Work
Her interest in interferon led her to approach Sidney Pestka at Roche Pharmaceutical Company[4] and be hired at Hoffman-La Roche.[2] For a time, the Changs endured the difficulties of a commuter marriage: Chang lived and worked in Parsippany, NY; Tse Wen commuted to Pennsylvania each week to work at Centocor. Eventually Chang joined Centocor as a bench-level diagnostician. Her heart was still in research, and she took part in Centocor's involvement in therapeutic research. She brought in several new projects, including HIV/AIDS research. Nancy's team participated in a consortium, which sequenced the HIV genome structure. Chang was instrumental in developing the first diagnostic assay to detect HIV infection by employing a peptide segment of HIV as the solid-phase antigen in the immunoassay.[4] She was Director of Research at Centocor from 1982 to 1986.
In 1986, the Changs moved to Houston, TX. Baylor College of Medicine in Houston offered Tse Wen a faculty position, and Chang was able to obtain a position as well. She became Associate Professor of Virology at Baylor College of Medicine, serving from 1986 to 1991.
Both Chang and Tse Wen suffered severely from allergies. Tse Wen had an idea for treating allergies by blocking IgE (immunoglobulin E), and the Changs founded the biotechnology company Tanox. Tse Wen continued his preferred work as a professor, and Chang served as president of the new company. In 1992, the Changs separated. Tse Wen returned to Taiwan in 1996 to teach, while remained as a board member of Tanox until the company was acquired by Genentech. Chang continued her work with Tanox, serving as CEO as well as president.[4]
Tanox focused on addressing medical needs in the areas of allergy, asthma, inflammation, and diseases affecting the human immune system,[1] developing an asthma drug that targeted the allergy-related basis of asthma, Xolair.[2] Tanox's initial public offering in 2000 was the second largest IPO ever for a biotechnology company, raising $244 million.[1] In June 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Xolair, the first biotech product cleared for treating those with asthma related to allergies.[2][3] In 2007, Tanox was sold to Genentech for $919 million.[1] Chang continued to be involved, as chairman of Tanox's board of directors.[2]
Tanox was also active in the development of TNX-355, an antibody for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Chang has said that she is passionate about AIDS because of her work as a young researcher in one of the first laboratories to confront the disease.[2]
Chang Chang's published research includes over 35 papers on topics including monoclonal antibodies and HIV. She has been awarded seven patents.
Chang has served on the boards of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank in Houston, of BioHouston, of Project Hope, of Charles River Laboratories, and of the Board of Visitors of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, among others.[1][6] Chang is an angel investor in health-care entrepreneurships and performs philanthropic work in community health-education projects.[4] As part of Project Hope's China programs, she has had the responsibility of assessing annual progress in programs at Wuhan University School of Medicine, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, and educational programs and treatments for diabetes and HIV/AIDS.[1] As of 2009, Chang was the chairman and managing director of OrbiMed's Caduceus Asia partner fund and a member of Orbimed Advisors, the largest investment firm focused entirely on the healthcare sector.[1] As of 2013, Chang Chang was president of Apex Enterprises.[6]
