Ralph Franz Hirschmann (May 6, 1922 – June 20, 2009) was a German American chemist who led a team that was responsible for the first organic synthesis of an enzyme, a ribonuclease.
Following the completion of his military service, Hirschmann attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, receiving his Doctor of Philosophy in organic chemistry in 1950.
While no immediate applications were foreseen, the Merck team noted that the ability to synthesize enzymes opened a new class of drugs for potential therapeutic use.
[2] Among the medications he was involved with was the development of the antiparasitic Ivermectin used for the treatment of river blindness, the statin Mevacor for reducing cholesterol in patients at risk of cardiovascular disease, the beta-lactam-family broad-spectrum antibiotic Primaxin, the synthetic androgen Proscar used for the treatment of enlarged prostate and prostate cancer and of the ACE inhibitor Vasotec for treating hypertension.
He was presented the award at a December 1, 2000, dinner by Dr. Neal Francis Lane, Assistant to the President for Science & Technology:[5] For his seminal contributions to organic and to medicinal chemistry including the synthesis in solution of an enzyme (ribonuclease), his stimulation of peptide research in the Pharmaceutical Industry and for his leadership role in fostering interdisciplinary research in academia and in industry, which led to the discovery of several widely prescribed medications for human and animal health.Hirschmann received the Arthur C. Cope Award for achievement in the field of organic chemistry research from the American Chemical Society in 1999[6] and the American Institute of Chemists Gold Medal in 2003.