This, and another antifolate drug, Methotrexate used by Dr. Farber were discovered and supplied by Dr. Yellapragada Subbarao Director, Research at Lederle Co. at Pearl River, NY.
Methotrexate was developed as a less-toxic alternative to aminopterin by Yellapragada Subbarao in 1946 and tested on 16 children by Sidney Farber and his colleague, Louis K. Diamond.
It was discovered in 1945 by Dr. Benjamin Duggar working at Lederle Laboratories under the supervision of Dr. Subba Rao.