Leader in Biotechnology and Drug Development Receives Honor Alumnus Award from Colorado State University

The chairman and founder of one of America’s leading pharmaceutical companies will be honored as a distinguished alumnus of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University.

Claude Nash, chairman and founder of ViroPharma Inc., a pharmaceutical company specializing in RNA virus technology and that is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of antiviral medicines for the treatment of viral diseases, will be honored during the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony April 26.

Nash, who earned his master’s and doctorate in microbiology from Colorado State in 1966 and 1969, respectively, has had a long and illustrious career in pharmaceutical research and development at some of the nation’s most innovative firms including Schering Plough Research Institute, where he served as vice president for infectious disease and oncology and where he was involved in the development and commercialization if interferon. Prior to that, he held senior positions with Sterling Drug, SmithKline Beecham and Eli Lilly.

During his graduate years at Colorado State, Nash was recognized for his wonderful sense of humor and his thorough dedication to his research and coursework. A professor recalls that he clearly demonstrated all the signs for success: "A strong and diverse educational background, an ambitious drive, a demanding work ethic, an inherent bent for leadership and an instinct for the ‘thrill of the chase.’"