From test-tube to total intravenous anaesthesia: Milestones in the discovery and development of propofol

Having studied veterinary medicine at Glasgow University, Dr John B Glen was interested in remaining in the academic environment and after a year as a house surgeon doing small animal surgery, he became a lecturer in veterinary surgery with particular responsibility for veterinary anaesthesia. His interest in the evaluation of new anaesthetic agents in animals encouraged him to join ICI Pharmaceuticals as a research biologist in their anaesthetic project team looking for new anaesthetic drugs. Dr John B Glen recommended propofol for clinical development in 1973 but challenges in obtaining a satisfactory formulation delayed its clinical availability until 1986. He had moved to the medical department and became involved in the phase 4 clinical trial programme with studies that supported use for maintenance of anaesthesia and sedation and was closely involved in the development of Diprifusor TCI.