Drug Discovery

Drug discovery is a process of identifying potential new medicines. The process engages a broad range of scientific disciplines, including chemistry, biology, and pharmacology. Decades ago, the drug discovery process revolved around identifying active ingredients from traditional remedies or through serendipitous discovery. However, this approach was later replaced by a new approach that involves understanding the me Drug discovery is a process of identifying potential new medicines. The process engages a broad range of scientific disciplines, including chemistry, biology, and pharmacology. Decades ago, the drug discovery process revolved around identifying active ingredients from traditional remedies or through serendipitous discovery. However, this approach was later replaced by a new approach that involves understanding the mechanism of controlling diseases and infections at the molecular and physiological level, followed by targeting the specific entities based on this knowledge. This entire process, including stages ranging from drug discovery to marketing, can take 10–15 years; it involves screening chemical compounds for their potential pharmacological effects. Additionally, improvement of metabolic stability (half-life), efficacy or potency, and oral bioavailability hold a prime importance in the process of drug discovery. The new process also focuses on reducing potential drug side effects by enhancing affinity and selectivity by considering medicinal chemistry and optimization hits. Moreover, disease processes, molecular compound tests, existing treatments with unanticipated effects, and new technologies have accelerated the growth of the drug discovery business.

The demand for drug discovery is increasing with the growing burden of a broad range of diseases, including cardiovascular or central nervous system-related disorders. For instance, as per CDC, every year, half of the total Americans suffer from at least one chronic disease, such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, or diabetes. These chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disabilities in the US. Apart from this, the drug discovery business growth is driven by rising healthcare expenditure or spending on chronic disease by various countries, and the upcoming patent expiry dates of blockbuster drugs. Additionally, drug discovery helps to identify screening hits, and optimization of those hits to enhance the affinity, selectivity such as to reduce the potential of side effects, increase efficacy or potency, metabolic stability (to develop the half-life), and oral bioavailability.

View More