OREANDA-NEWS. December 28, 2015. With deep sadness, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced the passing of

Alfred Gilman, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Gilman was a co-founder of Regeneron and had been a Director since July 1990. His life-long passion for science greatly advanced medical knowledge and won him much recognition, including the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1994. 

"Al worked tirelessly over a long and esteemed career to advance our knowledge of science and medicine, and his work will benefit patients in need for generations to come," said

P. Roy Vagelos, M.D., Chairman of the Regeneron Board of Directors. "The Regeneron Board and leadership team has benefited greatly from his keen intellect, guidance and friendship, and our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time."

"For four decades, Al has been a mentor, advisor and, most importantly, a dear friend," said

Leonard S. Schleifer, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Regeneron. "I have been learning from Al my entire career - while working in his lab as an M.D./Ph.D. student and during his long tenure as a Director at Regeneron. Al's many contributions have helped shape our company's science-driven philosophy, and we will all miss his humor, wit and wisdom."

Dr. Gilman most recently served as a Regental Professor of Pharmacology Emeritus at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Formerly he was the Chief Scientific Officer of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. He also served as executive vice president for academic affairs and provost of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, dean of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, and professor of pharmacology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Gilman was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and was one of the inaugural fellows of the American Association of Cancer Research. He and Dr.

Martin Rodbell received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1994 for seminal work in defining the role of G-proteins on intracellular signaling. He is survived by his wife Kathy, three children and five grandchildren.