June 20, 1978
Dear Lee:
Many thanks for your letter about Interferon. I went to see Dr. Burns at Hoffman-LaRoche Laboratories with Dr. Gutterman and I feel we can make some very advantageous arrangements with them.
I assume that you know that the Lasker Foundation provided M.D.  Anderson with $200,000 worth of Finnish Red Cross Interferon and we are providing another $100,000 worth that you have already received.
However, I don't think the Lasker Foundation should be doing this when the American Cancer Society has funds, and the National Cancer Institute is spending about $52,000,000 on drug development for treatment. I want to use our funds only in dire emergencies to open doors. What's more our funds are very small compared with these two other sources and they should be made alert to the big possible advances with larger doses of Interferon when purified. Also Rauscher thinks Interferon may be a chemo-prophylaxis which could be very exciting.
It is possible that Hoffman-LaRoche might be able to supply 100 times more purified material if M.D. Anderson provides them with the white cells.
This is a very exciting venture and I hope and think that it will come out very well.
I am very anxious that the Cancer Society support this venture at M.D. Anderson. What do you think the chances are?
Warmest wishes.
Sincerely,
Mary