A billion-dollar drug was found in Easter Island soil – what scientists and companies owe the Indigenous people they studied

Cancer. Diabetes. Aging itself. Rapamycin’s potential to treat an array of diseases has been a source of scientific fascination. But many aren’t aware of its origins – and its complicated legacy.

By: Ted Powers, University of California, Davis, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: September 13, 2026

Words: 1,389

Last Updated: 1 month ago

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By Ted Powers, University of California, Davis

An antibiotic discovered on Easter Island in 1964 sparked a billion-dollar pharmaceutical success story. Yet the history told about this “miracle drug” has completely left out the people and politics that made its discovery possible.

Named after the island’s Indigenous name, Rapa Nui, the drug rapamycin was initially developed as an immunosuppressant to prevent organ transplant rejection and to improve the efficacy of stents to treat coronary artery …

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