Giants in History: David T. Wong

David T. Wong (born 1936) is a Hong Kong-born American neuroscientist who is best known for discovering the antidepressant drug fluoxetine, better known as Prozac. He was inspired to become a researcher at Eli Lilly and Company after seeing the company’s logo on his grandmother’s diabetes medication. During his 32-year career there, he initiated studies on uptake processes of monoamine compounds, which led to Wong and his colleagues discovering fluoxetine, which has been used to treat millions of patients with depression. Wong also discovered the antidepressants duloxetine and dapoxetine, and the compound atomoxetine, which is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Presently, Wong serves as a consultant to several pharmaceutical companies.