In 1989, Pfizer chemists in South East England were trying to synthesize a drug that they thought might treat high blood pressure & chest pain. The project showed very little promise and after a string of disappointing results was on the verge of being shelved.
The chemist in charge of clinical testing (David Brown), was hauled in front of the Senior Management Committee and lambasted for wasting company resources. He was finally given a three-month deadline to prove the efficacy of the drug.
As disappointment finally set in, Brown & his team knew they were sitting on a failed drug. But then something strange happened. As the team began conducting its final set of trials, the participants were asked if there was anything else they wanted to report.
One of the men put up his hand and said, "Well, I seemed to have more erections during the night than normal," and everybody else kind of nodded and said, "So did we."
On that gloomy evening in South East England, the world had finally chanced upon Viagra. 20 years and $40+ Billion later, Pfizer is yet to produce anything that rivals the miracle drug's popularity.
