Presumed corporate author, R.J. Reynolds
Presumed corporate recipient, R.J. Reynolds
Recognizing the connection between some forms of mental illness and nicotine addiction, in 1997 R.J. Reynolds created a wholly-owned biotech research subsidiary to develop nicotine-like compounds to be used in the treatment of mental disorders like Alzheimer's disease, Tourette's syndrome, schizophrenia and other illnesses. RJR created the name of the company, "Targacept," by combining the words "targeted" and "receptors." Targacept's web site is at http://www.targacept.com/wt/page/index . The site's description of Targacept says, "Targacept, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the design, discovery and development of drugs to treat multiple nervous system diseases and disorders by selectively targeting a class of receptors known as neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, or NNRs." Targacept is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the home of R.J. Reynolds.
In this document desribing the origins of Targacept, RJR cites the "many epidemiological studies" that reported a lower risk for smokers for such disorders as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and ulcerative colitis. RJR also mentions studies that show that the nicotine patch carries some benefits for people suffering from these diseases. Encouraged by these findings, RJR created Targacept in an effort to profit from marketing nicotine compounds in an entirely different, and safer way. The way that RJR acted regarding epidemiological findings in favor of nicotine contrasts starkly with how they, and the entire tobacco industry, reacted to far greater epidemiological findings that revealed the detrimental health effects of smoking.
The document also shows RJR's pursuit of safer forms of nicotine and nicotine-like compounds while continuing to make and sell cigarettes.