARP inhibitor rucaparib (Rubraca). The company was acquired by Warner-Lambert in 1999 for $2.1 billion and subsequently integrated into Pfizer, where its research site continued to be a major hub for oncology and structural biology.