IDEC Pharmaceuticals

DECP Pharmaceuticals was founded in San Diego by Ivor Royston and Robert E. Sobol, a physician and immunologist from the University of California, San Diego, Howard Birndorf, a San Diego biotech entrepreneur, and Ron Levy and Richard Miller, cancer researchers from Stanford University. The initial business plan called for the development of a customized panel of anti-idiotype monoclonal antibodies to be used as anticancer immune stimulants. Anti-idiotype antibodies are immunoglobulins directed against "self" components of the immune system. Antibodies are selected from the panel based on their reactivity, specificity, and affinity with the patient's tumor cells.