In Memory of
Dr. John (Jack) J. Baldwin
Co-Founder, Former Board Director, SAB Chair
IVIEW Therapeutics Inc.
I was deeply saddened to receive an email from Jack’s account, through which Ann, his beloved wife, informed us that Jack passed away on March 22, 2025. Just days before, I had considered calling him upon my return from China on March 18 to update him on our recent project progress. Now, that conversation will never happen. Jack has left us, resting peacefully in heaven, and I will no longer have the privilege of hearing his sharp, humorous insights on everything.
Today at 10am in the morning, as I attend his memorial service, I want to share some thoughts about a man whose impact on science, industry, and the people around him was truly remarkable.
Jack was a renowned scientist who made significant contributions to the discovery and development of numerous marketed drugs, including Trusopt, Cosopt, Edercin, Aggrastat, Crixivan, and Pepcid, during his tenure at Merck. His career did not end with his retirement; instead, he embarked on a new journey as an entrepreneur, co-founding several groundbreaking companies such as Pharmacopeia, Vitae, WuXi AppTec, and Hua Medicine. I believe his final entrepreneurial endeavor was co-founding IVIEW Therapeutics with me. While many of his ventures have become successful public companies, IVIEW is still on its journey. Sadly, Jack will only witness our success from above.
I still recall the bio he once sent me, in which he described himself as someone who recognized the potential of China's pharmaceutical industry in the late 1990s. This vision led him to co-found WuXi AppTec with Dr. Ge Li, his favorite scientist from Pharmacopeia. Today, WuXi AppTec is a globally recognized leader that has shaped China's role in the pharmaceutical world.
When I joined Pharmacopeia, Jack was the Chief Scientific Officer—my boss’s boss’s boss. His scientific vision and deep expertise in rational drug discovery often had the power to transform a mere concept into a groundbreaking innovation. I remember an instance when he suggested that a lactam ring in a core structure might yield a promising drug candidate, and, indeed, that insight led to a clinical candidate.
Jack followed my entrepreneurial ventures in New York after my time at Pharmacopeia. We met frequently, and eventually, he became my co-founder, playing a crucial role in developing the in-situ gel technology for ophthalmic drug delivery. It was only then that I learned he was one of the key inventors behind Merck’s billion-dollar glaucoma drugs. Working alongside him to build an ophthalmic company at the Pennsylvania Biotech Center, which has since moved to New Jersey, was an extraordinary experience. His vision, humor, and sharp scientific advice constantly pushed me to achieve more. He always wanted updates on my projects and never ceased to encourage me to move forward.
Now, Jack has left us, but he leaves behind an incredible legacy for those who knew him.
In February, before my trip to China, I tried calling him, but Ann told me he was taking a nap. I never called back. Now, I will never again have the chance to talk to him or hear his wisdom.
The last time I saw him was at his 90th birthday in 2024 and I went to his home to visit him. I brought a cake from Paris Baguette, and we took a few pictures. I could feel his joy that day. That was also the first time I discovered another side of Jack—he was a poet. Alongside the numerous scientific publications and patents that Merck compiled into books, there was another book filled with poetry he had written.
I wish Jack eternal peace in heaven. He was a mentor, an inspiration, and a man of great wisdom. He will always be remembered with the deepest respect.
By Bo Liang, Ph.D, MBA
March 26, 2025 at NJ Home
缅怀 Dr. John (Jack) J. Baldwin
联合创始人，前董事会成员，科学顾问委员会主席
IVIEW Therapeutics Inc.
当我收到了Jack挚爱的妻子Ann发来的邮件，告诉我们Jack于2025年3月22日去世，我的心情无比沉痛。就在几天前，我还想着在3月18日从中国回来后给他打电话，向他汇报我们最近的项目进展。如今，这个电话永远无法拨出。Jack已经离开我们，安息于天堂，我再也无法聆听他那幽默而犀利的见解了。
今天上午10点，当我参加他的追思会时，我想分享一些关于这位在科学、产业以及身边人中留下深远影响的杰出人物的回忆。
Jack是一位著名的科学家，在他于默克（Merck）任职期间，为多款上市药物的发现与开发做出了重大贡献，其中包括Trusopt、Cosopt、Edercin、Aggrastat、Crixivan和Pepcid。他的职业生涯并未在退休后结束，反而开启了新的旅程，成为一名企业家，联合创办了Pharmacopeia、Vitae、WuXi AppTec（药明康德）和Hua Medicine（华领医药）等多家具有开创性的公司。我相信，他最后的创业项目便是与我共同创立IVIEW Therapeutics。虽然他之前创办的许多企业都已成功上市，而IVIEW仍在奋斗的路上，但遗憾的是，Jack只能在天堂见证我们的成功了。
我仍然记得他曾经发给我的一份个人简介，里面提到他是最早在20世纪90年代末意识到中国制药产业潜力的人之一。正是凭借这一远见卓识，他与他在Pharmacopeia最喜欢的科学家——李革博士，共同创立了WuXi AppTec（药明康德）。如今，药明康德已成为全球知名的企业，并推动了中国制药产业在全球的崛起。
当我加入Pharmacopeia时，Jack是公司的首席科学官——是我的上级的上级的上级。他的科学远见和在理性药物发现方面的深厚经验，常常能化腐朽为神奇。我记得有一次，他向一位课题组负责人建议，在核心结构中引入内酰胺环可能会产生一个有潜力的药物候选分子，最终，这个建议确实促成了一个临床候选药物的诞生。
在我离开Pharmacopeia后，Jack一直关注着我在纽约的创业之旅。我们经常见面，最终，他成为了我的联合创始人，并在眼科药物的原位凝胶技术开发方面发挥了至关重要的作用。直到那时，我才知道，他曾是默克数十亿美元级青光眼药物的关键发明人。能够在宾夕法尼亚生物技术中心（现已搬迁至新泽西）与他并肩打造一家眼科公司，对我而言是一段极其珍贵的经历。他的远见、幽默和犀利的科学建议一直激励着我不断前行。他总是关心我的项目进展，并不断鼓励我勇往直前。
如今，Jack已经离我们而去，但他为身边的人留下了一条光辉的足迹。
今年二月，在我去中国出差前，我曾试图给他打电话，但Ann告诉我Jack正在午休。我没有再拨打回去，而现在，我再也没有机会和他说话，聆听他的智慧了。
我最后一次见到他是在2024年他90岁生日的时候，我特意去他家看望他。我带了一块Paris Baguette的蛋糕，并和他拍了几张照片。我能感受到他那天的喜悦。那也是我第一次发现Jack的另一面——他还是一位诗人。除了默克公司收录的众多科学出版物和专利外，还有一本专门收录他诗歌的书籍。
愿Jack在天堂安息。他是一位导师，一位激励人心的引路人，也是一位充满智慧的人。他将永远被我们深深怀念和敬仰。
Bo Liang, Ph.D, MBA
2025年3月26日 于新泽西家中
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