Today marks the 24th anniversary of the passing of Dr. Peter J. Moloney in 1989. Likely Connaught Laboratories’ longest-serving employee, he worked from 1919 to 1961, and continued as an active researcher and consultant until he was 90.
In 1924, Moloney received an urgent request from Dr. FitzGerald, who had learned of a way to actively immunize against diphtheria using a "toxoid" vaccine. However, further work was needed to test it. Moloney developed the "Moloney Reaction Test" the following year, which expedited the vaccine’s broad use in Canada and rapidly brought diphtheria incidence down to almost zero by the early 30s.
In the 1940s and 1950s, he played a critical role in improving the production of heparin and penicillin, and in the early 1960s, developed Sulphated Insulin for diabetics resistant to regular insulin.
Dr. Moloney led a very productive, though quiet life, earning his seventh patent at age 90 and living into his 99th year.
